Kia Ora Whanau!

Sister Toi and I have been going to teach some people in Turangi because the senior couple needs help down there. We are teaching a lot of YSA and it's been sweet as! The youth have such strong faith in God already (even though they are surrounded by drugs, rape, alcohol, and other evil etc.) We teach them a lot about how our Heavenly Father can communicate with us because he loves us so much, hard out! He communicates with us through his spirit, the scriptures, words of the prophet, and personal revelation. He is always there! Speaking about communication, did y'all hear about the missionary communicating to families change? Wow, that'll be weird aye? It's amazing how these changes were made and approved by our Heavenly Father himself, these changes are made to for a divine reason!

Arohanui,
Sister Wihongi

Huka Falls

This week was filled with ups and downs.
But right now, I want you to watch a Mormon Message youth video called Reach Out With Love. It's so important to love first, to truly care and to see others as Christ would. Even before meeting them! The video also shows how you can be a missionary without the badge. I know that Ihu Karaiti lives and he needs our help to share his love and gospel!

Arohanui,
Sister Wihongi

P.s. New Zealand is amazing, and I'm gaining so much weight...too much fish and chips and no veggies. My companion and i just eat salad when we are in our flat Haha. and yes, I'm meeting relatives and whanau almost everyday!

This week Sister Toi and I went to drop off some bread to a lady. She wasn't home but her husband answered the door instead. We started talking to him casually about religion, nothing too deep. And then he started asking questions like "Why are there so many churches?" And "How do you know which one is true?" Etc.. Do those questions remind you of anyone? And what surprised us even more was that he also said, "If there was another book just like the bible, I'd read it. Just to know more about Christ." You probably know what went down next. We told him, "We have the answers to all those questions... and guess what? we have a book too!" Haha I wish you could have seen his face as we told him why there were so many churches, and how there was a boy who had the exact same questions he had, his name was Joseph Smith. It was beautiful! We left with our testimonies and the Book of Mormon. Haha our first intention was to give them bread but we left the Book of Mormon instead. He didn't want the bread. I know that this is the only true church and it was restored through JosephSmith. The Book Of Mormon is here to fulfill the gospel. I want you to ponder: why is the Book of Mormon is so important? Find out.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Arohanui,
Sister Wihongi

Grace is getting baptized this Friday 2/8/19! She was the elders investigator but they handed her to us to teach.

Had comp study at the lake front.

For Pday, we went to the Redwoods in Rotorua.

Mina ran into an old friend of the family, Tomasina Garisau who used to live in Temple View and now lives in Tokoroa. She messaged Jody (Mina's Uncle) on Facebook.

"Hey Jody. I met this beautiful Sister missionary today at our stake raft race at Kinloch (near Taupo). We are in the same Stake. I had a good chat with her. I went to give her a bag of snacks but they had left our activity early. She’s doing great!"

Taupo

Kia Ora!

Right now, i'm in Taupo!!! There are so many Maori's here. Like the Hori maoris...haha! Many kids and families speak Te Reo here and i'm learning to say Kara Kia in Te Reo. My companion is Sister Toi! She is so beautiful and energetic, I can't keep up with her happy spirit sometimes haha. She is from Melbourne and is Maori/Tongan which is cool because we both practice singing some Maori songs. And she is also from the NgaPuhi tribe.
There are so many different faiths here in Taupo. We get mistaken for Jehovah Witnesses a lot and people turn us away often.There are only two churches in the world: Satan's church and God's church! Remember that! It's sad but the few small amount of members make up for it. There's a woman in the ward with a mean az moko. Anyways, It's been a real trial of faith. I'm still having trouble with confidence. I need to put more faith and trust in the Savior. I know that he is looking out for me because of the many tender mercies I receive, even though I have many weaknesses that I need to work on. He is so loving. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amene!
"God does not ask about our ability, but only about our availability, and if we then prove our dependability, He will increase our capability"

Arohanui,
Sister Wihongi

I went fishing for Pday, which was basically swimming...but nah, fishing haha just keep it on the downlow ;)

Kia Ora!

We practiced doing some proselyting for one day this week. We were given a new companion who’s already been out in the field to teach us the ropes. My companion was from Fiji, Sister Ferguson. She is quiet and meek, but her actions are extremely bold.

We went out tracting in Mangere. We were Just wandering around streets, not knowing where to go and I said a prayer “Dear Heavenly Father, please guide me to a home to someone who is prepared to hear the gospel.” And as soon as I opened my eyes and looked up, I saw a house with orange flowers. My favorite color. The house was sort of far and on a street that we were going to pass and ignore. But the house stood out to me for a reason, so I told Sister Ferguson that we should go to that house.

We knocked and no one answered. We knocked again, this time louder and longer, but it looked like no one was home. So we turned around and started walking back. I was confused and wondered why I had a prompting to go to this house. I kept having the feeling to go back and check one more time, but I didn’t want to bother my companion about this. We went a little ways until I noticed I dropped my cardigan! So we retraced our steps and my cardigan was in the driveway of the orange flower house. And as soon as I picked it up, a girl opened the window and waved to us! And then she opened the front door! Turns out she was sleeping and that’s why the house looked empty. We spoke to her, and found out that she’s not a member but has a lot of member friends who talk to her sometimes about the church. We then gave her a Book of Mormon and she was excited and said “I can have this?! I can show my friends that I have a book now!”

The girls name was Khaelee, and she was definitely prepared to hear more about the gospel. It’s amazing to know that Heavenly Father didn’t give up on Khaelee so easily, that he made me drop my cardigan on accident in her driveway. This was also a lesson for me to always listen to the spirit and to not be afraid to go back. Next time, there won’t be a cardigan miracle. Heavenly Father ALWAYS answers your prayers. Always. If you continue to put your faith and trust in Him. In the name of Jesus Christ amen.

Next email, I’ll be in Hamilton! Arohanui,

Sister Wihongi

Kia Ora everyone!

So many things has happened here at the MTC! But I just want to tell you about a miracle that happened to me that I’ll never forget.

I arrived Thursday, & We began to practice teaching lessons to pretend “investigators”. During practicing, I felt like I struggled to teach with the spirit. And it went on like this for two days. I became extremely stressed. So Saturday night, I prayed for a spiritual “push” for me to feel reassurance that the spirit is with me. The next morning was fast Sunday. During sacrament, I started to cry suddenly and I had no idea why. So many tears were falling! I asked Heavenly Father “Why am I crying?” And immediately, I felt the spirit testify to me “Your grandparents are here” My poor companion next to me was like “uuuuhhhhh....the heck is wrong” haha anyways, I felt an EVEN MORE overpowering feeling come over me, and the spirit continued to say, “Your Grandparents are here.. and They’re not alone. Ancestors are here with you and they are proud of you and love you. These missionaries aren’t alone either” And after the spirit testified these things to me, My heart began to beat so fast and out of my chest, and you know what that means.. I had to get up and bear my testimony about the revelation I just received, that we are not alone and we have family looking out for us. And so I did. After the meeting, The first councilor, President Wharemate, called me into his office. He told me how he grew up with the Wihongi’s (he’s like in his 70’s) and he told me that while I was bearing my testimony, a name popped into his head. Pere Wihongi. Pere Wihongi was there that day! I also found out that Pere was a patriarch and also converted President Wharemate’s ancestors!

I know this church is true and that my beloved ancestors are watching out for me. I know that they have specific people prepared for me to teach and that Heavenly Father answers your prayers! Oh and I am no longer stressed! I say these things in the Name of Jesus Christ Amen.

My District

My companion’s name is Sister Kaivaha. She is from Auckland and got called to Hamilton too. Haha she’s Tongan. We are both Sister Trainer Leaders. I’m in the Enos district which consists of 6 people. My companion and I are the only sisters, then we have Elder Molisi and Elder Langi (They are Tongan), and Elder Turner and Elder Vuna. Elder Turner is a white boy from Idaho. Elder Vuna is our district leader and apparently he played for the WARRIORS  Professional Rugby team, NRL. He decided to put his career on hold to serve a mission. He is super humble and never talks about rugby haha, I only found out because my companion noticed him, and other missionaries talk about him. So look up Joseph Vuna, or Joe Vuna and you can see him for yourself. In the forwarded emails are photos of our zone and district.

Arohanui,

Sister Wihongi

Enos District

Zone photo

MTC Drop Off

I made it safely!... of course. haha, They have us email our parents to let them know we're safe. My P-day will be on Fridays. But not tomorrow because I just arrived here so it'll be next week. The first thing I did when I walked in was to have an interview with the President and he felt the impression to give me a calling - Sister Trainer Leader! Basically, i'm a leader over all the sisters in the MTC and i just report to the President how the sisters are doing and I have to attend more meetings. And I have to give talks during sacrament... Haha. Thank you for all that you've done! I love you! I'll email you next week!