It's been a long time!
MANN!! It's been so dang long since I've been able to get out
a group email guys! The internet is dead in our area so we have to come up to
the area next to ours and then it's hard cause these Elders have to net too.
Anyways.. transfers were yesterday and I get to stay!!! My comp E Hosea is getting transferred back to Tonga though smh. That
guys is such a stud and I learned so much from him. Especially about loving the
members and the people that you serve. His goal is to go home with nothing in
his suitcase. He wants to give everything he can away. So dang cool. My
new comp is Elder Harmon! I new him from my Ha'apai days, and he is a way good
missionary as well! I've been blessed with studs for comps!! Way pumped to be
staying in Longomapu though, only downside is we don't cover Tu'anuku anymore (the
little village we would visit like everyday, it's like a 45 min walk from
Longomapu). The members there were so nice and so willing to help out. I'm gonna
miss my man Spencer!!! Spencers the man from NZ that would give us fruit
everyday and always make us food and take us for safari rides in his jeep
through the back roads of Longomapu.
So, right now we are working towards this little family
that I mention earlier, It's a mom with 3 little girls. We have taught them a
few times and they accept and believe the message, the only thing is, the moms
boyfriends doesn't want her to be baptized.. smh. So we are trying to help build
up her faith enough to want to make the decision to follow her Savior or at
least to let her kids. Other than them, we have about 3 little kids who's
parents are willing to have them baptized, we just haven't had to opportunity
to teach them yet. Literally, that is how we get teachings down here in Tonga. The village is small enough, just about everyone has had an opportunity
to hear from missionaries, so we meet with members and then every once and a
while they will say, "Hey, I talked to Mele and she said it's ok to baptize
her son." So than we will teach him. That's how it's been the last
transfer. SO, with having a new comp and I myself not knowing everyone in the
area, I think we are going to go and talk with EVERYONE. I'm pretty determined
now, I'm going to make sure that everyone has had missionaries talk with them. Especially... a white missionary. PALANGI POWER BOY. If people won't
accept us for the message, they accept us because we are 2 white people from
overseas. Everyone here is pretty dang nice though. They let us down easy, by
saying "Oh, we are busy right now" we will ask about tomorrow
"Oh, we are busy then too" what about next week? "Oh, very busy
then also" It's pretty frustrating.
Here's a little Tongan culture for you all:
Kai Po (kind of like selfish eating) Is literally an
abomination here. There is nothing a Tongan hates more that if people are
eating something and they don't offer to share it or deliberate try to hide it
for just them to eat.
SO, I'm going to tie it into the Gospel:
We have the biggest blessing to know of the Gospel and to be
able to partake of the fruits that come from it! Let's not "Kai Po"
and take all the blessing for ourselves. Share it like a Tongan shares his food!
I'm going to have to work on that analogy..
Hope everyone is still kicking and happy as can be wherever
your at! Love you all so much! Sorry to anyone I haven't been able to reply to, I'll try to do better this coming transfer so shoot me an email so I can know
how everyone's doing
Connor in some car
Connor with his dirty laundry
Get this thing off my tongue
I love these skies
OFA LAHI ATU
-Elder Kalanite
