Mid-Transfer Transfer = Work!

Hey there! This week was slow again so not too much to write! BUT… I got transferred across the island haha to a new village here! Navutoka! It’s pretty big, two wards, and we have already started doing work! And my new comp is.................... Elder Tu’akalau again haha! The zones here got in trouble and were sent to work in the areas they came from so me and Tu’akalau got moved here.  Our first night here we taught two lessons and set up 4 more for this week! We have one committed to baptism next week so that will be exciting! We got here Saturday morning and have already started doing more than we had in Vaotuu. This area is big! It’s just hard remembering what ward is which and where people live cuz there are a bunch of little streets everywhere. I keep forgetting what’s what ha but there are a couple of guys here prepping for missions that will help us out and about 4 just got done working in the Misiona Tonga so we have a lot of help here! Hope to keep up with this good work that we have started!

Right now we are just doing laundry and netting family cuz we don’t know what else to do for p-day. We just got here two days ago haha!  Our next door neighbor is the Stake President so we are netting at his house right now. Church was good!  New ward and fast/testimony meeting so we bore our testimonies and introduced ourselves. The members seem excited to see us for some reason. The only people who worked here were the zone leaders so they weren’t ever really here in their own area that much. But I am excited! Except I don’t know how long we will be here cuz the real transfer is in 2 weeks.... But i just hope to do what I can while I can!

It’s nice here it’s just that our house is smallllll haha but we have  a fridge now so we can store food and we have a few weights so I have been working out!  Gotta get yoked haha!  I don’t know why I have been really happy the past couple days, always smiling.  Probably cuz I feel there is so much I can do here! Starting to feel the Spirit a lot more guiding us and helping us! We found 3 teachings just by knocking doors so we should be able to have more success! To answer your questions, we never get to go to the Primary classes and now we just stay for both wards’ Sacrament Meetings so we don’t get to all the classes.... But they have Mission Prep that we have been helping out with. I like it here cuz the teachers are all recent returned missionaries! Our class was just the High Councilman and they didn’t teach anything that was useful or from the lessons we would be teaching! So I like it here!

Glad you guys are having fun with football, the fair and all that fun stuff! All is well here. Mom, still haven’t got the package but maybe next week. We had planned a fireside in Vaotuu but I am gone now so I don’t know if it’s still on ha but ya all is good here! Love you tons!

Elder Mani

New Area

Another Slow Week

This week was slow again but I am just trying to figure out a way to speed things up, to busy our days. We have a few people we have been teaching but they don’t pay attention and don’t progress so I am trying to find the solution now. Doing my best to work with the Spirit!  So the other elder is now working on the other side of the island. Now it’s just me and Kivalu here. 

I don’t really know what to write... It was a slow week! We took a walk to the ocean one day to check that out. It was ok ha but we returned kind of fast. My comp doesn’t like being there. I wanted to stay and study but oh well! Today I don’t know what we will do after this. Probably go take a nap or something til this guy gets home so he can cut Kivalu's hair... ha ya anyways! 

Thanks for the pictures. Ryker is freaking huge.... When you send packages send pictures that I can put in my little album and stuff!  I think I am done eating candy from now on..... crazy huh? haha I don’t want to get fat........ really been trying to work out and stuff, running in the mornings and trying to sweat off all the fat and starch we eat!

Love you guys tons! See you soon! (10 months)

Elder Huntsman/Hanisimani/Mani/Hani/Hanisi/Simani/Hasini haha

Our church building

Mini pizzas our fafanga made us

Elders Fine, Lufoni, and Kivalu eating the pizzas

Dried up crab 

Throwing him back in the ocean haha

HURRAH FOR ISREAL!!!!! haha

BRING ON THE WAVESSSS

Chillin in a tree!

Our fafanga today! So much food....
(Do you always eat on mats on the ground? Most the time, lots of ants :) haha I want to get a mat before
 I leave so I can have it at home.... but maybe too expensive.)

Stargazing

So I’m glad to hear that Haleki's homecoming went good! I wish I could have been there haha but o well! This week was ok... Lots of struggles but that’s a mission! Tuesday we had a zone meeting which went pretty good! I taught a small lesson about Hope and the importance of it and why it’s a Christlike attribute. Then I shared an experience about the times that I struggle on the mission and in life and how that if we work with hope and have that hope in Jesus Christ that we don’t need to worry about anything, as long as we are doing what we are supposed to do and doing our best!

This week was still hard getting to find any commonalities between me and my companions but some days are good, some are bad. It’s just the ups and downs of a mission. They tell me I am senior comp but then when I try and do something or come up with an idea they don’t like it. Only when they don’t have a clue what to do they get mad saying I need to lead them better. Sometimes I feel like there is nothing I can do cuz when I try they don’t listen but it will get better, just gotta have that hope in Christ and I can overcome it all. Them not talking to me doesn’t bother me cuz I’m used to being quiet or alone. I actually go out at night and just lay down looking at the stars for like 30 minutes before bed and it calms me down when I have those struggles. We had a program for the primary and after every one had left but our fafanga, which we were just doing at the church, I just sat in the grass and looked up at the stars and no one had a clue why I was doing that.... I just love looking at the stars here! Some nights I see up to 20 shooting stars it’s awesome, some of them covering the length of the sky and some are SUPER bright. It’s just cool sitting there looking at God's creations and realizing how little I am compared to all he has made. There is so much out there! I just wish I knew the constellations here haha. Maybe I will look that up real quick.... but ya that’s my relief when I have my struggles! It works a lot.

I have been talking a lot more too and my language is getting a lot better, mostly just cuz I don’t speak English. So there are benefits and downfalls to every companion, I just gotta push through them and the Lord will bless me! Just like Alma 26:32 I just need to bear with patience my afflictions and the Lord will provide success. That’s my week/story haha. Keep on keeping on right? Like the song by FUN, "When you're lost and alone, and your sinking like a stone, Carry on!"

Ofa Lahi Atu!

Elder Mani

P-day last week

Me and Elder Kivalu

Me, Elder Loketi and John

Me and John

Me and Nanise(Nancy)

Me and another Nanise

Me, Heidi, and Mata

I mixed this peanut butter with Smuckers raspberry jam
and eat it by the spoonful.......
I think I am addicted to peanut butter now!

Good Bye Haleki! Plus Poi Ball Dancing!

So these past couple weeks have been good. With Haleki going home this last week our members were just waiting for him to go pretty much so not that much work happened. Thursday night we did a show for the members before Haleki went home. It was a ward FHE. I did the poi balls and Haleki did a fire knife dance! It was pretty cool! The members enjoyed it a lot. We shot fireworks off too! Funny story with that… so one of them tipped over and started shooting everywhere haha Haleki got hit in the stomach by a piece and one shot to the middle of the members! There is a young couple in our ward that was there and the wife is pregnant. When the firework shot at them the husband ran and the wife just sat there cuz she couldn't go anywhere haha! No one got hurt though. Everyone was just laughing and having an amazing time!

That night was the birthday of the Papuan kid that comes and stays at President’s house sometimes so after the show we went and had cake and ice cream for him. The next day I saw Haleki goodbye and started going around with the Zone leaders. That was the busiest/most missionary like feeling I have had so far with the work cuz they always had a place to go! I loved it haha!

Then Monday I got my new companion, Elder Kivalu from town. His first/last area was in his home Stake haha. So I am his follow-up trainer. It’s different going from a palangi to a kid from here. Not talking, nothing really in common, a lot of silence... But me being the senior comp now he expects me to do it all. So that's been a struggle cuz I do stuff but nobody really listens to my ideas. And then they expect me to keep thinking of things but then don't listen so that's my struggle this transfer to get over: Progress in the language, and to gain respect of the people. I feel like the members all thought Haleki did everything haha. I will get through it though.

So ya I am still in Vaotuu! We committed 6 families to have people for us to teach this week so we will see if they follow through, which I hope that they do! We have two tonight. I am excited. With the sickness going around in Africa, a couple missions got shut down. So we got 6 Tongans sent back to finish their work here. One is staying with us til tomorrow when he will fly to Vava'u. Today we are going to play Volleyball in the next village over.

So the reason I can’t send pics is the file folder switched into a shortcut for some reason..... I don't know why it was doing that! Still trying to fix it.... I didn't get it to Haleki but I will try and send it somehow so you guys can have it. The card reader works though.  I don't need another one! The new memory card works so I will start using that now. Everything is good here.  Don’t forget to go to Haleki's thing next Sunday. He has some stuff to give you.

Is Keegan still dating Kenzie?? I miss Ryker haha! I have a road trip planned with two other elders here from Utah to Texas in September when we get back! Haha so I will see Kayleigh, Randy and Ryker soon. It’s just planned for some time when we get back, and not if I get into the Fall/Spring track. If I don’t then I won’t start until January.

I want to run a marathon when I get home :)  I will do it probably 2016/2017 haha! Gotta train for it. I want to get fit haha. I have some ideas for when I get home!! Be more productive with life and not sit around so much

But I gotta go we are going to go play volleyball love you tons!

DONT FORGET ABOUT GOING TO HALEKI'S NEXT WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the only picture I have. 

When I was going around with the zone leaders 

Elder Latai from San Fran got two bins sent to him from 

America haha so I got some Peanut butter! It was amazing!

I Got My Package!

Surprised I got the package so fast! Only took a month this time! (Almost two) But thanks for it! I got the memo and card reader but forgot the card reader in the zones car so I hope no one takes it... I know I know I forget things too much but hey can’t help it! We are netting today cuz we went to town yesterday to pick up some things and eat at this Chinese restaurant for Haleki's last time! It’s way good Chinese food! I got a basketball so I could play and a pump, but the ball isn't the best. I will just have to make do with it I guess! 

So I have no clue what I will do when Haleki goes to Liahona on Friday, maybe I will go with him and stay there til transfers or maybe I will go live with someone somewhere, it’s not really organized, or at least they just don't let us know what’s going on.... annoying but o well! 

So this week is kinda going to be hard work wise cuz we are just getting ready for Haleki to go, but it seems like the ward is prepping for it more than we are! We ate 3 DOGS last week!!!! It was crazy haha and we’re supposed to eat another tomorrow but we will see. I have kinda been wanting to train this past transfer. I don't know why….maybe so I will actually be tested with the language since I will be taking lead in everything! Only one palangi though is coming in the rest are Tongans from America, about 8 or 9 altogether (they put their names in the August Mission Newsletter). 

Church was good it was Haleki's last time to bear his testimony so he did that. Then yesterday was our last fafanga with Bishop Militoni so his wife started crying during our spiritual thought at the end.  It was a powerful night with the spirit. My English is dying. I can’t explain things very well anymore haha but ya all is going good! I will send my memory card with Haleki to give to you to put on facebook or whatever you want haha. I love you all!

Elder Mani

I Ate Horse!

Hey sorry I haven’t been able to get to net til now. We weren’t able to on Monday. We went to the next village over so we asked bishop to do it today. The work here is pretty much the same. We taught one kid and had him set for baptism but his dad won’t let us meet with him anymore so back again to square one! I am thinking about just sending my memory card with Haleki, but since I won’t get any of your packages til probably September, I might go to town to get just a 2GB card for cheap, that is if Pres. will let me. Doubt it though!

We didn’t really eat anything weird this week but I had horse for the first time! It was way good! Not better than beef and especially not better than dog!! We are having dog tonight at our neighbor’s house then they said they will cook one for Haleki right before he goes home so I think next Wednesday! Can’t wait haha.

So Haleki was part of this performing group where they do all the Polynesian dances and stuff back at home and they do this Maori thing called Poi balls. His friend’s mom sent him some so he taught me how to do it and gave them to me! So I have been practicing that in my down time haha. I will have to show you when I get home! Or if he takes the memo home you can see it on there. He videoed me practicing last week. I have been trying to take more pictures recently, with members and just of me in general cuz I don’t take that many haha.

For exercise I do the one thing that Brian told me not to do, pushups..... But my shoulders have been getting stronger! Only popped out once since January! But I am probably in the best upper body shape of my life! haha I do 80+ pushups a night, I still can’t do too many cuz of my bad shoulder but I get better and better every week! Then I do whatever abs I can think of until my abs hurt.  I use the band to strengthen my arms/shoulders. You would be impressed. I haven’t gotten fatter here! My arms/ chest are actually getting muscle and definition haha.  It’s just my stomach that’s the struggle, the pooch never wants to leave I guess hahaha. Sometimes we run at night, but we haven’t really lately. We usually ran 2+ miles a night.

I haven’t seen the Liahona yet so haven’t seen the article about Tonga. I don’t care about you selling the Trikke. I was getting too big for it anyways haha but I BOUGHT THAT WITH MY MONEY ;) haha The spiritual moments this week were just the times we got to teach cuz it had been a couple weeks not teaching an investigator! BTW mom Haleki's ward has sacrament at 11:00 and it’s on the 24^th just so you know.  And his Poly friends might cook some Poly food so hit it up haha. We gotta do an underground oven for mine!!!!!!! I will even do it all :) haha Anywho, love you guys! Take care!

Love you,

Elder Mani  (I finally got that on my name tag now!!!!)

Hump Day!

Well hellllooooooooooooooo!!!

Sorry I didn't write my big letter last week.  The internet was down so we didn't get to do anything with it! But I am here now!

The work is still slow. We had one girl set up for baptism but it’s kind of a long story.... so we baptized two girls in this family we have been teaching. The mom, Toa, is a member but goes to another church cuz her husband (who passed away last year) was a member of the Church of Tonga. So we baptized Paea and Siu in June and planned on baptizing the 16 year old two weeks later. But during ward conference when we were confirming the other two, one member of the Church of Tonga was visiting cuz everyone comes to the ward conferences here, member or not. They took a picture of us when we were confirming them and sent it to Toa's mother, in New Zealand, who is also a member of the Church of Tonga. So she called her daughter, Toa, and told her not to let us baptize any more of her children. Soooooooo we haven't been able to work with the 16 year old, Salome. That's a big thing here. Tradition and following what your family has always done. The story is a little longer but it’s kind of hard to explain fully haha but ya so now we have no more investigators! The work is getting slower and slower..... and it’s been hard cuz everyone knows that my comp is almost done with his mission so they think we don't need to work anymore so we haven't been getting help from them.... And that's the only way that really works here is through members, or at least from my experience. We have had no luck knocking doors and I am pretty sure we have knocked them all and talked to everyone!

So we are just struggling right now finding anything to do! Lottttsss of studying.... but my language still is a huge struggle..... people don't really talk to me cuz they know it’s not the best so they just talk to my companion.  It’s a struggle but I am just hoping that I get better next transfer! Still working at it every day though! And reading the BOM and praying so it’s just a matter of time I guess! Sorry no pictures again it’s not working.... but we hope to find more work this week! We should have a new investigator this week! President Neiufi promised us we would haha!  He is our next door neighbor and the coolest family I have met here! He and his wife are like my mission parents. We go over there and cook our own food even haha! I mostly just cook eggs or ramen but they just let me do whatever. I eat 7 eggs with 5 pieces of toast and still don't get full!!

Anyways that's pretty much what has been going on here! I celebrated hump day with a tie burning, eating actual pizza from town, and hanging out with Elder Grant and Naufahu who came in with me and work in the next village over. We just chilled in the house though haha and talked.  It was good though. Love you all!

Elder Huntsman