Merry Kilisimasi, Meri Kerehemete, Meli Kelikimaka, Feliz Navidad, and Merry (late) Christmas to all of you!! :) 

Wow.. it was so good to see my Whanau's beautiful smiling faces last Friday!! :) I forgot how good looking they are!! ;) (well.. besides my twin brother...dad) ... I don't have too much to say this week because i already said it in my call... but i'll see what i can come up with.

Oh.. last Monday we played American Football for P Day.. It was so dang fun!! I don't know why i wasn't a receiver.. I would have smashed it;) 

I got all my packages and everything... I absolutely loved them.. you can probably tell by the smile on my face! It stayed there all day long. I think i'm still feeling the cheek pains from smiling so much!! 

I ate a Dragonfruit and a Pawpaw for the first time.. Neither of them were very good by themselves.. but we made a mean fruit salad and it was delicious. 

We did a service project for some neighbors of ours.. long story short.. they are our great friends now.. and we made them new investigators.. and he's a Baptist pastor.. so that was an accomplishment!! :) 

Other than that.. this week was good... Christmas was so nice!! I've never eaten so much in my life!! Sister Park fed us like we were 2000lb ogres!! But it's all good.. i survived!! Now... I want to listen to Hanna's talk.. so you'll have to forgive my short letter!! ;) 

But i love you all!! I have the best family and friends in 

the whole world!! 

Ofa Atu,

Elder Butler 

We did a Nativity scene at the Pereira's FHE. I'm Joseph.. the good looking one in the middle!! :) 

The Crew

I WONDER WHAT'S INSIDE!!? :)

MY PACKAGE IS HERE!!! 

Sister Park gave us WAY too much food to take home.. so we made Peter come over and share it with us!! ;) 

I totally smashed Lingwall in Ball!! #postplanningb-ball

Mom.. I can't believe you sent me Tortuga!! That's probably the funniest thing i've ever seen. I'm taking it with me everywhere now!! ;) 

MERI KEREHEMETE EVERYONE!!! :)

MERI KEREHEMETE EVERYONE!!! :) 

Wow.. I just love you all!! 

It was a wonderful week!! To start out.. we went to Camp Tuhikaramea for a mission conference. It was so sweet. It was this beautiful camp ground area with the temple in the back ground! The best part... I hung out with my boy Wangsgard the whole time (because every missionary from Hamilton was there.) I love that kid. We talked for AGES about what's going down in Manurewa! He was pumped as to hear we've had so much success. He's a funny guy.. He's struggling though. His companion is not the greatest. I quote "man... I wish I could just start out again as a new missionary and be trained by Elder Butler!!" It was pretty funny hearing that from your own father (elder Wangsgard) 

Oh, I totally forgot to tell you the crazy news last week. I sang with the missionaries in my ward for a musical number in Sacrament. Probably the scariest thing I've done.. but totally nailed it (let's be honest) ;) 

My wife will be gorgeous if the whole "the more you work in the rain" thing is true!! Haha.. It smashed us this week. On Wednesday we walked in the rain for Ages!! It was easily the hardest rain i've ever been in!! My shoes had about 1cm of water in them.. So i took them off and left them in the flat over night. I woke up the next morning.. and they had things growing around the inside of them!! It was crazy!! It ruined all the Book of Mormons in my bag and everything (Terrible) !! It was so sweet though!! :) I love the rain!!  

This week i went on Exchange with Elder To'a again!! It was good.. But i don't really have anything else to say!! ;) ha

Man!!! Sis Scanlin got us new Lava Lavas!! They're mean as!! I have 4 now. Red, Green, Purple/blue, and a formal Black!! They are so tight!! I love her!! :) 

This week we also went to the temple lights as a ward. Bishop got us permission to come because we had investigators and less actives going! It was so fun!! We got back home at like 12:30 though.. so the next day was terrible. It made me miss Salt Lake though!! I absolutely love the temple!! I miss it so much!! I've learned quite a bit about it lately and it totally makes me want to go back!! I was lucky enough to go there like 12 times before i left.. but now i'm thinking.. "man.. why didn't i go there like 30 times!! :/ 

So a couple of letters ago you'll probably remember i mentioned me and Elder Prasad were throwing the football and found an investigator by doing so. Well this big indian fella's name is Avinesh. He had no belief in God at all, but he was in a Christian family. So we taught him about god and got a return appointment. We walked in his house this week and the first thing he says "I think i'm starting to believe in God now!!" I was like, what the heck.. that was easy!! ;) So we taught him the Plan of Salvation to really show him the blessings that come from knowing our Heavenly Father... and after we finished, we got up to leave when his mom stops us and says... "Alright.. dinner's ready!!" (she absolutely loves us!! It's hilarious) So we couldn't say no.. so we ate dinner, got up and started to leave with lots of gratitude.. and she says, "no, no, no.. It's time for dessert!!" I had to suffer through a big dinner and dessert... after i already ate a big dinner!! uhh... I love her for her kindness.. and understand how happy she was because we were helping her son.. but she almost had throw up on her floor because of it!! ;) 

It really was such a great week though!! I love you all!! You guys mean the world to me!! Thank you for all the support and love back home!! Malo Aupito!!

Merry Christmas!! 

Ofa Atu,

Elder Butler

Me.. Jammin with my boys at the temple!!

Me, president Haurua, Sister Katoa, Elder Lingwall

 

Here you go mama.. another pic of me and Big, Dirty Jon!

Me, Elder Lingwall, and the Scanlins. oh.. it was so funny... When we were at the temple, random as girls would just come up to me and Lingwall and ask us for pictures!! ;)

mean as Lava Lava's from Sis Scanlin :) 

The Beautiful Temple

just after the rain smashed us!!

Mission Conference... if you look to the left.. There's a few trees. But it's actually the end of this massive forest!!

 

A Few Videos from the Mish...

Throw-down in the church clothes!

Raw Muscles... Yummmm.

Raw Oysters...

Kia Orana (Cook Island) everyone!! 

This week was so nice!! I'll start out with the good stuff... We had Clinton's Wedding on Friday... and his baptism on Saturday. It was mean as!! The wedding had so much Cook Island culture in it (because that's where he's from). There were performances the whole night, and heaps of food!! The cook island culture is similar in a lot of ways to the other islands, but the performances are definitely different. I'll send some videos soon when you give me my card back. But man.... the culture here is beautiful!! I absolutely love it... and holy cow.. they know how to eat!! I came back to my table with a plate FULL of lamb, taro, ribs, chicken, ham, kumara, and crazy things like prawns, raw snapper, and muscles (i had to give them another try.. failed again!! I'll get it though!! ;)  ) But it was nice as!!

The baptism was so nice on Saturday. When i was sitting next to Clinton before he went in... he was telling me how cool it is to think about me and him being good friends in the pre-existence. He was so grateful!! When I brought him up out of the water.. he looked at me.. and gave me a big hug!! It was (almost) the best hug i've ever had!! ;) It made me so happy and grateful for the gospel!! I love it!! :) 

So we were a little worried this week that i was going to have to leave soon. Ha... me and elder Lingwall have an investigator named Nicole. We thought she was keen as!! But we learned later that she just REALLY wanted Elder Butler.. and was hoping for me to take her home to America. Weird as... so we immediately gave her to the sisters!! ;) It was way funny though! 

We went on exchanges this week with Elder To'a. It was so sick.. we were walking down the street when we saw some Tongans playing basketball. So we went over and started playing with them.. just messing around!! :) Then we asked them for a game.. and completely smashed them!! Thank goodness i still got my game!! ;) 

We played the meanest game of Volley last monday. We went to the church and met up with some Samoans. I love playing with them because their sets are phenomenal.. and they always comment after "man... you can jump so high!!" (in their broken english) Love it!! I was sore as though... for the whole week!! I haven't jumped in ages!! 

Me and Ling Long (what our district calls Lingwall) took bishop around with us this week. It was perfect because you have to be on the bishop's side to get work done.. and when we brought him around, we smashed it!! He comments often about how me and Elder Lingwall are a solid companionship!! 

Oh.. also.. weird story! We've heard some weird beliefs in our days.. but this one tops all of them. We had this long discussion with some lady that believed in Aliens that came to earth and we evolved soon after the dinosaurs. So i just said.. "uhhh... okay.. well... here's a card about Jesus Christ!!" haha i was so lost! ;) 

That's all for this week!! :) I love you guys!! Aroha!! :) I miss you much!! Almost Meri Kerehemete!! (Merry Christmas) 

Arohanui,

Elder Butler 

This is how New Zealand does their baptisms :) #pukana

Thank you so much Nield family!!  I love you guys!! :)  I just need to keep it away from my companion!! :)

Bishop...and his daughter!!  She's the cutest little Cook Island girl!!  She drew me a picture in Sacrament!! :)

Tracting in New Zealand;)  Anyone want to go for a walk?!

This is the plant thing on the tribal tattoos

Sexy as missionary pose...gosh...

Killing Manurewa!!!

Tena Koe everyone!! ;)

wow... I'm sad that week is over. Last week was, no doubt, the best week of my mission so far. Me and Elder Lingwall truly reaped the rewards of our obedience and hard work. We're promised in the Preach my Gospel that we will be lead to those who are prepared to receive the gospel, or they will be lead to you. I've always dreamed of some crazy experience where somebody just walks right up to me and wants to be baptized.. but thought it was too good to be true.. but this week i realized it wasn't. People were coming to us left and right this week. We were riding our bikes past this house when a man runs out and says "missionaries!!" so we stop and go see him. He then says, "i just wanted to let you guys know that i appreciate what you're doing, and look up to you for your courage!" I was shocked!! We then got a return appointment where we taught him and his daughter the restoration. Long story short, We set both of them for baptism. I'm pretty sure the Lord picked him up and made him come talk to us because we would have rode right past his house without even thinking anything of it. 

That's story number one... story number 2 happened early this week also. We were seeing one of our investigators when Elder Lingwall said, "let's stop at this house right here!" So i was like.... "man, we've been there before, they're just a bunch of Black Powers, but i'll definitely let you try your beginners luck!! ;) " So we went up to the door, and didn't even knock on it yet. This lady comes out.. her name is Merekahe, and she said "you guys were sent here weren't you, because you came at the perfect time." She had no belief in god whatsoever. But again.. long story short.. we taught her the plan of salvation, brought her to church the next Sunday, taught her how to pray (she started bawling!! It was amazing) and again... set her and her son for baptism!! If everything goes as planned.. i will have 9 baptisms in my first area!! There's no way we could have done that by ourselves!! 4 set baptisms in 1 week!! Unreal!!

Speaking of Baptisms.. Clinton asked me to baptize him this week on Saturday... so that's exciting. And we got permission to go to his wedding on Friday. I'm way pumped. 

Me and Elder Lingwall are killing Manurewa!! It's unreal!! 

oh.. another funny story. We had something called rescue visits on Thursday where we go find all the less actives and invite them to church. I got matched up with Elder Prasad to go visit families. We finished like 45 minutes before everyone else. So we started playing a little grid iron (american football) with some kids on the street. I was tossing it around with Elder Prasad when he threw it like 10 feet over my head, so i just watched it go in someone's yard. When I went to pick it up I said sorry to the person that was sitting outside. (he was about 20..pretty athletic looking) He said it was all good.. then he said "man.. you have a pretty mean as throw!!" So i said thank you and started talking to him about sports. I then received a return appointment from this kid who we've been rejected by a few times. I realized that the talents that i have, have been given to me for a reason.. to bless the lives of others. In a noncocky way... because I have a "mean as" throw.. It sparked interest in this young fella, and he allowed us to come back to teach him the gospel.  

Oh my goodness... we had a Service Project this week. We volunteered at a community event called "Christmas in the Park." I have lots of pictures, so check them out. But here's the funny part.. some lady lost her child. So me and Elder Lingwall offered to help her find him. When we found him she went to kiss Elder Lingwall on the cheek because that's the culture. He didn't know what to do. The handbook says "restricted to handshakes" so he was awkward as!! :) It was probably the funniest thing i've ever seen!! But let's be honest.. I was smooth as!! ;) haha totally kidding!! When you come here though.. and i introduce you to people.. just be ready to kiss about 1000 cheeks!! 

Well.. that's not really all!! But that's most of it I guess.. It was a crazy week!! Just know that it was amazing!! :) Heaps of Success!! I honestly used to hate the fact that i was in the Ugliest part of NZ. It really bothered me. I wanted to leave so bad!! But now.. It's my home. I love it here! And in a few months when i have to leave.. It will be really hard!! 

I love you all!! :) 

Ka Kite,

Elder Butler 

We played volleyball last P Day...It was a good time!! ;)

The Crew...
You can tell that Sister Fitzgibbon and Sister Katoa are companions...the only ones doing weird things in the picture! ;) 

Me and my boys!!  Jumping Castle Crew.

Me and the big fella! 

This is my Ward Mission Leader Bro. Harris... also known as my New Zealand Dad!!
He's the man!!

   

Me and Elder Finau (my boy on insta, from St. George.)
     ...and a girl taking a selfie in the background...and Elder Siale looks like he's in tears... ;)                                                                                                     

Our new ride..

When I said, "Sister Park made us a snapper." This is what I meant!!... yeah...
14 lbs!

Another Week in the Ol NZ!

Kia Ora my beloved Whanau,

I don't have much to talk about this week. We did a ton of service... so if you want to hear how phenomenal I am with the lawn mower.. then let me know!! ;) But it was a good week. We did a lot of finding, and really succeeded. 

The other day we had a ward activity at the park... easily one of the funnest times on my mission so far. We started out by playing a traditional Maori sport called Kiorahi. It was way fun, and it involved a lot of running.. so that's always good. The weather was mean as too.. it was raining pretty bad, so it made the game more fun because you would slip all over the place and get drenched. (but it did result in 2 rolled ankles, and a possible broken toe by a few members... but it was totally worth it:) ) After we finished that game, we played another traditional Maori game and it was way fun too.. (don't remember the name though.) Then we ate.. (you can always expect to eat.. at any gathering.. and expect to eat a lot) :) then we played touch the rest of the time. Touch rugby was way fun because it was actually intense. (probably pretty apostate for missionaries to get that intense.. but it was so fun!!)

So on the spiritual side of this week, I learned that I am a, straight up, baby! Gosh dang... I think I choked up like 3 times this week while bearing my testimony to investigators. Man!!! I hate it and love it at the same time!! ;) oh well. 

My favorite Samoan, Big Dominick gave a REALLY great talk in sacrament yesterday!! While I was watching him up there.. it brought peace to my heart listening to his testimony knowing that I played a huge part in bringing him back to where he is now. He is the man.. When you come to New Zealand... You have to meet Dom. 

Sadly.. that's about it this week... sorry for the lack of amazing emails... and I don't even have any pictures this week. But I am sending some videos home of me dunking it in my church clothes, and of me eating some muscles and oysters... so just wait a few weeks:) 

Oh.. weird story though.. We walked up to this house and a massive Maori comes out.. and they were Legit too. The whole face tattoo's and everything. Turns out.. they are good friends with Ty's family back in Utah;) So that was pretty funny!!

That's all:) I love you all!! I miss you every day!! I think about you all the time.. (when appropriate) :) Keep doing what you're doing.. The gospel is great!! 

ka kite,

Your Elder,

Elder Butler 

"My New Son" - Elder Lingwall

Whanau!!!!

What's up everyone!? It was a great week!! I kicked Elder Wangsgard out of the flat finally:) ha.. I loved the kid, but I'm happy it's a new transfer. So let me tell ya what's going down in the hood of NZ!! ;)

Before Elder Wangsgard left, a lady in our ward named Sister Park (Tongan) made us a "good bye meal." Holy cow... best meal i've had so far!! All of the sudden this Taxi pulls up to our flat with nobody in it but the driver and massive plates of food. She sent us two snappers covered in coconut cream, a lamb shank with tons of potatoes and vegetables, and a whole cheesecake!! She makes a Mean as meal!! 

That's about it this week for me and Elder Wangsgard... 

So transfers were this week... as i stood there waiting for the new missionaries to walk in.. i was thinking to myself.. hmm.. will he be from Tonga? Samoa? Fiji? oh.. there he is.. Man oh man... My son is fresh from Herriman, Utah!! ;) not going to lie, I was slightly disappointed at first. But honestly.. as the day went on... I realized that he was the EXACT companion i prayed for the night before. He is obedient as! He's not afraid to talk to people. He keeps the house clean, and he loves to run in the mornings!! (Thank the Heavens) so i'm perfectly happy with my new son Elder Lingwall. 

Funny story. Elder Lingwall signed to long jump at Utah Valley when he gets home. I long jumped against him in a few meets this year. Long story short... he smashed me. 

At transfers i met my buddy Elder Finau. The one i became friends with on Instagram. Turns out.. he's in my zone now.. and i'm sitting right next to him!;) He's way sick. We became tight in like the first minute of talking. 

On Saturday.. The missionaries in our ward did a service project. We volunteered for some cultural thing at the park. It was the best service project i've ever done. It was fun, we got free food, and there was a ton of Maori culture mixed in. The whole time, they spoke in Maori, and there were a lot of Haka's and cultural dances, and i did the Hongi with people (the greeting when you touch noses and inhale.. it has many different significant meanings) 

Poor Elder Lingwall was exposed to the crazy stuff in New Zealand in the first week. It was so fun though. Peter brought over a big bag of fresh Muscles and Oysters that they just caught. So he had us try them. So of course I was down. They were nasty!! The first time.. i couldn't even choke it down. But the second time i swallowed it.. and had to rush to the Toffee Pops to get the taste out of my mouth. The Kina we tried last week was WAY better!! Uncooked seafood... not my fave. 

That's about it for the week though.. It was kinda slow because of transfers. Me and Elder Lingwall are killin it in REWA. I'm loving being a trainer... i've learned a lot faster. But anyways... the gospel is true!! I love you all.. and miss you heaps!! 

Cheers,

Elder Butler

 I was frustrated out of my mind because i couldn't find my tag. Elder Wangsgard Froze it:/

Last day in REWA...

My best buddy Dominick!  I love him to death!!

Our district before transfers. I love this picture because everyone is being so serious. Then there's me and Elder To'a in the back ground doing the Pukana (the warrior face with the tongue and big eyes) :) 

Me, Elder Wangsgard and the Pereira family. (one of the greatest families in our ward) I've grown really close to this family.

I'm about to eat this muscle!! I couldn't handle this one.. It was nasty!! But I ate the raw oyster next.. and i swallowed it.. Sadly. 

The Big Fella (Elder Lingwall) about to smash some raw seafood:) 

"Eeling" Sick...

What's up everyone,

So this week was weird as!! I don't have too much to say.. and i feel like crap, so I won't write too much!!

This week I tried some weird stuff though.. it was way cool. Last Monday we went eeling at the creek near our house and I was the first to catch one. Elder Wangsgard caught another soon after. They are the grossest animals I have ever touched in my life. The slime from off of their skin sticks to your hands and hardens. It's nasty. But we gave them to sister Mcarthy (a lady in our ward) and she cooked them up for us and brought them over. They were pretty decent. I have some pictures of them.. so check them out.  Along with eating eel, i tried something called a Kina. It's a Maori delicacy. It's a Sea Urchin that you cut in half and suck out the creamy inside (while it's still alive). It was freaking nasty. I've liked almost everything I've been fed here so far.. but Kina is terrible. Now... for the good stuff. A Feijoa! It's a fruit that i think is only grown in New Zealand.. but holy cow. It's delicious. That's about it for the weird foods this week. The members feed us a TON!! 

 

So our recent convert Peter.... man oh man. Some drunk Samoan came up to his house the other day (while me and Wangsgard were there) threatening him because he thought his kids stole his TV.  So he took him in the shed and beat the crap out of him!! I thought it was hilarious... He's the man!;) During our service this week.. Peter also ate 2 snails, a slug, and a worm... and now I owe him a milk and a bread;) I love him;)

It's been a pretty solid week though... We have been trying to find ways to find people and get referrals and all that good stuff.. so me and Elder Wangsgard started singing hymns for/with people. It was a great time!! 

I had my driving test on Thursday with Elder Wark. We ended up getting on the motor way and traveling down the country. It was absolutely Beautiful!! It showed me what New Zealand was really like.. I wish i could have gotten some pictures though.. It was amazing. 

Transfers are this week. Last week President was here.. and he brought me over and said he had a lot of confidence in me. I guess he wasn't kiddin.. I'm going from being trained, to training a new missionary-back to back transfers! :) I'm way excited. But i won't have my boy Elder Wangsgard anymore. Which honestly is a really good thing. Me and Elder Wangsgard's companionship is pretty much just as bad as having Me and Riley together. Knowing that I'm training someone though also means that I'll be in Rewa for another 3 months.. Which sucks in a way, but there's a lot for me to do here. Elder Wangsgard just got transferred to the most beautiful part of the mission though in the East Coast of Gisborne. He's a lucky man! 

That's about it this week fam..sorry it's not much. I have some pictures though. I love you all!! Cheers!!

Oh.. and I don't know if I've told you this yet or not.. but all missionary's say, "The harder you work... the more beautiful your wife will be.. and if you work in the rain.. Her beauty has exponential growth!!" :) Man... I'm glad I got called to New Zealand because it's been POURING on us!! ;) 

Ofa Atu,

Elder Butler 

Eeling

This was my first catch when we went eeling. It definitely wasn't my eel of choice.. but I thought it was pretty funny. Some massive as bra! :) 

My catch:) mmmm!
It felt so gross!

Elder Wangsgard's catch!

Cooked Eel.. Looks nasty aye? But it tastes pretty solid as!! ;) 

This is James. He's the man. Me and Elder Wangsgard named him The Great Hambino. (yes.. I came up with the name) He comes on splits with the missionaries quite often. 

 This is the Kina. It was moving around in my hand with all those spikey things:)  So you can see in the middle that little circle thing?? That's the heart area. That's how you crack it open. You take 2 spoons and smash them into the heart and pry it open.. Nasty.. but I pounded it.