CHANGE IS IN THE AIR!!! 4/25/11

Here we go again! We had a wonderful week! I had the privilege of baptizing a girl named Tidah this past weekend. We had her name referred to us last Sunday, the missionaries in Manurewa saw us at the fireside and told us about her and we were stoked until we found out she was in another area than our own. We passed on the referral and then I did her interview on Wednesday and she asked me if I would baptize her, it was a special experience. She is 20 or so and has ZERO support from her family, but her testimony of the Gospel is like a ROCK!!! It was definitely the best interview I have ever done!!! She was baptized Sunday morning before church and then confirmed!! I tried to attach a picture, but the email shop we are at does not let you attach anything to their computers. Other than that this week was transfers sadly and very surprisingly Elder Ward shifted, but he is over in Tamaki and will take over there after his companion finishes with me! My new companion is Elder Belnap he is from UTAH (usually that is not a good thing, but he is the MAN) we get along great. He is another one that President has sent to "Learn the Ropes" of running a big South Side Zone! I was his Zone Leader over in Henderson so we know each other well and it has been really good! I love him to the days and am excited to see what May will bring to us. As a zone we finished the month of April with 33 Baptism. Which is a new Zone best and ties the over all mission best for any Zone. The best part is every companionship baptized. We were so grateful and excited. The best part is just how in just one month we have got the Zone headed back in the right direction. I know that this is because we qualified together and as the Zone Leaders we did all that God asked us to do. We followed His will and he provided the way! So now I have one last shot to make May the biggest month of my mission and go home knowing that I finished strong! We got some really solid missionaries coming into the zone so that will help with progression and what not. We just need to stay humble and righteous and the Lord will always provide a way! I am thankful to be apart of it.

In more personal news......Yesterday at church a Samoan man spoke and near the end he made mention that his wife was not a member of the church. Elder Belnap and I looked at each other and knew that that is where we needed to go Sunday night and so we did. We taught the wife and 3 of her sisters. The wife and husband and in their late 20's early 30's and have two very young children. The sisters were in there mid to late teens, and before they came and sat in there were in the Kitchen right in front of us and were totally talking about my companion and I. they were saying things like wow they are dressed to well and they would look over and giggle and say other stuff Elder Belnap and I were just crackin up after we left. We taught them the Restoration and they really understood and asked some great questions! We will see them again on Tuesday. They agreed that if they found out that it was true then the would follow the path. We are hoping to set them for the end of the month! Obviously there will be work to do, but it happens all the time here and so long as we qualify and exercise our faith the Heavenly Father will Provide a way. Our other 5 sets are still doing very well. Today is Rays birthday so we will take him a picture of the temple and see how his holiday was over the weekend. Also Shantee, Taylor, Kylie, and Tuia are all looking good just a few final concerns to iron out and they all will be baptized in May. We are working very hard and have already done so much to build trust with our missionaries and see what we can do to help every one again experience saving souls.

Well not to much else to report plans for the trip are coming along and just be all finalized over the next week of so! I can not believe that I call home in just couple weeks (what a waist). Thank you all for your prayers I know that that is what helped us to go to the next level and do what President has asked us to do!! I love this work and am excited for every moment and experience that I have left!!! What a blessing it is to serve truely the greatest experience of my life thus far!! Love you all Happy Easter and hope you have a wonderful week!!

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