I know this is late! I'm sorry!

Lo'u Aiga,

I'M SORRY I'M EMAILING LATE!!! 

We had a ward activity from 10-2 for our investigators to play volleyball and faamasani (get to know) the ward. But it was kind of a flop... Our investigators came! That part was good! But too many YSA came, and were playing too aggressively so our investigators wouldn't play... Sad face!!

GOOD NEWS!!! Nese is set for February the 14th!! YAY!!!! Yes, that is Valentines Day, no we didn't remember that when we set her ;) Also we have ward conference that day, and tons of activities that whole week building up to ward conference! So everyone is so excited to polish it all off with a baptism!! Yay!! But satan is throwing lots of trials in her way! So we are praying for her heaps!!

Vavau (have I told you about him?) was refered to us. A lady was paying tithing and said her husband wanted to talk to samoan missionaries, so Morgan Potoa told us and we went and visited. He has read the book of mormon and believes it true and that Joseph Smith is a prophet! WHAT?? He is a slam dunk! BUT! (theres always a but eh? ;)) he is living with his partner and can't get married until March because of his divorce. (this is feeling familiar, did I tell you this last week?) we taught him the restoration and they told us that they wanted his baptism in March to be a wedding baptism whaaaat? that will be awesome! Too bad I will probably be transferred :(

We had a conference with the Auckland Mission with D Todd Christofferson on Saturday! I got to see Sister Taituuga!!!! And Sister Howell!!!! (Sister Howell and I went to High School together! She is in the Auckland mission, Mandrin speaking!! I have learned heaps from that conference and have set new goals to help me progress! I'm excited to see how it goes!

umm what else?

 I dunno... its been hot as.... Hamilton had a heat wave so its been way hotter down there than up here but still! AND its been raining heaps! My hair has been very excited ;)

I think that's it by way of news. We had lots of progressing investigators this week, hopefully they stay progressing ;)

Love you all!! Miracles happen every day! Thank heavenly father for them!!

Alofa tele atu,

Sista Peo

 Curly hair, don't care!

 Sisters Peo and Howell (they went to High School together, Sis Howell is in the Auckland Mission and speaking Mandarin) met up at a conference with Elder D. Todd Christofferson

Sis Taituuga and Peo together again!!

Visit from Elder Christoffersen

At a Conference in Auckland with Elder D. Todd Christofferson and Alley was able to see Sister Taituuga again!  Happy reunion!!

 left to right: ? not sure (Sis Fredricks--Tai's companion?), Sis Taituuga, Peo, Ulu and Puaina

True Discipleship

Lo'u aiga,

Miracles miracles miracles.

I have had this obscure goal that I haven't really been able to find a decent description for revolving around being a missionary that can be trusted with miracles in the mission. This week I finally found the perfect description.
TRUE DISCIPLESHIP.

That is my goal. That is what I'm gunning for. That is what I eat sleep and breathe for. If I don't have anymore baptism for the rest of my mission, but I can look back and say "I was a true disciple of Christ" I will be ecstatic.

I have been fasting a lot this week, for my language, for our investigators, and for other things. Miracles are become much more frequent! We soft set Nese and committed her to pray for a date. We received revelation that her baptism will be on the 20th.. on Tuesday we will see what her revelation was! She also is taking with her family about her decision! Fun stuff! Also we are making progress With Nortia (who was supposed to be baptized with Caroline). She will be baptized on her dad's first day off in February.. hopefully we will also know that this week too! We have several other investigators we want to invite to be baptized this week too!

The work is going well! My language is... coming? LOL! I made a goal to learn 20 new words a day. I have been averaging about 40 ;) so that's exciting. And I am on track to finish le tusi a mamona on march 16th! I can read all 6 pages in half an hour now.

I hope everyone's week has been splendidly primely amazing! Heavenly Father loves you! Keep your hearts and hands clean! Look for miracles!

Alofa Tele Atu,

Sista Peo

Mom I got my package!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE DEODORANT!!! MIRACLES!!!!

Note from Delise, here are some things she wrote in a private email that I thought everyone would be interested in knowing:
"Sister Puaina is from American Samoa, so she is used to American products too. so I gave her one!! Lol!! Ulu is good.. she talks a lot so I don't teach as much as I used too ;) LOL! Oi!!! We got a letter and Puaina and me are both training Ulu... so that's exciting!! Taituuga goes home in May. We haven't gone on splits lately, my companions don't know the area well enough! Actually we went on splits with the kids in the MTC. Ours was from Vanuwatu (where Elder Sears served) and she said she knew him!! How cool is that? Her name was sister James!"

l to r:  Sisters Peo, Puaina and Ulu

Transfers

Lo'u Aiga,

It finally happened. We all knew it was going to happen eventually.. 

Sister Taituuga got transferred down to Hamilton. Temple view. She didn't go back to the Visitor's center, she's just in the palagi program. How depressing.

Funny story! We were going to go say goodbye to our old Ward mission leader the morning of transfers and we were both crying as in the car together. I was waiting to turn right onto their street when I look up at the review mirror and a car is zooming at us from behind! Before I can respond she rams into the back of us! LOL! Terrible timing! We probably scared that poor lady that hit us! She probably thought we were crying because she hit us! There was no damage to our car! But her car had a giant indent from the hitch thing where we hook up our bike rack! The funny thing is our hitch thing is super loose, so it shouldn't have been able to stop her car. Miracles! They happen every day!!

Sister Puaina (Sister Corrigan [my companion in the MTC's] Trainer!! and Sister Taituuga's companion before me!!) is my new companion. Sister Ulu is also still my companion! Sister Puaina is training Sister Ulu, and I'm basically their Chauffeur around the area ;) (Note from Mom: She said the chauffeur thing was a joke...)

I'm not going to lie I was terribly sad when Sister Taituuga left. Maybe a little depressed. I dunno how that feels but maybe you could call it that. For a few days I wasn't able to read my tusi a mamona (book of mormon) because my brain wouldn't understand. I am disappointed in myself that I allowed Satan to have that tight of a hold over me. No worries, I cast him out and can now read again. I miss Sister Taituuga but I am holding my sadness in check. There is work that needs to be done. Not my work, the Lord's work. And if the Lord saw it fit to give me a new companion, so be it. That is his choice, it's his work! He knows what I need more than I do!

Miracles have been on my mind a lot. I know that I say miracles happen every day. They do! But I am thinking about big miracles. I read that if we are doing what we are supposed to be doing, we are worthy, and we have the spirit, we should expect miracles to occur. I want to become a missionary that can expect miracles to happen every day. That's a little insight into my brain I guess for you ;)

I Love you all so much!! Thank you for your love and support and PRAYERS!!!! They are deeply felt!! Your Heavenly Father loves you!!

Alofa atu,

Sista Peo

Malo soifua

Lo'u Aiga,

I feel like I just wrote you yesterday... Is it already Monday again? I don't see how that can be possible...

Anyways, it's transfer week this week and no one knows whats happening! We got an email saying that there will be no transfer meeting in Hamilton, so people being transferred will take the bus (rather than being driven by their companion to the meeting). Transferring missionaries will not be able to take their bikes or blankets on the bus with them  :'(  They will need to use the ones at the flat in their new area. .... Hopefully I'm not being transferred ;) Optimally that will never happen because all the Samoan wards are in South Auckland... 

Other than that I'm trying to think of new news to share... It seriously feels like I just wrote yesterday.

Our Relief Society 2nd counselor came with us this week, but since there are 3 of us we had to split up (its rude to go to house with 4 people). So I went with her and Sister Ulu and Sister Tai went together. That day it was POURING RAIN. And when I say pouring I mean POURING rain. SO I was thinking that Tai and ULU would be sopping wet because they were walking and we would stay dry because of the car. NOPE. ONLY 3 PEOPLE LET US IN ALL DAY!!! 7 hours!!!!! ONLY 3 PEOPLE!!! We were drenched! One of our less active members gave us towels to sit on in the car (Mara... bless her!!)!! So we go pick up the other two and they are DRY AS!!!!! YOU ARE JOKING!!! Everyone except 3 people let them in!! What the heck!! LOL!!!! 

We got a new investigator! We were contacting a referral and Sister Taituuga and I turn around and a house jumps out to us! She points at it and says we need to go to that one! We were halfway across the street before Ulu noticed what was happening! LOL!  Her name is Mercy! She is way cool! We had a SUPER long first lesson where she agreed to read the Book of Mormon and pray about its truthfulness. She told us to come back Sunday  night because all of her cousins we be over and they would want to talk to us. So we went last night With Vaai (YSA who always comes with us) (Its Vaai's birthday today... Happy birthday Vaai), her cousins talked to us and asked us tons of questions but have a firm belief in their own faith. One of the questions they asked was why was Joseph Smith so special that he saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ when the other prophets weren't able to see them? The closest prophet was Moses. Interesting question! And he also asked how Joseph Smith was able to see God when in the bible it says that no man can see God. That makes it seem like they were bible bashing... They weren't! They were just curious on our views. They invited us back next weekend to discuss it more!

Wow. That was a long one! Sorry about that! I love you all! Heavenly Father loves you the most! Look for miracles! 

Alofa tele atu,

Sista Peo

It was raining so please excuse my crazy hair... No amount of hairspray can tame the mane (there's not a lion emoji...)

Extra photos that have been posted on the mission facebook page

These are from Sister Peo's first moments in New Zealand, 

fresh off the plane where she had asthma troubles almost the entire flight :(

 Everyone kept getting these two mixed up.  The other sister is serving in the visitors center at the temple.

Picture of Sister Peo and Sister Taituuga at the font for Fagamanu's baptism

 After a mission conference--in the van

In December 2015, the New Zealand Hamilton Mission did a mission Haka.  Here they are performing it.  Sister Peo is right behind the last row of Elders in a dress with black and white triangles.  

The Missionary Haka which is called “Tiororangi” meaning the piercing cry from heaven.

   Here are the words and meaning (in Maori and English).    When I asked Sister Peo about hakas in general, here is what she said, "They are used to unify the members and intimidate everyone else. It is disrespectful to smile during a haka. Boys make their eyes big and stick out their tongues, girls make their eyes go wide and do a dramatic frown. We do it in pictures all the time so if i sent you a picture and we were doing that, that's what it is! It is called pukanah (spelled wrong! Sorry!)"                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

 

Here is a youtube link to 2 missionaries performing it for their families on Christmas Day, there is supposed to be a professional video coming out and I'll post that when I find it. 

Elder Egbert and Timu performing the Hamilton Mission Haka 

New Zealand Christmas Day 2015

Preparing for the barbecue at a members house

 Skype photos of our Christmas Day 2015, Sista Peo's Boxing Day

Such a happy time!!

Sister Sogialofa posted this picture on facebook, my favorite surprise of today! Jan 2016

"Love her smile"

 Sister Tuimalatu posted this picture--Jan 2016

The new Trio, Sistas Taituuga, Ulu and Peo

Whazzzzzzzzz uuuuuuuuuuuuuuupp?

Lo'u Aiga,

Very exciting news!! WE ARE A TRIO!!!!!!!!!!! 

I had a feeling last transfer that we'd be in a trio! Nailed it!! ;) 

I know what your thinking: was it transfers already?

Nope! Transfer is on the 14th!

Our third soa (companion) is sister Ulu from the MTC we went on splits with them a few weeks ago! She finished her six weeks in the mtc and is in a trio with us until she gets her trainer at transfers!! Exciting stuff! So we've had fun guessing who her trainer could be (she is called to the Samoan program, so we have a 1 in 6 chance of getting it right ;))

We SMASHED it this week numbers wise!! We had Sister Tui (member from the ward) come with us, so Sister Tai and Ulu would go together and I would go with Sister Tui! It was so effective! We got so much done!! Sister Tui and I visited lots of less actives! It was so good! Sister Tui doesn't really speak english... I mean she does... but doesn't..

So initially I was a little worried. But my Samoan has vastly improved!! We were chatting away the whole time! Yay!!! Mind you there were lots of hand signals involved, and we could only talk about little things, but still! It was good!! I imagine from her perspective it was probably like talking to a giant toddler BAHAHA!! ;) 

Miracles happen EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!!!!! Don't forget to look for them!! Follow the spirit! Remember who you are and what you stand for! Thank you for your prayers and love!! 

Alofa atu,

Sister Peo

PS from Delise: I don't know how to turn these upside down pictures around, sorry!!  :(

l to r: Sistas Tai, Peo and Ulu