kia ngawari.. BE BOLD BE BRAVE BE FEARCE 💪

My daughter has already taught more than what I can teach her lol.. haha I told her that where was by now was just someone who ahd been door knocking while she is KNOCKING it OUTTA THE PARK. ⚾️🧢 As of late we've finally been able to better express how we feel about our branches... this leaking bucket analogy. So as you can tell there is still A LOT OF WORK TO DO... 🤣😅 However this week we learned that "There is no chance no destiny and no fate that can hinder circumvent or control the resolve of a determined soul.." As I've learned the answer is no until you ask and that we can do hard things.. 🫡 This has been an interesting and a different week but we are taking it one day at a time.. Highlights: - planning a top secret bday cele at our missionary meeting (shouts to sister kana!!) 🥳 and getting a stake level girls activity going.. - continuing in our teaching and card games with our friend Manaki! :) - last minute FHE BANKKK!! (such a fun game plz learn how to play stat legit had too much fun..) 💸🃏 - exchanges this week was fun to lead out an area and do some exploring and switch things up a bit 🗺 - Having our friend Arthur accept baptism and having a spiritual moment in teaching him. 🌊 - got to try the coke oreo flavor and it was actually pretty good 🥤 - ya know how we were locked out of our chapel? ain't any more cuz we know the lockbox is there 🤪 - Getting to the root of the issue of ministering.. and finally getting the ball rolling - The CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONAL.. more on this later Lowlights: - roller coaster ride of on getting Arthur on date baptism.. only for it to be postponed rip - recognizing that without retention our efforts can be so QUICKLY unraveled (members are EVERYTHING!!) 🧶 - more butchered hymns.. 🎹 - fasting only for our members to remind us that they had us sfor lunch 🙈 Lollights: - Having Toni (aka the shorter version of father of the bride) and the cutests little japanese lady come over and hunt our flat for the circut and then change out our lights that were either missing or not working.. hahahaha 💡 - almost crashing the "wrong" bbq or so we though and dying laughing 🍖.. safe to say I did my best to teach a little girl pool 🎱 Spiritual thought... In our last conference something has really stuck out to me. In regards to being a casual missionary they were also discussing how none of us can be a CASUALw Christian and by being one who is CONSECRATED that means we are one who is dedicated and loves God more than everything else. I think especially in this Christmas season we can all find ways to be less casual and more consecrated in our faith, diligence, and love for others. Invitation this week is to watch the Christmas Devo.. Plzz watch it!! 🎄 Be willing to accept Christ and the gift he's given us. :) Jacob 5:72 This verse this week REALLY stuck out to me especially as sometimes it feels like our church branches are withering and that we are doing everything on our own.. what a smack in the face haha. New favorite scripture from the Book of Mormon. "And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things." The Lord is letting US labor with us and He is always working with US. Just think about that!!! Something from the Maori Prophecy.. As the history of Christianity among them was reviewed by the speakers, the question arose as to the necessity of the existence of more than one Christian Church if all Christianity was of Christ, why were not all Christians affiliated with but one Church? This was something that really stuck out to me as I've never thought of it this way.. truly just makes me all the more intrigued how culture and religion tie together especially with the people here. Love you guys so much (sorry this email is all over the place) 💕 Sister Talbot