Week 13 - Baptisms & Transfers!

                                              Samsara, her Dad, Me, and Sister Pagofie

                                      Me, Sis. Pagofie, Aunty Alwyn and her sister, the Elders

Hey yous,

So this week was crazy! We had five baptisms this past weekend, three were the elders'. There were three little kids from the same family on Saturday morning, then our girl, Samsara, in the afternoon, then Aunty Alwyn Sunday morning!! It was awesome. I sang three musical numbers with my companion... Lol there's no stage fright when you're a missionary, you just have to sing when you get told to sing, even if you suck. So Samsara's was super good, her dad baptized her but he had to do it 3 times cause the font is TINY. Seriously the smallest font I've ever seen, it's like as big as a jacuzzi bathtub back home. So that made Aunty Alwyn's baptism a bit tricky considering she's a bit of a larger woman. She was adamant on not wanting anyone at her baptism besides the missionaries and the branch president so that was kind of a hard thing for the branch cause they want to support her and be her friend but she really doesn't like people. Anyway, she ended up sitting on the floor of the font and Elder Wark had to kneel in it and lay her down to try and get her all the way under. Man it was bad. But as long as it happened and the spirit was still there! Sister Inia's grandma (Aunty's sister) flew from Australia to be there, so that was really awesome! It was such a spiritually and emotionally exhausting weekend. But those are the best kind.

So transfers! We just got transfer calls and Sister Pagofie is training up in Rotorua, and I'll be staying In Bell Block! I'm getting a Samoan comp but she's actually from NZ. It's a different situation because she got reassigned to our mission after being home from her first one for six months, so I'm not training her, but I'm reacquainting her with mission life and the Hamilton Mission way. SO that should be interesting. I'm excited!!

Well that's about it for the week, just lots of baptism prep and we found four new investigators! And they're all solid! But I'm so happy to be a missionary and to be growing personally along with my investigators. I know this church is true, just read the Book of Mormon. I love New Zealand!

Much love,
Sister Machen

Ps. I had "mexican food" today. It was nasty and terrible and made me want to cry. If I could get a package of tacos that would be great. I'm dying.

                                                  Trying (unsuccessfully) to be athletic

                                            This is where you're coming to get me, family!