They Call Me Sister: All Lit Up Like the Fourth of July!!!

Our week literally blew up like a firework and not in a good way lol. We learned and now we are ready to conquer the last week of the transfer. This is Sister Fonua's last week in NZ then she is off to Mississippi for her last 15 months of the mission. She is going to smash it. This week was a tough one which of course is expected in the mission, but not something we always enjoy enduring through.

This week we had people growling us left and right, investigators not wanting to see us, cold air that made us want to cuddle up in a blanket, and of course the adversary knocking at our door trying to bring us down. It was wonderful! Yesterday in sacrament meeting we were sitting in the back listening to all of our wonderful members share their testimonies. Quite a few went up and told how hard their week was and some of the trials they went through. It made us feel pretty small thinking that we go through trials when it is nothing compared to what others go through. Then we had the reassuring feeling from the spirit that God is mindful of all of us, we are his children and he loves us! Just because our trial doesn't seem as big as someone else's doesn't mean it still isn't hard and it doesn't mean Heavenly Father won't be there to help you. No matter what happened to us that week we can still go to church and be spiritually uplifted and be supported from other members around us.

We were contacting some potential investigators. We met a lady, who is straight up Maori it is awesome. Anyway, we were standing at her door and she was just yelling at her children. We knocked a few times and she didn't come. The only thing we could think of was how much she could benefit from our message. Before we left we knocked one more time and she opened the door. We were able to go in and share the message of the restoration. My companion asked a question along the lines of "are you searching for the truth?" After she asked it the lady looked at us and said "actually I think I am, and this might be it." Maybe it sounds silly. It wasn't some powerful incredible lesson, but we were able to testify of the restored gospel. To help a single mum who has gone through so much in her life and we can tell she needed this message. She was talking about how she loves people who can make her laugh. After we reflected on our teaching and realized we need to be more happy when going around preaching the gospel. Why? Because our message is one of happiness and sharing it should make other people feel that same happiness.

I know God loves us. I know that we are given hard days or weeks for us to learn and grow because that is what this life is all about. I am grateful for the members who let us in their homes at the cold hours of night then tell us of their spiritual experiences and how grateful they are for the work we do. I am grateful for Avondale and what this area has taught me over the past few months and probably a couple more to come. I know we all make mistakes and we all struggle, but with the atonement we can continually improve and become more like our Saviour Jesus Christ.

I hope you all have a good week. I will try to send pictures later.

Love you heaps!

Sister Boiteux

Our investigator found out Sister Fonua was leaving so she fed us. Of course had to take some selfies on the new camera!