Sabbath Day

Week 35

31 August 2015

The Sabbath Day... I love that topic. It reminds me of the Primary song "Saturday is a special day, its the day we get ready for Sunday.."  The Sabbath day should be a very special day because it is the only day we as children of God everywhere dedicate to our Father in Heaven. I like what you have shared ... it should Taste different, Feel Different, Sound Different and Look Different!!! 

I love that... I think I will share about that this Tuesday in District meeting as I am give a training.  "Sabbath Day for Missionaries" ..

Thank you for sharing this wonderful topic with me, it reminds me of when I would go to church with my grandparents.. waking up early to make kokolaisa or koko samoa and prepare other rich and delicous foods with family for the koga'i or the Sunday lunch after church. Getting ready in our Sunday best and arriving at church to sing songs of praise and hear wonderful sermons of the truth of this gospel. Sabbath day is a special day... I love it :)

My new area... Members in each Branch is about 40 with about 20 attending regularly.. Its good but it changes every week. It' s holidays here at the moment so attendance is down. 

Well... travel is definetly different from my other area hahaha very far distances but the members are wonderful!!

No email

Week 34

24th August 2015

Did not receive an email from Elder Lemusu this week.

A New Area

Week 33

17th August 2015

Ni Bula Vina'a,

That's the dialect here in my new area, instead of saying the usual Bula Vinaka. (Fact: "Bula" means Life, not really hello. So when you greet some one in Fiji, your really saying "Good Life to you"). But anyway, as you will all most know I am in a new area, my first transfer and let me tell you it feels so weird. I feel like I know nothing, in Rakiraki I knew everything about everyone, the area, the work, the land etc. Here in my new area its like I've being re-born and have to restart everything all over. It feels weird, because they last couple days I wake up and im like "Soo.. what am I doing today?" haha..

My area is MASSIVE!!! if i could give you an example to relate to??? Maybe the whole of Gold Coast and Brisbane. Coolagatta to Caboolture? Maybe, I'm not too sure I just know that it is big and I have attached a google maps photo to help you'se :) I LOVE THIS AREA!!! i remember in Rakiraki i would always say " I wish I could live in the Village!" And well now I do hahaha.. Because our are is so big we actually have 3 different flats in 3 different area's of our area all together. One is in Nabua, another in Tukavesi and another in Savusavu. All of our flats are near the beach, at least 1 minute walk!!! We stay in the village and let me tell you village life is aweeesommee!!! ahaha, mind you we don't get a lot of privacy and studies is hard to do when all the friends and members in the village come around lol but its cool :) In one of our flats the showers is outside, and the water comes through a pipe from the river in the mountains #TalkAboutCOLDwater #ThereAreRatsIntheFlatsLOL

Life is good though here in the mission. We had a baptism already yesterday and we will have another one next week and hopefully the following week also. I'm so grateful to have this opportunity to serve here, the distance is long and the villages are interior, waayy interior!!! The land is beautiful and the people are cool too. Man I didnt even get two words out and ive already being labelled "O iko levulevu" meaning: Your Fat. I have being eating properly but doesn't seem like that to the Fijian's the rude dudes lol. They're very open about calling people fat, skinny, short etc. 

My new companion is named Elder Arthur, Maori guy ;) From Wellington. he's from Tainui and Ngati toa..... Polynesians live in such a small world lol because I know a lot of his family and cousin from back in the Gold Coast waara!! :P He is cool as, I'm going to kill him (missionary wise) he finishes his mission next transfer. He's a real onto it guy, knows what he is doing. He is the district leader too and says after he finishes I may take over as District leader!! #OhhhMyyyyLiifeeee Oh and GUESS WHAT!!! Lastnight we stayed at the Zone leaders house, and the Zone leader that just got transfered (Elder Utai) left some Koko Samoa, and well you all already know what I did with that hahaha #Kokolaisa #KokoSamoa #FaafetailavaLol

I was thinking about why my Mission President would put me here to serve of all places and the only reason I could think of is that, well the Gospel is everlasting and ongoing. In order for me to recieve as much knowledge and understanding of it I need to be put into different situations where I can learn more and new things. In Rakiraki I knew the area well and the people etc. Yes it would have being still possible for me to learn new and different things but maybe not as much new and different things compared to a new area? #CatchMyDrift

The Lord puts us in different situations so that we may experiences new and different things. If Adam and Eve didn't partake of the food then they would have just existed rather than lived, as they knew no sin because they new no happiness. As the prophet Lehi teaches, there is opposition in all things. Something my new companion said to me was "A wise man learns from his mistakes, but a even wiser man learns from the mistakes of others" he applied that to the Book Of Mormon. It is a Book of true and doctrinal stories of a people before us. Prophets encourage us to read it daily, and Henry B. Iring tells us " We must drink deeply of its pages" learning from their lives and challenges, trials and success is up to us, but since coming on the mission I have gained a GREAT love for the Book Of Mormon. Before the mission I had never read it, it was boring and didn't makes sense, but in all things its starting which is the hardest part to a task. I am not perfect and there is so much to do and learn on and after the mission, there are so many things going through my head and struggles I face and we face as missionaries and children of God. But I do know the Book Of Mormon is a true and divine book. I know this. And this I where I will leave my email this week family. 

Sorry I have no photo's yet, my camera has no batteries I'm going to buy some new ones today :)

I love you all so much, I think of you all the time. I pray daily, to our Father in Heaven that he provides you all with the means to strengthen you and help you in your lives each day. Au lomani kemuni kece, oqo noqu masu vua na tamada vakalomalagi. E na yaca ni turaga ko Jisu Karisito,

Emeni.

Elda Lemusu

#Kai_Ra #CakaudroveProvince #SMILE

My new area!

First Transfer

Week 32

10th August 2015

Ni sa Bula Vinaka na Wakaqu Vakayalo Vakayalo :))

Well yes it is true, I received the call from my Mission President yesterday and I will be transferred to Nabua,Vanua Levu, Fiji. I am going even more BUSH!!! I will be in the Taveuni Zone & my area much like Rakiraki is the 2nd biggest in the Mission. Lucky we have a nice big TRUCK!! I am told by many missionaries who have served in the North that the land and especially the sunsets are Breath-taking. Sunsets I hear have colours of orange and purple and blue sometimes as the sun just fades out... I will leave this Friday to travel to Lautoka and then Nadi where I will catch a plane to the North :) #MY_1STTRANSFERR!! #NERRVOUUSS

Its my first transfer and to be honest I don't really know how to act, it doesn't really register to me because I've being here in Rakiraki so long you know going on 7 months :) But I know it is where the Lord wants me to be and I look forward to the journey :) I heard the flat up there is a small little brick shack :) woohooo #BUSHH_SARAGA ... Well last Sunday I wasn't aware but the members had cooked up a massive feast and brought it for Sunday lunch after church in dedication to my leaving :) We took tonnes of photos and shared so many LOUD laughs and smiles!! I'm going to miss these beautiful people, yes I will :'(

On Monday we were very busy with helping a couple members do their Family History work, in preparation to the Temple so we didn't get to email but we get to email today. But on Monday I was reflecting a little because I knew I was to be transferred 50% of me wanted to leave and explore and the other 50% wanted to stay. Rakiraki is Home! :') I reflected on a question I had which was " Have I left my area better then I found it? " To be honest I am not entirely sure what of if I have had any impact on the members here, the work or the Branch. But, I feel that I have. My whole time here I have tried to help the Branch understand and apply things, many times I receive support (money from the Mission) I always use some of that money to be able to benefit the branch in someway even if its something small like buying juice so that a nice cold jug of juice is prepared and ready for the Relief Society come Sunday morning. Or if its buying / Printing out Photo's of the Branch, church quotes etc. to put on the Branch Notice board I made so the members can be more unified, tidying and cleaning/ decorating the chapel so that members feel warm & welcomed when they enter the Chapel doors each Sunday. A phrase I have often shared with people is "Many people can speak the words "I love you" But how many people in the world can express it without seeking glory for themselves." Love is not just a noun it is also a verb.

I've done my best in Rakiraki and yeah its a hard area, & I've only had one baptism. A lot of people have their views about us and aren't willing to listen to us. They would rather tell rumors about us and spread them amongst the villages so we have no one to teach (Mainly the Methodists, they run the Villages to be honest!! No joke.) But, I will never say that this area is hard, sure its tough but they are just words dear friends. Simple and weak words. For me it comes to the question "How much are you willing to give to save or at least help a soul?" because a soul is worth so much more than a number on your planner every night!! I believe in that so much. There is a difference between Desire and Duty. D&C 18:10 & 15

"Ill miss these beautiful crack up members, one thing I've found out on the mission is that "The things that you cannot explain through word, but can only express through feeling. Truly they are the Gifts of God"

I know my Heavenly Father loves me and I know he loves all his children. I used to think that they were just simple words before my mission, everyone said it and seemed to have that same understanding. Coming here to Rakiraki, yeah I can definitely testify before ANYONE, tell anyone "I know God loves his children" Its true! Tuesday evening we took our usual 1 hour bus ride & then a 40 minute walk inside the interior of Fiji to go see our most progressing investigator Family, which is Luisa and her children. The spirit was so strong and powerful as we taught and bore testimony of the truthfulness of the Plan of Salvation. As I sat there bearing my testimony of its divinity, tears fell from my eyes as I testified that the Plan of Salvation enables us to have the opportunity of Eternal Families and how I miss my Family and one day wish to have my Family be Eternal.

This Family ..... I cannot explain how much they mean to me. The Lord has definitely prepared them to hear, receive and hopefully if they decide follow the Gospel. The spirit was so powerful in that lesson, I committed them to come to church and immediately before I could get the whole invitation out the Family said "YESS! where is the church? what time? etc." I was so happy inside. They were willing to pay any price of travel to get to church but we told them that a carrier hired by the church to pick up members would be able to pick them up for church. I am so happy for this Family. I can't wait to hear about their Baptism and about them coming to church, I wont be there but I will be there and thinking of them this Sunday in my new Area :) Oh and btw Mereseini, Luisa's daughter who is pregnant, She had her Baby on Monday too!!!! Ahhhh.. wayyy cool :)

Well I think I have written enough, there are many things I learn everyday and if I tell you them all we'll be here for ages guuys :) "The Gospel is EXCITING!" - Elder Heines says, he's a missionary in my intake who always said that. I love my mission and I'm nervous but I look forward to going to my new Area. New people and new experiences and I'm excited for the journey :) Moce Vakalailai na noqu Matuvuvale ...

Elder Lemusu

#Kai.Ra #RakirakiElda_Forever #FijiSuvaMission

#Smile #SpirituallyMindedIsLifeEternal

P.S Im going to see if Mereseini can name her Baby after me lol a lot of Missionaries have done it :P Au na tovolea ga (I'm just gonna Try)

Forgive Sister Eseta bahahaha... She's to slow with her hand signs :L

LOVE RAKIRAKI!!!

Week 31 

3rd August 2105

Well it was a good week. Me and my companion felt good about it. I mean we didnt get alot of numbers but we felt that we had done a conscious efforts and tried our best and somehow we made our goals for the week. Was great and yesterday Sunday was awesome. All the members laughing and what not haha :) I said my last testimony in testimony meeting, I had all the members crying. After I spoke they all got up to and all mentioned me. Im going to miss these members, the faithful members of Rakiraki will always be in my heart forever. They are my family, I'll never forget these beautiful people. Their laughs, they way the talk, speak, walk and their personalities, characteristics, their hobbies, desires, families, likes and dislikes. I love these people I can leave Rakiraki but it will never leave me :)

Well this weeks report umm lets start with investigators. Investigators hmm... well we have this family of 5. The mother's name is Luisa and her children are Mereseini, Teresia Nai, Eneriko and Lusia. (Usual every Fijian family will name one of their children after their own name, very common) They are progressing sara ga (sara ga, a word used to add emphasis eg. they're progressing so much!!) They believe that our message is true and this week we want to invite them to church and test that faith they have in our message.

Then there is Waisea, a elderly 80yrs Fijain man. Is very into the Traditional Fijian way of life and not the modern fia palagi way. He believes the message and has accepted to be baptized but will not commit to a date as yet. He wants to continue praying about the decision of the LDS church. We have invited him to church and he has come 2 times now and not come 3 times since. we're not sure whats going on, the church transport picks him up but apparently he refuses to come idk...So that our status with him at the moment.

Then there is the Sigatabu family of 10 children and mum +dad ohh my gosh haha we havent seen them for 2 weeks because of a death in their family. We are up to lesson 2 with them atm, the plan of salvation we're hoping that will be a game changer for them since they had a death recently as well as a child die in their family a while back. They're real interested in the church, they are Seventh day Adventist currently, but have sincere thoughts of to covert to LDS. So we are hoping for them :)

The Branch is great we just had a activity yesterday after church. My companion and I bought about $100 worth of baking ingredients for the branch from our own personal money, because our members we know are not rich and we simply love them. We had a activity of baking cakes, and custard pie and scones after church and eating them with Fijian natural leaf tea. Its called Drau ni moli. And then we dropped our baking to less actives as well to show we still care and love them and wish to see them soon as church. It was great! but as all Polynesians go they cleaned out all the food we bought and even some of mine and my companions food for our dinners and etc this week lol. BUT ITS ALL GOOD. we love our members and you know we need to lose some weight anyway haha fasting it is lol.

Weeell I think I will leave it there. Not too much craziness this week. Same as last a little bit no worries, will try again this week :) I love my area and im going to live it up before I get transferred lol. RAKIRAKI FOR LIFE!!!

Elder Lemusu

P.S Im in Lautoka today for zone PDAY, our district is doing a haka and we all got jersey made for our district. Design done by me woohoo!!! Its district verse district in Rugby!!! Our team in undefeated so far and we tend to keep it that way!!! #TAVUA_DISTRICT. None of the other teams know we got jerseys done and about the haka, we gone kill!! :P

​l-r Elder Davis from California and Elder Fiso from Marsden Ward Australia