week 4

I can't believe it's already been almost a month! It's all gone really fast. I'm learning a lot and I'm starting to realize I know more Samoan than I give myself credit for. I'm starting to feel more and more confident as time goes on but no matter how much I study, I know nothing can prepare me for being in Samoa.

Last Friday we challenged the other Samoan district to a kickball game. Whoever lost had to take the other district's trays for meals in the cafeteria. Of course we won and the other district had to take our trays.

Saturday we had TRC. TRC is when native Samoans who speak Samoan come to the MTC and we teach them a lesson in Samoan. It was really fun because if we couldn't think of a word they would whisper it to us. We taught two lessons and after each one, the person we taught was really helpful. They both said I knew more Samoan than they did when they were in the MTC so that was a big confidence boost for me. They all said just keep working hard and it will come and I believe that to be true. Since this weekend is conference, we don't have TRC but the week after we teach someone over Skype from Samoa.

I'm excited for conference. I looked at the schedule for the next two days and didn't realize how many sessions there are.  It's going to be a nice break from class 24/7 and we'll get to listen to our inspired church leaders. 

Monday we  had a really great opportunity to watch Elder Richard G. Scott's funeral. It was so cool to me that it was more of a celebration than anything else. His wife had passed away 20 years earlier so they were finally reunited. The spirit was so strong listening to all the hymns sung and talks given recognizing his great life.

I had been needing a haircut but didn't want to get one at the barbershop because they just chop your hair off.  There is an Elder in our zone going to Fiji from Australia and he said he is good at cutting hair so I let him do it. He did a really good job and I still have most of my hair.

I wanna end my email with a scripture and my testimony in Samoan.

The scripture is Alma chapter 26 verse 16 and it says,

 "Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel."

I love this when there a rhetorical questions in the scriptures. I like how it says we can't glory too much in the Lord. We can't even begin to comprehend His all-knowing knowledge and the everlasting love He has for each of us individually.

My testimony...

O te fia tu`u atu lo`u molimau. Ou te iloa e moni le talalelei a Iesu Keriso. Ou te iloa `atoa `o ia, `aiga mafai e fa`atasi pea lava. Ou te iloa o Iesu Keriso o lo tatou Togiola. Ou te fa`afetai mo le alofa o lo tatou Tama Fa`alelagi mo Ana fa`amanuiaga ma mo le ata o le fa`aolataga. I le suafa o Iesu Keriso, `amene.

Alofa ia te latou (love towards you all)

 

Elder Sitana