Elder Connor Ward's Mission: First week in New Zealand

Dear Family,

AWWWWWWWWWHHHH MAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNN!!! I'm in the most beautiful country in the whole world experiencing the best 2 years of my life and you still make me a little jealous!!! COLLIN!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND GOOD JOB BRO!!!! The big 1- 7…you can go to stake dances now! Well Collin, I will have you know that I did sing happy birthday for you and have thought about you a lot! Also, I am looking for a place where I can buy you a New Zealand All Blacks jersey around here (or just some other freakin sweet jersey because you are a boss), which by the way, I get made fun of for saying "boss". Don’t worry…just to my companion. Good job on the win in the volleyball tournament! Did people even try to block the white wall of terror known as Collin Ward? Or did they just give up? You totally should have played in the A's division. I have so much to talk about it's not even funny! Just know that I love you bro and I have set a goal to get something to you in at least 3 months. ;)

Oh, so anyways my new companion’s name is Elder Manewell (man-a-well). He has defintley struggled on his mission. He has ADHD and suffers from chronic fatigue but he is a great guy. Anywho this last Monday, after we emailed, we went down to some rec center to play basketball and well... Elder Manewell crashed down on his foot pretty hard and sprained it pretty bad... So we spent my first day in New Zealand in the hospital getting x-rays, prescriptions, and whatnot. We did however still have a sweet week! We taught about 30 lessons found 6 new investigators and we baptized a family with triplet sisters and a boy named Haylen. (sorry I don’t have pictures)

I’m not going to lie though, even though I had been looking forward to coming here for quite some time, this week was definitely the hardest of my mission so far. I am serving in Papakura in the Red Hill ward. Haha…there is a missionary from this ward serving in Mesa Arizona too. Anyways, it's really hard to explain but this mission is so different from my other mission….really different! Just a whole lot more changes that I’m not used to... like for example we have to sing before every lesson... EVERY LESSON!!!! Hahaha…when I first heard that, I was sitting on the couch in our flat (apartment) and I couldn't help but crack up thinking this is totally karma for making fun of dad’s singing! Anyways, that’s definitely something I have been praying for to just be better at singing or at least just feel more comfortable doing it. But yeah, I’m kind of in a rough area. We run into the Black Power gang every once in awhile, but its okay because the Black Power boss is a member (just a wee bit inactive)

It also made it very hard adjusting to the time difference (jet lag) and the absolute culture shock! I’m not positive but I believe because it is 11:11 a.m.(make a wish) on Monday here it should be around 4:11 pm Sunday there! NUTS! So anyways, my American accent at first I'd get embarrassed about because some people would just chuckle or laugh, but now I just embrace it and laugh about it. Like the triplets and Haylen, every time we came over they would start talking and I would just say in a joking voice… “you guys sound funny!" or sometimes when we approach people I say, “don’t mind my American accent, but would you like to hear a message about Jesus Christ? Something along those lines... I love how people talk down here and how everything is so different. I've even started writing down a list.

Lollies- candy

True!- kind of like "oh really"

That's Mean!- Sweet, Cool, Sick, nasty

Flats- apartments

The boot- the trunk

The motorway- freeway

The bubbler- drinking fountain

Chilly bin- cooler

OH yeah and they cuss all the time!...like hell and damn are just acceptable in this culture. The bishop can even say it over the pulpit. It’s pretty much just the equivalent of darn it. I figured that one out playing basketball with a lot of the Aussie missionaries.

Oh yeah and I got bit by a dog (there not nice down here)! I have no problem curb stomping the next one that comes at me... I got angry! haha I love you guys so much and hope you enjoy the next week enjoying the beach and stuff! Stay out of trouble and watch out for sting rays!!!

Love,

Elder Ward