A Wonderful Family

We were invited to family home evening and dinner with this sweet family, along with the elders. The kids are so well behaved (even the little ones) and all had parts for FHE. They sing with gusto and all the verses. The baby girl who is not quite 3, had a little pocket size hymn book, and she sang in her loudest voice - her own song, along with everyone - so darling! When she and her brother got tired, they climbed up on the couch by their mom and dad, and closed their beautiful brown eyes and went to sleep! No fussing! They had scriptures written on some big cardboard, and they all repeated the scriptures from memory - they said they do that every night before prayer.

After a wonderful 1 hr FHE, the adults all went into the dining room to eat, and the kids waited in the living room untill we were through eating, and then they got to eat. I think it was partly because there wasn't room for everyone around the table, but they said that is the tradition in Samoa. (I was so worried about the kids being hungry at 7:30)! We had fish, and beef chow mein, and chicken and french fries and taro! And cheese cake and ice cream, and fruit for desert. It was all delicious!! What a special family!! And they are so beautiful! They have one son who was at EFY in Auckland with the other youth from the Branch. They told us that they had one other son, but they let the father's brother and his wife have him to raise, because they couldn't have any children! How's that for brotherly love!

Matt and Anne, Courtney, Ethan and Shakyla

This sweet family have been so good to us and we love them. Their parents are all in Austrailia, so they don't have any grandparents nearby. They came this week for family home evening and dinner with us. They brought us a little tv, so we could watch the news and the church dvds. They also came this week and cleaned out the flower beds and took away a whole pickup load of leaves and garbage. Matt is only 27, so is like a son (or grandson!). He wears shorts and rugby socks and "jandles" (flipflops), even when it's very cold outside! Anne is such a sweet mother, and she is so kind to everyone. She and I went to Christchurch on Thursday with some other ladies from the branch, and heard Sherry Dew, Virginia Pearce, and Hillary Weeks. They were going to Auckland for a "Time out for Women" but came here as a bonus, to uplift the people who have suffered from the earthquake. It was a really wonderful evening, to hear them, and they did uplift and encourage everyone. I sat next to a lady who had arranged beautiful flowers (that had been donated) for that night, and found out she had lost her home in the earthquake, and that what money they got from the government wasn't enough to buy another house. Talking to her for a few minutes, (and also driving around Christchurch), really helped me realize how much people had been through. We are about an hour from there, and so the damage here isn't nearly as bad here. After I had talked to this little lady - Sherry Dew came down the isle, and I told her a bit about her, and Sister Dew hugged her and talked to her a minute. Anyway, it was a great experience.

Saturday we went to Christchurch for a baptism - Elder Neil and Elder Fafita have been teaching Terry , and he was baptised. The elders can't take any passengers in their car, so Terry rode with us. We heard his life story, and it's very interesting. He was born and raised in North Carolina, and he is African Anerican. As a boy, he remembers his mother talking about Joseph Smith! He practices holistic or alternative medicine, and massage and acupuncture and reflexology. He came to NZ with his wife, who was from here, but they have separated now,and they have two young sons. He is now a caregiver for and lives with a man who has had a stroke and he is helping him with diet and other things to get mobile again.

It was a really nice baptism at 11:00 and then we had lunch afterwards at the church.

Our lady from the candy shop, has a website, you should check it out! Bullrush chocolates. or maybe Bull Rush Chocolates. Her name is Nadine.

Sunday we had stake conference, and our new stake president is Pres Ormsby, who we had dinner at his house a week or so ago, and he has been in the mission presidency. He is a wonderful young (age 32) man and he will be great. We don't know the counselors, but one was a counselor in the stake before, and one has been a branch president in Timeru. It was a wonderful meeting with Elder Watson, who has been personal secretary to all of the last 5 or 6 prophets! He said not many people can do this, but he went up and walked into Pres Monson's office and told him he was going to Christchurch, and wanted to know what the prophet would like to say to the people there - and he said, "tell them that we are aware of their circumstances, that we are praying for them, and that I love them! The past stake president and his wife, gave wonderful talks too, and also Pres Ormsby. To hear the testimonies of those who have been involved in calling a new stake president, that it is a call from the Lord is pretty amazing!

Rebels

We are laughing! Our district leader, Elder Murphy, who is a wonderful young man, told Kenny this morning that he only has 2 rebellious missionaries in his district! (he and his companion, and the 2 elders here in Ashburton, and Kenny and I are his entire district). So Kenny and I are the rebellious ones, because Kenny hasn't gotten his weekly progress report into him when it was due! He's really just teasing us. He doesn't come home, so we can report until after we go to bed! We really could do better! But we are laughing at being called rebellious! He doesn't know how lucky he is that Kenny isn't here alone!! Kenny will get him back when he does apartment inspections!

Kenny can't bring himself to pay $13 for a car wash, so he's doing it himself.

Our Ashburton Elders - Elder Neil and Elder Fifita

This is the new car waiting for Elder Neil to pass his driving test tomorrow, so they can have it. Elder Neider is teasing them, by dangling the keys. Elder Fifita is showing off his new warm coat - he was so thrilled with it! They are really fun elders and are working hard in Ashburton.

Elder Neil passed his driving test and it was a glorious and happy occasion.

Our new mission president and his lovely wife and our first zone conference

It was a wonderful zone conference! We heard from President and Sister Kezerian and they told us about themselves and bore wonderful testimonies. Our mission is in good hands. I loved President's story about during WWII, how one young man jumped off a ship to go back and help men who were being abandoned - and as a result, the ship was stopped and went back and rescued all of the men. He said that is what we are to do - dive in and save lives. (Only he told it 100 times better than that)! He and his wife challenged us, and inspired us. We got to hear Pres Ormsby and his sweet wife bear their beautiful testimonies too. We also got to hear every missionary in our zone, bear their testimonies, and it was so wonderful!

We didn't think to take pictures until quite a few had left - we'll do better next time! It was a really wonderful day.

A great weekend

Last night the Timeru elders called and said the lady that they had ask us to visit in Geraldine, came to church and brought her whole family! They were pretty excited about that!

We had such a great weekend - Saturday, when we went to do the English class at the church, we were early, so we went across the street to a little "chocolate and gift" shop! I picked out some blank cards to write thank yous on, and the lady ask us about our church across the street, because of our name badges. Dad started to tell her about our church, and ask her if she would like to know more. She said yes she would!! So he kept talking to her - I had to go to my class. She said she had been going to some other church, but didn't feel like it was right, and was wanting to find another one. Dad gave her a booklet about the Plan of Salvation, she said she would read it, and for us to stop over again. (She didn't let Dad pay for over $20 worth of stuff we were buying!!)

Saturday morning I was feeling kind of panicy about what to teach at the English class. I had prayed and gotten some children's books from the library with cd, and Sister Ede had downloaded onto a cd, I Nephi. But didn't feel like it was enough. I wanted to contact Natalie or Heidi who had both taught English in foreign countries, but didn't have phone numbers. I tried to find them, and finally got on facebook and told Heidi to call me. A few minutes later she did!!! She told me that they taught the little 4 &5 yr old kids, by role playing and explained how. I got thinking that that was exactly what these ladies wanted - to know how to express themselves - like how to conduct, pray, bear testimony, etc. (one lady just got put in the RS presidency). So I typed out 3 sheets for each person. One was what you would say and do if you were to conduct, one on if you wanted to bear your testimony, and one on prayer. I told them that they would speak from their heart, but these were some things they could practice saying. A non member was there, and she said she practiced in front of a mirror and that helped her get confidence. (She is also very interested in the church!!)
We also listen and followed along with Chpt 1 of BofM. At the end of class, the lady said thank you so much - I have to conduct for the first time tomorrow in RS and this will help me! I felt like Heavenly Father was so aware of us - to have Heidi call with idea, and so I had time to get the pages ready - to help this sweet sister. (By the way - she did a great job on Sunday!!
At Sacrament meeting, (the most they had usually have is 100 or so people) - they had 138 people!!
There were people everywhere!! The stake president, Pres McDonald and his wife were there and they both spoke. We were so happy to hear and meet them, because they are going to be release this next Sunday. Very sweet and wonderful people who have had incredible trials since the earthquake.
After church we went up to Rakai, and met with the McGoons, and taught her a real lesson on the Plan of Salvation! It was our first missionary lesson - very out of our comfort zone, but we felt pretty good about it. We thought her husband would have told her about us coming (he invited us) but he kind of sprung it on her at the last minute, and she wasn't as ready as we would have hoped. But she was ok, and I think they will have us come again. We said some important things that hopefully she'll think about. We left her the booklet on the Plan of Salvation too. Excellent little booklet!
Sunday night, we had our temple prep class and Dad did a good job. We had 3 more people come who ask to be part of the class. It was a good evening! In all we are doing, we feel that the Lord is blessing and helping us know what to do and say. Carry on and try not to panic!