Sept.16, 2013

Kia Ora mom!

Hello in Maori. 

I love it out here! My first area is called Timaru, a branch of about 100 members, but only like 50-60 show up usually. On Sunday I think there was less. It's 2 hours south of Christchurch, and north of Dunedin if you wanna find it on a map. the temple was awesome! They only have one big endowment room, and it has an upper balcony for seating, and it's really cool. one of the older ones, but still cool. I have pictures of the area, a few at least, some of the flat and stuff. My new Companion Elder Medley is really cool. He's from Tooele and he's a great trainer. the people here are so awesome! few in numbers, but strong in spirit. the Branch president is a way cool guy, he's Maori, and really awesome. We visited with members and have been door knocking and street contacting, it's hard sometimes, many are not interested at all or just don't want to talk to us. But we press on.

 I miss camping. but a mission is so worth it. Being out here really makes it real.  Kumara is so delicious! If you can find it and cook it, just even by itself it tastes amazing! I love that stuff. We have been out door knocking and such, and met a few people who have accepted Books of Mormon and are hopefully going to be baptized this month or next, but we'll have to see. We had a family home evening with some ward members and the branch president last night, and it was really fun. the President, Paea, he can play all kinds of songs and such on the guitar, and so we sang missionary blues and rap, it was really fun. We've been hanging out with the missionaries from Ashburton up north and Waimate south, for church and zone conference yesterday. They are all really cool, and the elders from Waimate are hilarious! It's awesome.

zone conference was really great. it was long, but great. Elder Hamula from the area presidency came out and spoke for the mission tour that general authorities are doing I guess, and he gave a great talk on taking back the land one soul at a time, and not being spiritual grasshoppers. It was awesome.

 I've been trying to learn some Maori when I can, so I'm going through the Book of Mormon and the Maori one in the flat. It's called Ko Te pukapuka A Moromona. I'm trying to get it, but I'm going to need a dictionary to help me. Some of the wording isn't exact. I also know pakia-White person. It's palangi in Tongan. Wai-water. mate-dead. So Waimate is dead water, which I find funny.  Iti- small. Nui- big. Just simple things. My companion is also teaching me some Tongan, his companion before was Tongan and he picked up a lot.

I love and miss you all, I love it here though!
 Oh here's some pictures as well! Almost forgot. Here's some of the temple and after, and then me and Elder Keil, and then some amazing chocolate that I bought at Pac N Save. The food here is pretty expensive, I walked in and thought it was like Winco, but not cheap. But the chocolate here is so good. the L and P one has lemon soda infused in it and little pop rocks. It's awesome. the Black forest has cookie pieces and gummy bear bits in it, and the Turkish Delight is this really good jelly stuff. I love it.

Elder Passey

Elder Passey's MTC companion

The two redheads. They flew out together to New Zealand.