Sister Lyndsi Miggin: April 2014

A week after the rest of us Lyndsi got to watch general conference.

Dearest Family~

This week has been full of all kinds of things! I am glad to hear everyone is doing good back home! First I would like to brag about my sweet Shanti! She is amazing! She has not missed one Sunday of church since we met her and she is a full blown member. She is almost 58 years old now and she is still working Monday-Saturday about 13 hour days. Sunday is her only day off and even if she nods off a couple times in sacrament meeting she is always there ten minutes early for 9am meetings. She is trying to keep the Sabbath day holy better. Instead of shopping on Sunday she walks into town on Saturday night after she finishes work at 8pm to do her shopping. She also is super excited about family history work. She is planning on going to the temple next month to do her parents work. I wish that I had her faith and strength! We are now teaching her daughter and niece and they are both planning on coming to church this upcoming Sunday for Easter. I am super excited!

In other big news TENO texted us this week! She texted us Saturday night and said that she misses and needs the gospel in her life and that she wants to get together with us and talk. So many of my prayers were answered when she texted! I miss her so much and pray for her often. Her testimony is so strong but Satan is working on her so much. She has the power to influence so many people and she will someday make such a big difference in the lives of many. I know that someday when the timing is right she will join the church. I hope that I get to be there to witness it whenever that may be!

Transfers are coming up next week. I am pretty sure I will be getting moved and it is kind of bitter sweet. I will be excited to continue my journey here in New Zealand but the family I have here in this area mean so much to me. Maybe President will feel inspired to leave me here for just one more transfer! The ward is starting to think that I am a permanent fixture though! Sister Isnard and I have officially been called to the Primary. Not really but they don’t have enough people to help so Bishop (Duane 'the Rock' Johnson) pulled us into the office and asked us to help ou. I am teaching Relief Society on Sunday.

I learned so much from conference this week. I don’t think I have ever taken so many notes in all my life! This week was one big revelation to me though. Sister Isnard and I watched a clip during study about Wilford Woodruff’s conversion and I was amazed by his faith and seeking for the truth! As I was reading in the book of Mormon in the Book of Mormon I came about many prophesies about the last days. I had this overwhelming feeling as I read and studied 'How do you save people that don't want to be saved?' I felt a minor peace of the sadness that Moroni must have felt when he watched all of his people be destroyed until he was the only one left because of their iniquity and unrighteousness. And now the same has been foretold of us, the same kind of destruction to all those who are unrighteous. Why do people feel as though they do not need God? In President Holland’s talk this week he said "Sadly enough, my young friends, it is a characteristic of our age that if people want any gods at all, they want them to be gods who do not demand much, comfortable gods, smooth gods who not only don’t rock the boat but don’t even row it, gods who pat us on the head, make us giggle, then tell us to run along and pick marigolds" Do we realize what a great responsibility we have to spread the gospel as members of the church to try and convince people that don't feel that they need a God, to find those that are kept from the truth because they know not where to find it. We have been called to love our neighbor as Christ loves us. We are asked to share what we know and share with all those we meet as he did. To invite four people a year to be taught by the missionaries. In Mormon 8:38 it says " O ye pollutions, ye hypocrites, ye teachers, who sell yourselves for that which will canker, why have ye polluted the holy church of God? Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ? Why do ye not think that greater is the value of an endless happiness than that misery which never dies—because of the praise of the world?" As I read this scripture and truly reflected on where I am now and what I was doing before I came on my mission. Why are we ashamed to take upon us the name of Christ? Do we really have the conviction that this church is true and if we do can we feel the urgency to share it to those around us? Do we remember the covenant we made at baptism to remember him always and be a disciple of Christ at all times? I know that I have often failed at this many times especially which standing for what I know is right and sharing what I know. But we should not wait to change, now is the time to start walking forward. To decide like the Prophet said to be better today than we were before. To move forward with faith and strength and a conviction of the truth that will lead us to save our Brothers and Sisters.

I love you all so much and hope you have a great week!

Love Sister Miggin

Breaking out of church!

Kia Ora Family!

It has been another full week out on the mission! We have some really amazing investigators right now we are just struggling to get them to come to church. We asked two people to get baptized this week, neither of them set dates but we will hopefully set them this week. One is named Darryl he is eleven years old and so funny! He came to Ammon's baptism this week a little eight year old in the ward and he thought it was really cool! He missed church on Sunday because of his Asthma, but his mom is pretty excited to get him baptized so hopefully we can get him set before I leave in two weeks! The other one is named Lena, I LOVE HER! She is from California and her dad is a preacher there. Her brother is Mormon though and lives in Salt Lake, and her husband is a less active so she knows quite a bit about the church. She is really open to everything and said she will probably be able to come to church this week. We have taught her most of the Lessons now she is progressing really well! We are teaching about six other people but they are a little more slow in progression in most part because they are hard to get a hold of but don't worry I plan on baptizing all of them haha.

I have a couple funny stories this week the first happened last night. It was about eight thirty and we were walking back towards the flat and we saw all the missionary cars at the chapel. We were like what the heck no one invited us to the party!!! But then we realized it was the leadership meeting so we ran over and put pass along cards under all their windshield wipers. Mid putting them on all the cars we heard them come out of their room and so Sister Isnard and I ran and hid in the bushes. Well we stayed there hidden until they all left but they locked the gate so we had no option but to climb the fence. I was half way over when all the sudden I heard a rip and a bang as Sister Isnard fell off the fence and ate it on the ground. No worries she is all good just has one little bruise but I almost died laughing, I was hauled over crying I was laughing so hard it was hilarious!!

The other funny thing we did this week was build a dog ramp for our next door neighbors dog haha Her name is Chloe and when we were over visiting them the other day we saw her try and go out the back door and since she has arthritis in her back legs she just like flopped out the door and landed on her back. I just thought of poor little deet dee having to throw himself out the door and I couldn't have anything to do with that so we built her a ramp and she LOVES it!!!

Womens conference was amazing on Saturday and we don't get to watch General Conference until next week at the chapel! So excited I love conference! I hope all is well back home I love and miss you all!

Love Sister Miggin

“Howdy Neighbor!" Our cute backdoor neighbor Amber. And Sister Samataua
and I:) She is Samoan from Austrailia

Sister Isnard eating the Candy from the package

Sister Wikaira and I and her son Matia and me when we were over for womens conference

Sister Davis and her famous Pinapple Pie she made us for dinner last night with her kids.

Sister Isnard by the fence she biffed it on last night

March 30, 2014

The first story of the week Elder Hester broke his wrist riding his bike.

Sister Isnard has been out of money for the last two weeks so consequently I have been paying for her now too so I have been broke. She doesn’t budget at all. She spent all her money on her silly boyfriend. I have so much to tell you so I think I am going to pass up the big letter this week and just send pictures for that. I am being very frugal and the members feed us a lot! I only buy food and pay for emails and we get paid next week and I am helping her set up a budget plan! Thanks for teaching me how.

You would be so proud of me because my patience is exceptional now. Sister Isnard has a hot quick temper but I am being a champion I think I can get along with anyone now after Sister Pearce, she was a blessing in disguise!

I don’t even know why she gets mad but most of the time but she marches around the house not saying anything until I get her to tell me what’s wrong and then I apologize and then she is good for another ten minutes. The last one was because I whistled at her to get her attention that one was hilarious I totally pulled a dad. She gets mad because I didn’t buy enough food for her and me. She just eats it anyway so now I don’t have any more because she eats HEAPS! It’s crazy; she just eats and eats and eats? When I offer to buy her some to she gets all mad at me and goes nope, I’m fine, I’m fine with a nasty little scowl on her face and then all week she is like can I eat this or this or this and I did get mad once and said, what happened, you didn’t want me to buy you any? I never say much though when she takes my shoes without asking, interrupts me when I am talking, changes the subject when I am having a conversation with people and they look at me like what the flip? I constantly have to keep my mouth shut or say things in a very calm collected way, otherwise she calls the mission president’s wife for everything? I don’t get it but I know that it is only four more weeks so a great opportunity to learn patience. Ha ha. I am going to need it when I become a wife and mother anyway

We have three progressing investigators now too! And one said she will consider baptism I am so stoked! Rose our one thinking about baptism she is amazing! I am so excited for her!

We have not been back to see that guy but we didn’t I keep running into his wife and she is like, why haven’t you been over and inviting us for dinner and stuff it’s getting kind of awkward but that’s ok. That is a good idea to send the Elders. We will probably do that.

The little kids in the neighborhood all know me by name and I gave them some apples out of my bag the other day they were so happy!

We have the flashiest mission flat but in the scariest neighborhood. The cops pull over and talk to us almost every day to make sure were ok because they patrol our neighborhood every hour. So we know most of them by name now.

I feel like a hundred times a week I want to call and tell you all the things happening and then I always forget when I sit down at the computer? Things are good though! I love New Zealand and the people and the work. I am becoming a professional gardener. I have been pulling out corn and cumaras (like potatoes but better) and turning over soil with a shovel and edging lawns with a shovel and weeding. My favorite is weeding. It is mindless and easy! I am going to get you a really great vegetable garden going when I get home! Yes, I eat vegetables now. I eat peas, tomatoes, carrots and zucchini now like a champion! You wouldn’t believe how I can down a plate of peas when the members heap it on now. I make a gorgeous cauliflower salad I can’t wait for you to try it is so yummy!!