"Pencils in the Wood"

This week we went about doing good! 

On Tuesday we were helping one of our members with some stuff at his house and on his property. I got to do a few things....

1) I DROVE A TRACTOR!! 

2) We fell a tree! 

3) Helped pick up wool from some sheep after they were shaven 

4) Held a pig down to put a ring through his nose.

Never done any of these things before which was cool, I am glad I can drive a stick because the tractor was quite difficult. We also had a couple of service projects around town to help people get wood but they were mostly members and a few less-actives. We also had a carboot sale (selling stuff out of your trunk) and we cooked sausages for that and talked with a few non-members but no potential investigators. 

We had a lesson with one of our Progressing Investigators and he agreed to be baptized but he doesn't think he knows enough to make that commitment so we will have to work with him a bit more. 

Below are some of the pictures from last Monday when we went to the beach and some of the cliffs around the town.

Elder Mitchell

Me on the cliffs around town.

This is our area.  My companion is standing to the right.

"Do the doggy bounce"

This week was awesome! I got transfer news on Wednesday and I am in Raglan right now!!!!!!!

After saying goodbye to everyone in Rototuna I packed up my stuff and headed to the beach for some surfing ;) I have been loving it here and have been getting to know the area for the past couple of days but it has been pretty nice here! Raglan is situated on the West Coast of New Zealand and has one of the best surf sports in the world in my backyard!! There is only a branch here and the people here are interesting! I'll take some pictures today when we go out site seeing but it is so beautiful and there is so much to do here :)

We have been teaching a couple of people here in Raglan but since there is not many people here during the winter time, we have been trying to visit the less-actives in the area to try and encourage them although one of the favorite things to say here in New Zealand is "can't be bothered". We have a couple of people getting ready for baptism here but other then that the work seems to be pretty slow but maybe I just need to get used to the area. We have done a lot of service for the people here in the past couple of days and they are so grateful for what we have done even though it was usually just helping them move firewood or jump-starting their car and have gotten a couple to let us come back and share a message! 

My new companion is Elder Gutierrez from the Philippines and he is the coolest guy! It seems like all of my non-American companions know heaps of languages and Elder Gutierrez is no exception! He speaks Tagalog and English (both fluent) and 3 of his native languages (somewhat fluently) which is cool because when he meets other people from the Philippines he is able to say somethings to them! Elder G knows the area quite well but he has been in the area for 3 transfers so he will probably be leaving this next transfer unless President decides to keep him here longer. He plays piano for the branch on Sunday, which he just started since he got here and has gotten pretty good. 

I was kind of mad to be leaving my last area especially since I was only there for 3 months but I know that the Lord needs me somewhere else. I became friends with a bunch of the members and I feel like I had just started to get integrated into the ward when I got shifted. We were teaching a guy named Brodie Retallick and I just thought he was a really big fella but when I was over at one of our members houses I mentioned his name and he said " the All-Black?" I said I wasn't sure but he did have some All-Black stuff in his (massive) house. Turns out it was him. When I got here to Raglan, one of the members had a poster of him on their wall and I told him that I taught him a few of the lessons which he thought was the coolest thing! 

I finished Jesus the Christ last week and it has hit a resounding chord within me that I need to really take upon myself the name of Christ and to remember his sacrifice and all of the wonderful things he has done for us! I know that this church is true and that we are truly engaged in a "Great and Marvelous Work!" I am so excited to be able to serve the people here in Raglan and be able to invite them to receive the restored Gospel! 

I'm going to take some pictures of Raglan today while we go site seeing but I don't have my camera with me right now so that will have to wait till next week.

Love you guys !!!

Elder Mitchell 

"He's gonna wake up in a smoothie!!!"

Transfers is this week!!!

I talked with President Rudd last week to ask something about my companion and found out that I am leaving. I have only been here for 3 months but I guess the Lord wants me someplace else. I have been trying to figure out what I am going to do with Elder Rochefort because he doesn't know the area yet and he told me last Tuesday that he doesn't want to be here and that he doesn't care whether he learns English or not. Elder Lingwall will be taking my place here in Rototuna (I know right....) and should be focusing most of his time and effort to help Elder Rochefort but he can't force him to do anything.

I don't know where I am going but I really hope I go to like Gisborne or Tauranga which are both pretty nice this time of year but I have a feeling I will be going to South Auckland (Redoubt, Manurewa, Papakura, and Pukekohe Zones). I have really enjoyed my time here in Hamilton and I am definitely going to miss these people but I guess its my time. Not much happened this week other then we went on exchanges with some of the other Elders in my District and I spent 3 days in Chartwell which is just a suburb of Hamilton. I have learned a lot about patience these past couple of transfers with some fairly difficult companions but I know its just the Lord preparing me for later in life. 

Elder Mitchell

Attached is a note that one of the autistic members in our ward asked me to bring to my new ward to help find him a date. 

"You'd have to be deaf to hear that"

We didn't really get to do much this week in the way of missionary work this week but did get a lot of language study in with Elder Rochefort. On Monday he kicked a soccer ball wrong and messed up his foot so we had to stay inside most of the week. I don't really have much else to write and my time is nearly up on the computers but I am just so thankful for the chance I have to come to this country and teach these people even though they don't want to hear what we have to say for the most part. 

Attached is a picture of a Hedgehog that I caught last week. His name is Rocky but I let him go a few days after I got him because he pooped all over everything. 

Elder Mitchell