Christmas #2 in Tonga

Dang.... so you know that guy we were going to help get sealed with his family if we found his record? He killed his wife..... poured hot grease all over her and fried her head, face, throat, everything....... so that was a huge shock..... it was so crazy when I heard... he ran away but they found him Saturday in Town..... he was progressing so much too....... I don't know what happened...... but other than that nothing else happened here. It was a slow week with Christmas and everything.  Fun Skyping with the fam though! Sad to hear about Mrs. Wray.  She was my favorite teacher.

I got my Christmas package.

My comp likes his stocking, presents and candy!

Christmas Day

Love my True Crew temple socks!

Playing pool.

Baptism!

A Good Week

This week was a lot better!

Wednesday we had an interview with President and sorted everything out! So my comp and I are doing good now! Thursday, Friday, and Saturday we went around with members to a bunch of different houses and taught a lot more lessons than usual! We got 30+ referrals, 16 new investigators, and taught about 12 lessons, committing 3 people to baptism!

The interview was a lot of just realizing that we need to focus more on the good in everything and stop focusing on the bad, sticking up for each other and just loving each other no matter what the differences. My comp has changed a lot, and I have begun to not even be able to name the things I don't like in my companion anymore! So it’s good!

This week for Christmas we honestly have no plans, it’s the only day we don't have anything planned yet! Tomorrow we have a meeting and 3 teachings, Wednesday will be a busy day, Friday when I Skype is also a day with lots to do, but hey I am excited to see the progression in our area as we both push forward! Family, I am really looking forward to seeing you guys on Christmas! Love you all! Thanks for all the prayers and the love you guys send to this little Pacific Island here! haha Ofa lahi atu kiate kimoutolu taki taha! :)

Elder Mani

Rough Time

Sorry not much happened this week..... we again didn't work much cuz my comp was waiting for the transfer and little did he know we are staying here for another  5 weeks together! It's just been a rough time....

I Miss the Snow

This week was good! Still slow though and mom, still no package haha!

We didn’t catch our investigator til Saturday which sucked cuz it meant we couldn’t baptize him but we are shooting for this Sunday! The main reason we didn’t get to him is cuz my comp freaked one day and said he doesn’t want to work with me anymore. He just wants to wait til transfers, which is stupid so I called President which always turns these guys around before the President gets to them. But even though we are working he still doesn’t respect me when I try to lead or to help him so it’s annoying.... but I still push to get the work done and ignore the problems. That’s something I have learned here is to just ignore the problems and don’t get mad.  Just avoid the temptations and the annoyances and all is well!

We taught the man from Vanuatu again, Willy is his name. But we are still just waiting to get some materials in French! We are having FHE with him this week though! Should be good! And hopefully some others that get invited!  Still haven’t gotten any new investigators! We have a mission tour with S. Gifford Nielson!!! The old QB for BYU!!!  So I am excited for that tomorrow to see all my white friends, people I came in with, and to hear him speak!

I don’t know what else happened really.... I will try and remember my journal next time so I can think of more to write!  I am very forgetful.  Love you all! Stay chill! (especially those of you in Idaho...... lucky lucky lucky......)

Elder Mani

PS..... I miss the snow....

Ko Hoku Kainga‏

Malo etau lava e aho ni! Ko eni kou sai aupito oku sai sai pe e ngaue i he elia ko eni! Kei tuai ka oku ma kamata ke fokotuu e ngaahi polokalama ke fakavavevave'i e ngaue i heni.

There is my little Tongan for you today haha!  I haven’t done that too much! But once again it was another slow week! Only a couple lessons. Still waiting to get stuff in French for our investigator to read so he can understand better our message and the doctrines of Christ. We watched the Restoration movie in French with English subtitles and he liked that but he was focusing so hard on the language cuz it has been like 6 years since he has heard it haha.  So next time he wants to have paper so he can write down notes while we talk! This is a great investigator but the thing is the language... its hard for us to teach him cuz even though he speaks decent English it’s still not the best.

Our other investigator wasn’t home at all this week so we didn’t see him until yesterday.... don’t know about baptizing him this week! But my comp and I set a goal for 5 baptisms this month and to find one family to prepare to go to the temple! So we are striving to work towards those goals and find more people to teach! Things at times are of course still difficult with my comp but I just get through it by not getting mad and being patient haha.  When I get mad I just don’t say anything, just keep to myself cuz if I say anything they just get mad and think I am wrong haha but hey only a little longer right? Hit my 7 month mark this month! Time is FLYING! I just hope that I can do my best and do what the Lord wants of me!

Love you all!  Elder Mani