Well this week has been incredible. I think it has been the best week of my mission.
We started off with interviews with president, which are always good. Then we had an awesome Zone Conference. President Ostler talked about how we have a lot of really good missionaries, but very few great missionaries. He compared it to terrestrial missionaries and celestial missionaries. It really hit home to me cause I think I'm a really good missionary, but I'm not great yet. So I went about this week with a new attitude and a new focus to become a Celestial missionary. It made all the difference. I went from doing a few push ups in the morning to say that I exercised, to running and honestly exercising hard. I got more serious about companionship study and planning out our days. The result was great we (me and Elder Alba) had an incredible week with much more spirit with our work when we were prepared to have it with us. Almost every single lesson was crazy powerful and we could see the difference in the people we taught.
We also focused more on BRT (build a relationship of trust) and it helped us teach and to meet the people's needs more, which was awesome. One family has been investigating for three years and has excuse after excuse why she doesn't want to join. We went to them, and they are really big into playing the guitar. Me and their son and the father played guitar for an hour and then I taught them how to play a song that I didn't even know I remembered. It was a Creed song that I learned forever ago. After that we started the lesson and they opened up like a book. Their mother just started asking deep questions and picking out things, but we just explained and clarified everything so good. Then she came to church yesterday. We were shocked. It was really awesome!
We also tracted a lot cause we're still in a foursome and we found some of the best new investigators. We had some awesome lessons.
So basically this week was incredible. We were happy, smiling, and having a good time all week long. I loved it! A smile goes a mile.
As for Rakiraki, we went back Wednesday and Bro Cagi ( I refuse to call him president now he is released) pulled a quick one on the Stake. He moved out, they came and saw he was out, then he moved right back in. So Rakiraki is closed long term now and I think it is going to be a long time before missionaries are back.
The members are still doing pretty good. So for their sake, I hope the Stake figures something out. One member from Rakiraki, the chief's wife, weaved me the coolest scripture case ever as a going away gift and gave me a bird she weaved to send home. They are awesome!
So here is the new announcement on my transfer and where I am going: I have been assigned to the Tamavua ward which is in Suva. So I can't avoid the city anymore. I guess I'm just a village boy. I don't want to serve in the city, but I guess the Lord has different plans for me. I am going to follow-up training with Elder Smiley. He has been in the missionfield four weeks now. He is from New Zealand and seems pretty cool, so that will be good. He is new and doesn't know Fijian, so I am gonna be tested and find out how good my Fijian really is. It will be good for me though. I will no longer have someone else to rely on. All my comps so far have been really good with Fijian, so I have leaned on them a little bit. Not any longer. It will be good. I will get better and learn more now. It is probably the best area in Suva for that.
It is an all Fijian area and Ward. I leave for Suva Wednesday. So wish me luck.
Love you all and miss you. Thanks for the prayers and I am praying for you as well.
Loloma Levu
Elda Lalaga
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
July 12, 2009 E-mail
Well it has been a pretty good week. We worked pretty hard and did much better about filling up our week for all four of us Elders. I am getting to know the ward a little bit too they are great. It is wierd being in a large functional ward, but it's good. I love not having to prepare lessons for Sunday school and priesthood and worry about who is talking, praying, and all that good stuff. So it is nice to get to sit back and enjoy church instead of being concerned with making everything happen.
The work here has been going good. We have some good investigators really close to baptism. Like everywhere in Fiji, we have a lot of less actives we have been trying to work with. It has gone pretty good.
Tavua area is kind of two areas: Vatukoula, which is a gold mine and a town for all the people who work in it. Then Tavua Village. Most of the time I am in the village with Elder Alba. But we switch off a little bit.
I love the Village life. I hope I spend my whole mission in villages. I don't like the cities. I am just a village boy.
This Wednesday, we went to Rakiraki, which was awesome and I loved it. The members are all still doing really well. They were so excited to see us and just talked about how much were loved and missed, so that was really cool. We snuck up on Keresi and caught her reading the Book of Mormon. I was so happy to see that she is still being faithful and doing what she needs to even though the Elders aren't there to remind her. It was awesome.
Miti also was so happy when I told him that I sent his baptismal picture home and that you all got so to see it. He always asks about you and says to send you his love. He is the best. I love him. He has totally taken on the responsibilty of the sacrament since we have been gone too. He brings the bread and prepares the table and makes sure that Jone, the teacher, will be there to pass. He is the best.
We also met in Rakiraki one of the pioneers of the church in Fiji. She was one of the first to join and she helped to translate the BOM into Fijian. She is the nicest old lady ever.
Some more good news from Rakiraki: we heard that President Cagi got released yesterday, so that is good. Things are starting to happen there. Today I have my Interview with the President and I will talk about what is gonna happen with Rakiraki and whether or not I am gonna get transferred. So we will see.
I am very excited for Zone Conference tomorrow. Well that is my week. Love you all.
Love,
Elder Wall
The work here has been going good. We have some good investigators really close to baptism. Like everywhere in Fiji, we have a lot of less actives we have been trying to work with. It has gone pretty good.
Tavua area is kind of two areas: Vatukoula, which is a gold mine and a town for all the people who work in it. Then Tavua Village. Most of the time I am in the village with Elder Alba. But we switch off a little bit.
I love the Village life. I hope I spend my whole mission in villages. I don't like the cities. I am just a village boy.
This Wednesday, we went to Rakiraki, which was awesome and I loved it. The members are all still doing really well. They were so excited to see us and just talked about how much were loved and missed, so that was really cool. We snuck up on Keresi and caught her reading the Book of Mormon. I was so happy to see that she is still being faithful and doing what she needs to even though the Elders aren't there to remind her. It was awesome.
Miti also was so happy when I told him that I sent his baptismal picture home and that you all got so to see it. He always asks about you and says to send you his love. He is the best. I love him. He has totally taken on the responsibilty of the sacrament since we have been gone too. He brings the bread and prepares the table and makes sure that Jone, the teacher, will be there to pass. He is the best.
We also met in Rakiraki one of the pioneers of the church in Fiji. She was one of the first to join and she helped to translate the BOM into Fijian. She is the nicest old lady ever.
Some more good news from Rakiraki: we heard that President Cagi got released yesterday, so that is good. Things are starting to happen there. Today I have my Interview with the President and I will talk about what is gonna happen with Rakiraki and whether or not I am gonna get transferred. So we will see.
I am very excited for Zone Conference tomorrow. Well that is my week. Love you all.
Love,
Elder Wall
Thursday, July 9, 2009
July 7, 2009 Email
**The following post contains two seperate letters. The first was to the family, and the second was to Dad. However, we liked the second one so much that we have decided to post it too for your viewing pleasures.**
Letter #1:
Well this week has flown by. It has been an interesting week. We are still in a foursome in Tavua. We probably will be like this for another week. Next week is Zone Conference and my guess is probably transfers also. The plan was for us to come to Tavua while the problems in Rakiraki work out and then go back in a couple weeks. But I am not sure if the problems will work out that quickly, we will see though.
We did a secret move out of our Rakiraki flat, which was fun. President Ostler didn't want the Branch President to know we were leaving, so we snuck in and moved everything out in like thirty minutes in the pouring rain. All my stuff got soaked. It was kinda cool though. I felt stealthy.
Then this week was kinda tough. It was difficult to find enough work for four elders, so me and Elder Alba did a lot of tracting and less-active work. It was good. We met a lot of people they didn't know about before in this area, so that is good. But I am glad I am in a mission that you don't tract a lot cause it is way hard, and we dont even get turned down. I think if I got doors slammed in my face, I would hate it. Good thing the lord sent me here.
Anyways, July 4th... they don't celebrate it here, but we tried to make it a little bit cool. A member who lived in America forever told us about a Butcher shop and we had a barbeque, which was fun. We bought an entire cow backstrap for 15 dollars Fijian, which is about 7 American.... CHEAP! I used my butcher skills and we chopped it up and ate unhealthy amounts of steak and loved every minute of it. We didn't have anything for seasoning though, cause they dont really sale seasoning here. But it was a good July 4th. No fireworks though. The Fijian government is a mess and fireworks are illegal now. But I hear from the older missionaries that they used to have the craziest fireworks ever for dirt cheap.
Well that about sums up my week. I hope next week, I will have more permanant changes to talk about, but until then, we're in the coolest foursome to ever hit Fiji.
Pray for the members in Rakiraki and their Branch. I have no clue what is gonna happen there.
I love you all. Stay strong and have extra fun for me this summer.
Love,
Elder Wall
Letter #2:
I look at the change I have had so far on my mission and am amazed. I have changed so much and am only continuing to change. I just hope I can continue to do good and help these wonderful people. I don't know if I am going to go back to Rakiraki or not, but I feel good cause I can leave knowing that I helped these people and changed/fixed things that have been going on and getting worse for the past six years that no one has been able to do anything about. It was a heck of a challenge and it tried me to my very limits. But after it all, I look back on it with a smile, and feel really good about the things I did.
I kept telling myself throughout it all that if I got through it and made something happen, then anything else I face in my life is going to be nothing compared to this. I think it's true and I am glad I am going to have this to look back on and say, "I have had it worse and I made it out okay."
Thanks so much for all you have done and all you do. I was never as appreciative as I should have been for you mom and the whole family.
I love and miss you all.
Love,
Elder Wall
Letter #1:
Well this week has flown by. It has been an interesting week. We are still in a foursome in Tavua. We probably will be like this for another week. Next week is Zone Conference and my guess is probably transfers also. The plan was for us to come to Tavua while the problems in Rakiraki work out and then go back in a couple weeks. But I am not sure if the problems will work out that quickly, we will see though.
We did a secret move out of our Rakiraki flat, which was fun. President Ostler didn't want the Branch President to know we were leaving, so we snuck in and moved everything out in like thirty minutes in the pouring rain. All my stuff got soaked. It was kinda cool though. I felt stealthy.
Then this week was kinda tough. It was difficult to find enough work for four elders, so me and Elder Alba did a lot of tracting and less-active work. It was good. We met a lot of people they didn't know about before in this area, so that is good. But I am glad I am in a mission that you don't tract a lot cause it is way hard, and we dont even get turned down. I think if I got doors slammed in my face, I would hate it. Good thing the lord sent me here.
Anyways, July 4th... they don't celebrate it here, but we tried to make it a little bit cool. A member who lived in America forever told us about a Butcher shop and we had a barbeque, which was fun. We bought an entire cow backstrap for 15 dollars Fijian, which is about 7 American.... CHEAP! I used my butcher skills and we chopped it up and ate unhealthy amounts of steak and loved every minute of it. We didn't have anything for seasoning though, cause they dont really sale seasoning here. But it was a good July 4th. No fireworks though. The Fijian government is a mess and fireworks are illegal now. But I hear from the older missionaries that they used to have the craziest fireworks ever for dirt cheap.
Well that about sums up my week. I hope next week, I will have more permanant changes to talk about, but until then, we're in the coolest foursome to ever hit Fiji.
Pray for the members in Rakiraki and their Branch. I have no clue what is gonna happen there.
I love you all. Stay strong and have extra fun for me this summer.
Love,
Elder Wall
Letter #2:
I look at the change I have had so far on my mission and am amazed. I have changed so much and am only continuing to change. I just hope I can continue to do good and help these wonderful people. I don't know if I am going to go back to Rakiraki or not, but I feel good cause I can leave knowing that I helped these people and changed/fixed things that have been going on and getting worse for the past six years that no one has been able to do anything about. It was a heck of a challenge and it tried me to my very limits. But after it all, I look back on it with a smile, and feel really good about the things I did.
I kept telling myself throughout it all that if I got through it and made something happen, then anything else I face in my life is going to be nothing compared to this. I think it's true and I am glad I am going to have this to look back on and say, "I have had it worse and I made it out okay."
Thanks so much for all you have done and all you do. I was never as appreciative as I should have been for you mom and the whole family.
I love and miss you all.
Love,
Elder Wall
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