Refiners Fire

This week was so long, so wet, so hot and so spiritual!!!!

It was pouring one day and then blazing hot the next. I was seriously losing my mind. The work was really slow this week. Cant blame it on the area because it was us. We had a really great training this week. President Balli spoke about our testimonies on the atonement. How when we bear them we should just talk about how Christ suffered on the cross but also in the Garden of Gethsemane. Do we truly understand what the Saviour did for us? It really hit me and I just wanted to learn more about Christ and more about the love he has for all of us.

We were also blessed to have Stake Conference this week. I dont think I have ever loved a Stake Conference so much. Tamaki is the best. We had a member of the 70 present Elder Cummings. He said heaps but there are a few things I want to share with all of you..

Before Christ completed the atonement He always says that we must be perfect as the father is, but once he did fulfill what he needed to he told us to be perfect as He is and as the Father is. Why? because Christ became perfect, he was complete. It was just a cool thing for me to learn. The Saviour is perfect and we do need to become more like him. Another thing being stressed in our mission at the moment is Repentance. Elder Cummings talked a bit on that. He shared a story of how he was gardening for 8 hours. There was a stone in his shoe that he didnt want to remove cause he was lazy. So when he took off his boot he had a blister. That blister is like us. If we just continue to push our sin to the side or only half-heartedly repent it isnt full or complete repentance. It continues to get worse and worse. Let us all remember what the Saviour did for us. To truly repent of our sins and do better and do more. It might have been a long week work wise but we were completely uplifted by our wonderful leaders. I love you all and hope you have an amazing week.

Kia kaha,

Sister Boiteux

 Pictures!!

DEANE GOT BAPTIZED!!! Johnstone sisters are smashing their area and one of our favourties got baptized and received the priesthood this past weekend it was such an amazing experience to be a part of.  

Trying to do the pukana!!

Our ward is the best!!!

Zone P-day!!!!

The zone selfie :)

Our washer broke.. So I had to ring out my clothes that were just sitting in heaps of water. 

Our zone blitz I was with two crazy samoans and it was a grand day!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!!!

Happy Valentines day too all you lovely people. One of my favourite holidays and once again no one celebrates it here!! This day was also great because my dear companion was born 20 years ago!! So we celebrated her, valentines, and of course the Saviour!!

This week was a really powerful one. I learned so much more about the restoration. We were able to watch that movie with paige and my testimony on the Prophet Joseph Smith just grew so much. Such incredible people those saints were and all that they went through. As we watched that I was focusing on the women. Especially the wives of Joseph Smith and Hyrum and all that they went through as well. They had so much love and respect for their husbands and their husbands for them. It was just incredible to see their relationship and see how people truly should be treated. Sister Lott and I of course listened to a talk yesterday called "eternal love" (yes we had to) But part of it talked about how we should look to the prophets and see how they love their wives. Such a testimony building moment and im grateful for all the people who have given me an example to look up to and what I want for my future. 

I also wanted to talk about the love of our Heavenly Father. He loved all of us so much that he sent his only Son, Jesus Christ. Here to earth to suffer for all of us. I cant even imagine what it was like for either of them to do what they did. But they did it because of the love that they have for us. I hope all of you apply that love to your life and truly understand your worth and how much you are loved and cared for.

Have a great week! Be happy! Do something good!!

Love,

Sister Boiteux!

Pictures!!

Took paige out with us! Her first time with the sisters as a member :)

The district!

When the garths drop off the car!! Blessings we were so happy. Funny story: this use to be our zone leaders car and they so happened to crash it... So they got a new car and this beauty was sent in to get fixed. We needed a car and they sent us this one.. Haha snowflake is now ours and the elders arent too happy :)

Our Valentines Day/ Sister Lott day celebration!

Trying to be as awesome as my mum on valentines day!

Sisters How Did You Do It?!

This week was just fantastic. Thank you so much to everyone for the time you took to write me such sweet letters. The worth of a letter to a missionary is seriously so much. You all brought tears to my eyes. I miss you heaps but am grateful for your love and your prayers. 

A scripture I wanted to share today is found in Jacob 5:22

" And the Lord of the vineyard said unto him: Counsel me not; I knew that it was a poor spot of ground;wherefore, I said unto thee, I have nourished it this longtime, and thou

beholdest that it hath brought forth much fruit."

This week we had trade offs and I was with the wonderful Sister Smith. Seriously it was one of the greatest days I have had my entire mission. We were able to have comp study with the assistants and we talked about finding and our desire to TWE and all that fun stuff. So we sat in the car and we were just so pumped to do missionary work. We got back to their area and decided what we wanted to accomplish that day. President always talks about how we need to set goals that push us and that we have to strive to accomplish so we did exactly that. We set our goals and took them to the Lord. I cant even tell you how many miracles we had that day. Honestly the only way we accomplished so much is because the Lord helped us he pushed us to do and be better. Heavenly Father truly knows where we can improve. He knows exactly what we need and when we need it. I promise you all that as you take your goals to him he will help you accomplish them. He breaks us and then reshapes us and I know that to be true. 

The spirit was so strong that day and our desire was just through the roof. When we got back with our companions and set out the next day to do work we just new there was so much to be done. We hit our goal for TWE (talking with everyone) and also received two new golden amazing investigators. This work is the Lords work. I know how important it is not to counsel the Lord but to take counsel from him. Learn from it and grow from it. I hope you all have a faith filled week and that you are striving to be more in tune with the spirit and striving to become more like Christ.

Alofa Atu,

Sister Boiteux

Funny of week:

Our ward mission leader showed up at our flat and dropped off our meal calendar. I told him we have good news for him and he said "what you have been released?!" Wow. So much love for sister boiteux here. 

Pictures! 

The crippled basketball team

My package!!!

 Sister Smith. After our long and exhausting and flippin amazing day in the mission field!

Dinner at Bishops. Vaipulu chicken. It's a must have :)

The sunset!!

It's Raining It's Pouring the Missionaries Are Enduring!!!

The day we give the car back it literally was like a monsoon hit. It rained heaps!! It was crack up. Sister Lott and I were grumpy with each other and with life and we got to a stop light and the water was past our ankles and we just started busting up laughing. I guess it is better to be drenched head to toe with rain than with sweat because it has been so flippin hot. 

This week was really just preparing Paige for her baptism. That girl is such an example to me. Her testimony is the greatest thing. I absolutely love converts that are truly converted to the Gospel. They know that truth and help uplift others. Her baptism was just wonderful. The assistants, our zone leaders, the Otara zone leaders, our district leader, and our sister training leaders were there. Haha so there were heaps of missionaries and the spirit was pretty great. Her testimony is going to change lives thats for sure. On Saturday We were able to hear from Elder Christofferson. A real life apostle!! It was the greatest thing ever. He was supposed to go to Vanuatu but they wouldnt let any planes in so he resorted to us. We may be second choice but we will take it. Our entire mission met at our chapel to travel down to the Hamilton mission. So the next day our ward was asking why there were so many missionaries around. The church looked like a Toyota dealership. It was great. He pretty much said everything i needed to hear and it was the best experience to hear an apostle testify of the Saviour. To see him and meet him in person instead of just on tv or at the conference center. 

I know that this church is true. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet of God. I know that he was called and set apart by the power of God. I know that each and everyone of us can have a testimony strong enough to change the world we just have to work for it. I know that there are blessings and miracles in every single day we just have to look for them. I love you all so much. I hope you have an incredible week!

Love,

Sister Boiteux

Funny: Sister Lott and I were walking and a car slowed down next to us then stopped. We looked over and it was the police. We thought they were going to the house we were at but they were there to talk to us. Haha. He asked how we are and if we feel safe and all that stuff. Then we asked if he is a member and he said he is a LA but he loves his missionaries. Haha there are also heaps of women cops here and its the best thing ever. But thats like the first time ive ever been stopped by a cop to talk. Good times :)

Pictures!

Dean wishes he could beat me at soccer ;)

The Karstens such a sad day saying good bye to them. No bueno to transfers!

Yes the rain is past my ankles..

Sister Chris brown. Sums up our companionship.

 Paiges baptism!

6 months on the mission and I got to burn some stuff with my MTC soa. That's pretty great!

Nail time with Jasmine :)