I tried to get a good picture of the temple when we went to
Apia today
Hola Amigos!
This week was great. We didn't have a baptism because on
Friday bishop called us and said they found her record. But we found a
part member/less active family and there are six people that aren't baptized.
Four kids and two elders. We taught them the first lesson and it went well.
They really liked it. It's so fun to teach kids but its gonna be a little harder
this time because three of them can't read. We just invited them to all read
together. We also invited them to church and when we went to pick them up, as
we walked up I noticed all the mosquito nets still up so I knew no one was
awake. That was kind of a bummer...
We have two other investigators progressing quickly towards
baptism. The teaching part has gotten a lot easier since I've been training and
have had to take the lead for all the lessons but I still really struggle with
the non-gospel conversations. The getting to know the people is really tough and that's one
thing that I really feel is important. We're not just robots coming to shove our
beliefs down people's throats, we truly care about them and want to help them any way we
can. I'll keep working at it.
There has been a cyclone circling the pacific this whole
week. I think it made three loops. It hit Tonga the first time, then Tonga
again and Fiji a little and then the last time it hit Fiji really bad. I saw a
video of it and houses were destroyed. It was pretty crazy... It missed us
every time which was really lucky.
I've been in Faleasi'u for four months and I'll be here for
another two months unless something crazy happens and I get transferred in the
middle of me training my "son". I love this ward so much and I don't want to
leave. The people are so loving and so nice. It was hard watching Elder
Powelson say goodbye to people and he was only here for three months. I already
know it's gonna be really hard to say goodbye to everyone especially our recent
converts and current investigators. There is so much work here as well. I was
talking with one of our zone leaders and told him that I've already taken part in nine baptisms.
He's been out for 13 months and hasn't had nine so it's been great to have people so receptive here.
Our fafaga on Sunday was interesting. I think he is a less
active because the house smelled like cigarettes and he was drinking Ava Samoa.
After each meal, it is customary for the person who received the meal to say a
speech which pretty much is just saying thank you for everything and then
blessing them. We do one at just about every fafaga but this time was a little
different. I started saying the speech and he was just like, "Elders,
Elders, Elders......" I was thinking oh no what did I do...? what did I do
wrong...? He started to tear up (I think he was a little over emotional because
of the ava) and said that we don't need to thank him we need to thank Jesus. I
was relieved. I thought he was gonna start correcting me and telling me I was
doing something wrong. It was an interesting fafaga to say the least.
No baptisms this week but hopefully one next week!
Alofa atu
-Elder Tana
This is a coconut that has started to grow into a coconut
tree. the stuff that looks like ice cream is foamy and it tastes like coconut.
Its really sweet and good.
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