July 30th...Don't be cheeky

This week we just stayed at home cause of my comp's leg. It's a lot better now so were gonna get to work this week. We baptized our one investigator Faleiva. He lives in Uafato the village with the chapel that's just a roof on polls. There isn't a font so we did the baptism in the river right behind the chapel. My comp was gonna get a picture of me before we did the baptism, but he had to be a witness so he only got the after shot.  That's the first picture above.

We went to Apia this morning to fill up the car and we stopped by one of the elders houses to get a haircut. Elder Powelson is his companion so we got to talk a with him a little bit. Elder Powelson was my trainer and he goes home in two weeks. 

My comp and I thought this was pretty funny...

Don't be cheeky... translated: "aua te tautalalaitiiti"

July 24th...also a little late!

Three waterfalls.

Part of the village in Uafato where we have to cross this river.

We can't cross the road because the water is way too high.

Got that Samoan hair cut baby!

This week we spent a lot of time in Uafato getting our one investigator ready for baptism this Saturday. That's about it. We tried to do some door knocking in a village but no one really seems willing to talk to us and I think a big problem is the matai's in the village. People are afraid of them. We've met a lot of younger people who seem interested in what we have to share and want to do lessons but their parents won't let them, so it's tough. We might try to start a little camp or something to try and get some investigators. They play volleyball and stuff quite often at the chapel and a lot of nonmembers come so maybe that could give us some opportunities.

This week is just going to be getting our investigator ready for his baptism.

We went to the doctor today and my companion's leg is really infected and he said we just have to take it easy this week. Hoepfully it gets better!

I've decided to start reading the Old Testament. It's long....but I came across this scripture I liked in Judges chapter 10.

 13  Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more.

 14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.

 

July 17th post... a little late!

 Takin' a niu brake. The best

Uafato

This week was good. Sorry my emails are so short there just isn't as much to talk about here. Monday we went and helped a youth in the ward with his plantation. It was fun.

Tuesday we went on a split with the kid we helped Monday. We tried to do some visits but people never really seem too happy to see us come up to their houses. We had one decent visit and we tried to visit them later in the week but no one was home. Next week......

Thursday and Friday we went to Uafato and did lessons with Faleiva and invited him to be baptized the 30th of this month and he said yes. So we just gotta help him come out of his shell a bit. It's definitely better though because the first time we tried to teach him he ran away. He's a good kid and comes to church every Sunday.

Saturday we went on another split with the same kid. We visited some houses that are right around this catholic chapel. There was an old lady (probably 70) and her daughter. The old lady was Mormon but married a man of another faith and he died so she said she'll honor him by going to his church but she knows our church is true. She said we could teach her daughter and her family. The daughter's husband doesn't go to a church so I really hope that could turn into something.

Everyday the kids are asking to use the balls we bought. It's ok, but sometimes it gets a little tiring. 

July 11 - a rainbow and my favorite meal

A Samoan rainbow

This is the meal I live for...Lu'au (taro leaves and coconut cream), umu taro and umu pig.  It's extra delicious with handy dandy BBQ sauce that you sent me in the package!

This week was pretty unproductive. We tried to find some people to teach but nothing came of it. On Sunday we decided to go to Uafato for church and it was a good decision. The kid we've been trying to visit was at church and the bishop brought him over to us and said we can do lessons with him so I'm really excited about that. Other than that not much happened this week. We just went to Apia to fill up the car and we bought a basketball and a rugby ball so we'll be getting some excercise in  with the kids every morning.

Happy 4th of JULY!

                                         Mutaaga and Daniel...I didn't get a pre-baptism pic

                                     
                                Our district.  My old companion is the 2nd one on the left.

                                          This is me and Elder Tiatia, my new companion

This week was good!  My companion got transferred and now I'm companions with the elder I was supposed to be companions with at the beginning of the transfer. His name is Elder Tiatia and he's from West Valley Utah. He started in January but went home for a bit because he got really sick but now he's back. It's been really fun and way less stressful, especially being able to speak English.

The baptisms went well. It was funny/embarrassing what happened. So the font we did it in, the floor was super slippery. I baptized the mom first but SHE DIDN'T BEND HER KNEES so it was kinda all over the place.  So I was thinking you're getting all the way under the water because I aint doing this again. When she came up and I looked at the witnesses they were like I guess. It definitely didn't look pretty but I got it done! Then Daniel was really easy. He reminds me of a Samoan Magnus. He's super cool. The family is awesome. I really want to keep in touch with them so when the year mark hits of their baptism, hopefully they can get sealed in the temple here and I can go.

Other than that, not much is happening. We don't have a single investigator right now but we have faith that we can find at least someone to teach and baptize. It's funny that we went and visited the bishop in Uafato and talked with him for a bit. We asked him if there is anyone to teach and he straight up told us no so....

Oh and our water tank is empty so we've been filling up jugs of water at the zone leaders' houses and filling up buckets from the pipe at the chapel to shower.  Lovin the struggle!!

June 26 - Doing the dab...

Apparently this is the new dance move called the dab so we did a dab zone picture. This is the old zone though when I was in Faleasiu.

There are countless waterfalls in our area. Below it is the school and that's what most of the schools look like. I'm sending more pictures because we're emailing in the office and I can take advantage of the free internet.

I have the biggest crush on this little girl. She's very cute!

So this week was good. We had good lessons with Mutaaga and Daniel (our baptisms this Saturday). District meeting went well this week. The lesson turned out a lot better than I thought it would be. I talked about Luke chapter 15 which teaches about the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. I focused on the part that happens after they find the thing that was lost...that they rejoice and party and even kill the fatted calf. I connected that to D&C 18: 15,16 and D&C 15:6 about how missionary work is the best work to do on this earth.

On Sunday we went to church in Uafato where the chapel has no walls. I got distracted watching the ocean because it backs up right to the ocean so that was cool. The church is so strong in Fagaloa. There probably aren't over 150 people in that village and over 100 attended church. Two youth also received their mission calls to Hamilton, New Zealand and Melbourne, Australia.  I just think it's so awesome how strong the church is in a place like this.

We have two baptisms this week and the branch doesn't have a baptismal font so I was thinking (hoping!!!) we might do it in the ocean.  That would be my dream but I think we'll end up doing it at the other chapel where the ward is so I was kinda bummed to hear that.

I've had to do my laundry out of buckets since being in Fagaloa but it's not that bad. My clothes aren't as clean but it'll get me through.

I have no time cause were busy in the office again so have a great week!

This is the car we drive...of all times and places to become a soccer mom I never thought it would happen on my mission in Samoa...ha! ha!

8 day sinus headache...& going to Uafato

My Samoan driver's license....

This week not much happened because I was sick but it was still good.  I had a bad sinus headache for about 8 days and it's finally better...

The new thing we have to do if we're sick is call straight to the mission president. Tuesday had been about day 4 with the headache and it wasn't getting any better. So I called predsident and told him what was going on and he said he was going to come out to us. We're about an hour and a half away from the office. It was funny because then he called and asked if I wanted anything, like McDonalds or anything like that and I said no thanks because I wasn't hungry. Then my companion asked who it was and I told him and then he grabbed the phone and called president and said he wanted some Burger Bills (a fast food place here in Samoa that is NOT good.) The mission president, President Hannemann and his wife got to our house around 9 and gave me some medicine. They had to stay and wait to see if I had any bad reactions to the medicine. Sister Hannemann insisted on having my feet rubbed. She said it helps with headaches. So she made one of the AP's (Assistant to the President) rub my feet.  President was on the phone outside and then came in and then he rubbed my feet too. Not what I was expecting to happen but it did... The APs also gave me a blessing. I may not have gotten better from the blessing but I definitely felt peace and comfort and knew things would soon get better. I'm so grateful for the priesthood.

Wednesday and Thursday we didn't do anything because my head still hurt really badly.

Friday my head wasn't feeling any better but we had zone conference so we went and it was good. We talked about different things from "Preach my Gospel" that I think will really help us.

Saturday the headache was finally gone!! We went to Uafato. When you think about the ends of the earth, Uafato is that. It is a tiny village so far from everything but there are people there and almost all of them are members of the church! We went with a kid who is waiting to receive his mission call. He is super cool. It took us about three hours to visit all the families in the village. We have one investigator there and we met him and set a time to meet with him this week. 

Sunday we went to the branch for church and taught a lesson to our investigators who attended church that day. They got married on Friday last week. A big challenge here in Samoa is when we have a couple that wants to get baptized but they aren't married.   Now that they are married, it makes things so much easier. They will be getting baptized on the 2nd of July which is so great.  Time goes so quickly and I can't believe it's almost July!

Everything is great here on the lava rock!   Miss you all!!

alofa atu

-elder tana

Elder Tuimauga, Elder Anderson who just went home (his sister is the one married to Coach Littlewood's son), and Sister Hannemann. Good times trying to get better and getting  my feet rubbed.

This is where they have church in Uafato. I think it's sweet!