NA YALO TABU

Week 12

23rd March 2015

NA YALO TABU (The Spirit)

Last week I was told of a saddening experience of a girl named Leah. Leah was an 18 year old girl who experienced much trial and struggle in her life. She's from Sydney. Sometime last week 18yr old Leah committed suicide. Many members felt prompted to visit Leah but never found the time to follow through. 

The Sydney Mission President spoke that week about how two companionships in the Sydney mission saved 2 precious lives by following the Spirit. One by a sister missionaries companionship sending a text and reacting to the investigators text immediatly and one of a companionship of Elders who knocked on a door and were greeted with a hug of a man. This man had being waiting for a sign from God, to know whether to continue or to end it all.

I was deeply saddend and touched by hearing of this experience. It made me really think, as missionaries we come to know alot about how to be grateful and how precious things are. I ponderd about this and thought, "How precious a life is.... How sacred a simple smile and laugh are" Some of the most simplistic things we see,experience we do not realize how important they really are. I felt a personal connection to this story because I have been able to help a friend to come away from that path satan drags us down unmercifully. Satans goal is to see your corruption and destruction!! I know that the spirit is key. THE SPIRIT IS KEY! When we as missionaries do not have the spirit we seriously and honestly cannot teach, all we do is pass on bland words and information. When we S.A.L.E (Seek to have the spirit by asking God in SINCERE prayer, Acting upon how we can recieve the spirit, Live worthily to have it with us and provide us counsel, answers and promptings and Endure to have it with us always) we can receive revelation on how we can act to help ourselves and others.

Through the spirit I have come to know personally that the plan of salvation is gods unbreakable and complete plan for us his children and how we can return to him,see our family members who have passed on and reep the greatest blessings upon this earth which are found in the temple. Though Leah has passed on and had to suffer the things she did, I know that she is safe, well and happy experiencing no more pain no more suffering. I imagine in my mind her smiling down at her family and seeing how beautiful they are, because they are children of God. He loves his children, he loves them enough to forgive, to accept and understand, to love and nurture. He loves us enough to make up the difference when we fall short, he loves us. "HE LOVE US" If we memorize that quote and say it everyday that is all we need to know about our Father in Heaven and Saviour. He love us... it doesnt get any simpler.

D&C 18:10 Every soul is precious and is a treasure in the eye of God, no matter the differences we have as children of God. When we truely understand the 3 questions involved in the Plan of salvation "Who am I? Why am I here? & Where am I going?" we are limitless and the spirit can dwell with us always. One we understand those questions, it changes our lives and makes all the difference!! I did not know Leah but i know she is well, happy and loved in the arms of God. I testify that the spirit brings answers, the atonement brings comfort and peace, the plan of salvation brings hope and truth and familes together, and the temple bring guidance and direction. We live in a troubled world where satan throws every sharp object at you to see that you are detroyed! but with faith we can break the chains of satan and press forward.

As I have followed the spirit in my mission I have come to find a Leah recently and I am so happy that spirit was with me when we taught her last night for the first time because whatever I said I know it wasn't me -  it was the spirit that helped her. All I did was tell her what I knew and what she could know. Its as simple as that. 

An apostle said "We must walk by faith in a world governed by sight" - James E. Faust. I have made it my goal "TO FIND LEAH" not Leah specifically but to find someone like Leah in my mission. To find the one, as missionaries we want to baptise as many as people as we can. But if I cannot do that then I hope to baptise at least one and know that I changed someones life and opened the door to them that will unlock many other doors to them but for that I must follow the spirit. "We can fake words but we cannot fake the spirit" that I testify of. I hope that each of you reading this will find a Leah in your own lives and help Leah the best you can by being guided by this spirit. Listen to the promptings, they may come in feeling, thought or in anyway because we are all different but whatever you do dont ignore the prompting no matter how small it was or how small the things you are prompted to do. Following through on a prompting you can never go wrong. this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ ..Amen.

Elder Lemusu

Cyclone update and Challenge

Week 11

16th March 2015

Well it's Monday and we are in Lautoka for the next few days due to Zone Conference. We are far from our home in Rakiraki. We have Zone PDAY today so that should be fun, I dont have much time on the computer, maybe a hour or so so maybe I will get straight to my message this week. Which is on the subject of "O.Y.M" - Open Your Mouth... it's a method we are asked to do alot here on the mission because you never know who may need the gospel in their lives.

This week Tuesday we were in Tavua for weekly district meeting, I was in a barbershop while my companion got his hair cut. Beside me a woman and her baby, I said hello and she said hello back. We began doing the usual questions "where you from?" What nationality? etc. Her name was Rina, her 8month baby's name was Umea. We got talking and she said that she was a member but very less active, she loves the church she just went less active due to a lot of things she said. She is from Kiribati, she is only a young woman, so nice and kind. We talked and talked and she said that she really has desires to go to church but its hard for her to get there because its so far and with baby also. She's very shy of the Elders because they're new and she doesn't know them. She loves hymns and would like to get a hymn book someday. (one day when I see her I will give her a hymn book) She said that shes being inactive for 3 years and lost her Book of Mormon. How funny the words were when I heard her say them, because that morning I wrote my testimony in a book of Mormon during personal study, and had the feeling to take it with me to district meeting. The Lord surely provided me with those specific promptings to lead up to that moment when I gave her the book of Mormon with my testimony in it. We talked a bit more she grew up in the church in Kiribati, attended Moroni LDS college growing up and her 2 older brothers serves missions in Brisbane and Utah.

The Lord does give us revelations and promptings, we need only listen closely for the soft and gentle voice of the spirit to tell us. It comes in different forms, a feeling, a thought an actions etc. The spirit does whisper to us, as it says in the primary song I have a family here on earth. I challenge you all to O.Y.M to one person this coming week and share something of the gospel to them, whether it be how you live you life, what you believe in or whatever you chose, we sometimes think we have to be like the prophets of old and go out into the cities and testify to all off a high pedastal but that is not the case. We share the gospel by living by Jesus Christ example, by doing the small and simple things that are in accordance to the gospel teachings. I know if you act upon this challenge and sincerly pray to the Father for this oppotunity to come upon you. You will feel glorious and most happy and the spirit shall be upon you to help you in what you should say., Be not afraid for the Lord is with thee. I dont have much time this week on a hour or so to email all of you lol so this will be for now untill next week.

Know that I am safe and well. The cyclone did not affect my companion and I, we actually were dancing in the rain lol. I taught him a few samoan dances and we performed them as part of lessons with familes as well they love it. Anyways we're safe, only got rain and lots of wind but we''re good. I love you and wish you a happy week and joyous week as you act upon this challenge. Love you, Au lomani iko, noqu matuvuvale.

Moce (Bye)
Elder Lemusu
Be safe and OYM!!!!

Sister Rina and Elder Lemusu

Believe, Hope, Endure!

Week 10

9th March 2015

"Believe, Hope, Endure" 2012 EFY Motto

This week I took a lot of time in personal study to think about the Plan of Salvation and The Atonement. 

The Atonement made me cry because as I studied I came to know that Jesus Christ the son of god, someone who has being prepared and ordained before the creation to  be savior was scared. In the Garden of Gethsamne he was scared, he was trembling and was terrified. He asked the father these words "Is there any other way" The Saviours was scared he didn't want to go through with what was asked of him.

I think of that like ourselves we all get to a point where we find ourselves scared and we don't want to go through with it, we pray to God for another way, for him to take our burdens away and lets us be free from trial. But I think about how selfish that would be. God does not give us trials simply to make us suffer, this life was meant for us to experience joy and happiness. Suffering and trial is a aspect of happiness for example the phrase "I am strong because I have been weak" we cannot experience the true happiness in life unless we have something to know and feel what true happiness is. How selfish it is to ask our father to take our burdens away, this life is meant for learning and growth, how can we learn if there is nothing to learn from. Our father in heaven allows us to have trials just as much as others, though they may seem different. We are each given trial to learn to grow and to experience all that is good in life.

The Atonement allows us as mortals to be able to seek repentance because of sins and mistakes. We can be forgiven and the because he died for us and accept the fact that the savior had being prepared. he accept the will of the father and he was rewarded greatly. If we seek repentance and learn from mistakes and sins. Happiness is just around the corner. Living the 5 steps truly does help us. 1 being faithful, 2 constant repentance, 3 baptism/ or the partaking of the sacrament, 4 seeking the holy ghosts guidance and 5 enduring to the end. The Plan of salvation allows all those to be resurrected after we physically die because of the saviours sacrifice. receiving exaltation for ourselves and as families is another thing, that can only be received through repentance and being cleansed. If to return to Gods presence to the celestial kingdom we must help others and especially our families to do so as everyone has their own choice and agency. we are all able to act for ourelves and we are held accountable. god loves us and wants us to do our part, he has done his so we need to do ours. I love the plan of salvation and the atonement they bring so much hope into our lives.

"True Happiness in is pure form comes from the Family in this short mortal life, Helping our families live the gospel to reach Exaltation together bring True Happiness for the Eternities" 

 Elder Lemusu

Sunset in Fiji

My Fijian Grandparents... always feeding me!

Zone Conference

Week 9 

02nd March 2015

This week we had zone conference, man it was amazing I learnt so many things, if I could share one thing that I learnt and that really touched me and mean alot it would be the phrase "Give them a chance" everyone deserves a chance to recieve the blessings of the gospel and though many will decline and you and reject you beliefs and message at least you have the satisfying feeling that you know you tried and offered them the chance of a life time. My english is not that great anymore lol Fijian seems to be taking over haha. Tuesday night was awesome I got to go on exchanges with one of the zone leaders, we challenged ourselves from our studies that evening to (OYM) Open Your Mouth, and so we did. From that we recieved 3 new return appointments and just had a wonderful and spiritual evening getting to know people in town.

I feel like im famous sometimes when Im in town because everyone looks at you haha its annoying but then again im all good with it haha. The Fijian people embrace us whether they are methodist, catholic etc. because they all know we share the word of God. Wednesday we didnt achieve everything we wanted but we got what we needed to do. 

Sister Natavuto wife to Brother Natavuto (A recent convert) she accepted to be baptised, she had being to a lot of churches in her time and she felt strongly that this was he true church and it was for her!! I was so happy, her and her husband and my companion were over joyed. We celerbrated singing south pacific songs, Sister Mila used to be a dancer so she knows many pacific islands dances and songs so me and her get on great!!! lol. Her and her husband are in their 70's but they are full of life, acting like a young teenage couple I love them. Brother Natavuto is a pretty big chief in the koro (village) as well so hes THE MAN to be friends with.. he showed us pictures of him recently in a Fijian ceremony on friday, he was becomeing the new chief of the village. He looked awesome dressed up in his masi (tapa cloth) and leaves etc.

Thursday we did some service. We did some plantation work, my companion was using the sele (machete) and cut his leg big time. So I took over, it was fun working in the plantation, cleaning the tapioka patch and eating the food off the land yummm.. friday was a slow day but I find that even though alot of the time our plans dont go to plan we achieve what we needed to that day. We were walking in the koro (village) one day this week when a man yelled out behind us "ehh Elders, Bula! lako mai" (Elders hey, come here) his name was Junior he told us instantly of his past life and how he wants to change. We shared a little about ourselves and thanked him for sharing what he did and invited him to church, he was excited. What a miracle that was to have some be simply deliverd to us... its was a amazing experience.

I've bought myself a few soveniers. lol.. I bought me a massive as Masi (Fijian tapa cloth) it was cheap as ..about 2m long and a 1m wide  and only $15. I was happy as. My companion and I have much work to do here in Rakiraki. We've made some big time plans to turn our branch around. beginning with weekly meetings as a branch, and with President. Branch FHE once a month, service projects, home teaching. movie night/ family day out. Organising permanent transport thats reliable so members can get to church each Sunday. Organise with presidency the April 4th special Sunday, as well as preparing for Stake Conference in 2 weeks. We really are passionate about helping our branch and its members. We have tones of members but the unity, organisations and so much is missing and so we hope as missionaries we can help turn it all around and put Rakiraki on the map in our Stake cause were like the forgotten branch lol. We want to help these people and also help them to help themselves.

Faith in the power

Obedience is the price

Loves the motive

The spirit is key

Christ is the reason

Elder Lemusu

LOVE YOUSE!! XOXOXOXOXOX