18 Months Later...

Kia Ora,

Our week involved many changes. We received training earlier this week from the missionary department involving the schedule and key indicators. So everything I have learned for exactly 18 months is now changed. Obviously missionary work is the same but the way we approach things will be a bit different. We no longer have as many key indicators. For those of you who have not served missions or forgot what they are its goals that we set everyday of what we want to accomplish. They help us focus on our purpose and know what we need to do when we go out to work. It is what was inspired by Heavenly Father and also our mission president of what we need to do. Now we have a few less and lets just say I was stressing hard out this week. I realized I will probably struggle a lot more at home than I expect haha so this week will be good for me to get use to change. 

My poor companion had to suffer through the stages. I was happy then angry then sad then confused and all that jazz. The lesson I learned this week was God's ways aren't always our ways. It's funny because we go and teach that to people, but then something comes our way and it really puts us to the test. We have to exercise all the principles that we teach people everyday. I realized areas in which I lack a lot and I need to strengthen them. I know that the changes made were inspired by our Heavenly Father. That the apostles and other leaders counseled and pondered on the decisions made. 

I learned how important it is to be humble and to trust in our Father's plan even when we really dont understand certain things. In the eternal scheme of things what he wants us to do is far more important than what we want to do. Change is hard and can be uncomfortable and that is the beauty of it. If we never try new things we never learn. We can never taste of the goodness that may come from it. 

I am grateful for the inspired leaders of our church. For the time that they take to ponder on the issues and concerns that they have for all of us. I know that God answered their prayers and even when we don't understand he is still here to help us and to guide us.

I hope and pray that all of us are being willing to act on God's will. That we can align ourselves with him. I know that that is the only way for us to find peace and happiness. His way is the only way. I hope you all enjoy your Sabbath day. Have a great week! 

Love you heaps,

Sister Boiteux

pictures!

Had zone pday. I was dying while everyone else was enjoying the fun game of capture the flag.

 How tongans cut their fruit.

We received chop suey. They know the way to my heart.

Trade off in Whangarei!! Love this sister with all my heart

18 months today!!!!! (my companion made a label)

Party with our faves.

Made cupcakes for a birthday party

Rangitoetoe

When Life Gets Dark and Dreary..

This week was great. This was our only full week of being able to focus completely on our area. This transfer has been crazy busy. We had interviews this week. Weird thinking that it was my last one until my exit interview of course. I am so grateful for President and Sister Balli and all that they have done for me while I have been out serving. Nothing more true than knowing that I was assigned the them and not the mission. 

One of the greatest lessons i learned this week took place yesterday in church. We were able to have a lesson on prayer. Everyone in gospel principles was discussing how their answers to their prayers didnt come at once or in the way they expected but they still came. They also were able to recognize it when it did come. The whole class was full of recent converts rather than us missionaries and Elder and Sister Nielson. At the end of class Elder Nielson shared some thoughts. He was amazed at what was shared in the class and wanted to share an experience that he had when he was meeting with the first presidency and the quorum of the twelve. He talked about revelation that was received by President Eyring. Not something I can share but the jist of it was that we need to turn to God and always pray to him. He explained to us how prayer is a miracle. That we literally talk to the father through the son. Prayer is able to help us through everything that we are facing in life. Any choice that we have to make or any trial that we are in he is here to help us. It was a cool experience to have and I am so grateful for the guidance that we are able to have such wonderful leaders in this church. I know it is true. I know God loves us and is ready to help us. All we need to do is turn to him.

Hope you all have a great week!!

Love you heaps,

Sister Boiteux

The Bay of Islands

This week was pretty great. Because we headed up to KAIKOHE!!!!!! We were able to go on trade offs with our sisters up there and it was great. I am so grateful we were able to have that opportunity. We saw quite a few members and people I worked with when I was serving up there 15 months ago. Some things have changed and a lot of things have stayed the same. We definitely didn't want to come back down.

We didn't have much time working in our own area this week, but when we did we were out there knocking on doors not having much success. We had a dinner with some members last night and a question he asked us was "how is tracting going in this area?" We were like uhh not as successful as we wish it could be. People just say "no thanks" or "we aren't interested" or something along those lines then shut the door in our face. At least it is nice rejection. Him and his wife shared miracles with us that come from tracting and we shared 3 Nephi 27:27 about becoming more like Christ and serving as he would. They just encouraged us to use questions of the soul when we knock on doors. It was an answer to our prayers. Tracting hasn't been the best thing in this area but is really our best option at times. We have been pondering on what we needed to do to find. So when he asked that it clicked for both of us that God wants us to keep going, that we will find someone behind a door we just need to exercise our faith, that I personally need to get better at having more effective talks with people and really applying the gospel into their lives. 

I know that every encounter we have with people will help them grow closer or farther away form the church, but if we are doing as Christ would do then it should always be drawing them to it. I know that the questions of the soul are real and that the gospel we have will be able to answer all of them. 

I hope you all have a great week and continue to work on your Christ like attributes and search for ways of inviting others to come unto him! Love you heaps!

pictures! (overload cause it was a good week)

Our travels up to Kaikohe. The first time for Sister Tuaana.

 The view from the Goings house. It was nicer when we were higher up. Cameras just dont do justice.

Our wonderful Paihia sisters!

Picture that sums up our companionship 

Waihou sisters! Love all these sisters too much!

Saw a few of the favs! Lol cause everyone was looking at me like they saw a ghost and then realized I haven't gone home yet! It was a good little reunion.

 Enjoying our last morning of the view and casually eating chicken for breakfast :)

The last moments up north!

Only 16 months ago to now!!

Plan of Happiness

Our week was pretty eventful. We took Sister Smith to the airport and made me freak out just a bit that I come home in just a few weeks! Time has just flown by. President also talked about in MLC about how time goes by way to fast and it will come to an end. Feel so bipolar at the moment. Some days I am excited and some days I am real sad but I know that much is still to be done. Sister Tuaana and I are currently in the finding process. Which means heaps of tracting. Good thing tracting can be entertaining and we meet awesome people so that's what keeps me going. 

A lot of our lessons from this week have been with the members. Something we noticed as we were going over our numbers yesterday was that almost every member we saw experessed how they needed us. Whether it be because they had a bad day, experienced something scary, or just needed to feel of the spirit. For that i was grateful. Even though we dont have a lot of other lessons or member presents we are still strengthening the ward we serve in. It is a humbling experience to hear people express to you their gratitude for just stopping by. Makes me grateful to know that the spirit truly is guiding my companion and I to Gods children who really need us. 

We were contacting potential investigators the other day and met a man who was working in his garden. He told us that he has met missionaries many many times and isn't interested. He doesn't believe in God. He told us how the past few years have been really hard it started with when his wife died, then his dad, then his brother, and close friends. He obviously wasn't interested in what we had to say about religion. but was happy to chat with us. He believes that once we die that's it. We just come to earth to experience trials and then die. It was depressing. We meet tons of people like this but when he was expressing to us his feelings and when we saw how sad he truly was it was heartbreaking. After we left him we talked about how grateful we are for the plan of salvation. That we know that this life isn't the end. That we truly will be able to return with our Father in Heaven and Saviour Jesus Christ. We know that families can be together forever. I wish people would be more willing to listen so that we can share this great gift with them. I know that Gods plan is perfect. I know that we experience trials to help us become better and stronger. I know that as we keep the commandments and become more like Christ we will be able to make it to the celestial kingdom. I am grateful to be a representative of Christ and to be able to share this message with others. I hope you all enjoyed your sabbath day and were able to learn from the testimonies that were shared. I love you all heaps!!

Sister Boiteux

pictures!

 Adventures at the airport. Sister Tuaana is having a harder time about us leaving than we are.

First round of breakfast at MLC since i couldn't eat the waffles. Luckily Elder Hixon is gluten free so Sister Balli made me some gluten free french toast :) We are her special children haha

Comp study with the zone leaders. Some how we always manage to have them make us food :)

Takapuna Sisters

Not much time this week, but transfer news.... I am now in Harbour with Sister Tuaana! We are privileged to be in the area presidencys, President and Sister Balli, and the assitants ward! Go us! It is pretty fun though. North Shore is a lot different than I expected in a good way. I am excited for my last transfer. Hopefully we will be able to accomplish wonders or at least just one thing so we can say we did something :) 

Sister Tuaana is great she is from Perth and has been out for 9 months. We are also in a trio for a few more hours with Sister Smith. She is heading to the temple square mission so look out for her!

A quick message I wanted to share is from our relief society lesson that we had yesterday which was on comparing ourselves. Something I have always struggled with and I am sure something a lot of us struggle with. If there is one thing my mission taught me is that God created me. He loves us just the way we are and he didn't intend for us to beat ourselves up for not being someone else. Sometimes we ask are we good enough? but are really implying am i perfect enough? None of us are perfect. Hence why we need the atonement so it can make us perfect one day. I know for a fact that everyone has something special to offer. That we were placed on this earth at this time for a specific reason. I know God created us to succeed not to fail. I hope you all have a fantastic new year and that you really learn how to become better, but don't beat yourself up over it. I know that Heavenly Father and our Saviour Jesus Christ are cheering us on and that they are so proud of us! I love you all heaps!!

Love,

Sister Boiteux

pictures:

A few good byes to some of my favs!!

Stopped by the mission office and saw the Clements! Love them way too much. Also this is my companion Sister Tuaana.

First Sunday in Takapuna :)

 I fit in Sister Smith's suitcase!! Not trunky or anything, just miss Salt Lake. President told her to watch out for those missionaries going home hahahahaa

Lead Me, Guide Me, Walk Beside Me

Merry Christmas everyone!! This week has been an interesting one as per usual. Highlight was WE GOT TO GO TO THE TEMPLE!!! Seriously the greatest thing to be back in the house of the Lord and be spiritually uplifted by the spirit. I am so grateful for the priesthood and the blessings and gifts we receive when we do go to the temple. As we were sitting in the endowment session I was so sad because I didn't remember a lot of things that were going on, but as we sat there I realized that at that time it didn't matter if I had everything memorized or knew what was going on. All that mattered was I was there to learn more about Gods plan and to come closer to him.

I am grateful for the church and the blessings that we receive in the House of the Lord. I am grateful for the answers I was able to receive as I sat and pondered and truly learned what God wanted me to learn. I know that each of us can have an experience with our Heavenly Father if we truly prepare for it and are striving to be worthy for it. 

We were talking with one of our members who is probably in his 70's. He is just coming back to church. This past week when we saw him he was doing his usual comparing himself to us and wishing that he would have stayed active and went on a mission. As we were talking to him the thought came to my companions mind to ask him if he has ever received his patriarchal blessing. Which he hasn't. We were able to explain to him more the importance of receiving one. That our patriarchal blessing is like a blue print to our life. It is a blessing directly from God to us. So much peace and direction has been given to us through our own blessings. I am grateful for the direction we receive from our Heavenly Father. I am grateful for this past week and the better understanding of the Saviour and what he went through, as well as what God wants me to go through while I am here. 

I hope you all enjoy the rest of this season! Love you heaps!

Sister Boiteux

Pictures! (sorry we had a very eventful week)

Zone Pday! We made gingerbread houses out of crackers. We made a temple!!

Sister Training Leader life. When  you leave for trade-offs with the wrong socks on. Had trade-offs with the sweetest Tahitian and Filipino. (sister christiansen's daughter) 

Temple Trip!

Tried to sneak a pic with President and Sister Balli :) Ended up getting a good one after!

My granddaughter. The legacy lives on!

Mamas donuts best things around!

Woke up to this miracle Christmas morning. Went out to the car to get something and saw all this on our door. Love being loved. We didn't have time to grocery shop last monday so we literally haven't had any food! It was a blessing to receive boxes and boxes of goodness! Thank you secret Santa :)

Companion enjoying the goodies!