Kiwi Connection: Broken down vehicle - a blessing in disguise!

Hi Dear Family and Friends,

What a week! We went on splits and knocked on doors, we were invited to a party and then uninvited, had my turn at a little car accident (Dian) and, the best news, found and started teaching several new investigators. The Snows, the older couple in one of the branches that have been such good friends and mentors, have a daughter, Natalie, who served a mission about 10 years ago and a grandson from Provo, who has been living with them. Mitchell has been preparing to go on a mission, but has had some health problems in the past, so the mission dept. suggested he go to school this next semester in Auckland while they were processing his health forms, etc. Natalie wanted her nephew to have a missionary experience before going off to school and suggested Elder Olsen and I go on splits with them indicating you don't really get the full missionary experience unless you knock on doors. After doing so, I can see why the church is phasing that out as members hopefully get more involved in providing referrals. Elder Olsen and Mitch struck it rich; about their 3rd door they met a middle age lady originally from England, whose divorce was final that day, and she was apparently in a good mood. Of course, Elder Olsen, who served his first mission in England, loves to chat with anyone who has lived there or been there. He took me back the next day, introduced me to Sister Peacock and we set up an appointment to start teaching her later this week. Natalie and I didn't fair as well. We had a very brusque, "Have a good evening, Ladies," and a door slammed in our face, a "can't you see I'm eating my dinner," (no we couldn't), "I have my own religion, thank you, etc." On the 4th or 5th door a young boy and his mom that Natalie knew from school (she's a teacher) came to the door and invited us in. The mom was Christian but didn't believe it mattered what religion you belonged to or if you went to church,as long as you lived a good life. We left some brochures and bore our testimonies and hopefully planted some seeds. I think I like referrals better!

About a month ago we visited a young dad from the Matauri Bay branch who was baptized but has not been active since about age 12. He has a non-member partner and 2 little girls. He said he would talk to his wife about us coming to teach him and it took us several tries to catch up to him again. During the week we finally found him home and made an appointment to have a Family Home Evening with his family on Monday evening. He mentioned that it was his youngest daughter's 1st birthday Saturday and they were going to have a hongi (a Maori cookout) and invited us to come. We thought that would be a good opportunity to get to know his family better and perhaps pickup some contacts. When we got there he came out front and basically un-invited us, as his backyard was full of drinking, smoking and cussing friends who were all mad at him for inviting missionaries that would make them feel uncomfortable. He gave us a couple of big plates of food and we gave him the gift we had brought for his daughter. In parting he said, "Remember to come back on Monday evening for FHE," and we went on our way with enough food for that night and Sunday dinner. Certainly wasn't what we would think of as a one year old's birthday party! We'll see how Monday goes.

We've had a few changes in the Zone here; our Zone leader, Elder Smith, from British Columbia, ended his mission, so we got a new zone leader from Cedar City, Elder Taylor. We also got 4 other new Elders, including 2 who moved into Kerikeri, a few miles from us. One is just out and is from Logan and the other is from Tonga. They got there late Thursday evening so we took some dinner and bedding over to them since it was too late to go shopping. The next morning, we decided to take them some breakfast. Elder Olsen does most of the driving, especially in towns where you have lots of roundabouts, but I was driving as Don's back was hurting him and he had taken a muscle relaxer and was very relaxed. I did fine with the roundabouts, but on our way home when we crossed a bridge (their streets are narrow to begin with) there was a sidewalk that ran along one side of it, making it even more narrow (excuses excuses), and I hit it with the front tire. Needless to say, Elder Olsen was instantly alert and I thought, "What in the heck was that," as I had not even seen the sidewalk. We had a spare thankfully, but tomorrow we will need to buy a new wheel and tire. The worse part is having to call the mission office and report your accident. We have each had an accident in the 2 1/2 months we've been here, but they can't very well take driving privileges away from both of us, at least not where we labor.

An update about our funny, Amelia. She is going to come through! We visited her a few days ago and she was all decked out in her sweater, sweatshirt, ski cap, etc., as it was freezing in her home. About a month ago some neighbor boy came to her home for something and huddled up to her only electric heater and said he wished he had one to give to his mom who is sick. Amelia didn't even hesitate to give their heater away. There is an old fireplace in their home, but she was out of wood and they often don't have money to buy it nor do they have a vehicle to go get it. On our way home we tried to find a place that sold firewood, but could see no signs. We finally stopped at this place that had a big stack of wood, but no one was at home. We wrote a note explaining the situation and left some money in a baggie and took some wood back and left it on Amelia's porch. We had said to her during our conversation earlier that we wish that we could help her get her vehicle running again (it needs a major repair), but her answer surprised us. She said, "The Lord must know what's best, because if I had had a car to drive these past few months I would have been on the go all the time and I would not have been here for you to teach me the gospel nor would I have made friends with Rema and Rehu," who pick her up for church most Sundays and have been so good to her. This next week is the "Unveiling," a one year anniversary of her husband's death. It is a Maori tradition and they make a big deal of it. She has really stressed out about it and she will be relieved to have it over with and so will we because then her mind can be where it needs to be. She said that once it was over with, she would be starting a new chapter in her life and the only decision she had made so far was that the first thing she was going to do was to get baptized. What good words to hear!

We love the words of President Hinckley," There is a hunger in the land and a genuine thirst - a great hunger for the word of the Lord and an unsatisfied thirst for things of the Spirit.. . . The land is starved for spiritual food. Ours is the obligation and opportunity to nourish." There are so many ways for us to do our part.