Week #37 - March 18th, 2018 - HOME.. trusting Heavenly Father

KIA ORA whanau.. I hope everyone is well and you all know that I love yous! So these past couple of weeks and months I have learned to really rely on my Savior and trust Heavenly Father. I received a phone call on Saturday morning that I needed to come home on a medical release for my back. I was expecting for this to never happen but it did. I hurt my back a couple times dancing in the past and it randomly hurts but not to bad until one night in January I woke up at 2am in a lot of pain, so I cracked my back and cracked something wrong and could barely twist my back to normal, that week I spent some time at the physios and in our flat.. I received a priesthood blessing and I thought if I had

enough faith everything would be okay and it was for a while but it started to flare up again resulting in me having to come home. I can't change the circumstances of this situation but what I can do is TRUST Heavenly Father and I do.

This has been the hardest but most comforting time of my life. I received the phone call Saturday morning got my plane info on Sunday and bussed across the island to the mission home on Monday. Then Tuesday I flew home. It all happened so fast and I didn't really have any time to process what was happening because I was in shock but I also felt so much peace. As I was on the bus traveling back to the mission home in Hamilton, I was reading some of my journal entries and I realized that on Friday night before I received the phone call I would be going home, I wrote down how in my personal prayers on Friday night I caught myself telling Heavenly Father "I feel like I have done everything you need me to do" and I asked him if he is happy with what I'm doing? .. I wrote this down in my journal and then forgot about it until I read it on the bus on Monday.. when I got to Hamilton I had my last interview with my mission president which gave me so much closure and PEACE. I looked at him and told him "President in my patriarchal blessing it tells me I am to serve a full-time mission.. not a 9 month mission" he then asked me "Sister Sughroue have you felt the Spirit each day?" and I responded "yes" he then went on to say "then you served with a FULL HEART.. serving a full-time mission. You need to

go home and get healthy and remember that Heavenly Father is proud of you and loves you more than you know.. you have done EVERYTHING he has needed you to do" this really hit me.. I realized I wouldn't be coming back out on my mission even if I got everything sorted out with my back.. this is definitely not what I wanted and I couldn't understand the WHY but what I could understand is that I did feel the Spirit every single day, I did serve with my full heart and my Heavenly Father LOVES me and is HAPPY with what I did for him and his children in NZ. All along from the moment I opened my mission call, Heavenly Father knew this is was what was going to happen, He has a plan for me and it is a perfect plan that I can't completely see or understand fully but its a plan that I will trust in.

I am forever grateful for the time i had to serve the Lord in aoteroa. i fell in love with the people, the culture, serving others, and the beautiful island. i cant even begin to explain what i have learned from serving the lord in nz. i know the gospel is literally for every single peron on this earth. i have learned that God loves each of us perfectly with no ends, i have learned that its through exact obedience miracles come, i have learned that happiness is a choice, i have also most importantly truly been converted. i know with no doubt that joseph smith restored the church that christ once established on this earth, i know that families can be together forever, i have learned that there truly is an enabling power of the atonement, i have learned that the book of mormon is another

testament of christ and is true! i have also most importanly leanred that no matter where in the world you are, where you come from, where you are right now, and who you are or who you once were that you are LOVED by the creator of the heavens and the earth. he is aware of you and loves each of you.. and i am still learning so much each and every day. 

NEW ZEALAND will always have a special place in my heart and its because it is there where I was able to come to know my Savior personally. 

I am grateful to all of yous for following along beside me on this journey and for supporting me! This is just a little trial that I have to go through but I actually see it more as a BLESSING. I'm excited to see what Heavenly Father has planned for me and I know everything will work out. 

KIA KAHA.. stay strong!

"But behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and it is that same God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are." mormon 9:11

arohanui, XO Sister Sughroue

Sister Hunter, Sister Sughroue & Sister Allen

Week #36 - March 4th, 2018 - Living the Dream!

KIA ORA! 

Just so HAPPY and loving life!

I hope everyone had a lovely week! This week was so good!! I'm so lucky to be here in New Zealand and in Opotiki, I'm learning heaps and I just love the people here so much! So this week Sister Ove and I just walked everywhere trying to contact the branch list and meet new people, we were able to find heaps of people who have been prepared to here the gospel! I'm lucky I get to be apart of the Lord's work and see so many miracles each day! 

We have a neighbor, Rosemarie that we met on our first day, we see her everyday and baked some brownies (which I made and didn't burn haha, Heavenly Father truly can change your weaknesses into strengths lol..

Hungahungatoroa Marae

Ether 12:27) but she has been SO prepared by the Lord. She told us that we were an answer to her prayers because the week we moved in she was praying to have more female friends/ influences in her life because she is surrounded by men and then we moved in and became friends with her! She is in her 50's and her partner Mathew is interested in learning more about the gospel to! Her aunt who had passed away a couple years ago gave her her quad and some books on Joseph Smith to read.. she has been reading the Book of Mormon every day and the Doctrine and Covenants as well.. I was so shocked haha, GOD IS SO GOOD! He is truly looking out for all of his children! 

We also met these two 12 year old girls that were walking by our flat.. they ran up to us, asked us where we are from and they now think I'm famous cause I'm from

Sister Ove

California, tall and blonde hahahhaha I was dying.. anyways they walked around with us and we took them to look at the chapel.. they walked into the room with the baptism font and asked if that's where we have babies hahah I was like nah mate and explained what baptism is, anyways they want to be baptized and we talked to the mum and she was all chill about it and the son Maikara who is 15 wants to be baptized and take the lessons!

I also ran into a lady and started chatting randomly about dance and she said that there is an old lady here in town who teaches ballet to little 5-18 year olds and needs some help so I may be able to start helping out with dance classes!!!!! I just have to get permission lol so we will see but that would be so dope if I could! 

Anyways I LOVE being a MISSIONARY and serving the LORD! This week was so good and we had stake conference in Tauranga so I saw the Worthrens again and I SANG WITH OUR BRANCH CHOIR IN MAORI AT CONFERENCE... haha everyone was laughing cause I was the only white one haha anyways I hope yous have a lovely week and remember that I love you heaps and you are all in my prayers!! 

"The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives" - Russell M. Nelson

arohanui, xo

Bridgette Worthren and me!
(felicia and lindsey lol- Felicia was
Lindsey's mission buddy & her
family is from Hamilton and her father
is in the Hamilton Mission Presidency)

sister sughroue  

3/5. on a horse! the lil boy taylah calls me aunty and told me he is 21 hahah

Cute chunky baby! Amaya- Moana

sleepover with the Sis. Fitts, Sis. de Guzman, Sis. Ove

Our Flat

Dancing with the babies .. love the Hudson whanau!

On a horse!

The lil boy Taylah calls me aunty and told me he is 21 hahah

Week #35 - February 25th, 2018 - Transfers!

KIA ORA! 

Sister Ove and me taking on the streets of Opo!!!

This week I had to say bye to my Whakatane whanau </3 I got shifted to Opotiki just down the coast from Whakatane and am still near the ocean, so its all goods! I'm gonna miss Whakatane and the people that we were teaching, they truly become your family and I love them heaps but I'm in a REALLY good branch here in Opotiki, the Lord is definitely hastening His work here in opotiki. 

My new comp is Sister Ove, from Papau New Guinea who is 24 and we are white washing! We are the first sisters ever to be in Opotiki and we are double covering with Elder Mortensen (Hawaii), Elder Razakariasoa (Madagascar), and Elder Mahina (Australia-Tonga) so there are 5 of us missionaries here which has never

Down the coast (pictures doesn't do it justice..
so gorgeous in person)

happened here before. I'm excited to be here and know that the Lord has people prepared. 

The branch is really on to it with missionary work.. transfers were Thursday and on Saturday there was a wedding/ baptism (Te Hurukeha & Harly) who the elders had been teaching, they have heaps of sisters, so the next day on Sunday after church we drove them around and met some of there sisters, we are going to start working with a few. 

We drove pretty far down the coast and it was so gorgeous.. New Zealand keeps getting prettier and prettier, we hadn't eaten all day and have no food in our flat so we found some crabs and boiled them up and ate some mussels, they were yum! 

Found some dinner #brokeas gotta do what ya gotta do

Anyways after church we also got some referrals from some members that had been waiting for sisters to come so we can visit some of their Whanau and friends. This was a HUGE miracle because I was so unsure about coming here but Heavenly Father has definitely made it clear that he needs all 5 of us missionaries here. Our first day we had no clue what to do cause we had nothing and no info about anything and we also didn't have a phone we started chatting with our neighbor and then the elders showed up to take us around to introduce us to some people and they also gave us their dinner appointments. So that was a little blessing! 

We moved into the elders flat which is flash as (more like a house) and they moved into the senior couples old flat in Whakatane and have to drive here every day to work, so we are definitely being looked after! And we also got

Crabs and the prettiest sea shells <333

some Tongan elders car that was in South Auckland and it was so nasty.. we cleaned the flat and the car and it reminded me of Tyler's room when I moved into it when he left for college.. haha.. we also just had a meeting with the branch president and went over who he wants us to teach and the elders as well, so everything is slowly working out, this week will be a good week for sure! 

Opotiki is a lil town but our boundaries are pretty big, down the coast and out in the bush. I'm so grateful to be here! One of the sisters we met on Sunday Miro, didn't want to let us into her home but I noticed her little kids and said something about families and she stopped and stared at me and told us to come inside and teach her more. The spirit is so real and I have a huge testimony that only the TRUTH can softened ones heart, if they're

willing to listen. The gospel is so good and so true! I hope yous are able to realize how precious the gospel is and the importance we have to share it with those around us! I LOVE YOU ALL HEAPS! 

arohanui, xo 

sister sughroue

ps. don't except another long email lol sorry mum ;)

YUM!!!

Add caption

last days in whakatane </3

Went to this cool art gallery on the beach

Sushi date with Sis. Ahnder,
Sis Kendall, and Sis Taylor

 

 President Waihirere.. or Mr. Bubbles
from Lilo & Stitch hahahaha

Saying bye to the Waihirere's my fav Whanau

Last FHE at the heads with my Whakatane Whanau...
I ran through the water with all the kids
 and am pretty sure I had the most fun haha. jayelle and te kohu 

whanau.. family 

 Love these lil kids <333 

My lil boyfriends, oho and te kohu pushing me on the swing haha

Week #34 - February 18th, 2018 - Chur Brudda

KIA ORA!!

KORU district singing at Ohope Beach care! 

This week was sooo lovely! It's going by so fast.. so crazy!! So I went to physio and they said they think I have a stress fracture in my back.. but I don't think I do and it's all goods! Anyways we walked around heaps this week and just visited heaps of people! We had are last district meeting of the transfer sadly so we said bye to the senior couple (the Hirschis from Utah) they became like all of our grandparents! The elders also got tshirts made for our district! We are still doing our Book of Mormon class and I honestly think it's more for me. haha I honestly am learning so much! 

So everyone here that we visit or work with knows me as the stubborn tall blonde. hahaha I was laughing so hard cause I am pretty stubborn but it's only to help people

Koru District

keep their commitments!! Anyways we also sing at a old people home right on the beach and they just make me so happy!! We were singing "If You're Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands" to the dementia ward and a lady just started crying because she said we sounded so beautiful! haha I love singing to them cause it's a lil confidence booster.lol

We also went to Opotiki for a Wanaga (meeting/ gathering). The branch president in Opotiki holds these Wanagas and connects the Book of Mormon to the Maori people and their culture it was so cool!! I felt like an outcast cause I was the only white blonde there haha but it was just so interesting to listen to! But this week we

Tacos!! Dinner with the
Rangiheuea Whanau <3 (Oho, Jayelle, Tekohu, Roni)

also had a dinner at a member who is trying to come back to church and get to the temple, Her kids are literally the cutest!!!! And she made tacos!!!  I miss real Mexican food but it was yum! 

We are working with heaps of kids right now but none of them have permission to be baptised but they all just love learning and Sister Taylor and I always have lil lessons/games with them!! I love Whakatane and all the people here! Transfers are this week and I could be getting transferred.. I hope I stay for at least another transfer but we will see what happens! I love you heaps!! The church is true and you are LOVED by your Heavenly Father!! Always remember that!! 

arohanui, xo

sister sughroue 

ps. "what did the chair say to the butter?" "chur brudda" haha this a joke from a lil 4 and 6 year old (jayelle and oho) and ill send pics soon!

 I LOVE them so much!
They are just the cutest lil kids ever!!!! 

Valentine's Day surprise!!
Elder Mortensen (hawaii) and Elder Razakarisoa (madagascar)
surprised us during our exchanges!

We cover some beach towns but we also cover some lil towns out in the bush!
And I just am so in love with New Zealand!!! <3333

Week #33 - February 11th, 2018 - Remembering Who YOU Are

KIA ORA! 

Sister Sughroue & Sister Allen

I hope everyone has had a lovely week! this week was a lil rough haha cause Sister Taylor got a gnarly spider bite that had to be cut open and I watched it and almost passed out. hahahahaha So good thing I don't wanna be a doctor and I also hurt my back but it feels heaps better and I'm going to the physio today so thats good! 

So this week we were driving back and forth between Whakatane and Tauranga going to the doctors, stake broadcast, and zone conference which I got to see Sister Allen who I served with at the Visitor Centre!!! Good thing the drive is so gorgeous!!! But I was just so sick of being in the flat all day and a car BUT am so happy to get out and work this week!! 

So I'm not sure if I wrote in my last email but Ngapera moved back and we are going to reteach her and her partner now! So thats a huge blessing! And zone conference was just so amazing and so was the stake broadcast! I saw Felicia Worthren (one of Lindsey's mission buddies) and it was so good to talk to her. haha I love Whakatane but there aren't many normal people here but I still LOVE them!! 

So I just wanted to share some thoughts I had from the stake broadcast. The stake president was announcing how the temple is closing for 3 years and will be rededicated. I'm grateful I had the opportunity to go to the temple a couple of months ago because I probably won't be able to till I come home but one thing I truly loved about the visitor centre was being so close to the temple and learning about the history behind it. Temples are the crowning ordinances of this gospel, don't take them for granted! so the broadcast was elder stevensen and sister

Road Trip All Weekend

oscarson and some area of the seventies. One talk I absolutely LOVED was about remembering who you are. I'm definitely learning more about who I am and who I can become by putting my trust in the Lord.  you get what you focus on in life, and your decisions and attitude is based on how you see yourself and then those decisions determine your destiny.

This week try to think about what your focus is in life, and then ask yourself, are you focused on coming to know the Savior? Be real with yourself and make changes if needed.  I love being a missionary even when its hard because in reality its so worth it. I wouldn't trade what im learning now and who I am becoming for anything! I LOVE you all HEAPS!! hHve a lovely week, remember to smile and keep your head up! 

arohanui, xo 

sister sughroue

PS - also HAPPY VALENTINES DAY <3333 i LOVE you all sooooo very much xoxo

If you don't have someone special no worries you can always share God's love to those around you ;) I have more pics to send but ill send them next week!

arohanui, XO

sister sughroue

Ohope NZ- most loved beach
(we come here almost everyday lol)

Felicia-Lindsey's mission buddy

Tauranga Zone aka the Celestial Zone

Chasing around the seagulls.. they are so loud/ annoying here haha

Got lost in the bush....

but we found some sheep!

and the ocean!

il ata cutest lil baby ever!! i wanna adopt all the lil kids her