Date: Sunday, December 5, 2010, 3:19 PM
What a week we have been fighting the good fight, and definitely keeping the faith! Things are just humming along. Although we didn't have one full day to proselyte this week the Lord still provided a way for us to have many miracles! We taught and found like crazy, and Polly was baptized. Beau, who was baptized two weeks ago, was able to baptized his mom (Polly) on Saturday. It was very special to see now all that live in the home are strong, active members of the church! We had a Tongan family move in with a member family in our ward, and they came to church so we are going to teach them tonight, and hopefully set them for Christmas or one of the days before! There is now snow here to we just create our own white Christmas by baptizing people since we wear all white!! The mission took a big jump up this past week in sets so we just have to hang on to them for three more weeks, then we should accomplish our goal of doubling our baptisms! I definitely have never been so tired in my life, but I will rest some day, as for now I will wear myself out for the cause of Heavenly Father!
I really do love this work even through all the stink stuff the good stuff totally out weighs any other bad stuff there is!! On Saturday we had to "bashes". We do our best to never bash, but these people we not leave us alone. Many missionaries know in the mission that to bash with Elder Stucki is not a very good idea. I had an experience my 2nd transfer where a man from another church started to bash us and I was lost and I promised myself I would never let it happen again. I studied very very hard to understand any thing they try to throw at us, and am happy to say that I will never loose. The sad/bad part is they just get upset no matter how calm you present what you have to say they just want to argue, and of course that goes no where so as I said we do our best to stay away from the situation, but if does come we NEVER loose. Fortunately the people here for the most part are just loving and we have no troubles even if they are not interested, but you always have a few bad apples!! It is very fun to sort through them and see all the different types of people especially in such a small country!!
Anyways on a better note the zone is still working very hard we would appreciate all of your prayers and faith at an increased level and for the mission. The people we teach are really being hit hard by all sorts of different opposition from Satan, we just hope that they will gain a strong enough testimony that they can with stand the things that they get thrown at them. I am so thankful for what the mission has done to me spiritually it is such a great blessing!! Physically on the other hand I could have done without the mission (extra-weight) ha ha, but all is well in Zion! Thanks for everything that everyone does, and for the things that I learn and feel in your emails. I know that this is God's work. I am tired, and I'm sure I looked warn out, but I got the fire burning with in I will keep fighting to the end!!! I love life, and I love yous all!! Have a great week!!
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Elder Matthew Lee Stucki N.Z.A.M.
Happy Birthday to Me!!!!
Date: Sunday, November 28, 2010, 1:51 PM
Well yet again another week has come and gone. On Saturday I hit the 18 month mark which is a little scary, but very exciting! We had another great we of teaching finding converting and yes baptizing! This week Beau was baptized on Saturday morning! Mom he is the brother of the lady that wrote you the letter 2 weeks ago! It was a great baptism, but definitely a "nail bitter". We had to do the baptism on Sunday morning before church because the ward had so many other activities on Friday and Saturday! He was supposed to be there at 7:30, but we got a call from his mom telling us that he was not home yet and it was 7:45. After I got off the phone I looked at my companion and said well it is time to pray!!! We found an empty room in the Chapel and knelt down to plead with heavenly father to get Beau there quickly. He was out with his friends the night before and had not come home yet! We felt peace as we prayed and held out hope that he would still come! Sure enough about 10 minutes later we got another call from him mom saying he is home and getting ready! I t was a great success.
Last week we got a new ward mission leader so it has been good to "train him up" in righteousness. He is so humble and willing to do anything that we ask of him!!! He and his 3 daughters sung at the baptism. They are truly incredible singers! He is a Samoan man that drives a bus for work and so his hours are crazy, but he comes out with us any time that he can! We also found so really good people this week that we are hoping to get baptized in December. It will definitely be a crazy month with the holidays, and transfers half way through the month! We are working very hard as a mission to follow the call of a Prophet and saves souls monthly right now about 75% of the mission is doing that! Also President has released his new vision for 2011................he is challenging us to saves souls weekly. We have not focused on any number goal, but to just save souls. It is so exciting that our mission is getting to that level. The Lord is blessing us so abundantly. We are focusing on the basics as Always: Faith, Revelation, and obedience with exactness! These are the things that work no need to get fancy. the Lord has promised by small and simple means great things will come to pass!
I am glad to hear that everyone had a good thanksgiving, unfortunately that holiday does not exist in this country ha ha. It scares me to think and see how big and grown up everyone is getting with birthdays and such. I will not recognize anyone ha ha. Tonight we, Elder Brown and I, will have a party with the ward for our birthdays so we are excited for that. I think just about everyone that emailed me today was worried if I would get a cake or not. You should be more worried about me eating too much cake. We just get fed TOO much. I know many of you never thought you would see the day that I said that, but I am ready to get back to being me! We have started playing football every morning so that is helping me get in better shape! Sorry for the short email, but we have things to do I love you all and am thankful for the constant support that I receive from your faith and prayers!
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Elder Matthew Lee Stucki N.Z.A.M.
Well yet again another week has come and gone. On Saturday I hit the 18 month mark which is a little scary, but very exciting! We had another great we of teaching finding converting and yes baptizing! This week Beau was baptized on Saturday morning! Mom he is the brother of the lady that wrote you the letter 2 weeks ago! It was a great baptism, but definitely a "nail bitter". We had to do the baptism on Sunday morning before church because the ward had so many other activities on Friday and Saturday! He was supposed to be there at 7:30, but we got a call from his mom telling us that he was not home yet and it was 7:45. After I got off the phone I looked at my companion and said well it is time to pray!!! We found an empty room in the Chapel and knelt down to plead with heavenly father to get Beau there quickly. He was out with his friends the night before and had not come home yet! We felt peace as we prayed and held out hope that he would still come! Sure enough about 10 minutes later we got another call from him mom saying he is home and getting ready! I t was a great success.
Last week we got a new ward mission leader so it has been good to "train him up" in righteousness. He is so humble and willing to do anything that we ask of him!!! He and his 3 daughters sung at the baptism. They are truly incredible singers! He is a Samoan man that drives a bus for work and so his hours are crazy, but he comes out with us any time that he can! We also found so really good people this week that we are hoping to get baptized in December. It will definitely be a crazy month with the holidays, and transfers half way through the month! We are working very hard as a mission to follow the call of a Prophet and saves souls monthly right now about 75% of the mission is doing that! Also President has released his new vision for 2011................he is challenging us to saves souls weekly. We have not focused on any number goal, but to just save souls. It is so exciting that our mission is getting to that level. The Lord is blessing us so abundantly. We are focusing on the basics as Always: Faith, Revelation, and obedience with exactness! These are the things that work no need to get fancy. the Lord has promised by small and simple means great things will come to pass!
I am glad to hear that everyone had a good thanksgiving, unfortunately that holiday does not exist in this country ha ha. It scares me to think and see how big and grown up everyone is getting with birthdays and such. I will not recognize anyone ha ha. Tonight we, Elder Brown and I, will have a party with the ward for our birthdays so we are excited for that. I think just about everyone that emailed me today was worried if I would get a cake or not. You should be more worried about me eating too much cake. We just get fed TOO much. I know many of you never thought you would see the day that I said that, but I am ready to get back to being me! We have started playing football every morning so that is helping me get in better shape! Sorry for the short email, but we have things to do I love you all and am thankful for the constant support that I receive from your faith and prayers!
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Elder Matthew Lee Stucki N.Z.A.M.
Just livin the dream!!!
Date: Sunday, November 21, 2010, 2:00 PM
Well I just blinked and now I am back at the library emailing home I can not believe it!! It has been a busy week with the Mission conference on Monday then Pday on Tuesday. It truly feels like I was just sitting here!! We had a great week full of teaching and baptisms. Definitely what every missionary dreams of!!! Moroni, the handicap boy, was baptized, and it was probably in the top 5 events of my mission. Elder Brown and I assisted Moroni's older brother Peter in baptizing. I was in the front on my knees and Elder Brown was at his feet. We practiced again on Thursday, and then the day came for the real thing on Saturday! We all assumed our positions, and after the prayer Peter and I held Moroni like a baby in a cradle and he went straight down, no hesitation and came out. This is huge since he has a fear of going under the water! He came out and was beyond happy!! The spirit was so strong and all who attended left better than they came!! I gave Moroni one of my badges so he is now "Elder Sckookey" just like me. (That is how he pronounces it) He proudly wore the badge to church on Sunday as well. Jireh a 12 year old boy who was baptized in October was finally confirmed on Saturday after the mother finally signed the permission form! We have been really blessed!
This coming Sunday BJ will be baptized, he is a 19 year old boy that lives with his member sister and her family and his mother, Poly, lives there too. He will be baptized on Sunday and receive the Priesthood, then baptize his Mum the following Saturday December 4!! Mom that is the family that sent you the letter! They both have come so far in their testimonies, and now are ready to make that step of being baptized!! I have been blessed in such a significant way with people that are so prepared to receive the gospel in their life. The other day I was going through in my head all their faces and stories, and I just felt good. I feel that I am truly doing all in my power to help all of God's children come home to him!!
We also we finally able to catchup with Eseta, and talk about her praying to be baptized we then had a powerful lesson with her, and she has accepted that she needs to be baptized. she just needs better fellowship to get her to stay solid in the church!! She is such a special lady!
I got word this morning that I have some packages in the office so we plan I driving out there this afternoon to get all the stuff for our zone. This time of year is nuts with all the things that come in for the missionaries!
That is great that Evan has his Farewell be sure to give him a huge hug for me and tell him to serve with NO REGRETS!!! Also tell Kyston Congrats on his call!! Alyssa has a job what?!?!? ha ha bout time lil lady! I will definitely miss Turkey day, but I get feeds just as big at least 3 times a week ha ha it is not good!! That is mean that Red Rock stake is taking over the Nativity! It was always such a special thing for all of us to go and see. Where will it be held? The year is just racing by don't you just love it!!!! I just love everyday and make sure I don't waste a moment. Satan is hard at work trying to discourage me and all the missionaries, but we are the life blood of the church of course he wants to take us down. We are on the front lines and boy is it fun to take Satan down or hinder his work ha ha just brings joy to my soul! Well a week from today I will be 21 that is a scary thought, but it will be good. Elder Brown and I will have a joint party since his will be on the 26. The ward is having a party for us so it should be good 21st is a huge deal in New Zealand!
Well mum that is the longest email you have gotten in a long while so I hope you enjoy it ha ha. I hope you all have a great week and have some turkey and pie for me!!
Love yous all!!!
--
Elder Matthew Lee Stucki N.Z.A.M
Well I just blinked and now I am back at the library emailing home I can not believe it!! It has been a busy week with the Mission conference on Monday then Pday on Tuesday. It truly feels like I was just sitting here!! We had a great week full of teaching and baptisms. Definitely what every missionary dreams of!!! Moroni, the handicap boy, was baptized, and it was probably in the top 5 events of my mission. Elder Brown and I assisted Moroni's older brother Peter in baptizing. I was in the front on my knees and Elder Brown was at his feet. We practiced again on Thursday, and then the day came for the real thing on Saturday! We all assumed our positions, and after the prayer Peter and I held Moroni like a baby in a cradle and he went straight down, no hesitation and came out. This is huge since he has a fear of going under the water! He came out and was beyond happy!! The spirit was so strong and all who attended left better than they came!! I gave Moroni one of my badges so he is now "Elder Sckookey" just like me. (That is how he pronounces it) He proudly wore the badge to church on Sunday as well. Jireh a 12 year old boy who was baptized in October was finally confirmed on Saturday after the mother finally signed the permission form! We have been really blessed!
This coming Sunday BJ will be baptized, he is a 19 year old boy that lives with his member sister and her family and his mother, Poly, lives there too. He will be baptized on Sunday and receive the Priesthood, then baptize his Mum the following Saturday December 4!! Mom that is the family that sent you the letter! They both have come so far in their testimonies, and now are ready to make that step of being baptized!! I have been blessed in such a significant way with people that are so prepared to receive the gospel in their life. The other day I was going through in my head all their faces and stories, and I just felt good. I feel that I am truly doing all in my power to help all of God's children come home to him!!
We also we finally able to catchup with Eseta, and talk about her praying to be baptized we then had a powerful lesson with her, and she has accepted that she needs to be baptized. she just needs better fellowship to get her to stay solid in the church!! She is such a special lady!
I got word this morning that I have some packages in the office so we plan I driving out there this afternoon to get all the stuff for our zone. This time of year is nuts with all the things that come in for the missionaries!
That is great that Evan has his Farewell be sure to give him a huge hug for me and tell him to serve with NO REGRETS!!! Also tell Kyston Congrats on his call!! Alyssa has a job what?!?!? ha ha bout time lil lady! I will definitely miss Turkey day, but I get feeds just as big at least 3 times a week ha ha it is not good!! That is mean that Red Rock stake is taking over the Nativity! It was always such a special thing for all of us to go and see. Where will it be held? The year is just racing by don't you just love it!!!! I just love everyday and make sure I don't waste a moment. Satan is hard at work trying to discourage me and all the missionaries, but we are the life blood of the church of course he wants to take us down. We are on the front lines and boy is it fun to take Satan down or hinder his work ha ha just brings joy to my soul! Well a week from today I will be 21 that is a scary thought, but it will be good. Elder Brown and I will have a joint party since his will be on the 26. The ward is having a party for us so it should be good 21st is a huge deal in New Zealand!
Well mum that is the longest email you have gotten in a long while so I hope you enjoy it ha ha. I hope you all have a great week and have some turkey and pie for me!!
Love yous all!!!
--
Elder Matthew Lee Stucki N.Z.A.M
What a blur!
Date: Monday, November 15, 2010, 2:45 PM
The past week has been exactly that a quick blur. We are over busy ensuring that all the people within the zone are going to be baptized. We went on Trade-Offs with ever Elder in the Zone and a Comp study with both of the sister companionship's. Things are going well, but Satan is in the details both with the missionaries and with the investigators! We have to beat him, which we know that if we qualify for, and rely on the Spirit of God then we will crush him!! When it comes down to it he has absolutely no power, he only can influence us it is our choice to make not his! We had many miracles over the past week, one with the Moroni a boy that has a rare condition that slows down the process of the brain. He tried to get baptized when he was eight, but has a huge fear of the water. He is now 12, and the parents wanted to try again. this past week we filled up the font, and his brother and him practiced in the water he wouldn't go under so Elder Brown and I got into the water with all our clothes on, and made him feel more comfortable. He went under the water multiple times, and now he is set to be baptized this coming weekend! Also Poly and BJ who attended the temple have been progressing really well. they are both looking forward to being baptized on the 27. With out even teaching her about it Poly has given up drinking and smoking, and has been coming to church consistently. This is the same woman that said she supported her daughter, and if her son, BJ, wanted to join, but she had her own and she was just fine. She has had a complete change of heart, and the light has come into her eyes!!! We had Zone leader council this past week, and Elder Brown, Elder Davidson and I played Satan in a Nerf battle as a part of President and Sister Porter's training hopefully they will put the pictures up on the blog they are just too funny! Things are going well with my new companion we are just striving to help the work to continue and to progress!
You may or may not be wondering why we are emailing late, but yesterday we had a mission conference (the whole mission!) and we met together to hear trainings from President & Sister Porter along with the assistants. I was the Chorister believe it of not, the senior couples and others were impressed that I can read music, and didn't just wave my hand in the air ha ha. I remember learning that skill in youngmens! Then Elder Brown and I sang with The Samoan and Tongan missionaries one Samoan song & one Tongan. The whole meeting was very powerful. Then for the second half of conference we had a special speaker come. I don't know if the name Hinckley rings any bells, but Elder Hinckley of the 70 came and spoke to us. Yes our late Prophet President Gordon B. Hinckley (1912-2008), his son. It was really good. he is the Head of missionary work for the church, and had some really good thoughts that we can do to continue to progress. He thanked us for following the call of his Dad to double our baptisms, we don't have it yet, but we are on track if we just hold out our last two months of the year!!! Then President Hamula, and Nielson spoke to us of the Area presidency. Over all it was a very spiritual day!!! Well I have to email in a miracle, for a book that Sister Porter will be putting together so I have to keep it short. I am glad to see that everyone is doing well and life is just chugging along!!! All my love!!!
--
Elder Matthew Lee Stucki N.Z.A.M.
The past week has been exactly that a quick blur. We are over busy ensuring that all the people within the zone are going to be baptized. We went on Trade-Offs with ever Elder in the Zone and a Comp study with both of the sister companionship's. Things are going well, but Satan is in the details both with the missionaries and with the investigators! We have to beat him, which we know that if we qualify for, and rely on the Spirit of God then we will crush him!! When it comes down to it he has absolutely no power, he only can influence us it is our choice to make not his! We had many miracles over the past week, one with the Moroni a boy that has a rare condition that slows down the process of the brain. He tried to get baptized when he was eight, but has a huge fear of the water. He is now 12, and the parents wanted to try again. this past week we filled up the font, and his brother and him practiced in the water he wouldn't go under so Elder Brown and I got into the water with all our clothes on, and made him feel more comfortable. He went under the water multiple times, and now he is set to be baptized this coming weekend! Also Poly and BJ who attended the temple have been progressing really well. they are both looking forward to being baptized on the 27. With out even teaching her about it Poly has given up drinking and smoking, and has been coming to church consistently. This is the same woman that said she supported her daughter, and if her son, BJ, wanted to join, but she had her own and she was just fine. She has had a complete change of heart, and the light has come into her eyes!!! We had Zone leader council this past week, and Elder Brown, Elder Davidson and I played Satan in a Nerf battle as a part of President and Sister Porter's training hopefully they will put the pictures up on the blog they are just too funny! Things are going well with my new companion we are just striving to help the work to continue and to progress!
You may or may not be wondering why we are emailing late, but yesterday we had a mission conference (the whole mission!) and we met together to hear trainings from President & Sister Porter along with the assistants. I was the Chorister believe it of not, the senior couples and others were impressed that I can read music, and didn't just wave my hand in the air ha ha. I remember learning that skill in youngmens! Then Elder Brown and I sang with The Samoan and Tongan missionaries one Samoan song & one Tongan. The whole meeting was very powerful. Then for the second half of conference we had a special speaker come. I don't know if the name Hinckley rings any bells, but Elder Hinckley of the 70 came and spoke to us. Yes our late Prophet President Gordon B. Hinckley (1912-2008), his son. It was really good. he is the Head of missionary work for the church, and had some really good thoughts that we can do to continue to progress. He thanked us for following the call of his Dad to double our baptisms, we don't have it yet, but we are on track if we just hold out our last two months of the year!!! Then President Hamula, and Nielson spoke to us of the Area presidency. Over all it was a very spiritual day!!! Well I have to email in a miracle, for a book that Sister Porter will be putting together so I have to keep it short. I am glad to see that everyone is doing well and life is just chugging along!!! All my love!!!
--
Elder Matthew Lee Stucki N.Z.A.M.
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