Letters are great!

Well I am glad that you guys got the letter so soon! I will be sending them more often as they do have a bit more meaning to them. I think that I expressed that idea in the very letter that I sent to you guys! 

Thanks for e-mailing! I enjoy them a lot. Even the smallest things are great to hear about. That's part of the reason why I never got that story in the e-mails home because it was just to much to type up in one sit down with everything else that happened in the week. I do always try to write in my journal everyday. That is the best way that I have found to preserve memories.

For this week Semati and Jodie are still doing great. Jodie didn't make it to church again but that was because of a funeral event going on in the family. It was great though because we had just taught her the Plan of Salvation that week. I felt impressed to ask her if she was thinking about it as she attended the funeral. She said yes she was thinking about it as she was there. She found great comfort in understanding that there is more to God's plan than just simply this life. Really great teaching opportunity. It is also great when you are able to apply things that you have taught to the investigators real experiences. You are able to make that mental bridge form just a teaching to really applying it. Personally experiences are great and wonder teaching tools, whether they be your own, or you identify it from their own personal challenges and experience. 

Fernancis is doing well also. We got a small moment this week to teach her and Semati together about the law of Tithing. That was it for the week because things where busy for everyone this week. We had Brother Criton there with us for the lesson. The 2nd counselor of the Bishop Bishopric. He was able to bear testimony of it which is great when it comes form a member. We invited Brother Semati to pay his tithing after he is baptized and he said yes right off the bat. He is so prepared! We could baptize him this week really if they would just get married as soon as possible. That is still getting run through the machine. The baptismal date for him and the 19th of December, as well as Jodie. We are hoping that Fernancis will be prepared by then to be baptized. It will really be a great day for the family and as well as the Waipuna Ward. I guess you could say it is going to be a great Christmas! Speaking of Christmas, phone calls are coming up...

Dallas, if I remember correctly I told you guys about him. Unfortunately he was unable to make it to church. Nor where we able to sit down with him and teach him because he was so busy. But he still has great potential!

Elder Fougerouse and I have been walking in our area for the past 2 weeks, because my bike broke due to the hangar for the gear shifter in the rear being abused for it falling over so much. finally got the parts to day. It was the first time that I have had technical difficulties with a bike have had to admit defeat with trying to fix it so we can continue riding for the day. Walking has been all right though because our area is quite small. We cover half of the Waipuna Ward (why-puna) Sisters cover the other half. but still having the bikes makes it so much easier to see more people and be on time for appointments.

Guess what I ate this week on Sunday at a members house??? Hosi! Or horse in English. Hosi is Tongan. It was pretty good. It tasted a bit like pork. Everyone says that it is amazingly good, but I was slightly disappointed thinking it was going to be better. It was in a curry which was nice but not preferable in my opinion. I was expecting a bit more of like a steak type meal but it was still pretty good. Brother Naeata (Nie- ahtah) our Ward Mission Leader, as well as his son Hafen where expecting me to hesitate at eating or scare at it. I put it straight in my mouth and had 2 bowls. Tasty.

So for the pictures you have our district again. It was Elder Ziegner's last district meeting. We have special trainings for the rest of the transfer. He will be going home on Tuesday of Next week, all the way back to Germany. It's so sad really :( He is a great Elder.

And then you have got a picture of the horse. That was pretty good, of course and then you have got Hafen showing off his Tonga shirt. He does speak English and Tongan. Here in New Zealand just about every one knows English except those that have grown up in the Islands and have not bothered or haven't had a chance to learn English well. Sometimes Islanders only speak English because there parents didn't teach them growing up here in NZ.

That is a bit about the week. Had a lot to write about and got some good stuff in this letter I think! I will be sending other pictures as well! 

Love you all glad that you are doing well!

Love,
Elder Ward

Elder  Fougerous and I had a chance to sit down and have dinner at a inlet where they practice rowing. We where eating subway. The members could not feed us at their home because they where busy and they said that they would buy us some food. They asked us to pick and I said "Subway!" Because we have had to much McDonalds and Wendy's Lately. They dropped it off where we we're at again and we sat and enjoyed all the rowing. Many different kinds! I got some cool video to, but that is to big to send. I really enjoyed it and it was very relaxing. Elder Fougerous did rowing back in Tahiti so he was loving it as well.