Monday, July 18, 2016

Transfers week was insane!  

Well we got 11 new missionaries into our zone this transfer.  Thankfully Elder Saurey is still here so I didn't have to do transfer week on my own.  Elder Saurey and I are pumped to have another transfer together.  We are really trying to get our area pumping.  It’s been pretty tough this last transfer to have people who are really interested in progressing.  We are working hard though, and I'm sure we will have a great next transfer.  This week was pretty interesting with transfers.  We had a lot of things get in the way from allowing us to do missionary work, but I guess that is just part of being a Zone Leader.  This week we had two sets of missionaries get double shifted into the zone.  One of the missionaries is Sister Parkinson who was in my last Zone and she is also training at the same time as getting double shifted in.  I felt really bad because you could tell that she was really stressed out.  Luckily they were able to get settled in though, and I think their ward is helping them out a lot.  The other set of missionaries that got double shifted in is Elder Hawkins (he was in my very first district when I was DL in Wairoa) and wait for it.......Elder Vaea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I'm so pumped to have Elder Vaea in the zone.  Elder Vaea and I had heaps of fun together in Waitara and it's cool to have him back.  He is so funny.  He was not too happy about being double shifted in.  What made him even more upset was the fact that they didn't have a phone or a car haha.  Also he was even more mad when we showed up to their flat and tried to plug the fridge in.  To make a long story short Elder Hawkins almost exploded himself.  They pretty much got thrown into an area with no phone, no car, and no idea about their surroundings.  I can't imagine getting double shifted into an area.  I think that would be a pretty tough job.  We helped them out as much as we could though, and I think they have settled down as well.  Guess who else is new to our zone?!  A sister missionary named sister Kearon.  Does that name ring a bell?  Well Elder Kearon just gave a mean talk in general conference on refugees.  If I can recall, it was Katie's favorite talk.  Anyway, his daughter is now in our zone!  She seems really cool, and Elder Saurey and I are dying to hear a spiritual thought from her.  We want to see if she is on to it haha.  We are guessing that she is really smart.  On Thursday it was transfer day and we pretty much spent all day picking up missionaries from the bus stop.  It was a super long day, but it was a good day.  That night we had to interview 4 people for baptism.  Elder Saurey and I each interviewed 2 people.  It was a good interview and they were all little kids in the Tongan Ward.  Saturday was my one year mark!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It’s a pretty weird feeling to have been out for a year.   The time has gone by so fast I can't even explain it.  I'm going to be going downhill now, and I'm sure I'm going to be saying goodbye to New Zealand before I know it.  I have no desire to go yet though, I still love being a missionary.  Saturday was a really good day because we also got to go on a really short exchange with the Assistants.  The Assistants came down because the Tongan Elders were baptizing 7 people!!!!  It was an awesome baptism and was a really great day.  After the baptism we went to Carl's Jr for lunch.  After lunch I got the opportunity to go out with Elder Ith.  Elder Ith is the new assistant and he is in the same intake as Elder Holmes and Elder Saurey.  He is the man!  We had a really awesome exchange!  We went and taught a lesson to a man named brother Manu!  Brother Manu is not a member, but he is the man.  The Manu family is a Samoan family that Elder Saurey and I have been trying to teach.  At first they were totally against the idea of The Book of Mormon.  However, Elder Ith and I were able to teach brother Manu by himself because his family was gone and we had a really great lesson.  We could definitely feel the spirit in his home as we taught and testified about The Book of Mormon.  We read with him from The Book of Mormon, and you could physically and spiritually see that he was opening up to the gospel.  We invited him to read and pray about The Book of Mormon and he said he would.  I love The Book of Mormon so much.  I currently just started reading The Book of Mormon over again.  This time as I go through I'm highlighting in 4 different colors.  Green- references to Jesus Christ Red- Words spoken by Christ Purple- Attributes of Christ Blue- Doctrine/Principles.  I really love studying The Book of Mormon.  It really helps me to understand that The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ.  It has helped me to focus on how much The Book of Mormon teaches of Christ.  I think everyone should take the time to do this activity and some point.  I know The Book of Mormon is true and that if we hold fast to it we can overcome any trial or any temptation that Satan throws at us.  The Book of Mormon not only teaches us how to gain peace in this life, but eternal life in the world to come.  So if you have the desire to return to live with God again, you should definitely read The Book of Mormon.  I love New Zealand and I love missionary work!

Love,

Elder Brunson