Frankton & Nawton, Hamilton During COVD19 Lockdown

Kia Ora everyone,
you wont believe what happened! Well, this week we received news that all foreign missionaries will be sent home to be released/reassigned. I received travel plans to leave on Sunday. (After we were on lockdown with the Ngaruawahia Sisters in lockdown) Sunday, we gathered to get on the bus to go to the airport, put my suitcases in the trailer, but my Mission President pulled me to the side and asked "How bad do you want to stay?" And I said "really bad" So he called the Area Presidency, showed them my New Zealand passport and asked him if I could stay. The Area Presidency approved right then and there. So I am allowed to stay and finish my mission here in NZ! It was a miracle and a tender mercy. I want to work 1000x more harder to thank Heavenly Father for giving me a second chance go work for the next 3 months.♡ because I wasn't ready to go home. I felt like I took my time being a missionary for granted, I wasn't satisfied with the work I've done so far because I knew I could have done better. For me to receive this second chance means so much to me. Don't worry I'll be home in 3 months!!! And in those 3 months, I will work harder than ever before!

This was a miracle and now I am in Limbo. Waiting until everyone returns home so I can get a companion and area. It's crazy. Just waiting and staying inside. And it breaks my heart departing with some of my closest friends. But I trust in God and know they are in good hands. I will miss them so much. But I thank my family for supporting me with this decision. I love you all!
Ofa atu
Sister Wihongi

Yesterday afternoon, a hymn popped into my mind, Hymn 270 "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go." It kept replaying over and over in my mind throughout the day. When finally, yesterday evening, I received a call that I would most likely be on a plane today. When receiving the news, the song came to my mind again and I felt immediate peace.

"It may not be on the mountain height
Or over the stormy sea,
It may not be at the battle’s front
My Lord will have need of me.
But if, by a still, small voice he calls
To paths that I do not know,
I’ll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in thine:
I’ll go where you want me to go.

I’ll go where you want me to go, dear Lord,
Over mountain or plain or sea;
I’ll say what you want me to say, dear Lord;
I’ll be what you want me to be."

I always dreaded having a phone call like this, I was set in my mind that I would not return home early throughout this whole pandemic.(I had NZ citizenship after all and was convinced i was staying haha). But this song helped me understand that the Lord always has a plan for me, even though "it may not be [preaching the gospel] at the battle's front" anymore. From now on when He calls me to different paths, I hope I will not complain but answer with my hand in His, "I'll go where you want me to go."
I'm so thankful for a loving Heavenly Father who knew me enough to prepare me for that call. He has always comforted me this way on my mission, through Hymns. I always feel so undeserving and yet He shows me mercy. I know Christ, our Savior, lives. This is His work, therefore, He knows what He is doing. He sees the beginning, the in between, and the end. I am humbled to know that He allowed me to be a small part of this work. Kia Kaha & Ofa Atu. I say this in His sacred name, Jesus Christ, Amen.
-Sister Wihongi

Kia Ora Whanau!
I told my President this week, "President. Please. Can i just have my companions for longer  than 1 transfer?! please!" He just laughed. Welp, this transfer I departed from my beyonce tongan companion, Sister Masima. She was my older sister that I've never had. I will miss her. And now I have a tiny fakasesele Tongan companion, Sister Fotu. She is fiesty and you don't want to underestimate her. But her testimony is so strong and powerful. I love her so much. I am so blessed to have many companions because they each have unique gifts and strengths that I learn from. I love them all so much!!! I am learning a lot of Tongan... sorry mum and dad. I will return home knowing more Tongan than Maori..
The work is kind of slow right now. Of course with the virus going around. We aren't on lockdown but This week was kind of hard not going to lie. It's hard to get into doors when they say "Sorry, we won't accept visitors or people in our home when the virus is going around." ( <-- True story. But they said we are welcome back when the virus calms down...) But of course, the Lord always provides a way for His work to continue. The biggest miracle this week was when a partmember family agreed to go to the Church History Museum with us. (This family has had the missionaries over for years now. The Father and daughters are the nonmember while the mum was a convert. We were trying to think of more creative ways to share the gospel with him because he's already had the lessons over and over and we wanted "a change in scenery". So the museum came to our mind.) Anyways, it was amazing being at the museum with them! They are maori and learned a lot and it related to them. The father was really interested in the stories of how the restored gospel came to New Zealand and he was more interested in the Restoration that night. Throughout the tour, i was praying really hard in my heart that he may feel the spirit and recognize this is the true church and this is where he belongs. I was praying and praying and i felt the spirit whisper to me "it is okay, I am preparing him and he will accept."
It felt so warm and I held in my tears because i was going to cry. I could see him and his daughters dressed in white. I love them so much. I thank Heavenly Father for allowing me to be part of their journey. I will continue to try my best to help them come unto Christ. That was an amazing experience hopefully i will not forget. My past companions (My daughters) also surprised me by being at the museum too and also with my favorite Tongan Family in my past area! My heart was filled with so much joy reuniting with loved ones. I pray that i will stay and finish my mission here in New Zealand.
We had sacrament at the Rutenes, i love how it is more intimate, we shared testimonies and everyone was overcome with the spirit. Be safe and stay healthy and wise
Ofa atu,
Sister Wihongi

Ran into a relative, Colby Osborne daughter of Strantz & Vicki Wihongi

Kia Ora Whanau!
I am safe and well and no serious cases in NZ of the coronavirus. I can go out and do work normally :)
But What an interesting week. Well, it was full of ups and downs. My companion and I were both sick throughout the week. It was terrible. We just took ibprofen and carried on, of course taking it a bit easy. Today we had a wonderful sacrament meeting in a member's home. We then went to a less active's home afterwards (it was a cool experience this morning. Sister Masima felt prompted to plan to see this LA girl first thing in the morning. We've only met this girl once before. Then a couple minutes after planning, she texted us and wanted us to come over) Anyways, she is 23 and going to Uni. She got ready to go to church for the first time in 2 years and then she found out about it being cancelled, she called us and asked how we are supposed to take the sacrament now and we said that the Elders will bring it right over! So that's what we did and she was so cute when the Elders came with a member with the sacrament. She was so excited, it's been two years after all! When we were with her today, she shared that she recently broke up with her partner and things were hard but she feels like she needs to serve a mission! We can feel she had a broken heart and contrite spirit, very humble and repentant. And she had a strong desire to change, I know that her future is brighter now. And that Heavenly Father has a plan for her. This was a miracle to us. We haven't found anyone this week, we need to find more but I'm excited for the finding fast
Ofa Atu!
Sister Wihongi

Kia Ora Whanau!
One of the miracles this week is that a returning member family (less active family) that I knew back in Tuhikaramea area just moved into Huntly!! They were so happy to see me, knowing they have a familiar face here in Huntly and especially attending their new ward. They decided they want to start attending church again and they came today! This makes my heart so happy, and they are already getting fellowshipped. I love them!
I just realized that the deadline of our mission goal of 500 baptisms is in July and that's when I return home. I really hope and will try my best to fulfill this vision, i know it is from Heavenly Father. For He is All knowing, He sees the beginning and the End. His hand is throughout it all if we let it & if we are worthy of it. I read in the Book of Mormon Alma chapter 2, It is possible. But ONLY if we rely wholeheartedly on the Lord. ONLY if we will pray mightily each day for His spirit and His guidance. I am confident in Christ, My Savior. Anyways, Sister Masima felt impressed to knock on a door, it was a kind Fijian family, they are methodist, but the mother remembers going to our church when she was little in Primary because she went with a friend. She still remembers the feeling there and then she spoke about always wanting to go inside the Fijian Temple. We told her why we have temples and that we can help her enter one day. That was another miracle and we are going back to give her a Book of Mormon. I love Huntly, I love the Book of Mormon, i love being a missionary, I love Heavenly and Jesus Christ  and..... I love you!!!
Ofa atu
Sister Wihongi

Alma 2: 27-28
       27 And behold, as they were crossing the river Sidon, the Lamanites and the Amlicites, being as numerous almost, as it were, as the sands of the sea, came upon them to destroy them.
28 Nevertheless, the Nephites being strengthened by the hand of the Lord, having prayed mightily to him that he would deliver them out of the hands of their enemies, therefore the Lord did hear their cries, and did strengthen them, and the Lamanites and the Amlicites did fall before them.

Huntly

Kia Ora Whanau!
Sorry for the absent these past 3 weeks.... but... now I'm in HUNTLY!  Huntly is known for being the "dodgy-est" area because it's filled with gangs. It gets sketchy sometimes Haha. New area with a new companion, and honestly, its been the busiest and the funnest time ever. I have typed out notes here and there on my phone to remember some things in my time here but I just haven't gotten to email them. I'm the worst. Anyways, here are some of the notes, and the longest email you'll see...

We have been knocking on more than 8 doors a day, we found surprisingly a lot of people from this. We had a missionary fireside and no one we invited came. We sang hymn 26 Joseph Smith's First Prayer , to the tune of come thou fount & recited the first vision in verse 3 while we hummed in the bachground. It was a shame not many came but Ngarowahia elders brought an investigator. We had our first missionary sports night on friday and brought floats, heaps of people came and a few nonmembers. We didn't expect that much so it was an awesome turn out. The Elders shared a message while we conducted, next week will be our turn to share the message. It makes it easier for us to invite the nonmembers to church.

 Zone conference was awesome, I made a commitment to get rid of much distractions as I can. So many miracles started happening then. ONE of them is that a investigator came to church today and it is very rare for him to come. And we had a family home evening with him the next day and it was filled with the spirit. My testimony in obedience and our Savior's Atonement has strengthened so much this transfer.

Tuesday 18 feb
We went doorknocking +15 houses today. First few werent good, then we met a less active/partmember family. then we went out to go doorknocking down Webb st (one of the most dangerous streets in NZ) at like 7pm. We were knocking on houses and we past a house that had a mean looking dog outside (and we have to be careful with dogs, there are a lot of stray mean ones that will bite) but i felt prompted to knock on the door. The dog ended up being so sweet haha and then the lady at the door was so nice and told us we can come back. That was a cool experience of listening to the Holy Ghost. I need to remember these simple experiences. I wonder what would have happened if we never knocked on her door.  Also a random note, crickets are infesting our flat. There are flying crickets and non flying crickets. They look like frogs or fish flopping around.

One day, We taught a young man who wants a relationship with Christ but is involved with gangs #Crip. He is genuinely a good person but the adversary tries to convince him otherwise. We invited him to church.

Overall, so many people to teach. I love being here and i Know with my whole soul that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith and through him, Christ's church was restored. I feel the spirit confirm to me everyday that this is true.

Ofa Lahi Atu,
Sister Wihongi

This is Sister Masima! I am follow-up training but sometimes it feels like she is training me haha i love her so much. She is a Tongan from Australia. She has a big heart and gives the best advice. 

Kia Ora Whanau,
I don't know where to start. So I guess I will start with the good news first. We found a new person!!!! She is a tiny grandma, she is so sweet. We knocked on her door and from the start she said she wasn't interested and i said, "That's okay. Well, how was your day anyway?" And then she shared with us that she just came back from her son's tangi (funeral). We were able to connect with her and say that she will see her son again. And that we believe families are eternal. She opened up a lot and long story short, we came back to prune her trees and bushes because it was a stress for her and after that we shared Alma 40:11-12 in the Book of Mormon with her. We told her about the book and gave one to her but she said she won't accept it yet. (I instantly had a strong connection with her. As if she's my grandma so i just chuckled and brushed it off and continued to talk about the gospel) She then cried and said "How did you know to come at a time like this? How did you know I lost my son?" We shared with her that we weren't the ones who knew, it was her Heavenly Father. She always told us she grew up Anglican but she's in a Maori church, but when we shared this with her she believed it. The next day she called us, asking for help. We went over right away, long story short Hiria is opening up and keeps wanting us back. She even said that we can "read from that Book again." It's funny, she told me that Elders would always knock on the door and she would shoo them away but when we knocked, she saw my name and couldn't shoo me away because we are family. I love her so much, I want to share the gospel with her more! Oh and how we found her was on a really hot day, my companion and I were just getting a little short tempered about everything (the sun does that to us sometimes, especially when we are not having a lot of success haha) Sister Folaumahina is so amazing. She really forgot about herself that day, right when we felt done and wanted to quit, she chose to knock on her door. My companion and I have gotten closer through our trials. I admit, this was the most stressful and difficult transfer I've ever had on my mission (and it had to be the one that is 7 weeks long... haha Heavenly Father is funny. I love Him.) But I feel that I learned the most from it, and I am ready to do even more work here than before. Unless I get transferred out this week...
I went to Jeannine's baptism! She is my age and is so sweet, the Temple View sisters taught her and I came with them for 2 of the lessons. She is so beautiful and bright. I met uncle Reuben at the baptism and he spoiled us. I love him! I love being an instrument in the hands of our Lord♡
Ofa atu,
Sister Wihongi
(Last district council and saying farewell to missionaries who are returning home)♡

Groceries from Uncle Reuben

Reuben Harris