The first email: March 1, 2013

Elder Moore left on Tuesday, February 26, 2013 destined for Auckland, New Zealand. With a 19 hour time zone difference and crossing the International date line, he arrived on Thursday, February 28, 2013. We had been told that he would email us when he arrived and I anxiously checked my email for that coveted update. It finally arrived!

March 1, 2013

Kia ora! Malo e lelei! That is hello in NZ as well as Tongan. I have arrived safely, sorry it took so long for me to email you guys. They forgot to let us email yesterday, but they readily let us email tonight when we asked them. As you may have guessed my companion is Tongan! His name is Elder Vaiomo'unga, I just barely learned how to say it perfectly without saying it super slowly. He is awesome and he is slowly but surely, and patiently, teaching me to speak things in Tongan. Unfortunately he is not going to be staying with me in Auckland, instead he is going to a small island called Vanuatu. I was having a pretty rough time with being tired and a little homesick for awhile, but it got a lot better once I met up with the other missionaries and especially after Elder Larsen finally arrived. Now I'm having an even better time with my wonderful Tongan companion. The view from my window is beautiful and is possibly the best view I have seen from any window in this building. The MTC is on top of a hill and I look out my window and see rolling hills covered by houses and beautiful green trees and grass. There are so many different accents running around here due to the many different kind of missionaries here. There are only about 80 of us in this MTC, but there are missionaries here from America, Samoa, Canada, Tonga, Fiji, Tahiti, Papau New Guinea, Australia, Tasmania, Mexico, England, New Zealand… So many different kinds of people. Look up a Tasmanian accent, that's a pretty cool one.

Upon arriving at the airport in NZ we walked through the doors to find two huge Tongan men in white shirts waving us over, they sounded just like the people from the movies "Johnny Lingo" and "The Other Side of Heaven." If you go watch those movies then you will hear exactly what I hear from many people everyday, but there are so many other accents here besides those. I love the Polynesians and I hope to learn to speak Tongan, but the Lord's will be done not mine. I love you guys too and I pray for you guys everyday. Also, I cherish each note I find mom. I'm out of time, tell everyone I love them and that the church is true. Also, my p-day (preparation day) is on Wednesday, so expect the next email then. And we're going to the temple for 2 sessions on Wednesday!! Love you guys! Goodbye, for now :)


Arriving in Auckland, New Zealand

Elder Moore & Elder Vaiomo'unga