Musical Fireside

Sorry mom, pictures aren't working today. I don't know why! Happy father’s day!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't even know when it was cuz here they celebrate the week after mother’s day...... but thanks for everything Dad!

This week was a slower week cuz most our lessons fell through! One night we didn't have our fafanga so we went and got some noodles like ramen then went to our neighbor’s house to cook them and I added some mesquite seasoning she had to some canned corned beef and cooked it up! Then mixed it with the noodles and it was BOMB! Still doing my cooking in Tonga! ;) haha I wish we got to cook more....

Our 5-6 baptisms we had planned........maybe just one is getting baptized this week so that's no good but we are working hard with them! The only big thing that happened was the Fireside! Yesterday we had a Musical Fireside that we put together to get our members to invite people.  Our chapel was Packed! More people who were invited came than the actual members so it was good! It’s easier for me to talk to the kids cuz they don't think I am an idiot if I don't understand like the 16+ people do haha but at the Fireside I gave my longest malanga or talk and it went good! And it was all just me thinking and talking about a topic I had never tried explaining to people so last night I REALLY felt the spirit! It was awesome!

Great Harmony & Beautiful Testimony

Warning to Dog Lovers: This Is Tongan Life!

So this week was just somewhat of a typical week, teaching a few lessons a day and getting one kid ready for his baptism Saturday. We were able to help Sosefo 'Ofahulu become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and have the opportunity to return to our Father's Kingdom. This other kid we are working with named Tani is having a hard time with smoking so that has been something that we are struggling with is helping him to stop by this Saturday so that we can baptize him. We have 5 people committed to be baptized on the 21st so we hopefully can help them to progress and be ready for that day. We taught a man named Moni yesterday and he is from Salt Lake but got deported. We get to teach him in English so that has given me more confidence haha. He is really interested in the Plan of Salvation so that has been something we had to focus on last night. It went good and he seemed to understand, even volunteering to take us to lunch someday this week! That's really it for workwise I guess haha.

To answer your questions…we haven't found any new investigators but our ones right now seem to be moving along. The less actives are hard cuz they seem committed one week but not the next so it’s a struggle to get them to understand it is an all the time thing, not just once a month or something. It was really cool seeing the kid we baptized bare his testimony at only 9 years old but still do good! It was a big Spirit moment for me. So I am not really knowing what I am studying that much in the BOM cuz I am trying to read it just in Tongan now. But I just read about Nephi breaking his bow then making a new one to find the food and follow where his father was told to find the food. Just teaches diligence and following what the Lord wants for us. The average day for us is full of just walking around finding people and talking with members. From 6:30 to 11 is studying, 12 lunch, 1-3 we usually have a lesson with Tani or someone, 4-6 we are visiting members, 6-7 we teach a lesson, 7 dinner, 8 sharing spiritual thoughts with members then 9 o'clock being back home! Today we are just netting than playing basketball with a flat basketball cuz we can’t find a pump!  :(   I try and exercise usually at night. Breakfast we don't get. Sometimes we eat just once a day. We just drink filtered water from our neighbors when we are at home. The sickness is all gone Mom so don't worry haha!

This is our next door neighbor Clifton.
He is the drum major for Liahona's marching band. 

They all did a huge march through town and stuff for the opening of Parliament this past week!

Our baptism this week. 

We had dog again!!! Soooo good!!!

I didn't kill it! We were driving back from our baptism and 

we saw the guy who was gonna be feeding us that day walking down the 

street dragging it behind him! He had someone shoot it for him.

The dog once it is cooked! Looks just like beef but tastes even better!   :)

One day we saw Oreos at the store here so I had to get them with some milk!!! 

It tasted so good even though the milk here is gross haha.

Pizza and chocolate chip cookies we had for our fafanga one night! It was the sweet pizza thing again and dark chocolate in the cookies but I still ate it haha.

Blow Holes, Investigators & Dengue Fever

Sorry this week’s letter isn't going to be as fun filled with pictures. My whole idea for a picture a day didn't work out hahaha. But the blowholes were pretty cool! Not as cool as I thought but it wasn't bad. Nothing else to do out here anyways! Today we are just staying at the church. We found a basketball but it’s flat so no playing against each other… just shooting around!

To answer your questions…The new area is great! We have 5 baptisms planned but we are probably pushing them back to the 21st because that is when our Ward Conference is and here Ward Conference is a BIG thing! They have so many things planned for it! But the work is going good. We have 10 investigators/inactives we are working strongly with and a couple more we have just taught once. My comp is good! It’s just me getting over stupid little things like noises he makes when he eats and what not but that's with everyone hahaha. He goes home on August 9th-ish so his homecoming would be either the 10th or the 17th. The ward here is somewhat small but we are having good turnouts this month because of all the Ward Conference preparations. My memory card has 5GB of the 16 left so if you could send one it would be good just in case! I can’t think of anything else I need! This area is good with everything. If I need something the members will give me it! But ya the work is good! I have never had this many investigators at one time before! I have never had more than two at one time before haha!

So Mom, read Alma 26. It’s the best chapter in the Book of Mormon about missionary work! I need to read it again. It has been a while but I love that chapter! It has been the biggest factor of keeping me strong and willing to faithfully serve an honorable mission! Sorry I am so boring though.  I promise to start writing in my journal so I can remember!!! I need to. But that's good that all is well at home! Keep Karissa out of trouble! Love you tons!

Elder Huntsman

(Still having pain in your leg? No but I just got the disease again..... My arms have the spots and I have had a headache behind my eyes since Wednesday or Thursday.... and my body aches....... so yeaaaaaaah. I might call the mission nurse tomorrow.)

The blowholes! We didn't get to see any massive ones.
We were too early in the day.

My comp climbs coconut trees just for fun.
I still haven't tried it haha!

My disgusting feet..... the reason I am getting a pedicure
when I get home no matter how femmy I might feel.