Weak Ankles, Strong Spirits

Bula Vinaka everyone! This week was another week full of hard work and plenty of ups and downs but man it really flew by. I've been working harder then I've ever worked and have felt more rewarded then I've ever felt. However I know it's not about me but about those people I will be teaching so that's what I'm focusing on. I can feel the spirit so strongly here and everyday I just know this is what I need to be doing.

 

So last Friday night, we went and taught our first lesson here at the MTC in Fijian....... Ya I would say it's pretty hard to teach a lesson to someone, when all you know how to do is bear your testimony, tell them hello, and pray. hahaha It was hard to really get the spirit in the room when we had no idea what we were saying, but it went alright! Apparently we did better then some of the other Elders. Elder Traill, this huge Samoan soft spoken dude from New Zealand, got asked to give the prayer in the lesson, and just said "Our dear Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ amen." Hahahahah we were all just dying laughing.

 

Elder Traill

 

Saturday (the fourth of July) was a busy day as well. We worked hard all day and learned that if we are obedient that we can have the spirit to be with us in our lessons. We taught our second lesson Saturday night, and it was amazing how much we could speak and understand what we were hearing. In just a matter of a day we had such a better grasp on the language it was crazy. We totally knew the spirit was rewarding us for our hard work. We then had what was supposed to be a Fourth of July celebration that night. Lol that sucked. We were supposed to go to the Stadium of Fire, but instead they just brought us out to the parking lot behind the building and let us watch from there. So we were standing up in a parking lot watching fireworks that were mostly blocked by trees. That night was tough because fourth of July is like the best holiday, and man I just missed spending it with the family. But I know like I said that this work is true, so it's totally worth it to make that sacrifice to bring this happiness that I have to the people of Fiji.

Sunday was fast Sunday, and here at the MTC we do a full real twenty four hour fast, and wow let me tell you I think me and some of the other Big boys in our branch nearly passed away... hahaha We had mission conference that morning however which takes place every fast Sunday, and man it was awesome. It was such a spiritually uplifting experience. I got reminded to forget myself and go to work and that if I would do that I would be blessed, so I've been working on doing that all week.

AND THEN THERE WAS MONDAY. So Monday, during the fifty minutes of gym time that we get a day, I sprained my ankle playing basketball soooo bad. I've always had a bad right ankle but the suck thing was this was my left ankle so now I'm going to have two bad ankles, boooooooo. it literally swelled up to the size of a tennis ball, and I had to crutch around for two days on it. I'm such a little awkward kid. But man it could have been so much worse. Elder Foava, who's this huge tough guy from Australia who gave up a 4 million dollar rugby pro contract to be here, dislocated his shoulder in gym and because it was like his 8th dislocation on his shoulder he had to get surgery, poor guy. But now like four days later my ankle is almost 100 percent which I feel truly blessed because of. (But probably no more basketball for me) haha

 

That night after I destroyed my ankle we taught our third investigator lesson and wow it was just amazing. We felt the spirit so strongly that we decided to ask the person to be baptized and they agreed! (Remember these aren't real investigators, just our teachers) but still the spirit was so strong! Two kids from Arizona and Colorado, who have never spoke Fijian in our lives were able to bring the spirit in so strongly that we were able to have our teacher feel it. Man I love this work.

Tuesday one of the highlights was our service assignment, which is basically just cleaning the buildings here in the MTC. Since I was still a cripple the only job they could find for me was, cleaning erasers in a closet with a vacuum. Hahah I've never felt so useless, and special in my life. All the guys thought that one was pretty funny.

Wednesday night was one of the funniest moments I've had in the MTC. So me and my companion were teaching our fourth lesson, and we were talking about Jesus Christ. My companion leaned forward with pure seriousness, looked into our investigators eyes and instead of saying "Jesus Created his church" he said "Jesus Christ created the fish" and our teacher just lost it, like fell on the ground laughing haha We were just nervously looking at each other, not knowing what we did wrong, but once he told us we died laughing as well. haha Missionary work is so hard, but it's seriously so fun.

 

Me and my companion hanging with Joseph Smith :)

I really am trying to just better myself a little bit at a time and I can feel that happening. I love this work and I know it's true. I hope everyone had a good week and I love you all! Moce!

 

Mic, a friend I baptized in high school, who is going on a mission to Spain.

Sam, my lacrosse teammate from BYU, who is going to Taiwan on his mission
 

My branch (anyone going on a mission to any island in the Pacific)