Week #22

Dear Matavuvale! I lomani keimami kei misitaki kemudou kece! Na macawa sa oti a dredre sara ga! Ia Au kila sa na ituvavtuva ni kalou. This week we got a surprise call from our district leader. He told us we'd be leaving to Labasa for a zone training meeting on Tuesday morning! To be honest I was pretty upset. I had just planned the whole week out and was way excited to get working! So this week we took that long travel of about 6 hours of boats and buses all the way to Labasa. The night before our district leader told me I’d be giving an “insight” at this ZTM and that the zone leaders and AP's would be there hahaha. .....So I was way nervous and spent most of the traveling preparing my insight. I was glad to hear after that everyone really appreciated my insight. They all thanked me after and it made me feel really good. I take insights pretty seriously because if they are directed by the spirit you can say things that may help some missionaries. So I was relieved that so many were grateful! We spent all of Tuesday through Thursday in Labasa. But it was all worth it because my MTC companion Elder Sieverts got transferred into our zone so I was able to see him. Even better, I got to go on splits with him in his area. It was way weird to be back with him and to see how his Fijian has improved. I missed the guy! Elder Sieverts is the MAN! On Wednesday we went with the Elders who live in Tukavesi to their flat. Elder Davis and Elder Nelson are the two Tukavesi elders. Elder Nelson was also one of my old MTC companions from when we were in the tri-companionship so it was just like a nice ol' family reunion this week haha! We drove four hours to get to their flat and along the way we stopped at this restaurant in SAVUSAVU. I had a fetticiini or however you spell it I forget! My english has gone down hill just so you are aware hahaha. When we got to the Tukavesi elder’s flat it was way cool. They live in a Fijian koro. They actually like live in the village. So I slept in a fijian village. I just become more of a fijian every day hahaha just kidding! the next morning they drove us to the boat and we rode the raging waters back to Taveuni. Everyone’s telling me in my district that I’m going to be leaving Taveuni this transfer. If I do I’m going to be so sad. This island has become like my second home! The people here are like family. I still have so many people here I need to help and ugh! When we got back to working in our area the chaos didn’t end! Our district leader wanted to do an exchange this week, so Elder Vitiarai went to somomo with the district leader and I took Elder Amisone (who is also from my intake at the mtc!) to matei. A lot of people were gone this week and it made the work hard. We went to go see our investigator Jese! I had to teach her the rest of the plan of salvation which is the hardest lesson to teach in fijian. But the spirit is real because I was helped all through that lesson and we have her committed to come to church next week and her daughter committed to coming to this “young single adults” activity that the Czieps are beginning to hold at their house. After that lesson the Czieps made me feel like a million dollars! They told me they've seen me grow so much and that my fijian has gotten way better. These old ladies that we always take the sacrament to who always correct my fijian don’t even correct my fijian anymore. They tell me "Isaaa Elder Jonati, o iko sa imatai sara ga en vosa vaka viti!" Which is like saying in english “ohhhh elder jonati you’re so smart in the language in fijian and catching on fast.” It always feels good to hear that but sometimes I wonder if they’re just trying to be nice! The exchange with Elder Amisone was good. After Elder Vitiarai came back we had a pretty hard day. Roberta. The best investigator ever. She was so excited to read the book of mormon...She has a similar situation as Joseph Smith and we were going to commit her to baptism. We showed up on her doorstep ready to teach her and she slowly walked out and said, "I have some bad news." I knew what was coming. She said, "Both my parents are preachers in the church and I have to ban you guys from coming here anymore..." She's 25 years old but family seniority is like big here in Fiji. You have to listen to your parents. I walked away pretty devastated. I still am way sad. She was ready... I’m hoping we can still teach her somehow. I’m going to try to go to her house agin this week but I might get chased out with a sele haha..... This week was crazy. Definitely an adventure with all the traveling. I’m just looking forward to having a full week of work next week. There are a lot of people here who are way excited about the temple. It’s such a blessing to be able to sit with members and non-members and share with them about the temple and then tell them that next month it’s going to be dedicated in Suva. Our returning member Brother lagi came to lotu yesterday so I’m way happy. Sorry, I put lotu it means church ahah! I miss all of you guys. I hope you feel my testimony through these emails. I love this work. I’ve seen lives change already in my mission and I know that it’s because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I can't wait to talk to you all next week. Everyone take care!

Love, Elder Jonati!