Week #29

Bula Matavuvale! This week like last week, has been a crazy one! When we returned to our flat last Tuesday we walked into a pretty messy place but nothing was ruined so that's good! Sigatoka didn't get hit nearly as bad as most other places! Although, we did have this huge tree that fell over our drive-way and we had to chop it up with seles! It was pretty sweet. What isn't sweet is a lot of people have lost their homes.....There is one island called Koro island. Out of 41 houses total on the island only one is still standing...Just keep the people of Fiji in your prayers. Because of the damages all around Fiji most of the people weren't available for us to teach this week...but like almost every week we saw miracles! On Thursday I felt like we should cut up the tree that covered our landlord's driveway! So we went to his house and asked him if he would like our help. He looked at the size of the tree and then at us and then he just laughed and said good luck hahaha. I thought it was rude but we love our landlord and wanted to show him we could do it! So we just went at it and we went hard! After about 4 hours of constant hacking at this tree with seles we were able to do the impossible and move this tree. It felt good to work hard and even though my hands are covered in blisters we were able to help someone in need. The day after that we tried to go see one of our less active families and when we got there they were digging a poop pit. Yes I said what you think I said....a poop pit. Fiji is a 3rd world country and most families don't have plumbing. I asked if we could help and they said no thank you. I was bummed...because then I could have told you guys I helped dig one. Yes, I know I’m weird hahaha. We had a really good lesson with them. They haven't been going to church for over 2 years. They got baptized and started coming but then one of the members offended them and they stopped coming. It's really sad when people get offended and leave and fail to realize that the members aren't perfect, but the church is. We felt prompted to read the sacrament prayer.  After reading it I asked if it sounded familiar to them. They said yes of course and we talked about the importance of taking the sacrament and how we can be blessed to have His spirit with us always. They really seemed affected by the lesson because when the dad said the prayer he began to cry. We are hoping they will start to come back to church. On Saturday we had a HUGE miracle happen. For awhile now we have been teaching this less active named “Bro Joe”. We went to see him and when we sat down with him he pointed outside and said, "See this guy walking over to my house! I took him to the open house of the temple and he really loved it!" The guy walked in and introduced himself as ILAMI. Brother Joe went and grabbed his book of mormon and started showing his friend pamphlets of Joseph Smith and Pictures of his own baptism! It was so awesome to see these two old guys looking over the Book of Mormon and to see Brother Joe being a way bomb missionary. We have been worried about Brother Joe for awhile for not coming to church but we found out his landlord has been holding him hostage (basically if he goes to church, his landlord will kick him out)...it’s illegal for us to get involved so we need to pray for his landlord to have a softened heart because he misses church. But for the time being we were way happy to see he is being an excellent missionary. After we shared a message with him and ILAMI, ILAMI wanted us to come to his house and say a prayer for his family because some of them were gone during the cyclone and he wanted us to pray that his family would be able to find each other and be back home! It was a powerful moment in their home as we prayed that his family would be kept safe and be able to return home. Elder Stevens and I have seen miracles before our very eyes this week. Lot's of people asking for blessings. In one experience, I was asked by this father to bless his 3 year old son who had a fever and hadn't stopped crying all day. Fijians are very serious about their heads and it's very sacred to them in fijian culture. So we have to say tilou (excuse me) in fijian before we lay our hands on their heads. The whole blessing the poor kid was screaming and it was almost impossible to keep our hands on his head but after the blessing he fell asleep in his dad's arms. I just sat there and watched the power of God work in this little boy. I'll never forget it. On Friday we went to go and see one of our investigators named Vilikesa! He is pretty awesome. Every time we come to teach him he gets excited to hear what we have to say and has so many questions. We had a powerful moment in the middle of the lesson where Vilikesa stopped me from speaking and said, "Elders have you noticed how many distractions have occurred since you guys have been here?" He said "You know what that says to me?" We asked him what and he said "It means Satan does not want me to hear this message which makes me know this is the truth.”  We testified to him that yes this is the truth and it was a very powerful lesson. I've noticed that satan really does give us more distraction as we get closer to the truth. Which in effect makes us want the truth even more. I know as we learn to beat Satan and push through the distractions he gives we will come closer to Jesus Christ. This transfer has taught me much. Next week is already transfers week...Yes Again. I hope to stay because I have so much to do here. I love you all and testify that Jesus Christ lives. I've seen his hand touch the lives of many. I feel the power of the priesthood and testify of it's power. Blessings are real. Miracles occur every day. Just look for them and I promise you will find them. Na Matabete ni Kalou sa kaukauwa sara ga. Au vinakata tovalea vakaukauwa ena noqu bula me'u muri o Jisu Karisto. Au kila keda vaka e dua na ivakabula o cei lomani keda kece va levu. Au sa marautaka na gauna ogo me'u qaravi noqu kaloutu! Au galili kemudou va levu. Au nuitaki kemudou kila au lomani kemudou! Masulaki na ira na tamata kai viti! I love you all so much. This church is the truth. Mom, tell Elder Davis he is the man and that I love him! I hope he is doing good. I hope to make you all proud out here in Fiji.

LOve, Elder JOnatI

Cutting the tree with our "seles"