Week 16

Kia Ora Whanau! 

Man what even happened this week. So much! 

So last Monday, we had a family home evening with Hine and her family with some young couples in the ward. It was really great because she was able to start building some good relationships in the ward. Her husband, Mia, wasnt able to come unfortunatly because he broke his hand an hour before the family home evening. Hine was so dedicated though that she drove him to the hospital and home and then came straight to family home evening. We played 'Don't Eat Pete' for the game which was so funny because it brought me right back to being little when we would play 'Don't Eat Pete' at family home evenings. It was so funny. 

Tuesday we had a lesson with Seiara. We talked more deeply about how God is our loving Heavenly Father and how He is involoved in every little detail in our life. We watched Elder Rasbands talk "Devine Design" from October 2017 general conference. It was really good. She does feel like she's been struggling more lately so I have been doing a lot of praying for her.

Wednesday we got a new person to teach! Her name is Jenny, she is in her 60's and about two years ago she had a baptismal date, but then she was in a car accident and wasn't able to get baptized. When I first met her, she was friendly but not super interested in hearing about the gospel again, but as we have been consistant with visiting her, her heart has been softened and she is ready to hear about the gospel again. Sister Hutia shared a scripture about faith with her and bore her tesitmony and it was really powerful. I was so proud of her! Her english is getting better every day, I have a testimony of the gift of tongues, she is learning the language so fast. 

On Wednesday we also taught the restoration to some less active teenaged girls. They are the only members in their family and they struggle to make it to church. They were really excited to have the missionaries back in thier home though so hopefully we will be able to help them come to church more often. 

The biggest thing that happened Wednesday was that we finally had a lesson with the Wilson's. It had been almost a month since we had been able to see them becasue they had been out of town on holiday. Jason's brother, Michael, had just moved in with them and when we were beginning our lesson, he walked up stairs to avoid the lesson. I noticed what he was doing and I called after him and said "Michael! Come join the lesson!" He said "Nah I'm good, thanks though" to which I replied "Man you're doing exactly what Jason did when the missionaries first started coming over and look at him now he loves lessons. Come try it out, you never know you may enjoy it." So he ended up coming down and joining the lesson. I was not going to let him get away lol. We taught them the Plan of Salvation and at the end Sister Hutia bore her testimony and invited Jason to be baptized. He declined and then proceeded to drop us. Jason was really torn up about it. He had a really hard time dropping us and said that just because he isn't going to get baptized now doesn't mean he won't ever get baptized. Really what it came down to is that his wife and daughter wanted to go to the Arise church and so he has decided to go with Arise to create unity in his familiy. It was really sad because he knows that the Church of Jesus Christ is God's one true church, but his current situation makes it really difficult for him to become completely converted. After he dropped us I bore my testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel and then I immediatly turned to Michael and asked if he wanted to learn more and he said he did! So we got dropped but then pick up another person to teach right away. It was cool because dropping us is something Jason had decided to do a while ago but this was the first week we could see them and it also was the first week that his brother was here. It really was by divine design that we hadn't been able to see the Wilson's for so long because we were able to begin teaching Michael. 

After the Wilsons, I randomly remember that we needed to put the rubbish on the side of the road (something I never remember) and as we were putting it out, a member was walking by and he gave us 2 referrals. This was also by devine design, I have no question about it. It was no coincidence that I remembered to put the rubbish out right as this member was walking past. God really is in the little things. 

The weekend was really good, on Friday we went over to Hine and Mia's home and talked to Mia a little bit about learning more about the church. I just straight up asked him of he was interested in learning more about the church or if he was just coming because Hine wanted him to. He said that he would love to learn more! Mia is a really shy person so I think he has had a desire to learn more for a while but he has just been too shy to ask. So we are going over to teach them next week. He also said he would stay for both hours of church! (They didnt come to church which was disappointing, we are still trying to figure out why.) On Friday we also contacted a really nice couple, Tom and Rikki, who just had a baby and are interested in learning more about the church so we set up a time we are going to go teach them as well! Friday was a stellar day! 

On Saturday we only had one appointment set so when we were planning the day I said to Sister Hutia "Today Sis, you're going to do all the planning!" She was a little freaked out about it but she did awesome. We contacted heaps of people and found some solid potentials that we can follow up on. She and I were both really proud of the day she planned. Our one appointment was with Seiara, we went over the Come Follow Me material for Sunday. It was really good as usual. She is struggling a little bit and we're not sure why. She told us that Satan is just really hitting her hard right now. So we have been praying a lot for her. She says she always feels better after learning more about the gospel though, which is a great thing. It makes sense too because the gospel is how we will find eternal joy and happiness, so learning more about it will bring you joy and help you through the hard times. 

On Sunday we had Seiara come to church and we had a member pick up one of his friends and bring Daniel, a person we were just starting to teach, come to church! I just want to testify of the importance of member fellowship. If people dont feel like they have friends in the church, they are not going to come to church, they won't feel as comfortable and will not progress to a place where they are ready to make sacred covenant with Heavenly Father. Please everyone, be faithful fellowshippers and help people come unto Christ. 

My spiritual thought for this week comes from Helaman 3: 29-30 which says: 

"29 Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—

30 And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out"

In these verses, Mormon is testifying of the power of God's word and how if we study it and align our lives with the principles it teaches, we will have the ability to overcome trials and come closer to Heavenly Father. We are able to learn God's word by reading the Book of Mormon. As you read it, you will find that you are able to overcome any trial and any doubt or insecure and miserable feeling. You will find that you come closer to Christ and that you are preparing yourself to stand at the right hand of God. There is power in reading the scriptures every day. Even if it is just a few verses, the consistancy will change your life. As I have read my scriptures every day, I have found true happiness and found it easier to overcome difficult times. So my challenge to everyone is to read the Book of Mormon every day!

Ofa Atu

Sister Olson 

The Monteiro family in our ward, they are from Brazil and make us the most delicious food

A weird star wars, igloo looking house that we found this week

Me and Sister Hutia accidentally matched on Sunday, we didnt realize until we were at church