8/22/16

Bryson is so happy that he gets to stay in Wainuiomata and that Hayden is still his companion.  He was made district leader, so I asked him about that and what his responsibilities are:

becoming a district leader.. no i'm not set apart. My responsibilities include; making sure everyone is in at night in my district, baptism interviews for converts, running district meetings, being there to take care of any problems or challenges missionaries face, uhmmmm.... assisting the zone leaders, and being an example to the district. I have one of the bigger districts in the mission. Not massive but about 10 missionaries. I'm excited to help missionaries personally. To be a friend they can go to.. because I know what it's like to have a hard time on the mission and not have anyone to talk to. That's what i'm looking forward to most of all.


I will send you a photo of our investigator who will most likely be baptized in the next month or so (: she is so cool.. her name is Haylee Anderson. She has been in 2 lessons in just over a week and has read up to 2nd Nephi already!!! That is a masssssive sign of commitment and progress! She is Chiyah's ex but since he invited her to church about 2 or so months ago.. I don't think she has missed! She's great (:

Haylee Anderson

So.. story time.

When I first got here in wainui, Chiyah, Tyla, Daniel, and Nikki.. (all family) NEVER came to church. I didn't even know they were members!! But I first connected with Chiyah.. he is one of my best friends in the world!! We connected from my background at home.. (being up to date with things) haha and we always started to hangout.. so after about 3 months.. he began to come to church!! And then next.. Daniel!! Came back and loved hanging out with me and the young men and he just recieved his priesthood about 3 weeks ago! He has passed the sacrament worthily and happily since (: And then Tyla.. We got a long really well just about 3 months ago! We connected and found out we had a lot in common and I just began to be her friend! She has had a rough up bringing.. all of them have.. But anyways, she was moving to Aussie! So I just simply reminded her to keep things in perspective! That the gospel and life is eternal, and if she isn't happy, she needs to do whatever she can to get there.. So when she left, I was kinda sad but oh well, she will experience life right? So she went, started going to church there and doing scripture study, and after about 5 weeks over there she had the feeling she needed to break up with her boyfriend (in aussie with her) and return home to start preparing for a mission and things (: and she is back, hasn't missed church since, they've brought Haylee (our investigator) to the light of the gospel and is now being taught, and their mom who has been inactive for about 26 years has started coming back about 3 weeks ago (: And we have been teaching her as well!! But all of this has only happened because I was suppose to be here at this time with these people. And I have focused on serving them and being their friends more than anything. And Looking back, i've seen miracles. I couldn't really see them in the moment.. kinda down on myself and everything.. but i'm glad i'm here (: I'm glad these kids are preparing for the temple to be sealed as a family. It's made me so happy!!!!(:

Tyla

 oh and another thing!!!! the bishop lost her records when she went to aussie, so she almost had to get re baptized.. which is sad, but would have been super cool because she asked me to baptize her.. she has told me a few times over that i'm the reason she is back in the gospel!! Which is cool!! I honestly haven't done anything though.. or that's how I feel! I've just wanted to be her friend and stuff! But I guess that is all she needed? Who knows. Anyways.. I love this family.

Chiyah

New Zealand Gorgeousness...

if you look really closely, you can see a rare fan tail bird near the top of the bridge to the left.

8-7-16 Group Email

So this week has been good! Me and Hazel still having a great time!! We started out on monday going on some hikes and stuff with Chiyah Oti La-Hood. Such a baller. He has had a few months of praying now about going on a mission or not and this week (here is a miracle) he was sleeping one night and suddenly shot up awake and knew that he needed to go on a mission!!!!! So he will be starting his papers soon (:
That same night we also went back to the hike area when it was dark with some Ysa and looked at the Glow worms!!! Sooo cool. They're way too small and I don't have a tripod so I couldn't take any photos but they are super cool.

I got a new suit... it's a meaaaan suit, and some new pants and a handful of dope new ties...

A miracle and cool experience happened though.. very scary but cool. So Tuesday morning at like 5 or so in the morning we got a phone call from Auntie Barbie and she asked if we could rush over to their house and give uncle K a blessing because he had a super tight chest and was struggling breathing.. So we got up and ran over as quick as we could.. The ambulance was there and everyone was up and kinda crying and stressed.. Callum was walking really slowly out to the ambulance when we got there. This is amazing to me.. He stopped his walk to the ambulance to sit down for a priesthood blessing. So I gave him a blessing and I have no idea what I said. All I know is a said everything would be okay.. so off he went to the hospital. Then we ended up giving 2 of the kids a blessing because they were sick and scared. And we went off to the hospital with them.

I didn't know the full story until yesterday at fast and testimony meeting. 3 of the family members that were there, went up and bore their testimonies.

They were all SOOOO grateful for the priesthood and stuff and I had no idea what it really meant to them. Apparently before we got to the house early that morning, Callum asked his son Brodie to come and talk to him. He told his son to be the man over the house. To take care of all his sisters and his mother. He thought he was going to die. And so did they. But as he was at the hospital. He completely went back to normal except for a little high blood pressure. He was discharged within 9 hours of his heart attack.

Because of this experience, I know how I want to serve my mission. And I know how I want to be when I'm a father. I want to use my priesthood as much as I can to help as many people as possible. It's a real power that we have to call upon heaven.

That is the way Christ served. That's the way I want to serve.

I LOVE the people here. I LOVE this place. I have found family that i've never met until my mission. I'm so grateful for the literal power that we have in this gospel. To save people.

I'm not saying I saved Callum. I didn't hardly do anything. I am grateful though that I was able to be Heavenly Fathers connection as he blessed that man and family.



--
Elder LaMunyon

Hangi from a random guy on the street

Rained for 2-3 weeks straight!

New Zealand described in one picture

The Countryside

a EWE protecting her babies in a crazy wind

SNOWWWWW! (look closely on the mountain top)

Perspective.

7/31/16

I'm focused. Completely. I love this work. I'm just getting to scratch the surface of what my mission is about. We are working hard. This week we have set goals to stretch and push ourselves.

Something cool that happened this week.... We had zone training with president and me and Elder Hassell impressed him a lot!! like tons.. We were the companionship that came up with the most creative and new ways to work with leaders and members for everyone to try.. So that was awesome. They gave us a bag of lollies for it!!

I studied Alma like 22 through 30 I think.. The story of King Lamoni, Ammon, Aaron and Lamonis father and all the ways they taught the lamanites and the service they provided!!!! So amazing.. I love the mission stories.

We taught nearly all 5 lessons yesterday!!!! hahahaha. We taught 2 or 3 lessons during church and then some after church. Which is crazy. A goal for the mission is to teach all 5 lessons in 2 weeks. (that is how slow the mission is. That's a goal that really pushes us hard) but we are working on achieving it (:

Something new.. I am actually really into rugby now haha. We were at Uncle K's and they had us watch the last half of the super rugby semi final and Wellington won! So we will be playing the South African Sharks this week and might go with them!! That would be so cool!!!!


Love you mom. So much!!

--
Elder LaMunyon

A member "shouted" them this share meal from McD's.

Hiking adventures:

They really DO work: