On the countdown....

   Just saying, this is weird. This might be the last email that I send... So thats weird. I will return home next week on Tuesday. Still doesn't sound real. 

     This week was pretty normal. One thing that we did get to do was attend a baptism in the Zone Leaders Branch. They did the service at the chapel and then went and did the baptism itself in the creek behind the Branch Presidents house because they dont have a baptismal font. So thats cool. Thankfully Heavenly Father blessed us with a nice day for it! It was the first day of the entire week that it didnt rain... It was still cold as though. But thankfully it was overall good! 

     One person that we got to see this week was our Recent Convert Leilani. She was baptized in April right before we got here. She is really cool! Well we go over often to help grow her understanding. So we went over last night to see her and her 2 siblings and her 2 sons are here for School Holidays. So we got to do a bit of a lesson with her sisters who had a few questions. They are 16 and 12. They went to church with Leilani and so they had a few questions. So it was a good thing that we showed up! Really on to it girls. Too bad they will be going back to Auckland next week.

     We also had Trade offs with the Kaitaia Elders. That is Elder Berger and Elder Ateo. I went with Elder Berger, he finishes in about a month, to Kaitaia. We had heaps of fun! Elder Berger is from Utah as well so we got to talk about home a lot. Heaps of fun! Ha. We got to meet their new investigator who they started teaching this week. She is really cool! Very prepared! Its amazing to see how Heavenly Father is always preparing people we just have to be ready to receive them! 

     I was given the opportunity to speak in our Branch yesterday as well. It was cool how easy it was. I spoke about how important our behavior is. So I talked about how we all need to be examples to others and how what we do can influence if others will accept the gospel or not. I shared a scripture from Alma 39:11. Alma is correcting his son Corianton for running away from his mission and told him that many people didnt believe his words because of Corianton's actions. Its amazing how impactful our actions and words can be on others. 

Love yous all and see yous next week! 

Love Elder Seelos

                          

                       New Zealand is si beautiful.  I’m going to miss it so much.  

Digging, farming, praying, & meeting my new Mission President...

   Morning everyone! 

     So this week was interesting. The big highlight of the week happened on Saturday. We had stopped by the Matene family on Thursday night and they had said that they had a funeral on Saturday for Sister Matene's Auntie. So they invited us. Well in the Maori Culture when they have a funeral their family will dig the grave before the funeral by hand... This one was partially culture and partially because I don't think we would be able to get a digger to the cemetery without a helicopter. The track to the cemetery was pretty intense. Wet as, and there was a stream that we had to cross about half way through that was about 10 meters across... Then up a huge muddy hill. The trucks that they had barely made it up. So they had to use a tractor to get the casket up there. Well back to the story. The Matene's asked us if we wanted to help dig the grave. So of course we said yes! It was pretty cool! Just imagine that your digging a hole about the size of a double twin mattress 6 feet into the ground... Then when you get about 2 feet down it becomes solid clay. Yep that was basically what we did. We started at 8 and didn't finish until just after 11. Then the casket came up they had the burial and then we filled it in about 15 minutes. So that was a mean experience!

     So we got to meet our new Mission President this week as well. President Walker from Hawaii. He is a great man! His wife is full Japanese and moved to Hawaii during school and was baptized when she got there. We had Zone Conference with them on Thursday, we then got to have interviews right after that. He seems like a great guy. Definately different than President Balli, but will be great! He is really focused on the little things and making sure that we are following Preach My Gospel as best as we can. He has made a few changes but nothing really big. Mostly just reminders. Its weird to think that I will only be serving with him for a few weeks. I will get one more interview with him and then I'm done. Thats about as much as I will see him. 

     One thing that I really learned this week was about Prayer. President Walker talked about Prayer and how to get the Highest of blessings, & that we must ask for them. There is a law that is given which all blessings are given and a lot of times those blessings are based upon praying and asking for them. So that is something that I have been applying this week. I have been praying for an out pouring of the spirit in our area, for more love for my Father in Heaven, and for guidance. It has been a great experience. If you are ever wondering if Heavenly Father is really there then pray and ask. Its the best way to know those things!

     We got to do some farming as well this week. When we went to Brother Matene's he was cleaning out a shed for the new calves that he just got and so we helped his clear those out. Then the calves had gotten out and so we started to chase them around. Well we got them all in the shed except one. So we were trying to chase in around and then Elder Taranaki ran up to him and just picked it up. Thats the Maori way. Just get in there and get 'er done! 

     We had trade offs with our Elders this week as well. I stayed with Elder Tuaputa in our ward. Its funny because I am the only one that can drive in those 2 companionship's. So I always have the car. So Elder Tuaputa and I went and did visits. It was fun to be with him. This is his 3rd transfer so he still has the Greenie spirit. So thats always nice to be with again!

Love ya heaps

Love Elder Seelos

Finishing up our morning at the farm

P-day email selfie

This is the grave site. Its a beautiful place. 

Spitting wood & blessing babies...

  This week went great! Its still so funny how insanely fast the time goes by.  

     We were able to do a good amount of service this week! Wednesday was basically service all day! We started with a member family to help them chop wood. So that started at 10. Elder Inglis was pretty sick that day so he went and took a nap in the car about half way through. So we finished up the wood around about 12. There was so much wood! It was fun though! Splitting wood is my favorite service to do up here. We then went to help our Elders Quorum President rake up his yard. There were quite a few leaves there. It was surprising. We then went with the Zone Leaders to help their member cut some wood. There is a tree that is in the middle of the bush just off of a logging road that he has been slowly cutting up. So he cuts branches off and we haul them to the trailer. So that went from about 3 until 4:30. We then got to go home and get a feed. So thats how we spent our afternoon! It was great!

     P-day last week was really cool! We went to Cape Reinga. The Cape is the top of NZ and a very spiritual place for the Maori culture. It is known as the place where the Spirits jump off the land to go to Heaven when they die. It was really cool to be able to say that I have been to the top of NZ. Hopefully one day I will be able to say I have also been to the Bottom of NZ. 

     President and Sister Balli left the mission on Saturday. Its really weird to think about. Our new Mission President is President Walker. We will get to meet him on Thursday at Zone Conference and Interviews. Its really weird to think about because he will be my Mission President for only like 3 weeks. It was sad to see President Balli go. It will be really cool to see what changes are made. I am really excited to see the effect that it will have on our mission. 

     It was exciting to get to see the Baby Blessing for the daughter of a Less Active member that we have been visiting the whole time that we have been here. She is a single mum of 2 kids and her youngest was blessed yesterday. She has been to church 2 weeks in a row now. So we are really proud of her! We stopped by the family house after church and they had heaps of family there. It was great to see everyone there. Sister Tait, the mum, was so happy to see everyone there! 

     My spiritual thought today is from 3 Nephi 9:14

Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.

     This is Christ speaking to the people after the Destruction happens as the sign of his death. He has told the people that they have been saved because they are the most righteous ones in the land and then calls them to him. Christ calls all of us to Him so that he can save us. Even when we are doing the wrong His arms are still extended to us.

     Sorry for the lame email. Don't have too much going on! 

Love yous!

     Love Elder Seelos

                                                         

                                         Cape Reinga