Hello from PAPAKURA--1/17/10

Well as many of you know I have been shifted back down to south Auckland to a Suburb called Papakura. Our Address is 2/36 Willis Rd. not sure of the postal code, but that should be enough for google earth. So this is the situation I am currently in haha: I got double shifted into the area, meaning neither me nor my companion have been here before, and I have also been made district leader of the biggest district in the mission. I got the call from President on Tuesday, and left Thurday Morning. It is always fun to go to "Grand Central Station", where we meet with all the missionaries that are shifting, and hear president, talk to old companions, and just see the excitement for the adventures ahead. So in my district there are three sets of male missionaries including me and my companion, and there are 2 sets of Sister missionaries. My ward, the Papakura 1st ward is double covered by us and one set of Sister Missionaries so it was great to be at church with their investigators, and ours. This ward is crazy huge what a drastic change from the 30-50 members in Dargaville!!! We have a great ward mission leader that is so on top of things, and really good support from the ward. The bishop is quite young 30 or so, and very very missionary minded. It is great being the district leader and talking to the elders, and sisters each night, but it is a lot more work no more "hangin out" after nightly planning it is straight to the phone updating all sort of record and checking on missionaries, and then reporting it all to the zone leaders!!! It has been really great so far though. The miracle of the week came from a referral we received from other elders, we went to the house that was the not the one they had told us because they wrote 48, but it was 48a. While at 48 we asked is we could share a message they said no we then asked if they knew anyone that was interested, and they sent us across the street, where we met Rhonda. She is less active, and has been praying for help to come back, she also has a 9 yr old son that wants to be baptised. We also have 2 other baptisms coming up in the next 2 weeks from the work of the previous elders. My favorite part of this area is that we share a flat with one other companionship so we have great fun and really good studies all together. It is way cool to see there energy and just feed off one another. We are blessed again with a car so that I am grateful for. My new companion is another Auzzie so the American streak was short lived. His name is Elder McKinley, and he replaced me when I left Panmure. It should be a great transfer!!!

Probably the best part of my week was last night at a Fire side that was put on my our mission back in OTARA my first stomping grounds it was so great to go back to the area. Before the meeting started my companion and I knocked on the Lavea's door to say hello they were so happy and surprised!!! Also another family from my first area have just moved into my current ward, and when Sister Laakulu saw me she said hey come here and gave me a big hug. Atleast I know now I wont starve. It is a big concern in the mission when you will eat. Some times only 7 or 8 times a day it is rough haha jokes jokes. Other than all that not too much news to report I am just loving mission life and thinking about home less and less which is very good. I love all of you to death and would love a short note from everyone that receives this email just so I can get an update on your families!!! It is perfectly fine to email me directly at ElderMStucki@myLDSmail.net I look forward for the updates, and I hope you all know that I pray for you often and hope that we may all try a little harder to be a little better. God be with you all till my next email. Have a great week!!!

Sincerely,
Elder Matthew Lee Stucki N.Z.A.M.

Malo Sai Fua--1/10/10

Kia-Ora (Key Ora) Family and friends or in English hello. This has been a rather slow week for New Zealand Standards partly because we had to drive to Auckland on Tuesday and had an extra zone conference this transfer to discuss our mission goals for the year. Just about all of our standards went up or what we call key indicators. We now are expected to baptise minimum or 2 per month and teach 14 of the 20 lessons with a member present for fellowship. It was so good to hear the words of President Porter. What a man of God!!! He assures us that this is the direction that the Lord would have us take, and plans on continual stretching to help us grow to our “Devine Potential” I really liked that. It is just like and good coach, always expecting more, but giving praise as we achieve the goals we set. He did a demonstration using a back board and some other EMT things, he and Sister Porter were bored a few years back so they decided to get their EMT license, he related the EMT training to missionary work, and how we are out to rescues everyone not just one here and two there, but EVERYONE!!! He had me come up and tighten the bands on the missionary that was on the back board; of course I tightened them to full Stucki strength!!! Fortunately for the elder that was in the backboard because then president had me and another Elder tip it side ways to see if he would fall out. Thankfully all was well!!! That night as we got home late from our drive I laid in bed and pondered heaps of things about my “life”, and I think I may want to go into being an EMT, of coarse don’t sign me up now haha, but it was very interesting to me and I enjoyed it, so you never know.

Well this week is transfer it definitely is crazy to think we have been in D’Ville for 3 months now. We have no clue what is going to happen other than pretty sure one of us will be going. I am not to sure which I would rather to stay or to go. Fortunately it is a decision that I don’t have to make. Mulan and Jamal the 9 year old boys we found a week or so ago will be baptised on Saturday, so there is a chance I wont get to see that. The best news is now the mother has a desire to be baptised. The Lord fulfils his promise when he says that he will make the path for us to keep his commandments. Parents this means that he will you any and all means to do so even your children no matter how young or old. Listen to them and help them to know that there opinion and feelings matter. We also have a man here to play rugby from Canada that is way keen as well so things are still looking good even though it is still holiday season for another 2 weeks or so.

To answer a few emails/questions Aunt Cassie unfortunately I could not see your card you sent since the computer I am on was unable to read it sad day!!! Aunt Teresa I did get your card a few weeks back, I thought I thanked you for them, but it must have just been in my head and prayers sorry, but thanks heaps!!! Mom I finally got your Christmas card haha the postie (mail service) is rather slow here and the money was there. That card was perfect by the way I figured it was from like Deseret book, but was surprised to see Hallmark on it. Today we will be going out to the Midgleys to work on the farm and hang out since it could be our last few days here. Oh and last night at dinner Sister Midgley said that I can live there while they go on a mission and keep up the farm so that would be super sweet! Not much else planned which is nice since every other day is planned to the minute ha-ha. Alyssa good job on your stunt group Kylie showed me the video it was pretty mean!!! I can’t believe that coach ran the duals w/o varsity, who ran it ha-ha? That is one thing I don’t miss all that much is moving the mats and stressing about who is working where. To everyone that receives this email I hope you are doing well, and having a great start to the New Year!!! I send all my love and blessings to all of you. I know that we all can reach our “divine potential” and we evoke the powers of heaven to be with us constantly and petition heavenly father in all we do. As we qualify for the blessings I know that he will pour out the blessings of heaven upon us all. May we all count our blessings each day, and especially the days that we feel that we are all alone!!! This is God’s work and I am so grateful and blessed to be a part of it!!! I LOVE YOU ALL!!!
Sincerly,
Elder Matthew Lee Stucki N.Z.A.M.

Another Week

Well it has been weird getting back into real life missionary work again after the holidays not that it really changed much, but here people shut everything down for there minnimun one month holidays. Many people we have heard are so upset that they only get a month which is funny because except for school we only get days off here and there never huge breaks like here. So our teaching has slown down a bit, but we did happen to find twin boys that are 9 that we set for baptism on the first lesson. It was the firs time on my mission that i have been able to do that so it was a neat experience. They have been to church before, so it wasn't to crazy, but it was still great. They are set for the 16th so that should be really good!!! Im terribly sorry that my emails have been way slack compared to usual, but life is just ticking on day by day not to many new things. Although Dad I did make out famous breakfast burritos so that was nice to have only problem I made them the day after I used all my hot sauce. Yes all the sauces you sent me for my birthday are now gone. Mom you said something about a christmas card, but I never got one so i am not really sure where it is!!! Did you send it through the mission or to kylies? New years was also very quiet here we decided that we would celebrate US new years which was 9 o'clock our time a day later so then we still could go to bed early!! It is crazy how much I enjoy having a bed time and many days it just cant come quick enough. Tomorrow we head down to Auckland for a large mission or maybe half mission conference, we are not sure. I am excited for the road trip, and the goals for 2010. It will also be the first time we see president since we beat the mission best, NZAM 2009, best in history, but the best best is yet to come. We were so stoked when we noticed that if we would have not baptised here in Dargaville the goal would have been missed by just a few. It was so close to failing, but we did it and waht a super blessing it has been!!! Transfers are nearing, but it will be another week before I find out what is happening. This past week we went out to the Kai-iwi lakes where the Midgley's run the food stands, and the lake is like blue as the ocean, President Midgley again said Elder when you come back we can take you out on the lake for some real fun. So Estee I am thinking a 6th month vacation. I will work on the farm so that will pay for our food and rent, and then we have the ocean and lake just minutes away. I think it will be the meanest, so start saving your pennies ha-ha. Heavenly father has been blessing us so imensly and it is definately apparent that you dont go on a mission to pay him back.

Just as a spiritual note I was teaching gospel principles which I am glad that we are studying that in priesthood as well. Anyways I taughta lesson on Family responsibilities, and it was one of the best lessons I have ever taught the whole class was tearing up and the spirit was thick and very uplifting. For all you parent this is a message you can tell your children in stead of because I said so. You can say, "Because I love you , and I want whats best for you." What kid could argue with that? That came to me as I was preparing my lesson, and I definately knew that that is probably what my parent meant, but I was good at selective hearing. I am so thankful for everything I have and the things that I have learned while out, and how I want to use these things to guide and uplift the family that I will have someday. Mission= life preparation 101-8239872982374987 haha Well I love you all thanks for all you do and help with have a wonderful week!!!