HAMILTON MISSION!!!!!!! WHOOOOHOOOO!!!!

Dear Family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Come July 1^st, I will be entering my 3rd mission with my 3rd mission President!!!! Haha….So make sure that gets changed on my plaque back home sitting near bishop’s office... Haha jokes. I am pretty excited about being in the new Hamilton mission, but I am just a little bummed that I wont be around President Lekias anymore. Also, my one and only son (trainee), Elder Loffhagen, is staying in the Auckland mission, but here are the upsides…..! My grandson is in the Hamilton Mission along with most of the missionaries I know and all of my areas Papakura, Gisborne, and Tauranga are all still in the Hamilton mission as well! So I am pretty stoked about all dat. When we got the transfer call on Thursday I was SO SHOCKED! We only had one missionary leave the whole zone. But yes, mom, I am fine! Last week was just a really trying week with the zone and lack of success on our part... Heck, we even got a call from the stake president who was definitely not impressed about some comments he received from his bishop about 2 missionaries serving in our zone. We SUSSED them out though. We also had some upsetting setbacks with a recent convert and an investigator. That tore my soul in half but...all is well now though!!!

Hahaha…sorry, dad, I set a bad example for the kids... always bashing on you and what not. Obviously the Lord knows that you are a good father and you have something to share to the congregation full of dad's on Father’s day who might need some inspired council from some of the best of the best... Or Heavenly Father just thought to himself, "Geese that Michael Ward needs to learn a thing or two about being a good father. Maybe he will learn a thing or two if I humble him by making him speak on it in church on Father’s day." Haha…jokes….well if it counts for anything Dad, I think you’re great. Today a lot of men are portrayed as dumb animals kind of like what Brian Regan was talking about in the commercial with the dad stuck in the blinds saying "THESE MUFFINS ARE GOOD". Well, for some reason I thought of the scripture, I have no idea where, it says something along the lines of “The Lord uses the weak things of the world to confound the wise.” Well, I think The Lord has shown that He can turn dumb men stuck in the blinds into awesome father figures. I sure am proud to call you my Dad and even if it was mom flying solo, as awesome and mighty as she is, I don’t think she would have been able to do as good without you. Oh, and yes, the scripture is 1 Corinthians 1:27.  I hope that makes some kind of sense as to what is going on in my head. So good luck with speaking and let me know how that goes!

Mom you would be so proud of me out on my misson! I actually get things done now!!! Remember how I am the worst at procrastinating and holding things off for a better time? Like taking that dumb scholarship test for MCC? Homework? I don’t know just about anything... Well, I have realized that the past transfer I don't procrastinate anything! When someone needs to be called, I CALL THEM! When the house needs to be cleaned, I clean it! When something doesn't feel right, I change it! I have no idea why I am telling you this, but I guess I tell you something I learn every week and this is something I realized this week. So I wanted to give me a pat on the back and let my mommy know I won’t come home a pathetic slob. :)

Well, I hope that the summer time is treating everyone okay! Is it pretty hot there? I would imagine its getting up to the 100's there by now? So it sounds like Collin is doing that Vball camp again with Jear Bear? Haha… you should tell Aubrey to start hanging out with an older girl who might feel left out who might be able to drive. That way she could help her feel included with a group of friends and also have a ride everywhere? Haha… jokes…that probably wouldn't work out. Just tell her that God gave her feet.  Maybe buy her some running shoes or something.

Well, I think that’s all the news... Oh wait, nevermind. I don’t know if I told you about this family that we have been trying to help??? Yup, well anyways, they are all members accept their 16 year old. We have tried to help him stay away from the bad crowd and we finally got him to young men’s where he was well fellowshipped and after that he was just KEEN AS to come to church and listen to us when we came over to read the Book of Mormon. Well, he FINALLY came to church this SUNDAY!!! WHOOOOHOOO!!!

Anyways, sorry my thoughts are short, but I love you guys to pieces! Stay out of trouble, be good, and all that stuff.

Love,

Elder Ward!!!