My companion is wonderful!

Hey Family!!!

That's okay if you send the music next week - I'm not in a big hurry to get it.  My companion is wonderful!  She does have a definite accent, but I wouldn't say that it is a strong Aussie accent - that's mainly because people always seem to think she is from America, I don't know if that's because I say I am from America and they just assume she is as well or if the way I talk is rubbing off on her. But i love her accent! She has been out about 7 months.

things have been going really well.  So we have moved Peter Marshall's baptism date up to this Saturday and it is all good to go.  I am really excited for him and he is way excited himself   It has been amazing to see how the Gospel of Jesus Christ has helped him come closer to Jesus Christ and also to make those changes in his life that need to be made.  I am so proud of him for being able to quit smoking.  I will tell you next week how the baptism goes.

We have been teaching a guy named Aaron who really knows his Bible.  He seems really interested to know about the church, but he is hesitant to pray and ask if it is true because he has had some rather unpleasant experiences with evil spirits in the past.  He doesn't drink, smoke, take drugs; he is like the only person we have met that isn't addicted to something.  He went to Church, not yesterday but the Sunday before, and told us that he felt a sweet spirit there.  he has gone to several different churches and told us that when he goes he normally just feels like burning them down.  He is very opinionated and very smart, he thinks very logically so we are trying to get him to know what the Spirit feels like and also how to tell it apart from the other spirits that are around him.  He is a choice spirit.  He came down to Invercargill to study at S.I.T. and he met us at the library when we were doing emails a couple of weeks ago.  his studies aren't going very well and he has tole us that he doesn't really know why he is here, we told him that he is here because he needed to meet us and learn about the Church of Jesus Christ and how it is on the earth today.  I'm not sure what he is thinking in his logical head, but I am pretty sure that the only reason he needed to come down it Invercargill was to meet us missionaries and be taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Yesterday Sister Cameron wasn't feeling very well, in fact today she is still not feeling very well.  But when we were at the Ngahooro's getting something to eat for lunch we were talking about maybe going up to Gore so that we could spend p-day there, and also so that Sister Cameron and I could sleep over at Elder and Sister Risenmay's place.  We called them and asked them if that would be alright, they said yes.  Then we called President and asked him if it would be okay, and of course he said yes!  So I am in Gore today writing you from the Risenmay's computer.  I love the Risenmay's!  They take such good care of us, I will miss them when I have to leave here and also when they finish their mission in August - they are from Washington.

Well, I hope that all is well at home.  It sounds like everyone had a good week and Micaela did AMAZING in St. George - could you send some of that sun down here to the South Pole?  I am FREEZING!!!  I sure hope I get moved up to the North Island for winter!!  I will go wherever the Lord sends me - but it sure is a good thing i only have to spend one winter here on my mission!

take care, I love and miss everyone heaps.

Love, Sister Jami Huffaker

Testimony

Hey Everyone!!!!

I hope you all had a happy St. Patrick's day!  I remembered last week that Saturday was St. Patrick's day, but when Saturday came I had completely forgotten about it, so I didn't end up wearing any green - it's not like I have anything green to wear anyway.  But they don't really celebrate it over here, except maybe for the shops, but they don't do any of the pinching stuff that we do over there if we are not wearing any green.

That's too bad that Micaela was sick for her birthday. :(  I'm glad that she was feeling better towards the end of the day.  Strawberry shortcake sounds really good!!  Too bad I missed out.  Mom, thank you for the recipes! And I don't know if I have any record of how much I spent on books for school - there might be something on a word document on my laptop but I couldn't tell you what it is called or where it would be.  Sorry.

That's great that the fireplace is getting started to be done...it's funny how when Kelly was gone we finished the basement, mostly, and painted the upstairs, and now when I am gone the house is pretty much going to be all complete because I think all that was left was the fireplace.

Anyways..  Things here in the land of the chosen frozen have been pretty good.  Last week on Wednesday we had Zone Conference in Dunedin, which was amazing! One of the speakers was Brother Risenmay, Elder and Sister Risenmay's son who had come to visit.  He talked about his mission and how he had an experience in the MTC that helped him to endure to the very end of his mission.  It was a very good talk, I wish that I could tell you all that was said, but that was the part that really stuck out to me.  He also talked about how we can love the people even if we don't know them at all, that is something I have been struggling with because the people here are really kinda weird and I just have had a hard time getting used to that.

We have talked a lot with Peter Marshal about the word of wisdom and last Wednesday we had a lesson with him and I was really pretty bold about him quitting.  We talked about Jesus walking on the water and how Perter wanted to walk on the water too, but when he saw the wind and the waves he lost his focus on the Savior.  I asked Peter where his focus was, if it was on the Savior or if it was on his cigarettes.  That made him think a little bit.  When we went back on Thursday he told us that he was going to quit smoking.  I sure hope that he canbe firm in his choice to not smoke and that he will never go back into the habit.

Thank you for all that you do for me and for the family.  Mom, Dad, you are wonderful parents...Thank you for raising us kids the way that you did - you are truly amazing!  I love you all and can't wait to see you again, but for now emails and two phone calls a year will have to do.

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ is the true church.  I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God.  I know that the Book of Mormon is the Word of God and that it was translated through the gift and power of God.  I know that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today and that he is called of God to lead and guide the church.  I know that Jesus Christ lives!  I know that no matter how hard life's trials get we can ALWAYS turn to him for help and He will be there.  He has been there many times in my life - and I don't even know it at the time.  As I look back on my life I can see how He has always been beside me to help me through my trials and struggles.  He is truly our bother and He wants to help us, we just need to ask Him for that help and He will be there - sometimes unknowingly.  But He is there!  I know that I am where I am supposed to be at this time in my life, even though it is the hardets thing I have ever done; I know that if we are obedient to Gods commands that we will be blessed, it might only be seen in the future but we will be blessed for our obedience.

Love,
     Sister Jami Huffaker

Me & Sister Cameron eating ice cream from the dairy

Elder Hori, Elder Ragan, Me and Sister Cameron at Zone Conference

Sister Cameron and I waiting to meet an investigator at Queens Park in the rain

Sister Cameron and me in a little cart being pulled by a Shetland Pony in Gore

Zone Conference in Dunedin

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICAELA!!

Dear Family,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICAELA!! YOU ARE NOW OFFICIALLY A TEENAGER!

I'm glad that you all liked what was in the package.

I'm glad to hear that things are going well at home.  I'm sorry to hear that Sister Thompson passed away, but I know that she is in a much better place and that she is no longer in any pain.  She is also in a place where she can help with the missionary work from the other side and help her family through others on this earth.  i really liked the story that dad wrote to me about Trisha's experience after her mother passed on.  Sister Thompson was a wonderful woman and will be missed. but it's good to know that this life is not the end - we are able to be with loved ones again all because of Jesus Christ and what He did for us through the Atonement and Resurrection.

This week has been pretty good. Our investigator pool has kind of emptied out except for a couple of investigators, but it seems like those investigators might end up being dropped too because they are not progressing and not willing to do anything to change.  Because of our lack of investigators we have been working a lot with the less active members in trying to reactivate them.  It has been going well with a girl named Annie Tangatakino, in fact she has become a member who we can call on if we need something like a ride to church, or a member present.  Annie and her family are from the Cook Islands and they are very wonderful generous people.  Annie has told us to book her every Thursday for a 12:00 lunch appointment.  She drove us to an Indian food restaurant last Thursday and then took us to get ice cream, and she paid for everything!  She wouldn't let us pay for our food.

Peter, our investigator with a baptism date for April, is at a standstill in progressing.  He has a smoking addiction, as well as a coffee and tea addiction.  We have talked with him about the word of wisdom and the benefits of keeping it, he says that he wants to quit but then he does nothing about it.  He comes to church every week, but yesterday after the meetings go over I saw him come in from outside, he came and stood next to me and I could smell the smoke on him.  I asked him about it and he said that he was just visiting a friend who had been smoking.  I knew that this wasn't true and it is so hard to know that he is lying to us when we ask him about his smoking.  It is really sad to see people who know that what we are teaching is true and then not have the motivation, desire, or testimony to want to change their lives so they can live the gospel fully no matter how hard it might be.  We will continue to work with Peter, but there isn't really much more that we can do other than keep trying to help him read the Book of Mormon and gain a stronger testimony wo that he will want to change.  It's all up to him on whether or not this baptism is going to go through.

I hope that things are continuing to go well at home and that everyone is healthy.  Tell kevin "Hi" for me and let me know how his homecoming talk is.  It's hard to think that he is home from his mission and I am out on mine; when he and all my other friends left I always thought I would be there to see when they got back, but I guess they will all just have to be there when I get home from mine.

Love,

     Sister Jami Hufffaker

P.S.  I will try to send a picture of Sister Cameron and me next week.

Quote:

"Satan knows Jesus, believes in Him too.

So what is the difference between Satan and you?"

Sister Cameron is Amazing!!!

Hello Family!!!

Well, Sister Cameron is amazing!!! I absolutely love her!! She is from Melbourne Australia and speaks with a definite accent.  She is talkative and bubbly, but she doesn't talk so much that I don't get a chance to say something as well.  We have done a lot of walking instead of riding our bikes, which has given us a lot of time to talk and get to know each other better.  things have gotten a lot better since transfers and having Sister Cameron as my companion, I feel like Heavenly Father has heard my prayers and sent me this wonderful sister to help me to enjoy mission life and have fun.  it's been a pretty good 5 days.

Me and Sister Cameron

We saw most of our investigators so that Sister Cameron can get to know them, which has been good; but we have also begun to realize that most of our investigators aren't very sincere and don't really want to change.  So we are going to start focusing on finding people, and finding those choice spirits that Heavenly Father has prepared us to find and teach.  We are also going to be trying to see the members more so that we can get to know them and really earn their trust.  We are also hoping to be able to get the members more involved in missionary work by giving us referrals.  hopefully we can get the members to help us in finding those people who are ready to hear the message of the Gospel because that is a much more effective way of finding people than just door knocking.

In the last 5 days since Sister Cameron got here things have been a lot better.  I have been  happier and more positive than I have since I came to New Zealand, Heavenly Father must have know who I needed that could help me be happy and enjoy the mission.  I'm glad that things have gotten better and I'm looking forward to this transfer with Sister Cameron.

Diana Mufwambambirwi, who is from Zimbabwe, is an investigator that we meet with on Sundays.  She is married with two kids who are super cute!  She says that she is in the church that she is in because she is comfortable, I know that she felt the Spirit when we were over there yesterday.  We talked with her about the importance of reading the Book of Mormon and praying about it and we talked with her about why we are always asking if she has started reading it.  I told her how the Book of Mormon has helped me in my life and expecially with being away from home; I told her that I know how she feels with being so far away from her home and family in Africa because I feel the same way about being so far away from my family for a year and a half.  i told her that the only way that helps me to feel better is from reading the Book of Mormon, because when I read I am able to find peace and comfort and to find the strength that I need to get through the day with being away from my family.  When I told her this I could see tears coming in her eyes, she could really feel the Spirit testify to her that she could find peace and comfort and strength from reading the Book of Mormon.  We challenged her to read the first chapter of first Nephi and that next Sunday we would come and discuss it and read some more out of the Book of Mormon.  Diana is a wonderful woman with a family who could really be blessed from the gospel; she is searching for it she just doesn't know it yet and we are going to help her realize that she is searching for what we have.

I hope that everything is going well at home and that everyone gets over their sicknesses soon.  I still have a little bit of my cold with me but it is slowly going away.  Things are going well here, I hope that all is well at home.

Love,
     Sister Jami Huffaker

2 Transfers Down!

Dear Family,

It's good to hear that everything is going well at home.  I'm glad that Megan's homecoming talk went well.  Wow, two weddings in two weeks!  Is Grandma going to be able to get two quilts done in time for the weddings?  I'm glad that everything is well with dad and that Becci is continuing her mission papers, I hope that all ends up well with her too.  Grandpa and Grandma's gravestone sounds like it looks beautiful - but Grandma, you better still be there when I get home.

The weather here has been off and on.  I can pretty much expect to see at least 3 seasons in one day, Spring, Summer and fall.  in Winter I hear that it hails a lot instead of snow, i think I would rather have snow than hail - but hopefully I am transferred before winter comes here in June.  But lately it has been pretty warm. although i always carry around a jacket with me just in case it gets cold or starts to rain, which is common.

Transfers are this Thursday, but I am staying here in Invercargill.  I will be getting a new companion - Sister Cameron, I hear that she is from Australia.  But that's pretty much all I know about her.  invercargill is being moved back to 4 missionaries instead of the 6 that we have because there are 8 missionaries stuck in the states who are waiting for their visa's to come through - apparently New Zealand has made it harder for people to get work visa's.

The headaches have gone away, but now I have a cold.  I went to sleep the other night with a slightly sore throat so I took everything I could to make it so that i wouldn't get sick, but when i woke up in the morning my throat  was a lot more sore than it was when I went to bed.  i got a blessing that same day and the soreness has gone down, but now I am just stuck with a slightly sore throat and a cold... I hate being sick - especially when I have to ride a bike.

This week we had exchanges.  this time sister Hemi went up to Dunedin, I stayed in Invercargill and led the area.  My companion for the exchange was Sister Dowe, she is from Tasmania, Australia.  She is just finishing her first transfer in the mission field.  She is a wonderful sister.  We got a long very well, she reminds me a lot of Sister Hogg, my companion in the MTC.  It was a very good exchange, she will be staying in Dunedin so I hope that I will be able to exchange with her again this next transfer.

Okay, so about those baptism dates that I told you... they are all scheduled for the end of March or beginning of April.  peter, whose baptism date is April 7th, has come to church twice and loves it!  He is already talking about his baptism date and what is going to happen.  We still have quite a bit to teach him, but he is ready to hear it and he really wants to be baptized.

Things have been going well, I am really looking forward to getting my new companion.  I hope that everyone has a great week.  i have been trying to attach some pictures from this week.  On our way back from exchanges we drove through the Cattlans and got to see Nugget Point and one of the waterfalls.  i will try to attach them and send them in a separate email, hopefully it works.

Love,
     Sister Jami Huffaker

On one of the hikes in the Cattlans

The waterfall the we saw, I can't remember it's name because it was really weird and I couldn't pronounce it but it started with a P.

Riding the only horse that I can for the next 15 months, a statue horse

At the Ngahooro's house - Phaedra Ngahooro, Me, and Sister Dowe

Standing at Nugget Point, it was a beautiful view!

Happy Presidents Day!

Hey Family!!!

Sounds like everyone is having a pretty good time back in the States!  I'm glad that things are well there.  Dad, I don't know how much people go camping here.  I do know that a lot of people go camping over the Christmas Holiday, but I don't know where any good camping places are because I have only stayed in the towns.  Mom, most days I don't get homesick - especially when we have a lot planned during the day and we are busy - but there are still days when I get terribly homesick, I'm thinking it will be that way my whole mission.  Sunday's, Mondays, and Tuesdays always seem to be the hardest days for me in trying not to be homesick - but I am able to just live with it and continue through the day.

this last week Sister Hemi and I have been very busy.  On Monday after p-day was over we went down to Bluff for dinner and a visit with Gaylen, we were going to teach her about the restoration for an FHU lesson but we felt like we should just talk with her and get to know her a little more.  We learned that she was a member of the church, but she still has a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith as a Prophet.  We are working with her to help her become a member again.  She doesn't want to go to church because she doesn't feel very accepted by the members so we are also trying to work on that, but it's going to be hard.

On Tuesday when we went to Janette's to visit her she wasn't home but her son told us that she was just down the street helping her sister and nephew mow his lawn.  We went over and helped out - his lawn was very long and it took us a good 2 hours to finish both the front and back lawns, which is very small compared to our yard.  Plus we were using two lawn mowers.  But I enjoyed myself.  Later in the week when we were able to meet with Janette again we taught her the restoration.  She took it really well and said that she believed it.  She also told us that she was quitting smoking - we were surprised because we hadn't mentioned anything about the word of wisdom yet, we had just barely started teaching her!

Saturday we had two dinner appointments, our first one was with the Kerr's, our regular Saturday dinner appointment.  Our second one was with Wayne and Barbara, Barbara is an inactive member and Wayne is her partner (they are not married) and is not a member.  We made Buttered Chicken for dinner, it is an Indian food.  Normally Indian food is really spice by Wayne didn't make this one very spicy - which I was very happy for.

Dinner at Wayne and Barbara's

Yesterday (Sunday), we had two of our investigators come to church!  Sara Moeau and Peter Marshall both came to church and they both seemed to enjoy it for the most part.  There were also 4 people from Utah who were there visiting and writing a book about ther great great grandfather who served a mission here and actually ended up dying here in New Zealand.

Anyways, I hope that things continue to be well at home.  Let me know how Dad's doctor's appointment goes on Tuesday.  By the way, how is Becci doing?  I hope that everything is okay with her and everyone else in the family.  I hope that Krista had a lot of fun in Rexburg with Kelly and Jessie.  I miss you all and love you heaps.

Love,
     Sister Jami Huffaker

Standing if front of the "Jesus Loves You" sign that is at some church at the end of Center Street

A Better Week

Hello family!!!

In answer to Micaela's question...first, they are not kangaroo's they are wallaby's. Second, you will see the pictures when I send my flash drive to you and when Grandma Yates gets her letter (I sent the same ones to her that I sent to Mrs. Nielsen).  I figured that the students would like to see some of the things from new Zealand so I sent those pictures to her and the class.  i got letters from Mrs. Nielsen's class the other day and just loved them!

I am so glad that things are going well at home.  I hope that Megan is able to adjust to normal life easily.  Sounds like the fireplace and things downstairs are getting put together and done up nicely - I can't wait to see the finished product when I get home! :) Dad, I'm glad that I'm not the only one that Daybreak runs away from, but that is normally just what you need to do - just ignore her and do something in the corral that will help you make your way toward her.  Although sometimes she is too smart for her own good!  It's good to hear that she is doing well - I hope she misses me!

On Wednesday we had dinner at Jennifer's house, she is the American doctor.  She wanted the Elders over for dinner as well and she had prepared for us a Greek 5 course meal!  Oh my gosh!! We were all stuffed after the 3rd course! But it was SOOO good!  I was so full I could have not eaten for a whole day, too bad this wasn't on the Saturday night before fast Sunday. :)

On Friday we had an appointment with Oceania (10), Aura (6), Jayda (5) and their mother Ianeta.  The week before we had asked their mother what she thought of them coming to our church on Sunday, she said that she would think about it and let us know the next wee.  So at this appointment she told us that she was fine with us coming to teach the girls but that she didn't feel comfortable with them coming to church.  We told her that she could come along also, but she said that she still wasn't comfortable with the idea.  She did stay in the room with us while we taught her children though, which is a first.  We taught the plan of salvation and she asked several questions, it was a very productive meeting with the mom there.

We had our usual dinner at the Naunau's on Sunday.  brother Naunau is such a good man, every time we go  over there he always tells us that his house is open to us if we need anything, and that we don't even need to knock - that we can just walk right in.  he also shared some of his experiences with us as we sat around the dinner table.  he is a convert to the church, before he became a member he was a professional Samoan boxer.  he is a man in his 60's but acts like he is only in his 40's - he had heaps of energy.  his family is very important to him, but none of his children are active members of the church.  He loves his granddaghters, who come to church with him and his wife, Hazel.  They are some of the cutest girls that I have seen and they all have beautiful voices!  Man can they sing!  And they are all under the age of 12. But anyways, I just thought I would tell you about this man who is amazing and has adopted us missionaries into his family - I hope that I will be able to see him again after my mission.  His life dream is to serve a mission in Salt Lake City.

This wee has been a much better week than I have had through my whole mission!  Sister Hemi and I have made some changes in our companionship that has helpd our friendship to become closer and stronger.  It has also helped me to be happier and to enjoy my day more because of the friendship that we have.

I hop that this coming week is wonderful for everyone and that everyone is safe and well.  i hope you enjoy the pictures!

 Jayda, Me, oceania, Sister Hemi, and Aura

Sister Hemi and I in Queens Park with the Peter Pan statue

  

At Queens Park with a moving statue!  It is a girl dressed up and made to look like a statue - pretty cool!