An Action-Packed Week!!

I HAVE GOT SOME HUGE NEWS AND AWESOME ACTION PACKED STORIES FOR EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But first off let me begin by telling you guys that I appreciate all your letters big time! I logged on to my email today and I had 18 emails in my inbox. Two were from stake presidents—ours and my last one in Tauranga, two were from converts (Micaella being one), Grandpa, old companions, and members from Missouri.  I sure do feel soooo grateful for my missionary service. I just read my patriarchal blessing today too and everything it says about my mission is PRETTY SPOT ON (haha minus my companions loving me.) haha jokes.. Micaella emailed me as well and she thanked me for being a good missionary. Let’s just say I have had a really good morning.

As for Mom and Dad, I am sorry about your grieving (with kids leaving the home). J President Monson nailed it when he said that to your surprise you will miss us profoundly. haha...I remember before my mission when I would bug the heck out of Mom by either burping, forgetting to do something important, or just bugging another family member. I would tell her in a half-joking way, “You’re going to miss me sooo much!!!!!!” Congrats Mom on your new calling to help in the special needs seminary class! That will probably be one heck of a character-spiritual-strengthening calling. Teaching seminary is one thing.... but teaching seminary to some of the most special spirits Heavenly Father has to offer is pretty dang sweet.

Well well well. The IN-Famous (form Three Amigos) mission picks are happening again! Grandpa will probably let you know what I sent in, but through much prayer and fasting (not really), I have come to the conclusion that my little brother will be going to the New Zealand Auckland Mission!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! haha jokes He will either be going to 1. the Congo 2. the Dominican Republic or 3. the Western States. I guessed the Congo first because the family needs to serve worldwide! I got the Pacific. Zach’s got the States and Trevor has got Central/South America. When Collin gets the Congo that covers Africa! Then Aubrey will go to France (better start learning French) and then by the time Ava hits age 19 China will have been opened and there will be a huge push in the Church there so she will be sent to China!

So the huge and awesome news… #1 Everything in the area is running quite smooth. We still had a 100 flat at church, Elder Hammar is doing awesome and we brought 10 out of those 100 to church yesterday sooo no complaints there. #2 We got called in to have a Mission Leadership Council with Elder Haleck. Then we were the only zone who got to meet with him as well. The very next day I got to walk with him the short, 400-foot walk from President Rudd’s house to the temple to take a picture and have a good 1-on-2 conversation with him and his wife... IT IS SO COOL being with a general authority. #3 Hold on. I might need to start a new paragraph for this one.



Mission Leadership Council with Elder Haleck

So Thursday, after MLC, I had to go pick up my companion. Then we were going to spend the night with the Glenview zone leaders, Elder Galt and Elder Lelenoa, both of whom I have previously served with! I was super excited because I was going to go with Elder Galt on a split in his area and I haven't served with him since I was his district leader in Papakura almost a year ago. Anyways, we got super lost on the way when Elder Lelenoa called letting us know that Elder Galt was in need of a blessing. We were still fifteen minutes away so we did our best to hurry. When we got there he had already given him a blessing but Elder Galt was in so much pain he literally could not move off his bed. So Elder Lelenoa and I carried him off his bed and into the car. My companion was about to hop in to drive because I've been banned from driving J but I said I will drive because I knew the general direction of the hospital... It sure was an adrenaline rush. It was probably as crazy as the time Dad was flying down that dirt road after Collin broke his arm. Long story short, Elder Galt had a kidney stone. I stayed the night with him while our companions visited appointments and did baptismal interviews.  President Rudd and Sister Rudd made it to the hospital after things calmed down. It was pretty comical. I was trying to crack jokes to Elder Galt while he was going through his agony... Like “Elder Galt, how come dinosaurs don't talk???” “Why?” “Cuz they’re all dead!” Then it was cool to spend the rest of the night till 11:30 with the Rudds while we waited to get discharged from the hospital. Then the next day Sister Rudd gave a training on companionship unity and talked about that experience (in front of Elder Haleck and half the mission). It sure was special!

Anyways got to go family! Love you heaps. Elder Hammar is doin it all. A little bit difficult sometimes but we’re two peas in a pod. Every now and again when we are talking to people on the street he will do the little look to me... to either back him up, or to make sure what he is saying is okay... Really though, he is pretty well prepared. He is doing good and I love serving with him.

Love,

Elder Ward

Oh actually I got a little bit more time... so I might as well explain the not-allowed-to-drive story. Soo I tried to get my license converted but my Arizona graduated one would not allow me to convert it to a a full license. So that means I would not be able to drive anyone but myself, which is useless when you’re a missionary. Hence the reason why I asked Mom to send me an upgraded license for me to convert over. After a year my American license is NO GOOD so technically I have been driving illegally the past two months or so. I also got flashed twice by cameras. One was in May. That just came up this week and the other on August 6^th. So I took that as a sign that I should probably live the law especially as a missionary. I am not exactly proud of doing that but the mission has such a shortage of drivers that it would have probably ruined a lot of things if I had been removed from a driving position. I let my mission president know the circumstances... He kinda just laughed and said “you’re the man... just don't drive anymore until you get it converted.”