Sunday, January 16, 2011

Dear Family!

Well it sounds like your all doing great and happy. I am also doing really good. We have seen miracles just like every week.
We had two baptisms this week!! They were both amazing. Pargat (the Indian guy) was baptized and I was able to perform the sacred ordinance. It was such a great experience. The baptism went wonderful. It was a very spiritual experience and I almost started to cry when he bore his testimony after he was baptized. I guess in his religion he had before he joined to church they have a thing where they all have the same middle name. Its Singh or something like that. He was the seek religion...its kinda like Hindu...its not Christian. But when he bore his testimony he was like my name now is just Pargat Kahlon and not Singh. He said he was now 100% Christian. It is just so amazing to watch the hand of God be into one of his sons lives and change it so completely for the good. I know anything can happen and miracles occur daily.

Aroha was also baptized a member of the church on Saturday. One of the members baptized her and it was great to see the member be so involved with her baptism. The program was really good and the spirit was very strong. I'll have to tell you more about the experience but Helena got nervous I guess and didn't show up to her baptism. But we saw her and she still wants to be baptized but we will have to do it next week.

Well my interview with president was great and the district is doing awesome.

Oh my I'm sorry but I have to go.,....its a long story....but I took to long sending those pictures. I'm sorry, next week I will e mail right away. Please remind me the questions you asked.

I love all of you.
Love Elder Kitchen


Sunday, January 23, 2011

Kia Ora Family!

Well another week has gone by....wow sometimes they just fly by it seems like. It is really raining right now in New Zealand. Yesterday I thought it was going to flood! haha. Besides getting really wet I am doing great! Yesterday was a funny experience. We tracked in the rain for about 3 hours total. It was an experience I'll remember. We had our umbrellas and the rain just poured down. A lot of the people that we knocked on their doors were like "why are you out here in this weather?" They were impressed at our dedication to our message. One time the wind was blowing so hard that my umbrella went inside out ....we were laughing so hard. And then one time my umbrella didn't work so I was just getting soaked and we went up to this house. The lady came out her front balcony up above and we had to look up at her. It was really noisy wind so I was like yelling and holding up the Book of Mormon in the rain and said "I know this book is true" It was a great experience...I felt like a warrior fighting against Satan in the rain.

Well this week we had another Baptism. Helena decided she was really for baptism. Aww everything went great...it was a very spiritual baptism and everything seemed to work out. The ward did a wonderful program and she looked really nice in her white dress. Elder Russell baptized her and it was such a great experience for him. Helena got up and bore her testimony...aww that is like my favorite part to watch newly baptized converts go up and bear their testimony. Its something I will never forget.

Last week for P day Elder Russell and myself went fishing! It was so fun. We bought really cheap fishing poles from the warehouse (its kinda like Walmart) And then we went down this stream in the country. Aw it was nice, and Elder Russell caught a fish. It was a nice rainbow trout. We didn't fish for that long and I never caught one....oh well. We had dinner with the Stucki family again and they took us out to this Chinese buffet place, it was good. I went on some trade offs with some of the missionaries in my district. It was good to see their progress and some of the things I'm trying to help them improve. I interviewed one of the elders' investigators for baptism. It really is so great to watch and help people change their lives. We have been working with a lot of investigators to help them overcome addictions, trails, and hard times. I feel the Savior helping people and it just gives me the greatest feeling. I have been driving a lot now because I'm a district leader and we're out in the country so I have to drive a lot. I'm a professional at driving on the left side of that road and the right side of the car. haha.

That's pretty much all I can think of to tell ya. You know me sometimes I have memory loss so I forget to tell you somethings. I'm surprised they aren't transferring me yet, but transfers are this Thursday so I might go somewhere else, I won't know until maybe Wednesday. So maybe next Monday I will be e mailing you from somewhere else.

Looking at those pictures you sent me reminds me a lot of home...Sometimes I'm just so busy I forget about things. I'm not home sick its just nice to see you guys in pictures and it brings back good memories. I really do miss you guys so much though.

Dad you asked if I was taller than when I left...I honestly don't know at all. I haven't measured myself once since I've been here. You'll just have to find out when I get off the plane. But I haven't gained any weight. Can you believe it. I went to the island of Niue and I'm in New Zealand where I eat A TON and I haven't gained any weight...I'm still skinny...weird ehh?? That's no good Ryan got hurt! What happened....just snowboarding accident?

Well I have to go now family. But I truly do love each and everyone of you...I miss you like crazy and I wish I could just spend a little time with you. You mean the world to me and I wouldn't be the person I am without you. Thanks for everything you do. I love my mission and the Lord. Keep praying for me :) I'm trying my best out here. May the Lord bless our family as I serve him for two years.

Love Elder Kitchen

Dear Family!

Again like always I was so excited to get your e mails. I am very happy to hear some of the things you've been up and that your all safe, happy, and well. I thank Heavenly Father everyday for our wonderful family. What a blessing we have to have us as a family. Man I just love you guys very much. The weeks just come and go so fast sometimes. I'm excited because we have some fun things planned for todays P-day. Last P-day we weren't able to go fishing but we did go miniature golfing. It was an absolute Blast! We had so much fun and made it a big competition. We are planning on going again today but at another mini golf course. We also want to go fishing today if we can so I'm excited! My week was really good this week and things are just keep improving every week.

Dad it was fun to read that your out skiing away in Colorado. I miss snowboarding I will have to admit. Its just hard for me to think its snowing over there right now because its so hot here. I literally haven't felt or touched snow the whole time on my mission. I haven't even really seen it but once. It was when I went down to Tapo and clear off in the distance we could see this very big mountain that had some snow at the very top. Its a lot different then where we live. Wow we have to come back to New Zealand as a family and if we do we have to come to Rotorua...because I've served here for almost 6 months and also there is some really cool stuff to do here. I was looking at the brouchers and at the sites at this info place and there's HEAPS to do. Some members from America were also telling us that they went river rafting and it was the best river they've ever been down. Us as missionaries aren't allowed to do anything like that at all. I would love to come here again someday after my mission so I can just experience New Zealand not as a missionary.

James sent me some pictures of his mission and it looks like he has had some baptisms! It is amazing to read all his stories and experiences hes having on his mission. And I'm sure all my other friends are having similar experiences and miracles. Wow I just love hearing about the work of God cover the earth and we are bringing in Gods elect and prepared children to receive the fullness of the gospel. Right now we have 4 investigators set with a baptismal date for this month. We have been working extra hard and qualifying completely for the Lords miracles. I really do feel that my faith is increasing everyday. I've seen when we truly ask God something and we have faith that he will bless us with it then he will. Do you remember Pargat. Well the only reason why he wasn't getting baptized is because rejection from his family back in India. Well the spirit was so strong during our last lesson and we set him for baptism for this Friday! He said yes and he knows this is the right thing to do. Wow I know that that miracle was only possible because of Heavenly Father. Aroha and Helena are getting baptized this Saturday and Judy is getting baptized next Saturday. It is something extraordinary and priceless to watch our brother and sisters find, receive, and join the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Well one of the elders in my District got chicken pox. Elder Afa from Tonga got it. I'm glad I've had it before because otherwise I would probably have them by now. President Porter is coming to Rotorua tomorrow for interviews and for our district meeting. And I'm the district leader....I'm kinda nervous because I'm doing district meeting. Not that much happened this week besides just working our butt off in missionary work.

Well Family I love each and everyone of you. I miss ya like crazy but I know your all doing great. We'll have to do some fun things when I get back and you'll have to update me on everything I missed. Please let me know if there's anything I can do for our family. Well have a great week.

Love Elder Kitchen

Kia Ora and Happy New Year!!

Wow 2011 that is crazy. What a great year I had last year to be in the service of our Heavenly Father. The year went by really fast and its way weird to think that I will be coming home this year! I'm glad to hear that you all had a great New Years and got to do some fun things. That is so weird to me to think that its so cold there. I am like dying of heat over here right now. Its going to be hard this winter because I will go from an horrible winter in New Zealand to a freezing Utah winter when I arrive there. I guess I deserve it though because I have had so many nice days on my mission.


I am glad you got my pictures. I'm sure you liked them....I'll have to sit with you after my mission and go over them with you guys. I should take more pictures in New Zealand. I get so busy with the work I don't take very many photos here. The landscape is really beautiful and I need to take more photos. I still need to send those Niuean things but I might do it next week. I need to remember in the morning so I'm prepared. Plus I think the post office is closed today for some reason I don't know why. I bought some nice pants with some of the Christmas money that you put into my account. Oh yeah and when I went to the temple about a week or so ago I finally bought some white pants. Remember I never could get some before I went on my mission. Well it just turned out that I've been trying to get some for a while but it never worked out until then. It was cool to read that you went up to the cabin for new years. That sounds way fun. I cant believe it was SO cold though. That's also exciting mom that you shared with them about my mission. Your being a missionary, now just invite the Suters to church! :)

Oh yeah the Stucki's are an American family over here living for his work. They are from California and they are really good members of the church. They are in our ward and they fed us for dinner last week. It was really good and they had all their family over from the states with them. They live over in the beautiful country side of Rotorua and their view is just breath taking. You can see the Lake and all the green rolling hills WOW. I thought you mom and Jami and Kaylee would like it if she took a picture of the view with their horse in it.

It sounds like you loved the break off work Dad. I bet it was way nice to relax and have some time off. A lot of the members of the church have work off around the holidays too. They all go to the lake and beach and stuff. That sounds fun your going to go skiing in Colorado. Tell Sposi's hi for me again.

Well this week we had some pretty crazy experiences. My companion almost got attacked by a dog. Man some of the dogs here are CRAZY! Some places people have attack and guard dogs that just hate missionaries. You should have seen how fast he was running and the dog was snapping at his ankles. Man I thought he was gunna get it from the dog. The owner was chasing after it trying to stop it. We also had a weird experience. We knocked on this house and a guy calls out for help. We felt bad but it was a really large Maori guy that I guess had had a stroke some years before. But his care taker couldn't lift him out of his chair. So we helped him out and his sheet fell off and he was BUTT NAKED! ahhh it was nasty! then the lady was like wiping some ointment all over his butt and then she shook our hand! EWWW! we washed them like 10 times! Man some of the things you see or experience on your mission are crazy. We were walking down the street and a car drives by and they threw a bottle at my companion. It missed him but wow that's so rude. We go through difficulties but the rewarding experiences are what makes it so worth it.

We did some really cool site seeing last Monday. We are trying to figure out a way to go fishing today because my companion loves to fish. Oh yeah we have 3 investigators set for baptism right now. Aroha is set for Jan 15. Judy is set for Jan 22, and Debbie is set for Jan 29. We are really excited and will just keep working really hard for them. Well man I'm just working hard and just having great success with the Lords help. Its cool I have met a lot of amazing people.

I am going to go now. But thanks for everything. I really do love you all so much! Your prayers really do mean so much to me and I know I am drawing so close to you even though I'm so far away! Have a great week.

Love Elder Kitchen

Dear Family,

Wow it was great to talk to you guys on the phone yesterday! I loved every second of that one hour. It is really hard to only talk for one hour....it went by really fast. Oh well I know I have to be obedient to qualify for miracles. It was really hard to say goodbye but when I just start getting back into the work it will be fine. It was so cool to hear all your voices. Mom and Dad your voices sound the same. Jami and Kaylee's sound a little different and more mature. But Ryan's sounds a lot older and just different. I'm sure you all look different too...you should send me a picture of all of you. Just like take one and then send it to me next week. I already sent all the pictures on two DVDs last Monday so you should get them in a little while. Tell me when you do. Well I did have a great Christmas and I'm glad all of you did also.

I was really glad I got to get an update and how everyone is doing. It was great to talk to each one of you and to listen how your doing. I sure did love the Christmas package and I'm going to enjoy eating all the goodies and making those cookies thanks!! That stocking was HUGE! I wore it as a Santa hat on Christmas as we went caroling to the less active/recent converts of the church. I haven't received the Christmas card yet but I'm sure I will soon. And the Cd's are good. I like them...I haven't listened to all of the Trek one but it seems to be mission appropriate so far. Guess what James sent me some pictures of his mission. It looks like he is doing great! I wish I could e mail him back.

I am going to send a letter from Sister Porter that she sent to our entire mission. It tells us how we did for the year 2010 as a whole mission. It is amazing how well we did and how the Lord has helped us bring about the salvation of many souls unto him. I love this great mission. New Zealand Auckland Mission is the BEST!!

I love you all very much. I pray for you all the time. Thanks for everything. Have a great week and be safe.

Love your son and brother Elder Kitchen

Dear Elders and Sisters,

Wow, you did it!!!!! Through the grace of God and your hard work and faith, the mission achieved what a prophet of God asked the church to do--double the number of convert baptisms! In 2007/2008 the mission achieved 776 saved souls. We end 2010 with a total of 1,724, almost a 1,000 souls more. Congratulations! We hope this year has been a great witness to you of the power of faith. Truly, when we put aside our personal doubts, fears, etc. and fill our souls with faith in Christ, all things are possible in doing His work. Thank you so much for your hard work throughout the year and especially for working hard to have a "White Christmas." It all paid off.

Today, it is time to turn our thoughts to the new year. Remember, the Lord is a God of progression. He would expect all of us to turn our thoughts and actions from ending strong to starting the new year strong. In Luke, chapter 9:62, it tells us, And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Let us start the new year today. Put the thoughts of home, family and friends to the side and gear up to go hard and make January a very successful month in terms of saving souls like crazy. We invite each one of you to, "awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment (Alma 32:27), in stretching your faith. For the next three months, we ask each of you to commit to the Lord in doing everything possible to "baptize weekly!!!" We have a core of the mission who are already doing this.

Thanks again! We love you all very much!
President and Sister Porter