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:

Group Email 7/17/16

My first week with Hazel has been so flipping fun!!! We have just been having so much fun laughing and joking around and remember old stories of all the fun times we had in scouts and growing up!!! It's so nice to not have to get a completely new person.. which I've had to do nearly every month and a half on my mission. We instantly have unity and have such a good connection!!! He is a fantastic missionary and loves the work.

One sad thing happened though. Elder Walsh called me yesterday morning and said he has decided to go home.. I wonder if I could have done anything to help him.. But I kind of saw it coming. I just can't believe it happened so fast into his new area and companion.

Things are going great!! Feeling great, doing great, working hard.

Studying has been kind of hard this week. we have been so busy with transfers and stuff it's just been crazy. But Hassell taught me about 2 Nephi 9:39.. SMILE which means Spirtually Minded Is Life Eternal. I love that.. Also I taught him about Alma 32:28 how do you know it's a good seed? it will Swell in your breast, Enlarge your sould, Enlighten your mind and become Delicious to you.
I think that's the right order... hahah

We have met with some members and me and Elder Hassell are going to run a Ward FHE to teach these people how to interact with family and friends bearing purpose testimonies and we are going to make each family in the ward have a baptismal goal. Just like missionaries. They pray and fast about a family or friend they want to see baptized and taught and when we visit with them we have a specific name to follow up with.. Should be awesome and hopefully we get heaps of investigators through that (:

Teaching non members.. We actually had a miracle his first or second day here. We went to the market and started teaching a man named Sefo about families and temples! He loves what we teach SO much.. But as we were teaching, 3 others came and listened. E Amentiers, Matthew, and Bob. We were teaching them about prophets and repentance and being baptized with authority from God and one of them even started recording us, and they kept saying that they were feeling us speak truth and that they were feeling so much love and everything and so I popped the question.. "After we teach you more, will each of you be baptized if you continue to feel this feeling?" All 4 said yes, and they would love it.

So no big deal, me and Hassell just preaching the word out here in NZ telling them to repent and be baptized like Peter, James, John, and the early missionaries (: Plus Matthew and E gave us two free Hangis.. Which Elder Hassell explains in a video I'm going to put on the drive. It's a couple video journals.

Coolest thing about my mission so far.... being companions with Hazel and also I still think Haynze teaching his mom the Plan of Salvation on his own was amazing. It's cool enough he understood it and got baptized but to draw it out perfectly on a board and teach his mom who had no knowledge of it at all, is AWESOME.

I love the mountains in this area. We are surrounded by them!!!

I love you so much mom (: Hope home is good.

--
Elder LaMunyon

Group Email 7/10/16

for those who don't know about our fun news...
Bryson's new companion Elder Hassell is a friend that he grew up with.  His family moved away when the boys were about 13 or 14.  When they were called to the same mission, we didn't know if they would serve as companions (and frankly, we doubted they would) - but after 8 months of hard areas and companions, he has been blessed to be reunited with this childhood friend!  We know that this is just the morale boost that our Elder needs at this time, and that they will be able to accomplish great things together in Wainuiomata.



Kia ora whanau and hoa!

this week was a good week!!! Mainly because me and Elder Hassell have been reunited to a companionship!!! I am so beyond excited for what the future holds in this area. Hopefully we get to teach and see many miracles (:

what happened this week was a lot of goodbyes to good old Elder Walsh. Who really has taught me a lot. I will miss him more than I expected but change is good!

it'll be a quick email though so i'm sorry.. we have dinner waiting to be picked up and basketball to go to!! But I love everyone and miss them heaps!!!



Oh. I also saw Durtchi again!!!!(:

--
Elder LaMunyon

New Zealand Speak

email question from Megan to Bryson: Any more slang you've learned? Mom laughs at your use of the word "rubbish"

his response:

oh yup. that's not really slang that's just what they say haha. Uhm, they don't call erasers erasers.. I learned this last night when haynze kept  asking me if I had any rubber, he said it like 6 times and eventually I was just like "What do you mean?? I DON"T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING" and nanna marylin said "Haynze babe they don't call them that! They are erasers!!

So yeah, that was frustrating.

Uhmmmmm.... if something is expensive they just call it deer.
If they are all good with something they will say "Safe bro, yup"
We say "ah i'm Keen" or something like that heaps.. we also say heaps instead of "alot"
it's not candy here.. it's lollies
They don't really drink hot chocolate, they drink this thing called milo. It was weird at first but now I like it.
We say "Churr bro"
Cheers mate
"Ahh yih" pretty much is like "ohh yeah I understand"

Heaps of stuff haha. I'll have fun at home when no one understands me

1/3 of the Mission Completed! Email 7-3-16

I know it really is so weird - 1/3 done!!! I think I might be here for another 3 months or so.. But I will know in one week. Could even hit my year mark here in Wainui, but we will see.

Thank you for your prayers and fasting. I have felt them and seen miracles in my life and spirit that are only because of my family. So thank you (:

Thanks for the advice about the priesthood too.. I was actually thinking about that a lot recently. About how I have some great priesthood holders around me on the mission and it would be awesome to get blessings often from them (: So I will start asking more and using mine as well.

Cool photos!!(: you're getting really good mom, honest. Nanna marylin is making me and my companion some chicken and stuffing for a big feed tonight since it's the 4th (: So yay! I'll try to get more pictures this week! I was sick from like wednesday or thursday to like yesterday.. Not crazy bad but there were a couple nights of sour stomach and throwing up. I'm pretty much better now.. I hope (: hahaha.

Haynze will be getting the priesthood this week and also a kid who hasn't come to church pretty much since he was baptized has become really fond of me and has started coming! He found a suit and his mom bought him a shirt and tie and he has been for about a month straight and he will be getting his priesthood this week too! He is nearly 16. His name is Daniel Oti. And i'm hoping to see him on a mission. Lots of good things have come into light!

Daniel is the one with his arm around Bryson.

The olsens who coach the wainui basketball team have asked me to help coach so I've been doing that for about 2 months and it has been awesome!!! something I didn't know was they were inactive and wouldn't let anyone from the ward visit them or they wouldn't talk to anyone really for years!!!! But now we go over whenever we want and they LOVE having us over and they always invite us to things! Even their 5 year old sons birthday party and they have been coming to church pretty much every week!! They aren't taking the sacrament I don't think.. I'm not sure why but I hope they are finding blessings in their life (:

Another lady, Amelia Brown hasn't come to church for 12 years and is now coming every week, she sang at one of our firesides and she is taking the Gospel Principles class now, she has commited to coming every week and wants her daughter to take the lessons now to be baptized.

A lot of these things haven't been really anything we knew or been our focus! We have just been connecting with anyone. Not for the purpose of getting them to church or anything but just becoming friends and now look at the miracles (: we didn't even know that these people were so difficult to get back to church or even in their homes! pretty cool (:

Random Photo Post

on splits with district leader

New Zealand palm tree

hand carved box (gift from member)

Excerpts of Emails from the Past 3 Weeks

So, sorry there has been such a lack of group emails!  I finally told Bryson yesterday that I would compile parts of his last few emails and create one to send out to share.   I made comments in italics to kind of explain some backstory.  Anyway, here it is...  
(Keep Bryson in your prayers.  We appreciate it, and I know they help him!)


6-12-16
I felt like I should include this in the group email, because only sharing the good isn't the whole story and what a mission REALLY is sometimes.  Sometimes it's just HARD!!  He hasn't yet had a companion (other than very brief periods) who has been enthusiastic about mission life and following the rules and all that comes with being a valiant missionary.  And that has been really tough on our boy.  We prayed and prayed  for him and his mission president to help get him through this hard time.

I'm still kind of struggling. Lately I have felt 0 confidence. I just feel like ever since I've left I haven't been myself. Confident, goofy, energetic. I just lack all of it. And I'm really struggling not having anyone to talk to. That's why I called Hayden. Yes it did help because I actually felt like I was talking to a friend. Something I've been missing for a long time. I know that Heavenly Father is here for me but I am not sure why it's been so hard to feel comfort and peace. With my companion and things I just haven't felt like anyone is here for me. I'm sorry for being really down. I just don't know how else to put it. I'm trying. I really am. And I love being around Haynze and teaching him. Especially excited for the baptism saturday! And he has chosen me to baptize. So i'm really honored about that. But I really miss family. I just wish I felt normal. There is so much pressure and so much stress with everyone watching you and giving you things to do and expectations and lots of thoughts that go through my head every day.

I want to lead and I want to be a great missionary. But right now I'm feeling held back. A lot. But I know that if I wait it out and stay tough. I'll experience more happiness. It's just feeling like forever since I've been confident and stuff



6-19-16
I had asked Bryson some questions.  He was using a member's ipad at breakfast with a wonky keyboard, so he copied them and added responses, that is why this format on this particular email.  and joy!!!  He was feeling happier, and his president had responded to Bryson's concerns. 

How are you this week?  I'm good (: Haynze has boosted my spirits and president did talk to me and Elder Walsh

Did haynze get baptized??  How was that? yes he did!!! twice.. lol. It was amazing. He is honestly the coolest kid ever. just kinda hyper hahha

What counsel did your mission president offer?  Did he respond? He said that the mission is a time for Heavenly Father to teach us. And the only reason I have been with Elder Walsh is because he needs me to be his companion because i'm a missionary he can trust with such a big load. He also has been calling Elder Walsh nightly so he can talk and try to help Walsh find his purpose.

Love you mom! I'm doing better!

later that same conversation:

But mom I'm really doing a lot better. I feel like I'm a part of the family now here in Wainuiomata and I've realized how much I love these people! And president gave some uplifting thoughts. People change and so do transfers haha. But I'm okay. 2 weeks until transfers and plus I have exchanges today until Wednesday! So that'll be fun (:


6-26-16
excerpt from this week's email.  They were spending p-day helping people move, so his emails yesterday were very brief.

We were woken up today by a member banging on our window saying "Elders! Elders! I need your help out front! There is an emergency!!!"
when I ran out I thought someone was dying or something!!! But his van was just slipping out front in the muddy rain and nearly tipping over into the neighbors house!!!! So we had to push it and tow it out of the yard without it rolling into the house hahaha. Soooo that was fun.. .Only took like 2 hours in the pouring wet rain. I slipped a few times in the mud hahaha. Then when we went back to the flat the package was there and warmed me up (:

Group Email 5-29-16

So just found out i'll be staying in Wainuiomata for another 6 weeks which i'm pretty happy about (: I'll probably be here for quite a bit. But the mission transfers have proven to  be quite unpredictable. We had a lot of time spent with auntie kell and helping her set up the ward conference activities which was a ball! It was pretty fun. We spent all night friday and all day saturday setting it up! it turned out quite nice! Then we had the actual conference on sunday. It was really good. Bishop gave a pretty good talk about turning and committing. How we have to turn in the direction we want to go and give it all we got.. I think I could definitely do that much more. 

Then that night we had yet ANOTHER fireside.. His love part 2(: It turned out really good. I made videos featuring Sister Sagote, Nanna Marilyn, and uncle and auntie Wilson (Sonny and Keli-ann) (: It was a great night and the best part about it was auntie Kim came!!!(: She is less active but the nicest person in the world. She always cooks us delicious kai like Fry bread burgers and Huge Roast dinners and really wants to make my dads Crepe recipe with me (: one of the main reasons she is less active is because she has a smoking problem.. But she came to the fireside and one of the videos really touched her and she loved the whole night so much, she has decided to come back to church sunday. And she is one that you can actually believe and take her word for. She said she realized she doesn't have to be perfect to go to church and enjoy the gospel. She knows that to enjoy the FULL blessings and even more happiness she would need to stop smoking, but small steps are big ones in this case (: I'm so glad she has felt the spirit and support from our savior to come back after many many years of not even stepping foot in the chapel. That is definitely a huge miracle (: 

I'm grateful for the chance I have to serve these people. They have definitely served me more than I have them.. But I really do love these people now. I see them as whanau and that is how they treat me (: I'm not sure if any missionaries have ever gotten more calls than me and my companion asking if we were moving or staying.. they were all so worried that we could be moving!! They were wanting to throw a farewell if either of us left haha. I'm glad we have been able to connect so well with the members here. I feel like this is the best missionary work we could do. Strengthening what we have, finding those who need to be rescued and teaching in everything we do. 

I've been through a lot on my mission mentally and emotionally. But i'm working on using the gospel and Christ's atonement to have Joy in my life. Pure joy. There is nothing I need to worry about, or stress about when I am living the gospel and helping others. Life will be good. And like President Monson has said! "Everything will work out"

Love you all (:

-- 

Elder LaMunyon

kids he helps coach for rugby

just thought this was a cool shot :)

Member MTC Day tags (a great success - hopefully we'll hear more details about it soon!)

more from MMTC day

MMTC Day

group shot MMTC Day - sorry it's not super clear!

Group Email 5-15-16

This week has been a blur. It went by so fast! It was amazing seeing my family over the weekend though!! I sure miss them a lot. That was definitely the highlight of this week!

The other days this week have been full of planning and preparing for yet another fireside! We are handing out mission calls to members of the ward to participate in the Member MTC! We will be training our members here in Wainuiomata to teach and invite simply. And in a non threatening way(: Hopefully more referrals come out of this because we currently get about 0 a week hahahah. So I will have a compilation of people opening calls soon for everyone to see(:

We had our sports night again! Every friday seems to be getting funner and funner. You can definitely see a unity in the ward because of firesides and activities where everyone works together! It's really awesome. I really enjoy having members around to be with and to work with! We play volleyball and NBD but my team didn't lose once.. 💁

We have also continued to help kids train on the high school 2nd 15's rugby team (: They are a good group of kids but they are pretty UnCo.. (uncoordinated. Yes they have slang for that word) They just don't know how to like play sport it seems like haha. They tackle standing straight up and there have been a plethora of injuries due to UnConess. And they got absolutely smashed on saturday. But they are improving!!! hahaha.

It's also getting very cold. The wind here is insane!!! it's hard to fall asleep at night! They call it windy welly. It is very cold wind coming from the south pole. And it is very humid here so it's really cold air as well haha. Gotta love it though!!

Interesting fact - Our mission actually covers a small part of Antarctica. Sadly no missionaries have ever been assigned there. But pretty cool..

--
Elder LaMunyon

Haynze is back!!  They are hoping to continue with the last few lessons, and baptize this cute kid!

According to the Elder, this is the best shirt EVER!

fog over Wainuiomata hills

Moody morning

Her name is Irie.  She calls the Elder "Duhmunyun"