KFC, Cops & Robbers, Snail Fights...and a liiiiittle Spirituality! ;)

What's up my crazy family and friends from back home, :)

Here in NZ.. Life's been treating me pretty "smashing" (as Elder Cox would say) Here's a bunch of random stuff that happened this week!!

I was able to go on 2 exchanges the last couple days...so i actually have some pictures. One with a Fijian (Elder Prasad), and the other with a Tongan (Elder To'a). Elder To'a's exchange was my favorite though. I was in his area over in Mountfort (by the bay). It's much nicer over there. So when we woke up we didn't have anything to eat.. so we went over to the Tongan elders flat to see what they had. They didn't have anything either so we all went to KFC. It was so sick.. Elder Butler and the rest of the Tongan elders in our zone.  I didn't bring any money.. But who cares.. The islanders know how to shove it down!  So I sat down and they put a plate in front of me and made me take HEAPS of food! They were speaking Tongan the whole time so I didn't understand much.. but what I did understand was "Elder....EAT!" So I didn't disobey! :) It was way fun!!

I have finally realized.. I am not in Farmington, Utah anymore. Let me tell ya why! So we were at the usual Friday night "cottage evening" with our ward at bishops house, when we see this guy running.  He ran right through our back yard! And about 25 yards behind him, two police cars were chasing him. The police cars ran into the fence and jumped out and started using their tasors and stuff and were running around all over the place... all in our back yard. It was hilarious though... The whole room changed from dead silent, listening to sister Fitzgibbon's testimony, to running to the back door and on the deck yelling, "Oh Yeah!! Get Him" ;) (poor sister Fitzgibbon)

We had a service project the other day at a member's house to pull all her weeds with all the other missionaries.  It was raining pretty good, so the snails were all out, traveling at their usual fast pace. Let's just say it started out as a service project. but ended up in a snail fight (every missionary for him/herself!!) It was a great time!! 

Oh man.. I saw/talked to the first American (besides other missionaries) that i've seen in 2 months!! It was crazy!! They're actually normal people!! His name was Tanner from Minnesota!

Since i'm a missionary.. I'll be a little spiritual with you guys!! I finished the Book of Mormon again! And after, i listened to Elder Holland's talk, "Safety for the Soul." His final testimony of the Book of Mormon is one of the greatest one's I have EVER heard! Before he starts smashing everyone he said, "No wicked man could write such a book as this... and no good man would write it unless it were true... and he was commanded of God to do so!!" And I'd like to say that my testimony stands with his!! That the Book of Mormon is not just some other book!! That there is No way that anyone would ever write such a thing unless it were true!! And over time...I've come to know for myself that it truly is the word of God!! 

I love you all.. The gospel is true! It changes lives!! I saw that the other day! My boy Dominick! He was a huge gang member fella who was heading down the wrong path when he completely flipped his life around. Now, he can't put his scriptures down.  He gets SO pumped when we talk about the Spirit... and his testimony is phenomenal!! There's a song we listen to here that says,  "mistakes of the past don't define you.. they refine you!"  And that was so true with him.. and with the gospel.. People can change!! It's unreal!! I love you all HEAPS!!

Arohanui,

Elder Butler

Brother Haurua... He makes the best dang meals ever (you can probably see why)!! I thought i was going to throw up after we ate at his house the other day i ate so much!! I was seriously at the edge of my chair ready to run!! But ya.. He's way sick!! If you've ever seen "The Other Side of Heaven" He's in it.. He's from the Cook Islands.. he's about 5'10 and a good 400lbs! :)

**see next post for 3 more photos!