Sounds like you got a big project done. I want to wish Mom a happy birthday. I was wondering if Ely was married or what he was up to - good to get a small update about him. I am glad that Autto and Duke are friends(or at least as far as we can tell). A night watching the Hallmark Channel with Gramma sounds pretty good right now. Glad you asked your favorite son who is an RM to speak with you. I think I like giving speeches as well. I am getting a lot more comfortable, and better I hope, here on the mission. That doesn't mean I am volunteering for when I get home so this stays between us. :) Sending off Elder Peihopa was pretty good. He went to the airport early on Wednesday morning and I wasn't able to go to the airport to drop them off which was disappointing. He left with the assistant but I hugged him goodbye, admittedly I was half awake and can't remember it too well but I am pretty sure he teared (up the big baby). I love him, he was definitely one of my best companions. Elder Cowley is my new companion... all the way from Temple View in Hamilton. He just became a ZL and has been on the mission for 5 months now so he is young in the mission He hasn't been a ZL before so I am showing him how to do everything. It isn't bad, he is eager to help. He definitely isn't lazy and we are already getting along. Transfers was busy however. All the luggage made it to the right place, we just had to grab two bags from other zones in our area so it wasn't too bad this time. The ankle is pretty good, a little sore still but I am back to full use. I am not supposed to be running or jumping for another 4 weeks though. Which is hard because he doesn't hurt or feel injured anymore. I would have sent photos but I took a photo of it and then I haven't seen my camera sense then. It looked pretty bad. The day I sprained it or the day after was the last time I had my camera so it is a little more difficult for me to get pictures but I am working on it. Yeah you know me, I just can't live without Ball. :) Everything is going well.
This week:
As I said this week was a very busy week. A lot of fun, and a lot of work - just how the mission should be. It was a pretty good week anyways. Like I said, Elder Peihopa finished on Tuesday and flew home on Wednesday. I saw a video of him leading the mission haka for the last time at the airport. I wish I could have been there for it. He also, as soon as he was released, went to the beach in his suit and jumped off the wharf with all his clothes on. :) I actually had a chance to talk to Elder Peihopa on the phone this week. I am not sure if I was supposed to, but he called us out of the blue and was looking to get Nate's number from us. It was crack up to talk to him for a couple of minutes. He got Nate's number and he called him on Saturday before the Baptism.
Transfers was stressful but I took care of it - mostly because I had to. My mission son, Elder Smith, has been a big help. He just takes care of whatever I need him to and I really appreciate that. We have some new Elders living with us so the flat is a little different to live in. We are trying to keep it clean but right now there are 5 of us and none of us have any money and we ran out of cleaning supplies, most importantly rubbish bags. The flat is awful at the moment. Still a work in progress hopefully Coraline (our landlady) Doesn't come over before we get paid tomorrow. :)
The highlight of the week was definitely Nate's baptism. I am not sure what I have told you about Nate but he is the most "golden" investigator I have ever met. I am so grateful that I have been able to help him on his path even though I haven't really done that much, its been all him. In our first lesson we were teaching him about some commandments that he had some questions about and told us that he was keeping all of them but he felt really bad about breaking some of them. We went to explain but before we could he just had to confess. He told us that he was doing fine with Word of Wisdom, and the Law of Chastity but he just couldn't help but end up swearing here or there. He is just so great.
His baptism was great. He is half Filipino and half Kiwi but looks Maori. He is dating a member of our ward and that is how he found that gospel. He actually referred himself online and ordered a Book of Mormon and then from there he has just been on his way
The program ran very smoothly, It was about and hour and a half long. Our ward mission leader baptized him and both my new companion and I spoke. It was funny for Elder Cowley because he just met Nate on Thursday doing his baptismal interview and that was the only time they had met before. It was just a brief testimony for both of us. Well, on the program, out of everyone, my name was the only one that said "Brief comments" next to it, We didn't make the program, Nate's fellowships helped him make it and I think they may have been trying to hint at something. :) It also gave me a good excuse to make a joke and share a scripture and then sit down. It was an awesome baptism and I am so grateful to have been able to confirm him a member and give him The Gift of the Holy Ghost yesterday. He will be ordained to a priest next Sunday he has already spoken with bishop and should be on his way. This ward I trust to take care of him, I know he is in good hands with our bishop and with everyone else of course.
Love
Elder Summers