Buenas dias!
I use that greeting a lot down here. Just kidding, never actually. No one knows what it means.
Hello family! I'm glad to hear that all is well in O-town! Because all is well in Chch. At least with me.
Today is cloudy here as well! And we had a clogged up shower during the week to go with your clogged up kitchen sink. So it's kind of like we're in the same place today! Sort of.
I'm glad to know you, Dad and Kathy, are still having fun despite your busy schedules. But I guess it's especially important that you have fun because of your busy schedules! And congratulations on your test Dad! That's sweet-as! I'm so happy for you for passing with flying colors and know you will with your next test too!
What's Thanksgiving? Is that a holiday? I wish they had it here. Even though sometimes I get fed by members as if it is Thanksgiving. What is the date for it? Because I will be sure to have mashed potatoes for lunch or something. Are you doing it at our house? Or at the cabin? That's weird that it's going to be such a small group!
Kathy asked about interesting people that I've met. This week has definitely been the week for interesting people. Or did you mean interesting in a good way? I've heard more anti-Mormon stuff this week than in the rest of my life combined. It wasn't threatening stuff, just mocking questions or what people thought were proofs against our beliefs. But in the end we only brought them closer to realizing the truth rather than them leading us astray. I taught one kid named Alaster while Elder Mac was teaching someone else (while we're were in the Square, where most opposers try to challenge us). Elder MacTavish and I had met Alaster while door knocking a couple weeks ago and he came from around the corner (dressed in a black shirt, tie and pants) anyway... He started throwing questions at us that only someone who has studied Mormonism could know, but in a bad way. And so he knew sooo much about the church, but he was using it to question our beliefs. So we eventually blew him off because the discussion was going nowhere. But Saturday he came up to us again while we were in the square with two other Elders. He wanted to know about Joseph Smith, but in a deep doctrinal sense, like what goes on in the temple etc. so after awhile we finally told him that he can't learn about deep doctrines (especially because he only wanted proofs, not a testimony) until he read the Book of Mormon. Then he could be able to understand deep doctrines. "You can't learn Calculus until you understand the maths before it." So we left him with some chapters to read and told him next time he sees missionaries to talk to them about the chapters he read. I don't know why I told you that.
But that's how it usually is I guess, people want to know about all of the doctrines Joseph Smith taught, but we have to explain that first they need to know the Book of Mormon is true to understand that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God. So we have a couple investigators who at first were mocking or challenging our beliefs but who are now willing to listen and try to gain their own testimony. Anyway.... My faith wasn't shaken at all by the way, but strengthened.
When door-knocking, I haven't ever gone into someone's house the first time we meet them. If they have an interest in hearing our message they'll tell us to come by some other time, or if they're curious to hear something, then a conversation will commence on the porch, and then they'll invite us back another time because we have become friends. Usually people will talk to us about other things and then say, "Nice to meet you, have a good day" and they won't care to hear about the Church.
I'm really glad Elder MacTavish is a Kiwi, because if I had an American companion, we wouldn't get along as well with people. They would give us nonsense about Americans trying to take over New Zealand with their religion. And some people have a problem with some the Book of Mormon taking place in the "Americas."
On Monday we had an amazing lesson! All thanks to the Spirit there to testify and touch Brian's heart. Brian is a single guy in his 60's. When we first met him, he seemed to have nothing more to say than how horrible the world is. He also was fed up with there churches and the Pope with his big "party hat" and fancy robes. So, in short, he has so many views that are in line with the Church (like the vileness of the media, and sin and bad people in general). So when Elder MacTavish shared with him Mosiah 3:19, he loved it! He said something like "this is so true!" and when we told him the Book of Mormon was his to keep, he was so grateful! We committed him to read it and he said he would, so we are going back in "a fortnight." I wish it could be sooner!
We had a big aftershock Saturday morning at about 4 a.m. I thought it was dream until I asked Elder Mac about it later. There was another big one last night while we were teaching a guy in his garden. He just laughed about it and we continued on.
Zone Conference was great! We had a big in-depth lesson on the Plan of Salvation. It wasn't so we could teach our investigators about it, but so we had a better understanding for ourselves. Awesome! Zone Conference also gave me a lot of encouragement, though it was kind of in a chastised way. President Joliffe said our Zone is doing great, but it could be and should be doing so much better. So I am very determined to use my time a lot better and make sure I am always doing my best, even when it seems hard.
Transfers are next week, though I'm guaranteed to stay because of my newness. I would be pretty bummed if I had to leave Christchurch already, considering all of the new investigators we have! Such as a student named Paolo, whom I greeted with a "Bon Noiche" (or however you spell Good Evening in Portuguese) when I saw a Brazilian flag in his living room when he opened the door. That definitely got his attention and friendliness. So he was very keen on reading the Book of Mormon when we told him about it, and we are seeing him next Sunday.
Or there's Janice-Marilyn who is a very interesting lady in her 50's who loves having Elder MacTavish and I come around because she's pretty lonely, even though we have to sit on her front porch because we're not allowed to go in single women's homes. She tells us she has always meant to get baptized because she realizes it's important, so we have a Baptismal date with her for next month, but she doesn't seem to be taking in all that we're teaching her, so we'll see how it goes.
Anyway, I love being a missionary so very much! Despite the times when I'm extremely tired or sweaty! I'm so happy to be helping Kiwis find the happiness that comes through Jesus Christ's Gospel!
I hope you're all doing so great! I always pray for you and I'm so grateful for your prayers!
Have a fantabulous week!
Love,
Elder Rowe
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