Sabbath Day

Week 69

25 April 2016

Dou Bula Family,

Isa, this week I was missing music so much lol all my poly jams and old school rythmns oi auuee haha. One of our members was showing us some of the new music out now, woaah! its pretty crazy huh.. Anyways though that was one of my struggles I guess but thankfully at least I can still sing some songs I remember from home, especially on those night time bike rides when we're returning to the flat :) #thebestmoments 

This week was a bit of a tough one, we spent time finding this past week, we didn't have a lot of success but we did contact two referrals we were given. One's name is Laisa. She is 21yrs old, we contacted her and just spent a little time with her chatting and eating some food. We shared a little about what we do and she invited us to come back on Wednesday so we're excited!! She seems pretty cool, young too so hoping that she will be more welcoming of the lessons we have to share with her. The other was Asenaca, we contacted her on Sunday afternoon after church. She lives in a village called Vaturua, I have never been to this village before but we just asked a couple people and they led us to her home. Turns out that she didn't want to take the lessons but she is a teacher and was speaking with another teacher who works at LDS high school and they talked for hours about the church. That LDS teacher then gave Asenaca's  details to a missionary and then to us. Luckily we were able to talk to her a bit and she invited us in and we explained about the Book of Mormon to her and also the scripture from the Book of Ezekiel in the Bible and how it talks about the Bible and BOM being one together.

She was way interested, she asked us for our number and said she would give us a call to come back because her schedule is tight as a teacher. Im really hoping and looking forward to that call but if she doesen't its fine :) we left her with a good and positive thought about the church and some of the things we believe in. So yeah, a lot of our week was visiting members asking for referrals and finding but haven't had too much success though. 

Sunday though was just too cool, Sister Tavenisa was confirmed a member of the church and to be apart of that ordinance was pretty treasurable. The Relief Society did a musical number singing Secret Prayer and also gave all the talks in sacrament meetings, it ws amazing. Their topic was tithing and it was beautiful! especially Sister Qanuici's talk, you could really feel how she felt about tithing just by the way she spoke about it. It was pretty cool. In scarament meeting though my mind was pondering about the power of the priesthood, what a gift and blessings it is that I am able to hold this power. I said a prayer of thanks as the sacrament was being passed :) I love church, sunday school was combined and it was just a bunch of laughs and smiles, as well as being fed spiritually by the teachers. 

Priesthood was gangster as! talking about Family farms and how farming is more than simple farming. I have to agree, Fijians whole lives are spent in the farm, farming their crops. We were reading from one of the manuals and President kimball was saying that the farm is a place of learning and memories for families, a place of happines and values. I have to agree!! I have learnt tonnes in the farm with members, shared so many memories and laughs too auuue I love the farm. You look at the Book of Mormon too I mean the parable of how our faith should be as a seed or the Lords vinyard in Jacob. The farm is the place to be guys lol definetly a place of learning how to be independant too. 

We had a branch council too!! awesome!! I was loving it, there is no other place I would want to then at the chapel on a Sunday. To be honest it just made me excited for counsel meetings back home :) I love it!! 

If there is anything that I gained a stronger testimony about this week it was Sabbath Day importance.. In Fijian its called "Na Siga ni Vakacecegu". One day attending church, the Young men's President approached me and asked if i would be able to bless the sacrament, seeing as they were down a Priest that specific Sunday. I accepted and took my seat up on the stand, as the congregation began singing the sacrament hymn, I began breaking the bread and something was almost pulling my spirit, as I looked at the bread breaking it into pieces I thought of the significance of the bread and that something that was pulling my spirit I knew was the Holy Ghost. I became overwhelmed thinking of my sins, imperfections, wrong doings, pains, suffering, heartaches and hard times & knew at that time that Jesus the Christ sacrificed his life enduring all these things that caused me pain in my life. I thought about how the Roman soldiers who whipped him, and did all manner of unthinkable things to him, I was doing the same (in symbolism) as I broke the bread. At that moment I gained a greater meaning and value for the sacrament in my life & the wonderful blessings it brings and is for millions of Heavenly Fathers children around the world. 

The Sabbath day to me is the best day of the week, even though more than half of us are tired and would much rather stay home and sleep, watch movies on the couch with our bowl of junk food right beside us. I have seen many sacrifices of members just to attend church. The Sabbath day is a beautiful day, a glorious and joyous day, i love it treasure it so much. It is a day we give thanks and respect to God and his beloved son. A day of blessings and gifts of knowledge and learning. A day of strengthening others not just by words of god but also words of laughter, love and care. A day of visiting those in strife and sharing and rejoicing together for all that we have being given. The Sabbath day is a wonderful day. Staying home and sleeping, eating, going to the beach is just wasteful "There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to save". I hope you too can learn the significance of the Sabbath day, and what it means to you.

In my mission I have seen so many sacrifice JUST to attend church on Sunday. In my first area there was a women names Sister Naiodro, 67yrs old. She woke up everyday at 5am to prepare herself and go fishing with the other women in the village. They would do this everyday and then sell their fish, to make at least some money for themselves. Sister Naiodro would walk from her village to church every Sunday taking her at least 1 hour and a half. She would pay her tithing & then take the Elders back to her home to have lunch using the money she made throughout the week. In my second area, there was a man named Brother Edwin, he lived pretty much on another island, for us missionaries to get to his home we would drive to the closest village to him. We would park our car at the village and began our 2 hour walk to his home across the beach, over 2 mountains, through a small swamp and across a giant river because his house was on the opposite side of this area. He lived alone and because he owned a big farm he only attend church every first and last Sunday. Our journey to his home though was easier than his to church. Saturday morning he would pack his bag, white shirt and tie etc. Then he would begin his journey to the chapel to be there for church on Sunday. Brother Edwin would cross the river, climb the mountains, go through the swamp, walk along the beach and would reach the village. He would then continue walking up another mountains to get to the next village on the other side of the mountain. From that village he would walk around the Bay to the next village on the other side. By then it would be afternoon & he would sleep there the night at a friends home. Sunday morning he would get dressed and make the rest of the walk the chapel another 3 hour walk. He would arrive the church just before it starts, Sunday afternoon he would walk back to that village, sleep there again and then make the journey back home the next morning.

In my third area, there was a old women names Sister Qabale, 76yrs old and blind. He husband had just passed away & we attended his funeral. Brother & Sister Qabale were the pioneers for the church in Lautoka and also in California for the Fijian branches there. Brother Qabale served as a Bishop, Stake President and also a Patriarch. Sister Qabale physically could not attend church, the long walk would be dangerous for her, especially with no sight. I remember when the mission President gave us permission to have our own sacrament meeting with her every Wednesday :) We arrived at her home on Wednesday and when we gave her the news we were going to give her the sacrament she jumped up in excitement!! went and got dressed in her Sunday best. We all sat at the dinning table, all 3 of us with a white cloth at the end of the table covering the sacrament. I lead the meeting in song, announcements and as we gave her the sacrament taking her hand so she could find where the bread and cup was, tears fell from her eyes. We all bore strong witnesses of the church that day, knowing that this was the Lord true church and that he does live. 

Well I think I will leave it there but its being a nice week, it had its struggles but there is always another week to try and again and try harder :) Love you family, stay strong and be happy because there is so much to be happy about!! :D

Elder Lemusu

Baptism

Week 68

18th April 2016

This week we had the baptisim of Sister Tavenisa Soroinikula Wakanivuga. She is the Grandmother of the Ligica family (Member family) it was pretty special. Sister Tavenisa has being taking the lesson for a while now.  In the beginning the family wasn't really involved in helping her be baptised. As we involved the family, to help them see that they too play a vital part in their grandmothers conversion. It was amazing they began bringing her to church & now she attends every sunday. 

Her baptism was a bit different than most, she is very old and fragile at 74yrs old. She can hardly walk as it is, so getting her into the water to be baptised was slightly difficult. My companion baptised her in the chapel font, she stood their cold because of the water and as my companion said Amen, instead of her going back she knelt down and put herself fullying under water ducking her head underneath at the last moment :) It was different but it was approved by the Branch Presidency leaders.

She will be confirmed next week because the Baptism was after church, either way though it was great. I was kind of stressed about her baptsim though, as to how she would be baptised because she is very old, but the Lord provided a way and blessed us with this wonderful miracle :) 

Our last baptsim of Tevita, well this is actually his grandmother in law lol. Part member families are the best to help be baptised and share the gospel with. But yeah, Grandma Tavenisa's baptisim was a wonderful moment to witness. To hear her small testimony, could tell she was about to cry but she had to sit down before she collapsed. She doesn't have a lot of strength.

Also this week me and my companion did service with Tevita, cleaning the Taro farm. FREAKING GIANT!! Their family farm took us the whole day to clean and by clean I mean weed in and out of where the taro had being planted in the hot sun haha hardwork but it was fun. I was telling my companion I wouldn't mind farming everyday as they do in the islands, it gets them freaking ripped like crazy haha :) .

Speaking of Grandmothers, one of the first Grandmothers I ever taught on my mission was the wife of the great and amazing Brother Ratuluke. Sister Veitinia, as I opened Mission President's email to the mission this morning as he does every Monday, he showed the pictures of those area who had baptisms last week. One of them being sister Veitinia!!!!!!!! It is such a blessing to know that even if you do work in the farm all day, the seeds you plant, the work you do to keep the farm clean from weeds and animals, that one day your crops will sprout. Not always in your time, because nature works different to us and so does the Lord and Heavenly Father. This has being such a great and small lesson to me today during emails today. I am so happy!! 

In other news my trainer goes home this week, as well as some of the best missionaries in this mission lol Elder Palelei from Liverpool stake, Sydney will go home. Sister Aumua Centenary Stake, Brisbane and my father - Elder Thomas (Tomasi, my trainer) from Utah :)

Man I'm getting so old in the mission now, I remember when I was new and still learning. Now I am actually one of the Elders of the mission haha, my whole zone is only Elders no sisters (kind of sucks tbh) and only me and another Elder are the oldest in the Zone. Everyone else has only being in the mission 6 months + or literally just come in hahah I'm with all the young fullaz lol. 

In other things regarding creativity lol I made my own ie lavalava on the mission or as they call them in fijian Sulu vaka Toga (TONGA). Fun fact, most of Fijian culture is generally based on Tongan culture. I made it for a missionary who will be going home, I'm getting different things for the 3 missionaries I'm close with going home :) so yeah... 

Has being a hassle trying to get work done whilst doing this in free time etc. But a good week, I am really motivated this week to hit 20 lessons!! Its transfers this week also, so lets hope I don't move!! I'm not looking forward to it if I do tbh. 

To end though, I am grateful for the eternal gift of repentance, I have so many weaknesses and short comings and it annoys me too but thanks to the gift of repentance and patience I have felt I can be better through his atonement. Whatever I lack, of fall short of the Lord will make up the rest as I give my best, I think I am slowly coming to understand the atonement more and finding it is beautiful as well as the bible which i have now such a interest for. So much to learn and so little time oi auuee.. Well I better go, love you heaps. 

Take care, Pray, read, church & REPEAT!

General Conference

Week 67

11 April 2016

Best General Conference quote "For those who don't know the Celestial Language" What a funny guy!!! President Uchtdorf, haha.. I loved that bit. I learned a tonne from all that spoke but especially President Monson, Uchtdorf, Elder Holland. Elder Rasband, and Chrstopherson. I felt a lot of things apply to me and a lot of teaching I learnt and feel I can use while on my mission if i can be creative in the ways they are taught :) It was awesome, my companion though was more excited to listen to the Conference haha more than me :)  

I watched it in English, the chapel has a computer so we just watched it there in the clerks office while the members watched it in Fijian in the chapel. I want to download the talks and just listen to them because they were so powerful. I got so excited when Elder Cook spoke about Fiji and the Cyclone that came to us during the re dedication. 

This last week we didn't get to do much due the effects of the Cyclone just gone. Heavy rains and flooding galore as well. So we couldn't do much, we spent a couple days at home, and had nothing to do but eat and finish off personal things. We did a lot of eating and cooking.  I cooked some Samoan pancakes (panikeke faasamoa lol) made a fijian dish called Suruwa Ika which is like curried fish with rice or tavioka (up to you). A member gave me 2 massive whole fishes so I gutted, scaled and cut them up to make us a nice dinner lol. I've made a Indian dish also called Pumpkin curry, made it with rice and home made Roti. We also made chocolate chip cookies with ice cream, not to mention the dinner appointment lol. A lot of food we ate this week ..I feel so fat haha...

The mission is going well. We have scheduled a baptism this weekend -  hopefully all goes to plan :) 

I think a lesson that has being mine to learn is understanding that some of us are planters, farmers and harvesters. We all play different roles in peoples conversions but the spirit does the main conversion and makes it meaningful and special to the person.

 Hoping for a stronger and brighter week the week, the weather has cleared and hopefully stays like that.  :D 

Anyways though love you all, take care please :D Thank you for all your prayers also :D

Elder Lemusu

Investigators

Week 66

04 April 2016

Talofa o lo'u a'iga :)

How are you all? I miss you very much... I have thought about you all some what a lot this week, not too sure why but its been good - I haven't being home sick or anything if that's what you all may be thinking... This week we had 19 lessons, we had a goal of 20 and came one short of just one lesson. It was a great week, Monday was a stink as!! preparation day will be stink again today I think due to the rain and wind. We hear there may be another hurricane coming to Fiji lol don't you just love hurricane season :) haha tbh I am wanting one to come because I didn't really get to experience the last hurricane Winston but then again it did cause so much damage to Fiji.

Tuesday though we had 4 new investigators, they were a family and also a referral from a member who used to a be a Methodist Preacher. Wednesday as well was a good day we had two new investigators from a village called Lomainasau. Where we have a lot of our investigators currently, people seem to be responding to the "take the lessons with the missionaries"  boat lol. They are two young girls, one is 20 and a single mum and the other a sister of one of our other investigators. Thursday our service got cancelled and so we stayed home and just cleaned and caught up on other personal things.

Friday to Sunday was good, we really pushed hard to get our goal but came one short. Our investigator Tevita though confirmed a member this Sunday and hopefully soon he will receive the priesthood, we taught him about it and he asked to wait a little and then receive it. Nothing really too interesting to talk about this week?? kind've a straight forward week, we tried hard each day to get the lesson we wanted and reach our goal but next week we will try harder to get the 20 lessons goal. 

One of our investigators came to church - her name is Tavenisa she is very old but she came and it was great the family helped her attend church, because we really have no way of bringing her because she is so old and cannot really walk much. A big blessing that the family brought her in a car. 

Sorry no pictures today, we didn't take to many. 

My fijian is still going as great as ever, trying to improve it every day :) I'm getting fat as because now we get fed every night lol the struggle is real. But yeah sorry family not too much of a  exciting email this week, conference is next week and so looking forward to that, hopeing it is in fijian to study more fijian but also english so I can understand easier too. well anyways I have to go family, take care of one another please and I'm looking forward to mothers day :D woohoo!!!

Love you all!!! 

Baptism

Week 65

28th March 2016

Ni Bula Vinaka Family!

WE HAD A BAPTISM!!! Tevita Tauyavu Tawake was baptized on the 27th of March 2016 & his wife became officially a returning member to the church as of the same date. The baptismal service was awesome!! I felt the spirit there :) It was right after church had finished, the branch was there in attendance. The Branch presidency conducted the service and all of Tevita's wife's family spoke and participated through the service (seeing as Tevita's family are not members but his wife's is, & he is very close with them). My companion baptised Tevita.  It was awesome. Afterwards Tevita's wife Miriama and himself shared with the congregation their testimonies, they were very powerful especially Miriama's as she shared her story with Tevita about how they met and their story together as he took the missionary discussions. It was so strong the spirit.

Sunday was a great day, the beginning of the day was slightly saddening. We had woken up early that morning to prepare and get ready to go to Judi's home to pick her up and help her to get to church. When we arrived to her house she was still asleep. She lives pretty far and so we knew by visiting her we would  most likely be late and maybe miss sacrament, but it was a sacrifice we wanted to and were willing to make in order to invite her to church. She was asleep & then her uncle woke her up and she told us to go ahead of her and that she would just meet us at the chapel. I knew immediately when she had said that, that she wasn't going to come. So we took her word for it and rode our bikes to church sad and let down. 

Judi is one of my favorite investigators and I'm very close with as missionary and investigator. Really hoping for her!! 

We have other investigators though, so we are working with others other than just Judi. A lot of them are new investigators etc. 

My week though has being a bit stressful, we had Zone Conference on Tuesday and Zone Conference is always like a whole day thing so we didn't get to do much in proselyting to people. Wednesday was interviews with Mission President and that started at 9am to around 1pm and then my companion and I went on exchanges with the district Leader and his companion. Thursday was the only day we had being in our area for a full day, including Sunday too. We did service in another area helping some missionaries move out of their flat into a new one. Friday we had exchanges again with the Zone leaders (Elder Palelei is my zone leader btw) though this time and exchanges goes for 24 hours so getting solid lesson and achieving goals we had was hard due to these things... But hey!! we had a baptism and had achieved some smaller goals and sore some wonderful blessings this week, one of them being our less active come to church, that being a girl named Vasiti. I spoke about her last week I think about how we always have lunch with her. We're very close with her, just trying to strengthen her and get her back on her feet to be independent spiritually. 

At Zone conference, the mission president's wife gave an awesome training based on a experience she had with her husband when they served together in Tonga. She told the story of when Tonga was under going many riots and damage due to the Government not listening to their opinions and needs for the country. Tonga also being 60% LDS a lot of people involved in the riots were members and one day she said that her and her husband were summoned to go and speak with the Queen of Tonga at the time. They spoke, chatted about many things and then came the topic of church. The Queen loved the church and was thankful for all that the LDS church had done for Tonga but she asked why that so many of the LDS members had being apart of the riots if the teachings taught them to be different. She didn't know what to say to the Queen, and then the Queen simply followed by saying '' Maybe, their just not converted enough''. Then Sister Layton (Mission Presidents wife) posed us the question ''Are we converted enough'' 

She shared another story about how her son fell out of bed one night and came crying to her and she asked how did you fall out of bed. Her son replied ''I wasn't in far enough'' and so the question together is ''Are we converted enough so much so that we wont fall out''. Zone conference was awesome!!! so was my interview with President, received a lot of direction and guidance. :)

Easter was cool, here in Fiji every Easter they go to the graves of their families/ Ancestors too and clean them. We got to check out some members families graves and honest to the man upstairs they are ancient!! back in the 1700's lol. They also have a big celebration, drinking Kava, eating pig and cow lol you know islanders the works hahah... so we got fed well ;) they also have church service too all day to commemorate Christs death.

Other things though my companion hit his 6 month mark this week and we celebrated it with ice cream and burned one of his ties. Next week when we get our support we're going to celebrate properly with making chocolate chip cookies haha looking forward to that. 

 Well yeah that was our week pretty much :) I've attached some pictures below, my camera isn't working currently so i am using my companions flash as one lol. 

I know the Gospel is true, I am currently trying to understand more about the Atonement. The Savior and God are living, the spirit is always there to guide us. Its really hard to define the voice of the spirit and the voice of adversary because it always mixes itself with our spirit to confuse our desires and pleasures. 

Love to you all,  take care and love one another, try reading the bible, thats what I'm doing at the moment. I find it so interesting tbh :) 

P.S: GO VISIT the lds.org site and check out the new Easter video by the church :)