Thanksgiving in New Zealand

I was  in Wanginui at the beginning of the week for exchanges and had a blast working down there in that big city!  They had a baptism this weekend and really wished I could have gone for the baptism, but it was just too far.  We are getting two new Elders in our District!  We will have 8 total now in our district, not counting the Sr. Couple.  The two new Elders will be in a small town up north.  There is a small little branch with about 25 members and it will the the first time ever that they will have missionaries!  So much fun! 

We have been in a threesome this week.  Elder Toomalatia has been with us as his companion went home.  I felt bad for him being with us while the ward members in his area, and the sisters were working with his investigators.  However, he has really helped me and Elder Formaster out!  He has also been falling in love with our area and is now sad to go back.  Everything happens for a reason, he has touched some people here in Feilding which was cool to see.  I am going to miss him as well as Elder Formaster who is being transferred this week.  

We celebrated Thanksgiving this week.  They don't celebrate it in New Zealand! [did his miss the lesson about the pilgrims and the mayflower in grade school, and that it took place in America?]  However, the Bishop and Ward Mission Leader made a Thanksgiving celebration for us and even got a little turkey.  We invited some of our investigators and it was so much fun.  Our senior couple gave the whole history of why we have Thanksgiving and the importance of the restoration of the church.  It was cool!  It just shows that God was preparing the world for the restoration of the church to bring to pass the right way and so that it could grow like wild fire!  We had this at our Bishop's house.  I just love the ward here for helping us out, and doing little sacrifices that make all the difference!

  

We had a Zone Conference with Hawkes Bay and Palmerston North this week.  There were so many missionaries there.  I did get to see my old companion, Elder Godinet!  He trained both of us here in the picture!  We are all family!  

I love you!  I get to talk to you in 5 weeks! [clearly, he has lost track of time in the mission, its 24 days, but who's counting?]

Elder Tuckett