KIA ORA TARANAKI!!!

KIA ORA TARANAKI!!!

Up to's my favorite Whanau!!? I miss you all heaps!! :) Before i get to the goods.. let me give you the run down of last week!! I got sick as!! Like 10 people in our ward, and 3 missionaries just got hammered with this crazy sickness. I lost 10 pounds!! :/  I think sister Scanlan and I got it the worst though.. I couldn't even function!! We had a solid baptism last week though... My man Keanu Tataurangi!! He's the man!! I'll send some pics in a minute. 

Other than that.. we went on exchanges with the AP's, had a ward activity where i spanked some fellas in Ball, and got way sick... that's all!! Terrible week. 

BUT.. Tuesday i got the good news!! I'm in Taranaki now, just south of New Plymouth. So i went from the very top of the mission... to the very bottom!! My new companion is Elder Canoy (CON-oy) He's from the Philippines. He's the man.. loves basketball and cooks for me every day!! We've had a solid couple days together so far! We are in a branch with about 5-6 families covering like 3 cities!! There's only 1 problem though!! We are the only companionship in the zone that doesn't have a car!! The other day we calculated how far we biked. We went 20 K's in 1 day.. in the strong wind!! I swear I will never ride a bike again after my mission!! ;) I collapsed in my bed at like 9:35 that night!! But it is absolutely beautiful!! We went around this mountain on the ride here and there's the beautiful beach!! We stopped at a black sand bay on the way here and it was sweet!! I would love to get in this beautiful water!! Me and Elder Canoy tracted the beach houses the other day... You look to the left.. and there's the beach.. you look to the right... and there's miles and miles of rolling green hills with cows and sheep!! So SICK!! 

We are double covering the area with sisters. They are both very nice!! One of them though is a baller from Arizona and loves ASU. So i told her about my mama.. she said she's seen mama's name on banners or something.. so i was like.. "ya.. she's pretty dang good.. so that sounds about right!!" Pretty sick

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MYSELF.... Holy cow i just got great news!! Elder Bednar and Lynn G. Robbins are coming to New Zealand on my birthday and we get to meet them and shake their hands after a fireside!! So pumped!! :) 

That's about it for the week!! :) It was pretty solid!! Lots of packing and unpacking though.. so not too much time to do anything else!! We're going to Dawson Falls after i email though.. So that should be a good time!! ;) I love you guys!! Sorry for not emailing last week!! I was just completely dead!! I actually fell asleep at the email shop waiting for Elder Lingwall to hurry up!! I thought i was going to puke right there so i sat by the trash can!! :) Man.. i'm glad that's over!! But now i feel wonderful!! 

Oh.. side note.. because i'm in such a small branch now.. i talk in Sacrament meeting ALL the time now!! And teach class Every week!! :) too fun!! :) So i'll be giving a 20 minute talk next week!! :)  Love you guys!! 

Ka kite!! :) 

Elder Butler 

Hello Taranaki!! ;)

This is the little bay area we stopped at on the trip here.

Best ice cream in the world!!

Like I said...Half boysenberry, half passion fruit.

Look at this guy...slack as!! ;)

Me and Elder Koi eating a fresh coconut from Tonga...one of the members got a coconut and brought it home.

Tell me how hilarious my new cologne is!! ;) Just kiddin'

Before I got sick...pretty bad.

The Big Fella Keanu

Me and Sister Parks...The best cook in New Zealand!! :)