Hey everyone, September 18, 2011

What an incredible blessing it is to be able to e mail you every week. I wish I could have hand written you more since I’ve been on my mission. I could have done better and I’m sorry but we are just so busy in the Work of the Lord. I’m glad we can e mail each week. I’m glad everything with all of you are going good and that you are all continuing living the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is such a blessing that all of our family is trying to do their best to live the gospel. It makes me feel so much joy and happiness. Each and every day I learn more and more about the gospel and really how important it is to live it. I am so grateful for the Savior in my life, for the ultimate sacrifice he made for me and how I can always be forgiven of my mistakes. I love learning about our Heavenly Father and learning more about the gospel. I also love teaching others. It makes me so happy when I see other people’s lives start to change and when they come to know that Our Heavenly Father lives and loves them. It truly is the greatest two years of your life. We are going to the temple tomorrow!! I’m so excited to go on another temple trip....this will probably be my last one.....Yesterday we had another come and see fireside, it’s where all the missionaries take their investigators and some recent converts bear their testimonies. They have a lot of beautiful singing and Elder Watson of the Seventy spoke to us. It was very good to see our investigators feel the spirit.

This week was really great! We had some pretty crazy experiences.....I always have those but sometimes I forget to write them down....I remembered to write them down to tell you this week. First off last P day was a blast...we played B-Ball in the chapel with the other missionaries. I’ve noticed in the city we play more sports because there are more missionaries around us. On Tuesday we went on a trade off with some of the missionaries. We had a miracle, we knocked on this door and they let us right in. We taught 3 of them (Amy, Mehaka, and Daniel) we shared a very powerful Restoration Lesson and the spirit was so strong. We committed them for baptism and Amy said yes! Wow it was amazing and we are helping her prepare for next month. On Wednesday me and my companion had to drop off a missionary because he was getting transferred half way in the cycle....and then we got kind of lost in Auckland somewhere hahaha....it’s a pretty big city haha. And we had this crazy experience. So Lisa is set for getting baptized this week, and her son Josh was also going to get baptized....but he kind of lost a little interest and wasn’t coming to sit down for our lessons. So we thought of buying him some cookies (he loves cookies) and writing him a note. Well it was raining and we drove to the gas station. The driveways in New Zealand are CRAZY! You wait until you get here.....then you will know what I mean. So she lives up this really steep, long narrow drive way. And it bends around really sharp. We were driving up it and it was really wet. Well Elder Moss was driving and we started to go up hers and then the bottom of the front started to scrap on the concrete. So we decided to back up.....and whenever a missionary is backing up the companion has to step outside and lead him back so he doesn’t hit anything. Well it was raining like crazy so I was leading him back into the drive way and then the hitch started to scrap on the bottom hahaha....So we kind of got stuck....it was a lot funnier in real life. Then it’s hard to explain next but Elder Moss drove the front of the car into a side thing and it got stuck.....so the car wouldn’t move. I was laughing so hard but you could tell he was frustrated. Then the whole front part of the car fell off!! HAHAHA! I was like WOW this couldn’t get any worse. The rain was drowning us and the car was stuck right in the middle of the driveway (other people use that driveway for their homes too) All of this for a little packet of cookies. So we went up to the house and said here is your cookies haha. It was funny. Another experience I had this week was I was trying to wave down these members who were picking up our investigator because they were driving off because they couldn’t see us and then the next split second a taxi pulls over and says yes sir get in. He thought I was waving down for a taxi....I don’t know it was funny if you were there.

On Thursday we had a specialized training with President Lekias. He came with us to a companionship study with a companionship in our zone, came to a district meeting and then came with me and Elder Moss to some lessons! It was good we had a lesson with Dodie. She is preparing for baptism this next week!! This member family took us to this all you can eat buffet place, it was really good. On Saturday we helped Lisa clean her house because she was moving. We were scrubbing down the walls. Then we had lessons and then got ready for the baptism. Lisa got baptized on Saturday!! It ended up being a wonderful baptism!! The spirit was so strong and Elder Moss baptized her. As I watched her in the water all dressed up in white....I remembered the day I talked to her on the street. I was with her for the whole process!! Church was great. We did some baptism interviews for the Assistants to the President. We had some great lessons and then went to the Come and See Fireside. Sometimes I get sad when I know I won’t be doing missionary work for a ton longer.....because I absolutely love my mission. I love serving the Lord. I love helping others receive the gospel....All these experiences I’ve had on my mission have changed my life and I will never forget them. I can’t wait for you all to meet everyone I’ve taught and come to the places where I served!! It really will be a dream come true!

I can’t believe that all of you are coming to New Zealand!! WOW and that we will be having a huge family vacation here in the Beautiful island of New Zealand. It really will be absolute amazing. Don’t worry I know so many members would love for us to stay at their homes. They already told me in all the areas where I served. So we will be set in all the areas I served in. I am so excited we will be all coming here!! And also that we will be flying to LA wow what a blessing. Thank you so much! That means the world to me. I love you all so very much. I am still going to stay 100 percent focused on the work.

Thanks for sharing those really cool experiences with me dad. That sounds like you had a really good time there and got to experience some really cool things. We will have to do some of that here in New Zealand...Its absolutely beautiful here. Well I have to go now....thanks for everything. I sent that DVD last Monday so you should be getting it soon. If you could you should send some more pictures next week. Have a wonderful week everyone. Love you all.

Love Elder Kitchen

Kia Ora Family! September 4, 2011

Hey everyone...September is already here! It is starting to feel a little warmer around these parts now. So that must mean it’s starting to get a little bit cooler. Thanks for the Pictures you sent me. Wow Kaylee and Madi look so much older and more mature. That is so crazy that everyone is growing up so fast. I’m so excited for all the great things that are going on with all of you.

I don’t know if you know much about the Rugby World Cup but it is pretty big I guess and everyone is so excited about it here. Because the World cup is here in New Zealand it starts this Friday, of course we won’t see any of it but I’m sure we will hear about it especially if the New Zealand All Blacks win or lose games haha. Everyone has all their teams and country’s flags all around, because here in Henderson there are so many islanders and people from different countries. Guess what I guess USA is in the world cup!

Anyways our week was really good. We are just serving so hard to bring the gospel to all of Heavenly Fathers Children. The Zone is doing okay but we need to do better and so me and Elder Moss are always trying to help the work progress even more. Your prayers would be much appreciated. I have seen the hand of the Lord in this work so much. I know through faith and prayers and us doing all we can God can perform many mighty miracles. This week I had some really great experiences. One was a miracle that I felt the spirit so strong. We found a new investigator....we taught her a powerfully restoration lesson and on the very first lesson we set her for baptism. She came to church too! She was completely over- whelmed by the spirit and started crying when we taught her the 1st vision.

I’m so happy Ryan is getting ordained an elder and receiving the Mel. Priesthood. Wow I wish I was there to witness it. But I know he is doing so wonderful in his life. I can’t wait to see him again and help him get ready to serve the Lord for two years. When does he send his mission papers in? How many classes is he taking at UVU...? I was thinking and I think when I get back I want to go to BYU.....that is if I can get into BYU hahaha. I know it will be a wonderful school and also it is a church school and I would love to be surrounded by good influences. I will pray and think about it a little more....I honestly haven’t really thought at all what I’m going to do when I get back. I know I want to go to school and work and stuff but that’s about it. I haven’t thought of what I want to study at school or anything because I’m totally focused on the work of the Lord. I know the Lord will help me with those things when I get home.

I’m sorry.....everyone is leaving .......uh well I’ll make it up next week.

Love you all.....Elder Kitchen


Dear Family! September 11, 2011

Wow time just flies by sometimes....I almost feel like just a couple of days ago I was in here e mailing all of you. The weeks get faster and faster. I’m grateful for your e mails and I loved reading them. Just so you know, I don’t have that much time today because I spent time thinking about the first e mail and I got distracted by some other things. Time just goes by fast......I will just tell you some main things that happened this week.

Last P day was really fun. We played basketball with the Henderson District. On Tuesday we went on a trade off with Elder Ales. On Wednesday we went to Zone Leader Council. It was just incredible. I love those meetings with our mission president and all the other zone leaders. We had a wonderful week full of miracles. We still have 3 set for baptism and we are trying our hardest to save more souls. This week I have focused a lot on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I have been able to study it and learn more and more about it. Wow my testimony about it has increased so much.

I’m sorry but I have to go....things as a zone leader keep you very busy. I will be able to e mail more time next P day. I love you very much.....I’m excited so many wonderful things are going on with the family. Be safe and have fun.

Love Elder Kitchen

Dear Family! August 28, 2011

I’m so excited to write everyone this week! How are you all doing?! There is a lot going on with everyone eh? Ryan is preparing to serve a mission :) Mom you started teaching school. Jami and Kaylee are back at school. And Dad you’re just busy living the life eh? Golfing, working, and doing all the other stuff. I’m glad everyone is doing so good. Thanks for the e mails today.....well I’ve been trying to get my camera card to work on this computer so I can send you all some pictures but it doesn’t seem to be working so if it doesn’t I’m sorry! That is really cool mom that you are working already! I’m sure you are tired though....being a teacher is probably hard work. I hope you have a great class and that the kid’s don’t give you a hard time haha. It’s probably really nice that it is pretty close to our house. So they are going to call you Mrs. Kitchen. You should decorate the room like a big Kitchen or something....haha no I’m just kidding. Wow Jami and Kaylee seem to look older every time I see a picture of them.. Thanks for sending those! I’m so happy to hear Ryan is doing so good and that he is progressing so much in the gospel. I’m very proud of him and I’m so excited to hear his testimony and see how he has changed when I get back. I wish I could have been there listening to his talk, it probably was very powerful and full of the spirit. Tell Ryan that I love him so much and I’m so grateful for everything that he is doing. He seriously will love every second of his mission like I have. There seriously no better place to be then to serve the Lord for two years. He has given us so much, he even gave his life for us and he asks us to spend two years of our life in his full time service. Missionary work isn’t done when you come home from a mission, it continues on the rest of your life, just a different kind of missionary work haha. I know the Lord will bless each of you if you ask him for opportunities to do missionary work. He will lead you to people who you can help bring into the gospel. All you need to do is pray and become the instrument that God can use to bring his children home.

Well my week was an interesting on, full of wonderful experiences, crazy ones, and opportunities to grow and learn. Last P day we did a lot of service helping some of these non-members and investigators. It was nice to help other people and I always love to see their faces of gratitude. It makes you feel very happy. This week we prepared Nadia a lot for her baptism. We also had to take elders to and from the mission home. We are the closest Zone Leaders to the mission home so we do things like that sometimes. We found out that Stephanie isn’t fully keeping the Law of chastity so we had to move her date back to when she is ready to keep that commandment. Well we had transfers and Elder Chandler got transferred :( I knew it was probably coming though...I’m going to miss him a lot though). We had a great transfer together. The Wade family was sad to see him go. So were Nadia, Jerry and Rose. It would probably be a little hard for someone like Nadia who is getting baptized and a new missionary is coming in that she doesn’t know. But It’s alright because the new missionary that came in is named Elder Moss! He is an incredible missionary. He is so full of faith, knows how to work, very focused, and is a great missionary. He is from Idaho also and he loves to go boating, play sports, be with his family, and he has a very strong testimony. He knows how the follow the spirit of the Lord and I’ve already learned a lot from him. Transfers were good but it is a lot different when you are a zone leader. There is so much more responsibility and a lot of things you need to organize. Like getting missionaries to their areas with all their stuff and just making sure everything happens that needs too. I am the zone leader who knows the area but I have only been here for one transfer and it’s a really big area. I am trying to do my very best haha. It is kind of stressful sometimes but it’s a blessing for sure. Well me and Elder Moss have had a lot of miracles together so far. We have found some new investigators, taught a lot of lessons, and had Nadia's baptism! It went so well and she just looked so happy after she came out of the water. She has a cousin who just recently joined the church so he baptized her. It was just wonderful. I was able to confirm her yesterday and it was great.

So about the Dog experience.....haha well we knocked on this door and someone opened it and then all of a sudden a little dog comes flying out of the door and comes straight for me. It jumps up and tries to bite me. Luckily it just bit my suit and a part of my belt. I felt it but it didn’t hurt at all because it didn’t get a good grip haha. But it was just so crazy....it was a tiny dog with a really bad temper. Wow some of the experiences you have on your mission are just funny.

Well I have to go now. I just want you all to know I love you so much. I think and pray for you a lot. You all mean everything to me and I’m so thankful I’m apart of our family. I hope you all have a wonderful week and be safe. Miss you all so much.....
Love Elder Kitchen