Tonga Week 5

This week has gone well.  We currently have about 20 investigators that are progressing. It rained a lot this last week. When I say a lot it would be hard to describe unless you were actually in a Tongan Rainstorm. There's a bit of a flash flood and deep puddles every where. I have been getting a lot of videos but who knows if they will be able to upload.

      Personally I am doing quite well. I run and workout in the mornings and then read and personal study for about 2 hours. I think I have almost completely adjusted to the food. The kids here all love me. I would say about 200 know my name and yell out "Sikoki ehh!" when I pass their houses. People have been giving us a lot of coconuts lately and they are great. We usually drink them and eat the inside and that will be fine for a whole meal. This last week I had a dream I got sent to Neuafo'ou so I'm hoping it happens eventually. Maybe I'd have more success because of my violin. It is the farthest island away and is awesome because you have to build your own house and beds when you get there. Oh, and I have about 45 mosquito bites on my ankles right now combined. Not fun! The mosquitos are everywhere!

     As a Companionship things are going a lot better. We are getting along.

Other stuff:

    

     We failed our room check this last week with a 14/21. I was extremely frustrated. 

      We have an investigator named Tai who commited to be baptized but was scared to tell her parents. So on Thursday we had quite the miracle. Tai told us she would do it if we could have her aunt talk to her parents. (Family respect means a ton here and the aunt is at the top of the respect line) We went to the aunt and she said (slightly laughing) she would go right then if we could find her a ride. The aunt lives way out in 'uta or the bush and we're pretty sure she never expected us to find a ride. Knowing we had no time I said a prayer. Two seconds after I finished a car came around the corner. I felt that was the car we needed so I got in front of it and stopped it. It turned out to be the bishops wife and she gave the aunt a ride to Ma'fanga. The parents said yes and Tai is getting baptized in two weeks and super excited. God answers our prayers. Transfers are this Sunday and I am kind of hoping I don't get transferred so that I can be here for all of our baptisms we have set up. But whatever happens is fine.

Love you all,

Elder Sikoki

Tonga Week 4

Dear Family,

Life's good out here. Today is a national holiday because it's the day the laws of the land were made.

Personal:

This week has been good. On Sundays out here we aren't really supposed to leave church property because in Tonga Sunday is a family day. So yesterday was quite boring. I studied all day. We were brought a feast to eat that night. By feast I mean it. 4 coconuts, 2 chickens, 8 big sweet potatoes and about 5 pounds of Lu. Not even an exaggeration. I'll try to send a picture. I have been exercising in the mornings and decided my bed was to soft so now I sleep on the wood frame and my comp sleeps on 2 beds. I have been more focused on learning the language this week than rushing anything. It definitely paid off. I understand about half the things people say and can get a general idea of what they said. I play my violin for firesides almost every Sunday and at most family home evenings.

Companionship:

We did well this week. Still frustrating at times for me when I feel we could work better, but none the less it's going well. Things are improving. 

Other stuff:

This last week I gave myself a haircut. Good thing I never plan to be a Barber. I'm starting to excel faster and faster at the language. Last week with the ward mission leader we hit a dog in his car. I was terrified and the ward mission leader didn't even stutter while talking.

We have two investigators the missionaries have been teaching for about 1 year now, their mom won't let them be baptized and she lives in New Zealand. They are ages 12 and 14 and they live with their aunt. They are more knowledgeable in the gospel than most of the members here and are extremely smart. We did a fast last week that they could be baptized and that their mom would say yes. It was seriously a miracle. She called the next day, before they had even talked to her and told them they could be baptized.

That's all for now

Love,

Elder Lundskog

Tonga Week 3

Dear Family and friends,

     This week has had some serious ups and downs. I'll start with the downs. This week I have really come to be close friends with my slingshot. We have implemented late night discussions and with it late night dogs. I have been nipped a couple times but not hard enough to draw blood. The dogs get shot as soon as there are about 5 feet away. The other day we were chased by 12 about the size of Skye and I only take comfort in that I think I can climb fences faster than them.

     I still wake up at 5:30 and go Workout. I do my run and then come back in and shower. Sometimes the shower doesn't work though because it runs on rain water and it hasn't rained much. We have been getting more spiders in our MQ lately. They make Tarantulas seem like decent creatures. These ones are massive. To be honest everything is bigger here. The people, mosquitos, spiders, flies and dogs. The Papaya is huge as well as the Watermelon. I am sorry I didn't take many pictures I didn't have much time this week.

      We went to a zone conference on Tuesday. I figured out what my companion said about us not doing anything the way it's been done in the past. Our numbers are at the top. Last week we taught about 50 lessons. On Saturday alone we made 27 appointments for this upcoming week. My comp said that we need to slow down, I told him we could soon as we got to around 200. He is starting to like the harder work more and more I think. I track our time everywhere we go. About 50% of the day is traveling so I started organizing appointment times based on location. I hope to get around 75 lessons this week and 10 baptismal dates. Hopes are high.

      Our zone leaders are Tongan. Mahe and I make bets over what they stole every time they come do a room check. I'm getting pretty sick of coming home and having all my food stolen, so I started something new, I only buy fruits and vegetables. Now they don't touch my food. Fact is, neither does my companion. I can buy a huge bag of pears, apples, and carrots for about a dollar US money right now because they are in season.

     We aren't allowed to play sports, with one exception: touch rugby. Let me tell ya...it's a blast. For sure my favorite sport. I think I'll try to find a team when I get back. I play every night with a group of about 20 sixteen to twenty year olds. The funny part is I teach them while we play and after. On Monday I gave them all a Book of Mormon. Only about 5 are LDS. I think they will all get baptized before I leave the area. Or at least I hope.

      The food is getting better. I have just been eating everything they give me and hoping I can keep it down. I miss the MTC food to be honest.

     Language is still super rough. I am frequently laughed at and responded to very rudely by the old ladies when we go out tracting. "Kātaki te ke foki ki Amelika palangi!" (Please, go back to America white man!)

       That's about all for now. I hope every thing is going well back home for you all. I love you all and wish you the best. Whenever you feel like complaining about your living conditions remember there are people that live in a shack with dirt floors that have children that squish the cockroaches off the ground and then eat them. People that have never seen a shower, and still remember to read their scriptures and say their prayers. I haven't heard one complaint since I've been here. I love you all and would like to bear my Testimony  that I know I was sent here for a reason. Looking back, even when it gets super hard here I still know I been raised and had experiences that God has wanted me to have to be better able to adapt to this mission.

      To all those out there that are struggling with your faith or your testimony: I invite you to pick up a Book of Mormon. I invite you to kneel down and say a prayer. Pray to understand.  And then began to read. Read 30 pages. Underline the different things the prophets know are true. And then dig deep. Could a boy, with barely any education write it? Or is it a work of God? Need even more proof? Look up at the stars. Think of every miracle of life around you. I testify that if you do this you will know. The day you stop,  you will began to doubt. Stay consistent. In the name of Jesus Christ amen.

     Love, Elder Lundskog