Dear Family!

Things here in New Zealand are still AMAZING! We had another really awesome week and I still feel like I am on top of the world even though I am physically at the bottom. :) 

On Tuesday we had interviews with President Rudd. It was so great to see him and Sister Rudd again. I would see them a couple of times a week when I was at the VC and now I miss not seeing them as much. Mom and Dad I really hope you get to meet the Rudds someday because they are amazing. Anyways during my interview with President he told me that I will finish my mission in the Visitors' Center so I won't be back there until maybe July or August of next year. It made me a little sad but I am loving full proselyting so much that I wasn't that bothered by it. In fact I have thought a lot about it and if it weren't for the people I served with at the VC I would say I like full proselyting more. Crazy I know! But I am just so happy here and I am loving it so much. 

Now speaking of the Visitors Center, I got to go there on Saturday and it was the best! It was our stake temple day and so we rode the bus down with one of our investigators so that she could go to the VC while her son was in the temple doing baptisms. Now the story of our investigator is really remarkable. Her name is Kahu and she has been taught by the missionaries for years but she never wanted to get baptized. Her two children were baptized last December and they are really strong in the gospel. The crazy thing is that she comes to church, reads her scriptures, and does everything else except she has never been baptized. She said she is afraid of the commitment. Well my companions and I have been visiting her and we have been pretty bold and strait forward with her and she has now set her own baptism date! She is going to be baptized on the 21st of December which is a year after her kids were baptized. Even though it is far away we are still really excited! A funny story about Kahu. So there is this sixteen year old boy named Manny who comes to church and does everything but his parents won't let him be baptized and he came down to the temple with us and as all of the youth were getting off the bus to do baptisms one of the counselors in the bishopric said "You'll go with us next time Manny." and then Kahu said "Me and you Manny!" and then the three of us sat up and said "That's right Kahu!" But the funny thing was she didn't know we were on the bus and she is always teasing us and saying that she is never going to get baptized so it was so funny that we heard her say she plans to go to the temple next time. She then responded and said "What?! Where did you come from? You sisters are like fleas I can't get away from you!" We laughed so hard it was great.

But we then had a great visit to the VC where the sisters there gave a great tour focused on the temple and she was crying by the end of it. I also loved seeing the McLachlans and the sisters serving there. I have made some life long friends here and I enjoyed seeing them. It was interesting though because when I left the VC I told myself I wouldn't go back unless I was serving there because I thought it would be too painful. But then I came here and fell in love with everything and I knew that it would be great to go to the VC because when it was over I would be happy to come back to Rotorua. It was sad to leave the McLachlans again but other then that I was happy to return to my new home. Its funny how everything turned out. Elder McLachlan sent me a text yesterday saying that he enjoyed my visit and that I will have to keep in touch throughout and after my mission. I responded and told him that no matter what he and Sister McLachlan do they will never get rid of me. 

One of Sister Vea's favorite pass-times is to catch giant spiders and then chase Sister Gunnell and myself around our flat. I am telling you if she does it again I will kill her. She literally grabs these massive spiders that we have in our flat and then she chases us and puts them on us. It is the scariest thing. I HATE spiders. Now I know they can't hurt me and all that but they are still scary and Sister Vea thinks its hilarious. 

We are teaching heaps of people and we will have a baptism this Friday.  Well we are supposed to have one but our investigator is struggling a bit so if you could please keep her in your prayers. The work here is great and I am Loving every minute. I hope that you all have a great week! I love and miss you all!

 

Love, 

Maquel

The trees here have the best blossoms!