Sunday, August 12, 2012

Family is Divine - Family Reunion back home


Kia Ora Mother,

What kinda question is that? ((Kristin asked "what part of yourself will you leave in New Zealand?")) I will leave most of my disgusting clothes over here. Is that what you meant. I honestly doubt that. What part of me will I leave in New Zealand. Well, I hope I can leave an influence for good on all that I met. I hope that people will remember a missionary that was happy and wanted to make life a little better for everyone. I hope I accomplished that.

Also, I would be happy to go to the open House. I am looking forward to that already. Also, to tell you the truth I am trying to focus on the Savior and his gospel in between and the comments about going home soon. I am pretty excited.

Ok, this week was an interesting one. The first part of the week we had nothing to do during the day. We had things to do at night but getting to the night was the hard part. We tracted and I can't believe how many doors we had slammed in our face. This place is the most hard hearted place that I have served. And crazy I might add. However, the scenery and the members make up for it.

We were able to find a new investigator this week and we were also able to get into a home where only one other set of missionaries were able to go. I hope that means something. It is a part-member family where the husband is active and the wife is anti. It is a weird situation but that is the way it is.

I hope that yous have a wonderful week and if anyone is still here send them my love. I love you heaps mum and am grateful for all that you do. I can't wait to see you but will try my best to focus for the remainder of my time here.

Arohanui,
Elder Beckstead

P.S. We have zone conference this week and mission conference next week so hopefully it will be good.

Crazy Week


Kia Ora Mother,

Well it sounds like you are back to your normal busy over the top self. I think dropping soccer was a good idea as you would be stressed to the max right about now. Have a wonderful week and be the best you can be.

Ok, my week was a pretty crazy week. We had to travel to Hamilton this week for a zone meeting and the focus of the mission is beginning to shift. Since we got the new mission president his focus has been mainly preach by the way or talking to everyone we see. Now that is still the emphasis but also we are to try and get less-actives back to church with all their non-member friends. As usual the main focus is to baptize, baptize, baptize. I think it is a good step though especially for this area. All the recent converts over the last 2 years have all gone less-active except for about 2 or 3. So as we focus on the less-actives we can help the branch grow instead of shrink as it is doing now. I think it is a good thought.

A funny story about tracting this week. We went to contact this referral who was about 20 minutes away. We went out and talked to this guy who ran his own religious newspaper and believed in all Seventh-Day Adventist material except for the actual church itself. So that was fine and the next house over we knocked on. The door was a sliding glass door and after we knocked a big burly guy came to the door. He opened the door and came up and looked at my badge. He said, "Jesus Christ? Nah." Then went back in slammed the door. He slammed it so hard that it slid back open again. He had already walked away and I decided to close the door for him. It is funny how some people just don't like us because of a badge that we wear and that they are in a big hurry to get away. Even to the point of leaving the door open.

Besides that we have just had heaps of rain. There is a bridge that goes over a river as well as some paddocks and this week we drove over the same bridge except it was just a river. No paddocks. The river had risen heaps and guess what. It is still raining outside. It just wont quit.

Well, I am getting more and more excited to see you and trying my hardest to not think about it more than needed. Many different people comment on it more and more though so I know it is getting close.

Have a great week at the reunion. Love you all heaps.
Elder Beckstead

Dad got a new job - Trev's reaction - Aug 5th


Kia Ora Dad,

That is excellent News. I am so happy for you. Now I have to consider transferring up to BYU. I have been thinking about that recently actually and that is just a bigger enticement. We will see how it goes.

This week we traveled heaps and tracted heaps. I am getting tired of getting rejected so much. I know there is a reason but I just don't know what. Maybe it is because I'll get rejected by heaps of women. :) Nah that can't be right. Anyways we will see.

Thanks for all you do and I hope that you enjoy the new job. Also enjoy the reunion or the parts you can go to. Let everyone know that I say hi and that I love them.

Love you heaps dad,
Elder Beckstead

Tough Times - from July 29th


Kia Ora Mother,

Wow, I thought you were going to have a break after being released as VP from soccer. Apparently not. Good luck with the driving and such.

This week for us was just a normal week. Well almost anyways. Transfers came and went and we saw no change for us. We are so far away that the changes that happened have not reached us yet. District Leader stayed the same but one zone leader changed. A few district members also changed but we haven't met them yet. We are just putting along out here.

This past week was abnormal though because we are running short on K's for our car. We were stuck in Thames which is pretty useless when it comes to missionary work. Everyone is on drugs or has had brain damage by them. Everyone we have tracted have said no. I don't even know why we stay here. We should live in one of the towns closer to the chapel. But trying not to complain. Also, our flat has heaps of mold which we had to clean today.

We did have a harvest on Sunday in the branch. That was a good thing. The bad thing was that me and my companion we still together and it was just like church ended an hour early. We haven't heard of any results that came from it either. At least the branch is trying to do things like that.

Apparently, we have zone meeting this week with our zone. I reckon it is completely pointless for us to go because it uses up so many of our k's. It is a new month but still, they tell us to budget and then the make us use them all at the beginning. My priorities must be all mixed up because I just cannot see how it how they do.

Well, I am sorry about complaining so much. We are just trying to get used to the fact that we are going to have to tract this whole transfer which is not what I want to do.

I hope that you recorded the opening ceremonies for the olympics so I can watch it. We had to go fix this old ladies tv and the only part I got to see was the part with mr. bean. That was pretty funny. I hope yous enjoyed it.

have a wonderful week and I will do my best to do so as well.

Love yous heaps,
Elder Beckstead