Happy heart day

Happy heart day
We love you too!

Monday, June 28, 2010

Dear Family,

Wow!! Hey guys how is everyone doing in Utah?! Sounds like its getting warmer and the weather is finally getting nicer....that's good to hear. Sorry my E mail is late today I'll explain why a little bit latter on. I'm just so glad to have heard from my family today. I really hope and pray everyone of you is happy and doing great. I really do miss you all so much and hope everyday your all blessed and everything good is happening in your lives.

My heart is really full this afternoon. I know you already know this but I just love you all so much. I truly am so blessed to have been raised and sent to a incredible family like ours. Mom and Dad your both incredible parents and you do so much for us children. I thank the Lord everyday for you two and the rest of our family. I also thank him everyday for my life. We truly are so blessed to have been raised in such amazing circumstances and to such wonderful parents. We have so much blessings in our family, physical and spiritual. Just know I am so grateful for everything you all do for me and for our family. I would never want to trade any one of you, I love each and everyone of you so much. And mom there really is no better mom in the universe. I can never repay what you've done for me. Like I always say your wonder-mom and I have no idea how you do what you do. Dad I cant tell you how thankful I am for everything you've sacrificed and done for our family. You've been such a great father, example, provider, and shown so much love to us children. I know that a lot of what I've had throughout my life is because your hard work everyday at your job. I love you dad and just know even if you search the world you really could never find a better dad than you. And i just want to tell you HAPPY FATHERS DAY YESTERDAY!! I hope you had a wonderful fathers day. I love you dad and that makes me so happy to hear you say your a happy dad. I wish I could have spent the day with you but just know your son out in the middle of the pacific ocean is very grateful for you and wishes you a happy fathers day. I am also so eternally grateful you both have raised us your children in the gospel. I'm so thankful for your righteous example in obeying our Heavenly Fathers commandments, being Christ like, and trying your best to be faith Latter day saints. I hope someday I will become a great parent like the ones I have.

My week out on the rock was great. Another wonderful week of missionary work. Great news!! I have a new companion!! His name is Elder Havea. He is from Liahona Tonga, he lives right next to the temple in Tonga. He has 8 children in his family and his parents are both converts to the church. They got married while they were non-members, then had missionary's over and joined together. They got sealed in the temple and have raised all 8 of their children in the church. Elder Havea's older siblings are all sealed in the temple to their spouses. Well Elder Havea is awesome! He is a great Elder and we get along very well. He is really funny, incredibly nice, very obedient, and has a very strong testimony. He loves playing rugby, does welding, and know how to do all the islander things. He has been on his mission about 4 months now. He loves Niue already and is excited to serve here with me. Its so cool I get to have the experience of having two missionary companions from Tonga.

Well I am the senior companion. Wow it is a lot different then being the Jr one. I have a lot more responsibility now and more things to do. I am a little nervous but I know and have faith I can do anything the Lord commands. I have only been out for 7 months and now I'm the senior companion in a little tiny island where its just me and my companion. So its kinda like I'm the district, zone leader, and AP for Niue. President Porter told me last Sunday (on the phone) that he really trusts me. He has extremely great faith in me and knows I will be exactly obedient. He thanked me for being such a great missionary. A couple of weeks ago one of the senior missionary ladies from the mission office told me that President Porter told her that I was an exactly obedient trustworthy missionary, she said that he said a lot of good things about me and even said "he's one of the best". I'm not letting that make me proud or anything its just good to know President Porter trusts me. I know I am here on the Lords errand, I'm his servant, this is his work, and I can only succeed if I'm exactly obedient, am completely worthy, and qualify for the Holy Ghost to guide me throughout the work. I'm not going to lie its really hard sometimes to only be out here on this tiny island with only us two missionaries. This place is a hard place to serve a mission, and its even a harder place to be the senior companion. But I know this is where I'm supposed to be. I know that every trial, hard experience, and difficult thing I do is a blessing from the Lord to help me become stronger, a better missionary, and a better person. I'm learning so much on my mission its unbelievable.

Well before Fanguna left we did a lot of service, some teaching, and saying goodbye to members. Wow he was really sad to leave the island. He loved it here so much and he cried when he left. I'm going to miss him but I'm really glad I have a new companion. On Saturday we were able to do some service for some members and introduced Elder Havea to some members. We also got invited to go to this members mom's 90 birthday!! Wow it was a huge Niuean Party!! Heaps of food and a lot of dancing. It was cool. Sunday was a crazy experience. I am driving the van now and it was a cool experience to drive all the members. Its a manual van (stick shift) and the roads a little plus they drive on the left side! Scary eh. well I did good and I'm getting used to it. I'm getting so much better driving a stick shift already.

Well the reason why the e mail was late and I kind of have to get off now is because today was a crazy busy day. Members asked us if we could help them do service, so I have to get off now. I will answer some of your questions next week. Oh yeah and that's so amazing that Grandpa and Grandma Ellsworth are going on another mission. I wish I could say more about it. Well I'm sorry about I have to go. Thanks for everything.

I love you all. Have a great week.
Love Elder Kitchen

Monday, June 21, 2010

Dear Family,

Hey guys! How is everyone doing?! Its crazy its been about 7 months since I've seen any of you.....but its a blessing each and every week we get to e mail to each other about everything going on in our lives. Well I'm sorry to hear the weather has been bad again, I really hope it gets better for you. I wish you could send me some cool air from Utah and I could send you some hot air from Niue. Well I'm doing really well right now. Just staying happy and I'm healthy. My week was also good. It sounds like your week was also a great week. I truly am so grateful your all so happy and doing great. I miss you all so much but I know the Lord is blessing our family for my service.

Well I'll let you know first off! I GOT MY BIRTHDAY PACKAGE!!! I got it last Tuesday June 8th! On dad's birthday!! Ohhhh my gosh hahahahaha!! I loved the package! Thank you so much! Really it was an awesome birthday package and I loved everything about it. So I was like what is this....I opened the Huge letter and I probably almost fell off my seat laughing so hard. The balloon pictures of you guys were absolutely hilarious! They looked so jacked up I'm sorry but they were so funny!! It was so funny cuz the card was playing some silly music and I looked at your pictures and just about died laughing hahahaha!! How did you guys do the pictures? Oh yeah my companion Elder Fanguna was laughing too. I loved the card and letters you wrote me. And the sandals are really nice, I love them thank you. OH and the FOOD!! I was SO happy!! I love Mexican food and theirs HEAPS of it!! I was laughing you even sent me everything to make a cake...your so sweet mom and everyone. The candy was also amazing too...none of that candy you can get here....well nothing in the package you can get here. Its all American and all stuff I love! I cant wait to have a Mexican fiesta! I looks like you all spent a lot of time and money on it....so from the bottom of my heart thank you so much and I loved it. It was awesome cuz you sang to me (the written song and notes), gave me balloons, and a cake! Your an incredible family!

Well my week was really good. We did a lot of service as usual, taught a lot of lessons (more than usual), and got some new investigators!! We have been helping a lot of less active members come back to church and some of them have children not baptized yet so that will be a miracle if we could baptize them. We had a branch activity with the Lakepa Toi branch this week. It was fun we played cricket (its a game we don't have in the states, its like baseball) and rugby. We had a really incredible lesson with our two new investigators. Their names are Tave and Micka, they are a Fijian couple. They were a referral from one of the members here. Saturday morning we cut their grass because they had no way to do it themselves. They called us angels sent from heaven and they were so grateful. They made us breakfast, and lunch. Later that evening we went back with the member Brother Posemani and they made us dinner. They are just amazing people. We then had a absolutely incredible spiritual lesson with them. We taught them the restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith. The spirit was so strong. I could feel power and authority as I bore my testimony to them. We bore strong testimony about the savior and his atonement also. I hope and pray they will pray and ask if what we taught them is true. Church was great and we had 3 great lessons yesterday. This week was great. We are just trying so hard to find new people to teach. We are going to set Suta for baptism our next lesson with him!!

Well we found out today that Elder Fanguna will be leaving this Friday. So during my next e mail I will have a new companion. Man its weird to think I'm going to be the senior companion. I'm nervous a little but I know anything is possible with faith in the Lord. I'm going to miss Elder Fanguna...he was a great companion. Well that's pretty much everything I can think of what happened this week.

I'm glad your weeks were very good. I loved reading your e mails as always. Sounds like your enjoying life and having fun. I cant believe your planning to hike up Tim again!! That's funny I can just remember how you hated going down mom and were so scared at the top. Who is all going....when are you guys going? Guess what, today I received a birthday package and another letter from Kenzy! wow shes such a good friend. Yeah I miss Jazzi and Zoe....there is a lot of dogs just running around the island. They have no owner just stray dogs. So yeah all the yacht people are gone now. And no I'm not the only white person on the island. There is actually quite a few white people that live on Niue. And there are a lot of visitors and tourists.

Well I just want you all to know I'm so glad to hear your all doing great. It truly makes me so incredibly happy and its answers to my prayers. Satan is everywhere....and its so hard sometimes to do what is right. I pray for you all every day. I have had so many spiritual experiences on my mission. I have studied so much about the Saviors Atonement and I have come to know so much about his life. He truly is the son of God and we all have to put his atonement in the center of our lives. I love Jesus Christ so much. I am so thankful for what he did for us. He suffered and died so we could repent and have a chance to enter back into his presence and live an eternal life. I love my mission and I am truly grateful to be in his service.
Well I got to go now....but I just want to let you know that what you say to me during your e mails means a lot. I love hearing you bare your testimonies. I love reading all the nice and incredible things you say about me. It means more to me than you know. I love you all with all my heart. I'm grateful to call you my family. I miss you all so much. Have a great safe week.
Love your son and brother Elder Tyler Kitchen

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Faka Lofa Lahi Atu and much love and greetings from the beautiful island of Niue!

Hello my dear Kitchen Family! How the heck is everyone this week??!

I hope you all are loving the warm weather and loving your summer vacation! I always loved the summer and I have so many priceless memories with all our family adventures, vacations, and all the good times we've had during the summer. I hope this email gets all of you safe, well, and happy!
Dad, Mom, Ryan, Jami, Kaylee, I just want to let you all know I love you so very much and I'm truly grateful our Heavenly Father sent me down to this earth to be apart of your family. You all mean everything to me and I don't know what I'd do without even one of you. Thanks for everything and just know your always in my prayers and in my heart!!

Oh yeah I wanted to tell you since I've been on my mission a lot of people think that out last name is unusual or really cool ....I don't think there is any last name Kitchen in New Zealand or here. Because I know there are other Kitchens in America, I just think its funny. Here in Niue I kinda have a nickname...in the Niuean Language Kitchen is Peito so people here call me Peito haha :) and whats even more funny is some of the little Niuean kids don't speak English really so they cant say kitchen so they call me chicken HAHAHA. Sometimes adults or other people call me chicken on accident or for a joke.

Well I'm doing very good out on the rock. Its warm, hot weather as usual and a very beautiful island. Dad your right I'm really used to living here. I never thought I'd live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I'm healthy and happy. My week went really good also. Elder Fanguna is still here and we think he might leave this Friday or next. Last Monday was fun because we got a chance to play some Rugby! We played just touch rugby, not tackle. But it was really fun...It has completely different rules than football. Not just rules just everything...but I started getting the hang of it. Tuesday we did service and taught lessons. We got to watch a Joseph Smith movie with one of our investigators. Also on Tuesday the Hekaus (a very strong member family) opened their new restaurant on the island. Tuesday night was their grand opening so me and Elder Fanguna went and helped. There was a ton of people there. A lot were from the yachts. The food was absolutely amazing and there was also cool dancing entertainment. I went around and got to meet all the people from around the world. I met this couple that have already traveled around the whole entire world in a yacht!! Crazy huh? This is now their second time around. Well Elder Fanguna fire danced again and it was really cool except he burnt his hand really bad. The rest of the week we did a lot of service and lessons. Suta unfortunately has smoked again....and most of our investigators right now have stopped progressing. We have had a lot of miracles though in getting referrals and we have a bunch of potential investigators. So we are just praying really hard we will be able to teach them and they will feel the spirit. We have gotten a lot of referrals from some members. Its an extremely hard place to serve a mission but I know we can still baptize and see miracles.

My week was great and I'm just trying my hardest to serve faithfully and serve with all my heart might mind and strength. My studies are incredible and I've straightened my faith, testimony, and knowledge of the gospel so much. I love my mission so much. I'm not only saving souls and changing others lives I'm changing my life, learning so much, and becoming more of a righteous son of God. I'm being trying extra hard lately to live like the savior, to show love to everyone, to go about doing good, serving everyone I see, and just being a Christlike person.

Dad that's cool that you talked to Paulette and Mandy. Aw I miss them a lot. Tell them hello and hope everything is going good with them. Samantha is so lucky she is on heritage tours...she will love it. It was a life changing thing for me. I loved every second of it. Let me know more about how she is liking it when you hear.

Okay about my birthday package. I called the mission office and I found out that they changed mail providers and so it takes longer now. Its really annoying and frustrating I know but with this new mail provider thing I cant get mail until Mondays. The old one sometimes delivered the day it came on the plane (Friday). Well I think and really hope it came on this last plane but the problem is its a holiday here in Niue so the post office is not open. I don't know weather it came or not and I wont be able to see until tomorrow. So if its here I will receive it tomorrow otherwise hopefully next week. But please don't worry and don't be sad. I'm really excited to get it.

Well it sounds like everyone is doing great! I love reading your e mails. I miss our extended family so much too. If you can get a chance maybe tell me a little about my cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. How they are doing and what they have been up to. Tell them I really do love them and I'm trying to write as always. If you could you guys should send some pictures of you, extended family, or friends.

Well I know you all probably miss me a lot and I sure miss you so much. But its only two years and when I get back we will do some really fun things. Just keep praying for me and know I'm very happy here. Please be safe this summer. And have so much fun. I'm grateful to serve so I can get blessings for our family. I really hope you all are happy and safe. Let me know everything going on with your lives. I'm having experiences here and I love telling you about them. Thanks really for everything you do. Please do everything you can to be righteous, obey the commandments, and live like the Savior. I've experienced reading my scriptures and saying my prayers everyday and it has increased every good thing in my life. I'm so much happier and EVERYTHING is better. Please read and say your prayers everyday. I promise you'll be happy, blessed, and everything will be better in your life. I love you all so much. I'm grateful your my family. Have a great safe week.
Love Your son and brother Elder Kitchen

Monday, June 7, 2010

Faka Lofa Lahi Atu Kitchen Family!!

Things are great out here on the Rock of Polynesia (that's what they call Niue) because I don't know if I told you but its like a huge rock shooting straight out of the ocean. My week has been another great week. I've been trying to do better with the language. Some members have been helping with it. Malolo a koe? (it means how are you?) I've know that every since I've been here but I don't really know how to spell the Niuean language...just speak some of it. Otherwise I would type a lot more Niuean.

It sounds like all six of you are doing great!! Dad and Ryan just chilling at home enjoying golfing, eating out, and just being guys I'm sure. And mom and the girls had a incredible time in California and St. George. It sounds like Disneyland was really fun and also relaxing on the beach. I'm sure you were glad to get out of the snow finally. There is a lot of people here that have never even seen snow in their lives crazy huh?! Well I hope Kaylee and mom both had amazing birthdays! I'm glad you were able to do some fun things. It sounds like both of your birthdays were great! :) I thought of you both a lot on your birthdays. I wish I could have been there to give ya a big hug. And yeah mom I can still remember when we went to Disneyland and ate those really good frozen lemonade things. Its weird to think its summer there and everyone is out of school. I hope you guys LOVE your summer vacation.

Ugh I really don't want to tell you this but I haven't received your package yet. I'm really confused why I haven't gotten it. Today we went around again to the DHL, Post office, and even this other place looking for it. We also called the mission office and they said that the area office said they already sent it to Niue. She is going to call me back because they are going to track it and see where it is. Maybe its still in Auckland Airport and will come this Friday. But please don't worry and be sad. Its really okay I know its coming and I'm just so grateful you sent me one.

Well this week was good. Elder Fanguna is still here and we don't know exactly when he will be leaving. We helped some members set up and decorate this restaurant for a wedding on Tuesday. Wednesday we taught and visited people all day. Oh yeah we received a good potential investigator. He's from the Philippines, we haven't had a chance to teach him but hopefully this week. We have been helping some less active members come back to church too. Its hard because Niue is such a small place and not a lot of people. We have had the same investigators for a while. And some have stopped progressing...its sad. But we have gotten a couple potential ones so we will pray for miracles. Suta is still doing good and we hope to set him for baptism during our next lesson with him. I still see the Lords hand in our work everyday. I see miracles and I feel the Holy Ghost working through me a lot. I love my mission, it has strengthened my testimony so much. I love sharing my testimony with others, teaching them about the gospel, and saving souls. We truly are bringing our Heavenly Fathers children back to him.

Saturday night we had a cool Niuean Party. There are a bunch of Yachts (really nice boats) here at Niue. They are people from mainly Europe that are traveling the world in Yachts. Cool huh and right now they are in Niue. So Saturday night the people here threw them a big party. There was great food and a lot of Niuean dancing. On Sunday I gave a talk in Church, so I gave a talk on your birthday mom. It was on baring your testimony. Its crazy where I am now since I've been on my mission....I'm not nervous at all now. I almost looked up at them the whole time. I feel very comfortable up on the stand. I know the spirit directed my talking. It was a cool experience.

Well your all amazing. I love you all. Thanks again for everything. I hope you all have another great week. Niue is great and I'm loving it. Just remember your always in my prayers.
Love Elder Kitchen

Elder Kitchens companions

Tehuacan (5/14/2014) to (8/6/2014) Elder Conrad from Draper, Utah

Nealtican (4/2/2014) to (5/14/2014) Elder Christensen from Denver, Colorado

Nealtican (2/19/2014) to (4/2/2014) Elder Sanchez from Chiapas, Mexico

Puebla (1/8/2014) to (2/19/2014) Elder Dzul from Cancun, Mexico

Puebla (10/15/2013) to (1/8/2014) Elder Betts from Mexi-Cali Baja California, Mexico

Atlixco (7/23/2013) to (10/14/2013) Elder Ortega from Nayarit, Mexico

Puebla (3/19/2013) to (7/22/2013) Elder Burden from Snowflake, Arizona

Puebla (2/19/2013) to (3/18/2013) Elder Knowlton from Springville, Utah

Atexcac (1/8/2013) to (2/18/2013) Elder Olvera from San. Luis Potosi, Mexico

Atexcac (10/16/2012) to (1/7/2013) Elder Tinoco from Dorango, Mexico

MTC (8/15/2012) to (10/15/2012) Elder Astle from Northern California




























































































































































































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