Neat Experiences This Week

13 April 2009
Dear Family,

HAPPY EASTER!

We had a pretty good week, but it sure went by fast. Some of the highlights included Zone Conference down in Auckland on Wednesday. It was really good. President Porter talked about such things as how to work with the members, using the Book of Mormon in answering peoples concerns, and also learning about what pride is and how we overcome it.

We had another neat experience with an investigator that we've been working with. Her name is Robin Hati. We first went over to just share a little message from the Book of Mormon. My companion did that and she still didn't seem "phased" or "softened". I had noticed prior to us sharing with her that message that she had been peeling her potatoes. So I persuasively offered for us to help her peel her potatoes. She opened up so much more after that. She seemed really excited about the General Conference. We don't know if she went though, but she seemed a lot more committed to come. She had even suggested getting her sister to babysit her seven kids while she went. We will have to follow up with her. Service really can be a good way to allow others to trust us.

The other very neat experience we had was visiting a less-active family, the Thomas's. They haven't been in a while. The wife really wants to come, but feels uncomfortable coming by herself (which is understandable), but the husband works on Sundays, but also wants to come. We went over there, had a 10-15 minute yawn and then Brother Thomas askes us before we were going to leave to share a spiritual thought. I invited Elder Stevenson-Haumono to share something. He ended up reading from Alma 32:28 where it talks about faith as a seed and then applied it to how are faith is either growing or dying. I then had a thought to share Alma 36:3 where Alma is talking to his son Helamen. I felt a strong Spirit guding me in what i wanted to say and how to make that scripture relevant. They said they would come as well to the Conference. Hopefully he will try and quit the job that requires him to work on Sunday, and keep to his job that he has during the week.

By the way, we went to Waitangi treaty grounds. Man that was awesome. The guide, Brother Napier, did an excellent job at explaining such things as where the Maori come from and how they got thier, a detailed look into their waka (it was massive as), and eventually on what occured when the colonials arrived and what the treaty is and everything else about it. We were also able to go into a marae and take pictures in it. It is the only marae where you can do that respectfully. There are so many similarities between our temples and the maraes. The carvings on the maraes represent their ancestors and their geneology or as they say their whakapapa. I will have to learn more about it as time goes on. I would recomend going there after i finish.

That is so cool that Camille has started here semester in BYU-I. I cant believe that she got a Mac. I suppose that i would get that one too, considering i am helpless when it comes to troubleshooting with computers. Thank you for all your love, advice and inspiration.

Mauri ora

Love, Elder Cashmore