Dear Family!


How the heck is everyone doing?! Wow what a crazy week I've had! I cant believe you guys are already back in school!! Time flies so fast sometimes. Thanks for all the e mails and all your prayers! They really do help me more than you know. I'm grateful to know your all doing great and just busy enjoying life.


Well this week I was with another elder is his area for a couple of days and then I transferred into my area with my companion. When I was with Elder Petty I was driving the car and we had a missionary cell phone. The reason why is because Elder Petty's companion is our zone leader and he was just up in Auckland for a couple of days. It was kinda hard to get used to driving on the road with a lot of traffic (left side of road) because in Niue there isn't anyone really. I'm really good at driving on the left side of the road now and I'm sure I'll get better. Well know I'm in the Fairy Springs ward with my companion Elder Faka'i. The area is really nice and its next to a beautiful mountain in the country of NZ. The ward is really cool. Our flat is right next to a house of very strong members. They are so nice and give us a lot of things. I ride bikes in this area and its FREEZING cold some days. We ride our bikes in the rain and wind and sometimes I just think of Niue's hot humid weather. I am the senior companion but we just work together heaps because I don't know the area. We get along very well. He is 22 years old and is Tongan but from Sydney Australia. He has 11 people in his family, and he has 3 other siblings on missions right now! CRAZY huh? He is a great obedient missionary. We work good together and teach great together, he is just awesome. He is a pretty big guy too. Its funny because I'm so skinny and he's big. Our flat is nice its just really cold. But luckily my companion gave me an electric blanket. We have quite a few investigators but we are trying to find heaps more because some of them aren't progressing very well. We teach, teach and find, find. No service here in NZ hahaha.


Wow we have seen so many miracles from the hand of the Lord. We have been seriously lead by the spirit to so many people. We just pray, qualify, be exactly obedient , and have faith. I know that the Lord truly has prepared people that will accept the gospel and its up to us to qualify so we can find them. In the other missionarie's area, I met some really amazing recent converts. They just have a testimony so strong you'd think they'd be members for years. The church is growing and many wonderful people are being saved into the kingdom of God. Our whole mission baptized 172 people this month! That is a new mission record for this mission. Its incredible because the Lord is using us as instruments in his hands to bring many of his children back to him and his church. I have taught many lessons since I've been back in NZ. We also have been lead a lot by the holy ghost. Just the other day I got prompted to go talk to people near some shops in our area. So we did and we met a lady late Saturday night and she said she would come to church the next day. Most of the time people never follow through like that but she came! It was incredible and she said she loved church. We are going to start teaching her this week. The members and the bishop in this ward and really nice and cool. I guess the bishop in our ward served a mission in Salt Lake City and was an AP. I love my zone leader Elder Christensen. Oh yeah guess what?! We are going to our zone conference this Thursday!! I am so excited to go to zone conference. And then after zone conference we are going to the temple as a mission. So all us missionaries will be at the temple! Awe I cant wait. I am also excited to see President Porter.


Okay yeah I'll probably just send all my Niuean things home and I'll send some pictures also. Mom I thought you were going to freak out when you heard I ate horse. It tasted like I don't know....I really cant describe it very good. Kinda like cow but had a more weird taste...to tell ya the truth it wasn't that bad. Oh yeah I was really glad to hear you read my testimony and people felt the spirit. I hope everyone that reads it....it will help them and strengthen their testimony. Wow that was crazy to read about Devan Rich! I cant believe he's in their ward and met Grandpa Smith. Wow what a small world sometimes!


Dad that's awesome you went fly fishing again. You seem to really be enjoying that as your new hobby. Now you need to come to the exotic country of New Zealand to go fly fishing. You asked what we did for our first P day. We just unpacked, cleaned, and just did some random stuff because I just had barley gotten here. Today I don't know for sure what we are going to do. My companion has been in Rotorua for 4 months now. I hope I answered your questions and told you a little bit about my new area.


Well it was cool to read what everyone is up to. Your all really busy and having fun. Its still crazy to think your all back in school and its starting to cool down. You know what that means!! It's going to warm up here! YAY! haha. Oh yeah guess what! I asked some missionaries and leaders and in our mission President Porter has allowed us to e mail our family. Like extended family also. So I can e mail grandma, grandpa, aunts uncles, and cousins. I really feel so bad I haven't even made contact with some of them. Its so sad. I think I only have time to write back some of my friends and maybe some cousins. So I would love it if you give my e mail to them so they could e mail me next week.


Everything is good with me. This mission is changing my life. I love it so much. I know this church is true. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else than serving the Lord. I'm safe and well no worries about me. The Lord protects me and gives me strength. God bless all of you. Be safe and stay busy. Be good and say your prayers. Just do whats right. I will just be thinking of my wonderful family in the celestial room of the temple and just know if we just keep the commandments and repent we can live together as a eternal family forever in Gods presence. I love Heavenly Father so much. I love my Savior Jesus Christ. And I hope everyday I can become more like them. I know God gives me blesses because of your prayers. So thank you mom, dad, Ryan, Jami, and Kaylee. Tell the dogs hello too haha. I love you all.


Love Elder Kitchen

Dear Family!!


Wow how the heck are all doing?? It was so great to read your e mail pretty soon after I got back to New Zealand. Yup that's right I made it safe back to New Zealand. I arrived on Saturday night here (I think Friday there). I am doing great and just kinda in a shock right now. There has been so much that has happened and I don't know if I have a lot of time to e mail....I will try to tell you most of the things.


Well my farewell in Niue was really hard. The last week I just did a lot of preparations for me to leave the island and also teaching. I went around the island and took some nice photos off the buildings, houses, and people. Oh yeah guess what on Tuesday night I got sick....eh I don't know what happened. It wasn't fun....and I was just sick in bed trying to get better. The next morning I rested but around the afternoon we had to finish some things for me to leave. Luckily I was starting to get better. I started to say goodbye to all the people. It was hard and it made me sad. They were all so nice and said really good things about me. They also gave me a lot of gifts to take home so I can remember Niue. Thursday was my last full day on Niue. I packed, cleaned the flat, and finished doing most of the preparations. Then we visited a lot more members to say goodbye. Friday morning we just went around some of the island, took pictures, said final goodbyes, and went to the airport. I took a lot of pictures with all the people and they wrote in my journal. Man it was really sad to say good bye to some of them. I've been so close with them for 6 months. Then at the airport right before I crossed the thing to go and I was just crying. They were all singing to me and giving me things. They gave me so many islander necklace's. I was covered in lei things, not the flower ones because I guess you cant take those to NZ. It was a moment I will never forget. I am really going to miss that island. It was amazing and I will never forget it. I hope I can go back someday. Long story short I hoped on the plane and flew to NZ.


I landed in NZ at 6 on there Saturday. The district leader of the area picked me up. Oh man it was really cold compared to Niue. But its not that bad but yes really cold. I had so much stuff from all my Niuean gifts everyone gave me. It was crazy but they took me over to there ward mission leaders house for a feed. It was a Tongan family. They had this huge feast. Oh man I ate so much because they kept saying eat eat! I had some weird things too. Man mom and the girls are going to hate me. But guess what they made me eat!! HORSE! yup that's right I ate horse. hahaha. It wasn't that bad actually. But they made me eat a lot of it. After that crazy experience I got picked up by the zone leaders. Guess what they lived at the same house I stayed for a couple of days before I came to Niue. SO I was with them until this morning. It was pretty cold sleeping that night. Sunday was great. Church was wonderful and I'm glad I finally could understand everything that was being said. It was a ward in south Auckland so it was pretty much islanders, Niueans, Tongans, Samoans, and just all islanders. It was an English speaking ward though. After church and all the meetings the zone leaders had to go to we did our missionary work. We went on trade offs. WOW it was quite a shock going from a tiny island to a big city doing missionary work. We just talked to everyone on the street, knocked on a lot of doors, and walked a lot in the freezing cold rain. We had a miracle to that night. One of the zone leaders got prompted to knock on this one house. This guy about our age opened the door. He was from Samoa and let us right in. He and his older brother agreed to listen to our message. We taught them about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was incredible and the spirit lead my every word. We knelt in prayer with them, it was a really amazing experience.


Well this morning we woke up really early and drove to the mission home. We picked up my stuff really fast and had to leave before we could even see President or Sister Porter. They were really busy and we were in a extreme hurry so they just put my bags outside the door. The Zone leaders then dropped me off at the bus station in down town Auckland. Wow it is a really big city and it was a shock to go from Niue to a huge city. Then I hopped on a bus with all my stuff and by myself drove down to Rotorua. It was about a four hour buss ride. Its about two hours away from Hamilton. It was a beautiful ride down the Rotorua. I got to see the incredible country side of New Zealand. Wow it is SO green it literally hurts your eyes....well not really. They are beautiful rolling hills and just amazing landscape tells you your in a foreign land. I went past the city that they filmed part of the Lord of the Rings. It was the village that had the little hobbit homes in the green hills. I didn't get to see the movie site but I was in the village. Well just barley I got here in Rotorua and some missionaries picked me up. We dropped my stuff off at my new flat and then we just came here to e mail. I have only been here for a little while. It looks like a beautiful city though. I'm excited to serve here and they said the missionary work is doing really good. My companion is named Elder Faka'i and he is from Sydney Austria, but he is Tongan but born and raised in Austria. I guess there is only 6 missionaries in Rotorua. It isn't a very big city. Its just a really touristy kinda small city. I am going to be senior companion but I guess he has been out longer than me.


I still am in a huge shock from coming from a little island for 6 months but I'm sure I will get used to it soon.

Well that is awesome to hear Ryan did so well in golf. Tell him congrats for me. Also it sounds fun all the family is at our Kitchen motel. That's funny they have a foreign exchange student with them. You guys should try to bring her to church and ask her if she would like missionaries to teach her. Mom I don't have time today to write my testimony or anything to give to the ward...I'm sorry maybe just use something from one of my last e mails. I haven't gotten any letters from cam or a package from the girls yet but I did receive some letters from Courtney Cook and from Kylie.


Well thank you so much mom for your testimony. It was amazing to read. It always helps mine when I read other peoples especially my own families. All the stuff you said were really nice and it made me really happy. It was great to hear from all of you. I hope all goes well at Issac's home coming. Tell him hello for me. I bet your almost ready to get back into school! Crazy! Well I love you all so much. No worries about me I'm still and always in the Lords hands. I hope you all have a great week. Keep praying for me especially that I will be able to be lead by the spirit to Gods prepared children who will receive the restored gospel. I know this work is true. I know it is so important. Until next week I love you.


Elder Kitchen

Dear Family,

Faka Lofa Atu from the Rock of Polynesia, Niue!! How is everyone doing today?! It was great to get your e mails today! It sounded like everything is going great with our family, extended family, and friends. I'm so glad to hear your all happy well and safe. I cant believe school is almost about to start for all of you. Summer went so fast its crazy! By the time I get back Ryan will be graduated from high school...crazy!

Well I leave the island this Friday, so this is the last time I will e mail you on the island. Its really weird....at times I'm really sad and others I just know this is where the Lord wants me to go. It will be a shock to go to the cold weather of New Zealand from this hot tropical humid weather. I'm really sad to leave the island people and experiences here but I have taken a lot of pictures and written a lot in my journal to remember all these experiences. I will never forget Niue. I bet your all going to be excited to hear but I found out where I am going to be serving in New Zealand. President Porter told me yesterday on the phone. I don't know how to spell it...but I will try. Its in Rotorua New Zealand. Its down south past Hamilton. Its in beautiful country side of New Zealand. Its going to be awesome and they said its so pretty down there. I guess its one of New Zealand most touristy towns. The only bad thing is it is probably going to be really cold. Its pretty much the most south you can go in our mission. My companion is going to be a Tonga from Australia! I forgot his name but I'll tell you when I get there. Its weird to think but by this time next week when I e mail you I will be in New Zealand.

Well they have done some farewell parties and dinners for me. Our branch had a huge volleyball island party for me. There was a lot of people, food, and games. It was really fun. They all said some really nice things about me and had me go up and give a speech. Man I almost cried but I forced myself not to. They are going to do another thing for me to I think. Mom you asked where the new companion is from that's coming to replace me. He is from Australia. I know I haven't said much about Elder Havea, but he is a great companion, very obedient. We get along so well, he is really funny, happy, and nice. He laughs a lot...like more than me. People call him Elder Giggles haha. I'm going to miss him he's a good missionary. He will do great being the senior companion of the island. I feel like I've trained him really good.

Wow that was so cool to hear about your Bear Lake trip!! I'm glad you all had so much fun and got to do some really cool things. I'm sure it was beautiful up there and the cabin sounds really nice. We always stay in really nice cabins. It's cool you got to golf a lot, eat heaps, relax, and go to the lake. I'm sure wave running was a blast!! I can't believe grandma Kitchen got on it HAHAHA! Wow tell her I think that's really awesome. You better have taken pictures of her! Hopefully we will get to go back someday. Mom you asked if I remember the last time we went...I don't really, just a couple of things....but I remember throwing up in the car. I'm sure everyone said hi to me, I miss all of them so much. I bet it was still just a blast. It was amazing to hear about that experience when grandpa prayed for me. That touches my heart and makes me so happy. Thank him so much and let them know I receive blessings and protection because of their prayers. I can feel all their love for me. Tell all the family I missed them and wished I could have been there.

Yeah maybe some day we can go fishing in Cabo Mexico Dad. Guess what we went again today. I caught a fish! It was a small reef fish but it was nice and colorful well kinda. It was really fun to go again. We'll have to go deep sea fishing some day. Well its still crazy there is only one more full week of summer left. Good luck everyone getting back to school. You'll have to let me know how school is and all your classes and teachers and stuff. Ryan sounds like is he busy doing his golf. I also cant believe Issac is coming home today!! THAT is insane!! WOW tell him hello and congrats for me. Tell him I'm so proud of him and I love him. I miss him and I can't wait someday to see him again.

Thank you for all the kind things you always say and all the blessings. Tell everyone I love and am grateful for everything they do for me. That's so nice to hear all the good things grandma and grandpa Kitchen said about me. I'm truly grateful to be in this incredible family. Tell all your family mom when you see them when Isaac comes home that I love them so much and miss them. I cant believe he's already coming home. Well it makes me so happy to hear you loved my testimony. Its so strong and words on a computer screen cant fully describe what I know to be true. I hope it touches others hearts and helps them gain a stronger testimony. Some time I would love to maybe hear my families testimony if you could do that.

That is nice that your going to visit Cam today. I wish I could have been there during his farewell. Time flies...I cant believe it was yesterday. I thought of that yesterday...I'm very proud of him. I bet he did a great job and I'm sure there was a ton of family and friends there. I haven't received a letter from him so maybe you could just ask if he has sent it. Its weird to think he is going into the MTC this Wednesday. Tell him I love him and I miss him. I'm very proud of him and that I'm so excited he is going into the MTC this Wed. He will love his mission and its the best thing he could be doing. Tell him good job and I wish I could have been there for him yesterday. But I'm praying for him and thinking about him leaving on his mission.

Well my 2nd to last week on the island was great. I did some really fun things and also had some great missionary experiences. We did our usual service and teaching things. Just tons of missionary work. It will be weird not having service anymore in NZ. We had some very spiritual experiences and we got one of our investigators to kneel down with us to ask weather the Book of Mormon was true. She felt the spirit and it was just incredible. My last time at church was great. I will miss this small faithful branch here. I love these people....Church was great. Awe my week was just awesome.

Well I'm going to leave now....I'm sorry it wasn't as long...but we have some other things we want to do today since its my last P day here. I want to go around the island one last time. Don't worry I will take lots of pictures! Wow its just crazy! Well thanks for everything family. I can feel your love and prayers. I am doing well very happy and safe. I'm excited to return back to NZ this week. I'll e mail you and tell you about my experience there. I love you all so very much. I know you all miss me but please don't be too sad...I'm alright and will see each other sooner than we know it, just be happy. smile and know I'm doing the right thing out here. Everyone have a wonderful great last week of summer. Be safe and just love life. Do the right thing and just keep being who you are.

Love Elder Kitchen

***I got behind in posting Elder Kitchens letters so I posted his last letter just 2 days ago, so read it first so it is in order. Happy reading!

Dear Kitchen Family,

Faka Lofa Atu from the island of Niue. How the heck is everyone in my wonderful family?! I hope your all loving life and enjoying your summer break. It sounds like your all very busy doing sports and all the fun exciting things summer brings. It was nice to get your emails today. I'm sorry it took some extra time for me to email. We went fishing today and did some other things before. I will tell you about a cool experience we had a little later on.

Well I wont be able to say Faka Lofa Atu from the little tropical island paradise much longer. Haha I found out I am leaving on August 20th. So that's next Friday. I don't know where I will be serving in New Zealand or I don't know who my companion is going to be. I will probably find out maybe next week or when I get to NZ. In some ways my 6 months here went so fast and in others it feels like I've been on this little island forever. I will definitely miss it here so much and especially the people. I love them and have made so many life long friends here. I have grown to love the Niuean culture, language, and people. The island is beautiful and I have so many priceless memories here. I hope some day I will be able to come back to the Rock of Polynesia. My companion is ready I think to be here and lead the new Elder. I hope I have trained him good. The new Elder that is coming to replace me is named Elder Halavaka. He is half Niuean and half Australian. He has never been to Niue but his dad was born and raised here. I'm sure he is excited to come here. Well I'll have to tell ya about the parties they'll throw me because I'm sure they will. And no worries I will definitely take more pictures of the people, buildings, and island before I leave. I don't want to leave sometimes but it will be good to get back to NZ. Its really cold there I hear so I will have a shock...going from the hot humid to cold. Well I have a couple more weeks on the island and I will make them good and then I will take off maybe to never return but I hope I will someday.

I'm sure you were excited to hear about if we had a baptism. Well its a long story but Ane decided she wasn't ready quite yet. So we didn't have a baptism. She said she still wants to but she is leaving this Friday to NZ for medical purposes and then I will be gone the next...so I wont ever see her be baptized. But at least I was a part of helping her on the path that will lead to eternal life. Mom you asked if we have had a lesson with Allen or his friend. Unfortunately Allen's friend said he wasn't interested anymore but Allen is just busy. We are trying to see him this week. Our other investigators are doing good, some better than others. We received two new investigators last week and we had some great lessons. Its a hard place here to baptize but we are trying our best to do what the Lord wants.

Dad it was nice to read you went to your high school reunion. I cant believe either its been 30 years!! WOW and I just graduated last year. Well I'm sure it was cool to see all your high school buddies and catch up with whats happened in their lives. I bet it was weird to see some of them too huh. You asked about our fishing experience...well last week we didn't catch anything. Its hard to catch fish in the ocean well at least reef fish because they just eat your bait off without getting hooked. They're really smart haha. There are so many kinds of fish here. The ones people catch on land are the reef fish (the really beautiful colorful ones) and also heaps of little different kinds of fish. They ones they catch out in the deep sea are huge and a lot of different kinds also.

I was so happy to hear Ryan made the golf team. Congrats man!! That's awesome. I'm sure your really excited and you'll do awesome this year. Keep me updated and everything. And good luck in your tournament coming up. If you try hard enough I know you can be the number one this year like you said. I remember golf it was way fun...I wish I would have put a little more effort into it though... Well I really hope Jami makes the Volleyball team. I will be praying for her because i really feel that is important if she makes it. Good luck Jami and do your best. You'll have to let me know next week. When I get back Jami and I will have to play because I'm getting a lot better now. We play every week. It was also good to hear Kaylee is busy with her soccer and is doing great. You'll have to let me know how she does. Well Its good to read they are all busy doing productive active things in their live! I'm really happy.

Bear Lake this weekend! Aw that's so cool... I'm jealous, that sounds really fun. I hope you all have a blast. You guys should rent wave runners since you don't have a boat! Well you better all be safe and have a blast up there. Let me know how it went. And say hello to all the cousins for me. Its weird to think mom that the last time we went on a trip with dads family was almost 2 years ago. I cant believe Issac is going home so soon. Soon it will be me!! CRAZY!! I was shocked to hear that Samantha is going to college already!! Wow time flies....she is getting so old. I can remember when we used to be little best buddies doing things like selling snow cones on the street corner and now she is off to college! That is awesome she got a full ride to Snow college. AND wow! NICK going to California!! That is awesome! Tell him congrats for me. I bet he'll love that....man it seems like I'm one of the only people I know that went so far away on my mission. (well people I'm really close with that is...some of my friends went far away too)

Well I'm not going to go in very much detail but my week was good. We did a lot of teaching and service as usual. Tried to find new investigators, knocked on some doors, and just did missionary work. We went on trade offs with some members and visited a lot of less active members. Some came to church last Sunday so that was amazing. We went home teaching with our branch too. It is such a great experience to teach people about the gospel. It makes me so happy. I love sharing with people what I believe to be true. And to share my testimony is just incredible. Bro. Morey (a church matainence guy from NZ) was in Niue this past week. We helped him a bunch, he took us out to eat at some restaurants twice last week so that was good. We helped a member do a bunch more cement work again. I'm really good at that now haha. Well Saturday we helped some members decorate and prepare the airport for the Miss Niue pagent. It was really cool looking how they decorated everything covered in island plants and coconut leaves. We went to the bush and gathered some leaves for them. And guess what all the members told us to go to the pageant so we did. We went to Miss Niue! But don't worry they didn't wear all these tiny swimming suits or anything. Niue is a small Christan island and they have standards, even the non members. But we only went for a little while. It was fun to watch to see all the cool and incredible island style customs they had. They had cultural one's that it was entirely made out of leaves and flowers and things. The talent part was cool also.

Church yesterday was great. I gave another talk in church! I spoke on receiving revelation and inspiration from Heavenly Father. Man I'm seriously not even scared at all anymore to give a talk. I'm so comfortable up there and I look up almost the entire time. Never at my paper very much. I actually enjoy giving talks. And guess what we had a cool experience fishing today and so its cool I get to already tell you. We went fishing this morning with a member. We went to this little beach place that had a wolf (a concrete thing the boats dock onto) so no worries we never got in the water. It was a beautiful place and we had a great time. It's so cool to fish in the ocean. Well we weren't having very much luck when all of a sudden we saw a fishing boat starting to come in. It was a Niuean guy and we helped him get his boat on shore. We looked inside and he had caught 4 HUGE Whahoo fish (that's the name of the fish). Then he just said here and he gave us one!! It was really big! MAN we thanked him so much and then took pictures with it. Man it makes me really wanna go deep sea fishing someday. It was awesome. Ill have to show you the pictures. Well we stayed fishing longer after that. And we almost caught a big fish from the shore. I guess it got attracted when we were cleaning the dead fish they guy gave to us. And show Suni (the member) grabbed one of the little fish (our bait) and hocked in on the hook. He throught the line out and almost immediately we caught it. It took awhile to pull it close to shore and right before we almost had it the line snapped. EHHH!! it was so frustrating...oh well. It was a way fun experience this morning.

Well I probably have to go really soon. But I just want you all to know I love you with all my heart. Its hard sometimes but I know I'll see ya soon. I'm where I'm supposed to be and wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Your a wonderful family and the Lord truly has blessed us. I hope you have a wonderful vacation and have fun. Just keep praying for me and I'll do the same. Even though I'm half way around the world I can feel your love and prayers. I'm experiencing things I'd never dreamed of and strengthening my testimony so much. I love this gospel so much. I know God lives with all my heart. I have felt his over powering love and forgiveness. I have seen his mighty miracles and I know I'm an instrument in his hands helping his children back to him. I know Jesus Christ is truly the Son of God and Savior of the World. He has taught us how to live, sacrificed his life for us, restored his gospel to the Prophet Joesph Smith, and he will return again someday to the earth. I have increased my faith in him and his everlasting Atonement. It is only through him we can be saved and receive everlasting eternal life in the Celestial kingdom of God. We have to have faith in him, repent of our sins, and keep his commandments. I know we have been promised all that God has, all power, glory, and happiness. We can be together with our family in happiness for all eternity. God has done so much for us to make sure we can...now its up to us to endure to the end. I know this church is the one and only true church upon this earth. I know this and so much more. I can go on so long baring my testimony but I have to go. I love this church and gospel and I know its true. Well Again I love you all. Have a great week. And always do whats right.

Love your son and brother Elder Tyler Paul Kitchen

Dear Dad, Mom, Ryan, Jami, and Kaylee

Hey guys! How is everyone doing? Sounds like your all staying busy with some fun exciting things this summer. I'm glad everyone is doing good. Its always nice to look forward to Monday to e mail my family every week. Well this week I'm doing so much better. Last week was kinda a hard week and I went through some trails but this week was much better. Oh before I forget President Porter called me a couple of days ago and told me that he is sending me back to New Zealand in a couple of weeks. Wow it came as a shock but yes I'm leaving the island after all these months. I have so many mixed feelings....I'm excited to go back to NZ for many reasons...but I'm also going to miss Niue so much. The people here especially...I'm so close with them. I love the people so much. But your right mom, I've had so many incredible unforgettable experiences here that I will never forget. I'm very lucky and blessed to have been able to come here!

Oh yeah tell Paulette just to e mail me a letter. I'm sure its okay. Mom you can probably also tell other family members just to e mail me. I'm pretty sure we can because they're family. But I'll ask though. Yeah we've done a ton of cement work out here on Niue. We did some this week too. I'm really good at it now and its because I learned it at building construction. And WOW 30 year high school reunion, your getting old dad hahaha just kidding. But that will be great if you go so you can see all the people to went to high school with 30 years later. I wonder if you'll recognize most of them.

I love my cousins and miss them too. Thank you mom for giving my blog spot to everyone, friends cousins and family. Its nice that they can read about my mission. Thank you so much for doing that mom. It was fun and interesting to read that I've been more west than a lot of people on earth...what do you mean about that...I think I know but I'm not sure?? Well I'm glad all your summers are going so great. Everyone is doing awesome and wonderful.

Well this week was incredible. We had many amazing things happen and we witnessed a mighty miracle from the hands of the Lord. Last Monday we went fishing again. We just sat on the wolf (the thing that goes out far into the water where boats dock onto), but it was fun to go fishing. This week we also did a ton of service to help out members and investigators. We worked really hard. We also had a lot of really good lessons. We got a new investigator also. We just prayed so much, fasted and just gave the Lord our best. We had some incredible lessons and had some wonderful experiences. We had some really good lessons and I bore my testimony so powerfully I know the Lord is pleased with my work. I can feel the spirit working through me. I just love it so much. We had a mighty miracle yesterday. Long story short one of our investigators wanted to be baptized but had a problem with a village minister. So we prayed so hard, fasted, and I know your prayers helped so much, but the Lord provided a powerful way and miracle. We found a way and we had a wonderful lesson with her and her parents last night. She agreed to be baptized this SATURDAY!! SO I will be able to see her get baptized before I leave!! I'm so grateful to the Lord. Wow it was just an amazing experience.

Well so much happened this week and I didn't go into very much detail about the experience we had but I don't have much time. I just wanna share one more cool experience I had this week. Well one of the members asked us if we could go help him. His friend had shot and killed a wild pig out in the bush over in another village on the other side of the island. So we went and helped him put into his truck and we took it to his house. WOW it was a huge wild pig. IT had huge curly teeth and it was kinda scary looking! It was crazy! Well he skinned it (cut off all the skin) and then we gutted it and cleaned all the insides out. Then we cut it up and Suni cooked the liver heart and insides for us to eat. It was actually pretty good. He also cooked wild pig steak and it was nice. It was a crazy experience haha.

Well I got to go now. Thanks for everything. Dad you asked if I need anything. I'm good I don't need anything no worries. Well I hope you all have a wonderful week. I sure do love you so much, I know you pray for me and I can feel the prayers and know they bless me. So thank you. Your a wonderful family. Please have a wonderful rest of the summer.

Love Elder Kitchen

Dear Family!

How are all of you doing this week? It sounds like you just got back from cousin camp and it was a blast and now your chilling at home with all the cousins and family. I never received a letter from Dad but his e mail sent back an auto thing saying he was out of the office so I assume he is on a business trip or something. I'm doing pretty good but sometimes wish I was back in New Zealand just because a couple of reasons. I just keep my head held high and don't worry about it.

It was good to hear about cousin camp this past week. I hope all of you had a blast. I wish I could have been there but its alright there will be more I will be able to go to. Sounds like boating, visiting family, eating heaps of food, and doing random things was a blast. Heber is a beautiful place and I'm sure it was nice. I'm sure like you said mom it was different without me but I'm sure you all had a lot of fun. Did Kylie go to cousin camp? I remember her saying before I went on my mission that she wasn't going to go when I was on my mission. I'm sure she still went and had a blast. I bet you all had a great time telling everyone stories about my mission and things. Too bad I wasn't there to tell the stories because everyone loves my story telling haha. It was nice to read everyone says hello to me and is proud of me. I really wish I could write them all lots of letters...its just so hard because the mission rule is only write family and friends on P-days (that's only once a week on Monday) and we are usually so busy getting other things done or doing other things. But I am writing some friends today and when I'm finished writing them maybe next week or so I'll start to write some cousins and family members. Please just let them know I love them all so much and miss them like crazy.

Oh yeah I was going to ask you mom, have you given my blog spot address to my friends, cousins, family, and stuff. If you haven't that would be amazing if you could give it to them. Because its a great way for my friends to read how my mission has been and for cousins and family. I really do miss them and I'm sad I cant write them more. Tell Kylie if shes there at our house I'm so incredibly sorry for not writing her yet. I loved her letters and I've just been so busy. Tell her I miss her a lot and wish I was there chilling with her. How is she doing now? Well I'm glad Susan and Jason had a great time in Utah and its sad they had to leave. But I'm glad they are all safe and well. I wish I could see their kids because they're all so cute.

Mom I was so surprised when you told me you work on the yard 2-3 hours A DAY!! WOW it probably looks incredible. No wonder you wish I could see it. I can just imagine you guys in the evenings enjoying the nice weather and sitting on that new furniture enjoying the beautiful yard. That's great maybe take some pictures or something. Well like you said I'm sure your not excited for school. Sounds like your loving the relaxing and doing things you want. I love not worrying about school right now but yeah I bet I will have mixed emotions about it when I get back.

It's crazy as always to think James is going into the MTC this Wed! And Cam is leaving in 3 weeks!! When is his mission farewell? And Nicolas wow that's crazy about his call. I didn't know the general authorities go on vacations. I bet he's just dying to get his call. I'm so happy he decided to go on a mission...I remember when he was saying he didn't want to go. Wow he's lucky he's on a backpacking trip in Canada along the Pacific Coastline! Sounds like an adventure. I'm going to try to write him and Issac hopefully soon...ugh....But I still can't believe Issac is coming home in 3 weeks. It went fast and I'm sure he loved his mission. I did receive an e mail from him a while ago but I forgot to e mail him back. Maybe today I will send him an e mail.

So hows every ones summer been? What has Jami, Kaylee, and Ryan been up to? Anything new happening. I cant believe its summer there and no school. How are the Dogs? Have you guys done anything fun with the family? Any other trips planned or ones besides cousin camp? I hope you guys just enjoy every bit of your summer.

Well some about me now... my week was alright. We are just trying to teach, find new investigators, and do everything we can to save souls. Sometimes is frustrating and a little discouraging when so many lessons fall through, when people don't keep commitments, or when things don't work out. Niue is an extremely hard place to serve a mission. I've had kinda a hard week but we've still seen miracles and had spiritual experiences. Its just such a hard place to baptize. But I know we can still do it if we just put complete faith in the Lord. That's what I'm working extra hard on now is having more faith. We've done a lot of service as usual. I'm really good at concrete work (cement work) we do quite a bit on the island. We also gave our house a big cleaning job this past week. The Hekasi family took us to a restaurant on Thursday so that was good. We've done a lot of tracking, finding people to teach, and doing everything we can. We are working so hard and its exhausting sometimes. But I know the Lord gives me strength...and a lot of it is because of your prayers.

Its been hard to get a hold of investigators this week and we've had some problems with some of them. When we called President Porter yesterday (we call him every Sunday) he said he knows we are working so hard and doing our best. He said he was praying and knows we can still baptize. He told me that we really need to work on helping our investigators just get over their concerns and be baptized. To help us strengthen our faith and us it is a principal of power. I'm really trying to do that. Please I'm sure you do everyday but pray for our investigators that miracles will happen. Especially that Anne's village minister will let her be baptized or that Henry's mom will soften her heart and allow him to be baptized. I know it will help. Thank you so much.

Well everything is good with me its just a little hard sometimes but that's a mission. So don't worry, everything is great. Thanks for all the love, support, and for everything you do to help me through your prayers, words, and actions. It really does mean a lot. And mom everything you say to me every week really does help so much. I know you mean every word. I know I make a ton of mistakes but I'm trying my very best. And its so comforting to read all those things about my family which I love so much.

Well its time for me to get off. But just know I do love you with all my heart. I'm grateful for all of you so much. I miss you so much....its hard and my heart aches sometimes but I'm strong and the Lord helps me so much. My mission is the best thing I've ever done. I know this work is true. I know God blesses me and our family for my service. Your such a wonderful family and I could never ask for anyone better. Please have a great week. Be happy and keep enjoying your summer. Tell everyone hello for me. I hope all is well with Dad. I hope to get a letter from him next week. I can feel your prayers and I know God gives me blessings because of your prayers. I pray for our family everyday. I hope with all my heart you all stay safe, happy, healthily, and well. Its hard to say goodbye each week but until next week know I love you all.

Love your son, brother, and friend Elder Tyler Kitchen