November 7, 2010 - 3 weeks and counting...

Well first thing's first; I will tell you what my last three weeks are going to look like....

This Wednesday I will be going to Kadavu until Saturday to be companions with Elder Farley's companion while he is in a training. It will be so great to see everyone again. Then I just found out last night, after that I have been transferred to Savusavu to be a Zone Leader. It will be a whopping two weeks there then back to Suva to go home. I am a little surprised by the transfer but I am just gonna go and see if I can do anything in two weeks.

I found out that when I go to Savusavu I will be going back over to Taveuni on exchanges with the new district leader there to train him. Ha ha. So pretty much I am going back and revisiting every area I have served in. It has been great. So that is what is in store for Elder Wall the next three weeks. I am excited and time is going to fly by and I will be home before I know it.

This past week has been awesome! Leaving Tuvalu was hard but awesome at the same time. Monday night, President Niko threw a BBQ for my going away feast and invited the Teikauea's so it was really nice to have that as my last night in Tuvalu. When we flew out, ALL the members showed up to the airport and gave me gifts and said good bye. It was really cool. They gave me this crown thing made of shells and stuff and I had about twenty necklaces and things put around my neck, so I looked like King of Tuvalu; it was funny. I guess it is a thing here to make pillow cases to give to people, so I got like fifteen pillow cases with hand like crochet on them. I will never have to buy a pillow case again in my life. I love the people of Tuvalu and wish I could have spent some more time there; it was hard to leave.

We also came really close to missing the plane. Fiji had daylight savings time but they don't do that in Tuvalu. So the flight times changed and no one told us. Luckily the first counselor works at the airport and came to our house to get our stuff and check it in. If not, I would be extending my mission til after the new year cause the flights are 100% booked till after January. I am very grateful Bro Maumau saved us for that one. Ha ha.

Then we came to Suva and are staying with the Tamavua elders, which has been awesome. I have seen so many of the old members and recent converts I love. I am so so so happy to see how good all of my recent converts are doing! Luke who I baptized right before I left for Kadavu, got the Melchizedek priesthood yesterday and is going to be serving a mission next year! I am so happy for him. I cannot explain how happy I am when I meet all of these recent converts from when I served here and see them still strong in the church.

Another one from Wailoku that I was super excited about got baptized after I left as well. She was a golden investigator and I had a very strong confirmation during a lesson with her that she would be baptized, but then after that she had family problems and we had to stop seeing her. Then yesterday she came running to me in Stake Conference and said hi. She was baptized a few months ago and is strong in the church. I was so happy!

I have countless other stories of families that I built relationships with and reuniting with them was so awesome. It was cool to see so many people I baptized stay strong in the church. I am so happy. It has been an incredible week seeing them all again and seeing the great progression they have all made. It was such a good experience.

We also got a training from James A. Hamula from the first Quorum of the Seventy. As always with the general authorities, it was awesome! He compared missionary work to the things we learn in the temple in ways I had never even thought of. The man is a gospel doctrite for sure and just blew my mind with so many awesome insights and lessons. It was incredible.

I also had to bear my final testimony, which was crazy. I have seen so many elders bear theirs but I never thought my day would come. It was very spiritual but hard to do. I can't believe my time is almost up. Where have the last two years gone? Right now I feel like I am game for two more (although some days just making it to the next seems like an impossible task).

The Fiji Suva North Stake was also reorganized this weekend so we got to hear a lot from both Elder Hamula and Elder Wakolo from the seventy. They are both amazing and it was so good to hear from them. It was a great week and I loved seeing everyone again. I am excited to go see everyone in Kadavu as well. I am so grateful for the opportunity to see the fruits of my labors after they have had more time to develop. It really makes me feel good about the work I have done and things I have helped people to overcome and the difference it has made in their lives. Truly incredible!

Well I love you all. I think that about sums up my week. I am excited to see how this next week goes and then find out what is in store for me in Savusavu. See you all in a few weeks. Much love and prayers are going your way.

Love,
Elder Wall