Elder Ryder Atkinson

Story time! So at around 9 on Monday night, as I was getting ready for bed, I got this sharp stabbing pain in the right side of my stomach. Now I know some of you have had this pain before, so I'm sorry if this triggers any PTSD. I thought it was just a normal pain so I shrugged it off and tried to get some sleep, but I was just in so much pain I couldn't fall asleep. At around 3 in the morning I decided to call President Nikoia and he told me to go to the closest hospital. When my companion and I got there, I told them the situation and they said a doctor would be with be any minute. Well 4 hours passed and we were still sitting in the lobby, New Zealand hospitals aren't the most efficient. They eventually got me in the back where they did a bunch of blood tests and an ultrasound but still couldn't determine what the cause of the pain was. My blood work showed that there was an infection in my body but didn't have a definitive answer for where it was coming from so

Hey y'all, lots of big changes going into these next couple transfers!!  I have been made the district leader of the Welcome Bay district (don't know if prez was on the right medication when he made that decision) which is still in the mighty T-zone thank goodness. The crazy part is I'm gonna be companions with an Elder from Arizona who I knew in the MTC so that should be heaps of fun. And I get to drive the car:) I am really gonna miss the members of the Taupō Ward and the Tūrangi branch; I feel like I was just getting to know them better and I was so excited to work with them more, but I guess that's just how the mission goes sometimes.  I'm really gonna miss my current companion, we didn't really get to do all that much work together (especially in Tūrangi) which kinda bums me out but I learned heaps from him so it'll be alright. I'm also really gonna miss Elder Nowatzke, he was one of the first missionaries I met in the MTC and we have been in the sa

Kia ora everyone, been a super fun past couple of weeks! Lots of finding opportunities and lots of new people which is always good! We had a few really really cool lessons with our newly baptized members about patriarchal blessings and going to the temple so I am just beyond excited to see how they grow and progress towards those goals in the future.  I was driving the other day and accidentally ran over a hedgehog, so I'm officially a moster now. It felt only right to name him Sonic; he will be missed. Also stepped on a snail last night, we named him Turbo, I'm sure they both lived very full lives. Last P-day we played a nice round of golf which was so much fun and I really needed that relaxing day just enjoying the beautiful weather. The weather didn't stay that way though, I don't think it stopped raining once all week which makes for some very interesting missionary work.  We had a really good exchange with the zone leaders this week and I learned a ton about the im

onna keep this super short... 1. Had my second zone conference and didn't get called up to give a talk! 2. Made a really dumb move baking some chicken in the oven and burned my hand real bad. Should be fine in a few weeks. 3. Bought a ukulele 4. I learned how to fade but when I tried it out during Elder Genoguin's haircut it didn't really work so now he's stuck with a wack haircut til it grows back. My second go at it with Elder Nowatzke was much better. 5. I guess my companion had too many previous speeding tickets so Prez made me the designated driver for the area. I had never driven on the left side of the road and it took a TON of getting used to. 6. Had some really cool lessons with new people so hopefully those pan out in the coming weeks. 7. Ate way too much ice cream and got sick 8. Had my first meal with a Samoan family and lemme tell you how they just kept shoving food in our faces, it was awesome and the food was amazing! Until it just kept coming and coming

Everyone in my flat, except me for some reason, is currently sick, so the halls and rooms have been echoing with coughs and sniffles all week. However, we have not let it affect our missionary work this week and had some really cool spiritual experiences. Since my companion is the district leader, he has to conduct all of the baptismal interviews for baptisms that the other missionaries in our district have set. So on the very first day of the transfer we drove up to Tokoroa for the baptismal interview of this 10 year old boy named Kaiden, and when we walked through the door of the chapel, President and Sister Nikoia were standing right there. Apparently they were meeting with the Sisters in Tokoroa and decided to stay to have lunch with us. Our mission president is one of the nicest people you will ever meet and his wife is just the most genuine human being alive, so that was one of the most fun lunches I've had! Elder Jones had served in the Tokoroa for the last 5 months so after

Such an awesome first transfer! Had an awesome baptism this weekend! Some awesome meals! Awesome weather! I'm just doing awesome! It was a really rough week for the family leading up to the baptism, we could definitely see that satan DID NOT want it to go through. The family really had their heart set on getting baptized in this section of the river that has been owned my their whānau for generations, and it got approved by our bishop, and the stake president, but then the mission president sadly shut it down. It kind of bummed them out a bit which was sad but they asked us to give them priesthood blessings and they felt much better after that comfort and council. So we held the baptism in the font at the chapel and it was still such a cool experience. They asked me to speak and I was so lucky to be able to share my testimony of the power of baptism and of the church with them! Its been so cool to see their progression over the last 6 weeks and the see it all come to fruition at th