Blog Description

A collection of letters from our favorite missionary. This blog is compiled by his sister and is made up of pictures and images sent to the fam.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

October 17, 2010 - Another week bites the dust

Well it was a great week and we had some awesome things happen. The language is coming and I think we made some strides in the language. We taught a couple of really basic lessons in only Tuvaluan, so hopefully we can continue to progress. My companion has really picked up a lot and has found the differences between Tuvaluan and Samoan and can speak pretty well; myself, not so much. My understanding keeps improving, but speaking is coming slowly; I am just not sure how to form sentences so I just slaughtering the grammar-- I just guess and say the words I know. But they nod their heads and say yes, so I think that is a good thing.

The best thing we had happen this week was when another investigator commited to be baptized. She had committed before, then changed her mind and we were going to drop her because she was not interested. Then she talked with Autoa and Tofikai, the best investigators ever, and now she is full onboard with a 180' attitude change and is awesome and ready to be baptized. In Polynessian culture, until you are twenty-one, you are under your parents' rule and have to do what they say. Then at twenty one you get a key that represents freedom and then they are on their own. Metzi is only nineteen, but she is afraid to tell her parents (who live on another island), so she said she is going to get baptized and then tell them. She can sign her own baptismal form cause she is over eighteen, so that is fine by me. It is really funny though cause usually that wouldn't happen. I am really excited for her though.

The rest of the investigators are doing awesome as well. We have 9 people who will be interviewed for baptism this week. That is a new high for my mission. I am way happy! We also keep getting more and more awesome investigators. About the time I go, there should be about 10 more ready for baptism. I cannot believe how on fire this island is! EVERYONE is ready to accept the gospel. We had 15 investigators at church and an attendance of 86. Those numbers are through the roof; it is incredible!

Our elders qurom president is really motivated about home teaching and gave out assignments on Sunday. We have had some great meetings with the Branch President as well. They are just very humble church leaders who want to do what is right but aren't really that sure how to go about doing it. I am really excited as well for the combined family home evening that we will be having tonight; it is going to be a good time.

I was also really happy with the Teikauea family. They all came to church...except Bro Teikauea, but I am not worried. We will keep working with him and he will come. Eve took the fruit first and then persuaded Adam, so Sis Teikauea is really gonna help us out. Sis Teikauea cried a lot at church. I am not sure if it was cause she felt the spirit or cause she wished her husband was with her. But either way, she said she loved it and will be coming back.

We went to the 30th anniversary of the National Bank of Tuvalu this week too, which was fun. We are like famous around here cause we wear shirts and ties and walk around in the heat everyday. So we are considered like "high standing" members of the community. They brought us an official anouncement and invitation. It was a lot of fun. The amount of food at this party was unreal, three whole pigs just sitting on the table and everyone goes and tears off their own piece, chicken, beef, crab, lobster, sausage, and endless amounts of fish and rice. There was so much food we could have fed all of India three times over. But as islanders usually do, they finished it all off. They also had some traditional dances and live band with Traditional Tuvaluan music. It was great.

Well that was my week this week. I hope this week goes just as well. All is well in Tuvalu.

Love,
Elder Wall

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