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!!!