Hello kainglotu,
I’m sorry I didn't get a chance the past
two weeks to email you guys. I recently became the zone leader and being busy has
made it really hard to email. It’s made it really hard to write in my journal
too. I was doing so well; I hadn't missed a day until I got called to the
position, then I missed like a month. July 2016 will forever be a blur. I think
I’m starting to get a hang of things though.
So I’ll start with a quick summary of
the past two weeks in Vava'u. I became
zone leader and instantly got really busy. We are literally driving all day,
every day; we are always moving stuff to here and there and the 7 areas we work
in are all far away from each other. So if you want to look up the different
places I work in, I work in Okoa, Utui, Taoa, Vaipua, Toula, and two islands,
Nuapapu, and Hunga. And recently we went to an island called Ofu and might
start working there. So between twenty missionaries and the 7-8 towns we work
in, it’s been crazy. It’s a lot harder/different to work with so many people and
places because I don't have as much as of an opportunity to get to know people
and really become friends. But I like being busy; I hate being idle. So far my favorite
places to work in are Okoa, Taoa, and Nuapapu, particularly Nuapapu. It’s like
my favorite place to visit. I’ve become friends with this one guy there who has
promised me if I come to live there (I often joke I’m going to marry a Tongan
girl from Ha'apai and then move and live in Nuapapu) a place to build my house
(we've already picked it out), a horse I can ride (Nuapapu doesn't have any
cars on it) and a piece of land I can make my uta (bush farm). So I’m pretty
much set up. I simply need a girl to marry at this point.
The other place I really like is called
Okoa. Okoa is an awesome town because it's in two parts. One part is on the
main island of Vava'u the other is a little island that's connected by a land
bridge. It is super beautiful and I really like the members there. I like the
bishop a lot too; he is super helpful and funny and loves to go fishing. In Okoa
I’ve eaten a raw sea thing (not sure what they are) and also raw clams. Let me
tell you, raw clams on baked tapioca root is really freaking delicious; I had a
bunch. I can also report that I have had sea turtle; it's really good. It’s
like the texture of chicken but it has a slight fishy taste. In Okoa we went
there on my first day and met this golden investigator, who is really awesome,
and we were super excited to teach her. We finished about 2 lessons when the
less active husband (he's only 18 and she's 19) stopped the lessons because he
doesn't want to stop smoking and he thinks if she is baptized he will have to
stop. So that is really upsetting to me and it's really bothered me, but we're
not allowed to teach or baptize people unless the spouse is willing, so I don't
know what to do. We are working with the husband’s family, who are all super
active in the church, but they worry so much about infringing on their son's
agency that they never do anything and it makes me really sad. So we are
praying lots of working really hard to help this family. I hope a lot will
change for them and we can help them to be happier.
I keep trying to work hard and be the
best I can. I’m trying to incorporate all the good things the handbook says and
really use it as a way to serve more people, serve the missionaries. A lot of
it starting with loving the people, something I have been trying to develop and
it's been working out pretty well When you have your purpose in mind, to invite
others to come unto Christ, and you work for that purpose and strive to find
ways to actually do it, it is really helpful, it generates actual love for
others and helps you to literally seek their well being and eternal welfare. That’s
been a big thing I’ve noticed this week is loving other people. I can't wait to
go home and love all my friends and family.
Ummm... so my mission is the best. I get
to ride a boat twice a week and go visit tropical islands for fun. I also got
to drive the boat (don’t tell anyone) but I captained the Alma for about 30
minutes until we hit a rough spot. It actually got so rough later on I was just
standing there chilling and I got launched off my feet and split open my knee a
little bit when I landed. It was super funny; I died laughing even though I was
bleeding. So that's like a really bad update of what's been going on, but yah. That’s
life. That’s my email for the week.
One final, cool experience: I got to see
the King during the yearly craft show here in Vava'u. I didn’t shake hands or
anything, but I got pretty close. I also took a picture of some of the fish at
the show.
Ofa Lahi Atu,
Elder Sitaki
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