Earthquakes

Dear Loved Ones,

I can't believe it's already been almost two weeks! It seems like just a few days ago that I got off the plane in Christchurch. Yet the big aftershock that was last Wednesday seems like forever ago! It's a very confusing thing. Days last forever, but weeks fly by. And I heard that months are even faster. So it seems I'll be coming home in just a couple weeks and that two years will have already passed.

Finding people to teach (investigators) has become a lot easier. Elder MacTavish and I have "heaps" of investigators, it just seems like they're never home. But the lessons we have been able to teach have been going well. Our usual schedule (apart from scheduled appointments) is us biking to a certain area and trying to teach our investigators in that area, but they're nver available. Because our investigators aren't ever home or are "busy," we will go to a different neighborhood, and find the same lack of success. So then we will do some door knocking.

Though it's of course pretty scary still, door knocking has become a lot easier and more comfortable. I think especially because I have been trying to rely more on the Spirit and not just saying the basic door approach phrase. Getting totally rejected isn't that bad because that just means they're not ready to hear the gospel. So we move on and try to say the best things we can to touch their hearts and help them realize how the gospel will bless their lives. I've found that the easiest thing to have a conversation about is the earthquake and aftershocks. "Did you feel that one on Wednesday?" "Yeah!" "Yeah, it was like 5.8!" I heard the ceiling tiles in the Riccarton mall fell down! Whoa! or "How has your house been doing with the earthquake?"

It's interesting. We had an aftershock during Sunday School yesterday. Everybody just sits there with an awkward/worried look on their face. When it ends, we laugh, then everything continues normally. And then we discuss it later with people we meet. "Did you feel that one this morning?"

Earthquakes are a pretty cool thing to feel. Not when they cause damage, though. The usual Riccarton ward building (about a five minute drive for most members) was damaged in the main earthquake, so the ward began sharing a chapel with the Cashmere Ward about 20 minutes away. Initially, the plan was to use that building until November and then go back to our own chapel after repairs had been made. But we were told in Church yesterday that we won't be going back until at least March. It's been a problem. There have been some members who haven't been coming to Church the past couple of weeks because the Cashmere chapel is too far away. Now that we're going to be there until March I hope they'll realize they need to come. The distance has also been a problem to get new investigators to Church! So we'll press forward with faith and hope it will work out and that members and non-members will be able to cope with the distance.

The ward is great, by the way. I'm struggling with people's names, but I was told that's okay. (They only know my name because I'm wearing a name badge). We have dinner with different families four or five times a week, which is fantastic. I've been able to eat all of my vegetables and other healthy foods then because we've been lacking them in our flat (it's not called an apartment). By the way, Elder MacTavish and I are the only ones in the flat (which is pretty "flash," or fancey). It's part of an apartment complext of about ten flats. Or would that be a flat complex?

On Saturday the city put on a free concert--eight hours of popular New Zealand artists--as encouragement for the people fo Christchurch to "Band Together." We heard there were 21,000 people who attended. Don't worry, we didn't go. By the way, Hagley Park, where the concert was, is one of the coolest parks I have ever seen. The trees are huge and it's a gigantic green place. Maybe you should Google-Earth it? I think it's my favorite part about the city of Christchurch so far. We pass by or through it a couple of times each week. It's beautiful!

So you know, last night I had a great experience as we rode home. I felt a really wonderful feeling of gratitude to be here. I need to admit that once I arrived here in Christchurch, I lost my excitement for New Zealand. But last night, I just felt so much gratitude and joy to be here and to be a missionary. I don't know what it was, but I now have an even greater desire to be serving here and I know that desire will only increase.

I need to go, but I hope I answered all of your questions and that my grammar sounds okay. I'm worried it's going to be pretty bad when I get home. (No offense to the Kiwis).

Have a wonderful, wonderful week! Good luck to the girls and their last week of the term. Work hard, and pray! I know prayer is one of the best ways to be comforted. It has helped me so much. So never hesitate to do so, nothing but good can come from it.

Thanks for all of your prayers, support, and encouragement. It means "heaps" to me (a lot!) So thank you.

Love,

Elder David John Rowe