Awesome Week!

Week 77

20 June 2016

Man, serving with a cousin, a family member is amazing!!! Jimmy & I well Elder Ropate and I hit a solid 20 lessons this week. We are very determined to keep the standard of excellence for our companionship here in Tamavua. We had a blast of a week, we both spoke about it last night and I dont know about him but I drifted off to sleep last night with a massive happiness within me. We had a crazy fun and hard working week!!! I am definitely seeing so many blessings here in Tamavua, people are very prepared and ready!!! But anyway lets start from the beginning of last week.

Apologies for not emailing last week, the computers were so slow last week so I just sent pictures instead. Last Monday though PDAY was AMAZING!!!! we as a zone have PDAY together every week and we had our Suva North Zone olympics, my district won!!! in all events, Volleyball, Dodgeball, Touch, Track and Basketball!!!! Ohh man I really regret not playing basketball more back in Sydney and learning more from dad about ball, I absolutley love it. We played a half court ball game on that PDAY and it felt like being back in the Ingleburn chapel playing ball with all the family again!!! Me and Elder Roberts flipped out of how much it reminded us of home lol.

We had 3 new investigators this week and they are pretty solid!!! Due to a amazing week of spiritual amazement and hard work we rewarded ourselves by spending time with a family we love so much called the Atchinsons, we always make food for them because they don't have much and we go eat with them. Even when we have pick up for our dinner appointments we go share it with them. We call Sister Atchinson Mum or Na in Fijian and her two daughters are like our sisters, we love this family, they really show us the meaning of charity and humility. Spending time with them was our reward, and choice one it was also.

I love serving here, and to make it better serving with a cousin is beyond words. I have felt the spirit so strong here, that warm and comforting feeling of peace YES it is real, the spirit does dwell with us. Just search for it, think about it and use to help others. "Search, Ponder and Pray" 

It's awesome having sisters who live 3 doors down because we can always call them when we don't have food to eat hahah one of them is Samoan and the other from Kiribati. Love these sisters!!! This area is just like serving amongst family. Jimmy is a amazing Elder!!! I can see he is really trying to align his life and will with the Lords. These are memories I'll have forever.

We have 2 baptisims this Saturday, Nathan and Alipate. They're twins from Rotuma, smart and cheeky lil guys haha but so smart in the gospel. Jim will be baptizing Alipate and me Nathan :) I love this work and love these people, I pray everyday Heavenly Father can strengthen me to have more strength to open my mouth and share what I know to be true to his children :) 

Photos

Week 76

13 June 2016

New Area!

Week 75

06 June 2016

Churrr Family!! 

SO GUESS WHO IS COMPANION'S WITH HIS COUSIN!!!!! bahahaha THIS GUY!!! lol ... No this is not a joke, My new companion now is my cousin Elder Roberts. 

Transfers week is always a nerve racking time because no one knows who will leave and who will stay. During last weeks Hangi I held last Tuesday for our district as that was going to be the day of transfers calls from the mission President. Mission Pres called me and told me that I would be transferring to my new area of Tamavua, Suva. My new companion will be Elder Roberts!!!!!! So for those who do not know, my grandmother Trish & Elder Roberts's mum are sisters!!!! which I guess technically makes him my uncle lol 

We had a great time at my flat pretty much all us missionaries together eating and laughing, spending some good brothers time as missionaries. Throughout the rest of the week though I said my goodbyes, I didn't say goodbye to everyone just because there wasn't enough time and especially because I hate saying goodbye to people especially those one you become so close to you know. Was very close to tears, but I tried to be strong. Memories forever I'll have here in Fiji :) 

Friday I was transferred to my new area of Tamavua in Suva. My area is pretty small I guess but I'm close to the temple. It's crazy having my companion be Elder Roberts, waking up in the mornings and he is there in the flat lol. Our flat is pretty small but its really flash so that's nice. Me and Elder Roberts are constantly talking about family things and stories back home haha we've being filling each other the past couple days about what has being happening back home with the family. 

Tamavua is pretty hilarious. So far everyone I meet seems to think that I am a school student and that I am a new missionary that doesn't know or speak Fijian. Then a crack up laughing inside when I open my mouth and tell them "Yeah I understand everything you are saying right now" 

Everyone at church on Sunday freaked out when I spoke Fijian in front of their eyes hahahah they say that i am pretty 'Kai Colo' compared to them meaning I am more Bush than they are and they're the Fijians lol. As a joke some of them I tell them that I am from Lau (A group of islands of the east coast of Fiji that were heavily populated by Tongans long ago but now are populated with Fijian half Tongans) and that my mother is from Vanua Levu. They believe it too because I dont look Fijian and neither do Lauan people, they look more Tongan. And well I can speak Fijian so that explains why I am also from Vanua Levu hahaha and they believe it lol but then I tell them I'm actually Samoan-Maori lol #TooFunny

That is definitely a blessing I have pondered these past couples days, it is the wonderful blessing and gift of tongues Heavenly Father has blessed me with. In all honesty I have never really sat down and tried to study the Fijian language and yet I speak and understand fluently. I have pondered the question of how I did this and got to this point of being so good at the language? I think it is because I had a desire to learn the language, but I didn't learn it from books - I learnt it from the people and practice with others. And because of this desire, I feel Heavenly Father has blessed me so much so that I have this wonderful ability and talent. I am very grateful, because knowing the language is so important, not only with communication but also it helps with understanding customs, culture, history and its people. Language opens so many doors and enables you to connect with others on a more personal level rather than just being a tourist or outsider. 

Things are obviously very different here, its not like the bush lol I miss the village and bush life so much though. I prefer that over the city any day but "It's just another routine, to get used to' as my mum told me in the beginning of my mission. I am very excited to work with my cousin because I am old in the mission and he is still young and well there is so much knowledge and wisdom I guess you can call it that I want to show and teach him about the mission and missionary work. So far from what I have seen with him in lessons he is amazing!!! He is very sincere and genuine when sharing about the Gospel. I love it, we seem to really work well together, we really hit of each other in lessons its crazy!!! I look forward to the things he can also teach me, it doesn't matter how old you are in the mission you can also learn something or teach something to some else. We have a pretty big investigator pool!! and a couple baptisms coming up too so we working hard to help these people!!!

Im so excited, but anyways love you all, that is all for now!!!  

Birthday Preparations... Transfer Week.

Week 74

30 May 2016

Ni Bula saka Kemuni

This week was better, it wasn't too interesting but it was definetly better then the last. We didn't really do anything to crazy or out of the ordianary, it was all pretty simple and usual normal plans for the week. As I said though, my week has definetly being better. I'm not sure what really made it better but it was good. We achieved a goal of about 23 lessons this week with also 2 new investigators and 2 investigators attending church on Sunday :) Which is a big success. We had to speak too in sacrament, its amazing how the gift of tongues works with missionaries. Speaking Fijian is amazing Family:)

We had 4 Elders come over last night to stay at our house like usual, I had them working hard. Making them help me out in preperations for our Umu we having on Tuesday for my companion's birthday with the District. Had them husking, cracking and scraping cocnuts to prepare the Luau or Palusami as they call it here in Fiji. We've got a couple fish, chicken and Beef too. Sadly no Pig just because its so expensive!! But, yes I have got all the preparations, looking forward to it!!

This week is transfers so, we shall see who will get transfered and who will stay. We're planning to have the Lovo during lunch time so that we can all have a feed at our flat and await the call from President on who will be transfered. My companion thinks I will be because I have being here almost 5 months now. Who knows though, we shall find out on Tuesday. I'm keen to stay but also to move, I'm fine with either. Will let you know of course next week Monday :)