December 15, 2013

So last night we were walking home after a very long day of no one being home, but still seeing 20398429 miracles, we were around the corner from our house and met this lady with a dog. Probably the ugliest dog i've ever seen in my life, it's called a griffin (haha! shout out to Brother Buckley!) and is apparently German and it was small and looked like a gremlin from a childhood nightmare or something. Anyways, we were talking to the owner, and she points to me and says, "Well you're a kiwi," and then turns to my companion, and says, "but where are you from?" LIFELONG GOAL ACHIEVED OH MY GOODNESS!!! I still have my American accent, but apparently it's got a tinge of Kiwi in there. Yessss!!!!!

We had exchanges this week. Also went to visit the pancake rocks after distric tmeeting for the 3rd time, this time in the pouring rain. 

Miracle: A while ago we were door-knocking and met this lady. She was nice, but not interested. We walked past her this weekend, and stopped to say hello. Turns out that she just had a miscarriage and it was a "bad day" and she felt really sad. We got to talk to her about the plan of salvation and set an appointment to talk to her about it with her partner. can't wait to see her next week :) miracles! sometimes people need second chances. that's one big thing i have learned as a missionary - God is a God of second chances. The area book is basically just a book of second changes, so people can try again and again and get help along the way. I'm really glad God is so forgiving with us. Phew!

love you all,

Sister Rose

December 8, 2013

So, not sure when the last time you read Joseph Smith History was, but the Prophet confesses being guilty of "levity." Which means he was light-hearted and laughed and stuff. Ummm I think i'm guilty of this as well. (JSH 1:28) Lately, i just can't stop laughing. Maybe it's because funny things keep happening, like this:

So, we were door-knocking in a small town called Reefton (okay, it's like the same size as Westport, let's be honest). It's where the Branch President lives, and is an hour away. Anyways, we get to this house and are SO excited to give them a Joy to the  World DVD. There's no front door on the ground level, so we go up a full flight of stairs outside to get the door on the second level. It's been a rainy day, and the stairs are made of wood (this is a recipe for disaster). Imagine what those stairs would be like, Oregonians - covered in slimy, mossy stuff, ae? As i'm walking up, i slip a little bit and i'm like, "Wow, these are slippery!" We make it up, and no one is home. Before taking the steps down, i take everything in my hands and shift them to my right hand - daily planner, pen, dvd, scriptures - so i can fully devote my attention to these slippery steps, and hold onto the hand rail. I take the first step incredibly slowly. I think to myself, "Hey, I think i might fall down this." I take the second step, ever so carefully. Third step - dng dng dng dng dng!! My skirt in a disheveled state, the DVD somewhere between the steps on the ground, my planner in the rain, my pen somewhere unknown, but my scriptures still around my wrist. Sister Woodbury and I just immediately started laughing our heads off. It was a little sore, but the only thing broken was my blue pen (which i was actually really upset about and proceeded to melt back together later that night with the lighter from our 72-hour kit). 

So, since Saturday, I have laughed about 290349238 times, just randomly thinking about this experience. That and other absolutely hilarious things that happen here in Westport. It was so bad that during Sunday School, one of the members was teaching and i just started laughing. No reason, just thought of something funny that happened like 3 months ago. There were 5 of us in the class, so it did not go unnoticed. The teacher kept going, didn't pay attention to me just burying my face in my scarf laughing to myself. I pulled myself together, and all was well. Until it happened a SECOND time, and the teacher finally stopped the little class and asked what was going on. I was laughing too hard to even respond, so Sister Woodbury said, "Sorry, she fell down a flight of stairs and she hasn't been the same since." 

So, life is great, the gospel is true, and i love to laugh. :) even if i can't control it.

love,

Sister Rose

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