Elder Connor Grant's Adventures in Tonga: WEEK 66 IN TONGA, FALAHA

Well hello there :) It's been a good while since I've been able to shoot out a group message! Don't have tons of time cause we were at the temple earlier but I'll give some quick updates of the last 3 weeks, sorry if it's kinda all over the place I gotta type fast and I'm sick right now! I'm sure most of you heard about the Hurricane that hit Tonga about 3 weeks ago. Let me just say that that has got to be one of the craziest things I've ever seen! There were rumors that it was a Level 5 but when it hit Tonga it was only a Level 4, thank goodness! If it was a level 5 than things would have been a whole lot worse. So, I don't want to bore you all, but here's a brief version of the story:

So on the day of the Hurricane, we didn't even know anything was going on, we just drove around our area a bit and saw everyone moving around outside their houses picking up trash, so that was our first alarm cause people only do that on Saturdays. Eventually we heard from the radio about the warning for the storm, about an hour later the APs texted and told us to get our bags ready for us all to head to our church buildings(basically the only for sure safe buildings in Tonga).

We got there by 1ish in the afternoon. The rest of the day was the funnest thing ever, we just went and played games with all the kids, played a little Rugby, jammed out on a members guitar and it was way fakalata (enjoyable) for everyone. I've learned such lessons from these people. I'm sure most of them knew their house, and more importantly their uta (bush which is were they grow and get there food) was going to be destroyed, and I have never seen a more happy/go lucky kinda people in that situation. Everyone was just joking about how bad the storm was going to be.

At around 7 the APs texted again with the 'for sure' the storm will hit us, told us all to stay in the churches, and all will be good!

Around 9 or 10ish is when it started to pick up and get kinda scary. Luckily our church buildings is THE nicest in Tonga. One of the newest, so we weren't worried at all. Us and our district were camping out in the Stake Presidents office.

Around 10:30 I fell asleep.

But at like 1ish in the morning is when it got the worst. We could hear all the trees by the church getting blown down, and these are BIG trees. I've never heard or seen such loud wind! It was so big that it broke a glass display board inside the church!

Next morning we got the clearance to head out and start helping people and that's what we did for the next week after the storm. We lived at the church and went out all day everyday cutting down trees and cleaning up peoples house. There was SO much destruction like I've never seen. It was such a humbling experience to watch people walk around the destroyed house and stare at all their lost possessions throughout our zone. But for these people all it means is a new beginning. It's so cool to see their attitude.

Almost broke our new car the day after the storm cuz we drove in 2 foot deep water. Smh terrible decision.

Our water/electricity just barely came on like a weeks ago.

OKK, I have no time, so quick story about how we baptized some one on Sunday! :)

I think this is one of my favorite baptisms of my mission. Her name is Salome and she just got back to Tonga from Vava'u about a week ago. She was taught by the Sisters before but then went to her home in Vava'u, and just got back. We taught her everyday last week and and realized her truly repentant heart and desire to be baptized. Basically the coolest thing ever to see, and then to listen to her last night, explain the feelings she had when she was baptized and confirmed a member of the church. She just left this morning to New Zealand, so I probably won't be able to see her again which is sad, but it was big privilege to have played a part in her life during this last week.

I'm sorry I gotta run! I try and update more next week!

KOU MATE HE OFA KIATE KIMOUTOLU❤❤