#firstsisterAPs

This week was titled "the trial week" did I know that was coming? yes I did. We have a super amazing week and we can always usually count on trials the next week. But it was still good, every day is a good day on a mission. Most of our appointments fell through this week which meant heaps of tracting time. Which wasn't effective either because we just got chewed out by most people we talked to and it was great!!! There is a talk by Elder Holland that kept us going this week. He talks about how missionary work isn't easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. It was never easy for Christ so why would it be easy for us? And that missionaries will shed a tear that Christ shed. Definitely not in the same way but we have to experience something He did. It is all about the attitude that we have. This week we definitely were physically drained but spiritually enriched.  

Although we had heaps of appointments cancel on us the lessons we were blessed with were just amazing. The people in our area are so prepared and it is just crazy how fast the work is coming. It has been interesting finding the balance with my new companion especially while we are teaching but it is coming along. Striving to accomplish our goals and leave the area better than how we found it. Not to sure about what else to say about this week rather than God is good. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true church on earth today. I know that and believe it with all my heart. I know that the gospel truly does bless all of our lives. I have seen so many miracles in the short amount of time I have been here and I love this great work that I am blessed to be a part of. Love you all!!!

Fa!!

Sister Boiteux

Funny of the week: The zone leaders were in Auckland for a couple days this past week so Sister Christiansen and I took it upon ourselves to be zone leaders for those days. Lets just say we crushed it. The zone leaders recommended us to be the next assistants since we did so well ;) Dont worry we wont let it go to our heads!

PICTURES

Found a beach without any sand so we took that opportunity to take some pictures of this rare moment. 

Sister Ottleys birthday!!! Went over to celebrate with her then went outside and New Zealand knew I curled my hair so it decided to rain.

The sabbath was full of cute little parrots and kittens!! :)

It's a Crack Up Life.

This week was pretty much crack up. My companion is the craziest person I have ever met and I love it. We smashed it this week. Started with the many miracles and blessings from our Heavenly Father. Oh man we had a competition with our district leader to see who gets the most TWE and loser owes the other companionship buttered chicken. We were at 12 TWE at 6:00 at night so we were freaked out that they would beat us. We said a prayer and felt prompted to go and tract. BOOM! We had 45 TWE at the end of the night. So many potentials this week and we are so grateful for the Lord and all he did for us. For some reason my companion and I laugh. Like all the time. So a family opened the door and we couldnt stop laughing. Awkard as. But we got a return appointment so all is well haha. 

We focused so much on faith this week. Mainly cause I had to speak on that at church. So we had a comp study with the district leader and the zone leaders and they were both on faith. Lol I know im brilliant. But it actually helped so much. We learned how to rely on our Savior 100% because the atonement is truly what carries us as missionaries. We both somehow ended up sick by the end of the week and investigators were falling through and we were just exhausted. Somehow we kept going and were able to receive other blessings and new people to teach. The work is hastening and I just love it. We have two baptisms on December 19 (happy birthday dad) and transfers are on December 17 haha so the zone leaders liked to inform me that I will be getting transferred. Tends to happen to me when we get sets. But all is well. We dont even know yet but I am just grateful for the opportunity that i have to be a tool in the Lords hands.

As I was studying on faith it took me to one of my favorite Book of Mormon stories... THE STRIPLING WARRIORS!!! Alma 57:27 "Now this was the faith of these of whom i have spoken; they are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in God continually." Why? because that is what their mothers taught them. We had to teach gospel principles yesterday and it was on eternal families. Made us only a tad bit homesick. But I am so grateful for my parents and raising me in the gospel and teaching me all that I need to know so I could make it out on my mission. I am grateful for the people back at home who are like my parents and have shaped my life and helped me become who I am today. I love being a missionary. I love looking for the Lords tender mercies every single day. I know that the Savior lives and the time for him to come back is coming quickly. I know that faith leads to action, action leads to a testimony, and a testimony leads to conversion. I know there is power in prayer and Heavenly Father is ready to answer them as long as we are willing to listen and do what he asks us to do.

Love you all heaps,

Sister Boiteux

Funny of the week: In my talk I shared a story of how our USB port in the car stopped working so we had no music. So we pulled over and prayed for it to work... and it started working!!! It actually was a cool testimony builder on faith. Anyways I said that and in relief society the teacher asked what they remembered from my talk... Yeah thats the only thing they really remembered. Crack up!

Tracting in Opito Bay. Always an adventure with Julie. Joys of when people ask us if we want to see their view. 

:)

Learning to knit. We're terrible at it.

Mangnum bars. Murica!

Round 2 Mangamuka with the elders and Sister Edgar.

When we find a mail box with the letters of our last name. Happens frequently haha

Ezra. Still depressed I can't hold him.

Preaching the gospel to a horse. That's how we do it here in the north.

The Growth Zone

This week was hard. I dont think i have cried this much on my mission as i have this past week. Haha the reason being.... TRANSFERS!! 

As much as i dont like transfers i also love them. I get to stay in the great kingdom of Kaikohe. But my new companion is wonderful and such an amazing missionary. Her name is Sister Christiansen. From Bountiful Utah. She came out the transfer before me. So were both new but both excited to hasten the work in this area. 

I miss my sassy samoan companion dearly, but i am so grateful for this new opportunity to learn from a new sister and find new ways to work in our area. Although this week was filled with tears it was also filled with appointments. Which is great. The people here are so prepared and i love it. 

I have absolutely no idea what to tell every one. My main motto for this week has been "there is no growth in the comfort zone and no comfort in the growth zone." I honestly really love trials. They are incredibly hard but they help us grow closer to the Savior if we let them. Getting use to a new companion is weird and hard but it is necessary. I know the Lord has a plan for me and this is part of it. At interviews I talked with Sister Balli and she shared with me Jacob 4:10. That also goes in hand with Alma 37:37. Choice scriptures. Man did I need those this week. I kept telling sister Tapuala, "why does president trust me to be senior companion? I dont want to do this." but he is inspired and he does know what he is doing. I am so grateful for my mission president and most importantly for the Savior and the atonement. Truly have been relying on faith most of this week. Nothing can get done without faith. I know that God has a plan for each and every one of us. He gives us the trials that we can handle. When I mess up or dont feel good enough I think of our mission vision. "repent and move forward every day." and "who God calls, God qualifies." So true. We can do anything and everything when we rely on the Savior. He loves us and only wants the best for us. Trials refine us and make us better, i know that for sure. Dont dwell on the past because we all make mistakes, no one is perfect. Thats the beauty of the atonement. How lucky are we to have it?! I hope you are all taking time to see what the Lord does for yous each and every day. No matter how hard the day is there is always a blessing somewhere in it. I love you. The Lord loves you. 

Alofa Atu!

Sister Boiteux

Funny of the week: For some reason every time we leave a members house or something. Someone always feels the need to tell me to stay out of trouble. And that im going to get married like the week I get home from my mission. The reputation I have here in the Waihou family. My goodness. I promise that im not super marriage hungry and that my personality is just a big one I always stay out of trouble ;)

 Senior Couple in our district. One of my mission parents :)

Haruru Falls!!

Cute deaf couple in our branch. Brother Cunniffe likes to calm the devil and tells me to repent every time we go over. He is cheeky as.

Transfers!!! Definitely got lost in Auckland cause the Elders are terrible and left us. :)

The sisters in the Ngati Hine district

Sister Christiansen

MY MISSION BABIES

Chickens :)

The hills are alive with the sound of... THE GOSPEL!

Oh my goodness I have absolutely no idea what to say about this week... Rather than its been amazing!!! Every day sister and i got home and planned and then just collapsed in bed from complete exhaustion. People would ask us "how has your week been?" and we just stare at each other and are like "oh man. Its been good" haha we havent really thought about it and looking back its like dang. We did work. It has been an incredible week knowing that every day we went out and gave it our all. Weeks like this are the best. 

We had heaps of trials and then more blessings. Its just great. We really tried to exercise our faith and hasten the work in our area. I realized another hard part about a mission. Sister and I were contacting potential investigators and one said "yes, come back I want to learn more!" So we showed up and instantly we both just saw him in white. It was incredible. We took Brother Cooper back to meet him and sit in on the lesson and the investigator decided to drop us. Heart broken. Seriously it was hard as. But we wont give up. WE CAN DO IT! Our sweet investigator Jessica said yes to baptism! Oh man such an important decision. So we are helping her work towards that, so proud of her :)  Also have a few more investigators that are getting closer to baptism. This area is really starting to pick up and goodness I love it so much!

I am just so grateful for the members here and their willingness to help us with rides for our investigators and coming to lessons. Its just such a huge blessing to have their help and to hear their testimonies. In church yesterday so many testimonies were born on prayer, church, scriptures. I was just like all of that is amazing but it all comes back to Christ. That should be the foundation of our testimonies. Not just testimonies but our conversion. A member asked us, what is more important a testimony or conversion? Conversion by far. I know that we can really make a difference in this world as Jesus Christ is the center of our lives. Alma 26:12. For in his strength I can do all things. I hope your Halloween was so much fun!! Love you all.

Sister Boiteux

Splits with this beauty. Tahila she is preparing for a mission :) Crushed it with her.

Made cupcakes for zone training with Sonya that was quite fun.

The zone leaders decided to prank us back and put a dead possum on our back porch.. So sister slapped elder crane in the face with icing hahahahaha. 

... ok and we also pranked them back. We decided they wanted their dead possum back. 

Young womens halloween activity. Bobbing for oranges lol i kicked Jeydes butt!

Trip to Mangamuka with Sister Edgar 

Our mom decided that his mission has come to an end... Elder Crane is back to the USA!!! :)

zone devotional this fine morning :)

The Banana Chipmunks Have Been Crazy This Week.

Loved ones!

This week was just great. Mighty miracles worked here in the great Kingdom of Kaikohe. We had dinner at our Branch Presidents house and he told us a story of while he was on his mission and about how we just need to go the extra 15 min the extra mile and do all we can to hasten the work in our area. We also had interviews with President. The assistants and himself talked a lot about us having more faith in our area and how miracles do come with faith. Thats what we set out to do this week and we were blessed with new investigators and hopefully a few sets in the upcoming weeks. Blessings truly do come by faith. 

I was talking with Sister Balli about our Book of Mormon feast as a mission and what I have been learning from it. I set out to see what I needed to do to be a better missionary. Mostly everything we are told to do in the scriptures is just the doctrine of Christ. It is so simple and yet we still over complicate everything. I have truly learned that the more converted we are to the gospel the easier it is to share it. The more comfortable we are with our religion because we truly understand it. We had some amazing talks in sacrament yesterday and Brother Cooper talked about being worthy here is some great advice from him, "if youre not worthy, get worthy. If youre not active, get active." SO SIMPLE!!  Just do it. Most times when i meet people here who are less active or dont want to learn about the gospel is because they dont understand. They lack understanding. I truly believe that as each and everyone of us comes to know the Savior. Comes to know the doctrine of this gospel we wont fall away. Understanding gives us direction. The direction that we need to return to our Heavenly Father. My challenge to you all is Understand the Doctrine of Christ and LIVE IT! There definitely is a difference between conversion and a testimony. Be converted. Change lives. Come unto Christ. I love you all and am grateful for each and everyone of you. Being a missionary is the greatest blessing ever. This is the Lords work and I am just a tool in his hands. Keep on keeping on. 

Ofa Atu,

Sister Boiteux

Funny of the week: Definitely stuffed my face at a members house and they said "ah its cause your palagi, you cant handle it. Sister Tapuala can cause shes brown."

Also words of wisdom from Brother Alexander, "Men are like puppies, Give it a little time and their cuteness fades. Choose wisely." Dang strait haha. 

Pictures:

1- with Brother Alexander's dogs

2-4 At Zone P-day

20KG Mission

Wow i have so much to say about this week. One week is good then the next is bad. Its an emotional roller coaster and I love it! Imma just start from the beginning of the week.

 Monday is always a good day because we have FHE. We went over to a members home and they asked us to share a spiritual thought, so we just reflected on our week and shared how we saw Gods hand in our life and how we can all improve. That was really special because we learned that we are not the ones doing the work, the Lord is. 

Tuesday. DISTRICT MEETING! We decided to go to lunch after and a member worked at the restaurant. He was so kind and generous. He gave us free appetizers, dessert, and hot chocolate. He also paid for half of our meal. So that was great especially because we didnt have much money. 

Wednesday. Trade offs with the sister training leaders! Oh man those two are trouble. I love when they come up to the north. Except Sister Paasi loves our shower and they also eat all our food. Poly probs. But i always learn so much from them. I was able to be with Sister Allen. Oh man she is going to be the next AP. Haha I learned heaps from her. It was just fun to see the desire she had to do missionary work and how easy it was for her to talk with everyone. We also were able to talk about the missionary I want to be and it made me reflect more on what I can change and improve on and how i can become the missionary that the Lord wants me to be. Really wanted to cry when they headed back to Auckland because they are so much fun! 

Thursday. Service day. Go into every thing with a service attitude is what I always say. When i get grumpy the best thing to do is service. Turn outwards instead of inwards. It always helps :) 

Saturday... Haha such a funny day. We drove to the prettiest place ever. Part of our area that I have never been to. So pretty. Summer in New Zealand oh man I dont think i will come home ;) But we were in Opito Bay and realized that our petrol was gone. We were going to get it earlier in the day but then the Elders stopped by to pick up our bikes.. So we forgot to fill up the car. We were like 30 Ks from home and completely empty haha. Also almost got hit a few times. I promise im a good driver :) We just decided to tract. haha so we almost got killed by a pit bull and didnt meet anyone that was interested but the Lord led us to that place for a reason. We will go back when we arent out of petrol :) 

What I really wanted to share for this week is what happened on Sunday. The best day of the entire week. We had Branch Council and President Armstrong did some pretty amazing training for all of the leaders. It didnt really apply to Sister and I yet but it hit me. He showed a talk by Elder Holland about parents and their children. Some questions for parents and for everyone to ask yourselves:

"Do your children know that you love the scriptures?" can they see you studying them and reading them whenever you have the chance. Do they know that you love learning more about the gospel?

"Do your children see you praying?" Do they understand the importance of prayer? Do you understand the importance of prayer? Prayer literally is a two way communication between us and God. It is wonderful and we should pray every morning every night and whenever we can.

"Do your children know fasting is more than a hardship?" Fasting is more than a first sunday hardship. D&C 59:14 Its not fasting and prayer its REJOICING and prayer. Look at fasting in a different way and let the blessings roll in. 

"Do your children know you love the temple?" Are you going to the temple as often as you can. All you people in Utah better know how lucky you are to have heaps of temples around you. You dont have to travel 5 hours to get there. Go there. WEEKLY. Make it a goal and achieve it. 

"Do your children know you sustain the local leaders?" No matter how imperfect they can be. They are called of God. They are chosen to help their ward or branch. Love them and help them as they do to you. 

Lastly, "Do your children know that you love God with all your heart?" 

Loved ones. No matter how imperfect we are all can be made right through the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ. "If we almost keep the commandments we will almost receive blessings." Nothing is too hard with the Lord on our side. Keep going you can do hard things. I know that as we all strive to be better disciples of Christ and pray with all our heart and give our will to the Lord, the blessing and miracles will come. We can become righteous saints in a troubled world and receive the everlasting life that we all desire. I love you all so much. Thank you for your emails every week and inspiration and love that you share with me. I pray for you always. God is good. 

Ofa Atu,

Sister Boiteux

Funny: Went to a members house and she wanted to feed us i said, "Sister McCarthey I have already gained 10 lbs!!" "where?! just cut off your fingernails and you will lose it." LOL not even

Brother Cooper pranked us and chained our bikes together. What a punk.

The Branch President saw us one night and shook my hand and said "whats up fire cracker?!" hahahahha then said that Sister Tapuala is my fuse. He's got that right!

Awkward as Picture with an elder...

Ran into the Cunniffes in town :)

Sassy little Victoria

My birthday buddy..

The picture we take after we were about to be killed by a pit bull.. "nice doggie, nice doggie."

She says it's okay to be jealous...rightly so!

With some pigs they named after the Elders in their district