Smile and tell your face you are happy :)

So fun hearing from Sista Holmes this week!! (Apparently in order to sound like a "Kiwi", you must say "Sista Holmes...it's the New Zealand thing to do!) She went to Hobbiton and had a great time. The only bummer part was that she wasn't able to email much because she was there all day! Oh well, next week!I love love love the message that she shared from her Zone Conference, which is the title of this post. Smile and tell your face you are happy! That is just fantastic. & SO true. She had an exceptionally good week, ESPECIALLY since a sister in her ward brought her some Swedish Fish! Her favorite "American" delicacy. Want to send Sista Holmes a special present but don't know what to send? SWEDISH. FISH. it'll make her happy :) 

Wellllllll Guess where I just got back from....Hobbiton. Yeah that is right. It was soooo awesome!!! I will have to send pictures next week!! I got to have my very own Ginger Beer in the Green Dragon. Dont worry-non alcoholic. Man such a cool experience! Some of the Elders in our zone even joined us. Twas a jolly good time! 

Man, this week was Choice! It went by so fast and was just really awesome as well as supa busy!

Oh! A lady in my ward, Sister Golder went to Hawaii and guess what she brought me....Swedish Fish! haha Love her! as well as her family! They are soo awesome!

This past Friday we had the opportunity to have Zone Conference! It was AWESOME! That is where the Subject line "Smile. Tell your Face you are happy" President Rudd said that and I Love it! We talked alot about the Mission Vision which is Kia Kaha and Kia Ngaiwari. Kia Kaha we know means to be Strong and Have courage. We then read Deuteronomy 31:6 and Joshua 1:9 which explain Kia Kaha perfectly! What are we to fear when the Lord is with us?? Kia Ngaiwari is the 13th article of faith in two maori words. It means to be kind, teachable, humble, loving teachable. That is the kind of missionaries we are to be!

Okay so we rode our bikes out to the Koramatua ward area to meet with a part member family. Guess how long that bike ride ended up being...8 miles there and back! In the fog, rain and extremely busy streets with no foot path (side walk for the Americas) to ride on! We were super tired and basically wet from the fog. Has the worst case of helmet hair on the planet..was it worth it?? HECK YES! Its funny too how the Lord gives us opportunities that at the time we may not see! So here it is. We have weekly planning on fridays right? Thursday we had planned on going to the Koramatua are to meet the part member family. But this friday we had zone conf so Elder Krull (zone leader) told us to have weekly planning Thursday! We were like dang it! Our plans are ruined. So instead we had to go out to the Kroramatua areaSaturday. We did. The family was home and we met with the mom and it was awesome! She told us it was really lucky that we caught them that day because usually they are not home Saturdays but they had early morning sport. I know that Heavenly Father Blessed us with being able to make it to their house at a time when they would be home. Yes. Riding a bike for 8 miles in the fog and what not sucked. BUT it was all worth it!!

We had to give talks in church Sunday so you know that is always awesome! haha I like giving talks but I had like 1 hour to prep. But I guess that is better than no hours haha

There is a lot of untapped potential and Sister Swindler and I are exceedingly joyful. The members in Temple View are so loving and wonderful to the missionaries. We have officially met with all the Bishops and they are all awesome. 

I feel like so much happened this week and I feel like I am forgetting lot! Just know that it was an awesome week here in Temple View. 

Oh yea guess what we made?? Cafe Rio Pork Salad! Well a spin off of that..they don't have chilies OR enchilada sauce here...They are not big on Mexican food which is sad.. but back to the pork....I had to cut the skin off...man oh man was it nasty. There was still poor little piggy hairs on it! SICK! Sister Swindler took some pretty funny pictures. I will have to send them next week. But the pork was pretty good. Lasted us for many many Meals. They call them "feeds" here.

If  you guys could not tell I absolutely LOVE being a missionary. It is hard..but the best thing I have ever decided to do with my Life. Man. Words can't describe the awesome!

Anyways! Ready for another great and busy week! Hope you all have the same! Love you and miss you more!

Sister Holmes. 

ps if you want to say my name like a kiwi.. say "sista homes" haha Love the people here soooo much!

Remember! Smile and tell your face you are happy :) 

Zone Conference

 the picture in the christus room sis swindler and I had JUST gotten back from a 8 mile bike ride in the fog and rain...hence the terribleness of my appearance. 

Sista Holmes & Sista Swindler

Hobbiton!