Friday, December 25, 2015

Christmas skype

Loved every minute talking to this guy! Made us laugh the whole time, like he always does. Loves Fiji and the people.  Wonders how he was so blessed to get his dream mission.  Miss him like crazy, but I am thankful for his sacrifice and his testimony of the gospel. 
 



Monday, December 7, 2015

Rabi

 
Our quality water before we filter and boil it :) Haha

My first baptisms in Rabi


Before the prize giving at the school
Crown of flowers that we received at the prize giving at the school

COCONUT!!


Pizza in Savusavu

After..............


Monday, November 30, 2015

Crazy cool week!

Well everyone it was a great week this week! We weren't in our area for too long because of zone conference and all that but wow some crazy cool things still happened. Man so awesome!
So Tuesday we got back on the boat to Rabi with our district leader and his companion for exchanges. The only problem was there was a huge storm and the waves were MASSIVE. Like literally the height of our small fishing boat. But nevertheless we still made the crossing. It was literally like the scene on the other side of heaven (ok, maybe not that bad) but when we got there we were so wet we might as well have been swimming and we were also just surprised to be alive.... hahaha so funny.

On Wensday we were invited to a prize giving ceremony for the little k-8 school in our village. Basically a prize giving ceremony is an end of the school year celebration for the kids, because right now is their summer. We didn't really know what it was but when we got there we were seated as the guests of honor on these tables right in front. They started the ceremony by crowning us with these crowns of flowers and then one by one each grade of kids performed their dances that they had worked so hard on. They were all classic Gilbertese dances and they were all so good. All the kids are just so good at dancing because that's such a big part of their culture. Man it was so much fun to watch!

Finally Sunday we had my first baptisms on Rabi! We baptized two of the cutest 8 and 9 year old girls in the world. Their mom is a member but their dad isn't so that's why we had to teach them the lessons. The teaching experience with them has been so much fun! We just laugh and play and joke the whole time, and they literally feel more like my little sisters then my investigators. We got to baptize them in the Crystal Clear Blue ocean across from the church. Man it was so awesome. I guess maybe that should be my motivation for more baptisms is to keep getting in the ocean! hahaha just kidding! But it really was such a cool spiritual experience that I was so grateful to be apart of.

I love this work so much. I'm having some challenges out here learning a third language and all that but one thing I know is the Lord provides a way for his work to be done! I love this work and I know it's true. I love you all so much and am so grateful for all your support. I hope you all have a good week! Oh and happy Thanksgiving!

Love
Elder Mumford

P.S Sorry for no pictures. This computer is being so stupid.....

Monday, November 23, 2015

Mauri, week 3 rabi!

 
 
Mauri everyone!
Hey guys sorry I couldn't email last week. There isn't any real place to email on this island because of the super spotty power and the doctor we sometimes email at is out of town a lot, so we will see how frequent I get to email over the next few months. But this week we got to go to a mission conference over in Taveuni so we get to email this week.  Woooo!!!
Me and Elder Davis, my district leader, on the boat to Taveuni
These past two or three weeks have been super busy and filled with studying to try to learn this new language as much as possible. The Gilbertese language is a language that only uses 14 letters so all the words sound very similar and it still just sounds like Chinese to me so that's been fun. haha The island of Rabi is pretty small and you can walk the whole thing in like 4 hours or so. It doesn't really feel civilized at all. There isn't any hotels or resorts on the island. We only have power for 3 or so hours a day because of the generator that runs in the village we live in. The water is more brown then clear so we have to filter and boil it before we drink. We fill up buckets of water and use a bowl to pour water on us for our showers. As for food there is like 4 mini stores that sell the basic foods here in Fiji. There isn't a refrigerator or freezer on this whole island because of the lack of power and there is one restaurant that sells fish and rice for 2 hours a day. The whole island is like right on the ocean, and I still haven't been to a house that I couldn't see the ocean from so that's pretty neat! As for the food we eat fish that has just been caught that day for every single meal. Sometimes its fried and sometimes its raw but they are both so nice! Got to love that raw fish!. The people here are literally the nicest people on the planet! They are way nicer than Fijians and that says something! haha They are super short, have pretty dark skin, and are way loud like all the time! haha Its pretty funny though because I'm one of two white guys on the entire island and I'm way taller then them so everyone stares at me all the time, like literally everyone. And it's more awkward because I don't know how to speak with them hahhaha oh well! Our other main source of food out here is mangoes. We have two huge trees next to our house and me and my companion Elder Alonzo average eating between 5-8 a day. haha They are so nice....
 
Crazy kids!
As for the work here, its pretty slow but we have two baptisms on this Sunday for an 8 and 9 year old girls that are probably the cutest girls in the world. We should be able to baptize them in the ocean so that's going to be pretty cool too:) I will send pictures!
 
Me and our baptismal dates who are the cutest girls!

 
As for this week we got the chance as the zone on the Northern island to go up to the beautiful island of Taveuni for a mission conference/ stake conference with Elder Pierson, a member of the seventy. We had such a good weekend with heaps of meetings and just lots of elders being all together. We had 20 elders staying in two tiny apartments so you know it was a bit stuffy and cramped, but we definitley had some fun and caused some trouble... haha
Me and my best friend, Elder Mclean, from my intake


Me and my boy, Elder Afatasi

Part of our zone at the dock
One last story, probably the coolest thing I've done since I've been her in Fiji. When me and Elder Alonzo took the boat ride off of Rabi to come to Taveuni we rode on a tiny fishing boat that belonged to a member. About half way through the boat ride he asked us if we wanted to fish and we were like absolutely! So he gave us both a spool of fishing line and we let it go probably 50 or so yards behind the boat. So how we do it is you wrap the line around your hand a few times then while the boat is going full speed you move your arm non stop so the fish are attracted to the little hook on the end of the line. Then the driver of the boat just chases birds because that's usally where the fish are. Then while the boat is going full speed you just get a massive tug on your arm that sends you off balance on the boat and then you pull the line in with your arms. SO MANLY RIGHT? haha so sick. But we were going and he told us that not alot of elders have ever caught much and then BAM a massive pull on our arms and we both pulled in fish that were probably the size of my fingertips to mid bicep.. MASSIVE  I ended up catching 2 and Elder Alonzo caught 3. The member wanted us to keep fishing because we were " being blessed as missionaries" hahah it was so fun. We then killed them on the boat and I got alot of fish blood on my shirt so that looked pretty cool, haha But ya it was seriously the craziest thing I've done so far!

Anyways ya you could say life is crazy out here but hey I'm loving it. I love you all. Thanks for all the support you give me.  Have a great week!
Elder Mumford


Beautiful sunset

Monday, November 16, 2015

Bula Vinaka

Hello brother and sister Mumford , this is elder Davis. I am Elder Mumford's District Leader and he wanted me to write you guys and let you know that he will not be able to email this week do to lack of internet on Rabi. But he had some things that he wanted me to tell you guys.

 He said he loves the raw fish here and that he eats it quiet a lot.  Him and his companion Elder Alonzo have eaten 23 mangos this week and they have been working out alot . He said they work out every morning and night and that he loves it . He also told me to tell you that he will be on next week so make sure you guys are on. He said he loves you guys and don't worry he is doing great!

If you ever need to get ahold of him or he is not responding go ahead and give me a email and I will let him know as soon as possible. I am grateful to have your son here in the north. He is totally rad and is a really hard working missionary. You guys should be proud!!

Love Elder Davis

Monday, November 9, 2015

HOLY COW WEEK 13- RABI

Ok guys so I'm emailing way early today because this is the only time we will be able to email the whole day out where I am. And I won't be on for very long so I'll make sure to write letters today! I love you all so much.

So I'll pretty much just get down to business right away. Tuesday is the day that president calls out transfer calls. So he individually calls everyone in the mission and tells them whether or not they will be staying. When it was our time for the call, I was freaking out. I got on the phone and president told me that because I have been doing well out on the mission he thought I could really handle a challenge.... That's definitely a scary thing to hear.... He then continued that I was being transfered up to the island of Rabi..... Speaking the Gilbertese (Kiribati) language. Wow I was shocked. I was not only being transfered but I was being switched languages.... Holy cow. My head felt like I was spinning. Learning a language everyday for 4 and a half months then simply just throwing it out for a new one, was just crazy..... But man I was excited and so scared for the challenge! President told me that I would be on this remote island for at least 3 months learning the language, and 3 more teaching it to another elder.

 Friday we flew up to Lobassa which is up on the northern Island called Vanua Levu. We drove down and stayed the night in the zone leaders flat. From there we got driven to the spot where the boat would pick us up to take us to Rabi because it is a small island that can only be accessed by small boat. So we waited for like an hour and all of a sudden a small boat pulled up to the shore. My companion was like " alright there it is" and I thought he was kidding... This boat was smaller then a fishing boat. But sure enough that was it... We crossed part of the ocean in this tiny boat across the most crystal blue water in the world like holy cow...... And then we arrived at what will be my home for the next 6 months at least.... So just a little bit about Rabi. From what I know Rabi was given as a gift from the Fijian people to the Kiribati people, so a bunch of people moved from the Kiribati islands over to this island right off of Fiji. There are about 4000 people total on this island and probably ninety nine percent speak Gilbertese, with a few Fijian speakers sprinkled here and there. There are about 20 people who speak broken English, and most don't speak any at all, so wow its been an adventure. Their staple food is fish. (usually raw) which I'm so excited to try today!
 
 
 

We live in a little box house about 100 yards from the ocean probably the size of my living room at home that's split into three small rooms We shower for the most part out of buckets of water and the power is very unreliable. The water quality is so bad that even though it goes through a filter we have to boil it first. So ya you could say I'm living in the bush. These first few days have been hard but at the same time have been so much fun. It kind of just feels like a long camping trip... haha so crazy! My companion's name is Elder Alonzo, who is this tall Phillipino guy from Chicago. He is the man! The one interesting thing however is that he has only been here for 6 weeks before me, so neither one of us know much at all of the language. We are working 3-4 hours a day to learn it as fast as humanly possible.




The people here are seriously nicer and more fun loving than the Fijians. They are so amazing, and so loving and I just cannot wait to be able to communicate freely with them, because they are so awesome.

Well that's pretty much it for right now because I don't have much time to email, but I tried to squeeze as much information as possible into this short time. I love you all so much, and have no doubt that what I'm doing here is right. This church is true, no matter where you are, and I know that although this is hard, God will support me and help me do what he needs me to do! I love you all!
Love Elder Mumford

Monday, November 2, 2015

BULA VINAKA WEEK 12

Bula Vinaka everyone!

I hope everyone's week was great, and that everything at home is going well. I would like to take a moment to give a special shoutout to my Green Bay Packers and their undefeated season so far, and know my boys out in Green Bay will keep going strong. hahaha Anyways this week was just an awesome week. For those of you who don't know week 11 of the 12 week training program, the person who is being trained leads everything in the area including lessons. So wow ya it was a fun experience to say the least. haha But nonetheless we still saw amazing blessings in our area, which we have been so grateful and know that if we work hard that we will keep receiving those blessings.

The goal for this week was getting people to commit to baptismal dates, and we did it! 5 people accepted a date to be baptized in these next coming months which was so awesome! And we should have 3 more this week! It's been so awesome this week, we have went into lessons ready to follow the spirit and have been so blessed for it.

Tuesday we went up to Lautoka for a district leader meeting for elder childers. So me and the 4 missionaries who aren't district leaders, went over to this grassy park literally like 5 feet from the ocean, and did studies, So that was way awesome.
 

 

Thursday was a crazy day. Our first lesson of the day we just had a goat walk right through the lesson, and no one seemed to even flinch... haha only in Fiji... haha But we then went to pick up a 16 year old kid to go to some lessons with us. When we were almost there we noticed we couldn't see their house , and when we rolled up, what was left of their small house was just a smoking pile of tin.... Wow it was so sad. Somehow during cooking their house had caught fire and burned down. It was the saddest thing ever. Now a family of 8 kids, who were living in a very small two room wood and tin hut, were now living in a tent made out of a tarp. Just absolutely gut wrenching. We came back later that week and taught them a great lesson The spirit was just so strong in that small tent. Now the ward has rallied together, and they have built a more sturdy temporary shelter which has been good!

Sunday was a great day. Early in the week we had found a way golden investigator who just asked us to give him the lessons which never happens. hahah He is 20 years old just like us and he is the best. But anyways we were sitting in sacrament meeting and we looked out the window and saw him walking up!!! He had walked from so far by himself to be at church! We are so excited for him and all of our other wonderful investigators.

Well those are the highlights for this week. We have transfers coming up this week and I'm nervous because I really don't want to leave, but I know wherever the Lord puts me will be great! I love this work so much and I know more and more every day that this church is true. I love you all! Have a great week!

Elder Mumford

Monday, October 26, 2015

BULA VINAKA Week 11

Bula Vinaka everyone

Another sweet week in Fiji, with heaps of good work this week. Our area is really good and we are just really excited about how things are looking right now. Once again another week of ups and downs but hey I Love it! Not too much from this week just a few stories.
 
On Monday we found like 5 new investigators, all which look like they have some very good potential, but we will see as we teach them more.

Saturday was supposed to be the best day of the week. The sisters in the area next to us are still teaching the big Fijian rugby player Jack and he was supposed to be baptized on Saturday. He chose me to baptize him, I was way excited. We got to the baptism and he didn't show for like thirty minutes, so we went out to find him. We ended up finding him but he was drunk from the night before. It was so sad because he has been so strong throughout this whole process, but he always told us his friends were a big temptation. And the night before he finally gave in. It was so heartbreaking and sad, because I just love him so much, but we still are confident that he will still progress towards baptism. I sure hope so!

Right now in Fiji its the beginning of summer and wow it is so hot. It's not like Arizona thats just like an oven. I'm always just soaking wet here. It's always awkward when we are at a lesson and I'm dripping sweat onto my scriptures, or into my food. So thats fun hahaha But with the heat it brings mango season and the Mangos here are so nice. But to really enjoy a mango you have to eat it like a Fijian, that is like an apple, skin and all. MAN SO GOOD!

Well that's pretty much it for the week. Definitely a good week of hard work, that will hopefully lead into other things but we will see. I love this gospel, and I know without a doubt that this is a true church because it really does bring happiness! I love you all.  Have a great week!

Elder Mumford
 

One of my favorite members, J-Q

 

Monday, October 19, 2015

Bula Vinaka Week 10

Bula Vinaka everyone!

Another great week out here in the Fiji Suva mission. Plenty of ups and downs, but hey we get the downs so we can just appreciate the ups am I right!?

Nothing too crazy about this week. Just a good week. Monday we went back up to the Sand dunes for P-day. Man it was such a fun P-day but seriously I was picking sand out of my ears for like three days after. haha 

Tuesday we had an awesome meeting that's called train the trainers. In this meeting they train all the people that are being trained like me. It was such a cool meeting for me. I learned just how much that the mission can do for me. I'm truly just so blessed to be out here and be able to be shaped and moulded by the Lord into the person that he wants me to be. What a blessing!

Wednesday we got the chance to watch priesthood sessions with an elderly couple who lives on this side of the island and they fed us a way nice breakfast so we were all way happy! haha

As for the rest of the week not much to really mention except for one funny moment.  When we were tracting and this old guy told us how it talks about World War 3 in the Bible and how that Germany and the Catholics would combine to rule the world. Haha It was way crack up, but we just thanked him for the big news and left. hahaha Fiji man!

Sunday we got to have our returning member receive his calling of being a Sunday school teacher. This gospel truly has the power to change anyone's life, and you could totally see it with the life of Brother Paul. He has changed from a guy that is sad, and kind of depressed of the outcome of his life, to a guy that is alive in Christ, simply because of this gospel. I will attach a picture of him! I just want you all to know that this church can do the same thing for you as it did for Brother Paul. This gospel can change people, and it has changed me. This church is true, and I challenge you all to try it and find out for yourself! I love you all so much.  Thank you for all your prayers and support. Have a good week everyone!

Brother Paul, who is a returning member, and the man!!
 
 Cute Fijian girl

 

Monday, October 12, 2015

BULA VINAKA WEEK 9

Bula vinaka everyone! Hope everyone had a great week again. I know ours here was fantastic. SO much happened so I will try to put all the good stuff into this email!

Tuesday was a great day, where we had a Zone training meeting. Our Zone is pretty spread out, and takes up more than half of the main island of Fiji.  It's just massive. But anyways everyone came in and we had a meeting all together. So much fun to be with everyone!

Thursday we had our service day in the morning. So we went over to our 19 year old investigator named Vatu! We helped him farm which is just the average service day in the Fiji Suva mission. Because everyone here pretty much lives off the land they can always use help farming. But anyways we helped him for an hour or so and then he told us to come follow him. So we walked with him for like 2 minutes through trees and then BAM we were on this completely hidden secret private beach in Fiji. (I know Fiji sounds like a really tough place to be;) haha but this beach was just loaded with seashells, and was way pretty. Then Vatu decided to climb up a 40 foot coconut tree and dropped like 6 coconuts for us. Then for the rest of service we just chilled on beach in Fiji drinking coconuts... haha so sick.
 
Me and Vatu farming
Friday was my first baptism out here in Fiji. HER NAME IS LOSENNA! I was literally just through the roof excited. Man it was just so cool. I had my white sulu, and new white shirt all ready, and was just so excited. We ended up waiting at the chapel for like 2 hours with Losenna and her family waiting for a priesthood leader to oversee the baptism and the whole program kind of blew up in our faces. However, when the time came and she stepped down into the waters of baptism, you could just feel the spirit so strongly it was unbelievable. She felt so peaceful and it was just a great experience. I felt more happy then I've ever been in my entire life knowing that I helped someone come unto Christ and be baptized! So cool!
 
Me, Losenna, and my companion
Then Sunday was just such a weird day. We were supposed to have General conference this weekend, because of how Fiji is 19 hours ahead. But anyways we went to the meeting and the first weird thing was they gave us the sacrament... I've never seen the sacrament given at General conference, so that was weird but its Fiji so you kind of just have to expect whatever haha. They then put on the Saturday morning session, and we were pumped because we thought we were just going to watch them all! But after the Saturday morning sesision they just turned off the t.v and everyone went home..... hahah So funny and so weird.
 
Anyways it was a great week out here on the mission, just figured I would give you all a Sportscenter highlight reel of the best moments because they are the most interesting anyway. I love you all and I just want you all to know that I know without a doubt that this church is true! Love you.  Have a good week.

Elder Mumford

Monday, October 5, 2015

Bula Vinaka Week 8!

Bula Vinaka everyone!

I hope everyone had a good week. We had such a good week out here in Fiji. Thirty lessons this week! We truly felt the blessings from working hard and being obedient.  There is now just so much good potential in our area and we are so excited about the work here right now. In other news we have around 6 mice that we see pretty frequently around our flat and we are in the process of naming them. And my Fijian is really starting to come along! Love this work!

Monday! Monday night was such a good night. We did splits and me and an Elder named Elder Carter went and tried to teach one of our investigators. She wasn't there but her little brother Vatu, who is 18, was. He invited us in to teach him (which is always a good sign) and he told us that he has taken all the lessons before and knows that the church is true. He said that on that night he was going to go out with his friends but he felt like he should stay in and read his Book of Mormon instead and that's when we showed up..... WOW such a golden investigator, that was so exciting. We went back to teach him on Tuesday and he gave us like a twenty minute summary of 1st Nephi. Wow! This guy is so prepared its unreal!

This week I also hit three months out on the mission which is just so crazy... It is just flying by so fast. I'm just trying to work my hardest everyday so when I look back on my mission in two years I don't have one single regret about the things I did out here in Fiji!

Thursday we went over to the house of a member that has served as a bishop in almost every stake in Fiji. Such a col guy. He had a way nice house and it felt like I was at a dinner appointment somewhere in America. haha But it came around to dinner time and he pulled out two massive pots of SPAGHETTI!!! WHAT IN THE WORLD. Me and my companion were freaking out, because spaghetti isn't the most common thing here in Fiji. So anyways he told us to eat as much as possible and we did... hahah 6 plates each... I could barely walk out of the house.. haha Just fantastic!!

Friday we finally had a baptismal interview for our investigator Losenna who is being baptized this coming Friday! She also said that she wants me to baptize her, and I'm just more than excited... Wow its going to be so cool! It's so rewarding to see all the hard work we put in turn into rewards. I'm just so excited!!!
 
Well that's pretty much it for the week, it was a great week. Lots of hard work! No pictures for the week, sorry everyone! But next week there should be some good ones with the baptism and all.

Well I love you all and just want to tell you all that this church truly does bring happiness. If you are looking for happiness in your life turn to this gospel. It truly does bring happiness and change lives. I've seen that in my investigators here in Fiji and myself. This is the true church! Love you all!

Elder Mumford

Monday, September 28, 2015

Bula Vinaka Week 7!

Bula Vinaka everyone! I hope everyone had a great week. I miss you all, but I can feel your love and prayers so thank you so much for that! As for my week, it was easily the craziest week out on my mission so far. WOW. I'll try to explain it the best I can!

So Monday night we went on splits with other Elders. We went to one of our investgators houses named Jack. This guy is seriously the man. He is this massive 6'5 jacked Fijian dude, who is way mean at rugby. He is at the level just below the Fijian national team, and he wins player of the match nearly every game he has. I asked him if he wants to play for the Fijian national team, and he said he is going to try out next year. The Fijian national rugby team is literally treated like royalty so if I could say that I have taught a Fijian national rugby player that would be unreal. Anyways we taught him a quick lesson, and he says he feels as if the reason he plays so good is because of this gospel. Man way cool guy, so humble. He's just the best.

Tuesday was the day that changed pretty much everything. We were out proselyting and got a call from our mission president. (If you get a call from the mission president its usually a pretty big deal). He talked to Elder Moore first and told him that he was being transfered to be a Zone leader in Suva. He then handed me the phone and president then asked me if I would be able to be the driver, starting Thursday. Meaning I had to learn how to drive stick and how to drive on the left side of the road in one day. WHAT IN THE WORLD. haha needless to say I almost peed myself but then I remembered the scripture that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." So I was comforted knowing that I would be able to do it.

Wensday we celebrated Elder Moore's birthday a little bit early because he was going to be transfered before his birthday.  We went to a really nice hotel down the street from our flat and payed for a breakfast buffet. WOAH THE BEST. Like literally we both gained almost a pound and a half from eating so much. Just a heavenly meal haha. We ate so much that we ate at 8 and we weren't hungry again till the next morning. haha The mission is some hard work, but you have to find ways to have fun and we definitely do. We spent most of that day practicing driving, which I actually picked it all up pretty fast and feel pretty confident now driving in Fiji which is good!

Thursday, I dropped Elder Moore off at the Bus to suva which was good because I knew it was where he needs to be right now. But it was way sad because we had become best friends in just six weeks. But its alright the work still moves on.

 
Saying goodbye to my companion Elder Moore 
Friday I picked up my new companion and spent the whole day explaining to him our investigators and our area. It was a bit overwhelming because me just being six weeks in basically being the senior companion for a few days introducing my new companion and getting him up to speed on all his responsibilities here. Man it was crazy but such a good growing experience.

Saturday we sent home the people that were going home, because we are the airport elders. In the morning we sent two kids home that were flying home to New Zealand. One of the guys luggage was like 8 kgs overweight and the lady wouldn't allow him to check it in. She said he would be able to bring the extra weight on in a backpack but he didn't have a backpack. So I was like ehh what the heck and just gave him mine. Haha weird job being a airport elder.. haha so now I'm back pack less. haha
 

Guy on the left now has my backpack and the short guy is my new companion.
Well that's pretty much it for the week. It was a great week, filled with new challenges but it allowed me to grow so much.  I love this work so much and know without a doubt that what I'm doing here is right. I love you all, have a good week everyone!

Elder Mumford
Saying goodbye to the funniest guy I know.  Elder Walls

Saying goodbye to my Kiribati boys

 
 
 

 

Monday, September 21, 2015

Bula Vinaka Week 6!

Bula vinaka everyone! I hope everyone had a great week! It was just another killer week out here in Fiji. I'm seriously having so much fun, and I'm starting to wish the time would just slow down, because wow its seriously flying. This work is so rewarding. I kind of thought a little that I was doing my Heavenly Father a favor by going on the mission but wow was I wrong. He blesses me so much everyday like I can't even comprehend. He loves us all so much, so if you are ever going through a hard time, just remember that your Heavenly Father loves and knows you.

Anyways last week we went to the sand dunes as I talked about a little. It was so fun, just these huge crazy sand dunes next to the ocean. We didn't bring anything to slide on, so instead we just had races down these way steep hills and ate it every time. haha Way fun. You might think that a mission would make you like a robot or something but wow its literally the opposite. It's just like they let children run loose in Fiji. haha Way fun!

Me and my companion

 

At the beginning of the week we ran out of support and didn't get money until Wensday, so the first half of the week we had some interesting meals... haha missionary life... Not too much noteworthy happened on Tuesday or Wensday, except for one of the more random questions ever. We were leaving a members house, and right when I was about to leave the lady that lived at the house was like, "So your name is Elder Mumford?" I said yes, and then she immediately was like " Oh so that means you're the great Grandson of Ezra Taft Benson right?" WHAT THE HAHAH I was dying. I'm not really sure how she drew that conclusion but wow random... hahaha 

On Thursday I had my first Zone conference here in Fiji. This is a meeting where all the missionaries on the west side of the Fiji main island come together and the misson president comes for an amazing meeting. Literally just such an inspired meeting. It felt like a general conference for missionaries, so cool. In the morning we got a call from the airport saying there were two elders that are serving in the Kiribati islands right now who missed their flight. So we went and picked them up from the airport and have had them at our flat for like 5 days as they wait for their work permit. It has been seriously so much fun with these guys. They both went to BYU before they came out on the mission and one played soccer there which is way cool. They're just so much fun to be around and we have had a killer time going on splits all week.
 
Kiribati Missionaries
Friday was a crazy day. I had my first one on one interview with president since being out in the field which was so good. He truly is an inspired man, and inspires us so much to become better. If I can be half of what he is someday it would be so great. I told him I want to go to as bush of an area as possible so we will see. It might be fun. :) Friday night we went on splits with the Kiribati elders. Me and Elder Buhler went to teach two lessons, both completely in Fijian, and since he doesn't know any Fijian, I had to lead the whole lesson. So you could say I was freaking out. Six weeks in the mission and leading two lessons?! But the first lesson ended up being the best lesson I've had out in the mission so far. We taught this girl who's named Losenna who is 22 and works at the airport. We have been teaching her for a while now, and she has been reading the Book of Mormon. She hasn't received an answer yet though. That was our goal is to recognize that she knows it is true. We taught the full lesson, and let me testify about the Gift of tongues. I shared everything I needed to say and committed her to be baptized on OCT 3. Talk about the best Bday present ever!!

Saturday was just a fun day with a ton more proselyting. Saturday night one of the Kiribati elders broke out a 50 dollar bill that he had been given by someone when he got to Fiji. So as responsible elders we used it to all go and buy a Mcflurry and a chocolate sundae for all of us. 33 dollars on ice cream and wow it was fantastic. hahah such responsible guys I know.

Well it was just such a killer fun week. We are truly figuring out how to work as hard as we can while still having so much fun! I love this work and love you all, Have a great week everyone!

Elder Mumford

We traveled to Stake conference on a bus with the Ward.



 
Two member kids on the bus
 
 

Monday, September 14, 2015

WEEK 5

Well guys it was another great week out here in this beautiful country. I love this work and am just excited to keep moving forward in what we are doing here. I don't have much time to email but I'll just give a quick little summary of the things that happened this week.

So on Tuesday we had exchanges, so I went to Sigatoka to do work with Elder Walls. He is this big funny Korean guy from LA who goes home in a week. We had a blast and worked way hard. Their area is a walking area, which I LOVE because you just get to talk to everyone as you walk so its way fun! Its a beautiful place so in the morning during excercise we hiked up to a lookout point above the city that I will attach a picture of. SO cool!
 
 

Wensday we transfered back. Me and Elder Moore went and had probably our best lesson of the week with a returning member, whose name is Brother Paul. This guy is seriously just the man, and is so excited about the gospel. We went over to his house and he told us he had just come back from town and he just bought a new Sulu, tie, and white shirt for his interview with the stake president. We have no idea where he got the money from, all we know is this gospel changes people and its so fun to be a part of.

Me and Elder Moore's new past time right now is to steal ripe mangoes off of our landlords tree. Literally so good, I love mangoes so much. We have to sneak and do it though because she is kind of a super mean old lady and doesn't like us much, so it definitely gives us an adrenaline rush every time because we are way afraid to get caught. haha We are like little kids here in Fiji. haha 

Today we also went to these huge sand dunes with a ton of other missionaries. Man it was so fun. You climb up these giant hills of sand and then all of a sudden the ocean is right there. It was unbelievably beautiful.
 
 

Like I said, not too much this week, but still it was a great week. We are so excited about this work and just love being here. I love you all, and have a good week everyone!

Elder Mumford

Monday, September 7, 2015

Fiji Week 4

Bula vinaka everyone!

Well it was another good week. Alot of hard work, alot of ups and downs but overall I really feel like we are doing our best to be succesful, and that's what matters! Love this Mission!

Ok so for Monday we had our first Zone P-day together! So we went up to Lautoka, a city about 25 minutes north of us and met all the elders and sisters in our zone. (about 24 in total) and played games and all that good stuff outside. Wow it was so much fun. It was my first real experience playing rugby, and I'm pretty much obsessed. SOOOO much fun. It's like all the good things about football mixed with the speed of play of lacrosse. So ya I was pretty much in Heaven. SOOOOOOO SWEEET. I attached a picture of our zone. It's funny because there are only like 8 people from the states out of 24. Alot of people from the islands which is so much fun!


Me and Elder Mokie at zone Pday
Tuesday we had our first Zone training meeting and wow it was awesome. We get taught by our zone leades about how to become better missionaries, and its just so cool. They are such great missionaries, and I really got to see first hand the type of missionary I wanted to become. After ZTM me and my companion had exchanges with the Zone leaders. I was way nervous because I'm just this new missionary going out on splits for the day with a zone leader but it was way good. He's been out for a year, so we actually graduated in the same class which was pretty cool, and he's from Utah, we got along way well and did some good work.

Me and Elder Johnson, the zone leader, on splits
Wensday we switched back companions and we had a way cool experience. We were going to share a lesson to two kids who have been taking the discussions and been awesome. Their mom is a member but their dad doesn't want them to be baptized so that's the problem. Anyways we got there and only the mom was home and we noticed all their big water tanks were empty. We asked her about them and she said that their water had gone out and she didn't know how they were going to get water. So we took the water tanks from them and drove them to the church and filled them all up for them and then drove them back. Wow you should have seen the looks on their faces. It was so cool that I was able to be used as a tool in my Heavenly Father's hands to help one of his children in need. It also made me so grateful for the things I have at home. These people were so grateful for three tanks of semi clean water, while at home we have swimming pools of clean water. Wow just so crazy....

Yesterday was Father's Day here in Fiji.  So after church we headed over to this families house and had a massive feed, with like 4 whole chickens and tons of other Fijian food! It was so fun because here in Fiji you don't eat with utensils, just your hands.  Man so loud and so much fun!

 

I don't have much time, so just one more story for the week. We have a guy and girl investigator that are just so awesome. They aren't married but because they want to be baptized they are getting married this week, so that will be way cool! Anyways it was pouring rain on Sunday morning but we still really wanted them to come to church so we decided to go check on them. When we got there we just gave them our umbrellas so they could get there not soaking wet. We came to find out later that day that that morning that couple was talking about how they wanted umbrellas to walk to church with. The husband told the wife to use pretty much their last 7 dollars to go buy an umbrella, but the wife insisted and said she would just go soaking wet. Right at this instant we showed up and gave them umbrellas. Man it was soo cool to see that God loves all his children so much. Even just for a little thing such as getting them umbrellas to walk to church with, he cares about and finds ways to help them with their needs. I can testify to you all that this church is true and God truly does live and care about us all!

Well It was a great week. I love this mission so much. Thanks everyone for all your support that you give to me. Love you all!

Elder Mumford

Ps In honor of the hail mary, GO COUGS
OUR MOM VAN

Our Living Room
Our kitchen....where we see mice all the time now.  haha