This week was totally different then last week. It was a really good week. We were able to see all of our investigators except Sarah so we still haven't been able to have a lesson since she texted us telling us that she was keen to be baptized. Other than that though, the area is progressing again. Agency is a bummer sometimes. I am so grateful that we have it though. I hope we can make it into the cabin sometime soon after I get home. I really want to go there again. I love the cabin! I am so excited for GC - every time so far on my mission it has just seemed to get better and better. This one should be really good but it is still a couple of weeks away for us. Sounds like this cabin trip is going to be a busy one and it might be without much electricity. Another adventure for Mom and Dad - I am glad you to love each other. I did go to a Blink 182 concert with almost the same group - It was Chantelle, Keeg, Kolten and Me. It was with My Chemical Romance. That was a fun memory to come back up. I am excited to come home but we have a lot going on in our area which is good. Preston is still emailing me and sending me photos. Marissa emailed me today and said she was engaged that was pretty crazy. Time is moving so fast.
This Week;
So like I said before we have had a good week. We had a FHE with the family that lives next to our Ward Mission Leader - Cassie and her Kids. It is fun but difficult to teach them sometimes. Trying to keep their focus and trying to teach simply is interesting. They didn't come to church again but we are still having good lessons so I am happy. Hopefully we can help them attend church next week.
We also have seen some really good progress with two of our investigators - Jewels and Cleveland. They are twins and are 11. Elder Wilson was able to go over and teach them on Saturday and he set a baptismal date for the 15th of October. They accepted and their parents have given them permission so that is really good. It feels nice to have someone set with a date again. It is a lot easier to plan for someone when they have at least a goal set. Progress speeds up with goals.
In other news we have had some big changes to our area for the next week or so. We had one of our missionaries go home this week from our zone and so now we are in a trio with one of our DL's. His name is Elder Fonua. We are covering a total of three wards now which includes A Tongan ward, A Niuean ward, and A Palangi (English) ward (the Favona Ward). The Tongan and Palangi wards are within our zone boundary but the Niuean speaking ward covers our entire mission. Well technically it covers the whole of New Zealand and one could say that it actually covers the whole world because it is the only Niuean Ward in the whole world because on the Island of Niue there are only branches right now. (Its a small island in the Pacific that is covered by our mission.) So pretty much it was the busiest Sunday I have had in my entire mission.
The started earlier and didn't stop...
- 6 am: PEC in Niuean.
- 8 am: Favona Ward council
- 9 am: Sacrament in Niuean
- 10:30 am: Drop off supplies for the Tongan Sisters
- 11 am: Favona Sacrament
- 12 pm: Gospel Principles Favona
- 1 pm: Tongan Sacrament
- 2:30 pm: MCM with Niuean Ward Mission Leader
- 4 pm: Appointment with Jewels (aka Mama) and Cleveland with Tutagalevao family
- 5 pm: Dinner in Favona with Atitoa family
- 6 pm: Lesson with Ururaiaha Favona Investigator
- 7 pm: Lesson with a new family in the Niuean Ward in Mt Roskill zone (Central Auckland)
- 8:30 pm: Pudding at Sister Autaua's (Aka Mama Lynne)
- 9 pm: Planning
- 9:30 pm: Accountability Calls
- 10 pm: Planning Zone Devotional for the next day
- 10:30 pm: Nightly Prayers
- 10:32 pm: Full hibernation
It was a very busy day with a lot of words that I don't understand. plus to top it off it was daylight saving for us on Saturday night so we were running on an hour less of sleep. I am excited to be covering the whole mission now - when I served in the YSA ward, our area only covered about 3/4ths of the mission. It should just last until next week Wednesday when we are transferred. I am hoping for my last transfer to be here in Favona. This week should be a lot of fun.
Love,
Elder Summers