It is good to hear that everyone is well at home, I hope that Krista's headaches go away, I will be praying for her, but I am glad to hear that everyone is healthy and having fun. I'm sorry that this email is getting to you so late today. I was on exchanges this weekend with Sister Tito in Dunedin and we exchanged back today and are late getting back to Invercargill to do emails.
This last week, on Thursday, we had exchanges with the missionaries serving in Dunedin. I stayed in Dunedin with Sister Tito and Sister Hemi stayed in Invercargill with Sister Mauntao. Dunedin is a place that has heaps of hills, and very steep ones at that. I was very nervous about going there and having to bike up those huge hills, but it actually wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. the members in the Dunedin 1st and 2nd Branches are SO nice and friendly. When I got there on Thursday Sister Tito and I went and visited a Korean couple who are trying to learn English. their English is pretty good and they are just the cutest couple ever! We have to go very slowly with them so that they are able to understand everything we are teaching, but we were able to introduce the Plan of Salvation to them because of some of the questions they asked us. By the end of the lesson the Spirit was very strong, and they (Walter & Grey) were even getting teary eyed. On Friday we helped a recent convert's (Emma) mother (Heather) move from one area of Dunedin to another. They are very nice people and we hope to be able to eventually teach Heather the lessons, along with her son Sam. At Sports night that night there were a lot of members there along with some of the investigators. They played rugby and half-court baseball. It was really fun to play and also to watch people play. I met a very nice girl there, Sangi. We ended up talking while we were watching the others play and she is a very nice girl who wants to go to serve a mission and go to school at BYU. I love it when the members are really nice and make it easy for me to feel comfortable enough to be myself.
On Saturday I went to the Branch Council Meeting of the Dunedin 1st Branch. It was amazing to see how mission oriented the Branch is and to see how much they want to help the missionaries succeed in the work, and also to help investigators to have fellowshippers. For dinner that night we went to Brother and Sister Fortune's house. Their house has the most amazing view of the ocean, it sits on the edge of the hill looking out over the ocean. And their house is one of the nicest houses I have been in since coming to New Zealand. They live in the rich area of Dunedin; there aren't many rich LDS members here.
Sunday is usually the hardest day for me to get through, probably because of how much we do together as a family back home and it's so different here. But this Sunday actually wasn't too bad. We went to both Branches, so 6 hours of church, because we had investigators going to both of them. Then we went and visited Masi, she was baptized on Christmas Eve. We talked with her about some questions she had about things she had read about in the Teachings of the Prophets - George Albert Smith book. her questions were about the priesthood and it was really good for Sister Tito and I to be able to help her understand more about the priesthood while we were also gaining more understanding. We had FHE with the Krueger's this night also. They are a family that has heaps of challenges and problems. the mum was there with one son, and the two girls and a boyfriend didn't want to join us and they told their mum that they didn't want us going up to get them. Anyways, Sister Tito really wanted to get the family together so we ended up going upstairs and talking to the girl and her boyfriend. We just chatted for a while and made it so that they didn't feel uncomfortable being around us. We asked them if they would join us just for the family prayer and they said yes! It was a small miracle. When we went back downstairs with their family, they ended up staying for the game, and then the little mini lesson that we had at the end. it was really cool to be there and to see that family having fun together even though they are having challenges.
This morning we exchanged back with our regular companions. I am going to miss being with Sister Tito, I felt comfortable with her and was able to just be myself. we are a lot alike in how we think that missionary work should be done and about how we don't think there should be so much 'down time'. I hope that one day I will be able to be companions with Sister Tito.
Me and Sister Tito
Transfers are this week. I am staying in Invercargill with Sister Hemi. I am going to strive to make the most of these next six weeks, even if it doesn't get any better than the last six weeks. Sister Tito helped me to see the good in others and the potential that they have, she also was always happy and positive and I want to be more like her in the regard. I am grateful for the time that I had with Sister Tito, and I hope to help my companionship with Sister Hemi to be better. I hope to feel comfortable with the people down here and to be able to be myself.
I love and miss all of you, but I am so glad that I am here and that I am slowly getting comfortable with the missionaries that I have gotten to know. I know that I am where I am supposed to be, even if I have a hard time and really struggle sometimes. i know that this church is true; if I didn't I wouldn't have come here in the middle of my schooling and given up 18 months of my life to serve. I know that Jesus Christ lives and that the Atonement is real. I know that Jesus Christ knows each and every one of us and that He is there with us through every trial, hardship, and joy that we experience. I know that He is there to pull us up out of the darkness, if we only reach out and take His hand. I know that the Plan of Salvation is real, and that because of that plan we are able to live with our loved ones again, and that death is not the end - it is really the beginning. I know that families can be together forever. I am so grateful for your love and support. I love you SO much!!! Thank you for all that you do in supporting me on my mission, but also for everything that you have done, and do, to help me in my life. You are ALL AMAZING!!!
Love,
Sister Jami Huffaker
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