Sunday, April 24, 2016

Week 39 - Otumoetai (say it five times fast!)

Kia Ora!

SO transfers happened and I got the boot (tears). My new area is the Otumoetai Ward in the Tauranga Stake, back to the beach yay!!!! My new companion, Sister Suk (pronounced sock), just hit her year mark two days ago and she's Korean! It's seriously the best. This area has been kind of down the past two transfers so I'm really excited to just go to work and get things done and Sister Suk is so onto it! So we're going to have a blast I'm pretty sure.  :)

Leaving Hamilton was sad but leaving Sister Taylor was the worst! She has definitely become one of my best friends and those two transfers together were more fun than I deserved. But all things come to an end eventually.

Not much else to say except today we're going to hike a volcano and frolic on the white sand beach hahaha be jealous. I'm so happy to be by the beach!

Oh this morning I finished the Book of Mormon after reading it in two months and it was a really awesome experience for me. Reading it fast I was able to connect things from the beginning to the end and really deepen my understanding of the overall record. And even though I've read it lots before, it was like reading my favorite book for the first time again. I love it! But even more importantly I know that it is true. Without a doubt the Book of Mormon is the word of God. And if you're unsure or you need a deeper testimony, I encourage you to READ IT AGAIN.

Have a great week, love you all!
Sister Machen

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Week 38 - Hi Family!

Fam!

Well transfers are this week and we haven't gotten news yet but I will probably leaving the area in my very capable, trainee's hands. Some awesome mission miracles: Sister Taylor's brother got baptized last week back in Toluca Mexico (shout out to Aaron), and her other two siblings are going to be baptized this coming weekend and her mom is even progressing towards baptism!! So she is pretty much ecstatic and I have gained an even stronger testimony that the Lord takes care of our family while you are away serving Him. So I hope my family can recognize those blessings!

Well our Chinese family is going great, they are so excited for their baptism! Sadly I will probably miss it but its about them not me. Golden family. We taught Frank about the priesthood and how much he will be able to bless his family by being worthy to have it and exercising it properly. He was SO excited and kept asking how can he get it and when can he get it. Man it was a testimony builder to me of how special our message is, especially of the restoration of the Priesthood. I love it!

Another miracle this week was that we got a referral from the Visitors Centre and they said that this Brazilian couple would be coming to our ward on Sunday (we didn't believe it), but sure enough they showed up and were SO interested! We have been praying for weeks for new investigators with no success and then finally the Lord just drops them in our lap. So awesome. Anyway thats about it for the week, the gospel is true and missionary work is the best!

Arohanui,
Sister Machen




Hamilton East missionaries with The Captain (best WML ever)


Sister Taylor and Me at HAMILTON GARDENS

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Week 37 - Busy

Hey fam,

This week was another blur. Seriously I don't know where the time goes. The highlight of the week was definitely getting to watch conference finally!!! I love conference! I love the prophet and apostles! AHHHHH. So good. The talks were all really great but the ones that stood out to me were Elder Arnold's talk about finding the Lost Sheep. That guy is the man! Then President Uchtdorf's about obedience. Obedience is the first law of heaven so of course we need to hear about it over and over. And then Bonnie Oscarson's about how we have the truth and we don't need to go looking in the great and spacious building for it. Basically, the church is TRUE. The priesthood keys have been restored and the fulness of the gospel is once again on the earth. So go tell your neighbor :)

Anyway, we are struggling to find new people to teach as always but those that we have are solid and are so sincere about learning! I'm so glad to be serving these people.
Hope you all have a great week.

Arohanui,
Sister Machen


With our investigator, Peggy. I love her!


Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Week 36 - TEMPLE TRIP

KIA ORA.

This week was seriously a blur. I can only remember the temple trip! Of course. I LOVE THE TEMPLE. It's absolutely the House of the Lord. I think most of all I just felt the love of my Savior for me and for the people I'm working with. Every soul is precious. Even when we don't feel good enough, we are loved. Got to see heaps of great missionaries there and then some who weren't able to go and that really opened my eyes. Even though we are full time missionaries we are still very susceptible to the attacks of the adversary. Everyday is a battle and we need our spiritual armor! (I've been studying Alma a lot lately.) When we put our trust in the Lord and do our part by keeping covenants, we are promised protection and strength. The gospel is so simple and perfect!

I watched the Women's session of conference and that was super awesome but I have to wait another week for the rest of it and I'm dying cause everyone else in the whole flippin' world has seen it. But patience.

Tender mercy this week was one of our recent converts inviting us over for homemade pizza and surprising us with a can of Dr. Pepper each hahaha. It's like 3 dollars a can here and you can almost never find it! But it was a great week! The gospel is the only way to true happiness! IT'S TRUE.

Arohanui,
Sister Machen


Temple Trip with Sister Taylor!


Saying bye to our favorite English senior couple, the Saunders (they do the mission FB page & more)


Dr. Pepper!!