It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year! - Email Dated: 12/28/14

This week was so great. (: Christmas in the mission field has got to be the best one ever! We had a really really busy day on Christmas. I'll go through it and tell you about it!

9:00-Headed out to a less active member's house. She feeds us every Tuesday night, but she decided to do a big Christmas breakfast this week. We got there and her daughters were there. That was not a very good environment for us to be in. We definitely sacrificed the Spirit to be there. Her daughter was saying really crude and rude things about missionaries and such. So, we left that environment as soon as politely and humanly possible. 

10-Drove to the Tamati's house. Sister Tamati is a recent convert of like 2 weeks and Sheridan, their son, just got baptised this past Saturday. They are seriously the coolest family! They fed all six of us missionaries on Christmas Day. We had such a great time. We just sat around and chatted. Elder Lyes skyped his family, so we got to meet them! Same with Elder Mitchell. It's really cool to meet the other missionaries families! So, we really just hung out there until lunch which we ate at 12:30 and it was amazing. Kiwi Feed's are the greatest in the whole world! (: 

After lunch we had some down time before our dinner appointment so we went to the beach! We just sat up top to avoid all the people below, but as we were sitting on the ledge Elder Manoa (who is from Hawaii and an avid surfer) says, "Look! There's a seal!" And sure enough, down below in the water was a seal just swimming around. #OnlyInNewZealand (: Then after we had all pondered our lives and finished goggling over the ocean, we headed over to Elder and Sister Cardall's house. They are the senior couple in our area and they had pretty much an open house for us missionaries. (: It was fun to chill there for just a few minutes. They are the most amazing senior couple that I have ever met. We fell in love with them from the moment that they moved into New Plymouth! 

At 6 we went to our dinner appointment and that..was an interesting experience. (: But it was good. 

The day after Christmas is Boxing Day, which is pretty much like Black Friday. So, we didn't get a whole heap accomplished, but it was still a pretty good day! 

I have learned so much the past couple of days. My personal studies have been so powerful the past little while and I feel that I am finally learning how the Spirit of the Lord speaks to me. Elder Jenson told Sister Baird and I about something called the 40-day Fast. It's not a fast from food and water, but a fast from things that keep you from constantly having the companionship of the Holy Ghost. And so Sister Baird and I and a couple of the Elders are going to do this for the next 40 days. I am so excited to work on this an become more like my Saviour. 

I am so grateful to be a missionary. I am so grateful to be here in New Zealand. I am so grateful to be so close to the Lord at this time in my life. I couldn't imagine being anywhere else right now or doing anything different. I love being a full-time servant of the Lord. And even though missions end and people go home, we can still always and forever be servants of the Lord. A mission simply teaches us to be better members, better friends, better mothers and fathers, better examples, more devoted, more loyal, more obedient, more righteous. Overall more like Jesus Christ. It's beautiful!! 

I love you all. I don't have any photos this week due to laziness and a lack of time. (: I will get better, I promise. (: 

Love you all!! 

Sister Rachel Lyn Pearce

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! - Email Dated 12/21/14

Sorry for the late email everyone! We had quite the exciting day! In the middle of our email time, all the power at the library went out! We went on an awesome hike today, up Paritutu Rock and it was so beautiful! (: Every day I am astonished that I am in New Zealand. There's a joke about how God created the earth and this is how it goes...God started in New Zealand, so he put all of His attention to making it beautiful. Then He went to the United States and so on. By the time He got to Australia, He was just done, so that's why New Zealand is the best place on earth (Kiwis and Aussies have a major conflict...so I think probably a New Zealander made this up.)  So, this is what I was about to send. (: 

So, this week was really good. (: Monday night, we drove up to Hamilton! The drive up there is incredibly long, but incredible beautiful! It's about a 5 hour drive, but unlike the State's motorways, New Zealand motorways curve through and pass through towns and rolling hills and it is really too incredible to explain. (: It is much easier to make a 5 hour drive when there's nice scenery to look at. (: 

President Rudd gave us permission to go to see the Temple Lights and so that was a great blessing. (: We got to sing in the choir for the night.(: I loved it!! 

Tuesday dawned early and sunny. When we were told that we were having a conference, we were told to pray for sunshine and finished electricity for Camp Tuhikaramea. So, Heavenly Father definitely answered the prayers of 250 missionaries. (: We got to camp and the reunions started. It was absolutely amazing. I got to see all of my previous companions, except for Sister Holmes because she's home now, but it was so great to see Sister Amituanai and Sister Uele. Sister Ami finishes in about 9 days. It will be really sad to see her go, but her journey in the mission field is over. I love her!! I also got to have a good catch up with Sister Klundt. (: It was just a really great conference. President gave really great trainings and we had some really great missionaries share their talents with us. After the conference was over we started our long drive back to Taranaki. (: It was an even longer drive because we had to drive down to Hawera for companion exchanges. (: But it was a blast! 

I have learned so much about my Saviour this week. A lot of it I cannot write down because it is simply the feelings in my heart, but I do know that He lives. I do know that He loves me. I know that His love is powerful and so is His Atonement. Life is grand! I hope that you are all sharing the He Is The Gift video because it is a powerful one. (: 

We are being well fed for Christmas Day, I can assure you of that. We aren't really sure how we'll fit all of the food in, but I'm sure we'll manage somehow. (: I think as of now, we have about 5 dinners lined up ;O But we're so excited because we are going to be making little Christmas baskets for families in need and door bell ditching them. (: Well, actually...no one in New Zealand has door bells..except for on the really flash houses and I don't think any of them are in need...(; They do need the gospel, but a lot of them simply aren't ready for it. (: So we'll knock ditch them. Elder Mitchell's grandma sent him some money to be sub for santa so that's what we've decided to do!! It's awesome. 

6740-> Temple Lights! 

 

6744-> Our view from the pavilion at Camp Tuhikaramea. (:

 

6745-> Sister Mihaere and I . (: 

 

6750-> Only in New Zealand...I'm sure you'll figure out what it is...(:

 

6753-> Sister Klundt and I!

 

6757-> Package Time!!

I Love You All! I hope that you all have a Very Happy Christmas! Remember the true meaning however because that is all that matters. (: 

#ShareTheGift

#HeIsTheGift

#BecauseOfHim

Ofa Atu,

Sister Pearce

I Know Why I'm Here!! - Email Dated 12/14/14

This week has been somewhat of a trying week, lots of rejection and such. But alas, there must be opposition in all things, eh?

This is my 5th area in the mission field. Each area has been so great and I have learned from all of the people that I have served around, but this area has already changed my life. I'm not sure if I mentioned this, but a couple of weeks ago, we moved flats. We weren't too sure why we moved flats, but we knew that there had to be a really good reason. 

This week, we learned the reason.

We'd been trying our hardest to meet our neighbours and we met one of them when we moved in and his name is Martin. We see him quite often because he goes out onto his front step to smoke and so we just take the opportunity to talk with him. We haven't been pushing the gospel onto him, but he asks questions and we answer them and then life goes on. We have quite the Father - Daughter relationship. It has been really awesome getting to know him. His wife passed away quite a while ago and this week we really learned a lot about him and we really feel that we are going to be able to help him. He has told us that he has a really searching mind. And that he is pretty open minded. I think we'll see him baptised. We know why we are here in New Plymouth. His late wife has sent Sister Baird and I to him because she knows that he'll listen to us. He feels the Spirit when he's around us. It's incredible. We'll make great progress with him. It's so awesome! I love being a missionary!! 

There must be opposition in all things. I have learned that so strongly in the past week. On the mission I have learnt that we must go through opposition to see the beauty. We face a lot of rejection on the mission. We met a couple this week and all we asked them was if we could help them and he told us to go away. I mean, I won't say it was as bad as it could've been, but it was a little bit gutting. But we know, I know, that there is a much brighter scene waiting for us. 

This gospel is true. I know without a shadow of a doubt. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God. Follow his counsel and you WILL NOT go astray. I know that the Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Read it. Love it. 

#ShareThegift christmas.mormon.org 

^ #DOIT #NOW 

Sister Pearce

6718-> This is Sister Baird, Elder Mitchell, and Elder Jensen, and I on Back Beach. (: It is so beautiful. WE BELIEVE IN TARANAKI!!!!!!!!! 

 

6719-> Give credit when credit is due. (: Credit is due to Mount Paritutu.  (I rhymed...that's how good I am.) 

 

6725-> This is our G-E-T-O (<-Sister Baird's spelling...she's my special companion.(: ) Christmas Tree that the Elders picked up for us on the side of the road. They had to butter us up for the nasty as soup they made us as a prank...Elders...what can you do with 'em? 

The Fourteenth Article of Faith - Email Dated 12/7/14

You didn't think that there was a Fourteenth Article of Faith, did you? Well, there is. (: it goes something like this:

WE BELIEVE IN TARANAKI.

Yes. That is where I am. It's President Rudd's only District in the mission and so Taranaki, especially New Plymouth has a special place in his heart. (: President Rudd is amazing. 

This week has been especially wonderful. We had Zone Meeting on Thursday and it was all about the new initiative that the church has put out called 'He is the Gift." I really really hope that you all have taken advantage of this amazing opportunity that we have to share the true meaning of Christmas. Anyway. It was the most amazing Zone Meeting that I have ever had on my mission. The Zone Leaders gave a really inspirational training and then the Taylor's, the senior proselyting couple in Hawera, gave a training. Elder Taylor gave a training on 'Learning of Christ.' He showed us a really really amazing way to study the scriptures. It has changed the way that I study my scriptures. I have learned so much about the Saviour the past few days, it's incredible. At the end of their trainings, they gave a 21 day challenge to know our Saviour better. And the way that it was planned, the twenty-first day will be on Christmas. (: It'll be fantastic! I love being a missionary. 

Saturday was probably one of the greatest days of the week. False, it was the greatest day of this week. (: Here's what happened: woke up, studied, as normal, but then at 10:00 we made our way up to the chapel to Super Saturday! It was a blast! We had a couple of less active members and investigator there! It was so much fun. So, that ended at 2 and then we drove home to pick up the cookies we had made for the baptism. Lisa Tamati got baptised on Saturday at 4. Part member family that the elders have been teaching. They have been teaching them for a year. And she just got baptised on Saturday. But she is so converted! Their family have invited us over for tea on Christmas and to Skype our families. There are six missionaries in the New Plymouth branch. (: It's going to be really exciting!! 

Not too much has happened this week, but what I do know is that my knowledge of the gospel, my knowledge of the life of the Saviour, and my testimony are growing into an oak of understanding. I love studying the scriptures. I love my Saviour. And I am so grateful for this second time that I get to be a missionary at Christmas. It has been such a blessing for me to get to have two Christmas' and Christmas Seasons on the mission. Life is amazing! Life is great! Be humble, be submissive, be obedient. (: The Gospel is easy to live, we just complicate it with the natural man. 

I'll send photos in a separate email because I don't have too much time left on this computer. (: 

Ofa Atu!! 

Sister Pearce 

Second Email with Photos

Photos from Heaven. (:

6683-> Pearce and Baird!! 

6713-> This is us as we were waiting for our meeting to start. (: 

 

6688-> We visited one of our less active members on Sunday night and she mentioned that she had been to the beach and tried to make a sand man snow man...well, when we were at the beach, we found it. (: Not too shabby!

 

6692-> There was a log in the middle of the river. Naturally, we had to sit on it.

 

6701-> The park in our area that looks like the one from Mary Poppins. (: 

 

6699-> The elders doing the food bank run for Christmas. (: 

 

I LOVE NEW ZEALAND!!!! But especially Taranaki. (:

The Gospel is Beautiful - Email Dated 11/30/14

Wow! This week was pretty crazy! After a week of adjusting to New Plymouth, Taranaki, I am still adjusting! It is really different than all of my other areas have been! For example: We are the only Sister Missionaries in about a 3 hour radius, we triple cover the ward with two sets of elders, our area is so big that it isn't possible to do anything other than ride in the car, we see the ocean every single day, Mount Taranaki is the lone giant that dominates the horizon on a clear day, and it is not yet warm even though it's meant to be, but best of all...we live in a house...with stairs!!!!! But it is SO BEAUTIFUL HERE! Seriously, this is what I thought all of New Zealand would look like and I'm not sure that I have words adequate to express my feelings for this beautiful place. (:

This week has really been a turning point in my spiritually, I think. Sister Baird teaches me so much every single day and she has really helped me to see the joy of living the gospel much clearer. My testimony grows every single day. As I work my way through the Book of Mormon, I have once again gotten stuck on the Isaiah chapters. So, I have been praying harder than I have ever prayed in my life to see the symbolism and the great words that Isaiah wrote and a new light has come into my scripture study. It is amazing. I love the Book of Mormon. (: Everyday, I see Heavenly Father's hand in my life. Whether it is seeing Mount Taranaki dominating the scenery, or seeing the blue ocean, it doesn't matter, He is there for me. (: 

We have an investigator who is set for baptism!! The previous sisters set her for the First of January because she needed to get married! Well, we hadn't met her until this previous Saturday, so we weren't really sure what was going on with her wedding date, but we had this mean lesson planned on Eternal Marriage and stuff like that. Well, we get into our lesson on Saturday (her daughter is a convert of 3 years and she's the bomb!) and she starts telling us about how she had been praying to Heavenly Father to know if she was meant to marry the partner that she was with. She asked for a sign to be given to her to know and Heavenly Father gave her a sign that she isn't meant to marry him! How cool is that? So, our lesson had to change in a split second. We followed the Spirit and decided that we should focus our lesson on Jesus Christ. So we did. And we asked her daughter to share her testimony on Christ and about halfway through Melody, our investigator, what just in tears. It turned out to be one of the most powerful lessons I have probably ever had on my mission. And now she has decided to get baptised on the 13th of December!! She has decided that she doesn't want to wait anymore. It strengthened my testimony on the Saviour so much. I love the Saviour. He is my rock. I don't know where I would be right now if I didn't have a solid foundation upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love this gospel. (:

I am so grateful to be a missionary. (: I am so grateful that I get to be on the front row while watching the Atonement change people into who the never thought they could be. Melody is a perfect example of how the gospel changes people. It is amazing to see and hear her testimony! I can't believe that I've been living among such amazing people for over a year now. I am so grateful for all of the things I have learned. I am grateful for this stage that I've been able to and will continue to have in my life. I have learned so much about myself. Some things that aren't necessarily the greatest, but that is why I love the Atonement. It allows us to change and become the people that we need to be. My challenge to each of you this week is to more diligently study the scriptures. Feast upon the words of Christ. And send me your experiences!! I'd love to hear them. (: 

I love you all!! Ofa Atu!!

Sister Rachel Pearce 

6620-> MOUNT TARANAKI!!! Just so you know, Taranaki means "The Lonely One," in Maori. (: 

 

6622->The Ocean we see EVERYDAY!!!!(: 

 

6645-> Just a casual waterfall in our area. (: 

 

6649-> Just us casually in front of the waterfall in our area. (:

 

Taranaki Hardcore! Email dated: 11/23/14

This week has been crazy!! Crazy good, but totally crazy!! It all started on Monday. We finished our emails and decided to go and get some lunch. Well, we needed to call the Assistants to get permission to go to the Warehouse to get a new USB. So, we called Elder Hammar and asked if we could and he gave us the permission and then he was like, "Hold on just a second, Sisters." And we knew that it was about the upcoming transfers, so we sat there staring at each other. Then Elder Hammar comes back onto the phone and says the following words, "Okay, Sisters! You are being double shifted out! Sister Baird, you're going to Taranaki and Sister Pearce you're going to Taranaki! And you're both going to be companions in New Plymouth!" We went crazy! We were so excited! Unfortunately, we had just done a huge grocery shop. BUT IT WAS OKAY BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TOGETHER! So, then we called the Zone Leaders to let them know and because they were like our best friends up there. (:

Fast forward: Tuesday and Wednesday were just filled with packing and saying goodbye. Nothing too exciting there. 

Thursday: We woke up insanely early. 5:00. After going to bed at about midnight. Not good for missionaries. All good though. (: We met the rest of the zone at the chapel and we headed on down to Hamilton! We arrived a little bit late, but it worked out just fine! I got to see a lot of my mission friends. (: And yeah! President Rudd announced that we would be having a Christmas concert, so I am really excited for that! We then had to wait for one of the Elder's bikes to get fixed and so we didn't end up leaving Hamilton until 3:00 and it's about a 4 1/2 hour drive down here. So, we drove down. Let me tell you...that is a crazy, but insanely beautiful drive. Holy llamas! It was fabulous. I serve in the most beautiful country in the world. (: Hands down. 

So, we got here and got stuff into our flat and then the Elders told us that branch council was going on, so we went up to the chapel to meet some of the auxiliary leaders. This branch seems pretty onto it, but there is a lot of work for us to do! We are so excited. And we are so close to the ocean! We hear it constantly and we see it every day.  It's beautiful down here! 

We've already had a few encounters with absolutely crazy people. It's been a really big testimony builder for me on the importance of keeping the word of wisdom. We met a lady who was on our ward list. And we were knocking on her door and we could just smell the house from the outside and we could see the nicotine on the curtains. She wasn't home, but then as we were walking away, she walked into her driveway and then second we saw her, we knew that she was so far gone. She started talking to us and basically she got into drugs and now her body is wrecked, and because of the state that she is in when she is on the drugs, her body is used for completely immoral things. She is completely crazy and while we were talking to her the Spirit was testifying to me the importance of keeping the Word of Wisdom. The importance of keeping the Law of Chastity. It made us so sad. But, that, my friends, is the beauty of the gospel. If we live the principles taught in it, we will be free of addiction and we will be able to feel the Spirit of the Lord warning us of the dangers of Satan. 

This week has been a great testimony builder for me. I am so grateful for the wonderful Plan of Salvation the helps us to know where we came from, why we're here, and where we're going. I am so grateful to know who I am and what I am doing. I am grateful to be a missionary. And I am grateful for all of you back home who are supporting me unceasingly. I love each and every one of you. I am so grateful for my call to come to the New Zealand Hamilton Mission. It has changed my life. I am grateful for the Saviour and Redeemer of the world, who suffered for my sins, for my imperfections. He felt all that I have felt and all that I will feel, just as he did for you. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who placed me here at this time. Please, if you do not have a testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, ASK. Ask Heavenly Father and he will reveal it to you through the power of the Holy Ghost. I know He will. And I know that He loves you. This life is the time for men to prepare to meet God. Prepare now. Do. Not. Procrastinate. 

Ofa Atu, 

Sister Pearce 

6620-> This is Mount Taranaki. It is such a shocking landmark here. (: You see it all of the time and there is snow on it! The first snow I've seen in over a year!(:

 

Here's another cool photo of it. (:

Too Good For Words - Email Dated 11/16/14

How good was this week?! The weather wasn't, but we constantly found ourselves being in the right place at the right time.

It all started on Preparation Day last week. (: We again journeyed to the beach and did some more exploring. (: You'd think I was on holiday with where I am serving right now. I love it. (: 6534

The longer I am serving the more and more I feel Heavenly Father's love. My testimony of prayer has been strengthened immensely this week and I can feel the power of Heavenly Father's love even more in my life. The mission has taught me many, many things. Just a few go as follows: >The Lord loves us no matter where we are at on our journey. >He answers prayers. >We are here simply to become like Jesus Christ. That should be our sole motivation. >Obedience is key. I love being a missionary. I know that for a while I got a little bit distracted, but I am know now more that ever why I am here. And I am here to serve!

This week we met up with a less-active man and it turned out to be him confessing all of his wife's sins to us on their front step. It got a little bit heated for a while and Sister Baird and I were struggling to help him see that he is not her judge and that he will not be judged by her actions. Well, I can honestly say that I don't remember what I taught him because it was literally 100% by the Spirit. It was such a cool experience! And he came to church on Sunday which was the first time in like 15 years. It was all worth it!

We are teaching this family. And they are so close to baptism! We have this really great lesson planned for this week, Thursday that we are hoping to invite them and set them all in the same lesson! Pray for them. (:

Church yesterday was absolutely amazing. We got a new bishopric and we are so excited to work with our new bishop. We feel that now, the work will progress much faster. We got to stay after and watch him get set apart and it was the most powerful blessing that I have ever been a part of in my life. He's a really young bishop, but he is powerful. We are so excited to see the work move forward from here.

6543->On Friday, our new bishop fed us, but we didn't even know that he was going to be bishop. Anyway, the next day we went over to return their plates, but first, we made cookies and I discovered that I have a talent in chocolateiring. (: It was so fun. Then nek minit, he's our new bishop. (: It was fabulous!

6553-> I did Sister Baird's hair...enough said. (: She's beautiful!