40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS...ROCK THE BOAT!!!!!

SOUNDS GOOD family. I will do everything to talk to you at 4 [on Christmas Eve] but in all honesty I will probably be a little bit late just to give you a little bit of time to get home and everything like that so it might be more like 4:30. Hopefully everything goes off without a hitch and yeah kind of like how Aubrey said, I guess I will just see you in a month anyway... It's okay Aubrey. That is totally something I would say. If anything I am impressed how much you have become like your older brothers! BUT YOU BETTER STILL WRITE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So the news we have all been waiting for! I am GONE!!!!!! Serving in the Tongan Princess Ward in Papakura! Jokes. I am staying in New Plymouth and finishing my mission there. Elder Taylor is gone now. He left up to Hamilton and my new companion’s name is Elder Johnson. I know him well. He is one of the most experienced zone leaders in the mission besides me and Elder Wachob. So I am pretty excited to be leaving the Taranaki zone leader mantle on him. It’s really nice to be able to take a break from training too!!!!!! I loved training but it gets pretty tiresome doing it back-to-back-to-back... It is really cute though seeing missionaries make all the funny newbie mistakes. For example, we just picked up a new missionary in the zone and on our way back we stopped at a gas station and he asked if we were allowed to drink soda still. J  It made me laugh. Oh and yes, Elder Rasband and Elder Andrus are still with us in the 4 man flat.

Well, I’m keepin things short today but I will tell you family that at this point in my mission very few days go by where I can't help but look back on my mission and see the difference every single day has made in my life. I know Elder Edward Dube's mom would tell me not to look back because it is true I have got a lot of work to do in the coming weeks!!!!!!! I am happy though because MY FIRE IS FUELED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have seen too many missionaries finish regretting their last few weeks, getting trunky and what not so I’m working my buns off!  Elder Johnson and I hit the ground running straight after our drive back from transfers. It’s pretty funny and I haven't told a lot of people but on my last missionary daily planner I have taped on a picture of Noah’s ark... President Riggle in the district Presidency told me to really pay attention to how many days I have left not as a countdown but as a reminder of how short my time really is. So I figured out I had 40 days and 40 nights the day of transfers. I followed his counsel and I am going to do everything in my power to ROCK THE BOAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  And I have a cool picture of Noah to help me stay motivated. 

Sad news Dad, Rmoved to the south Island... He did it to get away from bad influences so we are going to refer the missionaries down to him. But for some GREAT news Tabare received the Holy Ghost and is now an Aaronic Priesthood holder! HAVE a good Christmas Season and I will talk to you in two days. SEE YA!

 

Love,

Elder Ward