Monday, March 28, 2011

Another Baptism!

Kia Ora Mother,

First, I would like to say that your long emails are the best part of my week. Also, I choose dad as well (having him home more rather than working extra to make more money). I hope I didn't complain to much growing up about financial issues. I can see many blessings even in the hard times. Also, the family vacations are memories I will always remember. Even if they aren't super expensive. They were with family which is way better anyways. I can say however where I get my whining from. It is from you. That is so good to know. I don't know if you noticed but I did whine a lot growing up even if I didn't mean it. I am sorry about all those times and i beg your forgiveness. I hope the mission can change me so that I can be as great a husband/father/son as dad is. Although, I can't be better than my parents because they are the best that anyone could ever hope for. I will just have to be second place to you.

I can't wait to read that conference talk, and also, I can't wait to hear conference. It was fantastic last year and it will be great again. I know it and can feel it. Spoil everything for me so I can know what to look for when I see it a week later. Ok, now an update on my week. It was a fantastic week with just a few issues. I will start with the issues first and then the good things. So, it is now week three which means my companions are starting to annoy me. Why does this always happen? It is mostly Elder Kimball and the things he does. They just seem so dumb sometimes but I know I do the same dumb things. I don't know how to get over this illness I have except to endure it and hopefully endure it well. Also, I think i lost at chess about two dozen times this week. I am just no good at chess. It seems my pieces are just in the wrong spots all the time. That one isn't so bad because it is just good to play and have a break from being a missionary more than winning or losing.

Ok, good thing number one. We had a baptism this week! Her name was Anihira and she is awesome. She is about 50 or so and I actually got to do the actual baptizing. It was great. Then she got confirmed yesterday as well. Also, something that happened yesterday was that I got to give our recent convert, Robert, the Aaronic priesthood. Boy was I nervous about that. I don't know what I would have done without the spirit. It just helps me in all I do. So that was the great missionary things that happened this week. Another good thing was that, I didn't get to print off the recipies from last week but I did write the fettucini one down. We had that and it was fantastic. Also, we had bean pizza. Instead of Aunt Randi's dough, we just bought premade dough and cooked it in the oven with the toppings on it. It was a very fast meal which is great in missionary work.

Well, keep praying and receiving those blessings from missionary work, and I will keep working to bring home the blessings. Have a great week and don't get to discouraged about soccer. It has just started and yet it is almost done in a few months. Know that I love you heaps and I appreciate all that you do for me.

Love, Elder Beckstead

P.S. Thank you so much for the package sent with the members. It was awesome and I already made some cookies. They turned out excellent. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

March Madness

Kia Ora Mother, and my goodness, that was a long email.

Thank you for all the updates. Keep cheering for BYU and yes, God works in mysterious ways, that's for sure. Ok. Elder Kimball is from California and has been out 18-19 months. He returns in August. He is President Kimball's 2nd cousin, 3 times removed or something like that. Anyways, I believe we are in a threesome for the whole transfer. We have only done splits once but we will implement in more soon.

Ok, people to pray for, Huata, Dave, Renee, Anihira, and Ease. Shannon and Natasha are off the radar. We haven't seen either of them in Ages. Also, Dave is back on track and Robert was baptized in February. We have a baptism this weekend, Anihira, and then 4 in april. We will see how it goes. Elder Smith and I get along great and we both get along with Elder Kimball pretty well. He just likes to bug us and we bug him back as well. I have been trying not to but I will have to continue doing so.

Ok, thank you for the recipes. I can't wait to make real american style food. It will be great. I will pray for you in all that you do. I know you are busy but you are the best mom a missionary could ever want or need.

I love you tons and thank you for all that you do.
Elder Beckstead

P.S. I was just wondering about that package you sent over with members. I haven't received it yet and I was wondering if they were even back in NZ yet. Also, do they know how to get it to me? They take it in a box to the mission office and they will get it to me. Thanks for sending it even if I don't receive it for awhile. Your love and prayers are felt here everyday. Love you!

Monday, March 14, 2011

Transfers!

Kia Ora Mother,

My goodness, what a letter. Thank you for writing to me like always. I love reading about the hectic life of my mother. Anyways, It sounds like you had a good morning at least and I am guessing a good week. Ok, getting to the questions.

1. Elder Mayer was transfered to Rotorua and his family is fine. They live in Wellington and although there has been earthquakes there, no damage so far. Oh, before I forget, tell Xane that the tsunami did not hit us although we did have a warning for one.

2. I am still in Te A. My new companions are Elder Kimball and Elder Smith. Elder Smith is on the left of the picture and Elder Kimball the right side. It is interesting to be in a threesome. There is a definite teaching difference. Ok, transfers. We all drive up to a meetinghouse in South Auckland. There we first take all of our stuff to the new trailor and then we all meet in the church for a few words from President and Sister Porter and the AP's. The whole process takes about 2 hours. Then we all drive with our new districts or zone's to our new areas. The zone leaders get the mail and then distribute in to the district leaders who it turn distribute it to the missionaries. I have not received a package yet from the members, so I hope they get it to the mission office soon so I can get it. Thank you for sending it.

3. Zone Conferences are now every 3 months and president interviews are every 3 months on the opposite transfer. Sister Porter does speak yes at least it was at the last zone conference. It was a mission tour with Elder Callister though so I don't know what a normal zone conference is like. Mission conference is the same except with more missionaries. They are really rare nowadays apparently. Yes, we eat lunch together usually provided by the members in the area.

4. I haven't eaten anything new accept breaded flounder. That was interesting but ok. I am having smoothies for breakfast although no spinach at all. Just berries, bananas unfortunately, Ice and milk. Not too exciting. Elder Mayer had the blender though so I dunno what to do now. Elder Mayer had recovery software on one of his flashdrives so he was able to recover the pictures for me. Or at least most of them I think. It was very nice of him to do that.

Last thing. Will you please send those recipes when you have time. I can't remember what they are. Hold on let me think. Caramel popcorn, bean pizza, and something else. I can't remember.

Also, the two pictures are my new companions and my last district.

Thanks for all you do and have a fabulous week. Tell everyone in the ward I am doing well.
Love you tons,
Elder Beckstead

Monday, March 7, 2011

Recovering from Tough Week

Thanks for all the support and prayers from home. Transfers are this week and I hope that this next transfer will be better no matter what it brings. This week was again hard because Zone conference interupted our week. I not really complaining about that because it was fantastic. Elder Callister was there and he taught us heaps of stuff that was good to know. General Authorities know way too much. Then my companion got sick and then got me sick. I would've gotten sick anyways though probably because heaps of people we know got sick around the same time. Weather changes just mess with people over here. It was a flu but that lasted for a couple days. No vomiting, but a fever with body aches and a stuffy runny nose and sore throat. I am mostly over it but I hope to get rid of this awful nose and get a new one. Just one thing to add before I forget is that another reason it was hard this week was because it rained hard for two days straight and we had to tract way to much this week.

Ok, enough of that. It sounds like you had a great time on your trip and then afterwords. it also sounds like you have a full week planned next week. Our week is pretty full this next week as well. A funny story about Wednesday in two days is that we were planning to keep it free so the person leaving could pack. It was a good idea in theory until we went to see potentials and other investigators. They all said that wednesday was a good day for them. So now we have lessons almost every hour of the day which means no time to pack or say goodbye. We will see what happens there. My guess is that Elder Mayer leaves. Not because I want him to go but because he has been in Te Awamutu for 4 transfers already. We will see on Wednesday what happens for sure though. I will tell you what exciting adventures the Lord has planned for the next 6 weeks.

Thanks for the sports update and the story about the bikes. It sounds like Elder Tham's bike during personal study. The tube exploded right outside our window and his tire was flatter than a pancake. I had bought an extra tube the week before so it all worked out. Although I still haven't gotten a replacement yet.

I made the chocolates a couple of weeks ago. It took we awhile to get the chocolate melted because the pans wouldn't cooperate but they worked fantastic. The fondant was way to sticky which made the chocolates look like porcupines instead of balls. Also, I dipped macadamia nuts which the sister missionaries and my companion though were great. Please send me more next year and I will be a little more prepared with powdered sugar and stuff.

Thanks again for all the hugs and kisses that you have sent. I know it is just a trial I have to overcome. Thanks for all the support.

Love you tons, and have a great week.
Elder Beckstead