Welcome to the Mission!!

"The intensity of our desire to share the gospel is a great indicator of the extent of our personal conversion."

-Elder Dallin H. Oaks-

January Intake - Elder Leonard from Hamilton, Elder Lawrence from Brisbane, Elder Tinei from Auckland, Sister and President Kezerian, Elder Hilliman from Vanuatu, and Elder Kaufusi from New Zealand.

 First time every missionary rushed to clean up after dinner! Sister Itaia must have inspired everyone.

Sister Itaia had to return to Kiribati a day earlier than the other missionaries returning home. Thank you for you faithful service! What an angel.

The missionaries from the Auckland MTC arrived on Tuesday.

 Ready for their first area.

 This may bring back a few memories for you missionaries. Packing up the bikes and luggage for transfer day. In our mission we travel by bus, plane and car to our new areas. At least no one has to walk.

 Final instructions at the mission home.

Unloading again at the airport.

 New missionaries from the Provo MTC didn't arrive till Thursday morning. It was a quick orientation, first area assignments and away they went. 

Sister Kezerian, Sister Saunders from Canada, Elder Tuckett from Arizona, Elder Kendall from Utah, Sister Rose from Oregon and Elder Aparicio from Spain.

Great missionaries returning home. Elder Neill (Australia), Sister Tito (New Zealand) and Sister Cameron (Australia). We love you!!

District Meetings and Interviews

"The future of this world has long been DECLARED; the final outcome between GOOD and evel is already KNOWN. There is absolutely no question as to who WINS because the VICTORY has already been posted on the SCOREBOARD> The only really strange thing in all of this is that we are still down here on the FIELD trying to decide which TEAM'S JERSEY we want to wear!"
-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland-

Sister Lavea, Elder Nuualuga, Elder Langkilde, Elder Ebel, Elder Lelenoa and Sister Teaeki serving in the Flaxmere District (Elder and Sister Farnes were in interviews.)

Everyone in the mission turned in their old credit cards and received new ones. Hopefully no problems. Is anyone starving?

Napier District - Elder Strasser, Elder Godinet, Sister White, Sister Cameron, President Kezerian, Elder Petaia and Elder Malarde.

Hastings District - Back - Elder Niutua, Elder Ma'u, Elder Hori, Elder Brown, Elder Toomalatai, Elder Mangakahia. Front - Elder and Sister Richards, Sister and President Kezerian.

Zone Leader Council - Back - Elder Armstrong, Elder Petaia, Elder Howard, Elder Heinricks, Elder Greer, Elder Barnes, Elder Teaupa, Elder Strasser, Elder Vaioleti, Elder Florian. Front - Elder Dalit, Elder Taelega, President and Sister Kezerian, Elder Salaivao, and Elder Smith.

Someday, whether it be here in New Zealand or back home in Utah, when we see Elder Holland again we are going to present to him a small gift and this map of New Zealand signed by the mighty  missionaries of the Wellington New Zealand Mission. 

Loading up supplies.

Palmerston District - Back - Elder Armstrong, Elder Vaioleti, Elder Sovala, Elder and Sister Hadlock, Elder and Sister Beckstead, Elder Christensen, Sister Hayward, Elder Tautua'a, and Elder 'Otuhouma. Front - President and Sister Kezerian, Sister Matwaychuk and Sister Huffaker.

Be sure we get your signature missionaries! 

After district meeting in Dannevirke all of the Elders went finding to help out the sisters. As you can see it is rather warm in New Zealand these days.

Happy Birthday Sister Matwaychuk! (And Sister Hadlock) Sister Beckstead made cupcakes to celebrate the occasion. They were yummy!

Taranaki District - President Kezerian, Elder Levy, Elder Raihauti, Elder Crawford, Elder Nyfeler, Elder Pasa, Elder Tokoara, Sister Hirschi, Elder McKenna and Elder Hirschi. We all missed Elder Ames but visited him after District Meeting.

Beautiful New Zealand along the Tasman Sea shoreline.

"Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha" (2 Kings 6:16-17).

In the gospel of Jesus Christ you have help from both sides of the veil, and you must never forget that.  When disappointment and discouragement strike--and they will--you remember and never forget that if our eyes could be opened we would see horses and chariots of fire as far as the eye can see riding at reckless speed to come to our protection. They will always be there, these armies of heaven, in defence of Abraham's seed."

-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland-

Have I Done Any Good in the World Today?

"Have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need?" What a formula for happiness! What a prescription for contentment, for inner peace. . . . . There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved." 

President Thomas S. Monson

Hard at work removing rocks and grass from a side garden so sod can be put in.

 A dear Brother in his 80's lost his eye sight from glaucoma about 90 days ago. He and his wife had been working to clear this garden for the past two weeks making slow progress.

 The missionaries happily pitched in and completed the whole project in less than 2 hours.

Elder Makalio, Elder Kaka, Elder Lawson, Elder Cook, Sister Toutai, Elder Ma'asi, Sister Hemi, Elder Kerr and Elder Kelly.

Merry Christmas and Farwell

"In our day the spirit of giving gifts plays a large role in commemorating the Christmas season. I wonder if we might profit by asking ourselves, What gifts would the Lord have me give to Him or to others at this precious season of the year? May I suggest that our Heavenly Father would want each of us to render to Him and to His Son the gift of obedience. I also feel that He would ask us to give of ourselves and not be selfish or greedy or quarrelsome, as His precious Son suggests in the Book of Mormon: "Verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who . . . .stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. 

"Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away."

In this marvelous dispensation of the fulness of times, our opportunities to love and give of ourselves are indeed limitless, but they are also perishable. Today there are hearts to gladden, kind works to say deeds to be done, and souls to be saved."

-President Thomas S. Monson-

Goodbye Sister Hemi.

 Thank you for you loving service!
Back: President and Sister Kezerian, Elder Lu, Elder Tepaki, Elder Greer and Elder Heiricks. (These two aren't leaving yet) Front: Elder Hemi, Sister Hemi (cousins) and Elder Kelly.

 Assistants serving for the last day together.

Wonderful, diligent, faithful Elders.

At the end of transfer day!

Sister Nowers and Sister Fitisemanu got together with the YSA in their area and decorated boxes that they could use to carry around and share Joy to the World DVD's. They attended the local Santa Parade  and gave out over 100 DVD's! Awesome!

 Merry Christmas from Christchurch

 Helping the wards get Christmas Spirit

Elder Tepaki, Elder Nyfeler, Elder Elkington, Elder Vui, Elder Raihauti and Elder Levy.

 Christmas greetings from Elder and Sister Watson remembering their time with us.

Our Sister Palmer is happily married! Congratulations!

The powerful Taranaki District!

These Elders have all reported - no holes in their socks! I'm very impressed. I wonder if this is because they want something besides socks for Christmas? We are all dreaming of a White Christmas! In more ways than one.

Mission Tour With Elder Kevin W. Pearson

"Faith is a spiritual gift from God that comes through the Holy Ghost. It requires a correct understanding and knowledge of Jesus Christ, His divine attributes and perfect character, His teachings, Atonement, Resurrection and priesthood power. Obedience to these principles develops complete trust in Him and His ordained servants and assurance of  His promised blessings."

-Elder Kevin W. Pearson-

Elder and Sister Pearson, accompanied by their daughter, taught and counselled each of our Zones ending in the Dunedin area. Elder Barnes and Elder Dalit are the Zone Leaders in the Southland Zone.

Elder Pearson quoted from Bruce R. McConkie, "Faith is a gift of God bestowed as a reward for personal righteousness. It is always given when righteousness is present, and the greater the measure of obedience to God's laws, the greater will be the endowment of faith." 

This is Baldwin Street. It's hard to tell but this is the steepest street in the world.

On the steepest part the road is actually made of concrete to help with traction. It has a 35 degree grade. So, for every 2.86 metres travelled horizontally, the elevation changes by 1 metre. I think every missionary serving in Dunedin has tracked on this street.

Our newest intake! Elder Vagaia(American Samoa), Elder Terry (UK), Elder Cunningham (New Zealand), Elder Heinricks and Elder Hemi(Assistants), President and Sister Kezerian, Sister Glenn, Sister Matwaychuk, Elder Rigby (These 3 from US), Elder Crawford (New Zealand), Elder Greer (New Assistant), Elder Sovala (Australia). Welcome!!

 Auckland MTC missionaries always arrive a day before the Provo MTC missionaries. It's great to have a little more time to have interviews and get acquainted.

 As Elder Heinricks says, "You have to earn your apron." 

Actually the missionaries are a great help in the kitchen. I don't know if their mom's know what great cooks they are.

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 Enjoy the beauty of New Zealand!

Hard to tell but there are sheep and ducks in this scene.

 We're always amazed at the great views the sheep have here.

Maori's settled here in the 1300's. This is also the sight of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.

We hope you can tell that these birds aren't just seagulls. They are Albatross!

Here at Taiaroa Head on the tip of the Otago Peninsula is the only mainland place in the world to view Royal Albarosse in their natural habitat.

Hard to see but there is a lighthouse on the edge of the cliff. There were fortifications here in the late 1800's and it was used as a defence base during World War I and II.

 We just think some of the trees are so unique and beautiful

Parting words from Elder Pearson. 

"Distraction leads to a lack of diligence, a reduced commitment to remain true and faithful and to carry on through despite hardship and disappointment. Disappointment is a inevitable part of life, but it need not lead to doubt, discouragement, distraction, or lack of diligence. 

If not reversed, this path ultimately leads to disobedience, which undermines the very basis of faith. So often the result is disbelief, the conscious or unconscious refusal to believe.

The scriptures describe disbelief as the state of having chosen to harden one's heart. It is to be past feelings.

These Six Destructive D's - doubt, discouragement, distraction, lack of diligence, disobedience, and disbelief - all erode and destroy our faith. We can choose to avoid and overcome them. 

Challenging times require greater spiritual power. Consider carefully the Savior's promise "If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me." (Moroni 7:33)

I humbly declare that God, our Heavenly Father, lives and loves each of us, His children. Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. he lives and personally leads his Church through President Monson. His

anointed prophet. Because He lives, there is always hope smiling brightly before us. In a household of faith, there is no need to fear or doubt. Choose to live by faith and not fear."