No E-mail this week. Talked on phone
He is doing well and is loving his mission. He says "Hi" to everyone. He has not picked up much of an accent yet, but is working on it. Could hear some every now and then. He has learned some phrases in several island languages down there. He has about 7 investigators right now. His area is small which is good since it's a biking area. He says it is mostly flat here too, which he likes while on the bike. Has not eaten any more strange foods, but is enjoying the food.
E-Mail Dated 5/7/12
Kia Ora,
It's so good to hear from all of yous. It's so crazy all the things that are changing. Congratulations, Brandon, on everything that you are getting done! It will bless you so much in the near future. I hope you keep working hard!
So an update for this week. This week was transfers and I am happy to report that Elder Sorensen and I are still together for another 6 weeks at least. We are so excited because we get along so well and we are seeing a lot of success. This last week we were feeling like we weren't getting hardly any new investigators and so on Saturday we decided to go tract a neighbourhood that we hadn't tracted very much. It was awesome because the morning we talked to maybe 20 of those people and only a few said they weren't interested and the others we got heaps of potential investigators and about 7 return appointments for this week. We are so excited to go teach these people. Oh yeah so funny story, I got hit by a car this week. Well I'd say I got hit by a car. Some people might say that I hit a car. So we were just going to meet the sister missionaries in our district because they needed to use our phone and so we hurrying over. As we were going we were riding along the foot path and coming up to this driveway where there is a fence that is impossible to see around so right when I got to the end of it this car pulls out of the driveway and I didn't have enough time to stop cuz it was less than half a meter away. So I ran straight into it. I wouldn't say it was really either of our faults cuz there was nothing either of us could have done to avoid it. I'm sure that a pedestrian would even run into it. It was funny though because there was a girl and a guy in the car. The guy was driving and when I hit it, the girl started to scream, and the guy seemed unphased. Then they didn't even get out to see if I or the car was ok. They just resumed backing up. I was fine though. I didn't get even a scratch. It was just a funny experience. So that's the story of the week.
As for the phone call. I will be calling on Monday here which is Sunday there. So please give me an email next week and tell me exactly what time you want me to call.
Now for the spiritual thought, I would like to share a scripture that can apply to us all but especially for youth. It is the story of the 2000 Stripling Warriors.The key to understanding how the Stripling Warriors were so successful is found in Alma 56:47.
The verse reads: "Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them."
There are 2 keys to success found in this verse. 1) When our parents teach us in righteousness we can always turn back to the things they taught us for support. 2) When we do not doubt and put our trust in God, He will deliver us from our trials. I think the one thing that I have expressed most in my letters home is that we need to put our trust in God. This is so important. Don't worry about what is going to come ahead of you because God always provides if we put our trust in Him. Well I love yous all. Hope yous are doing well. And I would still like the Harpers address.
Ofa Atu,
Elder Lee
E-Mail Dated 4/29/12
Kia Ora,
It's so good to hear from you. That's awesome that Brandon finished his Eagle Project! Keep working hard, Brandon! It pays out in the end. Also, tell Rich and Ashley I said hello, and I need their address so I can write them. Send me pictures if you can. I love to see pictures. So just to tell you about my week: It was a great week. We have been working really hard to find more people to teach and we have found a few more people to teach that are solid as. They are asking the most choice questions. We had a dinner with the Tuala family this week. Brother Tuala's dad is not a member. It was funny though because they arranged it so that it would just be us and him. We went over and had a massive feed (It was delicious, but not new). We then found out that Sister Tuala (the Primary President and return missionary from Guam) was home as well. So we got to have a really good lesson with him after. He has been coming to church these last few weeks and is really curious. We had a commitment from our lesson to study the rest of the chapter in Gospel Principles, that we didn't finish, on the Life of Jesus Christ. We were reading through it with Brother Tuala Sr. and when we got to the part about Jesus calling his Apostles he started to ask some really good questions. He even asked us why we say that we are the only true church? So we were able to teach him a bit of the Restoration. It was a very Spirit led lesson. We also had a lesson with another Part-Member family, the Tufuga's, where the wife is a member but the husband is not. We again taught a very Spirit led lesson and invited him to be baptized and he said that he would prepare for it. He only said that after we pulled all of his concerns about baptism out through inspired questions. He asked us if you need to be baptized to be a member. We are planning to teach him tonight about the Gospel and how baptism is essential not just for the purpose of becoming a member but also when it's done through God's authority it actually cleanses us of all of our sins. It was a really good week. Unfortunately it's coming to the end of the transfer and so transfers is on Thursday. (Transfers happen every 6 weeks). I hope that neither of us goes because we get along so well and we have fun while working our hardest, but nevertheless God's will be done not mine. I will let you know what happens with transfers next week.
Ofa Atu,
Elder Lee
P.S. the pictures of some members and recent converts that were killing some pigs to have a hangi.
E-Mail Dated 4/22/12
Kia Orana, (Cook Island for Hello)
Peha koe? (Cook Island for how are you). You would then respond Me Taki. (Cook Island for good). Man serving in Tamaki is so much fun! The people here are mainly islanders. So we mainly talk to people from the Cook Islands, Samoa, and Tonga. I love picking up bits of each language. I can now say Hello how are you, and good in Cook Island, Samoan, and Tongan. Most of the people here though are Cook Island. It's been a really good week. We worked really hard this week and we were also able to save 3 souls this week. The P family got baptised on Saturday and loved it. So Elder Sorensen baptised A, I baptized C, and Brother Tongamana (a member in the ward and also M's brother-in-law) baptised M. It was such a spiritual experience. There were 5 musical items but they weren't all intentional. One of the groups was supposed to do one song but they got announced twice so they did another song which happened to be the same song that our cottage evening group was going to do. We did it any ways and it was a very good baptismal service. We also have B who was planning to be baptised this last weekend but his mom is very anti missionaries and so she won't meet with us and talk to us. But she is friends with a member so they've agreed for him to be baptised on the 19th of May. We're just happy that he can still be baptised. We are also teaching a few other people that we have recently learned live outside of our boundaries. We didn't know this because they are friends of a returning less active and so the lessons are always at her house. We are having a family home evening with them tonight. It's going to be fun because we have heaps of people coming over. We are going to teach L's (the LA returning) friends until they are comfortable with missionaries and then refer them on. I hate it when that happens because they are so choice! Overall, it has been a great week! Oh and Ryan, did you know an Elder Walker on your mission? My zone leader said that his brother served in Birmingham as well at about the same time as you. Dad- the reason I write short emails sometimes is because I have limited time and money to pay for emails because we have to go to an internet cafe. Brandon- Keep working hard on that Eagle Project. It is definitely worth it!
Ofa Atu,
Elder Lee
E-mail dated 4/15/12
Another Great Week in the Land of Tamaki!
Kia Ora,
So this week has been great! We were able to see a lot of miracles. We had a baptism on Friday. His name is P and he received the Holy Ghost and the Priesthood on Sunday. It was so cool to see. I just love it. We also got to have our other investigators that are set interviewed for baptism and they all passed! We are looking forward to their baptism this Saturday at 6. We also had a huge miracle. Each week we have a cottage evening where some families get together and have a big family home evening. This week was at a member's house who just lives right outside our area but happened to be in another stake as well. So because she lived outside the area we had to go to the Assistants to the President to get permission to go. They let us go and we had a great time and we set one of our investigators for this Saturday as well so we now have 4 people being baptized this weekend. The one we set is named B. He is probably 9 or 10. He asked me to baptize him so I'm way excited. We are praying that everything will work out. Also on Sunday we had a Come and See Fireside. These firesides are where recent converts speak and share their experiences in coming into the Church. We also got to hear from Gary Wilkinson. He plays for the New Zealand Breakers. Its a basketball team. He gave a really good talk. Then I got to see 3 of my recent converts. R and A and L were there. It was so great to see them again. I love them all so much and I wish I could see them more often. Since I last saw them, R and A had their baby and named him T. A got baptised and I asked her how she felt and she said it was totally different. I'm so happy for them and am excited to see them go to the temple and be sealed as a family for eternity in a years time. It was such a great week! Hope all is well back home. Grandpa, if you read this, Stop hurting yourself! That goes for you too Gram! I love you all heaps. Talk to you later.
Ofa Atu,
Elder Lee
Kia Ora,
So this week has been great! We were able to see a lot of miracles. We had a baptism on Friday. His name is P and he received the Holy Ghost and the Priesthood on Sunday. It was so cool to see. I just love it. We also got to have our other investigators that are set interviewed for baptism and they all passed! We are looking forward to their baptism this Saturday at 6. We also had a huge miracle. Each week we have a cottage evening where some families get together and have a big family home evening. This week was at a member's house who just lives right outside our area but happened to be in another stake as well. So because she lived outside the area we had to go to the Assistants to the President to get permission to go. They let us go and we had a great time and we set one of our investigators for this Saturday as well so we now have 4 people being baptized this weekend. The one we set is named B. He is probably 9 or 10. He asked me to baptize him so I'm way excited. We are praying that everything will work out. Also on Sunday we had a Come and See Fireside. These firesides are where recent converts speak and share their experiences in coming into the Church. We also got to hear from Gary Wilkinson. He plays for the New Zealand Breakers. Its a basketball team. He gave a really good talk. Then I got to see 3 of my recent converts. R and A and L were there. It was so great to see them again. I love them all so much and I wish I could see them more often. Since I last saw them, R and A had their baby and named him T. A got baptised and I asked her how she felt and she said it was totally different. I'm so happy for them and am excited to see them go to the temple and be sealed as a family for eternity in a years time. It was such a great week! Hope all is well back home. Grandpa, if you read this, Stop hurting yourself! That goes for you too Gram! I love you all heaps. Talk to you later.
Ofa Atu,
Elder Lee
E-mail dated 4/8/12
Kia Ora,
So this week has been a great week especially because we were able to see General Conference. Conference this time was sooo good! I loved Saturday Morning. I think that one was my favorite. This week has been a bit of a slow week though. We weren't able to teach many lessons this week but we did get to have a fun experience. In the middle of our week we were told out of the blue that we were going on trade off the next day with the missionaries at the MTC. The missionary who I went with was originally from Tonga but had been living in Provo for a couple years. He was pretty cool. His name is Elder Tautu'a. He seemed a bit shy and was a bit hesitant to talk to people on the street at first but when we went out he got used to it. We had a lot of fun and a lot of miracles. We had a few walk in lessons that day. It was so much fun. We even got to give a blessing. I don't have much to report on thought but it has been a great week.
My spiritual insight for this week is found in Alma 12. I really like verse 11 because before I never knew that the chains of Hell actually had a meaning. Verse 11 reads, " And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell." So not knowing God and His mysteries is what being bound with the chains of hell really means. There are so many people out there that don't know God and thus are bound by those chains. It is so important for us as members of the Restored Gospel to help them break those chains. As was shared at General Conference so many times, "Heavenly Father loves each and everyone of us." I loved what Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said about our Heavenly Father. He said, "The thing God loves most about being God is the thrill of being merciful." Let us help God to be merciful by helping him bring people into the church. What greater act of mercy is there than to help someone access the blessings of the Atonement? This is God's work and no power or force on Earth can stop the work from going forward. Shall we not go on in so great a cause?
I know this is Jesus Christ's church on the earth today. I know Jesus Christ lives and that He is our Savior and Redeemer. Don't ever forget that!
I love you all and hope you have a great week this week.
Ofa Atu,
Elder Lee
P.S. Dad- I'm getting your emails and stop hurting yourself!
Mom- I got the package and I love it. I haven't had Mac & Cheese in ages! It was so good as well as the Sweet and Salty Bars and the PEZ. I've been sharing equally with my companion and he is super grateful as well. We have also been giving a bit to our investigators A and C (The twin 8 year old girls). They are so funny. I love their family.
So this week has been a great week especially because we were able to see General Conference. Conference this time was sooo good! I loved Saturday Morning. I think that one was my favorite. This week has been a bit of a slow week though. We weren't able to teach many lessons this week but we did get to have a fun experience. In the middle of our week we were told out of the blue that we were going on trade off the next day with the missionaries at the MTC. The missionary who I went with was originally from Tonga but had been living in Provo for a couple years. He was pretty cool. His name is Elder Tautu'a. He seemed a bit shy and was a bit hesitant to talk to people on the street at first but when we went out he got used to it. We had a lot of fun and a lot of miracles. We had a few walk in lessons that day. It was so much fun. We even got to give a blessing. I don't have much to report on thought but it has been a great week.
My spiritual insight for this week is found in Alma 12. I really like verse 11 because before I never knew that the chains of Hell actually had a meaning. Verse 11 reads, " And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell." So not knowing God and His mysteries is what being bound with the chains of hell really means. There are so many people out there that don't know God and thus are bound by those chains. It is so important for us as members of the Restored Gospel to help them break those chains. As was shared at General Conference so many times, "Heavenly Father loves each and everyone of us." I loved what Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said about our Heavenly Father. He said, "The thing God loves most about being God is the thrill of being merciful." Let us help God to be merciful by helping him bring people into the church. What greater act of mercy is there than to help someone access the blessings of the Atonement? This is God's work and no power or force on Earth can stop the work from going forward. Shall we not go on in so great a cause?
I know this is Jesus Christ's church on the earth today. I know Jesus Christ lives and that He is our Savior and Redeemer. Don't ever forget that!
I love you all and hope you have a great week this week.
Ofa Atu,
Elder Lee
P.S. Dad- I'm getting your emails and stop hurting yourself!
Mom- I got the package and I love it. I haven't had Mac & Cheese in ages! It was so good as well as the Sweet and Salty Bars and the PEZ. I've been sharing equally with my companion and he is super grateful as well. We have also been giving a bit to our investigators A and C (The twin 8 year old girls). They are so funny. I love their family.
E-mail dated 4/1/12
Kia Ora,
This week has been a great week. We had the opportunity to go to the temple. It was an amazing experience. I love the New Zealand Temple! We also got to see our investigators at church. We have 4 people set for this month of April and we plan to have more soon. The 4 people set are named P A, Ma' P and her twin daughters named A and C. They all came to church this Sunday and loved it. We have been teaching Pange this last week mostly the commandments so that he will be ready for his baptism on the 13th and he is so willing to keep them. We have also been going to a lot of member's homes and visiting with them to have them help us in missionary work. We went to one house and we got dog! That's what one of the pictures is of! It was soo good. It has the texture of pork but the taste of beef. I loved it! Now all I have left to try is horse. It's very rare to get horse and dog because I'm pretty sure it's illegal here to kill them. Elder Sorensen and I are having a lot of fun together and we work very well together as well. A little correction that I accidentally typed last time is: Elder Sorensen is from Logan not West Valley. I accidentally put that last time because another missionary is from there. It's been a really fun week. Also, Elder Sorensen saw the shirts that my companion and I made before and he wants to make one because he had already designed a shirt and was planning to go and get it done somewhere but then I showed him how easy it was to make his own. This is all I can remember that is interesting about my week. All is going well!
Hope everything is going well and keep putting your trust in the Lord because he will strengthen and help you as you turn to him. I don't have a spiritual thought this week but just know that I love each and every one of you and thank you for all of your support. May God bless you in all that you are doing.
Ofa Atu,
Elder Lee
P.S.
1) We watch General Conference this coming weekend and we watch it at our chapel. I'm way excited for it!
2) It does rain often but not like heaps. It only rains like 1 or 2 times each week.
3) I love my companion and this area. It is so amazing and fun. The people are awesome. I hope I stay here for a while.
Not sure what this last picture is suppose to be.
This week has been a great week. We had the opportunity to go to the temple. It was an amazing experience. I love the New Zealand Temple! We also got to see our investigators at church. We have 4 people set for this month of April and we plan to have more soon. The 4 people set are named P A, Ma' P and her twin daughters named A and C. They all came to church this Sunday and loved it. We have been teaching Pange this last week mostly the commandments so that he will be ready for his baptism on the 13th and he is so willing to keep them. We have also been going to a lot of member's homes and visiting with them to have them help us in missionary work. We went to one house and we got dog! That's what one of the pictures is of! It was soo good. It has the texture of pork but the taste of beef. I loved it! Now all I have left to try is horse. It's very rare to get horse and dog because I'm pretty sure it's illegal here to kill them. Elder Sorensen and I are having a lot of fun together and we work very well together as well. A little correction that I accidentally typed last time is: Elder Sorensen is from Logan not West Valley. I accidentally put that last time because another missionary is from there. It's been a really fun week. Also, Elder Sorensen saw the shirts that my companion and I made before and he wants to make one because he had already designed a shirt and was planning to go and get it done somewhere but then I showed him how easy it was to make his own. This is all I can remember that is interesting about my week. All is going well!
Hope everything is going well and keep putting your trust in the Lord because he will strengthen and help you as you turn to him. I don't have a spiritual thought this week but just know that I love each and every one of you and thank you for all of your support. May God bless you in all that you are doing.
Ofa Atu,
Elder Lee
P.S.
1) We watch General Conference this coming weekend and we watch it at our chapel. I'm way excited for it!
2) It does rain often but not like heaps. It only rains like 1 or 2 times each week.
3) I love my companion and this area. It is so amazing and fun. The people are awesome. I hope I stay here for a while.
Not sure what this last picture is suppose to be.
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