Ngaruawahia Week 9

Kia ora ko te whanau!

So this week, we have been full on 24/7 almost quite literally. While we work the Temple lights, we have to be on the temple grounds from 7-11pm. Yes. We are out and about quite a bit later than mission rules but the mission president has asked us to work according to what the visitors center needs so we are allowed to be up late!  The temple lights are amazing though! I have been working at them the past week and I really like it! I get to talk to heaps of people and learn different stories. I say Merry Christmas about 1000 times an hour and so sometimes my companion and I try to have a little fun with it and switch up our accents. But I really like it! We are out on the temple grounds until 11 though and we live a half hour from the temple so we don't actually get into bed until midnight and its quite draining. But we work hard and continue to work hard regardless. But it has taken its toll on us. We are usually quite dead throughout the day but there is always work to be done so we don't take any extra breaks. We still provide quite a bit of physical service and there is always more work. I am truly learning to work hard and to work long and I am ever so grateful for that experience. I truly love working at the temple lights however and it is definitely worth the long nights. We are able to talk to heaps upon heaps of people and learn so much from everyone that shows up. We are also able to find quite a bit of new investigators whether they are for us in our area or for other missionaries in other areas. I also must say that the Mesa Temple lights are a bit better than the Hamilton lights. But mostly because the Mesa grounds are flat and have more area to put up lights. The Hamilton Temple mostly has a bunch of bushes and a few trees and a lot of grass fields. But the lights are absolutely beautiful nonetheless. 

The work in the area has slowed down a little and we are slowly losing one of our best investigators. He is slipping more and more away from us and all we can do now is meet with him and talk about how life is going that week. He is a 14 year old boy who has been through so much in his short life. His name is Chay and we set him for baptism when I first got here, but he has since lost his way. We will continue to visit him and pray for him and help him as best we can. Our investigator Brandon is becoming more and more golden, but he has such a humble and good heart that he doesn't feel worthy or good enough to be baptized which is one of his only barriers. We are trying to help resolve that concern and let him know that baptism isn't just an easy way out. But he loves church and loves visiting with us. He usually just drops whatever he's doing to talk to us when we get up to his door. But anyway, that's our work for now. I wish you all a Merry Christmas! I'll send another email on my Christmas which should be your Christmas eve. 

-Elder Green