Hello Friends (9-25-16)

Sorry to be late, again.. Basically went hiking today in the Garden of Eden.. This is literally the most beautiful country. I know I only emailed a few days ago, so I will just share one amazing thing that happened yesterday!! 

Yesterday this girl about my age that is a returning member always comes to the Visitors Centre and so always talk to her, yesterday we could tell that something was off and she started to share with us her concerns and doubts about entering the temple. Of course Satan was working on her.... and we decided to share with her experiences that we have had with satan trying to tell us not to do good things. We talked with her and the spirit was so strong, and in the middle of talking with her, she started just sobbing and in the middle of her tears she muttered out the words "I didn't know the burden I had was so heavy until I just felt it lift." Wow I was so grateful to see that Heavenly Father did care enough about this one person to lift her burden. I know that he cares enough about EACH of you to do the same. In Matthew 11:28-30 it talks about how Christs burden is light, and his yoke is easy. I know that he can help you all with anything that you are going through. Don't give up, you are so loved. I pray for you daily!! Keep on going!! 

Arohanui, 

Sister Maddie DeLoach 

Kia Ora 9-25-16

Hellooo!! Sorry for that late email I went hiking in basically the Garden of Eden.. hahah:) These last few days have been pretty wonderful, I had the amazing opportunity to go to the temple. We took the Wilsons (senior couple at vc) family names to the temple, and while doing initiatory I couldn't stop sobbing, it wasn't me though, I just knew that this lady, Annie was so grateful. she had waited since the 1800's and she was so so grateful her work was finally done. It was a spiritual experience, and everyone kept asking if it was my family name because of how strong the spirit was. 

Yesterday while at the Visitors center, This girl who is a returning less active came in, she seemed a little down, we started talking to her and she began to express the doubts she was having about entering the temple. Luckily we all had similar experiences because Satan works on those who want to do right things, so we were able to share with her that we had been there and that she could overcome, it's really hard though because her mom passed away so she has no one else really in the gospel to help her. While we were talking with her, the spirit was so strong and all of a sudden she started sobbing, and she said in mid tear "I didn't realize how heavy the burden I had was until it just got lifted off".... WOW. The spirit was so strong. It was amazing to see that because we took the time to talk to this girl, and to tell her she was good enough that she was loved, we were able to help save a soul. She is an amazing person. 

We had the craziest person call on mormon.org the other day, he literally just argued and screamed at us and made fun of us. It was quite annoying that we had to keep talking to him because we are the "face of the church online" and so we did, and anyways it helped me realize that we can't change, unless we want to. No one else can make us change. This man kept getting more rude, and wanted to talk to our manager so we got elder peterson, hahaha and we were on the other line and heard this guy saying how rude we were and how we got so offended?? haha it was a crazy guy, glad he felt mormon.org is where he needed to be though hahah crazy world!! 

Well, I've now been out officially 6 months, isn't that crazy? It went really slow, and really fast. So grateful to be a missionary, so grateful for the experiences I have had. I love you each so much, and am so sorry this is so short, but not much has happened within the last few days!!! I love you each so much and pray for you so much daily. KNOW YOU ARE LOVED!!!

Arohanui, 

Sister Maddie DeLoach

(Friends) 9-21-16

Sorry for the late email, Sister Gurney and I didn't take PDay till today, because we wanted to go to the temple. How are you all? This week was really amazing, quite challenging too, I'd love if you could please keep this area and Sister Gurney and I in your prayers. :)

We had a humbling week. We decided to ride bikes this week, just because we can and also we wanted to feel like real missionaries haha. You wouldn't believe how much we were mocked, it was so humbling to feel so much more like the Savior, to be mocked just because of the way you look. It was amazing the miracles that came from riding bikes, we were able to reach so many people on the streets that we would have normally missed if we were in a car. It was amazing to talk to people, we got 6 new investigators in one day!!! 

We felt really humbled this week as we went to visit a lady we met on the street, and while at her place a van pulled down the road and started playing music almost like an ice cream truck, and kids and families from all over started sprinting, the lady told us that once a week, since it's a really poor area, this van comes and brings bags of food for free to these families. The lady looked at us and said "come, we want to share." We didn't, we just sat there watching, it was so so humbling. 

Riding our bikes later that night we rode by this guy outside smoking, and kept riding by, we both felt like we needed to turn around and talk to him, when we turned around he was gone back inside, we walked to the door only to see there was door 7,8,9 we had three options, we decided to follow the spirit and immeditely sister gurney and I both pointed to door 7, we knocked and he opened it. It was truly a miracle. We had exchanges this week, and I went with Sister Maire from Australia, I learned HEAPS from her and I had the most sacred experiences ever with her!!! 

"The Lord know you. He knows your heart and is pleased with your sacrifice. He smiles upon you each day. He will uphold you and prepare the way for you. He  will send angels before you and you will feel their presence, and with the help of Heaven, your talents will be multiplied. I promise you that if you lift those around you, the Lord God, the creator of the universe will life YOU up. If you will only believe and incline your heart to our Beloved Father, he will place within you a peace that surpasses understanding. He will give you joy. May each of you always remember this." -Deiter F. Uchtdorf 

Arohanui, 

Sister Maddie DeLoach

Whanu 9-21-16

Hi Family! 

I am still alive, just going to the temple today, so our P-Day got changed to Thursday. I am really excited to go to the temple. It's been about 6 or 7 months since I was able to attend!! I am really excited. In just a few days on Monday, the Thomsens are taking us hiking at a Cave, so I am not sure what time I will be emailing, so sorry for being off the last few weeks with emailing. 

Well it's been a really good last few weeks, and also I've been able to grow a lot this week. 

One day, I just felt like Sister Gurney and I should ride bikes, it was such a beautiful day and so we rode. It's so funny how many people mock you while you are on bikes, and it really helps you to be humble and to truly feel like the Savior. We were able to witness THOUSANDS of miracles. It was so amazing. We were able to talk to so many people, but the one that stood out to me, was going to visit this 14 year old girl we ran into the day before, and when we showed up the mom who answered the door, was a lady we saw at the shops the night before. Right when we pulled up, it sounded almost like an ice cream truck and the mom said "Come get some food" I guess that once a week this van comes and delivers groceries to this neighborhood because they are so poor. It was truly humbling, this lady who can't even afford food for her own family was saying to us missionaries "Come. Get food, we want to share with you" We didn't but it was amazing to see little kids sprinting out of every house surrounding running to this truck that would deliver them food. I truly felt so humbled, and was grateful to be on a bike, not a flash car. 

The next day we went back and the Mom was all weird, and like I don't want to come to church, if you're here for that, I am not interested. We simply just said we wanted to come talk to you and see how you are. We talked for about 10 minutes about random things and you could tell she kind of wanted us to leave, on our way out we just said, "have you ever wondered why you are here and where you are going after this life?" Surprisingly she said, YES, we asked if we could come back and answer those questions for her, and she said yes, she had seriously changed so much. 

Sunday was full of miracles, Cassey, our investigator who was like flakey as for so long, actually came to church, and to a relief society activity a few days later, it was pretty amazing that she actually came. She said it reminded her exactly of growing up her nana was mormon so they used to go growing up. She said she had never felt so peaceful before and that she was really trying to take it all in. 

I had exchanged yesterday and I got to go with the Sister Training Leader, Sister Maire, from Austrailia, it was such a brilliant exchange. I learned soooo  much from her and she really helped me to grow a lot. I felt like I had never relied on the spirit so much, she was truly amazing and I was really grateful to have got the chance to be with her. We taught online for a little and while online we usually open a few chats at one time, but we felt prompted to only open one, we had three options to choose from, and chose one. This GUYS WAS KEEN AS. He didn't understand his purpose or where he goes when he dies, we explained the plan of salvation, and you seriously could not believe the way he understood it. He was full of hope, and said he had never felt this way before, he wanted to meet with local missionaries and said he was so grateful he came on chat, he said he didn't even know how or why he came on. 

Miracles, miracles, miracles. 

It's been a beautiful week, I'm really missing all of you, but I am grateful to be a missionary. Tomorrow is exactly 6 months ago I entered the MTC, can't believe it's been half of a year. It's gone fast and slow. I love you each so much, I am grateful to have you all on my side. I pray for you everyday. 

I know life doesn't always make sense, I feel that way a lot of the time. But I promise you that heavenly father he does know you, he does love you.

 "The Lord know you. He knows your heart and is pleased with your sacrifice. He smiles upon you each day. He will uphold you and prepare the way for you. He  will send angels before you and you will feel their presence, and with the help of Heaven, your talents will be multiplied. I promise you that if you lift those around you, the Lord God, the creator of the universe will life YOU up. If you will only believe and incline your heart to our Beloved Father, he will place within you a peace that surpasses understanding. He will give you joy. May each of you always remember this." -Deiter F. Uchtdorf 

Arohanui, 

Sister Maddie DeLoach 

Hello Friends 9-11-16

I hope you all had the best week! This week was quite challenging, but was amazing nonetheless! 

You wouldn't believe who I ran into.. YES NICHOLAS DAVID WALKER. We saw him walking in ANOTHER part of our area, so we ran to him!! He actually thanked me for taking his lighter away from him, he said that meant so much to him that I cared enough to do that. I am glad I did!! We got a picture with him this week, but he still won't give us his address... We will pray and find him though:) Luckily with the Lord nothing is impossible. 

Well, Micheal got baptized this week. President Cummings interviewed him and told us after "Micheal isn't a golden investigator, he's a platinum." WOW, Micheal was sooooo stoked for his baptism. He came about an hour and a half early and just sat there, he said he wanted to "ponder" he is the best. He bore the most powerful testimony at his baptism about his experience receiving a witness that the book of mormon is true, he said "I prayed with real purpose of heart, and I can never deny what I felt, but not only did I feel that it was true, I was literally shown the love that God has for me." I have no idea what sacred experience happened, but I am so grateful it did. He is the best. 

Well, we were in the middle of a drug deal this week, kind of awkward the lady doing it was the one we were teaching the gospel to.. haha in her defense she is on house arrest and so she is always home so she can't hide from us:)) haha, it's starting to get a little warmer here in NZ, finally!! I do love it here, I am grateful to be a missionary. I hope you know that I care about YOU. 

Arohanui, 

Sister Maddie DeLoach 

p.s.. I was given SO much food at one members home I started hiding lettuce in my pocket..hahah I know I should have hid the ice cream.. but ooppps... you live and you learn;)

FAM 9-11-16

Hello all!! I hope you are all having a great week, I really miss you all this week. It was a great, but long week!! 

Well, you'd never believe who we ran into this week.. YES NICHOLAS DAVID WALKER, again. This time, he wasn't stoned or drunk, he told me "You have no idea how much it meant to me that you took away my lighter, that you cared enough about me to do that." I felt so happy. He told us he had been clean for a day, I know that doesn't sound like much, but we will take what we can get from him. He still didn't give us his address, BUT we know if we pray to see him, we will. I got a picture with him!! 

Well, President Cummings interviewed Micheal this past week for his baptism, and President told us "Micheal isn't a golden investigator, he's a platinum" WOW!!!!!! Micheal is seriously amazing, his baptism was so wonderful, he showed up a whole hour and a half early, just stoked!! He bore his testimony and while he was Sister Gurney and I looked at each other and said "he's going to be a bishop someday" He has the most powerful testimony, he is such a wonderful man. He had his work mates there, and a few of them were none member, and one less active (his name is nephi) too bad he is less active with that name.. hahah

Well, we were teaching our investigator this week, her name is Laberith, she is on probation at the moment, she has an ankle braclet and can only go 30 steps from her house, it's so sad though, she has a little girl and a partner. (partner here doesn't mean same-sex haha) she can't hide from us ever though because we always know she has to be home haha, anyways we were teaching her and this man walked up behind us and he said "Do you have it" She said "In the back" They both left and literally did a drug deal right in front of us, ahhaha we were so confused.. She is crack up as though, and one of the nicest people I have ever met. 

Well, we had a lesson with Luke this week at the Visitors center. Luke is like a minister in his religion, but come and basically thinks we are doing bible study with him, this week he was just not having it that this is Christ's church on Earth, so instead of argue back, Sister Gurney and I simply bore testimony, it didn't change his mind, but we both felt the spirit, we felt so happy we didn't cave into Satan wanting us to have contention. There isn't anything better than bearing simple testimony to someone who you know is arguing or trying to prove you wrong. The best thing is, NO one has to take our word for it, the second they sincerely read and pray about the Book of Mormon, they can know for themselves. :) 

Well, Josh and Salem happy almost birthday to the two of you. I love you all so much, I am so grateful to be a DeLoach. I am so grateful to be a daughter of God. I will be on until 3 if you want to keep talking, I LOVE YOU. I pray for you daily!!! 

Arohanui, 

Sister Maddie DeLoach 

(FRIENDS) 9-4-16

GREAT WEEK!! 

miracles miracles miracles

*Also I didn't even know there was an Earthquake in NZ this week, so I am all goods hahah thank you for worrying though, I am safe and alive!! 

Nicholas David Walker, this is the name of the rugby player that will not give us his address, who confesses all his sins to us, and who we have been praying to run into again. He is so nice, he is so in need of the hope of the gospel in his life right now!! I literally do not know what he see's when he looks at us, but the instant we see him he confesses all of his sins to us, it's hilarious!! Well, we have been praying so hard, we have quite the big area and it's hard to see the same people, BUT we believe in miracles. This week we were running late to a Less Active families house, and outside down the road WE SAW NICHOLAS DAVID WALKER!!! He had a lighter in his hands and I confiscated it:) I better get that out of our car before car checks.. haha that might be weird explaining to president. 

Another miracle is this week we got two new Samoan sisters in the VC and neither of them drive so we pick them up for shift, we went to get them they weren't home, we left our phone at the flat, and we had no gas, and it was Sunday..hahah so we decided to run to a members house and they weren't home, we prayed(a lot) and went to another members house. While we were there we realized we didn't even know the sisters number to call them, and right then Sister Gurney said "Wait I have this paper in my pocket" Literally pulls out a paper from her pocket with the Sister's number on it, she has no idea when or how that paper got in her pocket. MIRACLES!!!! 

I've been reading a talk given to all missionaries called the 4th missionary, and it makes you feel like you are the worst missionary in the world, yet also gives you so much hope that you can become something so glorious in the Lord's eyes, I know thats how life is, NO MATTER how bad you think you are at life or doing things, THE LORD will always allow you to become what he SEE'S IN YOUR POTENTIAL!

I truly love you all, I pray for you by name, and am grateful to be a missionary. I hope you know how much I love this country and these people. I feel eternally grateful. 

Arohanui, 

Sister DeLoach 

KIA ORA 9-4-16

Another GREAT week!! This week was challenging, BUT amazing! I felt pretty down at the beginning of this week, I've been reading a talk given to us when we enter the mission field called the 4th Missionary, it makes you REALLY evaluate yourself, it makes you feel like you are the worst missionary in the history of missionaries, but it also gives you hope that you can become something so amazing if you just give your will and wants to the Father and allow him to make out of you what HE wants you to become. I have worked on doing that this week, and it's a slow process but I am really trying to do that! 

Well Miracles and Miracles and Miracles. Professional Rugby guy we ran into last week on the side of the road who confessed all of his sins he has ever committed to us, we ran into him again and he still wouldn't give us his address, but he admitted more sins to us. hahah we have been praying so hard that we could somehow run into him again because we know how much this gospel will help him, well we were running late to a Less Active members home, and when we pulled up.. WE SAW HIM DOWN THE ROAD and sprinted to him!!!!!! It was such a miracle!!!! He had a lighter in his hand and I confiscated it from him, it's still in our car actually I better get rid of that before car checks that might be hard to explain!! hahahah he confessed more sins to us, but this time told us he has been reading from the Book of Mormon :))) yay! 

We had 5 yes FIVE less active families show up at church yesterday!!! It was a miracle!! We have been working really hard with this one less active family, and while we were there the mom said she hasn't felt this good or this happy in the longest time. I truly know the only way to feel lasting happiness and peace is through this gospel!! 

One day at the Visitors Center I ran into three different families/people that somehow had connections to all of you back home! It was amazing to feel a taste of home just from asking if they knew so and so!! On Saturday this member brought in his non-member friend to the VC, while talking to the non-member we didn't feel like he needed the first lesson, we sat in front of the Christus statue and for about 45 minutes testified of Christ's love for him. I have never done that before without teaching another principle, but SERIOUSLY this guy's who perspective changed, I never realized by helping someone know that they AREN'T alone they could feel a instant happiness and relief. 

Micheal is getting baptized on Saturday and he is still keen as!!! He is seriously so amazing and I am SOOO grateful for him in my life. Craige is doing wonderful, I love him so much too!! He is so excited to be Facebook friends with you Mom, he called this morning to ask it if was okay, he worries so much haha. 

One last miracle, we got two new sisters in the VC and neither of them drive so we are taking shifts of picking them up, when we went to get them we realized we left our phone and didn't have it with us. When we got to their flat it was raining and they weren't home so we had no idea what to do, plus it was sunday and our gas light was on.. hahah so we decided to run to the thomsens and use their phone, and they weren't home, so we drove to another members, we were going to call the VC and have them call the sisters because we didn't know the sisters number, right when we were using their phone(after a lot of prayers too) sister gurney said "WAIT I have this paper in my pocket" She literally pulls out a paper with the sister's number on it.. ???? Crazy huh? she has no idea why or when she did that but it was truly a miracle!!!! 

God is real, he LOVES you!! I have been reading the Old Testament, New Testament, and Book of Mormon daily, and they ALL testify of Each other, I know they are the Words of God. They aren't just a good book, they literally contain the information we need to return to live with our father in Heaven!!! 

I love you all, and I miss you each. I pray for you each by name every single day, and was able to get temple lunch this week so put all your names in the temple. I LOVE YOU!!

I learned to pray in Maori this week!! It's actually really strange, I have a Maori accent, I literally can pronounce words really well, I feel so grateful it helps people so much that I am able to somewhat help speak their language that means so much to them! 

E pa to matau whaka fety ana matau moena ka whaka pai matua i te rangi whaka pai i nei kai hei oranga mo mateu tinana i runga te ingwa o ihu kariti, amene 

Po Marie 

Love, Sister DeLoach