Papakura Week 11

Kia ora everyone!

This was a great week! Elder Clark and I are finally recovered from our colds and we smashed the work this week. We ended up getting quite a few referrals and people who came up to us asking if we could start visiting with them! Other than that we had a lot going on for us too needing to deal with a few little things. My companions birthday was this week so we had some fun with that and I got most of the missionaries in the zone involved with it too. I'm getting more and more worried because this past transfer went by so fast. I feel like it's zoomed by, this week is transfer week and it means my time left in New Zealand is getting shorter and shorter. I've been trying real hard not to think about it and stay focused as if I had quite a bit left. It just gets hard to stay motivated and doing things right. So far things are really good for me but I'm excited for transfer week and what will happen. I hope everyone has a great week!

Arohanui, 

Elder Green

Papakura Week 10

Kia ora everyone!

I had a pretty good week this week! I went on exchanges with the Assistants twice this week and I got to go with my old companion Elder Rich both times. Him and I felt like we were companions again but with a bit more responsibility. But it was really good, I got to go to Taupo for a district council! It was weird serving in the top of the mission and then driving all the way to the bottom of the mission. But it was a good meeting and it was good to see Sister Morris! She finishes her mission next transfer so we kind of figured we would never see each other again on the mission. Later in the week, they came up to Auckland and Elder Rich and I were able to go out and help with a Primary activity and get a few other things done. My companion Elder Clark has been sick the last few days and this morning I woke up with a sore throat so unfortunately, I feel like this upcoming week isn't going to be any fun. But anyway, things are good and Papakura is doing well! I hope everyone has a great week! 

Arohanui, 

Elder Green

Papakura Week 8

Kia ora everyone!

This last week was pretty eventful and had us quite busy! We had to run around the zone heaps and deal with a few different disobedient and struggling companionship situations. On top of that, we had to prepare everyone including ourselves for a mission conference on Thursday. We had Elder Nielson and Elder Nattress of the Seventy come and hold a conference with our mission and teach us a few things. I especially appreciated a few things that Sister Nielson shared with us focusing on companionship during and after the mission. She spoke about how everyone is their own person and that the most important thing you can do in a companionship that you're struggling with is to allow your companion to be their own person and love them for who they are. Instead of focusing on their faults and trying to change them into the person you want them to be, love them and adapt and learn to work together with your individual strengths and weaknesses. It's a lesson I will not forget.

Other than that, it was a mostly standard week. Papakura is looking to improve soon. The Stake President has asked us to start organizing a massive stake "blitz" where every missionary in the Stake goes on a split with a member and do some ministering for an hour in one ward. That'll be 12 missionaries in one ward at once! My companion and I are also starting to organize a stake musical Fireside and getting every ward and missionaries involved. It should be a lot of fun! Anyway, I hope everyone's week is good!

Arohanui, 

Elder Green

Papakura Week 7

Kia ora everyone!

It was a really hectic week this past week. We had transfers and a whole lot of business to take care of. Before the transfer day we had to deal with a whole lot of random business that the mission office and the missionaries wanted taken care of before everything got switched up. We blasted through a lot of our kilometer allotment trying to get from place to place in our zone. All in all it went well. Sadly, Elder Thompson had to be moved to a new area but now I have a great new companion! His name is Elder Clark, hes a great guy. I really like him. Papakura 1st ward is good. Unfortunately our numbers were a bit down this week but we're hoping to bring them up this week. I think we are going to try a few more new approaches to finding more people to teach. This week we also got to move into a new flat, our last one was pretty small and really old and dirty. Our new one is pretty good and has a lot more space. Other than that, nothing else spectacular happened! I hope everyone has a great week!

Arohanui, 

Elder Green

Papakura Week 6

Kia ora everyone!

 I had a really good week this last week. Elder Thompson and I really tried to focus on being exactly obedient. We were able to find a few new people to work with and the work is picking up a little more! We went on MTC exchanges this week again, I was able to take a Tongan out to hit the doors and the ward list. Unfortunately I had to run a few errands while he was with me and we weren't able to be the most effective while he was with me. Elder Thompson and his MTC companion ended up finding the MTC companions non member family. There's about 10 of them and they just happened to stumble across them as they were walking. We are hoping to go back and teach them all about what their nephew is doing in a different mission. Other than that, transfers are this week and I will most likely be getting a new companion. Itll be sad to see Elder Thompson go, him and I have got along really well. But Im sure I will be able to make the best out of any situation. I hope all is well back home! Have a great week! 

Arohanui, 

Elder Green

Papakura Week 5

Kia ora everyone!

This has been a good week, we were able to meet a lot of new people and kind of get a basis going with a lot of them. We have been working really closely with one of the young children we have been teaching named Cortez and he has been set to be baptized this upcoming Saturday. His parents have been working hard to make a change and come back into the gospel especially to help their son grow spiritually. He's a bright young kid but really shy and soft spoken. He's had all the lessons and he knows and understands the importance of the gospel. Other than that we had zone conference and had a few really good trainings.

This last week, an Elder was trying to save kilometers in his car so he and his companion rode bikes pretty far. They were on their way back when a man ran a red light and hit him going pretty fast. He went flying and so did the bike. They called us almost immediately after and we went immediately to the scene. The Elder was almost completely fine, he was pretty bloody because he smashed the windshield and he got cut up on all the glass and he said he bruised his leg pretty bad as well as badly spraining his wrist. But one of the first things he said as we walked over was that he felt really blessed and knew that God was looking out for his missionaries. It gave me hope knowing that Heavenly Father truly looks out for his missionaries. Plus it was pretty clear that the car was much worse off than the Elder. The windshield and hood was smashed! 

It all was a little hectic but it was still a good week. I hope everyones week goes well! 

Arohanui, 

Elder Green

Papakura Week 4

Kia ora everyone! 

This week was a good week, some good things were accomplished this week and we are ready to get heaps done this upcoming week. Last week we did MTC exchanges and I had the opportunity to take someone from the islands of Kiribati and show him a bit of proselyting. He was a good Elder with a strong testimony and I feel like I learned a lot from his example. Other than that, we only had a few things going on here and there but towards the end of the week we got to attend a baptism and spend the day with our Assistants. I always enjoy exchanges with them and gaining their good insights. Today, there was a big change as I got to video my family and speak with them today. It was a little weird since it wasn't on a special day but it was good to have another catch up with them. This upcoming week we have zone conference which should be really good, I'm just worried we'll get picked on for a role play or something big in front of everyone. But either way, all is well. Hope everyone has a great week!

Arohanui, 

Elder Green