I Almost Made It.....

Well, where to start…. it's been a bit of a whirlwind… Our last email from Elder Waters while he was still in the MTC was one of excitement and eagerness to get to his mission in Albania, but now I sit here writing this to say he almost made it, but our Heavenly Father must have some other plans for him right now…

The day he was due to fly out, his whole district had packed up and were at the Salt Lake City Airport waiting to board their flight.. His companion had just made a phone call home and Elder Waters was getting ready to call home when he recalls hearing his companion say, "What are you doing?" He heard him say it again and then he remembers nothing, until he woke up to see a nurse next to him…. She was poking a needle in his arm and asking him to swallow some medicine, then he realized he was in an ambulance on his way to the hospital… his district gone, and him left in America while they went on ahead.

What we know from other people is that he suffered a seizure and split his head open when he fell, so he had to have some stitches and staples to hold the wound together.. I imagine his companion and their district would have been in complete disbelief at having to leave him behind and go ahead without him.  We received word through our Stake President, Uncle Dale, about the seizure, but after a seizure, once you have had a sleep - you really wonder what all the fuss was about and are ready to go again.. So Elder Waters waited back in Provo in the MTC for his new travel arrangements to go to Albania.. but it wasn’t to be - Elder Waters returned home on a medical release and will have to be free of seizures for a period of at least 6 months before he can go again.

Now why would I tell you that he suffered a seizure - that seems quite personal right?  It’s because knowledge is power - knowing that he is home on a medical release is one thing - but leaves rumor for speculation - What would you do if you saw someone have a seizure? Do you know?  Neither did we.. but we do now. The biggest thing is that you keep them safe. Clear the area around them and put them in the recovery position once the seizure has finished..

Waters whanau with Nana & Poppa - Reunited

Here we are now - a few weeks out of having our son return home - He was released as a full time missionary but received a call to serve as a temple missionary for the next 6 months in the Hamilton New Zealand Temple and he was set apart a few days after he returned.  He absolutely loves it.. What I can say is that he has the greatest attitude and is determined to do his very best to be able to return to full time missionary life.  We are so proud of him and have witnessed his maturity and growth in the short amount of time he was away.   His testimony of the gospel is a beautiful thing and the relationship he has developed with his Heavenly Father has gotten stronger - He loves the work - He has great faith in the Lords plan and says that he is in the Lords hands - In his last email to us before he left the MTC he expressed this -dad I don’t think I can express how over the moon - happy I am! All the time haha its great. The best part is that when trials come, I know it will be hard. So when they hit, I try and endure them well. I learnt in a devotional one night, through the spirit, that this is how we become better through our trials. Endure them well, just like our Saviour did. 

I am sure that when he wrote this, he didn’t realize he would be coming home, but I can bear witness that he is enduring his trial so incredibly well with a smile on his face and an amazing attitude and a desire to be the servant our Heavenly Father wants him to be.  

The Lord has a work for us all - Our attitude can affect the outcome - a positive attitude can make the days go by quickly and they can be filled with joy - a negative attitude can make it seem long and drawn out and we can place the blame on someone or something and we may never be happy.. I am grateful to say I am the mother of a young man who chooses to look on the brighter side of life - And my prayers are with him as He continues his journey..

Arohanui

Mum x

I Am So Excited!!!

Hello my beautiful family!!

Elder Waters here (duh). 

I'm sitting here Monday night, 19:43, tomorrow morning at 4.30 I'll be on the bus on my way to the Salt Lake airport. It's finally happening! I'm finally going to shqipëria! (Albania). 

I Am So Excited!!!

We stop through Chicago, then we head over to Vienna, Austria, And then over to Tiranë, Albania. I can't wait!

It has been a full on last week and I just feel so privileged to be serving a mission! I have learnt so much here at the Provo MTC. But I am definitely ready to leave. I could use a solid boil up right now! Or some of your cooking Nan, hehehe. 

I don't even know what to feel right now! There are so many emotions going through me! Apparently I have changed so much over the last 9 weeks, I think it's all for the better - lets hope haha. 

How are things back home? How are my little nieces/cuzzies? Is Nevah 6ft yet? I wouldn't be surprised haha. What's school like Raya? How are things back home?

Nan and Pop, How is the ol' bus treating you? I'll pray harder next time nan, hahaha!

I suppose you can't dear Elder the MTC anymore! Because I wont be here :o Let me know how things are and I'll let you know about my adventures to Albania :D :D Love you so much my family!!

Arohanui

Elder Waters

(The photos are my 3 teachers, they helped me out so much! I love them! [the other guy with Sister Iftiu is Her Husband]) 

Take Care!

6 days to go......

Sorry I didn't get to email last week, I completely ran out of time! Things are so full on here but the main reason I ran out of time is because we were hosting new missionaries that arrived on P day, purely because the sister of my Shok (companion) finally arrived! How crazy is it - they get to serve in the MTC, same zone, same building for 9hours+ a day and right next door to each other! They are so funny they remind me of each other. They are super similar, I love them both :) My Shok is so protective of Her its really funny, nothing short of what I would be come to think of it. Good man shok. 

Its been a Hectic week, through it all I have had some amazing spiritual experiences. The other day My shok and I had a lesson with one of our 'investigators' and we spoke about the prophet Joseph Smith, and the Restoration of the Church. It was such a beautiful experience because we had prepared everything well but the majority was prepared in English. We don't know how to speak Albanian properly, but we had done all we could with the time given us. We taught all in Albanian and the Lord truly sent his spirit to Testify of the truth. We all felt it. It was incredible! As a result of this our investigator was able to see how being a member of Christ's church would benefit him in his life, and accepted the commitment to be baptized. It was beautiful :)

Not sure If I told you but that was our second time where an investigator accepted the commitment to be baptized! It feels so good to witness people striving to make spiritual improvements in their lives. Last time we sung 'Families can be together forever' in albanian to our other investigator, my Shok thought it was weird but I just really thought we should sing that song to her. The spirit was so strongly present. 

Conference Center in Salt Lake City

I get rejoiced (Albanian translation for I am excited, haha) to be serving my mission! I am so happy I am out here. in 6 days I will be flying to my mission and I'm just so excited!!!! 

Inside the Conference Center

I learnt something important at last nights devotional, which truly strengthened me. (Dad do you remember the 'Idaho Farm boy' general authority that spoke a while ago in a general conference, and said he was going to be firm with how he spoke, and he recited the first article of Faith? haha. Well it was the same Elder Ellis that spoke last night! What a powerful Speaker). He said that sometimes we may see someone who is really good with the language, or well versed in the scriptures, and we may be tempted to study more scriptures or more language than we are designated to study. This is not how the Lord wants it! (which is huge for me because I do this with the language ha) He continued, If we are putting our focus on our investigators then the rest will follow - "If we put First things First, then second things get thrown in, but if we put second things First, we may lose both of them". Thats a rough memory of what he said, but it was so powerful when he delivered it because fortunately I was in the right frame of mind to realize that he was talking to me, haha!

Humanitarian Center

Having said that, I am super keen to go to Albania now. Mosiah K5, talks about how when people repent they have no more desire to do evil, but to do good continually. Why? Because the spirit is working (or beginning to work) In them! This is what I felt last night and it has continued to stay with me. This feeling is compelling mami, babi, (mum +dad), It helps me realize my divine potential, I know that if we focus on our investigators the Lord will support us, because They Also, are his beloved Children. The reason they have a desire to be baptized is because they feel the same divine spirit working within them and for at least a moment, they have a greater vision of what they can become, seeking to do good continually. And it is beautiful to witness.

Albanian Flag

I am so glad the spirit is able to testify of truths through me! If I could desire you to have anything while I was away, my whanau, would be to have the spirit in your lives. If you don't already, work towards it! It is so comforting to know that your actions are portraying the Will of our Father in Heaven. The spirit will compel you with what you should do:)

I went to Salt lake City and did an endowment session the other day, it was sweet! Such a nice experience. The temple is beautiful, ridiculously bukur (beautiful). We also went to the conference Centre + Humanitarian centre, I found me an Albanian flag while I was there too, Wohoo!!!

Temple Square - The view from the top of the Conference Center

Kalofshi mire familjen tim . Arohanui

Elder Waters

In an added email Elder Waters says - 

Hi mum sorry I have like 0 time! I got all your packages thank you!!! Also, Aunty Lia and uncle Phil AND Elder Kendells family all sent me packages! So grateful!

Cant say thank you properly here but I got it all in my journal :) 

Love you mum ;)

Short and sweet..

Well, last week was just a very short email home telling us his leaving date is 1 April - which is not far away at all.  I had sent him copies of Sister and Elder Andersons letters from their blogs and he said he loved hearing how they are doing and he also said to give Elder Flood a big hug from him..  So this weeks email is portions of letters he sent to our Ngaruawahia Ward sister missionaries..

These were all the ties he received at his setting apart.
He took every single one of them and plans to wear them all or give them to those brethren he teaches..

Teaching experiences...

The other day we were teaching an investigator who had just gotten back from a crazy party over the weekend.. We taught him about the word of wisdom (without actually saying word of wisdom... not by choice purely because I didn't know how to say it in albanian hahaha) and the spirit was so nice and strong and beautiful and we asked him if he would commit and he said yes!!!! BOOM!!! It felt so good! haha I haven't had the chance to experience the feelings of someone to accept a baptismal commitment, but I'm not gonna lie tomorrow I might be blessed with that experience! We plan to sing to our investigator, through a  solid lesson plan as well haha. I cant wait to teach her!!!


BETTER NEWS SISTER!!! My shok & I got our first baptismal date with an 'investigator'!!!! It was a sick feeling! We absolutely nailed our lesson and the spirit was able to testify through us, she (the 'investigator') left the lesson pretty much wanting to do anything we would ask of her. It was great. This work is so beautiful!

On a lighter note...

Here's Elder Waters practicing extending commitments.. 

 "Will you commit to sending me a package with NZ ice cream?"

P Day

Hi mum! 

P Day is catch up on washing day...

What happens on my P day in the MTC is we wake up at 6, get our washing and stuff out of the way and after that get ready for the temple :) they have computers while you wait for your washing which is sweet, so I'm down here atm. I haven't got my camera on me so when we get back from temple I'll try email some photos :)  To be honest I haven't been taking much, its been full on work mum!! 

We (my shok and I) gave a lesson about repentance the other day to our district, it was in english and I think it went alright, It was fun to give it actually!! We found out the night before and I was like YUSSS!!! Teaching in English!! Haha, teaching in albanian is so hard and it was just a nice break to have. Ironic huh? The hungarians from our zone leave next week! Ever since I came here they treated me like older brothers, I'm gonna miss them but I'm so excited for them! Did I tell you that my shok has a sister thats coming to the MTC next week? She is in the new hungarian group, so she's in our zone AND she's studying in the classroom RIGHT NEXT to her brother! How sweet is that! Its crazy!!!

Hes so lucky..

Writing home to everyone...

More photos next week xP

sorry mum ran out of time! Im already so over board with the time limit.... tsk tsk!

Just wanna let you know that I love you so much mum. If you have any doubts about it then ask aunty kara if your eldest son loves you. Just finished emailing her :)

Give dad cuddles for me please mum! Tell him I'm doing it :) With style too.

I'm pumped!! haha.

I'M SO EXCITED TO BE ON A MISSION!!!!!

të dua familjen ime.

Arohanui

Elder Waters

'Unë dua ky, unë dua ky paqe nga Jezu Krishtit'

Hi mum!

Where do I start!

First of all I just wanna say that I am so glad I went to seminary! It has given me so much the advantage in the work! Knowing the scripture masteries is so helpful, especially here.  I just want to say that we had a scripture chase the other sunday, and within the first 5 words or so, 2-3 seconds, I had the scripture in my hand ready to PREACH! They were blown away. Good stuff goodstuff!!  So just dig in with the mornings because they all pay off in the end. Plus you've got tricky mole to look forward too!!!! so FUN!! How was the pancake breakfast the other Friday? I would KILL for one of those pancakes at the MTC haha, they are sooo goooood! But yeah Does tricky have an Email? Could you send it to me please :) 

Provo Temple, with the sisters in our Zone,  they are really cool!!

I just want to share an experience that I had the other day that I shared with nanny marg earlier:

My experience is about a lesson me and my shok (companion) gave to one of our 'investigators' . We read to him John 14:27, all in albanian, and we bore testimony of the Savior. With such a powerful spirit present I knew he was feeling it. He, a 15 year old boy struggling to find his place in the world, responded with 'unë dua ky, unë dua ky paqe nga Jezu Krishtit' , which is to say in english "I want this, I want this peace from Jesus Christ" . My heart surged and I felt the spirit so strong. I was so flustered I didn't know what to say!!! It hit me, this is why I'm here. To see people change! To see them feel a sincere desire to WANT to know about their Savior, what he is offering us and to see them WANT to follow the example of Christ! O How powerful this manifestation was to me! It reminded me that the field is indeed white and ready to harvest, people just need the gospel in context and then they will understand how much they really want and need this beautiful message we have, that Christ gives.

 This is my brother that I jam with on the piano!
 He has a craaaazy good voice, I Love it!!
It reminds me of the days when we used to
play on the piano and guitar..

I must admit the other day I was a little discouraged with the language. I can't recall exactly what has happening but I was just feeling super down with myself. Like I was never gonna learn this crazy language! And then, that same 'other day' I received 2 packages and I was so excited! I was literally jumping around, buzzing that people still remember me back home haha. I felt the love! Love that I needed so badly. Aunty Kara & Uncle Q Thank you so much!!!! With this package, and the beautiful updates of how life is going back in NZ from mum through her letters, I was reduced to tears (once again)!! I was just so happy! So happy for my family!!!! I know the Lord is taking care of you and It is so evident. I am so grateful I am apart of a loving family.

This is Sister Porter, she is serving in the Hamilton, NZ mission
She might come to Ngaruawahia!!

I have a friend here ( a missionary ), one of his family members was struggling back home with life, and as soon as he came on a mission, his family member - I don't know what happened exactly but - within him was a huge change of heart! A beautiful change of perspective on life motivated him to change his ways. So even though my missionary friend can't personally witness it - he KNOWS that his family is being so blessed from our Father in Heaven. I know this is the same for me because I feel the same way my friend feels, invigorated and so overcome with the spirit! So at peace with everything.

It has been said that God often works through other people. I am completely convinced that this is true. You may not know my whanau but I needed that so desperately. Thank you so much.

I've made so many friends here..

4 more Weeks to go then I'm off!! Off to Europe for the first time! This language is gonna be so fun when I can speak it fluently. Apparently the food over there is sooooooo good! I cant wait to try it! Dad, apparently all the gjagi's (Old men) are like chess MASTERS. Thats all they do, të githe ditë çdo ditë! (All day every day!)  So I cant wait to challenge them, not that I am good at chess or anything, just for a good laugh really. Albanian has a separate tense for sarcasm, and for wishing/cursing, I cant wait till I master these because I've heard the nannas have wishing battles with the missionaries, WISHING BATTLES! Haha, their humor is totally different so I don't think I'll get through to them with that so I'll just wish battle it out!  I cant wait, this whole thing motivates me to learn this language. 

It helps to be in love with your language, so i've learnt.

Hope you are doing well my whanau

Arohanui

Elder Waters

Hardest week so far.....

Hey mum!!!! Yeah I got the bag and I'm wearing it now actually. Its real sweet everyone seems to like it. The hard drive I can’t use as well because the computers are restricted and you can't do much with them.. but in the field they will be really useful :)

This Week was probably the hardest week by far. It was a massive roller coaster and it finally resolved beautifully because through all the lows and hard times, I came out a better man, rededicating myself to the Lord through sincere prayer, and, because it was truly sincere, it really helped. So If any of our family are struggling at home, I encourage you to pray sincerely about things because it really does help! When we do this we take a bigger perspective at life and we filter through whats important and whats not, honing down our priorities. This is what it has done for me.

We have a new branch president and he’s cracking down on the rules. My companion and I have made exact obedience a real focus, so its helped us alot. I felt like I have been trying but I really haven’t been able to access the gift of tongues yet, so this week through exact obedience, this will be my goal.

Im going to do it mum and dad :) I do it for all of us, its blessing all of us. 

My companion Elder Simons and I with our Mission President and his wife

The food here is driving me insane! Its so different, some is nice, but I really just want a solid boil up or something. Give me a hangi!!!! haha. We found a rugby ball the other day and everyones like 'do you play rugby'? I tell them I play league haha they are like errrrr what? They have no idea! Its hilarious. They seem mesmerized from the ball. Its hilarious. 

I have made some super good friends here, our district is working on our unity and when things are calm and loving, the spirit is with us with such strength that it COMPELS us to be better, to think about each other FIRST before you think about yourself. This is key to revelation. It has helped me so much!

________________________________

P DAY!!

Mum and Dad Thank you for the dear elders :) I really appreciate it and because of your comments I received some pretty sweet revelation that I took to the temple, did I tell you that I did sealings last week? Well I did initiatories this week and I took my pounamu through on both occasions. You are always with me my whanau. I love you so much it is hard to explain. Being away from you makes me realize how much I want you, how much I need you. I am so happy we have been sealed, thanks to the temple session I have been able to more fully understand what this means. And it is beautiful. I want this for the people I teach. My patriarchal blessing says that my mission will help me realize that this should be the goal of all the people I teach the reality of Christ to, to receive their temple ordinances. I am beginning to understand this :)

I want to write to all my family at least once. I’ve managed to send two letters so far, which should be received in about 12 days :) Your one is still to be written haha. But you already know how much I love you so thats all good. 

My surfer friend from Cali - He's a handsome dude huh!

If you end up sending a package (I love packages) could you please include my boardshorts and surf wax, I have been eating salt just to remind me of the ocean back home. I miss it so much haha! Raya sent me some sweet photos of the surf so I was stoked this morning to see it :) ALSO some colour photos of our family if you could! Cause I can't print colour haha. 

Most importantly, If you cant don’t worry about it.... Its not a biggie my family :) And if its too much of a hassle in any form then I beg you, forget about it. Completely. 

I love you my family, my return date is 30 December 2015 :) I cant wait to see you! 

të dua githë shumë

(I love you all alot) 

Elder Waters