Week #84

Bula Everyone! This has been a good week so I'm just going to dive right into the details and tell you all about it! Monday night after p-day we had an appointment with this family we have been working with. They live up behind a school by a nearby village we always visit and they are awesome. They're a young Fijian couple and are both school teachers. They have a little baby named Faith and they just need the gospel. So Monday night we headed down around 7:00 and they were home so we went right on in. The lesson was awesome. We taught them about the restoration of the gospel and about Joseph Smith and they were just listening intently the entire time. Towards the end of the lesson the spirit was right so we invited them to be baptized. They told us they believe it is all true but that they cannot change churches because it's their forefather's church. In Fiji this is what everyone will tell you. I can't even count how many times I've taught someone and they come to know it's all true but they just "can't change". Sometimes it blows my mind! There're always some frustrating things that come with trying to help others receive the gospel. But no matter how hard it can be it is ALWAYS worth it. Take for example Petaia and his wife Leba! I have great news! They were both baptized yesterday in the river below our chapel. But I want to tell you all a little more about Petaia! There are some things we found out about him this past week. This last Thursday we had an appointment with him and his family and as we walked up to the house all the lights were shut off. Petaia came out smiling with only a candle and we entered the home. After sharing with them about how their baptism was going to work Petaia told us that he wanted to tell us something. He told us how a year ago he lived on the 2nd biggest island in Fiji, "Vanua Levu". He told us how he was the head Minister of his church over the entire island..... Then he received a vision that he and his family should go to the main island of Viti Levu. At the time he didn't know why but he just decided to listen and go. He left everything. He came all the way here to Naitasiri. He told us he had been waiting here for a year to find out why God sent him here. He had been praying and fasting and then he said the day we entered his home he knew. He felt peace and he learned things that gave him a purpose and he's come to love the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Petaia is one of the most humble men I have ever met and his wife is just as amazing. I know they will be converted forever! It has been an awesome week. I also got to go on exchanges with the assistants and it was a blast. Suva is way different than Naistasiri hahaha! It's like going from bush to city and it's crazy. I'm slowly turning into a bushman! I love every experience I have been having on my mission! It can be hard but it is more rewarding than anything I have ever experienced. Tomorrow is transfer calls and I hope I can stay longer! I love you all! Ni sa moce!

Love, Elda Jonati