Well to start off with telling you guys about how the week has gone I guess I will have to say that Jodie did not get baptized. Sometimes I simply just want to pull my hair out but this isn't eh case. It is not really Jodie herself it is more of just the fact that things keep interfering with the date. This week SHOULD be this week. Her younger brother being the culprit in this case. Here in New Zealand, the culture is interesting. I guess like the states the 21st Birthday is a big deal here. Also the first birthday of a child is a big deal as well. Really more of a celebration for adults rather than the child. Similar to the celebrations that I described before such as weddings or funerals, they are big. Jodie was unfortunately roped into throwing her younger brother a party for him and all his friends on the Saturday of her baptism. In the end Baptism is so much more important than his worldly celebration, however, Jodie felt it would be better to put if off for one more week. It will ultimately be better. She does have a sincere desire to be baptized, so more time will only help her be better prepared. Jodie is great she is truly converted, and the Lord has blessed me as a missionary to help prepare her for baptism, with the end in mind, Temple marriage.
Toru, well sorry I don't think I do the best at keeping up with each investigator, but Toru has unfortunately fallen out of the teaching pool. His family stepped in and asked to tell us that they do not want us around their home (being 7th day Adventist), Toru himself is still interested. We have tried to contact him but his phone does not seem to work. So at teh moment we are trying to get teh YSA in the ward to contact him because he grew quite close to them as he spent time with them.
The Edmonds, are doing ok. There daughter Ana who has a common brain cancer among many children who are diagnosed with brain Cancer. She has been undergoing Chemo. It has only been a few weeks into it. She has now lost most of her hair. We try to go around and visit Jeremy the father every other day, but some days he is good for a visit, other days he doesn't really want to talk all that much. Just consistent support will be the best! We have been able to teach him here and there but for the most part likes the supporting chat.
Selenah, has been picked back up as an investigator. The reason she originally fell off was because of the Sisters leaving. After making contact with her again, we got some members that where close with her back in and now she is back on board. We had 2 good lessons with her the past 2 weeks. One we taught about the Holy Ghost by playing a game called cat and mouse. It is where you take cloths pins and tie strings on them about a foot long. You then put a coin in the center of everyone sitting in a circle and you then put the clothes pins around or just on the coin. Everyone holds the string for their mouse and then there is one person that holds a pot lid. A hot number is picked and then 2 dice are rolled. When the number comes up the person holding the lid then tries to catch the mice around the coin with the pot lid before they run away by pulling the string. It is a lot of fun and really breaks the ice. We then relate the dice to being the Holy Ghost, the lid Satan and his snares, and then clothes pins or mice simply represent us. The coin is world. We all live in the world, but the Holy Ghost is there to warn us of danger and tells us when we need to run. She really enjoyed that. The next appointment we had with her we talked about the Atonement and she learned a lot about how we are to improve every day of our lives and become better people gradually. We did a bit of a demonstration by using a nerf gun. We have a little single shooter so it doesn't become a big distraction in the flat, but teaching with it has been great. We challenge people to hit a target (any object in the home with reasonable distance) in the home 3 times in a row perfectly. We take a turn our selves of course. No is able to do it really, not even us, and the point is that our Father in Heaven have given us commandments to keep perfectly. It is next impossible to do so. Because of the Atonement though, the only thing that really matters though is that we are aiming in the right direction and trying our best. So that's a lot of detail, but they will make a good FHE activity. Hopefully my details are clear enough to figure it out. We always mingle scriptures in there as well. Often we teach with demonstrations because people here are very visual learners and they can often be shy. It really helps them know that you care about them and are there to answer their sincere questions.
Chris and Nia are both Samoan and they have 2 children. We started teaching them recently. We originally talked to Nia on the street as she was going to pick up their kids form school. We where persistent in getting a return appointment. Teaching them has been really wonderful. We have been having the 2nd counselor of the ward come out with us to be the fellowship for as he is Samoan as well. Chris and Nia are very humble, that is something that we have noticed. They are very teachable and ask brilliant questions to better their understanding. They have been good at keeping their commitments as well! We invited them to be baptized on May 2nd and they accepted. It is just a goal to work towards so we will help them the best we can!
Thanks for the e-mails!
Love,
Elder Ward
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