Apostle Visit

Week 4

24th January 2015

Hi Family,

This week has being such a strong week of friendship and bonding. Our zone has bonded greatly throughout this week all 35 of us. Song has definitely being a factor of our bondship this week. Our zone has 4 zone songs. A Tongan song "Folofola mai a sisu", a Samoan song "Aua ete maliu ese" as well as a Marshall Islands and Fijian song. This week we received a new MTC presidency, President Burgess is now the new MTC President along with his wife of course. Yesterday they came to the cafeteria and sat AT OUR TABLE!! .. the loudest and craziest of tables, we were singing quietly, then they asked us to sing them a song so we all sang them the Samoan and Tongan songs. Its funny how we went from quiet to extremely loud!!. After we had finished singing they were overjoyed and told us to please audition for the musical items in devotional evenings. The whole cafeteria gave us an applause afterwards lol but I don't think we'll be auditioning lol.

Tuesday night devotional we had being graced with the presents of yet another Member of the Quorum of the twelve. Yes an apostle, it was Elder Ballard. He gave a wonderful talk as any Apostle would. He didnt make it obvious but my district noticed that he gave us a Apostolic blessing, he blessed us that we would have peace, that we would be courageous, that we would love all those we meet, that we would do our best in this holy work etc. He said something that stood out to me, that I thought missionaries should recite to themselves. Elder Ballard recited Joseph's Smith's first vision but when I heard it the spirit told me to replace some words. This is what I got "I saw a pillar of light, above the brightness of the sun which descended gradually until it fell upon me. When the light rested upon me i saw two personages whose brightness and glory defy all description. Standing above me in the air one of them spake unto me calling me by name and said pointing to the other ..... This is my beloved missionary, Hear him./ These are my beloved missionaries, Hear them." We have a divine calling as missionaries, and part of that calling is sharing the message of the restoration. The restoration has the power to change lives.

We have had a massive influx of Polynesian Elders and Sisters arrive this week, its so great to see them especially the sisters. We've had Elders & sisters arrive from Tahiti, Tonga, Samoa and Kiribati. Today I had the awesome opportunity to go to Salt Lake Temple/ Square. All the international missionaries get to go to the temple before they leave for their missions. We took a tour by two Temple Square missionaries Sister Vasi (Tongan) and her Filipino companion. The temple was amazing, I love these Missionary sisters. They were so happy, loving and full of joy in their work. They took the time to really get to know us by asking questions and help us understand the history of our Gospel. These Sisters loving hearts comforted my soul, they brought happiness, peace and love to my heart. I had been struggling this week a little with the language and this tender mercy through them from the lord, helped me so much beyond words. I am so thankful for these sisters and hope to see them again one day.

Being able to go to the temple today only strengthened my testimony of missionary work, it is a divine work. Many missionaries think you have to be a robot to be obedient but you can be obedient but have fun at the same time. These missionary sisters displayed that to me so well. We had the chance to go to the LDS Humanitarian centre, where we helped quilt quilts. This centre hand makes quilts and sends them all over the world to those in need of survival materials. We watched a movie about how much the LDS Humanitarian centre has helped change lives, restore peace and love, and rebuild their spirits. I know the work I am in the process of doing is a divine work and is a holy, sacred and special work. I cannot express how full I am with the spirit of happiness. Missionaries have the power to change lives and influence so much. Throughout life we can take it for granted so much, the roads we drive on, the shoes we wear, medicines, food, homes, buildings, communities, people, our voices and even a genuine sense of love and care for one another. Life is so precious and we have each being given one to live, there is happiness when we live life but there is joy, love and true pleasure in serving others within our lives. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to be on a mission and to serve in no where else but the Fijian islands. When we build others up, we each add a brick to the building up of the kingdom of god upon the earth. How blessed we are. When I teach my investigators I feel sad and unsatisfied when I haven't answered a question that they have or addressed something that they have concerns about but I know through faith that the lord will help me get to where I need to be and provide me with the inspiration to reply to that answer. Through faith and day to day works he will abide with me, strengthen me and make me who I need to be for the people of Fiji. 

To finish this weeks email, I am reminded of the primary song:

I'm trying to be like Jesus, im following in his ways.

Im trying to love as he did, in all that i do and say.

At times i am tempted to make a wrong choice but i try to listen to the still small voice saying,

Love one another as Jesus loves you try to show kindness in all that you do.

Be gentle an loving in deed and in thought,

For these are things Jesus taught.

I love you my Family, and Christ the Savior and God love you. I challenge you to serve in someway this coming week, the pure joy it brings is worth more than any number of dollar bills, riches and wealth. When we are in the service of our fellow man, we are only in the service of our God (Mosiah 2:17) The pure love of Christ is real and is so strong.

Elder Lemusu

XOXOXOXO

Learning and Teaching

Week 3

17th January 2015

Hey Family :)

Yet another great week! This weeks Investigator lessons have been great! 

My companion and I have being doing really well with planning lessons and sharing messages. We have made our Missionary visits long-ish but our message short, direct and relate-able. Our teacher told us half your time with investigators, members etc. will be mostly small talking and the rest will be time to share a message and invite them to come unto Christ through invitations...   

My Companion and I have 3 investigators here in the MTC at the moment.  The three investigators names are Sepo, Vatu & Kalivati. We have being teaching and going through the first lesson with them, The Restoration and tomorrow we will introduce the second lesson being the Plan of Salvation. Our lessons have being going great, Sepo asked the question "If the Bible was True just as much as the Book of Mormon?" and of course we replied with firm testimonies of the truthfulness of both. 

Its so great to hear investigators asked questions because it not only strengthens our testimonies as the missionary but theirs also as they Ask, ponder and pray about. Our invitations to our investigators have being going well. 

Sepo has being reading the Book Of Mormon from the beginning and we've asked that he prays about the truthfulness of it and also the truthfulness of our missionary message. He is keeping commitments we give him which is awesome. 

We have a lesson tomorrow with a return missionary from Fiji to practice our lessons. My Fijian is good but also has room to improve. ... My companion and I at the moment have a layout for our lessons. Because I can speak the Fijian language more fluently than most people in the class and my companion, I do most of the talking and my companion shares the message, we both bear testimony and answer questions best we can and then I finish up, extend the new commitment and we close. 

Our teachers tell our class that our intake is one of the best so far from any of the last few intakes. I love my district though they're annoying and frustrating at times because they don't always look at the eternal perspective and go beyond the now, I love them and especially my Zone.

Our zone gets smaller and smaller with many of our missionaries leaving. Sad but a rejoicing time for all.

Tuesday nights we have Devotionals and this Tuesday night we had Elder Nelson of the Quorum of the twelve Apostles come and speak to us, His talk was amazing as well as his wife's talk on the topic of Desperation. She talked about how desperation is important on a mission. From her talk I got that Desperation is needed in the mission because it is another word for Desire. If we are not desperate, then we don't desire to fulfill our missionary purpose which is to "Invite those to come unto Christ"...

In other news this week, I found this week a little hard. The homesickness started to set in for a lot of missionaries in my zone. Some nights all us Poly Elders sleep in the lounge room in our Residents Hall on the ground, couches/mattresses because quote "It feels like we're back at home sleeping together with our families" - Elder Tu'italili says. 

Its true though, our zone is so closely bonded together its amazing. My companion Elder Alonzo always says to me that he so amazed at how quickly, easily and strongly Polynesians can bond together. I love my Zone, we're a family.  I play the role of the Old Ko Matua (Wise man) lol.

We're preparing to farewell the Tongan Elders and Sisters soon, they leave in a week. Anyway, thats enough writting for this week, will write more next week.

I have a firm testimony that I know the church is true, if it isnt well "I have come a long way to tell a lie." (Quoted from the movie "The other side of Heaven"). I love my Zone, my district, my president and my companion no matter how frustrating he is lol.

 I believe in the atonement and know it is real when we discover is true purpose and power. I have faith that Jesus the Saviour of the world we'll provide for those who will come unto him, hear his word, live worthily of his spirit and presence. 

We as missionaries do not know every answer to every question but we do know the truthfulness of this gospel and testify that it is everlasting. I love you all, Speak next week.

E na yaca i jisu kerisito, emene.

Elder Lemusu

XOXOXOX

Pictures!!

10th January 2014

South Pacific Zone

MTC Life

Week 2

10th January 2014

Its coming to the end of my second week here in the MTC. It feels so surreal to think 2 weeks has already passed in this spiritually breath taking place. Its been hard I wont lie, waking up each morning and getting use to early rises. But its just another routine and I know I will get through. Its tiring but its all worth while. 

As I lay in my bed waiting to fall asleep. I say my nightly prayers and then lay down pondering on my loved ones and the things I have learnt throughout the day. I do miss my loved ones, but those sad moment don't last long because I am busy working and learning.

 Last week was fast Sunday, I remembered Brother Joyce's words that we should always bear our testimony whenever there is a chance presented. One sister expressed that she always feels at peace, strengthened and comforted that her testimony is strengthened when she bears it. So I bore my testimony and as per usual I cried... the spirit was strong, so strong. 

Throughout the week I gave my District Leader a blessing because he was sick. Its amazing seeing our Zone give blessings, it's crazy to be able to use that power and authority. I feel so privileged. 

The cold weather here is not as cold as I thought, but some days its pretty freezing. I can never get over the sheer size of the mountains here, they look so unreal. 

We watched meet the Mormons on Sunday evening, I found it so interesting, it told the stories of different members around the world from different, upbringings, cultures etc. but yet they were all united by one simply factor; the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Love & power of God. 

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MY ZONE & DISTRICT!! Everyone knows us in the MTC because we're the South Pacific Mission Zone (Loudest Zone) of course.

I am happy here in the MTC, I miss home but that all apart of it I guess so I'm not too phased by it all. I can't believe how worried I was to enter in to the MTC, worried for nothing. Instead I was welcomed in with open arms, warm smiles and joyful voices of cheer. There is no place like the Missionary training Center, it  challenges you but you love it, because the leaders want you to be your best and Heavenly Father only calls upon his very best. "Whom he calls, he qualifies".

My companion and I had a inventory meeting this week and we discussed companionship goals, issues and problems and other topics, we've struggled a bit getting used to each other but it has been a good week this week especially after our companionship inventory. I love my companion, I wouldn't have anyone else. 

This week was a bit sad as we farewelled  the oldest brother of our Zone to leave the MTC to his mission in the Kiribati islands. We said goodbye like any Polynesian's would, with a Haka and plenty of Samoan, Tongan and Maori songs. We have some more older brother's and sisters leaving this Saturday as well, more tears but cries of rejoicing. 

This morning we went to the Provo Temple to do a endowment session. The Provo temple is Breathtaking, I sat in front of it just looking at its AMAZING-NESS lol. 

I am grateful for our Zone, we keep each other focused and I know when I have been obedient, I have seen the immediate blessings come. Obedience is a process but a blissful process, but the trick is that only you can control the process and its direction. We all struggle, fall and stumble but that is the miracle of the Atonement and Repentance. Though I doubt and deny sometimes throughout my day, I ask myself "Omgshh.. why am I here? " I am assured by the messages of Heavenly Father that the gospel is true and that I'm doing great. Its only the second week and like I said "its a process"

Sunday Night devotional we got a sneak peak into the 2015 youth theme which is D&C 4:2 How awesome that scripture is and how greatly it will help the youth, I am so jealous that, that is their theme this year lol. 

I better close up. I know that Obedience is a process, learning and understanding is a process and conversion is a life long process. With each process our faith, belief and testimony of Christ is strengthened. As the Come, come ye saints Hymn goes " All is well, all is well". "Line upon line, precept upon precept. Here a little, there a little." The gospel is true, how can it not be? How can we deny and neglect the feelings of the spirit that touch our very souls? We cannot!

I love you, I love my family and I know they're safe in Heavenly Fathers arms. 

Au lomani iko (I love you - Fijian language) 

Love, Elder Lemusu xoxoxox

"Jesus is more closer than we dare imagine, and is more nearer than we dare believe"

P.S sorry i am still waiting on my uncle to send my camera to send photo's.

Provo MTC

Week 1

03rd January 2015

The Provo Utah MTC is..... Its amazing, wow!

I find a lot of the time that I'm tired but then on the other hand I don't mind it because its just so great here. 

The amount of moments I've experienced with investigators have been sooooooo.... intense but i mean i love it!! I want more lol :)

I am loving Fijian. When I first met Brother Crump (Fijian Speaking Teacher) he went full on Fijian speaking to me but I could understand what he was trying to say lol it pays off to understand Samoan because it makes it that bit easier to pick up another Polynesian language. I'm finding Fijian class awesome and I'm picking it up well I think lol. 

Loving the whole American lifestyle too, lol well sort've haha..not all things. 

My president is President Willes and he IS THE MAN!!! I cant find the words to explain how awesome he is. He and his wife served in Hawaii 10years ago. They're an elderly couple but they love the Polynesian people. Lucky our district is all Polynesian. Most are going to Fiji, Samoa and Marshall islands. Even saw a few friends from Brisbane here too.

I saw a sister from my ward in Sydney, Sister Leali'ie'e here at MTC.  I was cut I couldn't hug her -.- lol but its okay, I want to be as obedient as can be. 

MTC is amazing, Utah is amazing. I still cant believe the mountain near the MTC and the mountains in Utah and how MASSIVE it is lol. Everything looks beautiful in winter all white and pretty haha... but the islands will look better and I cant wait to get there lol.

The Salt Lake and Provo Temples though OMGSH... so amazing. The amount of chapels I saw on the one street omgsh hahaha.  I saw about 5 on one street. There are so many chapels here and they're all bigger than Karawatha hahaha. So many temples here too, every temple has 2 chapels near or close to it.

Its so cool here especially the American food lol.

Its so awesome meeting all the Samoans, Tongans, Tahitians, Maori's, Hawaiians, Fijians, Kiribati people, Vanuatu people, Papua New Guinea people, Russians, Portugese, Brazilian, Chiness, Japanese, Korean, American, Marshall Islands people and so many more different and unique cultures here.

I know I will love Fiji because I was made for the islands lol.  I cant wait to step out into the field. 

I'll send photos later of MTC because my uncle here in Utah is sending me a camera because we bought one here and it had no memory card lol. The Walmart employee told us it came with the camera lol.

I am having so many spiritual experiences here in MTC... its so good :D Let me finish with my testimony in Fijian.  Sorry, no time to translate my time on computer is almost done.

Au via wasea na noqu ivakadindina, au lomani i ratou na naqu matavuvale. Au kila na tawamudu na matuvavale. Au kila ni vakalesui mai na kosipeli i jisu kerisito. Au vakadinadina vosa ni kalou na ivola i momani. Au vakavinavinakataka na kosipeli. E na yaca i jisu kerisito, Emeni.

Until next Friday when its PDAY again :D

Elder Lemusu