The BIG DAY! (and a little BBall!) ;)

Heck of a week bros,

This week has been so solid!! Lemme give you the run down!

Matthew and Wiki are so sick!! They are absolutely amazing!! We started the "Stop smoking program" and they destroyed it!! Matthew said he doesn't even get tempted any more, and you can see the huge change in their countenances! 

This week we secretly stole Matthew from his family and took him out to lunch to discuss the BIG DAY!!! The proposal!! Stay tuned everyone because stuff is going down in Hawera!! Proposal on Thursday!! WOOO!!! We took him ring shopping, found the right one and got it all planned out!! (now...we just need some cha-ching.. but all goods.) They are the coolest family on earth (besides mine of course.) I can't wait for my fam to meet them! 

This week there was this basketball tournament thing at the HUB. Matthew and Wiki played in it. It was just for fun, so I went and shot around at the beginning. They told me to play, so I did. But when the game started, the ref said I couldn't play unless I took my tie and my badge off. So i was like, "Ya nah man... I can't do that! All good though.. I'll just watch!" But the other team said it's all good!! So the refs changed their minds and allowed me to play. Long story short... I had 20 in the first half... missed 1 shot the whole time! After the first half I had to leave. I thanked everyone for letting me play. They all said, "You have to stay!" and the ref said, "Man... If you want to play again next week, just come on over!" I got a good laugh out of it!! Every time I would do something cool I would hear, "Oh my goodness," or "What the heck!?" It was hilarious!! ;) 

So back to Matthew and Wiki. Me and Van Thiel were walking home with Matthew from ring shopping.. and he asks, "How do you go on a mission?" We were thinking he was asking for himself, so we told him all about couples missions. But then he said, "I want Hemi to go on a mission someday!" I was so flippin pumped!! (If i haven't told you already, Matthew and Wiki have two little kids. Hemi their little 2 year old boy, and Manuanui Rose, their little 10 month baby!) We have found the family I've been praying for!! MIRACLES I'm telling ya... MIRACLES!! 

Last but definitely not least.. We're going to have a vacation this week!! We have a Zone Conference in Hammy town, and we're having a mission conference with Elder Quinton L. Cook on Saturday in Auckland!! So pumped!! :) 

That's all fam!! Love you all heaps!! Have a great week.. Don't enjoy the good weather too much!! Send some of it to me please!! The weather here has been straight up awful!! 

Arohanui,

Elder Butler 

Balut Anyone?!

Kia ora, Kia ora!! 

That was a wonderful week.. let me tell ya! 

To start it off, we went to the lake, Lake Rotokare and that was a blast. (even though it rained the whole flippin time!) We took an awesome hike that I have pictures of, so don't get your panties in a bundle! ;) 

On Tuesday we set 3 people for baptism. So I'm going to talk about all of them. We reset Matthew and Wiki. We're planning with Matthew some sick proposal ideas (which I am a professional at,) so they can get married!! SO pumped!! I absolutely love them.. they will be my friends throughout the eternities.. no doubt!! The next one is Selwyn! He's the man! He's part of the Blackpowers gang, which is a massive gang here in NZ. We had an awesome lesson with him last night. I received the prompting to give him a priesthood blessing, and I kid you not...There in front of me was a solid gang member from the Blackpowers wiping away his tears!! I couldn't believe what I was seeing!!  It's amazing to see how the Spirit works with people, and how anyone can change!! Wonderful experience! 

Alright!! The moment you've all been waiting for... I ate Balut this last week!! Man.. it is something else!! The taste is not too bad! But the looks...wow!! I can't wait to send you the video!! For those of you who don't know what Balut is.. it's the Embryo of a duck or chicken!! Feathers, beak, bones and all!! :) I'll send you some pictures.. but they are pretty graphic... so forgive me. (Robin: don't worry, I am not posting all of these pics.)

There's not much to say this week! It was very successful, let me tell ya!! We achieved the Standards of Excellence this week.. which is very hard to do!! And we're just doing great! People are coming to church, having lessons with us, feeding us.. soon they'll all be flocking to the font!! :) 

That's all for now!! I love you Whanau!! :) 

Elder Butler  

            Lake Rotokare in the rain!! 

                     The lake/hike

                          Balut??

"It was definitely the coolest thing I've eaten so far!!"

Elder Van Thiel Berghuijs...Sent Straight From Heaven!

Whanau, Whanau, Whanau....

What's up, what's up!!! ;) Elder B here reportin' on the week while rollin' in the N to the Z. 

Great week.. Great week!! 

This week was transfers! I finally gave my friendly Filipino a paddle on the skidaddle, and kicked him out of Naki town. I picked myself up a solid as companion straight from the terrifying country of South Africa! Don't try to say his name because I wouldn't want there to be any fatalities back home from trying too hard! It's dutch... Elder Van Thiel Berghuijs! He's the flippin' man! He cooks nice as food, plays sports, and is obedient as!! I'm trying to figure out still if President sent him to me.. or if he came to me straight from heaven. 

It was so awesome talking to the whanau yesterday! I miss your beautiful faces!! 

This week we had a cool little miracle!! So get spiritual for a moment while I lay this on the table!! Brother Michael Tutauha (Dalmon's step dad) was giving the lesson in Elders Quorum about the blessings of Temples. During the story he was telling, he said, "I wish Dalmon was here to listen to this!" And in my mind I was like, "No kidding.. I wish he was also!" All of the sudden, in walks Dalmon in his street clothes. He listened for about the last 15 minutes. At the end of the meeting Dalmon came up to me and said, "Elder Butler, remember the lesson we had about the Plan of Salvation? It all makes sense to me now!!"  It was perfect for him to be there at church at that very time!! It was a miracle!! 

That's about it for now... I told you all the goods yesterday!! But it was wonderful seeing you all! I miss you heaps!! 

Oh.. and a shout out for the best mom ever... "Tia.. happy Mothers Day!!"  (Tia is our dog.)

Just kidding mother dear.. I hope you had the happiest Mother's Day!! Pops... I hope you made it Flippin sweet as for that wonderful woman!! ;) 

Oh.. last thing. We were at an investigators house last night, and on his bookshelf was the book "Guess How Much I Love You!" I had completely forgotten about those cute little rabbits!! And it quickly reminded me of those good ol' days with my sweet mama!! 

Ka Kite ano,

Elder Butler

Me and my new son, Elder Van Thiel Berghuijs!

Playin' a little volley!

Is it working?? Oh...I think it worked.

The Flipping Tutauha family!! LOVE THEM

We went to a culture performance...WAY cool.  But this guy is teaching our members how to do the Haka!  He wanted them to look like "real Maori's," so he threw wigs on them! 

ANZAC Day

Missionary Work is Sweet As!!

KIA ORA!!!!!!!! :) 

Another wonderful week!! Nothing too crazy happened.  Just a typical missionary week...but it was wonderful!! 

Starting off, I went on an exchange with my best buddy Elder Waldron! We had a great time! I pray that I'm a Zone Leader with him as my companion someday, because we would flippin' do work!! I love that kid!! 

On Thursday I had my first Hangi (Hong-ee). It was amazing!! So much meat and pumpkin, Kumara and potatoes!! Oh Man!! And the cool part was an investigator was the one who fed us!! But the bad part.. I ate SO much... and just a few hours later we had a dinner appointment at the Hana's!!  They always feed you heaps of food!! I felt like I gained 5kg that day! 

On Saturday we were invited to play basketball at the big sports center in town. A group of about 15 Filipinos from all over the place were getting ready to play in a league. So we played with them! It was awesome to get out my shoes again and play!! (We weren't allowed to wear shorts, just our proselyting clothes, but we got permission to wear our ball shoes!) It was dang fun! There were some crazy good Filipinos!! They asked if we could join their league team, and we said we weren't allowed. They were pretty bummed about that because they said if they had us on their team, they'd win the championship for sure! ;) Elder Canoy threw me an Alley-oop dunk and it made everyone go crazy (I have the beauty mark on my wrist to prove it!!)  It felt so good to be back on the court.  I haven't played like that in ages!! (But I still felt like I was in pretty decent shape!!) 

All of our investigators are doing well. I'll give you an update on Deanne and Steve (the "to be continued" story.) They are an amazing couple.. and so nice and interested! But they are SO busy! They will be in America for the next 5 weeks! I have a feeling that I'm just here to prepare them to receive the Gospel at a later date, because at this rate, they haven't progressed much! They have to battle with sports, all their kids, work, and it's just insane! But I am positive that they will accept it someday!  

We went to visit the Tutauhas this week. They are so hilarious! I can't wait to introduce you to Sister Tutauha. Her prayers will have you cracking up!! SHE BLESSES AND IS THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING!! I kid you not.. I have to stop myself from laughing every time!! ;) They are beautiful though!! We love "accidentally" visiting them during dinner hours because they ALWAYS have a meal prepared for us...and they're nice as! 

Over all though.. this week has been pretty good! The Spirit was wonderful! I've learned a lot! Grown a lot (still not in height) :/ Missionary work is sweet as!! :) 

love you all!! :)

laterz,

Elder Butler