First week on the field!

Temple with my MTC Companion

Met my Mission President and his wife: President and Sister Cummings. "President Cummings is a great man and a lot of great things are said of him but he's Aussie so it's expected lol."

Hey everybody,

It's been a while but it's finally P-day lol yay. For reals though it's been a hectic week transitioning from the MTC to the field. Saying goodbye to everyone at the MTC was sad (a happy sad though) with everyone making build up plans lol but we got picked up by the traveling AP and went to Hamilton to meet our Mission President - President Cummings and his wife. There are 16 missionaries from our intake that are serving in Hamilton so it's was a pretty busy transfer. President Cummings is a great man and a lot of great things are said of him but he's Aussie so it's expected lol. We got told who our trainer was and where we're serving and then stayed the night for the trip the next day. Hopefully I get to be companions with the 2 elders in my District - Mate we'll kill it!

My first area is the Alfriston Ward of the Manurewa Stake... Yep back in South Auckland lol. Oh yea we got white washed and are opening this area 😐 Don't know what president is thinking lol but I'm enjoying it though met some members on Saturday at Bishop's daughters baptism and they were so welcoming and friendly and the support of the ward with each auxiliary is gangster. The love from the Bishopric is real and the feed is next level lol majority of the ward are Cookies with a couple of Tongans and Samoans so yep Island feeds are gonna make me fat for days.

 

First Sunday on the field: Elder Lewis (from Rexburg, Idaho) and Elder Purcell.
 

 

 

My companion is Elder Lewis from Rexburg, Idaho. I've been lucky so far with companions cause he's the man, knows what he's doing and gets things done without beating around the bush. We spent the last couple of days cleaning out 3 flats cause they closed down the area's so we had to clean 3 flats before we could fully move into our flat, which sucked cause the amount of mess in them, man the sisters are messy 😂 Our flat is nice and small, easy to maintain and pretty modern, our neighbors though both are black power lol had a lil talk with both and mate pretty darn good people... well beside the fact they BP. Church was well....... church, meeting everyone was the best part as well as doing a gangster as testimony in sacrament lol. 



My Trainer: Elder Lewis

This week is when the real work starts we had a meeting with the Ward Mission Leader and got some referrals of less actives as well as potential people to teach which is great it gives us a place to start and at the same time try and focus on getting to know the members more and building that missionary-member trust that we feel is lacking. I know I'm going to love my time here and the people here as well, NZ weather sucks though just saying. Hope everyone is well. Miss you all, sorry it's short even though it was a hectic week but short sharp and sweet is the way.

 
Well it's P-Day now and yep I'm going to play ball lol. 'such is life'




Elder Purcell.

Last week in the MTC!

​​​​Hey Everyone another week and its starting to go fast.

What a week learning a lot more about the gospel and teaching. As draining as the MTC is (because all we do is study all day lol) I'm grateful for being able to grow as a missionary and a person within the last 3 weeks being here. My last P Day in the mission and I just want to relax. Went out and did splits with the missionaries of the Auckland Mission and had a little taste of what door knocking would be like lol. It was a great humbling experience to get rejected and doors slammed in my face lol we went to Otara as run down as broken as it is jks. We met some good people who were wanting to hear the gospel and getting rejected 7 times before meeting them just made it so much better. Met some missionaries from back in Brisbane Sister Ryter and Sister Ete as well as one from Utah who knows my Purcell family in West Valley. 

 

Attended the temple again yesterday and it's true what they say everytime you go you learn something new, it's such a great experience at the temple and the grounds itself is beautiful. Learning more about the tribe of Levi and their purpose and blessings which I'm excited for. One of our elders in our district got an "emergency transfer" as he was waiting for a VISA to serve in Birmingham England. They wanted him to leave as soon as it came through and start MTC again in England instead of finishing it here, after growing fast bonds with everyone it was hard saying goodbye. It made us think, man imagine how we'll be when our 2 years is up, how it will feel to go home. I will be guttered. When you get lost in the work of the Lord and the service of his people time will fly.

I'm going to miss evreyone in the MTC but excited to meet the many people I will come in contact with, learn the culture of the land and the food lol. I'm getting so fat here lol I've gained 10kgs since being here, even though the food is "meh". I've gotta train and hope I'm in an area where I can just bike ride everywhere. My companion is awesome we are so much the same it's good and bad. Good that we get along like boys everything is algoods, but bad that we lose focus easily and just crack up laughing over nothing. Even though I hope we become companions on the field.

 

Well I'm out of time wish I could write more but this MTC is strict as lol need to be thoughtful cause theres too many fresh fobs here who are asking for a hiding, but the Lord is helping me to be more humble lmao. I'll hear from you guys in 2 weeks on Monday when I'm officially on the field.

Love you all and can't wait to hear from you guys!

 

Elder Purcell

I wanna be the very best.....(missionary) lol

Hey all

Man I miss you guys but I'm loving my time here in the MTC. I've learned and progressed so much in everything since being here. From gospel knowledge to recognizing the spirit, learning how to plan and study effectively, praying often (like heaps), My confidence has grown a lot, teaching lessons, public speaking and sparking up conversations with strangers was something I would have trouble doing but now I'm so much better at doing those things and not turning away at any opportunity because of being shy. It's only been a week but I have grown so much in a short amount of time, and I know its cause of the lord answering my prayers to help me become the best missionary I can become.

"I've been blessed with a great district, best district in this intake lol" (Benjamin District)

 I've been blessed with a great district, best district in this intake lol, but in all seriousness we all come from different walks of life but are one in purpose. Everyone is here for the reason of serving the lord with everything we have but we can enjoy our time while were here. It's only been a week but it's felt like forever. My companion Elder Brown is from Saratoga springs in Utah, surprisingly a great companion, pretty much like me we clicked from the start and has been great since helping each other out with everything, the kind of companion I hope I get throughout my 2 years or else my tie is coming off lol (inside joke). Food here is 'meh' but because its free it taste good lol.

Biggest highlight of the week was going to the temple such a beautiful temple and the grounds it's on. such an amazing experience to go through the temple and feel of the spirit and receiving answers I've had questions to. Temple view is like a little Utah hehe Mormon ville, but still beautiful.

I've never read or written so much in my life but it's a blessing to gain more knowledge and understanding about the gospel. To recognize the spirit and to teach with it. As much as I love the MTC, I can't wait to leave and get out on the field to start the work of the Lord, to be the best missionary I can be. Just like the prophets of old I want to be able to say to our heavenly father and savior that "thy work which thou hast ask of is done". 

I have 2 Elders who are in my district who are coming to Melbourne and I think there are 9 Elders from this intake who are going to Melbourne. They're going to be great missionaries and will serve obediently the carvery that the Melbourne mission needs.

I love this Gospel so much and being a missionary for it will bless not only other families but my own. I know if we follow the examples of Jesus Christ we will be blessed.

Well ran out of time gotta go lol

I love you all
see ya next Friday

Elder Purcell