Doing Great in New Zealand

I am doing really good out here in New Zealand. Last week was another awesome week with many amazing experiences and miracles from God. Wow we really are blessed here in the New Zealand Mission. I'm enjoying everything about my mission...well almost. The only thing is sometimes its kinda hard to bike all day in the hot sun and when your really tired, but its not that hard. I will write about my experiences this week.

Well last Monday for P day we played tennis, it was really fun! My companion played in high school so he was really good. We went with two other missionaries so it was fun. We are playing tennis again today but a TON of missionaries are coming this time. I'm excited for that. I don't know if I have ever told you about Raymond. He is a guy in our ward...and he is probably my favorite person in the ward. He is from Israel and he is kaddish (a Jew) but he converted to the church 5 years ago. He is so funny. He talks more than me and just says the funniest things you'll ever here. He is a little bit older and lives alone but is just funny. If we ever come to New Zealand you guys will have to come meet him.

Well we had trade offs again this week and that was fun. We taught a lot of lessons like usual and talked to a lot of people on the street. We also did a lot of service this week. We weeded Raymond's garden for him on Wednesday and we mowed Sis Bryars front yard too. Then on Thursday we mowed her back yard. Okay seriously I have never seen longer grass in my life!! It took us ages, there was heaps and heaps of grass, (oh sorry that is my Kiwi talk), and we also mowed Galvin's lawn this week too. I will tell you about Galvin in a sec, but anyway this week was great. We have started teaching some new people and some of our investigators are progressing slowly.

There was two really cool things that happened this week. First was we set Shelly and Danielle for baptism on Feb 13!! This Saturday!! Cool huh?! I'm so excited. The other thing is we met Galvin on the street and he was very interested and told us to come over. We met his partner (partner is what they call the person they are living with but not married to) and it ends up she had been investigating the church in the past and has prayed and knows its true. She just wanted Galvin to gain a testimony. Well Galvin came to church and we have been teaching him. The spirit is so strong during every lesson and Galvin said he has prayed and knows its true. He said he wants to come to church every week. Kristina and Galvin want to get married, Galvin wants to stop smoking, and they both want to get baptized!!! WOW it was a miracle. I know the Lord had blessed us with this miracle because we have been exactly obedient.

Well this week has been amazing. Six really keen investigators came to church yesterday. It is only a matter of time before all of them will be baptized. This mission seriously is a mission of miracles. Its so awesome to be a part of it. I'm so glad I'm on my mission. Its changed my life already and I have grown so much. Well thanks so much for all your prayers and everything you do. I love each and everyone of you so much. I miss you all tons too but I know you're all doing great and I am too. Well this next week is going to be awesome! We are finally moving this Wednesday, we are doing two trade offs with the zone and district leaders, we have interviews with the mission president, and Shelly and Danielle are getting baptized this week!!! WOW a ton of things are going to happen this week. So can you all please pray that all will work out. And please pray for Shelly and Danielle.

I love you all. Your the best family I could ever ask for. I wish I could be doing all the fun things with you but I'm way glad I'm out here on my mission. Thanks again for everything.
Love Elder Kitchen