Kia Ora Whanau!
It twas a weird week. The miracles we had were on Christmas Eve. We went to go finding and contacting less active families and we gave out two Book of Mormons to two different Joe's. They both were visiting our area and on holidays but it was a miracle in our eyes. We then had a dinner appointment with members and then the father said, "Our 10 yr old son is not baptized. Can you teach him the lessons?" And then we taught him a discussion right then and there. His name is Hoera and he is very respectful and mature for his age. So my companion taught her first lesson too. We've been trying to find all week, besides on Christmas and it hasn't been that successful in that case but we have met more members that are willing to help us more in the Lord's work.  Boom. Prayerfully and hopefully, we will find more hearts that are ready to hear the importance of this gospel. Heavenly Father is great and all knowing.
I had a wonderful Christmas,  ate all day and called my family. I know Christ lives and He went about doing good. Are you anxiously engaged in doing good?
Arohanui,
Sister Wihongi

Kia Ora Whanau!
Sorry for not having an email last week! A lot has happened and I get overwhelmed when I think about all the experiences I want to write about that I end up not writing them at all 😅 .
Anyways I said my sad goodbyes to Sister Perry! I will never forget her, she has made me into a better person and missionary and I am so thankful for that. I miss that loud obnoxious positive tahitian 💔 Some things that she has taught me is to walk faster😂 , kiss louder (on the cheek) , sing bolder, work harder, and play just as hard.
Welp, now I am training again. Her name is Sister Folaumahina from Tonga. She is the sweetest thing. I love how genuine she is. We went caroling all day the other day in an old people's home and Carole to our investigators and invited them to the Christmas Sacrament.  President and his wife joined us and it was so much fun. Christ lives and I love being able to feel more of His love at this time as we celebrate His birth. Remember Him.
Ofa Atu,
Sister Wihongi

No email this week but here's some photos of some old friends Mina had dinner with. Roman Greening and his wife Jasmine, (maiden name Strother) and their daughter.

Some more photos:

Kia Ora Whanau!
So much has happened this week.
The whole Hamilton mission (about 170 of us) got together and stayed at a camp for 2 nights as our Christmas Conference. During a devotional, I finally accepted and got the reason why I am serving here in NZ. From the moment I opened my call, I knew I was sent to New Zealand because of my ancestors and because my roots are here. Of course. Well, long story short, guess what the spirit confirmed to me during our Christmas Conference?
"Sister Wihongi, you are here because this is the land of your ancestors."
Is that surprising? Nope. But it brought immense peace in my heart. I guess I always took that reason for granted. But as I pondered on it more and more through out the devotional, the spirit became stronger and stronger. Most of the people that the missionaries are teaching in this mission are: my family. The "500 baptism goal" is 500 more souls, my family, coming into the fold of our loving Savior. This Christmas Conference had given me more drive, more confidence, more faith in doing the Lord's work. I will not take my name for granted anymore, I will treat everyone with greater love because I have gained more charity from this conference. These people are my family. On my father's and on my mother's side, there has been a strong heritage within the church and I know some stories of my missionary ancestors as well. I have felt their presence & I know they are helping me with the Lord's work. I grieve as I look back on my mission and could have done more, asked for more help, depend more on the spirit more. It has made me also want to help my fellow missionaries. I want them to know how important this means to me and Heavenly Father, and how important it should mean to them. I loved being with fellow full time servants of the Lord.You bet I am taking this more seriously.
Among the spiritual high, we were able to watch Narnia & The Other Side of Heaven 2, play volleyball, jam on instruments, play touch, and had other fun activities with the missionaries.
Well, we came back from camp and got to work. We have met a whole lot of potentials and have return appointments with a few. We should be getting a few new people to teach within the week. We need to find more!!! And with the Lord's help, we will have success! Also sister Perry and I made it a goal this transfer to finish reading the Book of Mormon by the end of transfers and we are caught up. Sister Perry started from the very beginning and I just started from where I left off. I think it has helped us immensely to remain focused and hardworking this transfer. I've seen my companion improve from this goal. We never have any problems are contentions with each other. That's a promise that comes from reading the Book of Mormon. I know that you are not alone, Christ Lives. God answers prayers. There are no coincidences. You are loved. In the sacred name of your brother and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen!
Arohanui,
Sister Wihongi

"The spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity—the pure love of Christ—will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness."
-Marion G Romney (promised blessing from reading the Book of Mormon)

Kia Ora Whanau!
Happy late Thanksgiving!
This week, Our district had a Light The World stand at the lake and gave away wrapped Book of Mormon presents, Light the World Calendars, and had people make Christmas cards for kids in the hospital. It was successful. We gave out all the wrapped Book of Mormons. We had our ward Christmas party and an investigator came. She stayed for a long time and even told us that she wanted to go to church. The members were a big help! Stake conference was awesome! They called a new presidency & we saw a lot of returning members!
Tomorrow we have our Christmas Devotional with the whole mission and we are going to be staying at Camp Tuhikaramea for 2 nights! I love this season to remember our Savior's miraculous birth! If you haven't seen the Christ Child video yet (it's at comeuntochrist.org) then I recommend you do! It's so authentic and very spiritual! ♡♡♡
I know Christ lives!
Ofa Atu,
Sister Wihongi

What an awesome surprise! Ran into Auntie Liz at Dinsdale store!

We had Zone Conference this week and Exchanges! I would just like to say that God is a God of Miracles. We taught a lot of people this week and met a new friend at church as well. It is getting really hot here which I enjoy! Lately there has been a lot of youth wanting to be baptized when their parents are not active, which is amazing because they will then set an example to their family. The youth at this time are truly special. Sorry I don't have much to say this week but I know our Savior lives and He is there in the happiest times as well as the hardest of times. He is even there in the in between.
Ofa Atu <3
Sister Wihongi

Bremworth Park and Tuhikaramea Wards, Hamilton

Kia Ora Whanau!
I sadly left Pukete ward and moved to Tuhikaramea!! I cover two wards now, Tuhikaramea and Bremworth Park. I have a new companion who is so hilarious and loving. Her name is Sister Perry and she is a loud, tall, tahitian beauty. Our double covers are the AP's (Assistants to the President) and I've never had so much fun while doing so much hard work, and I've only been here for about 5 days!
But I'm sad to leave Pukete, it was a great ward and we started having a lot of people to teach the last couple weeks there so when we heard the news that they are taking sisters out of Pukete again, I was a little upset and sad (that was the natural man's reaction lol) But now I know that they are in the Lord's hands now and He loves them beyond comprehension so I trust Him through these changes. It was sad to leave my little trainee too, Sister Raymond is amazing and I love her so much! Is this what it feels like letting go of your own daughter and watching her be free? Haha It's sad but exciting at the same time.
The first day in the area, actually within 10 minutes of arriving at the Tuhikaramea flat, the Assistants called us and said they need us to teach someone right then and there because there was a house that had no males and they couldn't enter. So I dropped off my suitcases and Sister Perry and I had our first teaching lesson together. It was amazing and two girls our age are wanting to strengthen there relationship with Christ. We are seeing them again this week.
I want to tell you more about my blunt and outgoing companion. We were contacting people on our ward list, and we came to a house with a big windowy screen door. Sister Perry's knocks match her personality. They are LOUD and obnoxious, but I love it so much. Anyways, after pounding on the door twice, we saw a woman in the home walk into the front room, stared at us for about 10 seconds, and then she just turned around and walked away. Clearly uninterested. So, like any normal missionary at this point, I started to turn around and carry on to the next house on the list but then I heard the thick tahitian (french) accent say, "OH NUH AH! SHE IS GOING TO HAVE TO SAY NO TO MY FACE! *POUND POUND POUND* LADY! DON"T IGNORE US! WE SAW YOU" I was just cracking up laughing and in shock of how bold my companion is. But the lady never came even though her screen door nearly cracked from the knocking. Haha. My companion is very good at connecting with people, we will visit less actives for the first time and she will act like they've been friends forever. Sister Perry finishes her mission at the end of this transfer.
I also went on a mini exchange and I was with a sister and an investigator who both spoke spanish. I was just there to testify and read the Book of Mormon. But the spirit was really strong even though I didn't understand some of it. The gospel is true and gives so much Peace. Trust in our Lord. He Lives!
Ofa Atu,
Sister Wihongi