This email was sent by Sister Welker on February 13th.  We received it on February 12th.

Week 27: Good-bye Tauranga, Missionary Taxi, and White Island Girl

Usually we find out transfer news late on Tuesday night, but poor Elder McGregor was sick this last week and hadn't finished arranging all the transportation by Tuesday night.  So Wednesday morning I get a call from our zone leaders telling me I'm getting transferred?!!?!  Transfer news could have gone either way.  I've been in Tauranga now for 6 months and was secretly hoping to stay for one more transfer, but then again 6 months is usually the max for how long missionaries stay in one area (unless your Sister Johnson then you can stay for 8 months. :) 

So the remainder of the day I had to pack, and say good-bye to as many people as I could.  Sadly, not very many people are just hanging out at home waiting for a missionary to stop by and give their last good-byes on a Wednesday afternoon. So I didn't get to say good-bye to everyone, but I hope that they all know that I'll love and miss them all SO MUCH!!

Now I'm serving in the Alferston Ward in South Auckland.  I couldn't help but laugh when we pulled up to the bus stop since South Auckland is right by the New Zealand MTC, so I felt as though I was being transferred to the MTC haha.  After grabbing my luggage off the bus, I was handed a key and told "here you go."  Turns out I'm the only sister in my ENTIRE ZONE that has a car, so I've also been called to be the missionary taxi driver, haha.  I'm glad that I"m able to help the other sisters get to the places they need to go.

South Auckland is known for being an Islander area, which pretty much means I'm basically one of the only white girls in the area haha.  So like my family likes to call me, I'm a White Island Girl. :)

I love my new companion!  Her name is Sister Garbutt.  She's from Tahiti (so her native language is French) and she is a super big sweetheart.  She served 5 months in Tahiti waiting for her visa and has now been serving in New Zealand for the past 3 months.  My two years of high school French helps me to be able to say the basics like "Hi, how are you?", "It is 8 o'clock", and "I am a pineapple!"  My french is pretty on point if you ask me. ;)

Well that is about it for now.  I can't wait to see all the new adventures and miracles the Lord has in store for me.  Thanks again for all your love and prayers and I'll email you again next week.

Sister Mandy Welker