(Exact Fijian to English) We the elders!

This week is what would be considered the normal everyday missionary life, or at least best description. We wake up, study, eat lunch, run around in the hot sun, return after seeing 12 appts fall-through (which that being so normal you imagined you would only get 5 appts in total that day), and with your slightly scorched body, you plan to do  it again the next day. O how great is the rest at the end of those days.

As "you may have gathered", we get no amazing events. However, there is much more going on. We had Zone Conference (the meeting you meet with the mission President) where we received some trainings, and had interviews. I would have to say these are my favorite trainings, and should pattern the trainings given in other meetings in our mission. I took a few videos of some things, to show later how these work. I really like to have interviews. This is where you can discuss one-on-one with the mission President. His purpose is to help us to become converted, and oversee the work in this mission boundary. He calls Assistants to help him, then Zone Leaders, and District Leaders. To assist in the training of missionaries, and to help convert those in there perspective stewardship. Think about that. Why is it that there are leaders installed to convert the missionaries? Because being a missionary can be disheartening. It can be the cause for much stress, and can even throw much doubt into your mind. We are exposed to the people of the world to see the different concerns and solve them. Yet with that a missionary can feel with that concern from their own lack, and lose sight of that they know to be true.

It is known that people go away. When Christ was teaching that He was the bread of life, that man must eat His flesh, and drink His blood, lest they should parish. Many of His disciples were offended and left His side. Then He asked the twelve with Him," Will ye also go away?" A heart-breaking question, but Peter answered saying' "to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." This precept that testimony must come of the spirit is what will keep someone solid true and firm in testimony. If you ask for a miracle to prove faith, that is not faith at all. How many miracles did the people in the times of Moses see, yet they still "dwindled in unbelief." That is what goes on in a mission. The disciples testify of Christ, but they are still to, just as susceptible to the things of the world. They are not invincible, or perfect beings. They are in this with they whom they teach. I testify of this work being true. If you truly want to know, you have to actually do the things to know. Read the Book of Mormon, pray about it. I never felt the spirit from reading, until I nearly finished the Book. God is there. He has sent His people to be His blessings to His children. I share this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Finally see the temple again.

ITS PLANNER NUMBER 9!!!!!

Elder Perrit in Elder Ita's glasses

Elder Motuliki's Birthday!

Spice, the variety of events

I will go in order eh?

Monday I cut my finger open playing a game known to the Polys. Pani. You stack cans, knock them down, while they other team is doing a bit of dodgeball to get you out. Luckily, we asked for band-aids the night before. Inspired thinking?!!!! I also saw this guy who gave me bananas a while back. He gave me free socks. They say Hurricanes on them. He just knows my sockiness (no pun intended). It was at that time we were met by this guy from Peru. He talked to us a long while. He started by saying he knows Joseph Smith was very charismatic. He said that if he were to live longer, then this church would be the biggest. Well then he talked of how Brigham was very organized. Well after talking this all up, he goes to the Book of Mormon, and says that the Mayans and Incans have no relation to the Lamanites. Well long-story short, we missed our bus, and had to take another, which was the cause for much more walking.

Thursday, I was on an exchange with E. Court. We tete'ed kasva for a while. Well I saw that one of the guys was bleeding on his leg. I thought, how clumsy. Well, it never occurred to me that I was bleeding in the same place.

Friday, we waited a long time for the ZLs to drop us some baptism clothing. Well they said they would be there, so we waited...... and waited..... Well, this was annoying cause we ended up waiting an extra 3 hours for them. They gave no call to say they could not make it, so no work got done Friday. We came to the conclusion that they were not coming, so we went to Dinner. Well they forgot, so we returned. Well this random taxi driver decided to give us a ride, and he stopped halfway. Well outside we saw, the parents of the family for our dinner appointment. By this time it is 8:10, so we can not go back to Vuci. When he noticed me waving, he had a heart-attack almost. (to put it in perspective, if Fijians do not be friendly, or do not give us good hospitality, they say their blessings stop.) They ended up giving us 10 dollars, and I made this Pasta out of what we had out the house. No idea what I was doing, but it ended up being one of the best things I ate here......

Saturday, we went around to the various people telling them of the Relief Society party. I took a video of a kid trying to bathe the dog, it was way funny. He tried to tie a clothe at first, but the dog kept lying down, and biting the clothe. Well once it was on, the kid tried to pull the dog only for the dog to scare him.... I have a video, but I can not send that over email....

Later that evening the ZLs showed up to give us the baptismal clothes. We gave them some food before they left. (No hard feelings hahahaha) We filled up the font for the baptism the next morning, we got a good number of non-members to attend the party.

Sunday was the baptisms! I had to conduct the meeting. I now can for sure say that I can conduct a full meeting in Fijian, cause I did it!

My finger cut.  My leg got cut by kasava.  It happens all the time!

Hurricane socks

This is the Young womens camp book. The picture on the left is a member, her name is Asinate. She was telling us she was in the book.

Bro Roko was dancing!

More of the party!

The baptisms were Tima Talcy and Tomasi. President Delana was in the picture with us.

Rock you like a Hurricane (Hurricane Connor)

Our mission is all accounted for.

 The Hurricane didn't actually hit us, but we did feel its rain and winds.

 There was much sheltering, and chattering of teeth! O how great was the sight thereof! Waters fell from Heaven to fill the Earth. Many marveled at its wondrous thunder. Which thunder was more due to the rain pounding on the tin roofs of this land of Growth, heretofore known as Fiji. Amidst the constant splatter, the missionaries did triumph over the storm. It changed course fleeing from the sight of the Disciples of the One true Lord. O the likeness of people, as they hide themselves from the gospel. Yet this un-cut stone will roll-on til all the purposes of God be fulfilled! All people will here the refreshing call of the Living waters. They will have chance to witness the greatness of a fountain springing for life, yet not all will drink thereof. For they abound in their wickedness, and have turned from the light! Yet the disciples of God stretch their hands forth to be has typified saviors, to bring about the works of Christ, that they may have His salvation!

 What a good week though hahaha! That was my scriptural speak! I practice everyday, when I teach people! I try to sound prophetic, like those of old! haha not really, just is really cool sometimes, and pretty funny now in the English language.

 We have been prepping for the baptism this next week, and I will supply the pictures of the baptism when it "comes to pass" next week. I took a video of me werewere tiko (gardening with a knife the size of a machete) E. Motuliki. I hit the grass, then go for him. (Now a message from the producers, no one was actually hurt in the making. It only places a bit of dirt on E. Motuliki's elbow, we now return to me describing the week) Afterwards, we had Bu, the drinking kind of coconuts. NOTHING LIKE A REFRESHING COCONUT AFTER A DAYS WORK SLICING GRASS BEFORE A HURRICANE!!!!! - Elda MacLeod.

 

We closed our days in darkness, being that the clouds blotted out the sight of the moon. We do not have street lights either. It was really dark for a time. It is all good.

 

Hope you all have a holly Jolly week! ( just like the song! : have a holly jolly weekend, it's the best time of the week, stayin out late, with the friends you know..... this song has been discontinued because the flow of rhyme has ceased to satisfy the character of this email) 

 

(The Disrtict  From the left E. Gunderson, E. Tairua, E. Motuliki, My Apple Juice (2.4 liters), E. Court, and E. Tera

"Na Kau ka- Levu! (the big stick by translation)"

It is indeed a story, but a small one. It starts with that of us visiting a member. While in the house we chatted, and one the kids sat outside crying. When he finally came in, he was sent to shower. They dressed him, then sat him on a mattress in the living room. The member told us that he plays with the neighbor girls, but they are older, and he wants to be the boss. This means if he did not get his way, then he would attempt to fight. Well that led him to his current state of the story. As we talked, in his sleep, he stated loud and clear," Na Kau ka levu." He added lots of emphasis to the words ka levu, which is equivalent to saying the word "huge" very exaggerated. We laughed, thinking of his previous fight with the girls, now continuing in his dreams. Well this did not end here. When E. Motuliki and I returned, turning the lights out, we sat there in silence for 5 minutes. I was nearly to fall asleep, when he said, "Na Kau kalevu!" It was followed by much laughter. It is now a new inside joke!

 Anyways, we have been preparing Tima and Tomasi for baptism on the 21st. Everything is prepared, for it, just have to get there. We had lunch with them Sunday at President Delanas. It was a first birthday, which is huge in Fiji. Well only in Fai-Jai do they give the one-year-old the knife to cut the cake.... Sort-of... I sat at the head with President Delana. It is weird that seats for eating holds a rank. Normally the head of the house, sits at the head. His 1st born son sits in the next. If there is an honored guest of male gender, they take the seat of the first-born. Then it is his sons in order down. The birthday boy in a lunch for his birthday, sits after the last son for eating, but for the ceremony, sits at the head. Well, we may try to sit down, but they always tell us to "dabe cake", or sit higher. They hold high respect for us the Elders. We in Fijian are called Qase, yet by the public, called talatala or preacher. Qase is a more respectful term. Yet we are not old, so we are referred to as the English elders only.

 Anyways, we had not a week of swords, and bamboo poles, nor very long trips taking half a day. We did, however, have a week. That much is enough for me. 

 

Oh yeah, well I told about my right foot, but the left felt worse. Well it hurt so bad, I found conviction enough to stab my foot, with a needle with antibiotics on the end of it. Well, it has finally paid off, as I am now able to walk fine. It lead to many bleeding episodes of walking, but now I am not bleeding, it has healed ,and the swelling is going down. Just keeping you updated, my feet are now back to normal!  (I told Connor I might need proof that it is all better and I asked if he took some days to rest and let it get better. He just laughed and said" It is all good now.  Haha.  The sandals were no fun to put on, but I had to do the work.  I can not waste time.  I set milestones for baptisms, and there is no time to waste.")

Have an great week yous people. Until da next week doh.

 

Celebration of a firstborn birthday

Artwork

My left foot

 

 

Beauty and the Beach!

Yes, it is to say the beach does not look beautiful.  It is dirty, and the sand sticks to you more on this beach. 

We started with a Zone Beach trip to our area. We may have been there too long in my opinion.... People eventually got bored and sat down. I took some videos while running with the play. It will be good to watch memories in the future. I have found videos are better in every way. I just make sure I get pictures for these emails. They are much funner to look at!

Anyways, the next day we went to ZTM. It was good. Right afterwards, I went to Kuku with E. Gunderson on Exchanges. (He is the DL) I was out there for the last part of Tuesday, Wednesday, then returned Thursday morning. We had very good exchanges. We set two baptismal dates, the others set two baptismal dates. 

 We sat down with our Branch mission leader, and gave him names of the most active M. Priesthood holders in the ward. He gave the names to the Branch Presidency, and now we all have a goal set. We know who to focus on to make this place a ward. It will be nice to have a ward here. It gives a budget for activities. Normally grows much faster once it is indeed a ward. I received an email from the Ward mission Leader of Lautoka, he told me how great the work is going there now. I remember it was not so we I got there, and I guess I can say it was left better than I found it. Now I would like this to be on the rise, and it is now on-track, and we are with full support of the branch. They are going on themselves.

 Anyways, there is not much from this week. I really like our district. Sad it will most likely be split in April, but it is at least a long transfer. No really funny events, I guess I walk with a limp haha. It is a considerable amount of pain. My feet are swelling. The pressure from walking is very painful. Came up Tuesday, but is getting worse. I actually have an open wound on the top of my right foot. any ways, I am taking care of it. I will be alright. As long as I breathe I am working!

 

 ( I fussed him to make sure he was taking care of the wound when I received this and he replied:  

"don't worry. Antibiotic cream is on its way. I called it in this morning, cause I saw it would not heal very fast, so some should get to me today. I have been using neosporin and band-aids in the meantime.")

Planner 8 finished

on the beach

Found the Bush!

Kuku