Kia Ora Whanau! August 14, 2011

Wow what a crazy week we just had. It is definitely a different experience being a zone leader. This week me and my companion felt like zone parents hahaha, I’ll tell ya why. So first off. On Monday we had a great family home evening with the wade family and the Dennison family. Aw I just love the wade family so much. So on Tuesday we went on a trade off with one set of missionaries in our zone. I was with Elder Ji (from China) in our area. Well we were having a great day and then another missionary called and said his companion was really sick and needed to go to the doctor. So I took him to the doctor and then the doctor said he needed to go to the hospital because she thought he might have meningitis (sorry for spelling). She asked if he wanted an ambulance....so I was freaking out haha. I drove him to the Emergency room. It’s a long story but I was in the hospital the rest of the day waiting for him. I felt so bad for him. His name is Elder Finau. The doctors had to do some tests but they found out that he doesn’t have any serious thing. He just had a very bad flu. It was a crazy experience being in the Emergency Room and helping them and stuff. The Nurses were cool and I was able to talk to some of them about the gospel. I gave the Elder a blessing too. He stayed the night but I went home with elder chandler. President Lekias said we should do that. The next morning we left his companion there and went to zone conference all day. We had a zone meeting before and myself and elder chandler did it was zone leaders. Wow there was so many missionaries haha. Then we had zone conference!! It was so good and I felt the spirit so strong. I really like President and Sister Lekias!! They are great! Sorry I can’t go into that much detail....I don’t have much time today.

Then on Thursday we went on another trade off because Elder Chandler had to take another missionary to the doctors in north shore because he had to get an infected ingrown toe nail removed. Then on Friday I had to sit at elder Finaus flat because he got sick again and couldn’t work. Elder Chandler went to another zone conference so elder Finaus companion could go to one. Then guess what?! We got a call from a member that was with elder Utai on trade off. He said that elder Utai was in the Emergency room in north shore hospital and was taken there by ambulance. He had a bad bike crash. So we drove over there and helped him out. He is better than we thought he would be. Luckily he was wearing his helmet....or I don’t know.....but he got out Friday night at like 930 and we took him home to our flat and helped him out. Saturday we were going crazy all over taking missionaries different places. Elder Finau had to go back into the hospital. Wow it was so crazy!! And then some other missionaries had a baptism we needed to help them go to. It was so stressful and crazy to figure everything out because you’re the leaders. WOW this letter is only going into a tiny bit of detail of everything that happened this week. Anyways long story short we have been back and forth to the hospital and running missionaries around this whole week. We haven’t had hardly any time to work in our own area. But the Lord has blessed us because of our sacrifice. We somehow were still able to have a lot of lessons and get new investigators and have a lot of miracles. The Lord truly blesses those who sacrifice for the helping and service of others.

Okay so I have to tell you about an incredible experience we had. So the WADE family ALL got baptized this Saturday! A MIRACLE!! Wow it was seriously overwhelming to see all their family in white! One of the best moments of my entire mission. They got married and then baptized right after!! So they all get to the chapel all dressed up in tuxes and nice dresses. Bishop Chase was able to marry them. Then they all changed into white!! We took pictures don’t worry! it was the best site to see. That family is so converted to the gospel and is seriously a golden family sent from God to us. I feel so blessed to have been a part of their lives and conversion experience. I was able to baptize Arna Wade (the mom) and Xazier (the oldest son). Elder Chandler baptized Quinton (the dad) and Daesharn (the other son). The spirit was so incredibly strong. When Elder Chandler was in the water first baptizing them....Arna was getting so emotional. She was so happy. She said it was the best and happiest day of her entire life. Wow when I baptized them I was so happy. When she went down in the water and came up I could literally feel she was a different person. I had a very spiritual and sacred experience. Then she put her hands up in the air for joy because she was so happy. After they got dressed I watched the family hug each other and just express how they were feeling. Words cannot describe how amazing it was. I was over whelmed with the sprit. They expressed that the gospel has completely changed their lives and they are so much happier than before. They expressed that they cannot wait to be sealed as a family for time and eternity and they will be getting sealed in a years’ time. For some reason guess what? They want to come to America and get sealed in the Salt Lake City temple!! So I told them that if they really do that that they can stay at our house and everything....wow wouldn’t that just be a wonderful experience!! This mission has just been life changing in every way...I love it.


Yesterday was stake conference. The wade family came and loved it. They will be confirmed this week at church. And then from one year from now they will be able to get sealed as a family!

I have to go.....I love you so much.

Elder Kitchen