Hello

Kia Ora Mother,

It sounds like you had a good week. Congrats to Sam for winning the tournament. Also, good luck with the swim meet and the hike. Sounds like fun to watch. :)

This week was an interesting week. We are having a hard time to find people in this area that are interested. Also, when we find people we have a really hard time getting them to church. That has been the real problem that we are trying to fix in this area at the moment. We will see how things progress before I come home.

I wonder what Xane has in mind. Hopefully nothing too crazy. I think I will need to adjust to life again. At the moment I am sick and have been ever since I have been in this area. My companion is sick as well. We have no idea what is going on and we are trying to get better as best we can.

Thanks for all that you do. I love you heaps. Have a wonderful week and tell everyone hello for me.
Elder Beckstead

Transfer to Thames

Kia Ora Mother and Dad,

I am sorry about the New Zealand lingo (Mackers & suss). I am just so used to it. Ok, so I didn't email Sis Burgener, Sis Milham did. I just told her I was leaving and she did the rest. So I guess you can say that I influenced it but I didn't send it.

So, some details about my new area. There is a branch in Coromandel and in Paeroa. I am staying in Thames which is about 30 min from Paeroa and an hour from Coromandel. The main town that we cover include Thames, Paeroa, Waihi, Whangamata, Whitianga, Tairua, and Coromandel. They range from 30 minutes to 2 hours away. All of this is about an hour and a half from Hamilton which means we don't go to district meeting. It is just me and my companion, a lot of driving and 6 weeks minimum together, but probably 12.

My companion is from Ventura California, well that is where he left from anyways. He is 21 yrs old and talks heaps. He is a pretty good missionary as far as I have been able to judge. There is not much to do up here, so I will know once we actually teach a real lesson. This isn't a great picture but I will try and get a better one next week.

I hope that all is well back home and tell dad and grandpa happy fathers day. I don't know when it is since it is in Sept here. Algoods. Love yous heaps and thanks for all that you do. Have a wonderful week.

Arohanui,
Elder Beckstead

Little Miracles This Week

Kia Ora Mother,

Ok first of all, the main little miracle this week was miami and okc winning:) It made me smile even though I am pretty sure that isn't what you were talking about. <<Kristin asked what little miracles made him smile>> Another miracle was that on tradeoff this week I was able to see one of my converts that I baptized over a year ago. He is doing good. Still not married but at least they have a date set now. I asked them and they said they still have the wedding paper that I gave them. I can't believe the procrastination in this country although I guess it is a world wide plague.

They two girls are doing good. They are at a tangi (funeral) for a few days and missed church. Also, are some of the ward council is against us baptized them. It seems like no matter what we do, we can't please them. They always want more. But I guess everyone is entitled to their own opinion and agency.

Enough complaining. Other miracles include massive feeds. A member gave us 20 dollars to pay for mackers this morning. Heaps of people give us rides when we need to go somewhere. I guess I have a lot to be thankful for. But I am mostly grateful for my father in heaven, Jesus christ and his atonement and my family back home. Thank you so much for your prayers and your support. Tell uncle Erik and Nathan thanks heaps for helping out.

I hope you have a wonderful week. You know I am fine with whatever you send me for my birthday. Mostly everything is to give away anyways. Giving always brings the spirit. I love it.

Love yous heaps.
Elder Beckstead

Interesting Week and What to Do When Discouraged

Kia Ora Mother,

Okay. Where to start. Well, congrats on the successful garage sale. It sounds like you all had heaps of fun. Also, I am not surprised that tucanos won out. That place is pretty good. Anyways, it sounds like you had a good week.

Ok, for my week we had an interesting one. We had tradeoff with the zone leaders which went pretty well. We were able to set two kids for baptism but he was kinda rude to some of our less actives. We went back the next day to one of them and she said that if I hadn't been there she would have shut the door in his face. I hope no ones says that about me except for those that actually do shut the door in my face. So that was that, and then district meeting was switched to friday for some reason. My district leader got sick so the zone leader had to call us twice last week for nightly calls.

We found out that the kids mum says no for letting them get baptized and she is very stubborn about it. We had to teach young mens yesterday in church in pukete ward and we met three crazy 12 year old girls at church. That pretty much summed up the craziness of the week. Oh, I forgot. We also had an 8 year old baptism that we attended that was supposed to start at 3:30 but when we arrived at 3:29 there was no one there. They chapel was locked and the font was empty. It of course started late and we missed dinner because of it. It was pizza too. Oh well, no hard feelings.

The little miracles this week was getting one of our investigators to a fireside last night. We was kinda reluctant to go inside because he said he wasn't a church person but after the fireside, he said he couldn't wait for next sunday. I am hoping it was the spirit that touched him and not all of the girls spirits but I guess we will find out later on. I will let you know next week.

For the other question, when I am down, do one of two things. Go to a members house that I like and just be with them for a few minutes. Something there always makes me laugh and get in a good mood so that I can continue the work. Or the other thing is to walk for a little while. Let the feeling of despair and discouragement role over in my head and exit finally out my ears or something like that. Anyways, sometimes it takes longer walks or longer visits but those two things usually work if not always.

I hope that you have a wonderful week and the two girls who are set are named Lekita and Leeahdin. Good luck saying them but heavenly father with know who you mean. Love yous heaps.

Elder Beckstead

P.S. About the shoes. Give them to xane to wear. Currently I have three pairs that I am alternating around with an additional two unused pairs that are for home. Just think of it as one of the pairs I was given was to replace the old ones and the ones you have are new ones I sent home for xane. Or something like that. Also, I want to add tootsie rolls and a couple of twix to the list of birthday lollies.