December 1, 2013

Another wonderful week in Westport :) 

We met a man outside Countdown (a supermarket) last Saturday, and he had crazy hair and a beard, with some surfboards on top of his big truck. He seemed like the wrong person to talk to, but it turns out that he used to "surf for Jesus." He accepted a Book of Mormon, and said he'd come to church on Sunday. He didn't turn up, which wasn't a big surprise because that happens a lot. However, we actually received a text from him Sunday night, saying he was sorry he didn't make it to church - whaaaat? Someone we street contacted actually contacted US? Please, everybody say a prayer of gratitude for this miracle. We met up with him a few days later, brought the elders around so he could meet who was going to be teaching him. He told us he has been wanted to go to church, but was tired of those loud, irreverent churches - after all, when you're mourning, it's not exactly an appropriate time to get "pumped for Jesus." So jealous the Elders get to teach him, but such a sweet miracle to witness! So cool!! 

We went up to Karamea this week and saw the a couple up there. One woman was from Norway, and she said that when she and her kids were in Norway, they would play two games when they were in public - "Spot the Russian" and "Spot the Mormon." She described how we take care of our physical bodies and take our "physical health very seriously." She said we all have a "new age christian glow" and you can just tell by looking at someone if they are Mormon and taking care of their bodies. We took this chance to talk about the spirit. Is this not the coolest/funniest thing? She also said that she had been thinking about the Mormons lately, and said she had been thinking how there are SO many of us, all over the world - we couldn't ALL be lying. And she likes that we have a prophet. My companion was like, "THANK YOU! Everyone thinks we're weird because of that! It's so cool, right!" 

Also, I have decided that Sister Woodbury is going to live until she is 200 years old. She eats SOO well. She's like, "Let's have a whole wheat pita with some zucchini," and I'm like, "Hey, we're almost out of Nutella." 

i love you all :) I think sacrament meeting is getting more and more meaningful for me every single week. Wow, i seriously love being in a tiny branch. We just memorized "As Now We Take the Sacrament" as a companionship - such a wonderful, touching song. have i mentioned lately that I love my life?

Also we biked to Waimangaroa on Saturday after a District carwash in Greymouth. Here's how the converstaion on the way home went:

me: we're gonna bike to waimang tonight!

elders: how long do you reckon that'll take?

me: ehh, like thirty minutes.

elders: (pause) how far away is it?

me: uhh.... like 15 k's?

elders: so... you reckon you can bike 2 k's in a minute.

me: uh...

Just fyi - it takes over an hour to bike to Waimang. 

love,

Sister Rose

November 24, 2013

So, President always says that planning is revelation. And my companion is a master planner :) She  was conducting our weekly planning session, and came up with the idea to get one of our investigators to Greymouth for a baptism less than 24 hours away. We started calling around, seeing who could drive or if anyone was already heading down there. Even inviting other investigators and then after they accept the invitation to view a baptism, we'd say, "Um.. so could you maybe drive? And there's four of us that want to come." Awkwwwward!! 

Eventually we just called the i-site, which is like a tourist "how to" center that is in every town. Turns out there was a bus going to Greymouth (1.5 hour drive) that was leaving in 15 minutes, and cost $25 a head. We called our investigator, and she immediately said she was keen. We (literally) ran into town and met her there, bought tickets, and got on the bus. The bus even took a pit-stop at the pancake rocks, so we got to see a beautiful view!! After the pit-stop we got back on the bus, and 2 women ahead of us who had been asleep before pulled out a cup and poured some mate (spelling? it's a Argentine herbal tea). I started listening to them - they were speaking SPANISH!!!! I moved next to them, and started talking to them - they were on vacation and accepted a Book of Mormon and a mormon.org card. Can i express how excited and happy and elated I was? I think not :) 

We got to the baptism late, but they held it up just for us. After it was over, the senior couple drove us all back to Westport. And miracle of miracles, I didn't get car sick on either of the drives! Yayy! I think this is the first time in the history of the last two transfers.

Our investigator loved the trip, loved the baptism, and is getting excited for her own. Can't wait to go see her tonight!! :D 

Oh yes -- this investigator who paid $26 to see a baptism, right? We met her when we first got here, just on the street. We had a hard time meeting up with her, and finally caught her at home recently. For a long time she didn't believe in God at all. She told us that just a week or 2 before, she knelt down and prayed and said, "God, i believe in you now. I want to learn more about you, but I don't know how." Then the sister missionaries showed up :) wow, so cool!!! 

We met with one of our Zambian families and had to tell them that they need to get baptized in Zambia instead of here - SO SAD!! I was the one elected to tell them, I managed not to cry. But this will be good for them - a missionary opportunity for them and their family back home. They leave for Zambia in like a week and aren't sure when they're coming back - best to just let them take care of the baptism there so they don't wind up getting lost in the move. 

Also, church was AMAZING on sunday!!! (sorry, i think my emails may be too long. if you're bored, no worries, stop reading when you've had enough haha). The Elders got 13 investigators to church!! Our branch was literally doubled!!!!! WOW!!! We are so proud of those elders!! Probably the most sacred, joyful, amazing feeling was to see the little recent convert deacon return the the sacrament table for one of the Elders to refill the water tray with more cups and water. I don't know if anyone can fathom the pure joy that we felt, seeing that happen. Also, the talks were perfectly designed to fit our investigator's needs. Wow, another awesome sacrament meeting. 

i love you all heaps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The church is true! I love being a missionary!!

love,

Sister Rose

this is Sister Haacke, who was with us this weekend, from up in Nelson :) The short adorable one is our investigator

November 17, 2013

So, although it may be getting cold in America... we are beginning to experience SUMMER here!! Finally!! It feels like I have winter non-stop for the last year. What does that mean? It means our clothes dry on the line quite quickly, instead of getting an extra "rinse" or two when the rain inevitably comes (electricity is very expensive here - so we line dry 97.2% of the time). The towels dried in an hour today - whaaaah?! Yay!

Remember that group of teens I mentioned last week? Turns out they all live in this one house together and now we are teaching them and all their friends. Whenever we go over to visit or teach, there is always someone new there that is excited to learn more. At our lesson Tuesday night, we invited all of them to our youth night on Thursday. This may or may not have been the first youth night EVER in Westport. The Elders came and Elder Danner came up with the most awesome activity - human battleship using water balloons!! We divided into two teams, and layed down on either side of a volleyball net on the ground. Each team had a thrower and they blindly tried to hit people on the other team. SO FUN!!! It also may or may not have turned into a massive water balloon fight. The girls are now coming up with ideas for upcoming youth nights! This week they want to do a barbeque. We said, "We can only do that if you help recruit people." They said, "Of course!! We'll get everyone to come and bring some food. So just do whatever you had planned at the beginning and we'll end with a barbeque." Um, could this get any better?! I think not!!! Can't wait for Thursday night :D

Also, church was amazing on Sunday. There were 6 active members there, 2 investigators, and 4 missionaries. Such a tiny room, but the spirit was particularly strong that sunday morning. I just felt so incredibly lucky to be with people so devoted to their God that they would come to church when barely anyone else was there. I felt so humbled to be among the chosen few to worship with those amazing souls. And for some reason watching the Elders prepare the sacrament on Sunday was just so powerful. I wish I could describe the way I felt, but I don't think I can. I am just so grateful for what Jesus Christ did for us, that we never have to feel "stuck." We never have to feel like there is nowhere else to turn, or that we are out of options because God is there. I am so grateful that we can repent and change course. I can't express this with words, Hopefully God understands the way I feel at least.

I love you all heaps :) 

Sister Rose

PS here's a picture of where we went during last p-day. Tuaranga bay :) So pretty!!