This week was tough. I'm still trying to adjust to how different
it is. Other than the language aspect, it feels like I'm starting over.
Missionary work is so different here.
I had Mcdonalds 3 times this week.....
After emailing on Monday last week, we went to this store in
our area called "Cost U Less". It is a legit Costco. It's crazy.
This whole week we have just been trying to find members and
get to know them and ask them for referrals. But we have no idea where the
members live. One thing that's different is that in Upolu whatever church was
closest, that's the church people would attend. So living on chapel grounds there, everyone
around us were members so it was super easy to find the members and get to know
them. It was also fun playing with the kids and stuff. Now here everyone has
cars and there are all these roads that go all over the place so everyone goes
to the church they really want to go to.
Another thing is that everyone here works and is busy doing other
stuff rather than being at home and spending a lot of family time watching the kids all day. So it's been really tough to
find people to teach during the day.
Also, Elder Fifita, the elder I trained is our zone leader here so
that's been fun. Our district is huge and I think we have 7 companionships.
We have one investigator and he's progressing really well. He
married a member and he's been coming to church the past couple weeks. We did a
lesson with him on Wednesday night and he likes doing the lessons in English so
it's been really weird. I feel like I suck at teaching in English and there is no flow to
the lesson. The positive thing is that it has been pretty easy to build a relationship with them. The
lesson went pretty well and we invited him to read 2 Nephi 31 and that we'd do
another lesson at church on Sunday. The Sunday lesson went well also. He read some
of the chapter so we just read it again all together. He really likes the concept of
the priesthood and how it can bless his family. They are expecting their first
baby soon and he said he knows the gospel will be a great help to them. We were
talking about the Holy Ghost and we all kinda shared experiences we've had with
the Holy Ghost. Then he opened up and told us about his past and how he was
in trouble but he believes that the Lord saved his life and has led him to this
point. The Spirit was super strong and I know he felt it. We've invited him to
be baptized but he wants to read the Book of Mormon and learn more before he
makes a decision. I can't blame him at all. I do know that if he goes into this process with faith and does his part, that he will accept the invitation. We have a lesson planned for this Thursday and hopeully he
accepts to be baptized!!
We are also planning on going on a split with the bishop to
get more familiar with the ward.
Everything is good here. We have a microwave and a toaster
in our house which has been sweet.
Still adjusting to the more American lifestyle. The American food has
been messing with my stomach as well...
You can send packages the way you send letters to the
Tutuila address. Just to clarify, send everything to this address:
Elder Justin Sterner
Samoa Apia Mission
P.O. Box 608
Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799
It'll get here super fast and it's way cheaper. I don't really know
what I need cause I can get it here. It's just harder because with Samoan money, it's
like 1 American dollar is 2.5 tala but here they use American money.
(From mom: no photos this week :( :( :( )
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