Koekiki Kirismasi

Lo'u aiga peleina,

It's almost Christmas!!!

We have still been doing lots of finding with the Light the World pass a long cards but everyone just gets busier and busier in this Christmas season and that always makes things tricky!! It's like Satan know this time of the year everyone is more spiritually awake, so he tries to combat that by make everyone busy, busy, busy!!! :)

We had a service project on Saturday that was.... awesome? scary?

Elder Van Theil called and asked if we could come join them for his service project (Saturday) and said that it would probably be from 8-12 and they needed as much help as possible, we were just cleaning a house. We thought that sounded good!!

Saturday was the day we all decided last week would be the day for our zone car fast- we all go 24 hours without using our cars. So naturally we biked there!! HALF WAY to the service project the zone leader drives by in their car..... we got there and EVERY SINGLE COMPANIONSHIP in our zone drove their car. BAHAHA!!!! Sister Seiuli was so mad at me!!! It was crack up as!!! Obedience points!!!!

Okay so the service itself.... There was HEAPS of stuff in this house!!!.... There were boxes of stuff piled up to the ceiling. We made a line and just passed everything outside so the family could sort through it and we could clean the rooms. We were only going to do 3 rooms that day Bathroom, Toilet (toilet is a separate room in almost all New Zealand houses), and the kitchen. So as soon as one room was cleared of stuff people would jump in and clean it.... I was in charge of the toilet and I spent the whole 4 hours in there... "when ye are in the service of your fellow men ye are only in the service of your God" ;)

That is mainly what happened this week!!!~ I hope everyone is gearing up for Christmas!!! Look for miracles in this beautiful season!! Love you all so much!!

Alofa tele atu!!

Sista Peo

alley.peo@myldsmail.net

We wore our Samoan dresses to church yesterday :)

Sorry no pictures of the service!!! :(

 

Photos from Sisters Ulu and Taugaele (exchanges):

 Kopai from Sis Taugaele

Pictures with Sis Ulu

That awkward moment when you almost forget to write the big email...

Note from Mom: Alley comes home on Feb 7th and her homecoming talk is on Feb 12th at 11am in the church near the Draper Temple.  I know she would love to see any of you who are able to come hear her speak about her mission experiences. Thank you all for your support and love to Alley and also her family!  We are blessed and you are appreciated beyond measure!


Lo'u Aiga peleina,

Busy as week!!!!

We did exchanges with Sister Ulu and Sister Taugaele!!! This time I was with Sister Taugaele in Manurewa 1st!! Members were very excited to see us so that was fun!! I also got to see Beverly and Napolean for a minute and we visited Povalu, an old investigator!!! Taua has been reset for baptism on Christmas Day, hopefully her paper will come through! But exciting things are happening in that area!!

We also did exchanges with Sister Moli and Sister Sheerer!!! Sister Sheerer came with me into Alema!! She is doing a great job with the language!! She has a very solid foundation and is keeping a little notebook of words every time she doesn't understand!! She will catch Samoan really fast with all her hard work!!

Mariah is MOVING TO AUSTRALIA!!!!!!!! Nooooooooooooooooooooo! She leaves on Wednesday!! But she is doing good!! She is reading the Book of Mormon and praying but she says she isn't getting an answer. But she said the reason she's not getting her answer is because she is too worried about moving... there ya go! She answered her own concern!! I think it will be good for her to go there... the Lord will send missionaries to her because she is ready for them!!!

Other exciting news: VAVAU and UAINA recieved Uaina's divorce paper!!!! SO THEY CAN GET MARRIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO VAVAU CAN GET BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have seriously been working with them for almost a year now!!!! We just found out yesterday so hopefully we can get everything all sorted out this week!!!!! YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!

I love you all so much!!! I loved the talks from the Christmas devotional.. especially elder Holmes's talk about how ridiculous it would be if we were to look at our Christmas presents and excitedly talk about them but never end up opening them... and how we do that sometimes with the gifts our Heavenly Father gives us!!! I love the light the world program this Christmastime because it helps me recognize gifts that I have been given, that way I can open them this Christmas Season!!!!

Alofa tele atu!!!!

Sista Peo

Other fun things:

We rode bikes a lot this week~!!

Sister Seiuli flooded the laundry room at like 10pm last night and then took pictures of me cleaning it up hahah!!! Thant punk!!! ;)

 Soa Seuili and Peo

 Sisters Peo and Taugaele

 Sisters Peo and Taugaele

 Sisters Peo and Seuili

Sa ou maua musmusuga mai le agaga pa'ia

Lo'u aiga peleina,

This week was mean as!!!!!

The Light the World program is so awesome!!! Even people that would normally slam the door on us after they saw our pins gave us a minute or two to share about it!! So many blessings!!!!

One mean as experience we had this week:

We pulled up to this neighborhood called Ratavine, and we both got this really strong prompting that while the plan we had was good to work in this area, we would have just as much success tomorrow working this area as we would today. BUT SOMEWHERE THERE WAS SOMEONE THAT WE COULD ONLY TOUCH RIGHT THEN. So we turned off the car and prayed, asking who we need to go see.... We both felt soooo good. But there wasn't a person associated with that good feeling!! BAHAHA!! Funny how the spirit works eh! It's like Heavenly Father is saying- I gave you a brain, I gave you the ability to choose, now use it!!! So we started listing EVERYONE we knew... for every single one we listed we felt like it wasn't right. We were dying trying to figure out who it was!! Finally Sister Seiuli said, "Mariah", and as soon as she said her name, we both had peace wash over us. We immediately left to go to Mariah. We had good reason to think that she moved to Australlia and was no longer in the country, and as we were driving to her house we were reminded of some other things we also needed to get done. We saw members driving to our church building who'd be able to help us with those things. We pulled over to pray and ask if we still needed to go to Mariah or needed to change our course and accomplish the other things. We were forcibly reminded of Martin Harris and how he asked the Lord 3 times to take the copy of the BOM with him.... needless to say we did not ask again, we went to Mariah. She was home!! We had a mean as lesson with her where we read 2 Nephi chapter 31 and talked about repentance!! What a miracle!!! 

President Cummings said in one of his trainings- when ever you have a prompting, no matter how small, even if it's so small you're not even sure if its an actual prompting, just follow it!!

In other words a prompting is a prompting no matter how small! They should just make a new spin off musical called "Horton has a prompting" (instead of Horton hears a who)... did I draw a picture of Horton holding a flower in my journal that night... yes, yes I did!!!

That is my commitment for all of yous this week!!! Follow EVERY PROMPTING!!!!! NO MATTER HOW SMALL!!!! You might have the best plan you have ever come up with ever for your day... but I promise that the Lord has a better one for you. You can have it your way, or you can have it the Lord's... The Lord's has much more lasting and satisfying results... just saying ;)

I love you all!! I'm glad everyone had a good week!! Thank you so much for my Christmas tree of hands!!! It made me so happy!!!!!! Also thank you so much MaiMaids for your cute cards!! I got them this week!!! And the Brannelly's Christmas card!!! and Gramma Christie's two cards!!! Thank you so much for all of your love and prayers!!! They are dearly felt!!

Alofa tele atu!!!

Manuia le vaiaso!!

Sista Peo

 We are lucky we had a wall massive enough for that tree eh??

 Mariah's drawing for our lesson on repentance... when we put a lighter under the paper all of the sins burn off and only Good Peo and a happy stick figure remain :)

Aww and someone took us to a buffet restaurant... I only ate watermelon...THEY RAN OUT OF IT!!! BAHAHAHAH!!!!

P-Day shopping adventures, we came for a basketball! 

Off the crutches straight into lace-ups!!

Lo'u Aiga Peleina!!!!

I AM OFF MY CRUTCHES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday last week Sister Cummings called and told me to wear lace up shoes in order to better support my ankle. Well... I only have one pair of lace up shoes.... and those are my Nike's..... So I HAVE to wear my Nike's all the time!! I also got the okay to drive again!!!

My childhood dreams are finally coming true- I get to wear sneakers to church!!!! Mission me is a little bit mortified but not nearly as mortified as Sister Seiuli... She is so embarrassed for me!! BAHAHAHA!!!!! It cracks me up to see people's faces!!

We had Zone Conference on Thursday which was very nice!! President Cummings did an awesome training on helping others recognize the spirit!! And Sister Cummings talked about how this life is just a time to learn the difference between truths and lies!!! Really awesome notes from both!!

We have been really working with our members trying to get some new investigators!! We have been visiting and just sharing Alma 13:24 and committing them to pray for a missionary opportunity for the upcoming week, and then setting a time we can come back and follow up!!! Half of them have said,  "Okay we will invite someone over for that date" BAHAHAHAH!!! All we did was invite you to pray but I am so grateful that yous are willing to go the extra mile!! I know angels are preparing the hearts of the people around us and we can reach out to them just by living the Gospel!!

We have also been sharing the Christmas initiative for this year which is 25 ways in 25 days!! It starts on December first and goes until Christmas!!! It explains 25 ways we can become like Christ over 25 days and gives a different challenge every day!! There is also a very wonderful Christmas Mormon message this year!! All of it can be found on  www.mormon.org Everyone should go check it out and do the activities with me!! :)

Hope everyone is having fun and gearing up for Christmas!!

Alofa tele atu!!

SIsta Peo

I know in this picture I'mm still in crutches but I'm not anymore!! :)

 

I don't have much to report

Lo'u Aiga,

Not much to report on this week...

We went down to Hamilton on Tuesday, I saw Sister Maire again!!!

I stayed in the flat Wednesday and Thursday, doing exchanges with the English Sisters so Sister Seiuli could get out of the flat. Friday we got out and had a mena lesson with one of our new investigators Mariah, she has lots of member friends and noticed how they all have strong relationships with God and that's what she wants!! She is so cute!! But she is worried about her Dad who is a strong Methodist and doesn't like the Church!

Saturday we tried to go out but wound up back in the flat again. Elders came and gave me a blessing, and blessed me with the will to rest and that I would recover and have no lasting effects from this injury!! Sister Cummings and I had a fun conversation Saturday night in which she found out I was driving around with my left foot so that we could get work done still!! She made me promise not to drive anymore so we've had to get rides to and from church and for emailing and stuff today! Also I am not to leave the flat until transfers on Thursday... We are doing our exchanges with Sister Taylor and Sister Buck so Sister Seiuli can get work done. I don't know what's going to happen with transferrs... I hope nothing but my ankle is a big hinderence for the work in this area! BAHA!!

I love you all so much!! Sounds like a crazy busy week for everyone!! Hang in there!!!

Spencer congrats on your wedding!!!!!

Alofa tele atu!!

Sista Peo

PS...I didn't feel the earthquake at all... I am way far away from the south island.

 Hamilton Temple Nov 2016

 Peo and Seuili

Maire and Peo

Le lava

Lo'u aiga peleina,

Good week this week!! We got out and about and I was even off my crutches for a full 48 hours... and then I fell of the sidewalk and rolled my ankle... the same ankle... we were about a block from the car and we were trying to hop back to it when Elder Van Theil (zone leader) and Elder Barbosa drove by and saw us struggling. We asked them to go grab my crutch from the car but they did one better and just brought the car to me. I was given strict instructions to go home and rest... again... sigh. 

The ward was worried as about me when they saw me on Sunday STILL on my crutches. Everyone kept coming up to me and telling me to go to their house after our fafaga so that they could Fofo (Samoan form of healing, sometimes like a massage...) it. But I had heard stories about fofo for sprained ankles and that they were extremely painful... that's why I didn't let someone do it last week. But this week, we went over to Mauli'o's house and got a fofo... I had heard stories that people use their heels to fofo sprained ankles and push so hard on the ankle in order to pop it back into place and that people just bawl their eyes out... but Brother Mauli'o was very careful and used his hands!! WHEW!! He popped it back into place and the swelling has gone down heaps!! So we will go back and get one more tonight. :)

We got 5 new investigators this week!!! Mark we just taught the restoration!! He is 16 and Methodist, teaching him was a crack up because he couldn't understand my accent!! I would say something, and he wouldn't understand, then Sister Seiuli would say THE EXACT SAME THING and he would understand!! We were laughing so hard about it later!!!

London is 14 she lives in a foster home with social workers... she is allowed to visit our ward mission leaders house (her grandparents) for a few hours every Tuesday, we explained a little about who we were and what our message is and she wanted us to come back this week and share it with her!! She is a sweet heart!! :)

I think that's about it!!

Thank you so much for your love and prayers!!
Miracles happen every day!!
Alofa tele atu,

Sista Peo

Zone photo

my soa loves taking pictures with me ;)

right before I rolled my ankle the second time...

 

 

 

 

na Mapeva lo'u vae

Lo'u Aiga,

This week was a bit of a disaster in the health department!!

Sister Ulu gave me the flu and I thought I could work through it but it made my asthma act up and I went to the hospital last Monday... Did I mention this last week??

They told me to rest until Thursday... ugg so long in the flat!!!

Wednesday night I woke up fast and tried to walk, but my foot was asleep.... ya I totally fell and twisted my ankle. Sister Cummings just told me to stay in for a few more days and keep it iced and elevated... I did that but tried to go proselyting on Friday afternoon... we ended up going to the hospital that night.. BAHAH!!! They made sure it wasn't broken and taped it up for me!!! They told me to rest and I told them that I was SICK of resting, so they gave me some crutches! I HAVE BEEN ROCKING THE CRUTCHES!!! People who don't normally let us in TOTALLY LET US IN on Saturday because of my crutches!!!!

We had a really cool experience with one of our less active families who hasn't been to church in years, and whenever we go we always just talk at the doorstep. BUT THIS TIME I was on crutches so they let us into their house, and we were able to have a really good conversation about some of the doubts the Father had about the church. He didn't believe that Joseph Smith could have seen Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father because it says in the Bible no man can see God and live. I had an investigator express a similar concern earlier in my mission so I was well prepared to open the scriptures and explain it to him! I shared how Moses saw God face to face and spoke to him as man spoke to a friend, and how in Deuteronomy it says if there be a prophet among you I will reveal myself unto him in a vision or a dream! I also explained that the verse he read was incorrectly translated and what it means is that no NATURAL man could see God, only HOLY men or worthy men can see God. He was very happy that he finally understood and we recommitted him to read the book of Mormon and pray to know if it was true. Then his daughter felt confident in our abilities to teach and confided in us with some of her questions. We set a return appointment to come back and reteach her the lessons, and she is going to try and invite a friend for this appointment!! WHAT A BLESSING!!!!! I now have a very strong testimony that everything we experience is just preparing us for success in the future! When my investigator asked me that question at the beginning of my mission I had no idea how to answer, so I spent hours studying it! Look how much of a blessing it has been to me later in my mission!

I also learned a great lesson from my health problems... They came because I wasn't taking care of myself. I wasn't letting my body take the rest that it needed to cope. Our bodies are temples of God, the spirit dwells in them! We are expected to take care of them! Also Jesus had to rest... He repeatedly retired to the mountain sides to pray... AND HE SLEPT THROUGH A STORM THAT WAS SO BIG IT MADE HIS APOSTLES FORGET THEY WERE WITH THE SON OF GOD. Everyone needs to rest, including Sister Peo....

That is it for this week...

Love you all so much!!!!

Look for miracles!!!
Don't forget to let yourself rest!!!

Alofa tele atu!!
Sista Peo

 Sister Seuili, Sister Tui (ward member who took them to the hospital) and Sister Peo

 Proselyting on crutches