October 2014 - Obedience

6 October 2014

Transfer 5 Week 3

MALO LELEI 

Let's be real, I am basically a Tongan now that I have a Tongan companion. She's teaching me so much :) But rest assured, she is teaching me much more than how to speak another language, she is an excellent missionary!!

So first things first... THANNKSS MMUUMM FFOORR TTHHEE PPAACCKKAAGGEE!! Everyone, my mum sent me the biggest package in the world, full of so much stuff. Just saying... also thanks to Em and James for the hand cream, it feels and smells so nice and the other Sisters were jealous :)

Ok! back to missionary work.. So the lady getting baptised on Saturday has been postponed 2 weeks as she is going to see her family and try get them involved etc. But it will still be during this transfer so its OK, I wont miss out! But she is so solid, read SO much of Book of Mormon and is loving every second of it!!

So, on Monday last week after emails we went to the park and played touch. (Hey brother, I now regret all the times you tried to teach me to throw a ball... because now I suck.. and I'm the silly little palagi girl who can't play!). We had a bunch of YSA come and then we invited some randoms who were starting to play so we had about 25 of us. So much fun!! But then we got home and.. I SNEEZED.. and tore my intercostal muscle again. This time it was much much worse. I screamed and fell to the floor and just started crying. Then my companion freaked out and kept making me laugh which hurt even more. So I would let out little yelps like when you step on a dogs tail. We got a hold of the Zone Leaders who rushed over. I couldn't move so they had to give me a priesthood blessing where I was. I was able to get up and they took me to the medical centre. The lady was like "yehhh you tore it pretty bad but there's no bleeding or swelling etc etc etc... this is very rare, but now  you've done it twice, you'll probs do it again". So that's awesome, I get a strike of fear every time I go to sneeze. But anyway we got home at 8pm and it was a mad rush to get changed out of sports clothes, pop on a dress and get on our way to an appointment. They called me crazy BUT we had to go to this appointment, it was one of those ones you just can't miss.  Anyway... I woke up the next day and I was basically fine. Not much pain, could breath normally and ride a bike. Last time it took a month to get to that point.. THE PRIESTHOOD IS REAL :) 

Riding bikes across random fields

And that story is a good analogy for how the rest of our week was. It was an interesting week here in the great NZAM.  And from what I have heard a lot of other companionships have had a similar week as well, even some of our leaders.  I reckon it's because of General Confrence. There are opposites in everything and Satan knows that this weekend we're going to be so strengthened and receive heaps of revelation so he is trying to knock us all down before hand. Luckily we all know... the good guy always win! There really are opposites in everything :)

Really, this week has been the hardest of my mission so far. BUT STILL AMAZING. Its interesting how even when things come crashing down around you, you are still happy. That's the joy the gospel brings. A true happiness. I could have everything taken away from me right now, and it would be hard, but I know I would still be happy. I never want to come home from my mission, it's seriously the best thing in the world. I am gutted I didnt get out sooner! BUT I know its all in the Lord's timing. And things have worked out for the best anyway.

I am just so happy :)

Love Sister Heal!!

xxxxxxxxx


13 October 2014
Transfer 5 Week 4

Heyyyyyy all :)

Firstly, #GENERAL CONFERENCE

Soooooooooooo amazing. I personally loved Saturdays sessions. But they were all fantastic!!! Loved... Christofferson, Uchtdorf, Klebingat, Gavarett, Holland and Bednar! I am currently watching the Priesthood session.. Soooo good!!  We had an investigator come with her family on the Sunday afternoon session which was great. I received so much personal revelation and also for our current investigators... there was a talk to address each of their concerns!! I loved some of the rebuking..  I feel like they were more bold this time around? 

Secondly, #TRADEOFFS

Sister Smith, Sister Heal & Sister Van Zyl after Conference.

So Sunday we fasted for direction in the area and purpose,  Come Monday night and we got the call for Tradeoffs.  Sister Brown came to my area and I went with Sis Van Zyl to Mangere. THE PROMISED LAND! Honestly, every single conversation (bar one) we got a return appointment for.  Plus we spoke to a lot of people about baptism who want that as a goal in their life. We taught and testified for hours on end and I had forgotten what that felt like (sadly).  We usually have 3 or so scheduled lessons a day but this was different.  Sis Van Zyl is such an incredible missionary, she is very sharp and loving.  True example of Charity!  I was able to receive a lot of direction from her.  Plus she is a crack up and I have been working on my south african accent "ya" is now apart of my vocabulary.  Also Sister Brown, the bossest, boldest missionary I know! She was able to give counsel on exactly what we need to do/change etc. As we followed counsel we have seen many miracles :) The flat they live in in Mangere is pretty much the ghettoest thing in the world, but 6 sisters live there in total. It brought back the memories of Henderson days, I love being with other Sisters!!  Sis van Zyl loves singing, therefore we spent the day singing... haha sadly my voice hasn't improved in the 6 months I have been here and I'm pretty sure when I sing, the spirit leaves ;)

Oh sad/funny story, Elder Basson in our district was cruising down the road on his bike and a car pulled out of the driveway and he went flyyinnnggg... poor guy, miraculously he only has bruising but still, so much pain!

Thats pretty much the highlights of the week, nothing else is in comparison :) Still loving every day!

Sister Heal




20 October 2014
Transfer 5 Week 5

Heyyyyyyy!!!!!!

So, crazy story to start with. On Friday, I GOT HIT BY A CAR!!! Ok, so the story goes like this.. I was happily minding my own business riding down the street and this car comes out of a driveway (front first so not even reversing) and she wasnt paying attention and hit me smack on and knocked me off my bike!!!!! It all happened so fast!! She pokes her head out the door "um are u alright?" and I was like "uhh I think so" as I was stumbling to the side... AND THEN SHE DROVE OFF and in the process cut off a car doing 60km and almost caused another accident. Crazy driver. So this random lady saw the whole thing happen as she was driving past and she reversed down the road (with a very concerned mother look) and was like "are you ok? anything broken? that looked bad, want me to call police? etc etc." She was SO nice. She got the numberplate of the lady and the address and explained how she was going to report it etc. I spoke to Mission President and he counseled the same, so today it's off to make the official report. But yeah that's my fun story! But nevertheless, the work still carries on!!!

ALSO. Another fun mission story. Saturday night all the members went to a baptism andd.... we forgot it was on.... so noone was home. 2 hours riding in the rain! picture is attatched. Never been so wet!! When im soaked I feel like a true missionary should..

Now to the spiritual things. INTERVIEWS WITH MISSION PRESIDENT. He is seriously the best person! Interviews were great and I was able to get a lot of good advice, especially about the atonement and about being a leader. I wish I brought my journal with me to emails so I could explain it all, but moral of the story is he is going to be an apostle one day, I am sure of it!

Also, about the 'come and see' fireside last night. It was so great to see all our other missionaries and meet their investigators. It was all about the Book of Mormon. It's soooo simple.. all you need to do is pray about it!! Why do we complicate things so much? "just pray bro".. its a quote written on the STL wall and it is so very true!!  ALSO I saw SISTER AISA. Well shes not sister Aisa anymore... Lusila Aisa. But so good to see her :) She is back in NZ for a holiday!!

Alllssoooooooo. Miracle after miracle this week. We have just been in the right place at the right time on SO many occasions. I know I shouldn't, but sometimes I forget how much Heavenly Father's hand is in this work!! We have been so blessed with the lessons we have taught and people we have met. Transfers are this week, I hope I stay in this area one more transer!!!

P-Day from about 7 weeks ago at Huia Point, with Elder Gulliver, Sister Eze, myself and Elder Pennington

Lots of love.. Sister Heal



27 October 2014
Transfer 5, week 6

TRANSFERS! Ok so, I am staying in Avondale.. and I have the same companion! 

So every week we email our Mission President. I am going to copy and paste, word for word, the email I sent him. This sums up my week.. well last 2 weeks. I have learnt a lot, which is why I feel the need to share this with the world, despite it making me look bad! So we had interviews last week and every time President asks "are you obedient" and this time my response was "I try to be".  Not acceptable :)

The last 2 weeks have been some of the hardest of my mission, not for any crazy huge particular reason, maybe I am going through a midlife crisis? Who knows, but they have been hard, and I have gotten slack. Worrying more about myself then the people I am here to serve. Worrying more about fearing man then fearing God. I LOVE my ward and the members here, but when they insist after meetings to take you for icecream on the way home to dropping you off... I get scared to offend them so I just agree. But, in that 10minutes, who could I have met on the street? What other good could I have accomplished? I always thought I was a good missionary, but recently I have had a bit of a reality check. I am in no way saying I am a bad, disobedient missionary. I try my best!! But my 'best' has decreased these last 6 weeks. So time for that to change.

President Balli,

To be honest, this week I have had to check myself a lot. I know I have issues with pride that I need to work out and my obedience needs a check also. I thought about it long and hard since interviews and I am genuinely ashamed that I wasn't able to look you straight in the eye and say "yes President I am obedient".
I want to assure you it's nothing major and in no way do I need to be sent home :) Its the small things that get you... lessons going for 50 minutes not 45, ice cream after MCM, etc etc etc. Those 'small things' aren't small things. Because those 'small things' is what is keeping me from qualifying for miracles, and for the spirit more and for becoming more like Jesus Christ. 
I thought about the question "what sort of missionary do I want to be?" Which led to "what sort of missionary does HEAVENLY FATHER want me to be?" And then I came up with a bunch of qualities and attributes from the scriptures/pmg. One thing that stuck out to me is that I need to be someone Heavenly Father can trust. Trust me to hear and follow the spirit, trust his precious children in my hands to teach and guide and be an example to them. 
I have done a lot of repenting recently, but president I want to say sorry to you also. I am sorry that I have only been giving 95% of myself to the mission and I am sorry if I am a missionary you feel like you can not trust. 
But it is going to change. Next time we meet I will look you in the eye and say with confidence "yes, President, I am obedient".

ps. in regards to the work, we had a couple of investigators at church today and 3 less actives. Which was a miracle!

"when obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power"

- Ezra taft Benson

So thats me. A few other cool things happened this week... like a fireside with the Temple President where Sid Going came and spending time with members, and the tongan sisters, which is all in the photos. 

Oh and last pday we had a water fight which was pretty rad. And there's this awesome $5 butter chicken place and the lady knows our order off by heart. 

Celebrated some rad Indian Lights festival and had so much food. Fireworks have kept me up and not sleeping but so much fun to watch. Oh and had terrential down pours which was fun, legit it was hilarious! 

We found some kittens in a flowerpot as well. 

Finally I found a, cool as, poncho that makes me look like a bat. 

Sister Heal