Manurewa Week 18

Kia ora everyone! 

It has been a great week this week! I was able to go on quite a few exchanges! Almost everyday! I went on two exchanges with Elders in the district and then two exchanges with one of my zone leaders, Elder Sua. He is going home tomorrow and his companion was pretty sick so he wanted to go out and get as much work done as possible before he goes and not stay in the flat with his really sick companion. I honestly learned so much from that guy! The other Elders have taught me quite a bit too. Most of them are older than me in the mission and one of them I actually came out with in September. I also got to go on an MTC exchange again this week! I enjoy being with the greenies who have heaps of fire to teach and its a bit funny watching their first time knocking on a door. During those exchanges we are encouraged to just do as much door knocking as we can and get them to dip their toe in the water of what missionary work is. Its also really good to see how they light up at the scene of their first success. We got to find a new investigator while I was with Elder Dickie and he was quite fond of the success. There were a few doors however that he hardly said anything and it was a bit of an awkward moment but we were able to have a good laugh about it after and learn from it. 

So my mini story of this week is from Friday. We were having a late lunch and I decided to make some mac and cheese. I altered the portions of ingredients a little because the last time I made it, it wasn't very cheesy and was kind of yuck. Now when I made it this time, it was very very cheesy. I way over compensated and it felt like I was just drinking cheese juice with chunks in it. I mean it was good but at the same time a little gross. But now I got to learn a little about cooking. Don't over compensate. 

Anyway that's me for the week. This upcoming week is transfer week and I will find out what happens tomorrow. Whether I stay or go is a mystery but it could go either way.  I think I will most likely be leaving. The mission is in desperate need of leadership this upcoming transfer so I might be called as a zone leader only because half of the mission's zone leaders are going home tomorrow and half of the current district leaders as well. President said that the current district leaders will need to step up. So be prepared for a bit of a stressed Elder Green. I think it is possible however that I stay and be a district leader for one more transfer because either way, they make it sound like my next area I will need to be a zone leader. I am trying not to let it get to my head though. I only hope to love whatever transfer news brings and to fulfill my callings as best I can. My year mark will be at the very beginning of the transfer after next. so about 7-8 weeks. I quite honestly and hopeful that I leave but I will be happy with whatever the Lord assigns me with. Even if it means 6 months in my first couple areas. 

Arohanui,

Elder Green

Manurewa Week 17

Kia ora everyone! 

I have had a pretty good week. Elder Vanva and I had our hands full and we got some good things done. Nothing really eventful happened but it was still a good week. Some other missionaries in the district got a couple baptisms in the Samoan ward that they cover so I had to go as the district leader. It was a really cool experience. Everyone there was capable of speaking English, but the entire program was in Samoan. I didn't understand hardly anything that was said but the Spirit was just as strong there as it would've been if I understood. Afterward they had a massive feed and we, as missionaries, were regarded as royalty. I honestly felt a little bad being asked to eat before all the women and children in the room. But one thing I have learned about island culture is that they have a lot of respect for the missionaries and strive to go the extra mile for us because they know we are doing the Lord's work. They know they will be blessed for their sacrifice and I am forever grateful to them and all they have done for me. I have learned a lot from island culture that I plan to establish in my own life. 

My story for today will be a quick one. We were contacting a referral named Jason that we got from the mission office. We went to the address it gave us, 85A and knocked on the door looking for a Jason. The fulla that opened the door said that Jason lived in the next house over, 85B. So we said sorry and tried talking to him but he wasn't interested then went to the other house. When we asked for Jason, the lady that opened the door said he lived in the house up the road a little, 85A. So obviously someone was trying to avoid us and we weren't too sure how to take the situation. We think that the first guy was really Jason and was just trying to dodge us, but we can't know for sure because as missionaries, it's a bit discouraged to call people out as liars. So for now we will leave it and try again later. But it was a pretty crack up story! 

Anyway, I am doing really well. I am almost out of American peanut butter my mom sent me but other than that, things are good! I hope everyone is having a good week!

Arohanui,

Elder Green

Manurewa Week 16

Kia ora everyone! 

This has been a pretty good week. Elder Vanva and I have been teaching the children of one of the first person I baptized, Ngaire Winter. We have been going around every Monday for FHE with their family and for the most part it was just a casual thing to get the kids to sort of like us and to build a relationship with them. Anyway, a week ago I challenged them all to come to church and stay for the whole three hours. And well, guess what? Every kid came to church and stayed! Tonight we hope to extend the baptismal commitment to them and see where it goes. But hopefully it goes well!

This week we have a lot of work set out for us, the bishop has asked us to go through the entire ward list and visit all of them to see who still lives in those houses and who has moved out without telling anyone. I was looking through the ward list and lets just say its heaps of houses. It'll be good though because this way we will find more less actives to work with and gain more trust from the ward leadership. But we definitely have our work cut out for us. Other than that we will try to spend our time working on the handful of referrals we've gotten from members and from the Visitors centre in Hamilton. Speaking of which, please please try your best to give referrals to the missionaries near you because that is where missionary work thrives! I was looking at the statistics for our mission last year, and I'm not entirely sure how it applies to the rest of the world but I think it is similar, and it said that 45% of the baptisms we get are from referrals. The next percentage is from part member families which was 20%. So please give the missionaries referrals! 

Another event this week is that the Hamilton Temple just closed last Saturday and will remain closed until 2021. It's pretty disheartening for a lot of people here because it's the only temple in New Zealand. But along with that, the Visitors centre closed too. Much to Brandon's dismay too, he loved going for the firesides they held there. 

But I hope everyone is having a great week! 

Arohanui,

Elder Green

Manurewa Week 15

Kia ora everyone!  

It has been quite the week! First off, I went on exchanges with one of our zone leaders, Elder Sua. He's the man, he's from Sydney, Australia. The next day we had zone conference, and I was able to catch up with quite a few people! I got to see Elder Borders who is doing real well! I also got to see Sister Morris! I went to high school with her in Round Valley and we were friends too! Not just some girl I knew in high school. I would've graduated with her if I hadn't moved before senior year! She's doing well and I also got to catch up with her companion! Sister Knight who I served with in Ngaruawahia. Her and I double covered for 3 transfers so I got to know her really well! It was good to catch up with them. My companion, Elder Vanva and I are doing well. The Weymouth ward is slowly but surely improving with the missionary work. We hope to be able to get the ball rolling even faster soon. 

So I really wanted to write another heart warming story but this is more just a story. So for zone conference we have to drive down to Hamilton and back. ON my way back, I stopped in Ngaruawahia to say hello to Brandon and have a light feed. It was a really good time and it was nice to catch up. The whole time I was there, I was really bubbly and being funny and what not and it really had an impact on a few people there. Brandon later texted me and told me that he noticed a change in me and that it was a good one! Another Elder that I had previously served around told me the same thing. So I think that my time in the mission has helped me grow and become a better person. I know that serving my mission has helped me improve and I know that it has blessed me. I'm very thankful for that. I hope everyone is having a great week!

Arohanui,

Elder Green

Manurewa Week 14

Kia ora everyone!

This has been a good week. My new companion and I were able to get a lot done. The ward lately has really picked up on the meal roster, it has been good! We usually just have food dropped off to us but we still have a sit down meal often enough. Most of the families in our ward are from one of the islands of the pacific so most of my sit down feeds consist of island food. I have been eating a lot of taro, otai, chicken and pig. Most large feasts or events have a few whole pigs to feed everyone. It kinda feels like what some of you may imagine a luau is. But there's no apple in the pigs mouth like in the movies and such. It is quite a bit different to what I'm used to. Most of the food here is a bit more bland then food in America. American food is very rich and flavorful while the food here has a bit less flavor. Either way, food is food and its really good! 

And yes it was really lame not to do anything for the 4th! It has always been one of my favorites. We had district meeting on that day and I tried to do a few American themed things but I was kind of drowned out by the overwhelming amount of Aussies in our district. So basically all we did was go to this mega expensive pizza place that sell NY style pizzas in celebration. But that was it.

I have a short little story that I would like to share this week. One of the few people I had the privilege to help baptize, Jasmine, came to church for all three hours (which isn't a regular thing). She is just a young girl, only nine years old, and she isn't very tall at all. She looks much younger than she actually is and she is a very kind-hearted and bright girl. Anyway, when I got into the area, previous missionaries kept trying to set them for baptism only to be pushed back because Jasmine's older brother did not fully understand what he was committing to and needed to be retaught many times. Jasmine understood but would not be baptized unless her older brother was being baptized too. The first lesson Elder Borders and I taught them was to explain baptism and confirmation and we used a simple object lesson to try and get the older brother to understand more clearly. It was a success and we were able to set them for the middle of June. In that moment, Jasmine was very happy and wanted to be baptized literally the next day. We ended up getting everything figured out and they were baptized on the 16th and confirmed on the 17th in sacrament. After her baptism, this little 9 year old girl bore one of the most powerful testimonies I have ever had the privilege to hear and had nearly the whole room in tears, I was on the verge myself. Anyway, yesterday at church, I was playing the piano in the primary room while we waited to attend ward council and Jasmine peaked her head in the door, gave me a surprised look like she didn't know I could play the piano and then without saying a word, she ran over to me and gave me a very short hug. Now it seems insignificant and actually, its not allowed because I'm a missionary. She ran out afterwards and didn't say a thing the entire time. But when she hugged me, I got that warm feeling of thanks. I was reminded of the powerful testimony she bore. I felt like she was saying thank you for helping her get to where she was. But I also realized in that moment that it is for that very reason that I came on a mission. To help people get to a good point in their lives. The spirit was very strong in that moment and I am ever so grateful for the opportunity I have had to be a part of Jasmine's confirmation. But anyway. That's my latest story. 

I hope everyone is having a good week! 

Arohanui,

Elder Green

Manurewa Week 13- District Leader!

Kia ora whanau! 

This has been an eventful week! We were able to get some good things done and I got a new companion! I am still in Weymouth ward but Elder Borders has transferred to Hamilton. I am now with an Elder Vanva. We served around each other in my last area when he was getting trained. He was in my district! I was also called to be the district leader of our district. I hope I can do well in this capacity, but who knows! Time will tell. This upcoming week I will have to run my first district meeting which is pretty easy, except for I have to come up with a training for the missionaries in my district. I will definitely get a lot of good studying out of the Preach my Gospel. Other than that, the week will be really good. We will be working with the ward members to talk to a lot of less actives and get a good list going for them to better minister. But other than that not a whole lot has happened.

I recently hit my 9 month mark, and most of my district is made up of people from my intake which is a strange coincidence. But being out that long, I look back at the beginning of my mission and now and I see a lot of big differences. I know that I have changed for the better and I am learning so much. I only hope to continue to learn as much as I can and teach others! I still keep in close contact with Brandon by permission of the Mission President and I know he is getting closer and closer to baptism. The few baptisms I have got here in Weymouth are still doing well and mostly attending church every Sunday. I only hope I can accomplish more and help the people of New Zealand as much as I can. But anyway, that's me for now! Have a great week everyone!

Arohanui,

Elder Green

Manurewa Week 11

Kia ora everyone! 

My week has been really good and I hope everyone else's was too! My companion and I were able to have 2 of our young investigators baptized this past weekend! They both have been excited for this day for a long time and when it finally happened it was very emotional for everyone involved. Young 9 year old Jasmine was crying the whole time she bore her testimony and I have to admit, it was hard for me to hold back tears. The spirit was so strong. It has been amazing being able to work with them and teach them. I hope the ward does well for them and brings them in. 

The rest of the week we had a good time working with our recent converts. We have a couple that we work with that are awesome! They have been going through a rough patch lately but they never forgot their testimony. They are finally starting to come out of the storm and its great to see. They have started making a special sauce that has mushrooms in it and a bunch of other ingredients (that they will not share) and it is one of the best sauces I have ever tasted! They give it to us often, and I don't think I can get enough. 

As a missionary in New Zealand, I feel like we get pampered quite a bit. Everyone here has major respect for the missionaries and it is hard to accept. At any event that has food, we are always told to go first, even before the women and children. It's also really hard to eat in dinner appointments when the family that's feeding you has a lot of very hungry children told they can't even hardly look at the food until we dish up first. I have a lot of respect for the people here who have always put us missionaries first despite their own hardships. They all want to sacrifice for the Lord's servants and it really is a huge example to me and how I want to be in life. The people of New Zealand never cease to amaze me. Well, that's me for the week. I hope everyone else has done well for their week!

Arohanui,

Elder Green