Hurricane Winston, Temple Rededication and Best Week Ever!

Week 60

22nd February 2016

I suppose I should tell you all that yes I am safe, and well :) It's not my first Hurricane in Fiji. Maybe my second or third. This one, you could definitely tell was one of the worst. 

The land here is destroyed, floods everywhere, trees the size of homes being washed down the rivers, blocking main roads, power lines fallen.... It's a mess everywhere. Friday we all began to get worried because that's when we could all feel the wind picking up, the sky turned black and the rain was non stop. But our leaders told us that the Re dedication would continue on as planned. Saturday morning, all missionaries were picked up in missionary vehicles and taken to the Samabula Chapel in Suva (which is right beside the temple) This was a time of great excitement, because all the missionaries in the mission would be there. 

The person i hugged was my younger - big cousin Jimmy-Lee or Elder Roberts hahaha.... It was a sweet & happy reunion ;) one that I know Elder Roberts & I have being looking forward too for a long time now. As soon as we spotted each other we hugged each other & gave a loud cry '' CUZZZZZ!!! ". I think what was the sweetest part of our reunion was we Elder Roberts approached me to give me a Hongi, think that's what really made me tear up inside. I miss my cousin, at the moment he is on the boat back to Vanua Levu, unless it has being delayed due the weather. I'm not too sure honestly, power is out so we can't call anybody. Phones dead...

Saturday, everyone could feel the excitement. Missionaries greeting each other, shouting & what not. Haven't had a gathering like this before ever in Fiji, Suva Mission. All missionaries than were told to proceed to the chapel were we would await the arrival of President Henry B. Iring and Elder Quentin L. Cook. Everyone kept poking the heads up to look at the door to see if he had come yet, all the missionaries looked their very best. All the Tongan Elders/ Sisters wearing their Ta'ovala's. Samoan Elders/ Sisters wearing the Ula's. All the Missionaries from the North had tapa stitched into their sulu's. Isa.. how I miss the North :) 

It was a great & joyful reunion, and a historic event for the FSM. President Henry B. Iring and Elder Quentin L. Cook arrived and entered the chapel. As we all arose to welcome them, I realized President Iring is really TALL!! and Elder Cook is way more bald than he looks in General Conference lol but their words of wisdom, were beautiful. I think what I admired the most was what President Iring said "I was a bit worried coming to Fiji, even though a Hurricane was approaching" He said that as soon as he landed in Fiji and off the plane, the Pacific Area presidency began to ask him "Should we call it off? " But President Iring was not worried at all. I learnt a lot from him, I loved how he related to us speaking of how even HE! gets tempted, he finds it hard to have the Holy Ghost with him every day, He gets tired etc. He spoke about how he is old and getting tired is much more faster than it was before for him, but he finds strength in the sacred calling he has. He encouraged us to just keep trying, keep trying. There is so many thingsIi loved about what he shared with us in that Chapel, but I cannot tell you them all because it would take to long and well I haven't had time to gather my thoughts yet...

After the special time with President, buses lined up outside the chapel to take us missionaries to the Vodafone Stadium, MAN WAS THAT A BLAST OF EXCITEMENT!! Us Elders singing proudly Fijian Hymns and songs as we patrolled through Suva towards the Stadium. Everyone knew who we were haha... We arrived at the stadium, the Celebration began early because of the Weather becoming very dangerous, the 'different Meke' was awesome, us missionaries thought we would get in trouble from President for yelling and screaming in excitement but when we saw him doing it we all went crazy hahaha. One Elder, his names Elder Nabuti from Kiribati was HILARIOUS going nutz in excitement and of course us Poly missionaries made a racket all right hahaha. I began to cry to be honest as the meke began, I've missed dancing and performing so much it reminded me of Heilani back home, not only that though it was so beautiful so see the stadium PACKED and everyones happiness for the temple reopening!!! The Fijian National Youth Band was the very first performance and led the march of all the different dance groups BOYY!!! THEY SET THE TONE, felt like I was watching the movie Drumline!!!! hahaha I went crazy, I'll be honest :)

The Celebration was cut short due to winds becoming way dangerous, and a Curfew warning was put out, meaning people need to return to their homes and stay there. No one is to go on the roads or anything... The Youth skipped to the final performance and everyone left. All us missionaries left to catch the buses to return back to the Chapel and then disburse from there in mission vehicles. I SAW THE MEMBERS FROM TUKAVESI!!!! man we all cried when we saw each other!!! I didn't think I'd see them because the leaders wanted missionaries out of the arena and on their way home, so things were slightly hectic. Winds were crazy!!!!! and rain felt like rocks.. Got back to the Samabula Chapel & then disbursed from there. We were riding home and came to a halt because a coconut tree had fallen in front of us, all 20 Elders got out of their trucks (we  were all split up into 4 trucks, one behind the other) and we pulled together to lift and move this giant tree of the road in the rain and wind. It was a main road and there was no other way around. It was a beautiful example of unity. 

My companion and I returned home, to find out house flooded, power out and so we got to work trying to salvage our things together. Spent half the night trying to do what we could, everything was soaked... Sunday the bus never came to pick us and the members up to go see the re dedication. We were told the Curfew warning was still on and the re dedication was cancelled due to the weather. The Hurricane itself had passed but the rain was still bucketing down and the wind a little bit too. So we ended up spending Sunday morning cleaning our house, we got a call at 11ish from one of the missionaries saying that the Re dedication is on!!!! My companion and I freaked out, we had already missed the 9am session and 12pm session would start soon, the next and last session is at 3pm. We had no way of getting to the Stake centre of where it would be shown. As far as we knew the other missionaries were already there -.-  my companion and I same time had the same thought ?? THE BIKES!!!!! The stake centre is way far!!! like maybe Brown plains to Sunny Bank Hills. We left home as soon as possible, made to the stake centre in one hour only for the members there to tell us that it wasn't being shown there because the power was out in Naursori (Name of the city/ area) it was only being shown in Suva because the power was working there apparently -.- My companion and I rode through the heavy rain, strong winds, hills and flooded roads only to told that -.- LOL!!!!! members were shocked that we rode all that way and once missionaries found out they called us and are calling us LEGENDS. Only the missionaries in Suva watched the re dedication -.- The Hurricane took out the power and made call connections way hard so, that were the problem was for a lot of missionaries and members. But we were told they will replay the broadcast next Sunday, so hopefully power is back on by then.. 

And so well now, we are here in Town. There is still no power, no buses working. Only taxi's, we arrived to Town and thankfully power is on so we can email home!! MIRACLE!!! President Iring is still here, the youth that didn't get to do their performance on Saturday, got to do it today. We wanted to go but its again a problem with telling people due to power and connection failure here at the moment. I didn't really worry about me in the Hurricane, what I was mostly worried about was the members. The sacrifices they have made to be here, especially those who traveled from Tuvalu, Rotuma, Lau, Vanua Levu and Kadavu. Now when they return home their homes will be gone and destroyed. Vanua Levu I miss that land so much... This week I'm not too sure if we will get a lot of lessons but, I am looking forward to the service to be done :) my companion also will be leaving, he is being sent to his mission in Australia, Adelaide. My new companion arrives today, I'm going to miss him. So many memories, spiritual and funny ones too hahaha Isa... This weekend sure was one to remember Family and friends... Please dont pray for me but pray for the people of Fiji. I saw the news this morning as I walked past a news agent, the news is all worried about the tourists, but what about the people who live here. Homes destroyed, lives gone, memories obliterated... Pray for them Family :) I'll be praying for Tukavesi, Nabua, Tacilevu and the people of Fiji everywhere :))

It was also a Spiritual weekend, beside the weather and the many things that occurred, but there are an array of things to be thankful for Family. I am grateful to have seen my cousin, Elder Roberts, to see he had arrived safely to the Celebration. To see the faithful members of Fiji come to make history together and rejoice in the opening of Heavens doors, that being the Temple. Grateful I am to have seen the member of Tukavesi, Nabua, Tacilevu and Vanua Levu, their beautiful spirits join together with the Saints of this wonderful Church here in the Land of Fiji. I am grateful to serve a mission to experience, see, learn, meet, hear or the many miracles here in Fiji. How blessed I am to be in Fiji at this most important time, how blessed I am. I agree with President Halek's words, the Lord wanted us to be here at this specific time in the History of Fiji.. I know the Gospel to be true, I know it to be the missing peace in our lives when we feel alone and tired. I know it to be the peace, strength, healing and love we sometimes yearn for in life. It has blessed my life in more ways than I can imagine, being able to serve a mission. I am grateful to have being here to witness a Prophet and Apostle come and speak to me and speak words my soul and heart needed. It was so surreal, I still can't even believe that I saw Henry B. Iring and Quentin L. Cook. I love Fiji, it is a part of me, he has blessed and created miracles in my life not only here in the mission but at home with those whom I love deeply, And I share these things with all of you in the name of my father's son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Super Excited!!!

Week 59

15th February 2016

BULA BULA BULA BULA!!!!!

One more week!!! Is almost here, woohoo!!! GET EXCITED!!!! the youth and young single adults have being telling us all week that the Meke or the traditional dances they'll be performing are crazy cool!!! Us missionaries have a small part also, we will be singing a couple songs with the youth. I recieved the email from President this morning and he said, all missionaries will be meeting President Henry. B Iring, Elder Quintin L. Cook at 11am Saturday. BOOOM!!!! Im so excited!!!

This week was a test of Faith family, as I told you all I was in a trio companionship. Sadly a friend of mine in my intake, Elder Davis who I also was companions with back in Vanua Levu has being Honorably released due to severe sickness. Doctors in Fiji didn't know what his sickness was and so he was sent back to America for treatment. It was sad to hear some one of my intake go home, this resulted in my companion Elder Barnaby being Emergency transferred to replace Elder Davis. Now I am training a missionary, yes I'm a trainer!!!!! 

So now I'm back to a two companionship ... When Elder Barnaby was Emergency transferred, I was afraid because I had just come to the area and only being here just over a week. My companion Elder Raiqisa btw and I said a prayer of faith and asked the Lord to help us in our work. We prayed for many things, and I testify that the Lord provided and guided us. We hit a whopping 15 lessons this week, with 4 baptismal dates, 5 investigators progressing towards baptism, we had a wonderful and memorable baptism on Saturday followed by a outrageously successful branch activity. Our week was amazing!!! I really feel like I felt and witnessed the Lords hand in the work this past week :) It was amazing...

Thursday we got our new bikes from America, worth $200.00 each. Sorry none of the missionaries have a SD Card reader for me to use to send you guys our crack up photos of our bikes lol. All I can say is when we took them out the same day we received them. Cars, trucks and people literally stopped and watched us go by, it was halariously funny!!! We go everywhere now, we went to one village that Thursday, it usually takes 2 hours by walking but by bike now, 30mins tops!!! It's so great!!!! Heavenly Fathers hand has definitely being in the work this week, its honestly mind blowing!!!

Saturday's activity was BOSS!!! The members loved the arts and crafts activity, especially the sports and games for the kids. I got a lot of relief society asking me to design their lavalava's hahaha I was like umm.. ??? dont have a lot of time you know. I'm a missionary hahaha but we'll see :)) We gave out the flags that everyone designed on Sunday morning, the members were so happy to have their own little flag to take to the celebration and represent the members from Nakelo :)) It was awesome!!! This area is on fire!!! its amazing!!! We just need to keep the momentum up and keep our investigator pool moving too, so we can prepare other investigators for baptism after those that do get baptized :))

Well thats all to tell Family and Friends I love this area, sorry we have to be off to the practice for the re dedication of the temple.. Love you all so much continue to pray for us and the work. Love you all and remember if you want to watch the rededication use this website  

https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/watch/fiji-temple-celebration/2016/02?lang=eng.

The live broadcast will start at 3pm (FIJI TIME) so don't miss out and look up lds.org for details of the celebration :) 

I just want to testify that Prayer, is so powerful. I have being doing it every morning and evening and anytime I feel I need to pray this week and Family I invite you all to do it as well. It is powerful and a special safe guard to you throughout your day, whenever your not sure or afraid. Whisper a small prayer or Faith and thanks giving unto the father and he will provide the path for you. I testify of these things in the name of my Saviour and your savour Jesus Christ Amen.

Fiji Temple Open House

Week 58

08th February 2016

Sa Bula Si'a,

Even though I have being transferred I still claim and speak my dialect of where I claim to be from in Fiji being the province of Cakaudrove (My last area). In the mission where ever your first area is that is your Kai and where ever your second area is that is your Vasu. Kai refers to your father ethnicity and Vasu refers to your mothers ethnicity. There are over 14 provinces in all of Fiji, so for me I am Kai Ra, Vasu i Cakaudrove. But annywayys...

The first bit of news I would like to share with you all is that, this past week I was very sick and still am somewhat. But its okay I can manage a little sickness but I went to the mission office to pick up some medicine and the mission nurse said "Elder Lemusu, have you lost weight?" I replied yes. She asked how much? and I said I don't know I haven't weighed myself since I came to the mission. GET READY GUYS!!!!!! When I came to the mission I was 98kgs and now I am 75kgs, I have lost over 20kgs!!!!!!!!! Boooom!!!!! How amazing is that, when the nurse told me that I jumped for joy I was so excited lol all the senior couples in the mission office just laughed at my craziness haha :))

This week has being crazy missionary work wise, the Power of the Temple is incredible!!! The open house had officially closed on Saturday last week and boy!! was it packed that day. 28 full greyhound buses traveled from the west to Suva to see the Temple open house. Over 4,000 people came from the west, some members and many non-members. Over all the Fiji Suva Temple saw 22,483 people enter in and us missionaries received over 2,000 referrals of people wanting to take the missionary discussions and many wanting to be baptized. A lot of the members worked as ushers and security as well as hosts for the temple and hearing their stories during fast and testimony meeting last Sunday was amazing, and very inspiring personally. Hard not to cry hearing their experiences of working at the temple for the last 3 weeks. 

Our trio companionship now, made up of a palagi, a samoan/ maori & a fijian is quiet hilarious tbh. We gained another companion as he is awaiting his visa to go to his mission in Adelaide, Australia. We had the opportunity to go to the open house also, omgsh!!!! we took a giant bus full!!!! of people members and many non members. My companions and I had to sit on the dashboard on the bus because it was that full haha... When we arrived to the temples, the sister missionaries are also host in the Temple and the did a great job of introducing us and the other guests too especially our investigators. THEY JUST NEED TO SPEAK FIJIAN!!! because no one understands English lol sisters in this mission sadly don't really know how to speak Fijian which is kind've frustrating but yeaaahhh.... When I entered the celestial room wow! that was a experience... unexplained too. I could immediately feel the peace within the temple something I was needing man. My mind was taken up in thought of my mission, as I thought about all the people I have met in my mission and all the sacrifices I have seen from faithful members of this church. 

I remembered sister Naiodro from Rakiraki, who would walk 3 hours in the hot sun each sunday morning to attend church. A 75yr old women who would go fish everyday to make money and give her tithing each Sunday. I thought of Brother Edwin from Tukavesi who would take a 2 day walk to attend his Sabbath day meetings and then another 2 day walk to return home. He would leave his cattle, his farm everything to cross a bay, a mountain, ocean coast and walk along a long dusty gravel road to get to church by 10am every Sunday morning. I remembered Sister Qabale a old blind women who is a veteran in the church, beginning the church alongside her husband in Lautoka and California for the Fijian people. She would give $10 tithing every Wednesday to us and $2 for the temple reconstruction, I remember writing out her tithing slips and then handing them to the branch president come Sunday morning because she could not physically attend church. I remember a family who literally didn't have much worldly possession but come Sunday morning the father Brother Cagimaicama was there with his white shirt and tie, his 7 children and wife too. I began to cry in the celestial room, thinking of the sacrifices these faithful men and women make, and could only imagine the sacrifices people are making to attend the temple. We are so blessed to have a temple here in Fiji, yes we are. I remembered one time back home before the mission I took 2 trains and a 30 min walk to attend the temple once, I remembered I was tired, worn-down and yet when I reached the temple it was gone and when I entered through the doors of the temple I felt I had finally reached home. Entering the temple once again last week for a brief time, I felt that feeling of coming home again it was amazing. Truly any sacrifice we make to attend the temple does not go unnoticed by Heavenly Father. I am so excited for the re dedication!!!! 

We invited 5 people unto baptism this past week, the month of march is packed with work and baptisms. Here's hoping they will go well. We have 2 baptisms this week Saturday. My new area of Nakelo is so wonderful and so different, the church members know their responsibilities, the church functions wonderfully. We have dinner appointments, classes are spiritually uplifting and inspiring. I often find myself saying, well where do I fit in here. Things seems so well here. But there is work to be done our baptismal dates, we contacted a refferal given to us. His name is Peni -  he's cool. His first question to us was "So what do I do to be baptised?" then his cousin Judi joined the lesson and asked to be baptized too they're both 19yrs/ 20yrs so its way cool. I was freaking out when they asked these questions because I've never had a area or met people like this in my whole mission!!!! its crazy the work that is happening here in Nakelo or NAKELO-FORNIA as they call it here. 

We have a activity this Saturday after the 2 baptisms. It a Volleyball tournament with dancing, food and us missionaries are hosting a arts and crafts activity during it. We want to make flags and banners for the members to take to the re dedication. Just for them to have some excitement and something to remember this wonderful event!!! :) I'm going to be showing them how to screen print lol. But yeah well that is our area!!! and my week too. I have 2 samoans in my district too so we jam all the time too, they're always at our house because literally our house is like 5 star with its timber floors and oven, fridge, lights that have a dimming switch, 2 showers/ toilets etc. Things are good, I am way better than I was, I do find myself some what homesick every now and then but it doesn't last long. Isa, I cant wait for the temple!!! THE CHURCH IS TRUE FAMILY!!!! LOVE YOU ALL :DDDD

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

P.s If you want to see the pictures of the Fiji, Suva Temple... You can go onto Facebook and type in "Mormon News Fiji" and it has all the pictures taken from the open house. Also on lds.org they have pictures of the inside of the temple. Try and find the full article....

P.s.s - If you would like to watch the re-dedication of the Fiji, Suva Temple live, you can watch it online via this website  https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/watch/fiji-temple-celebration/2016/02?lang=eng.

New Area

Week 57

01 February 2016

Sa Bula Family, 

Homesick, homesick and more homesickness... As I boarded the plane in Labasa airport to Viti Levu I stopped for a moment to look around, to just pause and say one last goodbye to my home of Vanua Levu. The members from my area called me just before the flight to say another goodbye, it was so sad. I was on the plane and as I was flying over the ocean towards my new area, i couldn't help but feel homesick almost as if I was leaving for my mission in the very beginning. The first two days in my new area I was terribly homesick I tried and tried to distract my thoughts but I kept going back to thoughts of my old area. On the 3rd day being a Sunday in my new area, we had a baptism it was wonderful but I don't think I was all there you know, my heart was somewhere else. 

I am now serving in the Nausori Zone in the Nakelo Area, I'll be honest I know I've only being here 3 days but I am not a big fan of this area so far. Not at all. I think the trouble now that im facing is that I've left so much of my heart in my old area that I'm struggling to find it and use it here in my new area. Its so hard! my new companion's name is Elder Barnaby, he was in the intake before me and we were in MTC together for a little bit. 

Last night we attended a Special missionary broadcast that was shown worldwide. To those missionaries that have seen it, a friend of mine was featured in it. He is a Fijian Elder, names Elder Koroinibuka. I know his family VERY WELL!! In fact his village was my last area :D I was going crazy last night when I saw him on the screen. We watched the broadcast with our Mission President and his wife and all the missionaries in the Naursori and Suva Zones ITS WAS CRAZY!!! I saw how many Elders and Sister that I already knew from back home!!!! It was so funny, somehow I have a big reputation in the mission and everyone know's me hahaha I find it really odd because the area's I have served I dont meet alot of missionaries so yeaahh?? 

We have a couple investigators, alot of them children but also some adults the older ones are harder to teach because they have so many thoughts especially crazy ones. You can tell though it all comes from confusion because of the millions of churches in Fiji and how they all try to be different and prove that they're right and all. As a matter of fact two brothers who are preachers had an argument and now they've set up two different churches from the one?? 

Iv'e set up my area in the flat with all my fine mats and tapa's lol. I have become sick though, I can feel it in my body its become weak and ache's everywhere. Hurts to walk and move, I think though it may be caused from the home sickness?? im not sure but I'm just going off last time how I got sick. A good thing though is I'm close to Suva if I ever need medical treatment. 

Our Flat though is a mansion!!! timbered floors, aircon, running water and electricity, tilled bathroom, bed frames and a washing machine. Balcony and a fridge and all sorts, OMGSH I was so shocked!!! especially coming into Suva last night I was scared, it might seem weird but I was freaked out! just because there was so many people and the road were like highways, cars everywhere and houses not huts, houses!!!! I was nervous as lol I want to go back to the bush life!!! I hate aircon though, give me headaches and makes me feel sick -.- 

Hope you are all well and healthy though, especially spiritually too. I have being praying for you guys, so I hope heavenly father has been able to be bless you all. Dont worry about me I will keep pushing on or shouldering on as the hymn goes.. I love you all so much, take care of yourselves. I know the gospel is true and the work of the missionaries is a inspired and everlasting work that cannot be stopped by no man, things or being. Be good to one another, LOVE YOU!!!