More pics of our trip to Suva

More of us missionaries at the cultural celebration...

Me and Elder McLean and Elder Whitworth, who are my best friends from my intake!

My zone leader reading "tips on dating" from the New Era... we were dying hahaha

                                                           Suva, Fiji Temple

Overwhelmed at a shopping mall that looked like it was from America... we didn't even know what to do when we saw that many cars!

This last picture is us with Gilbertese kids in Suva. We were staying with the AP's in Suva and since we are able to speak Gilbertese they took us over to their Gilbertese investigators house to give them a little surprise. SO we went there and me and Elder Alonzo pretended we just knew English, and just spoke to them in English until it was time for us to introduce ourselves. We spoke in straight gilbertese... haha the look on these kids faces was priceless! They had no idea what to think with a white guy and an Asian speaking Gilbertese to them. We had tons of fun just teaching them in their own language! Good times!

Suva trip

This picture is me and Elder Moore, my first companion who started my training! I finally got to see him again!

This is our zone of the northern island

The next two pictures are of the cultural celebration held in Vodaphone arena.. Wow it was such an amazing experience to have a house of the Lord reopened here in Fiji. The spirit was so strong at the celebration and even though there was a hurricane the weather can't stop the Lord's work from moving along!

Me posing in President's chair. Hahaha

This is me and my only recent convert from out west in my first area! Here name is Losanna and I got to see her at the temple dedication. She told me that she hasn't ever missed a Sunday of church and told me how she is planning on going on a mission right after her year mark of baptism.. that was so amazing. It literally almost brought tears to my eyes knowing I helped change someone's life and that now she is going to go out and change others lives.. so cool!

Another little destruction picture of what the storm could do to a metal shade

McDonalds!!!!

SO this is us smashing Mcdonalds.....When we went down to Suva we were literally so overwhelmed by all the big buildings, lights and cars especially coming from an island with 4 cars and electricity for only 3 hours a day... I can't even imagine what it's going to be like to come home to America... hahahha So ya you could say we were pretty happy at Mcdonalds. I spent like 20 dollars there each time I went. #oops

This last picture is of me when I forgot that I wasn't wearing my Sulu and only had shorts on when we went to Mcdonalds for breakfast... hahaha

Suva Temple dedication trip

We call the group in the 1st picture the squad.... during the Suva trip we were stuck in the flat with 14 missionaries because 3 different flats had ankle deep flooding. We were without power for alot of time because of the hurricane. So we found heaps of things to do, such as rap battles, would you rather questions, card games, working out, and Mcdonalds... man it was a good time! hahaha

Me making out with a Dr. Pepper that I found...no big deal

Traveling by boat to Suva

Traveling to Suva

Aftermath of Cyclone Winston

These are pictures that my comp took because my camera was dead most of the week. Just some crazy stuff!

Elder Alonzo said, "So if you don't live under a rock, you probably know that a cyclone just hit Fiji the other week. Word on the street is that it was the strongest hurricane to have hit the southern hemisphere with winds at 200mph. Crazy stuff. Many trees fell. Farms ruined. Roofs got torn off. A lot of people here just have wooden houses and I saw in the newspaper that one family got their house picked up and thrown a few meters! They're alright though in Suva, where we were at the time.  There wasn't any power for 4 days. I think 20+ people died? But yeah, just keep Fiji in your prayers!

Tyler is safe!

Elder Tyler Robert Mumford is safe and accounted for here in Suva.

Power is out throughout Fiji and there is a State of Emergency and curfew being enforced.
We originally planned to send the missionaries back to their areas tomorrow morning.
However, because of the storm and restrictions on travel, we will keep them here until we
know it is safe for them to travel. As I write this email we have not had any contact
with the Saints on Vanua Levu and Taveuni, good or bad. All communication lines are down.

Today there were three sessions of the Suva Fiji Temple dedication with President Eyring
presiding. They were all wonderful spirit filled events. Because the power is out
throughout most of Fiji some of the Saints were not able to watch the dedication services
as planned. President Eyring announced that the dedication services will be re-broadcast
next Sunday.

With the power out we anticipate the Internet shops will be closed on preparation day.
Your missionary probably will not be able to send you their weekly emails. Please know
that we are watching thing close and I will try to keep you updated on the conditions
here in Fiji, until we return back to normal.

Warm regards,

President Layton

Fiji Suva Mission

Cyclone Winston

I am sending this email to inform you that Elder Tyler Robert Mumford, who is
serving in the Suva Fiji Mission, is currently safe and accounted for. We are currently
experiencing Cyclone Winston, a category 5 storm, which is passing through Fiji as I send
this email. The power is out through most of the island and we are experiencing high
winds and rain. The missionaries have been trained on how to handle the storm. They are
all either in their flats or at their Stake Center.

As you may know the temple is scheduled to be dedicated tomorrow with three sessions.
President Henry B. Eyring and Elder Quentin L. Cook are with us here in the mission home.
Earlier today we participated in a Cultural Celebration where the youth of Fiji performed
dances celebrating the culture of Fiji and the surrounding islands. It was beautiful with
a lot of energy from the youth. It was so exciting to have our missionaries in
attendance.

The main part of the storm is forecast to pass us by in time for the dedication sessions
tomorrow. Plans are to proceed with the dedication and have our missionaries participate.

We sure appreciate your faith and prayers in behalf of our missionaries as we pass
through this challenging weather.

Warm regards,

President LaytonFiji Suva Mission

RABI LIFE

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Well hey guys so just like every other week there is just way to much that happens to write it all but I will try my best to put some good highlights in this email!

So I will just tell some good stories that have happened recently. First just to get you guys a picture of things that happen on our usual days, last week on our p-day, we were on a run to go lift some weights at a members house that have them. Its like 3 miles of hills so its a pretty hard run, and about half way through the run we hear barking which is never a good sign, and we see a dog just hauling as fast as it can at us from probably like thirty yards away. We knew it was going to attack us so there was only one thing we could do. TURN ON THE JETS. We were just sprinting as fast as we could trying to outrun it, and right when it was about to catch me a guy we knew came from around the corner with a stick and hit the dog. Literally that guy was an angel. Haha but as for dogs, we get attacked and chased all the time, but luckily I haven't been bit yet!!! But ya dogs suck. I'm definitely never having one in my house. So that's a fun thing we deal with but hey at least I'm getting faster with the sprints I'm doing to get away from the dogs! hahaha #brightside
 

The next story I have is of a less active lady who we are working with who is my favorite lady ever. But she wouldn't take the sacrament because she didn't think her records were in our branch yet. So we worked forever to get a list of all the members of our ward so we could show her her records so she would take the sacrament. We got the list and finally when we showed her she just broke down in tears of joy saying how she felt how much God loves her now. She said that she has told past Elders her problem but they have never found her records, but because we put in the effort to find them, she felt as if it was God telling her she needed to be back at church taking the sacrament! Such an amazingly spiritual moment of being able to help someone come closer to their Lord and savior Jesus Christ! I love this Work!
 

Another fun story has been boils that have started popping up all over my ankle. So here in the Fiji Suva mision everyone gets a boil at some time or another, and this last week was my time, for 4 of them............ wow hahah they are just like these super huge pimples that blow up with puss and swell and hurt and ya it was interesting... haha but my whole foot swelled up to the size of like an elephant, it was so fat... haha but we are all good now!

 

As for right now we are heading to Suva for the temple rededication where we will be able to meet President Eyring in person! We are so excited! I know without a doubt that temples are the Lord's house and with them we can be together with our families forever!:)

Anyways guys I love you all so much! I love this work and I know what I'm doing is right. This is Heavenly Father's work and he leads and directs it every single day! Thanks for all the love and prayers you send me. Have a great week everyone!

Elder Mumford

Showing an old lady how to do peach signs.  Haha

 

Dinner appointment

 

Kids playing in a tree

 

Playing ping pong for FHE