So Much Fun to Train New Missionaries!!!

Collin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NICE BRO!!!!!!!!!!!!! Haha…that is crazy! I guess we will have to see what happens. (Collin decided last week to submit his mission papers before heading up to BYU and may end up leaving before Connor comes home.) I am glad you chose to follow the spirit even though it may not have completely made sense. :) I can tell you right now that it was the right decision because it was made by the spirit and the spirit will never prompt anyone to make a wrong choice. In fact, I sent a copy of your same e-mail to one of my converts, Micaella, so that she can see your faith and build a little bit of hers. WAY TO GO!!! Oh and Collin, to answer your question, yes I do say heaps, keen, true, skux, flash, and sweet as. Also, try and figure out which investigator he is talking about on facebook or something. 

So yes family, I have my 2nd BOY!!! His name is Elder Hammar. He is from Las Vegas Nevada. I think you should have gotten an email from the mission President with a picture of me and him. It is so much fun to train new missionaries! Things are definitely going a WHOLE LOT BETTER now! The branch is still picking up. We had an even more astounding 115 AT CHURCH!!!! I am definitely working Elder Hammar hard.  I have already had him lead the way from house to house and have him do a whole lot of the talking with people and teaching in the lessons. It was really cool at transfers seeing the 26 new missionaries coming in and figuring out that A LOT OF areas are going to start getting covered that were not covered before and a lot of wards are starting to get a 2nd set of missionaries!!!! For example Redhill (my 1st NZ area) and Welcome Bay (my last area) have 4 missionaries serving in them now!!!!!  Also, it was cool too because President Rudd took all of the POWERHOUSE missionaries (besides me haha) to go and train the new incoming missionaries.  Most of the trainers have been out for a long time or are zone leaders of some sort and all are just powerful missionaries. There is a lot of cool things happening. OH, and I forgot to mention EVERYONE in our zone right now is training a new missionary. That is unheard of! OH and there is a missionary named Elder Anderson from Gilbert, Arizona, in my zone!

So yup that is the update on all the transfers and everything. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!! You are getting SO OLD!!! Haha…I remember telling you so many times that you’re not old till you’re 50, so I won’t call you old man or pops yet. But make sure you enjoy every ounce of youth (find joy in the journey right???). It sounds like you have a lot of things to be joyful over, especially that day in the temple with two of your young men right next to you. If it makes you feel any better, we ran into a 52 year old guy who honestly looked like he was in his late 30's, had long flowing hair, was wearing a tank top, and told us he gets to work by longboarding for 15 minutes through Auckland City. So if you ever start to feel old, those are some options that can make you look younger... or you could just buy a Corvette…either or. I miss you dad! If it counts for anything, I remembered your birthday during the week because of that calendar you guys sent for Christmas.  I think you’re doing a great job and I want to let you know I am proud to call you my father. 

In other news, sheesh, I think I have driven the 5 to 6 hour long trip from New Plymouth to Hamilton and back 4 times already within the last month…twice this last week. Exciting news though…I get to go AGAIN this week for a surprise mission leadership council with Elder Hallick…I believe from the quorum of the seventy and then a zone conference held in Hamilton the very next day!!!  HAHA…I AM SO SICK OF DRIVING!!!!!!!!!!! 

C and C are still doing great! They accept everything we teach with excitement and they are reading the BOM and coming to church and praying together and all those good things, but we have kinda hit a stand still with the whole marriage thing. I will keep you updated, but please keep them in your prayers. I have faith something will make things turn around in the near future. 

I love you family! BE good! Once again Collin, good choice!!! And Aubrey....sorry I don’t get to respond to your letter but I did get it and it made me so happy! I am glad you like high school AND WAY TO GO SWIM TEAM!!! Stick with swim NO matter how crazy hard it gets….because that does sound pretty tough! 

Love,
Elder Ward