Mission Conference

How is home? Everything here is good! The weather this week was cloudy and rainy so VERY humid... it was crazy haha! I get so dirty! Especially after playing rugby with the kids.... covered in dirt! There are a few things you get used to here.... 1. Being dirty 2. Being wet haha! I thought I would think of more but I just forgot..... hahaha o well. This week we didn’t do much. I thought we would have baptisms but we are going to try and get them this week. We have one SET and 3 hopefully!  

It is really nice here! We had a full mission conference with a member of the Seventy, Elder David L Holstrom. (I think that’s who it was. It was hard to hear.) haha They broadcasted it to us here!

So for Christmas I might be able to Skype if I stay here because they family whose computer I use has Skype! But that’s only if President says it is ok ha! Weeks here are already starting to feel like it’s the same every day! Days go slow but weeks go fast! Love it! Sorry I will try and bring my journal next time so I remember more haha! Love you all!!

Elder Mani

To answer Mom’s questions: My funnest event of the week was eating dog and watching my companion throw it out the window haha!  My most difficult event of the week was just dealing with the language ha!  My most awesome event was having someone else other than me that is white in my village haha!  I wasn’t the only one who can’t speak the language for a change!

Do they just cook up stray dogs? Ya, the family who was our fafanga told us to come get their dog haha.

One of the Fale Koloa's (stores) in our area.

Sunset!

Fafanga yesterday! It was really good! 

There is a lady here as a part of the Peace Corps from Wisconsin. 

She came and ate with us. She barely knows Tongan haha!

A picture I drew when I got bored...

Another Slow Week

This week was another slow week with only a couple lessons taught but we did do some good stuff! We went to a pineapple (faina) field and picked some pineapples to send with my companion’s cousin to the main island for some other missionaries there. We went and delivered them at night to him before he left back on the boat with his recent wife who is a Palangi from Australia so it was nice talking to someone else who was learning the language haha. When we were done gathering the pineapples, we stopped on a bridge and took some pictures. It was fun.  

Other than that it was just trying to get more people to teach! We have 7 investigators hoping to baptize 3 this week but it all depends on what their parents say since they are all under 18. A lot of the kids we are teaching are friends of the kids who hang around us all the time. We are soon teaching a kid’s dad because he isn't a member but idk when that will start. I am doing good though! I don't know if I have gained or lost weight....I sweat so much I am hoping I am losing it so I can come home with a 6 pack haha! But ya just the typical struggles with the language but it is coming!!! I just need to study Vocab!!!!

My package from you is at the office. They seem to get there but some Zone leaders take packages...... we will see if I get it cuz they brought other packages but not mine this past time.... one of my friends that came to Tonga with me works near the office so he sees it if I get stuff.

I’m in Tuanekivale now at a member’s house. This village is the one next to where Vika grew up! But there are one to two transfers before Vika gets here so I don't know where I will be then. Let me know about when she’s coming. Tell her she can email me like the week before she comes so we can figure it out! Love you!!! Ryker is getting huge! won’t even remember who I am! Neither will my other niece or nephew ;) haha!  Anyways love you all! :)

Elder Mani

More stuff you can send:

 more ties
 another memory card
 another journal
 a 6 inch ruler
 anything :) haha

p.s. One of the scripture cases needs to be longer. The Tongan BOM is long ha sorry.... it is fine if you can’t find one... it’s like 1.5 inches longer since the language is more complicated so instead of fatter they made it longer to fit it all.

(Handsome missionary!!)

The kids who hang around us when we go around.

Volleyball!

I Had Dog...Tastes Like Beef!

Tu'anekivale is an awesome area! We are doing some good work here! :) I still have the same companion, Elder Finau and we have been busy teaching lessons. We have 4 baptisms lined up. It just depends on their parents' opinions ha! 

Last P day I played Rugby for my first actual time and scored a couple times haha! We only play touch though so I shouldn’t get too hurt ;) Our water tank is almost out of water but our shower still works and everything so we will see how that goes haha. We haven’t had a good rain here in a couple weeks and the tank is somewhat new compared to the house. 

On Wednesday we had a baptism, an 8 year old named Folauhola. He is really shy but seems to like me cuz he wanted me to baptize him and only really talks to me haha! After baptisms here they always have dances called Hulohulas. It was pretty cool. We didn’t stay for a lot of it cuz we had another lesson to teach but they have music going ‘til 12 sometimes haha! Thursday we got fed ice cream with half of a loaf of bread as a cone haha! It is good ice cream! :) Friday we ate dog! :) tastes just like beef so it was pretty good.  :) 

It’s getting so hot here though. I wish we had air conditioning... haha and it’s only getting hotter..... already gets up to 90 and the hot months are December and January so we will see how it gets haha! I love it here! We’re doing some good work and time is flying. :)  Love you all and see you sooner than it might seem!  Oh ya, they came back from the main island and still no package.   L The other guys are getting theirs so I don’t know what the deal is!

Folauhola, the kid I baptized on Wednesday.

The dance they had for him after called a Hulohula.

The kids we taught at a school here.

I had dog. :)  It tastes like eef.  (B is still broken on his keyboard.)

Me with Elder Lao from Salt Lake. He came in with me.