August 2014 - New Challenges

4 August 2014
Transfer 3 Week 6

Hellooooooooo!!!!

Where does time fly???

So the most devastating thing in the world happened - I got transferred!!  All day long on Wednesday we were awaiting for the phone call to find out what happens. Normally the phone call comes around 2pm but the latest it should come is 4pm.  All day we were both saying how it felt like we were staying.. and as the day went on, we got super excited about that. We were at a members house and it was 3:58 and she was like "so anyone going?" and we were like "nope!" and RIGHT THEN the phone rang. Sister Daynes was training a newbie (Sister Taylor from Aussie) and I was moving to a new area. Gutted. So sad, I cried!!!!!!!!!! 

West Harbour Ward.. I only spent a 6 weeks there, but it was honestly the best 6 weeks in the world!! I have wondered why that was.... and I believe it's because of a few reasons, but a lot of it comes down to..... I had the worlds best companion!!! No matter how many investigators you have or people coming to church or baptisms... if you aren't getting along with your companion then life can be rough. This is the person you spend 24/7 with. Sleep in the same room, eat the same food, spend all day every day with. Loving your companion comes down to the love you have for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. You can't love them 100% and then hate your companion/neighbour/someone.  It just doesn't work like that. It would be like walking backwards and forwards at the same time...

So I was way sad to be moved but at transfer meeting (where all the moving missionaries gather), President Balli stood up and said how strongly he felt about those that should be training and about who should move where.  As he was speaking, the Spirit strongly confirmed to me that this is true.  So sweet! I haven't been cheated - there's a master plan in everything!!

Here's a last photo of Sister Daynes and I..

So I am now in Waterview stake... in Avondale Ward! My new companion is Sister Ezekiala and she is Hawaiian/Cook Island and she lived in Aus for a while.  She is a little legend and we get along super well :) We are both new to the area... we did what's called "double transferring" or "white washed".  So I'm in a similar situation to what I was at the start of my mission.  Both brand new to the area, don't know anything or anyone.  But despite these times being hard they are the BEST.  Because of the little knowledge you have you are forced to rely entirely on Heavenly Father.  We have done so much praying for guidance and direction. The area was left in bad shape (which is apparently why we double transferred) so there' a lot of work to do. But I am truly excited. Challanges help us to grow! 

.........and the first one of Sister Ezekiala and I

I'm just going to say one more thing... (as not too much to report on, we've just been meeting members and being familiar with the area etc)

If you have any problems or trials you are going through.. READ THE BOOK OF MORMON.. if you're not enjoying church much atm.. READ THE BOOK OF MORMON.. if you feel your faith lacking.. READ THE BOOK OF MORMON.. if you have something hard to accomplish or life is stressful.. READ THE BOOK OF MORMON.

Just do it people :)

Love Sister Heal






11 August 2014

Transfer 4 week 1

Nothing to report on this week in way of the work. We found 7 new investigators though!!! Worked mega hard for it. I have never talked to so many people in my life haha. And we have met a few of the local crazies... sweet spirits :)

There is a great talk I urge everyone to read... "Strength to Endure" by Richard J Mayer.... It is wonderful, my companion was studying it this week and I had a look and it was fantastic!!!

BUT, funny story time. Ready for it? Ok so I'm the biggest clutz in the world... we thought we would be super awesome and take a shortcut by going through this board walk on the mangroves.  Going down the hill with the bike.. I slipped in the mud. And when I say slipped I mean like slippery slide slipped. Dress was above my waist and I was COVERED in mud. Well that was sad but also hilarious. Then we were walking on the boardwalk thing and I was taking a photo of my epic mud stain... AND I DROPPED MY CAMERA IN THE WATER!!! Like what the. Devo. In my head i was SOOOOOOOOOOO angry I wanted to cry. But I just felt at peace, and couldnt get angry (oh how being a missionary changes you!) So here I am covered in mud and my camera's sunk to the bottom of the river. I was like "well, its 4pm, lets go home so I can clean up and feel sorry for myself by a nice warm heater :)" so we had an early dinner and I felt better and tried not to think about it and just be happy. 

2 days later were on the same boardwalk and the tide is out... I look down... I SEE MY CAMERA!!  SO EXCITED. Obviously the camera is dead... but the memory card!! I have already lost all my photos once and I didnt want to again. So I played superwomen and jumped down... the mud was soft (being the bottom of the river an all) so I had to hold up my weight on the bridge, got my camera, climbed back up, covered in mud upto mid calf. The Bishop lives down the road so I walked to his bare foot, covered in mud (great look for a sister) got cleaned up and went on my merry way. The memory card WORKS! Happy day, all is well :)

So that was my week. My apologies as there's not much to write on in the way of investigators/teaching. I feel like I did in my first area... big difference from being in Henderson. It has been hard adjusting, I went from back to back lesson to now a lesson a day. But I know it will pick up, all in Heavenly Fathers time. We just have to do our absolute best and he will do the rest!

Love Sister Heal

18 August 2014

Transfer 4 Week 2

So this week has been a busy one, teaching heaps of lessons and trying to filter through the new investigators and see who is genuine and who isn't. We have seen many many miracles, Heavenly Father's hand really is in this work :)

So this week at church I did a 10-15min talk on "Love one another". There's a point I want to make to everyone....... Just love each other :) What's that quote from 'mean girls' "I just want to bake a cake full of sunshine and smiles.. cant we all get along like in middleschool?" I can't remember how it goes as I haven't thought about that movie for 6 months now. But moral of the story is we need to show love!!!! If we have not charity then we are nothing...

Also on Sunday we had some investigators come to church, the ward really helped out with that. They completely embraced them and we didnt have to worry about finding people to show them to class or sit with them etc. Members are KEY in missionary work!!!

So Sunday night we had a "Come and See" fireside. It's aimed at investigators/less actives and for a missionary to go to it, we need to bring an investigator. Well our ward mission leader is so on the ball and has a van and drove around picking us up and all our investigators. We took up a whole row in the chapel! It was a very spiritually uplifting night and the music was beautifully sung. There were about 800 people.. craazzyyy. 

Too be honest the best part of the fireside was... SEEING ALL MY MISSIONARY FRIENDS! Our mission is pretty strict whereby you can't communicate with missionaries outside your distict (6 of you). So at the fireside you look for all your old companions/friends... When I saw Sister Daynes - it was the most exciting thing in the whole world. ALMA 27: 16-19. We were both Ammon though haha. I was so excited and giddy it was rediculous. Was also awesome seeing Sister Bonilla, Sister McNaught, Elder CRAY and a few others. 

So today for P-Day we are playing sports at the chapel and 2 of our investigators are coming. We are developing a really good relationship with them!! Everyone we teach is from 17yo-23yo... which is pretty rare but also way fun. 

Well that's me for the week, thanks all for the letters and everything :)

Love Sister heal

ps. no camera still so no photos :( 

25 August 2014
Transfer 4 week 3

With our investigator at church

Alright, funny story to start off the day.... so I was riding down this hill, going preeeeeety fast and it was night time and pelting down with rain. On the otherside of the street on the corner I saw this 'couple' huddled together looking at something. I thought to myself, "perfect, they look lost, I will help these pour souls :)" so I shouted out across the road "Hello!!! Do you need any help?" and then the guy looked up.. it was a YSA from our ward... it was dark and I was squinting to see if it was him and I.... rode straight into a pole. Smashed my small finger and hurdled to the ground, bike on top of me, smacked my head on the pavement (got a slight concussion) and was just lying their in the pouring rain. It all happened so fast, It took me a good 5 seconds to gather my thoughts and I remember thinking "don't cry, don't cry just laugh" so I cracked up laughing. My companion came over and they ran across the road and I was laughing uncontrollably... a little delirious. The whole situation was quite hilarious :) So we went to that family's house and they gave us a nice cup of milo, ice for my fingers and fresh clothes as I was drenched and muddy.

Funny mission story for the week :)

So does anyone remember 'chatterboxes' from school??? Where you fold paper into a diamond box thingy and they have to pick a word and you open and close it, and you pick another word and you open the flap and it has like.. a fact.. or a dare.. or a boy you supposedly like??? Anyway. My companion and I are over doing missionary work the same way every way... so we had the most genius of ideas. Not sure if this has been done before in missionary work, I'm sure were not the only ones who have done it but we just came up with it... We made one for TWE-ing (talking with everyone)... we go up to them and are all like:

 "heyyy how are you, what you upto.. etc....." 

         "oh yeh good thanks.. I'm doing this..." 

"hey were doing this activity with everyone, do you remember these from primary school?" 

          "OH WOW that takes me back!" 

 "Pick a number"

          "three"

"Pick a word"

           "Family/forgiveness/pray/future/scriptures/etc"

"ohhh do you have a big family? why is family important to you?" *whilst companion spells out family on the chatterbox*

"pick another word"

           "Future"

"hmmm this question asks.... what happens after this life?... have you ever wondered that?"

BAM. We get in a huge convo about the next life and eternal families etc etc...

With every person we have used it for we have gotten a return appointment or their details to 'come around sometime in the week/Tuesday/weekend/etc'

We also are going to draw 'plan of salvation' on the pavement in chalk and talk to people about it as they go by. We know that's been done before... but thought we would try it!!! Missionary work is hard but fun :)

ALSO last P-day after emails we went to.. the AUCKLAND MUSEUM. We are prety lucky to go as it's in the city and the only missionaries allowed in city are the zone leaders and chinese speaking. But we got special permission, so me and my companion, our district leader, zone leaders and assistants all went to the museum together. So much fun :) They tried to charge us $20 because were not from new zealand but these randoms behind us were like "HEY they're missionaries, they're here volunteering for God, they leave their homes for 2 years and live in our country etc etc" and in the end the guy was like "fine just go in" haha. Sometimes I feel like royalty.. what a lovely lady :)

Thanks everyone for all the love and support you show me!!! Appreciated :)

Love Sister Heal