I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I had a pretty good one out here in Ngaruawahia! We were fed quite a bit of food and it really took it's toll on me in the next days. But I loved all the food I was fed and the members were very kind to us. I have definitely enjoyed the season and enjoyed helping others remember the reason for the season. We were able to get back into work this week and we have had a very good week. I have quite a story to tell about our teaching this week too.
So with our investigator Brandon, we decided it was time to teach the Law of Chastity. Now a little background. Here in NZ, marriages aren't as big or as recognized as they are in the states. Most people just have "partners" who are pretty much husbands or wives but there's no legal binding or anything. So essentially it's just a man and a woman living together sometimes with children. Brandon has been with his partner since high school and is now going on 11 years. Elder Suriben have taught him about the Family Proclamation and about adultery so he has had a prelude and kind of knew it was coming. We decided to have the lesson in the home of our ward mission leader and that was one of the best decisions we have made. All of the questions and concerns that Brandon had needed to be answered by a man who knew about marriage and dating for long periods of time. Us Elders are only 19/20 year olds teaching a commandment from God himself. The Spirit was so strong in the lesson and after Elder Suriben and I started the lesson, Brother Hester took the reigns. It was a good lesson and we hope that Brandon gets married soon so he can be baptized!
Anyway. That's me for the moment. Happy New Year to all!
-Elder Green
Mom's Note: I subscribe to a Facebook page called New Zealand Hamilton Mission Friends and Family and often look for photos of Elder Green on there. A few days ago there were several pics of Elder Green and Elder Suriben doing some yard work so I mentioned it. Here's what Elder Green had to say about it:
I enjoyed that call a lot too! It was a nice little peace in the storm! Not that the mission is a storm right now but the that the idea applies to the situation. I can see the blessings a well. It's amazing to be able to actively see the blessings and protection of Heavenly Father be poured out on me and you guys! I pray those blessings continue to come. I will try to send some pictures this week but the computer might have problems again. We will see. It's nice to here about all the progress back home. Hopefully there is more to come. And his name is Tony Mabey-Bulley. We call him Uncle Bulley. He is a (was a) less-active member of the church but he has been coming back for the last 5 weeks straight! He is quite the interesting fellow. He is very VERY cheeky. But we do some work for him every week and usually show a little cheek back to him to get him to come to church and he does!
Here's one of the pics:
