February 23, 2014

Transferrrrs! 

We just read the transfer list and I am going up north! I will be serving in Harbour on the North Island! :) I am sooo sad to say goodbye to Sister Woodbury :( SO sad!!!! 

This week we went on exchanges up to Nelson. Wow, Nelson is SOO pretty!! It's green like westport, but it doesn't really rain. It's so sunny. This was my first time actually riding on hills my entire mission - IT WAS SO FUNNN!!!! Man, i have missed biking on hills. Yes, going up is tiresome, but coming down is SOOO fun! We rode down this steep as hill and i was a little nervous for my breaks but it's okay and i didn't die and it was awesome.

When i was with Sister Morris we went to go contact a referral from the zone leaders. It was a girl our age, and she was sitting on the porch smoking. She told us she'd been drinking because of family emergencies that were stressing her out, and because it was her sister's birthday. We started talking to her, and she really opened up (maybe because of the alcohol, not too sure). But we started to share with her about how there is a way to deal with problems in our lives that will actually fix the problems, instead of just make us forget and leave us with a hangover. We shared Helaman 5:12, and she started to cry, there on the doorstep. She told us that she needed help, and was ready to make some changes in her life. Then she turned to her friend who was there and said, "Don't you just feel like smiling when they are around?" We told her that she was feeling the spirit, and that we were indeed messengers of God sent by His prophet. Man, this was so powerful!! I know that if we just build our life on Christ we will have the strength we need to be successful in our trials.

love you all!!!!

Sister Rose

February 16, 2014

If there is one thing that stuck out to me this week, it's that the family is so important. On Saturday we were riding our bikes to do some service, but the woman wasn't home. We headed somewhere else and saw a man mowing his lawn. We pulled over on our bikes and asked if we could help. He was really surprised but actually let us help!! YAAAYYY!! In the middle of lawn-mowing and weed-pulling he invited us in for afternoon tea (aka a snack). As we gobbled down oranges, his 12-year-old daughter sat with us. I said, "You're very pretty, do people tell you that a lot?" She kind of laughed and said, "yeah," with a smile. Her dad said, "She is beautiful, but I'm her dad, so of course i'd say that." I affirmed she was pretty and then her dad added," But she is also beautiful on the inside and that's what really matters." Awwww! How cute!! Now THAT is what a loving family looks like. And you can tell that's just the way he speaks to his kids - he wasn't putting on a show or anything. It was so touching :)

We met with one of our investigators this week, and she described the way it felt to be pregnant. She was in a band and got pregnant, and they told her she would have to have an abortion in order to stay in the band. She refused, because she is awesome. As we sat there, she wrapped her arms around her stomach and said that even before her son was born she felt the same way; "I just love him so MUCH!" It just blew her mind how much she loves her son.

We talked to a less active guy (named Brother Rose, incidentally). He said that he died once. While he was walking around in a garden on the other side, he asked, "What was our purpose in life?" An answer came: "To learn how to love." He said the voice said a few other things that he can't remember, but they were all things a 2-year-old would understand. No wonder Christ tells us to be like little children. I was just struck by the reply - that's the whole point of being here on earth, is to learn how to love. Wow, so simple :) THat really is the way we will be prepared to meet God. No wonder God asks us to pray for charity with all energy of heart.

I am convinced that the family is the place where we learn to love the way that God loves us - after all, He is our Father. The family is the place where we can experience Godhood, we can experience His love. I love families, i love my family, and i love my Savior for making an eternal family possible for every single human ever. Life is so great :)

love you all!!!

Sister Rose

February 9, 2014

This week was Waitangi Day! There was a massive event at the park to celebrate. Also, i ate my first hangi (food cooked under ground - YUM!), so that was memorable. We came armed with mormon.org cards and talked to over a hundred people. YAAAAYYYY THIS IS A BIG DEAL BECAUSE WESTPORT IS TINY! We met the new kids that just started at the fishing school here (like a boarding school where they learn to go out on the fishing boats). We started talking to them, and one said, "Do you believe that God is Jesus' dad, or that Jesus is God?" We testified that Christ is the Son of God, and he said, "Hey, me too!" Turns out he was taught by the missionaries on the north island before he came down here, and so we took him over to the elders for him to meet. They can start teaching the fishing school again! yay! That's how they got like 15 investigators to church one sunday!

We were helping people pack up their awning, covered tents thingies and walked up to this lady. We told her that mormon.org has tips about strengthening families and invited her to visit the website. She said, "Really?! No way! That's exactly what I need!!" We gave her the card, and she said, "Okay, so where do we go from here?" We stood there, not really knowing what to say. She said, "I'm a big fan of you guys, and I'm a big fan of education. So do you just come around and visit, or do we set up a time?" I was a little surprised by her enthusiasm, to say the least. We set up a time and she was SO EXCITED!! Wow, SO much energy!!

When we went around to see this woman, her three kids were home as well. She was so excited to have a lesson, i can't even tell you. Sister Woodbury and I got kind of nervous, actually, because she like ran around and gathered everyone up and was just SO PUMPED! It was really cool to see that. It was cool to see how she put her faith into her own words. She said, "I'm a big fan of Jesus." So are we!!! :D 

Well, the Lord has a plan and if we just humble ourselves and get with it we can be a part of it. I'm grateful for the gospel, and i'm grateful i have another like 60 years to keep learning it because i still don't really have it down. I love Jesus that he has made change possible for me and for YOU!! Life is good, have a great week :D

love,

Sister Rose