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| The library we have helped the Peace Corps organize. |
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| All my tupenus that I have right now. (6) |
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| Something the Zones drew. |
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| Sunset |
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Elder Taumoepeau, Lasi (1st counselor to our Bishop),
Timote (Ward Mission Leader), Elder Mahina, Elder Fonokalafi,
and me after eating toopai last night. It's like a sweet coconut dumpling. |
This week was again really slow.... I don't know what has
been happening haha but I hope this week we can try pushing harder and not rely
on the members so much to bring us work but instead, to go out ourselves and
find work. It was way stormy here over
the weekend, just really windy and rainy. Our papaya tree behind our house got
knocked down and my bed got wet so I slept on the ground on Friday night. My new
comp is from Vava'u and he is just waiting for his Visa to Australia so I am
just with him til he gets it then I don’t know what happens.
So I am reading the
BOM up until I leave and I set one out just for this purpose. The mission
always does a challenge and right now it’s a 150 day "ASSURANCE"
challenge. So when we read, we need to find the things that ASSURE our
testimony to the truthfulness of this gospel. (I’m reading it in English cuz I don’t like
reading in Tongan. I don’t get the fullness
of what I am reading and it’s hard to apply it to myself.)
I wrote a little "testimony" in the front...
Malo e lelei,
This Book of
Mormon, or BOM as I call it, is dedicated and set out for the last year of my
mission. Well not exactly the last year, but from today, February 26th 2015 to
July 13th 2015, and I am reading every day from here on. There have been times
of non-reading and times of disappointments, but today I am committing myself
to the dedicated study of this book. Without this book, this church here would
be without existence. The power behind reading this book over and over and
always praying about it can increase the happiness and joy in one’s life that
there is no way to deny it. This church is true! Oku mo'oni aupito ia. Oku ikai
ke iai ha me'a hala i ai. Kou 'ilo fakapapau na'e ha'ele mai a Sisu Kalaisi pea
pehe foki ki etau Tamai Hevani ki he tamasi'i ko Siosefa Samita i he ta'u 1820
i he taimi na'a ne lotu ke ne ilo pe ko fe he siasi na'e mo'oni pea na'e totonu
ke ne kau ki ai. Na'a na faka'aonga'i ia hange ko ha me'a-ngaue ke fakafoko mai
he ongoongolelei ki he mamani. The only way to know all of this is to read and
pray. To work, or read, and then ask for our Father's guidance/assurance to
tell us whether or not any of it is true.
There have been times of doubt in my
mind, just because me as a person I tend to focus on the things of the world,
ngaahi me'a fakaemamani, and not on the promptings of the Spirit, pe koe ngaahi
ue'i mei he Laumalie Ma'oni'oni. I guess that is really my purpose for reading
it this time and hopefully many times in the future. To strengthen and build up
the testimony that has started within me. I have times where I honestly really do
struggle and I ask myself, "Is this worth it? Being away from EVERYTHING I
know for two years to share with people of a different land, different
language, different attitude, different traditions, about a little book.... A
book that was translated by a boy of no learning, no worldly knowledge, a
typical unlearned farmer..... Is it all worth it???" I don’t even know how
many times that this thought has gone through my head. But there is always that
something, that feeling that one can't just shake off. It is what makes me
always fall back to this. I guess it is just God helping me stick through it
all. He sends the Holy Ghost to be that guide, that companion that always knows
what is best. I know for a fact that this is what guided me to Alma 26:27:
"Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back,
behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the
Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you
success."
Without this
scripture being read at the EXACT right minute, I know for a fact that I would
already be home right now, chilling in America. But this gave me the encouragement, the
confidence that I can do ALL, because my older brother Jesus Christ has already
felt all that pain and all that sorrow, and He is there to help. Like it says
in Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean no to
thine own understanding; in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct
thy paths." He is there!!! You just gotta believe in him :) TRUST with all
your heart, might, mind and strength and He will help you and guide you through
all struggles, all heartaches, and all difficulties that we come across not
just here in a mission but just life in general! I know for a fact that if you
pray with a sincere heart and with real intent, that the Spirit can and will
guide you to the exact scripture you need at that exact moment of difficulty
and strife. God knows our pains, He knows our struggles, and all He asks is for
our faith and to act upon that faith in prayer, Read and Pray! Prove to Him
that you believe and want to follow the footsteps of Christ our Savior.
That is pretty
much the reason why I am setting out the BOM just for this special time. So
that afterwards, I will be able to fall back on it no matter what. It will be
like my binding testimony to it all. I will cover this thing with markings,
colors, quotes, symbols, writings, names; just everything that I feel develops
my faith and knowledge about this book. Because that’s what this is.... My
Assurance BOM..... not only to the book, but to everything that there is in
this gospel. And it’s what I challenge everyone to do. Set out a special BOM to
this exact purpose, to assure their testimony and their knowledge about this
wonderful gospel, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Elder Mani :)
