Dinner, Transfers, Song Fest Choir, and Stake Leadership Meeting

Elder Na Nongkai and Elder Ihaka

On Monday, we were grateful for a slower start after a full weekend. Steve helped Ben pick up his mum’s car and get it to his place, while I handled a few computer tasks. I balanced our bank account and contacted the Financial Missionary about a confusing bill from our landlord. Two different people had gotten involved, which led to multiple calls, but thankfully it was resolved. I also sent emails to the last three Stakes we hoped to train before our mission ends. It’s a project I feel strongly about finishing, especially since it’s unlikely another missionary couple will be assigned to it.

Later in the day, we enjoyed a relaxing afternoon watching the Follow Him podcast. That evening, we had a wonderful dinner with Bo and Marama Davis. They’re in our Personal Finances class and our Ward, but we rarely see them at Church due to their Stake callings. Bo serves on the High Council and Marama is in the Stake Primary Presidency, so they’re often assigned elsewhere. It was refreshing to sit and visit with them in a more personal setting.

On Tuesday, we began with Early Morning Seminary. The Elders taught a lesson on Section 97 and the building of the Kirtland Temple. The class went well, and it was nice to see the students engaged. Afterward, the Riverside Elders joined us for Comp Study, and we had a rich discussion covering highlights from our recent studies. Over lunch, we finished watching the Follow Him episode, and I began preparing Thursday’s Seminary lesson.

I also checked in with our Personal Finances class to see how everyone was doing with their commitments. In the evening, I prepped snacks for both our Ward Family Fun Night and the next day’s DCM, while Steve handled dinner. Unfortunately, no one showed up for the Ward activity, so we came home a little disappointed. Later, we joined a Mission Zoom call, followed by a Zone Leaders call announcing transfers. We learned that we were only losing three missionaries—Elders Riese, Derrick, and Na Nongkai. Elder Ihaka would be the new DL for the North District, and Elder Phipps for the South.

On Wednesday, we held our final DCM of the transfer. It was bittersweet, especially since the South District met in Bream Bay and we didn’t get to say goodbye to Elders Riese and Derrick. Elder Na Nongkai, who was the only one leaving our District, gave a beautiful training on inviting the Holy Ghost into our teaching. After sharing thoughts, each of us chose a word that captured the spirit of the discussion and created acronyms. My favorite was Elder Ihaka’s: C.H.O.I.C.E.—Charity, Humility, Obedience, Integrity, Compassion, Empathy.

After DCM, we enjoyed apple crisp from Sister Carlisle and the healthy snacks I brought. We exchanged notebook messages with Elder Na Nongkai, who had grown so much during his time with us. I knew he would thrive in his next assignment. That afternoon, I finished Seminary prep and took care of a few Sunday tasks, including an hour of HawkSoft work. In the evening, we attended Song Fest Choir practice. We were preparing “Pearly Shells” with the Primary children dancing the hula, along with Samoan and Tongan thanksgiving songs. Elder Wilcox and I didn’t do too bad. 🎶

On Thursday, we started the day with Early Morning Seminary. We had nine students, and the lesson focused on developing a Growth Mindset through faith in Jesus Christ. We discussed how a Growth Mindset helps us turn stumbling blocks into steppingstones, while a Fixed Mindset convinces us that challenges are too hard or impossible. The students responded well to the discussion and activities, and it felt like a meaningful start to the day.

After returning home, the Zone Leaders joined us for Comp Study. We shared ideas for preparing spiritually for General Conference and discussed different ways the Spirit speaks to us. It was a rich and uplifting conversation. Later, I spent time working on Family History—a rare treat lately—and began outlining next week’s Seminary lesson. I wanted to make sure I included General Conference highlights, so I wouldn’t forget to add them next week. I’m giving the students three ways to prepare for Conference each week leading up to it.

In the afternoon, Elder Ihaka stopped by with his new companion, Elder Hunter. He had served in Kaikohe about a year ago and had recently been in Central Auckland. I think he and Elder Ihaka will make a great team. That evening, we attended the Stake Leadership meeting, which included a presentation on self-reliance. Whangarei is piloting a food services program to help leaders administer support more efficiently—similar to the Bishop’s Storehouse in the States. We also discussed D&C 90:11, one of my favorite scriptures, about hearing the Gospel in one’s own language. The Stake plans to implement a team of interpreters, and we shared insights from our time with Global Interpretation. There’s a wonderful training tool available, and I’m excited to see it used across Wards, Branches, and Stakes.

On Friday, we had a laid-back but productive day. I focused on preparations for Sunday, starting with updates to the Ward Council Agenda and Sacrament Program. Several people had sent in changes, so I made sure everything was current and ready to go. I also checked in with our Personal Finances Group to see how everyone was doing and offer support where needed.

Much of the day was spent refining the Ward Skills Assessment Form, which we plan to present at Ward Council. It ties directly into the Self-Reliance training from the Stake meeting the night before. I’m hopeful it will help leaders better match members to service opportunities and empower them to grow. Before wrapping up the day, I took care of our bills—one of those small but necessary tasks that always feels good to complete.

On Saturday, we moved into final prep mode for Sunday. I finalized the Ward Council Agenda and Sacrament Program and spent a good portion of the day organizing our Google Drive documents for when we leave. I converted the Ward Skills Assessment Form into a Google Form, which I’ll present at Ward Council. It’s satisfying to see it come together in a way that future leaders can easily use and adapt.

We received a call from President Allen in the morning. He let us know that Zone activities are discouraged in the Mission and asked us to change our Monday breakfast to District-only. I felt a little sad, but we’ll follow the mission rules. I contacted Sister Ward to see if she would host a breakfast for the South District, and she kindly agreed to take care of it.

Later in the day, I worked on my Seminary lesson for next week. With house guests arriving soon, I wasn’t sure how much time I’d have later, so I wanted to get ahead. I’m actually excited about the lesson—I came up with a couple of role play ideas that I think the kids will enjoy. We ended the day by giving each other haircuts. We were both looking a little shaggy, and it felt good to clean up. 🤣

On Sunday, the day began with Ward Council, where I used our new Ward laptop to take notes and lead a training on the Google Shared Drive I had created for the Ward. I was grateful not to have to use my personal laptop. Unfortunately, I ran into a hiccup with the Chromebook—it wouldn’t connect properly to the monitor. I ended up using the laptop to demonstrate the Shared Drive and brought the Chromebook home to troubleshoot the issue later. Despite the tech challenge, the discussion in Ward Council was productive and well received.

Fast and Testimony meeting was especially uplifting. The Spirit was strong, and I loved hearing the heartfelt testimonies that were shared. A surprise came during Sunday School when we realized the assigned teacher had to work and wasn’t present. No one seemed to know ahead of time, so when class was about to begin, I stepped in and taught the lesson. It turned out to be a sweet experience. Relying on the Spirit made all the difference, and the class flowed naturally.

Our Personal Finances class went well too. We talked about how to protect our family from hardship. We are to council and plan this week what we will do if unexpected hardships occur. We especially want to have an emergency fund in place and make sure we are out of debt. Those are some of the things the class has been working on over the last several weeks. 

All Our Love,

Elder and Sister Wilcox