Patrisha's Baptism!!

Hey Everyone!!!

Hope all is well back home! And your enjoying the Sun!!!

We had an Awesome Week!!! Super stressful, but at the end of the day the Lord provides and all went well!!!
Patrisha's baptism was wonderful! Everything went great! I got to baptize her! Which is always fun and exciting to be the one to baptize! She is such a strong member! She loves the gospel and is very faithful! I wish more members had the same kind of faith that she has! Their goal as a family is to get sealed in the temple!!! So hopefully we can help get them to that point and be sealed for all time and Eternity! Elder Whaanga confirmed her, and that too was wonderful!

We put on an AMAZING fireside last night. We had some really good conversion stories; me and Elder Whaanga, and the ward mission leader spoke. And in the middle of it we watched Reflections of Christ, and had some wonderful musical numbers!! The Spirit was so strong! And we had good attendance! Gail came and really enjoyed it! Not going to lie, I had an amazing talk. The talk that I prepared, I didn't give. I was directed by the Spirit to talk on something different. I can't remember what exactly I said, but all I know is it was powerful. Any time you speak with the Spirit, He gives you power and authority! We got three referrals from the fireside. And hopefully this will spark the ward to do more missionary work!

Here in the Henderson/Harbour Zone we accomplished something that this mission has never done before! We set a New Mission best, the zone baptized 30 people last month!!!!! How amazing! And our District was able to baptize 19 of those! That is another Mission Best for a district!!! We were so blessed and have been on our knees giving much thanks to the Lord for blessing us with so much success. Now I need your prayers for us to baptize multiple souls for September. Right now we don't have anyone set for September, But i know that the Lord will provide if we qaulify, it's going to take a lot of work! but with your prayers we will be blessed!!!! Thank you for your prayers!!!!

Funny story.... Elder Whaanga likes to bunny hope (jump) on his bike. Well, on tradeoff last week I let him use my bike, and I got to drive because I covered my ward and all the Samoan wards for two days because all the leaders had a big meeting. Anyway, Elder Whaanga was going down this hill jumping, getting big air, and then he goes to jump again and while he's in the air the front tire came off!!! LOL!!! He bailed, but the funny thing is the bike landed back on the tire, but at a weird angle so it threw him, lol! He's all good! When he told me, I couldn't stop laughing though!

THANKS FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE!!!!
THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!!!!!!!!!!!
AND YOUR UNCONDITIONAL LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE YOU ALL HEAPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Elder Belnap (Michael)

AH CHEE BAPTISM!!!

Kia Ora!

We had a Great Week! We had 3 kids get baptized and we had Patricia's wedding!

Saturday the Ah Chee kids (Chandler, Alex, Nathan) got baptized! I got to baptize the youngest, Nathan! He's the man! Such a nice kid! Reminds me of Ryan! And then on Sunday I got to give him the Gift of the Holy Ghost! It was wonderful to see their whole family at church and to see the kids enjoy their baptism and enjoy church is a good feeling! Because they were worried about getting baptized and everything, but now they really enjoy it!

On Friday, Patricia and her Husband Mono got married in the courthouse! And Elder Whaanga and I were the witnesses! It was wonderful! They didn't have anything for their wedding, not even rings, so I took them out to eat for their wedding present from the Elders! And this Saturday Patricia and her son Potal'i is getting baptized! So I am very excited about that!

I swear New Zealand is worse than Seattle! It has rained everyday for the past 3 weeks!!! I am ready for SUMMER!! Only a couple more weeks!

This week we were blessed to have many miracles and to stay busy!

We had 4 people at church!!!

And Big News in our Zone! As a Zone, we broke the Zone BEST!!! And we still have one more baptizing weekend left! So we are really excited! The district that I'm in is the highest baptizing district in the mission! And our zone so far has baptized 24, the previous record was 22! So it feels great to be a part of something big like this! Very excited about that! Our district alone is projected to save 20 souls for the month of August! There are 3 districts in the Henderson/Harbour Zone! So we are very happy with the success and have been on our knees giving lots of thanks for so much success!!!

Now Elder Whaanga and I are focusing on September! We are hoping to have another big month, if we qualify for it!!!

Thanks for all your wonderful faithful prayers!
I am very grateful for all you do for me!!!!
You are always in my prayers!!!!
LOVE YA HEAPS!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Belnap

Staying in Ranui!

KIA ORA!

We got transfer calls and I'm staying here in the Swanson Ward for another 6 weeks! So I'll be here for a total of six months in this area! That's 1/4 of my mission in one area lol! It's a good thing I like this area! And I'm staying with Whaanga as well! So he's the first companion that I'll have for more than 1 transfer!

Things are going good in this area! We have the Ah Chee kids gettting baptized this Saturday!!! So we are really excited about that! And I think that Whaanga and I are going to baptize them! So that'll be really fun! The little girl, Alex, she reminds me so much of Rachael! She's a little doll!

This Friday, Patricia, is getting married!!!! And next Saturday she is getting baptized with her 8 year old son, Potal'e! So this week is going to be packed full and we are really excited about that! And Whaanga and I are going to baptize them as well! So I was glad that I get to stay and finish out what I had already started!

September looks like it has some really good potential to be another really good month for us as well!! So we need to work hard and qualify for more miracles and we'll have another great month!

We taught 27 lessons again this week! Heavenly Father was blessing us! This week was an Emotional Roller Coaster! We had days where we taught 7 and 8 lessons in one day, and days where we taught 1! I have never had such a roller coaster week before! With the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows! But the end result was great!

We ran into an investigator that we hadn't seen in a long time. And she tells us that she wants to get her boys baptized! So that was a miracle for us this week!

LOVE YA TONS!!!!!!!!!
THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ALWAYS AND FOREVER!!!!!!!!


Elder Belnap

Kia Ora!

Hey family! We had an AWESOME week! We saw many miracles. The whole week it rained, EVERYDAY! But regardless, we went out and worked! Monday was rough,we went to the doctors, and we had bad colds, so the doctors gave us some antibiotics and now we are feeling great. But we couldn't even go work on Monday. But the Lord still blessed us!

Thank you for your prayers! We had 9 people at Church!!!!! Isn't that great news! It's because of your prayers and faith that we had so many people there! Many miracles!

We set 4 people for baptism as well! We found a family named the Ah Chees, they are a part member family. And we set the children for baptism! Chandler 14, Alex 11, and Nathan 9!!! they are getting baptized on the 21!!!!!

And this wonderful lady named Patricia, we found her a few weeks ago. Her story is just like Corrin. She had been taught in the past but didn't get baptized because of her partner. But now, she is determined to get baptized! She is getting married on the 18 and baptized on the 28!!!!! A huge miracle! Another person that many missionaries had taught, but now is HER TIME to get baptized!!!!!!!!!! And her 8 year old son is getting baptized with her. And her sister just moved in with her, and she is KEEN! She came to church as well, and we are hoping to set her for baptism as well! Maybe today!!!! So wish us luck! We are being very blessed!!!!

Gail came to church as well! She is doing ok! I called her yesterday before church, and this is how the conversation went. "Hi Gail, you coming to church?" "Do I have to?" "YES!" "Boy, that was bold." "Going to church is a commandment." "Well I already went to church today." "Did you go to mass?" "Yes." "Well, that's good you went to mass, but now you need to come to God's church!" And she sighs, "Arggg." "We could argue all day about this." "FINE. I'll come to church, bye!" lol!! How funny is that?! And she enjoyed it! Man I hope she gets baptized!!!!!

We had a really good week! Things are going great! Thanks you all so much for your prayers!!! We are being very blessed!!!!!

Transfers is this week!!!!! So pray for me! lol!

LOVE YA TONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MISS YA LIKE CRAZY!!!!!!!
BUT I'M DOING THE LORD'S WORK AND I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!1



Elder Belnap

:) Smile!

WE'RE SICK!!!!! :(

KIA ORA WHANAU!!!

Hope all is well back home!

So this week has pretty much sucked! Whaanga got sick on Tuesday! Like really sick with the flu/cold. But he trudged through it and we still made it to all of our set appointments. Then Friday, I got sick. So that was no good. And over the weekend I just got worse. And today at 4 me and Whaanga are going to the clinic to get some medicines. We just have the cold. Bad sore throats. President told me 1/3 of the mission is down sick. But we still have been working. Saturday we went and worked hard out til we just couldn't go anymore.

On Tuesday, at District Meeting, I gave a training on the Spirit in Conversion, pg. 92 Preach My Gospel. And I'm not going to lie, I did a dang good job. I love doing trainings. That's where we as missionaries get together and give trainings on the work. I just think of it as getting up in a DECA competition and teaching the gospel.

We had INTERVIEWS with President on Friday! It was soo good! I love Pres. Porter! We talked about Rainbow Gardens and about Huntsville lol! And how when he was younger he spranged his wrist on the tramp at Rainbow Gardens lol! But we had a good chat. Then we talked more about the mission. And he was just so pleased with me. I don't know how many times he said he was so happy with what I've done, the progress I've made, and how proud he was of me. He talked to me a lot about being a leader. And what makes a great leader, whether in business or as a missionary. And he said, which makes sense, the difference between a bad leader, a good leader, and a Great leader, is 2 or 3 strengths. So he told me to focus on my strengths. He said that my reputation with him is Great! He said, "Elder Belnap, do you want to know what your reputation is with me?!" He said, "It's a good one. Your a man of integrity. You have a contagious excitement and enthusiasm about the work that rubs off. Other missionaries explain it to me as contagious. You are faithful, obedient, willing to do the work. And I am very proud of you and especially how you have progressed."
He told me why I'm with Elder Whaanga. And he said, "Elder Belnap, yourcompanion just really loves you. He thanked me for helping him out. And i had no idea what I was doing, I was just being me. But Whaanga has progressed a lot with me, he's a great missionary. And I can tell that he loves the work.
Even though we were sick this week, we still had 22 lesson, which i think leads the district. And we found 9 New Investigators!!! A great week!

We have transfers next week, on Thursday!! It's coming up! I love this area, but i honestly feel like i'm moving, that it's time for me to move on, and start a new adventure. So we'll see what happens. From what Pres. Porter was hinting at, it looks like i might be called to be a District leader in another area, but we'll see what happens. So keep praying for me!

LOVE YA TONS!!!!!!!!!
THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Elder Belnap
:)

Set 3 People For Baptism!!

Hey Everyone!!!!!

We had a solid week! We taught like crazy! And we set 3 people for baptism!

We had a lesson with these 2 kids (Buck 12, Charles 13) and we had a really good lesson on baptism and we set them for August! We are really excited!

Then we had another investigator named Grant, 18. And on our list, we ranked him about number 19 on our list. So we were a ways down. But then we had a good lesson with him about baptism and we set him for the end of August! It goes to show, that all of these people are God's children and they all need to be saved, no matter where they are at on the list!

We have been really working hard on getting one of our investigators named Nove to come to church. He's the most sincere/spiritual guy. He knows without a doubt what we've taught is true. But he has been having a hard time committing to church. We set him for baptism a while back. But then he told us how he's having a hard time committing. So on Saturday we had a lesson with one of our really good fellowshippers named Simi Taumololo. He's the man, Simi comes out with us pretty much every day. And he's getting ready to go on a mission. But he's the best, he's 23 and he's really like my best friend... Anyway, he came to the lesson, and Elder Whaanga and I poured out all of our hearts and souls into this lesson, sharing personal experiences, bearing bold testimonies, promising blessings etc... and still no progress. Because in Tuvalu it's a man's heart, not the will or committment. But Simi just jumped right in, and he said in the most incredible way, where the Spirit was clearing putting the words into Simi's mouth, that it's not about our committment, it's about our love for Christ, and that's what makes us go to church (basically that in a nut shell.) It was a really good lesson!

We had another really good lesson with Gail. I felt the Spirit so strongly in that lesson. Like pretty much every word that I said, was put in my mouth by the Spirit. I don't really know what I said, but the Spirit was so strong in that lesson. You could say I totally broke down the Catholic church. Telling her that everything she believes in is wrong, and in the scriptures, it talks about that being a sin etc... But I did it in a way where the Spirit completely guided. And at the end of the lesson, she was like, "Wow." And I asked her if she knew that this is God's church. And she said YES!! I was like, "Boy ya!" The Spirit is the man! But we still are having a hard time getting her baptized. She's like 90% of the way there! I just know that she will get baptized soon! It hurts so bad that I can feel it!

This Sunday was killer for us. We had no one at church!! I couldn't believe it! After such an amazing week, then no one showed up! I was and am still shocked. But this week we are going to go hard out and make sure we get everyone at church. Please pray that our investigators will come to church!

This week we have interviews with President Porter! Can't wait for that!

Thanks for all of your Prayers!!!!
They are truely heard and answered by our Heavenly Father!!!!
I know that this work is His and when we live the commandments, we will Prosper in the Land, and that is my testimony!


Love Always,


Elder Belnap

P.S. :) smile

Corrin's Baptism!!

HEY EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!

We had an AWESOME week! Corrin Got BAPTIZED!!! It was wonderful! You wouldn't believe everything that she has been through to get baptized, but it finally happened! Remember last week I told you how a miracle happened and she kicked out her partner? That was one of the biggest miracles!!! Well this week we've been working really hard to make sure that everything goes through! We had her baptismal interview on Wednesday. The only day that President Porter could interview her was at our Zone Conference because he was so full on. And so I had to organize a ride for her to get to the chapel. So I was thinking who was the most reliable lady in the ward.... And no doubt, the new relief society President!!! Just called this last Sunday! So I rang her and she was down for it. Well you won't believe what happened! Corrin comes during our lunch break. And next thing I know she is telling us how there was this person in the car that was telling her to really look into the church, this is a big step in your life, the church will change you, we're a cult, and all this stuff! It was crazy! And I couldn't believe it! So we had to calm her down and help her regain her confidence! Then we had a prayer and President Porter called her in... Come to find out, the Relieft Society President brought her sister with her, who is inactive, and no longer believes in the church. And Sister Iosia went in the chapel and left Corrin for, no joke, 5 mintues. And during that time, Satan, using her sister, was trying his hardest to bring Corrin down. And luckily she has a strong testimony and passed her interview! I just couldn't believe it. It went to show me how much Satan is in the detail just as much as we are!

Then Corrin asked me to baptize her! So Saturday moring at 10 o'clock, we went down into the nice warm water. And she had her BIG smiling face, and then Corrin Melva Philipp got baptized! It was wonderful! She has waited a long time for this, 1 1/2 years! And Elder Whaanga and myself were privileged to baptize her! Yesterday, Elder Whaanga gave her the Holy Ghost! And this lady's life has forever changed! I wish I had enough time to tell you all the crazy things that she has been through in her life. But she went from her life being literally turned upside down to a member of God's church we she has truly found that she IS a daughter of God!

We had a really good Zone Conference! The Brethren from Salt Lake have changed some things worldwide for missionaries. We no longer have interviews with President and Zone Conferences every transfer, they have changed it to every other transfer. And have made some other changes that will allow the Miss President to be more hands on, in working with the missionaries!

We took Gail (the Catholic) with us and she thoroughly enjoyed it! She is so close to being baptized, I can feel it! She's come such a long way! So we are praying our guts out for her!

I saw Elder Nipko last night at the fireside, he's doing great! He's just loving it! He's up in the city too, another part of it!

New Zealand is opening up the NEW MTC next month! And they've asked the missionaries to help with it! So we are hoping that we get to go help, we'll see what happens! But it's a once in a life time opportunity!

Things are good!!!!!!!!!!!
The area is doing really well!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE YA TONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
XOXOXOXO



Elder Belnap