Basketball and Setting Apart

Tuesday night Camilla invited us to come play basketball with the YSA. We hadn't finished our homework yet so we did the responsible thing and brought it with us :). Sara jumped in to play with them right away (she's 6ft) but I played it a little bit more conservative and made friends on the side lines. They randomly make teams and then play to five baskets. The winning team stays on the court and plays another random group. Sara stayed on the court with her team for an hour! They were all impressed with her skill and everyone would shout Go BYU or call her BYU as she made baskets. It was hilarious! The Kiwi boys were crazy players jumping all around the court, yelling a gibberish mixture of English and Maori. The YSA were pretty awesome and a bunch of them came up to talk to us. It was super fun. We didn't get home until kind of late... but it was so fun!

Then Wednesday Camilla invited us to come with her to her friend's setting apart as a missionary. We were a little apprehensive because usually a setting apart just involves family and close friends but she told us that there would be a lot of people there so we decided to go. We pulled up to the parking lot (car park) and there were so many cars. The chapel was very full as we walked it. It was the coolest experience to go! We sang a song and had a prayer and then the bishop spoke followed by the missionary's mum. Afterwards the stake president set apart the missionary. The spirit filled the chapel- oh it was amazing! A bunch of young men then sang a musical number followed by the testimony of the missionary. The stake president (random note- he is the personal body guard of NZ's prime minister. He looks the part too :) ) spoke last followed by a song and a prayer. Then came the food. Lots and lots of it! There were so many people to meet and so many new things to try. The best part came at the end when a bunch of the missionary's friends gathered and presented a haka for the missionary. It was so incredible! Sara had never seen one before so it was a bit of a surprise for her but she enjoyed it. Such an awesome experience!