Week 41

Kia Ora Whanau! 

Okay this week was crazy so buckle up. 

So to start off the week I had the most amazing and powerful day of my mission. On Tuesday, it was raining hard out so we got soaked. It was kinda brutal but also awesome because when else would I be out on a Tuesday morning biking in the rain. Anyways, we went and contacted someone who used to be taught by missionaries. We had a nice little chat and set a return appointment for a lesson! Then we went and had a lesson that a member set up for us with her friend Juliet. So right before I came to Masterton a man named Papa Toi passed away and apparently his funeral was huge. Juliet was at the funeral and afterwards came up to Nanny Cissie (Papa Toi's) wife and said she wanted to learn more. We were just planning on going and meeting her and teach a small lesson, but we ended up teaching her the entire plan of salvation and the spirit was so strong. It was almost like you could reach out and grab it. It was just one of those crazy spiritual lessons that no one can deny. By the end of it everyone was crying and Juliet was saying things like "I don't what it takes I'm ready to do it" and "I don't want to be rude but can you please leave so that I can read the Book of Mormon". Man it was just crazy. She has been so prepared to hear and accept the gospel. She already has a Book of Mormon and has ready it before, she has that classic picture of Christ wearing read robes framed and hanging in her house (apparently her husband found it like 5 years ago and its been in her house ever since). We are going back on tomorrow to teach her daughter as well as a friend who was present in this lesson. All I can say is this work is His and it's true.

On Thursday when we were suppose to have our first lesson with Lauren, she dodged us so hard lol. Kinda disappointing but whatever, it's all part of missionary work.

Thursday night we had a lesson with James, an eleven year old boy whose mom is a less active member. It was really great, he is super onto it and already knows a lot of stuff. He wants to get baptized so now we just need to get his mom coming to church a bit more so that he can have the support he needs to be baptized. 

Friday night we had a cool experience of going to some random less active guys house for dinner. Apparently he also came to Papa Toi's funeral and saw our meal calendar on the wall and signed up. So we got to meet him and his son and his sons girl friend. It was super cool and it's exciting to have a new person to work with. When we asked him about his conversion to the gospel he said that he knew it was true because every time the missionaries came, when they left the house would be warm. That was super cool to hear. Hopefully we can continue to bring that same warmth to his home. 

Saturday morning we helped a member move and then Saturday evening we had a ward talent show and Juliet and her daughter came! It was super fun and a great chance for them to meet more people in the ward. Sister Bailey and I same a Maori song called E Papa and did a little Maori dancish (not really a dance) with some sticks. There was also a Hangi put on which was sooooo yum!

On Sunday we went to Wellington for a public affairs event and got to go to the Government House where the Governor General lives and where the royal family stays when they're visiting. We also accidentally had two dinners on Sunday. How do you accidentally have two dinners? That's a good question, we were just at our meal appointment at the Bishops house and then we had correlation with him right after. During our correlation, his wife says "Sisters, try this curry it's so yum." So had a second dinner. The funny/sad thing is, is I wasn't even that full afterwards, it was kinda normal lol. I could of even gone for dessert afterwards if she offered.

Also! I'm going to be a mom again! Sister Bailey and I found out this week that tomorrow a new missionary will be joining us. She's a visa waiter, so she'll only be here until she gets her American Visa to go to Hawaii. Her name is Sister Shin and she's korean, but we can't figure out if she's from New Zealand or from Korea. We will find out tomorrow.

This week for my spiritual thought I want to share an experience. So we are currently working with the Reiri family in helping them come back to church. My experience has nothing to do with them, except for the fact that I could not for the life of me say their last name properly. I'm pretty okay with pronouncing pacific island names but Maori names I struggle with a little more. Anyways, it was really bothering me that I could say their name properly so I decided to pray and ask for help. I said a very heartfelt prayer and then got up and went about my day. On Friday, we were doing weekly planning and discussing what we should do to help the Reiri family and I said "okay but how do you say their name?!" Sister Bailey and I spent like 1 minute practicing saying the name properly and now I can say it. This may seem like a random experience that doesn't mean anything, but through this I learned that sometimes the Lord requires us to ask Him for help, and then ask others. You see Heavenly Father isn't physically with us, and while yes He can perform miracles that's not typically how He works. He normally requires us to humble ourselves and do some kind of work, before He can help us. Just like the brother of Jared who first had to come up with the idea of how to have light in the barges and then the Lord could perform a miracle and have stones bring forth light. I had to pray and ask for help, then I had to go ask someone else for help, and after I did all that I could do, He was able to perform His little miracle. So if you are currently needing help, first ask God and then get up and do something about it so that you allow God the opportunity to work with you to perform miracles. 

 

Ofa Atu

Sister Olson