Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Manuia Le Kerisimasi - skype in 6 days!!!!!! :)









MANUIA LE KERISIMASI



Things are going swell here in Tafuna.  This is the last week until transfers so probably at least one of us is going to get transferred.



Our investigator getting baptized this week is so awesome. We did a couple lessons with her this week. One time as we were walking up, she had the Book of Mormon voice over playing throughout the house which was pretty funny.  She has shared so much about her past with us and she's come so far.  She is keeping a journal of everything she has learned and she just loves the gospel so much.  It's so cool to finally see someone so interested here in American Samoa because it's been a while.... 



We had Stake Conference and Elder Haleck of the Seventy presided. He is the Area President here and is from American Samoa.  His wife was taught by our investigator when she was in college and they said they're going to come to our baptism so that'll be pretty cool.



One thing President Hannemann has asked us to do differently when we teach is to really explain the Godhead.  Almost every first visit we have with someone, they'll say, "We all go to different churches but we worship the same God".  Most of the time we would just nod our head and agree. But President has asked that we say, actually we don't.  We worship different Gods.  My God has a body of flesh and bones and they are three separate beings. It's actually been fun doing that and we have had some interesting conversations with people.



Alma giving some food for thought...


44  For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.



 45  And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.



 46  O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.



Hope everyone has a safe and Merry Christmas!!


Alofa atu 




(mom & dad are assuming this is where Justin lives...???  He didn't give details)

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Double blog post from 12/5 & 12/12





First niu I've had in Tutuila


Taaalofa 



This week was really cool. 



Our teaching pool is growing but the progress feels slow sometimes.  I've noticed there are many people from the Philippines in American Samoan.  We did finally get an opportunity to visit the lady from India. It ended up being a pretty solid Bible bash where we just argue back and forth.  Bible bashes are entertaining every now and then. For me, I still see them as an opportunity to share what I know and believe, so I don't mind them sometimes.  I feel the spirit working and bringing scriptures to my rememberance to share.  It makes me want to study and learn more, and it also reminds me of the truthfulness of the gospel!



Wednesday we had our Christmas program for Tutuila.   We started out with a quick devotional thing with the mission president, his wife, the APs, and some sister training leaders. It was really good and we talked a lot about Christ and His life.  After that, we got to do some shopping and I got some cool shirts.  Then we ate at this Chinese food place.  After that we went to the Hospital for a service opportunity.  We sang to people and  I also had the opportunity to give an elderly lady a blessing.  I actually did it in Samoan and it went well! The whole singing thing is not me at all, but it was awesome to be able to exercise the priesthood and to be able to bless someone else. 



Samoa is good and it's only getting hotter.

Alofa atu ia te outou uma lava!!







a little gecko










Hi everyone!



This week was awesome and we have a baptism set for Christmas Eve! 



Her name is L... and she is super cool!  We met her Thursday and she's the most prepared investigator ever!  She loves to talk so the first visit was almost 3 hours long.  She is from San Francisco so we're teaching the lessons in English.  She's already read almost all of 1st Nephi and is searching lds.org all the time.  We did lesson one and when we invited her to be baptized she said, " I'm down!  Let's do this!  I'm down!!"  Pretty funny and I'm super excited for that!



We met another guy who started telling us we're wasting our time and it was super frustrating.  It's amazing how on the mission you can go from super highs and feeling great about things to those types of conversations and feeling a bit down and defeated.  Thankfully, there are way more of the great times.  It's no surprise that we didn't spend a lot of time talking to him.



One of our fafagas took us to McDonalds and on the way home we helped this guy jump his car.  We jumped it with copper wire.  It was so sketchy but it worked!  I'm learning all types of things.....

Good times




Friday, December 2, 2016

Chinese food for Thanksgiving - Nov. 28







Selfie


This week had its ups and downs...



On the bright side we found a lot of new people to teach which is exciting. People from all over the world that settled here - Filipinos, Samoans, and an Indian woman straight from India. They all seem pretty interested. 



On the down side, we lost a couple baptismal dates. The young man we planned to baptize this upcoming week couldn't make it to church so we have to push it back again. Hoping this is something he really wants.  I guess we'll find out this week.



The elders from Manu'a were on the island for a checkup and we got to do a split with them. Elder Reid (from Provo) and Elder Brown (he's from Fagaloa).  It was fun and we found some people to talk to and teach.  At one house as we were walking up, we heard, "GO AWAY PLEASE!!" in a very irritated tone.  Then Elder Brown said, ia! manuia le aso! Alofa atu!!  (have a good day. Love you!). It was pretty funny.



We still have the family committed to get baptized the 14th of January. She leaves to Upolu next month so we continue to visit her.



I read something from a conference talk from a while ago that I really liked.  I can't remember who said it but he said, "One of the aspects that God likes about being God is that He is able to be merciful." 


Heavenly Father wants us to do our best but sometimes we mess up. He is merciful and is eternal and will always help us even when we mess up.  That's comforting to know.





This baby is the child of our investigators. He is 4 months and so chubby.
Such a big baby but so cute and fun.



Our Thanksgiving  meal...a member dropped off some Chinese food.