May Already??? 5-1-17

Kia Ora, my beautiful family!! I am so grateful to email you this week. This week I focused on finding joy in the work, and on really being happy, IT WAS BEAUTIFUL!!!!! The funniest thing EVER happened, I was on exchanges with Sister Logie, and brought her to my area, and I was so excited to do the work with her, when this cop stopped us, and said, "I have a weird question." Our missionary minds thought, he is going to ask something about the church, and he then said, looking at me, "Would you like to go out for drinks sometime?" HAHAHA I was sooo awkward, I looked at him like a deer in head lights, and just said, "I am so sorry as missionaries we cannot date, but I know cute girls I would love to set you up with" hahahah it was so awkward, he kindly declined, and went on his way. 

We were driving to an appointment, and drove by this girl carrying groceries, she smiled at us as we drove by, and she had the BRIGHTEST countenance about her. We were on our way to our appointment and so we kept driving, and as we drove on, we both looked at each other, and said, "We need to talk to that girl." We quickly turned the car around, not wanting to scare her, and decided we would drive up to her and ask if she needed help. When we got up to her we remembered our window was broken, so Sister Ticong opened the door and asked if we could help her, she said she was close to home, but we were able to introduce ourselves, and we told her what we do as missionaries. She looked at us and said, "This is exactly what I need in my life right now." She gave us her address, and we went the next day. When we went back, we found out that she is only 17, and she lives with her nan. The reason why she was carrying the groceries is because her nan has an amputated leg, she is such a beautiful girl, and that is why her countenance was so bright. We have a lesson with them this weekend, and we are sooo excited to share this message with them!! 

We decided this week to fast for our investigator, Andre. We really want him to receive an answer and so we decided if we sacrificed on our side, that the Lord would hear his prayers. We went over for our lesson yesterday, and during our lesson he said, I know that this is the right path for me. Sister Ticong and myself could not stop smiling, I literally have NEVER felt so much joy, and love. I love them so much, the reason why he was so anti mormon in his life is because he never felt love from mormons, and now that we came in and just tried to love him, he knows that it's true. I am SO grateful I seriously can see them in white, I couldn't stop giggling all night. I felt like it was a dream. It's such a blessing to help others find joy and peace. Seriously something we all desire in life are those things, and I love that as members of the church we have that to share with them. It's such a blessing, and I understand the true joy that comes from loving and sharing with others. 

Leonie got brain surgery so she is now cleared to be baptized, it should be within the next week or so, YAY!! She had a brain tumor and they successfully removed it!!

I just wanted to share with each of you that I know that the church is true, not from anyone else but Heavenly Father, if you want to know for the 100th time, or the first, I promise he will let you know if you sincerely ask. Elder Peterson shared with me from his Stake conference that a 70 told them to all repent. He said that repenting means becoming closer to Jesus Christ and depending on him, and when we think of it that way, it would be silly not to repent. I promise you that this gospel is PEACE and HAPPINESS, and if you can't feel that... I promise you will be able to as you continue to come unto Jesus Christ. I love you so much, I promise you that you are loved by the Savior and Redeemer of the world, HE DOES NOT WAIT FOR YOU TO BE PERFECT, HE LOVES YOU NOW!!! Don't quit, I can't believe I talk to you SO soon, I love and miss you heaps, please keep on going. 

"Keep on keeping on"

Arohanui,

Sister Maddie DeLoach