"For the Time will Soon Come When Hobbits will Shape the Fortunes of All"

Sorry it is going to be another short email. The email shop we have been using has been shut down, so we only have the stake center right now and there are lots of elders that need to use it so I am pretty rushed. But I have some pictures for ya! So that is still good!

We had a pretty slow week cause everyone is out at the beach. For Christmas itself we went up to a hardcore bush area (where the Zone leaders teach) and we went out to a "beach" and had a huge feed. It was my first hongi. Which is basically like a tin foil dinner in that they just shove everything together so it all cooks right and it is amazing!! Love it. Then we played Risk with the zone leaders and two other elders. 'Twas awesome.

Otherwise we were able to catch up with [Jim] (picture included) and we have gained a lot of trust from members! Love you guys and thanks to everyone who sent me their Christmas wishes!! :)))

-Elder Clayton-

"Your Time will Come. You will Face the Same Evil, and You will Defeat it"

Hey guys! I don't have much time at all, but I will try to be descriptive as I am quick. The marriage/baptism I told you about last week went well. The only catch was that at 11 (when it was supposed to start) there was like two people there. Around 11:10, bishop shows up. Around 11:45, Brother Haika (the one baptizing) gets there. [Jim] (the one getting baptized and married) doesn't get there till about 12:05. And his bride didn't get there till 1:00. So yeah a bit of a fiasco. But oh well. Other than that, we have had some good lessons this week. And we went to the temple on Tuesday! Oh it was awesome!! Look up Hamilton, New Zealand temple it's so gorgeous. But yes it was very very cool. We went back to those caves on Monday. There was a LOT more water than last time cause of rain. What was about ankle deep last time was going almost knee deep. And I climbed up a sketchy hole like a weasel. (What a funny word) And we are going to some different ones today... XD 

Anyways, love you guys and I apologize for the shortness! It is a very jam packed day today…:D

-Elder Clayton-

PS: We got a Christmas tree!! Elder Fanger’s family sent it and every day we open up a present with ornaments to put on it! It's awesome. Also, shout out to my awesome family for the Christmas stuff. ;)

(And some pics of our flat [apartment])

(http://pixgood.com/new-zealand-christmas-traditions.html)

“A Hunted Man Sometimes Wearies of Distrust and Longs for Friendship"

HELLO!!! So it sounds like a lot of people are starting to get a bit cold. Well I sympathize, but I cannot empathize. Because it is getting quite hot here. ;) Well, mostly. These last five-ish days have been rainy and muggy and humid and wet. Most people hate it. But not me! I RELISH in it. It is so awesome! And it makes the mountains ( Haha "mountains", more like hills next to the Rockies ;D ) look way cool. They look cool all the time, because they are just covered in the greenest most rain forest-y looking trees. But when it rains, they get all enshrouded in mist. I CAN'T even describe it!! It looks just like a movie, it is so exciting.

Anyway, yes the work has been going good! We have been seeing [Jim] (the one getting married and baptized on Saturday) almost every day, because we have to teach him the lessons before his baptism. We worry we are overloading him a bit, but I think it is all good, because he is very accepting and learns quickly. It is very cool to see him change, because before last week, he pretty much wanted little to do with us. There was another time this week where we taught the same lesson to different people about 4 or 5 times in a row over the course of two days. It is awesome.

Other than that, it sounds like we are going back to Waipu Caves today. But not with our whole zone again. This time only with the elders in our district. But it will still be fun! And tonight we are going down to Auckland to spend the night so we can go to the temple in Hamilton!! I am so excited it is such a gorgeous building. I feel peacful and spiritual just thinking about it!! Anyway, it is going to be way fun. Going to try to send more pictures soon!  :) 

One thing, has anyone seen a movie called Ephraim's Rescue? If you haven't, DO IT. It is SO SO good. A lot of people have seen 17 Miracles. (If you haven't seen that one, I recommend it too. It is good and makes me cry...) Well, Ephraim's Rescue came out this year and is pretty much a "sequel" to 17 Miracles. And if the latter makes me cry, then Ephraim's Rescue makes me weep. Hard. I do not want to seem unmanly, but it does. And if you watch it you will see why. Plus, it has good acting, an amazing soundtrack, powerful effects, and camera work that I LOVE. So yes, 'tis but a recommendation. ^_^ 

Anyways, love y'all and hope you're doing well!! 

-Elder Clayton-

"Let Us Remember that a Traitor May Betray Himself and Do Good that He Does Not Intend"

Oh man, did we have a miracle. It was one of the coolest things. FIRST, some background. There is a sister in our ward named [Mary]. She has been less active but has started coming back recently. There is also our Relief Society president's brother. His name is [Jim] and he has been relatively against the church, mostly before I got here. But yesterday, he showed up on Sister [Roberts’] door (our Relief Society President), and said he was coming to church. Needless to say she was a bit surprised. Anyway, he came to church and he and [Mary] (who have known each other for a while because [Mary] is one of Sister [Roberts’] friends) came to our gospel principles class. It is just a little class taught by the missionaries for new people or people who are just trying out the gospel. Anyway, he seemed to enjoy it and the ward was pretty friendly.

Move to later on, we were talking to a family who is moving out of our ward soon. We were outside and just wrapping up, when the phone rang. Elder Fanger was talking to the mom of the family so he handed the phone to me. It was Sister [Roberts] asking if we could come teach a lesson. I said yes, and asked what she wanted us to teach on. She said to just start from the beginning. She then said, quite calmly, that [Jim] and [Mary] were getting married on the 20th. Needless to say I was surprised. She then said that [Jim] was going to get married and baptized all on the same day. We were very surprised and very grateful! He is very solid and earnest. And the story is made even cooler because I was fasting, because it was fast Sunday, that we would find a new investigator. I didn't realize till after that [Jim] was the answer, and not only is he an investigator, but he is also a set! It was so cool to see and I am so grateful for the Lord, He really does provide. 

Ha I hope you enjoyed that. Especially all the people who think I have just been partying the whole time. No I am actually working... ;) No but it is cool. We have four more that may have a date for a baptism soon. It is so exciting!! 

So I have a funny story. I was on a trade off with Elder Palmer. We were down in his area, called Bream Bay, though specifically we were in a township called Ruakaka. Anyway, we were doing rescue nights. It is basically where the elders get with some of the members of the ward and go out to visit some of the less active members. So it was me, Elder Palmer, and his branch president (a branch is like a ward but smaller). We went to go see a man named [Tim]. Anyway, we got to his house and he was sitting in his garage with a pakia (basically Maori for "white person". Used to be quite derogatory, but now, just means white person. Pronounced pa-key-uh, if you’re interested...). Assumedly they were friends. Anyway we went around and met up with them. And they were both on the bottle. [Tim] wasn't too far gone, but his friend was WASTED. He was drunk as. So it came down to the Branch President talking to [Tim] and us elders distracting the other. And WOW he was going on about the weirdest stuff. All I really remember though was him talking about why Christmas is good...I think. Anyway, he grabbed my head and gave me a big ol' kiss on the neck. And then did the same to my companion. Ugh. It was scarring. Cause it was a wet one. From an old drunk relatively hairy white man. So yeah that was interesting.

 And after that we went and saw Maori Santa Claus. He looked exactly like him, he just needed the hat and suit. Man 'twas uncanny. Haha, Bream Bay is a little hoary. 

Other than that, we have just been continuing to teach people and get to know families. It is awesome! Speaking of awesome, I got a letter this week full of a bunch of notes written by a bunch of people, so thanks guys it made me all fuzzy inside. ^_^ 

Anyways, love ya'll and keep being cool people! :D

-Elder Clayton-

(Our Thanksgiving Meal)