District Leader in Taranaki! :)

Man......

The emails i received today were absolutely amazing! When I saw the video of Josh opening his call I had to look away from Elder Canoy, who's sitting beside me, because I almost busted up crying!! It was unreal!! I'm more than proud of that kid!! Hanna has been in Washington for a while now, and loves it... and I know my good brotha Doughn (Josh) will love it also!! Flip that's awesome!! 

So I got some news this last week.... TRANSFERS!!! But guess who's staying in Taranaki for another 3 months!?! I AM!! And I couldn't be happier!! Taranaki is the zone that missionaries beg to stay in!! And little Elder Butler has just been called to be the District Leader in the best district in the mission!! So I am pumped as!! I love leadership positions because I learn way faster!! So it should be really good!! I'm nervous for my first training though!! 

District Conference was unbelievable!! (sorry mom... I forgot to take pics!!) ;) But Holy cow... I thought I was on the fourth row of General Conference!! President Rudd's talks were phenomenal!! The spirit just fills the room when he speaks!! And President Jones (1st counselor) spoke also... he's like my hero!! I learned so much!! I would tell you what I learned.. but I left my notes at home.. and I'm on a spiritual high at the moment after watching Doughn's video!! So maybe next time!

This paragraph is dedicated to Sister Lifferth heading off to Brazil soon!! I got a call from the sisters the other day and they wanted us to go do service with them for one of their investigators! So we went. This lady who we did service for was straight from Sao Paulo (I was hoping she was from further north but still... Brazil!!) She was absolutely hilarious!! She talked our flippin' ears off!! She was cracking jokes and telling us stories for HOURS!! Hanna is going to love the people there... if they're anything like Cassia... she's in for a treat!! ;) 

I'm sorry I don't have much to talk about this week.. I've been at leadership meetings... district conferences, and other stuff!! So I'm busy.. the way I like it!! I don't have too many pictures.. or stories... but just know that I'm doing great!! Oh.. by the way Delmond.. is actually Dalmon.. and he is the man!! Yesterday he took the 5 hour trip to the Temple to be there for his dear mother, sister Tutauha as she went through for the first time... he could only stay outside, but I can't wait to hear how he felt while he was there during FHE tonight!! 

Life is great!! Missionary work is the best!! My family is the greatest ever!! I love you all!! 

Ka kite ano,

Elder Butler 

Flippin Roller Coaster!!

Kia ora Elder Butler fans!! ;)

This week was a flippin roller coaster!! It had some really solid ups, and some definite, ridiculously low downs!! 

Starting off with the bummer stuff.. We had this REALLY solid investigator who we've been praying about, studying for, and had a date set for him for baptism. We were tracting the other day and ran into one of his work mates. He had heaps of questions.. and we were able to answer them all.. we bore powerful testimonies and everything!! But he was still very cold!! He's been telling our investigator a lot of crap!! So the other day we got a text from our investigator telling us that he doesn't want to meet any more... and he just flippin avoids us now! It's heartbreaking!! We can't even really do anything about him besides pray!! That is the number one hardest thing about missionary work!! 

Next... We had this dumb cat follow us home for about 2km. It thought we were it's parents... It wouldn't flippin leave our house!! It meowed at us ALL night long through our window!! And later the next day.. it found a way into our flat. So i got frustrated with it and picked it up and chucked it in the air over the fence!! I thought i saved the day until it was back 5 minutes later!! It tracted with us... studied with us... and everything else!! But finally we were tracting one day.. and this girl picked it up and took it home!! thank the heavens!! 

We've been doing service every week in the Tutauha's home. They are the cutest little Maori grandparents. They have a son named Delmond! He is the man.. but he's not a member!! He was telling us at dinner the other day that he allows the missionaries to share messages with him after they eat.. and he said he never used to do that.. but he's starting to get interested. So we share little scriptures now and then... but then we asked him if he would let us share the restoration with him.. and it was so solid!! I won't say too much.. not enough time.. but just know that the lesson went perfect!! He will be a solid member of the church of Jesus Christ in the, not to far, future!! 

Elder Canoy taught me how to make Chicken Adobo!! It's so good...and so easy!! So we eat chicken and rice for every other meal almost!! HEAPS of chicken!! The only problem... it's expensive! ;) 

We played some awesome volley last week!! Heaps of fun!! I absolutely love our district!! Usually when i'm with missionaries.. we get along just fine. but the missionaries in my district.. they are like my best friends!! I love them all!! 

That's all for now!! I love you guys bunches!! 

Ka Kite ano 

Elder 

...that is why I'm here!!

Hello lovely people back home!! :)

It was such a wonderful week!! I don't have hardly anything to talk about because it went by so quick with the vacation to Hamilton again, but here it goes.

This week we had a Baptism. His name is Murry Johnson. He's hilarious. He asked me to baptize him on Saturday, so that was definitely a good experience. The spirit was definitely present... and i love it when it is!! 

We took another vacation to Hamilton to see Elder Neilson of the Seventy. His conference was so awesome!! It lasted for like 4 hours (luckily we had a nice lunch in between.) I left my dang rain coat in Hamilton!! and the weather has not been very nice to me. We are expecting the cyclone from Vanuatu to hit us also... so we've had some unreal rain! And all i have is an umbrella!! So hopefully the Zone Leaders bring me my jacket soon!

I gave a blessing to one of the sisters in our ward this week. Man the spirit was amazing!! That's all i have to say about that!! ;) 

I got 2 greenstones this week! I've been wanting them SO bad!! It's a huge Maori thing!! (they're very expensive!!) The Brownings gave me the first one for my birthday... (you give people greenstones when they mean something to you. And to let them know that you'll always be part of their Whanau! So they mean a lot!!) Then Elder Waldron gave me one when we went to Hamilton!! I'll send pictures of them!! 

I had a nice little flashback the other day!! ;) Almost brought me to tears! I was looking in the "preparing to enter the temple" book and saw a wonderful picture of the Celestial room in the Salt Lake Temple. The middle couch in that picture is where I sat with my sweet mama just a few days before I took the long journey to New Zealand!! It was so wonderful!! That was one of the best experiences of my life.. and I will always remember it!! I have been to the Temple plenty of times.. but that one time... I will never forget!! 

That's all I have for this week... sorry it's so short!! It went by so fast!! But just know that I love you guys!! The church is true!! I love it.. and it has blessed my life more than anything!! and that is why I'm here!! 

Arohanui,

Elder Butler

My Greenstones...Left (Brownings) ...Right (Waldron)

They're see-through!  I love the Maori culture!!

Murray's Baptism:)

The park next to our house...lots of duckies!!  We teach one of our investigators on this bench that I'm sitting on.

Another Solid Week

KIA ORA!!!!

Another solid week in the wonderful district of Taranaki!! 

Starting off... We went to the beach on Monday. So fun!! The tide was way low, so we could go way out!! There was a big rock that would usually be covered in water.. but wasn't at the time.. so we went over to it and found heaps of muscles!! I was so proud of myself because I took a rock and cracked them open and ate them like it was nothing!! I can finally choke them down!! Mark that off my mission goals!! ;) We also saw a naked man just walking down the beach... poor sisters!! ;) I guess it has to be nice being that free.. but whatever!!

The rainy season is just around the corner!! We got the fore-shock of what's to come!! ;) We got completely dumped on the last few days. And we don't have a car!! I am very familiar with the Washer and Dryer now because of the amount of times we've had to change our wet clothes. 

On Sunday, one of the members in our ward was having a REALLY hard time with her child. It was a massive tantrum (like.. almost Jaycee status!! ;)) So I quickly looked through my bag to try to help her... I was in the zone.. I was determined to help this little child and his poor mother. So i found my whiteboard and markers and asked her if he'd like them. And the mom said "oh, that would be wonderful, thank you!!" So i gave them to him, and he immediately stopped crying. I was way happy.. I thought I saved the day... until 5 minutes later I saw the same kid drawing all over the face of his brother... with my markers!! :) It's the thought that counts I guess!! ;) 

So my mom wants me to talk about some of the investigators we have right now. Here in Taranaki, we don't have heaps.. but we have some very solid potentials. The Zone best is 4 baptisms in 1 month. So far, our zone has 6 solid sets, with 2 already this month, and 2 baptisms next week (including ours) We're going to wreck the zone best!! Taranaki is the new gold mine!! So anyways.. right now we're working with a few solid people. Murry is getting baptized next week. He has asked me to baptize him (which i'm way pumped about), He was converted from being a Jehovah's Witness... So he's a rare one!! The next person is Stacey, He's a man!! and he's THE MAN!! He gets SO pumped when we teach him.. and everything just makes sense to him... so he's a solid potential!! We have a cool, young, Maori family who we're working with, and a few others... But i wouldn't know what to tell you about them! 

We have some great members in our branch!! We had a solid feed at brother Hana's house!! and the Tutauha's always feed us. You would love sister Tutauha to pieces!! She's a little Maori grandma. She's hilarious!! We're over at their house often because of service. Every time someone is saying a prayer.. in the middle of it she says "OH... Thank you Heavenly Father!!" During the prayer!! It's so dang funny!! I can't help myself from almost laughing! 

That's all for now!! I have a few pics for you guys!! So stay tuned!! ;) Love you all heaps!! Cheers!! :) 

Ka Kite,

Elder Butler  

Rain, Rain, Go away!!  Come again...another day!!

Check out this dang Sunrise!!  It was unbelievable!!

Black Sand Beach in Patea!!

Me and my boy Waldron!!

Beach'n!!

Finding Muscles!!

Me and the crew on Americarna day!!
(They have heaps of American cars along the street that everyone takes pictures of and stuff...lots of fun!)

I don't know what's going on here!! ;)

Looking Shux as!! ;) Power to the Bros!! 

"Missionary Vacation"

Hey everyone!! :) 

It was such an amazing week!! And I'm way pumped to tell you all about it!! 

I'll start off with the fun/crazy stuff, then get to the spiritual stuff to finish it off!! We went on a "missionary vacation" to Hamilton on Monday-Wednesday. It was so fun!! We stayed in Elder Seoul and Elder Ngungutau's flat and played volley and ate their food all night. (well... till 10:30 of course!! :) ) 

Okay... I don't know if i told you this story already.. but who cares. We have sports night every Wednesday here in Hawera. We were playing basketball and they called all the missionaries over to play and get in line so they could pick teams. I was thinking to myself.. alright i'll just play and take it easy since i'm in my proselyting clothes. So they picked 2 captains and started picking teams. I WAS THE LAST PICK!!! (Without sounding cocky) That has NEVER happened before!! So my thoughts changed... alright.. i'm going to absolutely smash these guys... because that was embarrassing!! ;) So long story short.. I hit everything.. had three dunks.. and just shocked everyone there... so I've been the first pick ever since!! ;) 

Alright... The reason we went to Hamilton, like i told you last time, was because we were going to see Elder Bednar on my birthday. Man... he is so amazing!! We were supposed to come "seeking for answers!!" But i didn't really feel like i had any questions in the first place. So i just enjoyed to spirit that was there along with Elder Bednar, Lynn G. Robbins, and a few other 70's. But close to the end of his address he bore the most simple but powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon i've ever heard. I've always had a decent testimony of the Book of Mormon, but I've been frustrated with the promise in Moroni 10:4-5. I felt like i haven't received an "answer." But oh my goodness... When he said "The Book of Mormon was translated by Joseph Smith by the power of God," I felt something... and it was a feeling that has only occurred a few times in my life (going through the temple for the first time being the other.) It was unbelievable!! It took me reading the Book of Mormon 3 times.. and putting in tons of effort.. to finally receive my answer!! But I am more than grateful for that experience!! Oh.. I finished the Book of Mormon again yesterday morning by the way. 

So after that.. I was on cloud 9. I thought my birthday couldn't get any better. But then my boys took me out to eat! They bought me Subway. I had 18in of Subway. We ate it at a lake in Hamilton. It was too funny.. There were ducks and Pukekos (i think that's how you say it) all around us while we were eating!! After that we chilled with the sisters for a bit and got ice cream at Mcdonalds. There was a member at Mcdonalds and he put 10$ in Elder Waldron's pocket and left. So we went to the grocery store and bought 2 birthday cakes!! :) I ate SOOO much!! :) It was definitely in my top 3 birthdays ever!! 

That's all for the week!! It was so great!! :) I love you all!! Ofa Atu!! :) Miss you all heaps!! :)

cheers!!

Elder Butler