My 19th Birthday!

Week 45

9th November 2015

Isa.... Bula Vinaka,

Woah!!! The big 19years old?? Shuxx, haha I wrote in my journal yesterday morning before me and my new companion went to church and I remember writing man?? Doesn't even feel like I am 19years old or that its my birthday. Just feels like another day here on the mission :P An ordinary Sunday, here in Fiji lol. I woke up, wrote in my personal journal because I forgot to do it the night before and then we did studies and headed off to church. I hadn't told anyone about my birthday so it was a normal Sunday which was good. Wasn't too keen on having a big celebration, we've being having those a lot this past transfer so a bit party-ied out I guess lol. But nevertheless I am 19 years old now, to think in another year maybe after or before I am 20 years old I will be home and i'll be in those 20's years lol.. But its way cool though because im sharing my birthday with 2 other missionaries Sister Aumua and Elder Fiso, both of which are from Brisbane too. Elder Fiso from Marsden (I knew him before the mission) and Sister Aumua from Goodna :)

But nah the Zone leaders made me a microwave cake because you we're all bush missionaries so did what we could to celebrate haha.. its was pretty nice too. A chocolate cake with Nutella icing and a match as a candle lol. Last week though was a hard week for me. Our area has now being split into two area's from one big area, now into two. And so my companion before Elder Davis is taking over Tukavesi area and me Nabua. It was so hard to say goodbye to them, I mean well I'll still see them around and all but just not being around them 24/7 I'm going to miss they were literally like family and I think that's why it was hard because I felt home sick lol. But as my new companion said to me "I have being given the Nabua area to build and help grow." Which is true, I love Nabua but I guess because we never spent a lot of time there my love grew deeper for the people in Tukavesi, but I guess that only means I need to try and grow and deepen my love for the people and my new family in Nabua.

But my last week in Tukavesi was waayy cool. Monday we had a farewell party for the 2 missionaries in our district who were going home and then a small one for me on the Wednesday. The Branch President daughter, who always comes out with me when we do exchanges, gave me a Salusalu which means necklace. It was waayy nice, reason we didn't have a big party is because when I do get transferred I will go back there and have a proper farewell party with my family there lol. After that we spent about 2 days in Labasa waiting for new companions to come in for the most people in the zone, mann transfers is always so busy and complicated!

But as I mentioned I have a new companion. His names Elder Van der Linden He's from Perth, and has that strong Australian accent oi auuee!! I was asking about him before I met him to kind've get a idea of what he is like and he is everything everyone told me. Weird, slightly awkward, a bit loose in the head, uses big long words etc. If I could help you understand he is the exact representation of "Sheldon" from the TV show The Big Bang Theory, and to me he is WAYY COOL!!! I mean yeah he is a bit funny, but I think he is way cool. As soon as I met him, we have just being talking and talking. I've being trying to get to know him more and more oh and by the way I am Senior Companion and I've come to know a lot about him and I guess it just comes down to people's understanding. People don't try to understand the guy, he's way cool :) He told me some of his weaknesses which is Fijian and Social cues especially e.g.. when people are and aren't interest in what he' saying. He is very in to medi-evil times, swords, dragons etc. And he is even writing a book currently on the mission :) He's a pretty cool guy, have a lot to teach him and I know there is a tonne I can learn from him because he is literally like a walking Book of Mormon, Dictionary etc.

We didn't really do any work this past week due to transfers. It's always so busy during transfers time. I love serving in the North!!! Truly its the best I don't want to leave!!! Cakaudrove Province is the BOMB!!! but yeah my goal is to work real hard this week because next week we won't be in our area all week again because of District Conference is like Stake Conference just the Stake hasn't become a stake yet so its a district. And that's going to be a way busy week too!!! Monday and Tuesday we will be in Savusavu for PDAY and District meeting, Wednesday we take a 1 hour and a half ferry ride out to the Island of Taveuni. Friday is Zone Conference as well as interviews with Mission President, Saturday and Sunday is District Conference as well as a special Missionary conference with one of the Seventy and a Unity/ Games night with all the missionaries!!! YESS!!! I can't wait for that, should be waayyy fun!! :) And then the following Monday we head back to our area's. All the members and missionaries in Vanua Levu will be attending, and its going to be so hard with only one ferry boat service a day going to Taveuni. I don't know how it will all work out to be honest, I just hope the members get to the conference safely. I know some branches taking their own little tin boats to save money and all :(

My new companion though is Fair-Din-Kum?? I don't know how to spell that Aussie word lol. He is way supportive of our plans for Nabua to try and build relationships with people and try and open the Village more up to us because at the moment everyone is a bit shy of us and so we've made a plan to do a lot of service so we can open peoples hearts and build relationships with them so we can eventually have new investigators as well as trying to strengthen our less actives in the Village which the chapel and which we live in too. My comp and I call it "Operation TLC" because that's what this area need right now. But yeaahh thanks for the birthday wishes family!! Haha the missionaries were right, birthdays on the mission are just another day lol.

But well I have to get going, but before I do I just want to share one small spiritual miracle I've seen this week and that is if you have patience the things you desire will come to you if the lord see's that you need them and are worthy to have them :)

Elder Lemusu

#FijiSuvaMission #SMILE #SpirituallyMindedIsLifeEternal