December 4/5, 2011



Elder Rowe and his innovative mowing techniques

Hello my family!

Another...different week.

Summer has definitely come. I unfortunately realized that too late on Wednesday when we were doing service. We did a lot of service this week. We mowed heaps of lawns, with only a machete and a manual edger. Actually, we had a few lawn mowers, but we had to go over some of the grass with a whack from the machete because it was so thick. And we didn't have any weed-whackers for the long sides against the fence, so that was what the main use of the machete was. There's this one street that we'll call Highbury, where we have 4 investigators' homes all in a triangle. We teach all of them. And then there's a few other investigators who live just around the corner. So it's a pretty cool place to be a missionary. On Wednesday we brought our lawnmower to help one of those four homes out with a mow, and then afterwards someone else wanted to borrow the mower,and so we stayed and helped him. Then a lady across the street had the longest grass on the street and so we and three of the other guys from the street went to go do it (that's the picture with me in machete chopping action, and one of our investigators on the mower.) Hopefully she'll let us teach her soon.

Because we ran out of time that day, we took the mower over to the sister of one of the four homes the next day and mowed the most ridiculous lawn I've ever mowed.

Zone Leaders have a lot of random responsibilities, but we get them done.

On Friday we had our zone training and interviews. It was really great and everything worked out well. The main responsibility for Elder Tukuafu and I for the meeting was preparations for lunch. We settled on corned beef sandwiches, can you believe that? It was awesome and even the senior couples loved it, though I was a bit worried they wouldn't. We also got a member to make us some Otai, the best Tongan drink ever. It's basically a smoothie with watermelon, coconut and pineapple. We were originally going to have ham sandwiches, but we realized we needed more of a Tongan entree to go with the Tongan drink. So corned beef it was.

The Gibbs are doing well. Still don't have a marriage or baptism date yet, but they're getting there and coming to church still. The other good news with them is that their 16-year old son, Tuki, has shown interest in learning about the gospel and we've been able to teach him a few times with his friend who stays with them sometimes. We also play basketball in the mornings with Tuki and Kans as our exercise so it gives more opportunity to talk with them.

Yesterday, before our Church at 1:00, we went to church with the Taukapos because we were invited to hear Brother Taukapo's talk at the Tongan church. It was in Tongan of course. But I did like how loud they all sang. To a point however, some of them seemed to be screaming, but they all sounded really good and all seem to be able to harmonize as a congregation of 30 people.

Transfers are this week, but all of us in Palmy are still staying. Our Christmas Conference for the North Island is coming up on the 22nd, so Elder Tukuafu and I are in charge of that because everyone is coming here for it. Luckily we don't have to plan the event, just the arrangements.

Anyway, I gotta go!

Just remember:
"True happiness comes only by making others happy"---David O. McKay
Keep doing what is right, and praying day and night!
Have a wonderful week!
I love you all so very much!

Love,  

Elder David John Rowe