Service and Thanksgiving

Namaste! Ap log kaise hei? Hum tik hei!

 

This week has been really good! Very rainy and lots of change in the West. A lot of missionaries from our district went to another place, and we got some new ones. My old companion Elder Key is our new Zone Leader. Elder Cooper (my companion from the MTC) is now back in Suva. I'll miss him a lot. Our district changed a lot but luckily last week at District Meeting we took district pictures. THis week after district meeting we'll have thanksgiving at the sherries. It will be on Tuesday, but it's really the only day that we could do it. 

 

  We had a really nice opportunity for service this week. There is a sister named Sister Chand. She is an indian sister and she supports her two children on her own because her husband left her about six months ago. Well just recently the husband's mother fell ill. He didn't know what to do, so he brought his mother to this sweet sister. While Sister Chand didn't really want to take the woman in, she felt like it was her christian duty to take this ailing woman in. She did and she took care of her. Well, the effort of the care made sister chand ill as well and it became hard for her to do her work. She called Elder Sherry to come and give her and the mother in law a blessing. Elder Sherry told us of her extreme need and how Sister Chand was sick. Elder Tay and I wanted to do something for her so badly, because Sister Chand always cooks for us and helps us. We prayed to know what we should do, and we decided we would get some veggies from the market and make some food for Sister Chand. We coordinated with the Sherries and they delivered the food. This week we will be going to cut her firewood.

We had a really cool new investigator this week. Elder Driso was the one that ran into him in the first place. We couldn't get a hold of him for a long time though. We tried probably five different times or more to no avail. On Saturday, because it was raining, we found him at home. His name is Tevita. He told us he would be free for us on Sunday, and so we came back yesterday and he asked us "What makes us different from his church?" We shared about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon and told him he could know if it was true for himself. He seemed to enjoy it, we'll be seeing him again next week. 

I sent a package home last week! It mostly had letters to me and presents for christmas. Sorry there isn't something for everyone, but it was expensive as is to send what I sent.

 

I think this coming week will be a very productive week! I'm very excited for the new people in our district and to get to know them.

 

I love you all! Happy Thanksgiving! I'm grateful for all of you!

--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission

Mission Miracles

Namaste hummar pariwar!

 

This week was really awesome! I learned a lot more Hindi, soon I hope to be good, at least at bus conversations. I was all over the country this week. I went to Rakiraki on tuesday and wednesday and Lautoka on Saturday. Travelling makes me tired, but it is all good. I got to work with really good elders. I did a baptismal interview in Rakiraki too.

 

We really had a lot of success this week. I don't know if it was because half the week I was on exchanges in Rakiraki or Lautoka or if many of our efforts are finally paying off. I think it is the latter one. Elder Tay has been working really hard this week too. He's doing a really good job learning Fijian and leading the area even when I am gone on exchanges. He found several new investigators this week through opening his mouth and it has been a really rewarding week for him.

My exchange with Rakiraki this week was most productive because I was able to do a baptismal interview and to meet many of the investigators who are preparing for baptism. I continue to be impressed with Elder Driso (he's from Fiji) and the way he works with the people in Rakiraki.  The work is good in Rakiraki. They have four baptismal dates coming up in the next month. 

I also went on exchanges with Elder Owens our zone leader in Lautoka and that was really helpful. He's from Nephi, actually from Fountain Green I think. He's a really cool guy. We met an indian family, the pillays, who had recently been baptized. We shared about Alma the younger and his conversion. As I watched them read and discover more about the BofM, I saw how tenderly they grabbed their copies of the Book of Mormon and I knew they understood. I loved meeting them, they are definitely a tender mercy from the Lord. I was impressed by the way Elder Owens handles his area. He really does lead with inspiration. He complimented me a lot on the things I'm doing as well and it helped me to realize that I am doing a lot of things good, even though I'm not perfect.

Our mission president asked us to share mission miracles that we have had. I feel like on my mission I have had about a million mission miracles. It's hard for me to pick one. I would pick one from Elder Tay this week, but that's his to share. One miracle I have experienced is when I was teaching a lady named Taiga. We had taught her for probably 4 months and she still was not committing to be baptized. Her family wanted to be baptized but she was the mom and she was kind of the hinge. If she would get baptized the whole family would follow her lead. She was struggling because she was the treasurer in her church and she had a lot of friends in her former church. She'd explained a lot of that and I was just thinking how can I relate to this woman. I knew she would have to give up almost everything to follow Christ and to join his true church. I thought I have never had to do that. Then the spirit whispered to me, "Share why you came on your mission and what you sacrificed." I shared how I had to put a scholarship on hold, I had to take a two year break from playing the piano, from a few job offers, and I had to leave my friends and family. Honestly, at first I was not willing to make the committment. One day after I was speaking with my single's ward bishop, I just felt the spirit whisper to me, "He has done so much for you. Shouldn't you do this for Him?" I felt like I had been called and after that it didn't matter what I had to give up, it was all worth it. Then we committed her to pray and she said ok. The next time we met with them, we followed up, "Did you pray?" With tears in her eyes and a smile on her face she said yes. I asked what did you feel/hear? (In Tuvaluan, they are the same word.) She said, "I heard the holy ghost whisper to me that this is true." I asked, "Then will you be baptized." She said yes, and she was baptized in September of this year.

One thing that was really great this week was Elder Tay was with Elder Patenaude(actually his mother is jewish and he's from Washington, DC), who serves in Rakiraki. They were going to buy bread because there was no food in the house. As they passed the bus stop, some boys invited them over and they began to ask some questions. Elder Tay and Elder Pate basically taught the first lesson to them and then invited them to learn more. They are so excited and they want to be missionaries too! I met them yesterday and they are such sincere seekers of truth. I'm so excited to teach them more.

 

This week we had thirteen lessons. That's low compared to our Tuvalu days, but that is a huge improvement from where the area was when we first got here. I'm so excited. It feels like everything is moving in the right direction.

This was such a good week! I am so happy. I am healthy too! I've realized that if I eat foods that aren't oily, my stomach is a lot more happy.

 

I love you all so much! Please email me and send me christmas cards! I'm hoping to make some Christmas cards today! Did anyone do anything cool for 11-11-11? I wanted to make a wish at 11:11, but I forgot. Loving you all!

 

PS if you have questions about what is going on, please ask. I don't know if I email the things you want to hear or if you would rather hear something else. Let me know!

--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission

Stressful!

Well I am on a really frustrating computer in Tavua, Fiji, but I am so happy to be able to write to all of you today. I wasn't able to email yesterday due to the fact that we were travelling from Suva back to the west. This week we had mission tour where all the missionaries in the whole mission come together and we got to hear from Elder Michael F. Watson from the quorum of the seventy. He is so fascinating, if you remember him, he read the statistics for Conference for probably 30 years. It was really cool to have him here in our mission. Something he talked about was how important it is that we let the things we teach get inside our hearts and not just be in our mouths and our minds. We should be making a permanent change while we're on our mission. Not just a two year change.

 

That was something I was wondering about before our mission conference. I have been thinking about what I will do when I return, not that I'm trunkie or anything, but it's an important question and I always plan ahead. So I was thinking about how I was before my mission, and I didn't make bad choices but I definitely could have, and I have weaknesses that make me afraid that someday I might get angry or ashamed and turn away from the truths I have learned on my mission. So this week I was studying and praying and I kept recieving piece upon piece to help me know how I can be sure I never fall. One scripture I liked was Helaman 5:12. I was reading this morning and something I found in one of my old study journals reminded me of my question. Elder Watson had told us, "You need to get it here [pointing to his heart]." The quote was "Pondering is the link between the mind and the heart." I think really reading and praying combined with deep pondering and feeling the spirit make it so that we can be strong enough we can't fall. I love the scriptures and the Living prophets, Apostles and leaders of the church.

 

This week was kind of frustrating while we were in our area because we had a lot of fall throughs and I got really worn out just going back and forth this week. We did have one lesson with a lady named Bibiana. She wants to get baptized so badly, but she isn't married yet. Her husband is a member, and he wants to marry her but he is still not divorced. So the sherrys are helping them so that soon hopefully they can get baptized. I really hope I can see Bibiana get baptized.

 

This week as part of our conference we were able to play sports for an afternoon. The whole thing was very relaxing, which I needed because I have been moved into a kind of high stress place, but I can definitely deal with it. I'm fortunate to have dealt with high amounts of stress before, I've learned that the best thing you can do is to exercise and just breathe when it gets to difficult. Trust in the lord and work your heart out and it will always work out. I'm excited because Bibiana's son will get baptized this week. He doesn't count as a new convert because he is eight and his father is a member. It will be a really great thing to help their family though.

 

I'm headed to Rakiraki today to do another baptismal interview. I am really excited for the elders in Rakiraki! They are having so much success. So are we, but in a different way.

 

Well I love you all and I hope to hear from you all soon!

--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission

With a name like Ba, it has to be good

Bula Vinaka my sweet family!

This week was a really exciting week! One of the most exciting things
this week was that Ba now has a Bishop! I don't know if you remember a
family called the ratu family, but the father of the home is now the
bishop. Good 'ole Bishop Ratu! He is a very humble man with lots of
experience in the church. His wife always says, "He's not a well
educated man." I can't help but think of the prophet Joseph and how
humble yet powerful he was. Brother Mateiwai who we have been working
with as well is the first counselor in the Bishopric. We had a lot of
potential counselors at church yesterday too. So soon hopefully we'll
have a full bishopric. They will be able to do it, but it's a big job.
I'm just happy that they were willing.

On Wednesday this week was Diwali. There were so many fireworks and
sweets and lights. Diwali if you remember is like Halloween, Christmas
and the 4th of July all mixed together. IT was good last year, but I
think I enjoyed it more this year. It's a hindu holiday so we went to
a few people's houses and had some sweets.

We did exchanges with Rakiraki this week to do a baptismal interview.
I love going there, it is so relaxing and mountainous up there. It
reminds me of home a little bit. I went with Elder Driso. The sister I
interviewed was so ready to be baptized. She cannot read, but a member
sister who lives nearby always reads the book of mormon to her. She
told me "I know the Book of Mormon is true." Someday she'll know how
to read.

Things are moving good this week! The chapel was packed for church
this week. I hope these good things continue. Next week we are going
to Suva! Yeah baby!

I love you all!



--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission

Being cool again

Bula family and friends,

Another week has flown by! It has been quite a great week too. It has rained a lot this past week, making it difficult for us to go out on Friday. It has been really good for the farmers around here, especially for the sugar cane.

One success story from this week was a member named Sister Ratu. She came with us on Saturday to take us to meet three less active families. We were able to sit down and talk with one of the families, the Cabebula family. We shared with them about the story of Christ in 3 Ne 11 where he invites them to come and feel the wounds in his hands. We told them Christ is doing the same for all of us. He is inviting all of us to come to him. He will never reject or turn anyone away. He only says "Come unto me." They actually came to church yesterday. It was amazing to see the success we can have when we combine members with missionaries and do this wonderful work.

Another story of members helping in missionary work is a boy named Joeli. He is sixteen years old and he plays on the Ba soccer team. He is an exceptional young man, he invited two of his friends to meet with us this week, Jekope and Apakuki (Habbakuk in Fijian.) Both of these guys are real seekers of truth. Jekope has been reading and reading the Book of Mormon and he came to church yesterday. They are probably our investigators that are progressing the most this week.

We visited quite a few less active member families this week to invite them to church and help them. Another family was the Chand family. They are a wonderful indian family that has promised to teach me to make indian food. Watch out I'm going to cook spicy delicious curry when I get home. We invited them to church and the daughter sonia told us in church, "It just felt so nice for someone to invite us."

Please my dear family, if you know that one of your friends or family is not going to church, invite them. Don't do it because of your calling or a sense of duty, do it because you love them so much and you know that the savior would do it himself if he were here right now. To those who may not be going to church regularly, please know how much the savior, Jesus Christ loves you and he is holding out his hand to you saying, "Come unto me." I have felt his love so strongly in the past few days as he has reached out to the strayed and the weary here in Ba. 

Yesterday I felt a strong spirit of love and unity while we were at church. The aaronic priesthood passed and blessed the sacrament, and many of our family came to church yesterday who don't usually come to church. We had one recent convert interviewed to recieve the aaronic priesthood and one child of record to get baptized in the coming weeks. I think a large part of it was one brother named Brother Ratu. Our usual president, Bro. Ganilau, from Lautoka was running late so he asked Brother Ratu to take charge at church. Brother Ratu made sure the aaronic priesthood set up the sacrament, that there was someone to teach all of the classes (he taught the primary.) and he with quiet dignity helped everything to run smoothly. Brother Ratu hadn't come to church for a few weeks and it felt a little empty without him doing his calling as the executive secretary or clerk (I'm not sure which.)

I don't ever want to go home or go back to how I was before. I look forward to seeing you my family, but I don't want the spirit to cease in my life. I don't want to ever leave the Savior. I think I'm realizing more and more though, that the pattern I know as a missionary is something I must continue and live throughout my life. The pattern of selfless service, relying on the savior, and constantly praying to our Father in Heaven.

Last night we visited with the Mateiwai family and Brother Mateiwai saw a picture of the Prophet and he said, "My lifelong wish is just to go to Utah and to see the prophet speak." As I told him about the conference center and the Salt Lake Temple, he just listened with wonder and pure hunger. I hope someday he is able to go there, what a blessing that I have been able to do that.

This coming week we will be watching Conference. I am so excited to finally watch it. Dad keeps sending me talks and I just keep thinking about it. The talk from President Packer seemed like one of his usual powerful talks. I am so grateful for living prophets and apostles who speak to us and guide us today.

This week a senior couple from Oregon will be coming to Ba. I think it spells change for the ward here, and I think it is definitely positive change. I feel like there is so much for us to do here, but not nearly enough time to do it all. It will be nice to have help. I feel like the stripling warriors when they recieved reenforcements and it says that their souls were greatly cheered. Senior missionaries are really important too, they can do things that other missionaries cannot do. Someday, I would really like to serve a mission with my eternal companion, but for now I will be serving with my current companion Elder Tay.

I am so lucky to have Elder Tay as my companion because he is such an amazing cook. I still will always love Mom's cooking (she is honestly a very talented cook I have realized), but I am very happy with the food Elder Tay often cooks for me. I usually cook breakfast, either porridge or pancakes or eggs, and he prepares lunch and we go to a member's house for dinner generally.

I am very healthy this week! It feels great to work hard and not worry if I will make me sick the next day. I am really grateful for my health!

Have a lovely week, and enjoy that fall weather! I love you so much!

--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission

He never, ever wants to go home...

Bula family and friends,

Another week has flown by! It has been quite a great week too. It has rained a lot this past week, making it difficult for us to go out on Friday. It has been really good for the farmers around here, especially for the sugar cane.

One success story from this week was a member named Sister Ratu. She came with us on Saturday to take us to meet three less active families. We were able to sit down and talk with one of the families, the Cabebula family. We shared with them about the story of Christ in 3 Ne 11 where he invites them to come and feel the wounds in his hands. We told them Christ is doing the same for all of us. He is inviting all of us to come to him. He will never reject or turn anyone away. He only says "Come unto me." They actually came to church yesterday. It was amazing to see the success we can have when we combine members with missionaries and do this wonderful work.

Another story of members helping in missionary work is a boy named Joeli. He is sixteen years old and he plays on the Ba soccer team. He is an exceptional young man, he invited two of his friends to meet with us this week, Jekope and Apakuki (Habbakuk in Fijian.) Both of these guys are real seekers of truth. Jekope has been reading and reading the Book of Mormon and he came to church yesterday. They are probably our investigators that are progressing the most this week.

We visited quite a few less active member families this week to invite them to church and help them. Another family was the Chand family. They are a wonderful indian family that has promised to teach me to make indian food. Watch out I'm going to cook spicy delicious curry when I get home. We invited them to church and the daughter sonia told us in church, "It just felt so nice for someone to invite us."

Please my dear family, if you know that one of your friends or family is not going to church, invite them. Don't do it because of your calling or a sense of duty, do it because you love them so much and you know that the savior would do it himself if he were here right now. To those who may not be going to church regularly, please know how much the savior, Jesus Christ loves you and he is holding out his hand to you saying, "Come unto me." I have felt his love so strongly in the past few days as he has reached out to the strayed and the weary here in Ba. 

Yesterday I felt a strong spirit of love and unity while we were at church. The aaronic priesthood passed and blessed the sacrament, and many of our family came to church yesterday who don't usually come to church. We had one recent convert interviewed to recieve the aaronic priesthood and one child of record to get baptized in the coming weeks. I think a large part of it was one brother named Brother Ratu. Our usual president, Bro. Ganilau, from Lautoka was running late so he asked Brother Ratu to take charge at church. Brother Ratu made sure the aaronic priesthood set up the sacrament, that there was someone to teach all of the classes (he taught the primary.) and he with quiet dignity helped everything to run smoothly. Brother Ratu hadn't come to church for a few weeks and it felt a little empty without him doing his calling as the executive secretary or clerk (I'm not sure which.)

I don't ever want to go home or go back to how I was before. I look forward to seeing you my family, but I don't want the spirit to cease in my life. I don't want to ever leave the Savior. I think I'm realizing more and more though, that the pattern I know as a missionary is something I must continue and live throughout my life. The pattern of selfless service, relying on the savior, and constantly praying to our Father in Heaven.

Last night we visited with the Mateiwai family and Brother Mateiwai saw a picture of the Prophet and he said, "My lifelong wish is just to go to Utah and to see the prophet speak." As I told him about the conference center and the Salt Lake Temple, he just listened with wonder and pure hunger. I hope someday he is able to go there, what a blessing that I have been able to do that.

This coming week we will be watching Conference. I am so excited to finally watch it. Dad keeps sending me talks and I just keep thinking about it. The talk from President Packer seemed like one of his usual powerful talks. I am so grateful for living prophets and apostles who speak to us and guide us today.

This week a senior couple from Oregon will be coming to Ba. I think it spells change for the ward here, and I think it is definitely positive change. I feel like there is so much for us to do here, but not nearly enough time to do it all. It will be nice to have help. I feel like the stripling warriors when they recieved reenforcements and it says that their souls were greatly cheered. Senior missionaries are really important too, they can do things that other missionaries cannot do. Someday, I would really like to serve a mission with my eternal companion, but for now I will be serving with my current companion Elder Tay.

I am so lucky to have Elder Tay as my companion because he is such an amazing cook. I still will always love Mom's cooking (she is honestly a very talented cook I have realized), but I am very happy with the food Elder Tay often cooks for me. I usually cook breakfast, either porridge or pancakes or eggs, and he prepares lunch and we go to a member's house for dinner generally.

I am very healthy this week! It feels great to work hard and not worry if I will make me sick the next day. I am really grateful for my health!

Have a lovely week, and enjoy that fall weather! I love you so much!

--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission

Let's talk about diarrhea...

Kaise hai!

This week was good. I'm still getting used to the work here in Ba because it is a lot slower than the work I have done for most of the rest of my mission. We usually get maybe eight to ten lessons a week. Elder Tay is a really good companion, we've been bonding a lot this week. He takes good care of me and cooks me really good food.

This past week I was kind of sick. Do you all remember when the lady at the State Health Department said ,"Now let's talk about diarrhea."? I wish I had paid a little better attention when she was speaking. All is well though. We have a mission nurse who just came in two weeks ago and he has been helping me to stay healthy inspite of whatever is happening to my bowels. I'm actually feeling quite good today.

One of the highlights of our week this week was the Mateiwai family. They just keep bringing more of their family to church. Bro. Mateiwai is the brother that got the melchizedek priesthood last week and he is just being strong. He's asking a lot of questions about the priesthood and trying to serve well. I have a feeling he will be a leader here in Ba. He is so sincere and so good. Yesterday we talked to them about FHE but they already do it pretty regularly. They are a really good family. Their boys kind of remind me of the McEntires. I don't know why!

Another really funny thing is that we went to teach a family that we have desperately been trying to get in touch with, and when we went there, they didn't sit down with us. The mom's brother did though, and so we taught him the plan of Salvation. He loved it and we'll be going back to see him on Tuesday. It's weird how sometimes you think you're going somewhere for one person, but then someone else comes into your path.

The Lord is blessing us so much in the work. We haven't seen conference yet but I hope we'll be able to soon. If nothing else, I'll buy the DVD when we go into Suva in November. The longer I wait, the more I'll enjoy it maybe.

BY the way! Baby Drew is a super stud! Way to go Heidi and Andrew! I'm really excited to meet him when I come home! Which is not that far away...

Love you,

--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission

Lots of Mud and Muck!

This week has been very challenging, very rewarding, and very motivating to keep going in the work. We had exchanges this week with Rakiraki so that I could do the baptismal interview for a boy in Rakiraki. I went with Elder Patenaude and Elder Driso went with Elder Tay. Elder Patenaude is from Washington D.C. His father is from quebec and speaks french and his mother is of Jewish Descent. He's really cool and we get along really well. We faced a lot of opposition however on the day that we did the baptismal interview. The sky was pretty clear and still quite light when we left on our bikes. Suddenly, rain began to fall and the dirt road on which we were riding became a muddy field. My bike was sliding all over the road and I thought we would have to turn back. However, if we didn't do the baptismal interview that day, it wouldn't have been possible for us to come back to Ba when we needed to for Zone Conference. So we decided to press forward. Soon the mud became so thick I wouldn't ride my bike, but I just pushed it through the muddy street. Elder Patenaude too was unable to ride in the pretty bad conditions. We kept walking but eventually the mud clogged our tires and made it impossible to go any farther with the bikes. So we decided to hide the bikes by the side of the road and continue onward on foot. Dirty beyond belief and sweaty, we arrived at the house to find the boy and his family still awake. I did the interview and I felt sweet peace from the Lord telling me that the boy was ready to be baptized. The mother thanked us for coming and we then faced the daunting task of heading back. I thought, "There is no way we can make it back by nine o'clock and be obedient." Then as we found our bikes, we tried to clean off the tires so that we could ride home. They were so clogged with mud and grass that the brakes clung to the tires and would not turn. Resigning himself to carry the bike that would not turn, Elder Patenaude continued on carrying the broken bike. THe one I had still turned slowly. We were blessed to be able to flag down a truck, that agreed to take us home, even though we were dirty and our bikes were too. When we got home, I looked at my watch and the time was nine o'clock. The Lord really does provide a way for us to be obedient.

 

    One really big success this week is we had a less active man, Bro. Mateiwai, who has been coming back to church. This week the Stake President interviewed him and found him worthy to be ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood. He was then ordained to the priesthood. We have been working a lot with his family. They are such wonderful people and his wife, also less active, is the relief society president. Yesterday we talked to them about keeping the Sabbath day holy and they shared a powerful testimony that they know that they need to come to church. We'll keep visiting them and I think it will be very effective.

 

Mom asked a few questions so I'll now proceed to answer those. First, My companion's name is Elder Tay. He is recently from Pocatello, ID. He has lived in Hawaii, Singapore, and Utah. He went to one year of college at BYU before he came on his mission. He is nineteen years old. He is a really excellent chef, and is actually thinking about going to culinary school after his mission. His father is Chinese from Singapore, and his mother is from the Phillipines. He is learning the language very quickly.

 

Ba is a really interesting area. It is more dry here and hot then the Eastern part of Fiji. There is always something burning around here because there are farms everywhere, but that is why people call this the burning West. The ward here has been struggling a lot. One year ago, their bishop died suddenly. There weren't very many worthy priesthood holders, so the stake took over the ward implementing the high councilman as the leader, although the stake president is really the leader of the ward. There are probably 200-250 members in this area but we only have about 40-50 come to church each week. A year and a half ago we had a really large flood that made it so members had to travel to a far away town for church. Transport is limited here and very expensive, making it difficult for people to frequently come to church. We only have one ward, but the amount of land in one ward is quite large. The work is slow here, because our primary focus in a lot of ways is in helping lift and nourish the ward that we have, before seeking out new people. However, we are still looking for those who are prepared to recieve the gospel as well.

 

The people in Ba are probably the most loving and friendly people I've ever met. Maybe that's why it is so easy for some of them to get offended. They welcome us into their homes and feed us. I just wish their actions always matched their kind words. Many will say they're interesting in learning about the gospel but really they dodge us and won't meet with us. There are a lot of Indians here so maybe I will learn some more Hindi. We'll see how it goes.

 

I am really looking forward to serving in this area because the people are wonderful. I know that the Lord has a plan to build and help this area.

I love you!
--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission

Two posts in one, because I forgot last week :D

(This week)
Cola Vina na noqu matavuvale kei na noqu itokani!

This week has truly been a remarkable week. I really feel like Elder Tay and I have been learning our area really well. I remember how much I loved Ba when I was hear before, and I still feel the awe and wonder of this beautiful side of the west. The people here are extremely friendly, in fact, a lot of times when we ride buses or carriers they won't let us pay. I know God blesses those kind people.

Elder Tay is a wonderful missionary. I don't know if I'm training him or if he's training me. He is very wise and helpful in our companionship. I am really glad that we will be together for at least 12 weeks (because of the new training program). He is also a very good cook! He cooks stir fries and all sorts of delicious things. His fijian is pretty good for just getting out here. He can share his testimony really well and he honestly can share about almost all of the missionary lessons. We have been doing a lot of studying together (because with the new program we now do two hours of companionship study), which has really helped us to become better missionaries.

We met a lot of our recent converts, less active members, and active members this week. They are all endowed with that wonderful Ba friendliness, but I can tell that this ward has been through a lot. A little over a year ago the chapel here was completely flooded from the Ba river. It took months to clean out the chapel and to make it so that members could come to church here. In the meantime, members travelled the one hour bus ride (and however long it takes to travel to the bus) to another town called Tavua to go to church. Shortly after that the Bishop became very ill and died. After that, one of the high councilman of the stake was charged to look after the ward until a new bishop could be called and set apart.

In light of that, a lot of members have stopped coming to church and the saints here have been through a lot. It's our job as missionaries to seek out those who are not coming to church and help them to rekindle their testimony. We also have to strengthen the members and try to find and teach investigators. It is a tall order, but I have felt the guidance of the Holy Spirit more in the last two weeks than perhaps ever before on my mission. We haven't had to wonder what to do or where to go. We have been guided in the right paths and led to the right people.

One less active family that I was so happy to find is the Mateiwai family. I had heard about them when I first came on the mission. They are a family of true faith and devotion and they were extremely strong in the beginning of my mission. I'm not really sure what happened but for some reason or other, they have drifted away from church and they are struggling a little bit now. We searched for their house all last week, and were able to find it on Sunday. As we met with them, the spirit told me and my companion to help them desire to enter the temple. They are such good people, and they truly do desire the blessings of the temple. As we chatted with them, I just felt so comfortable with them, like we've known each other for ages. Bro. Matewai is truly a great man, and I honestly believe he will be a leader in this church. We will continue to meet with them about once a week and I feel confident our efforts will pay off.

I love the people here. I think that is honestly the thing I will remember the most for the rest of my life. True, we live in a truly beautiful picturesque land, but I will never be able to forget the kindness and faith of the people of Fiji and Tuvalu.

I love you all! I hope that you are all doing well!

--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission








(Last Week)

Bula Vinaka,

 

This week has been a week of growth and blessings! I will admit my last few days in Tuvalu were an absolute blur, it all happened too fast. Then suddenly I was on the plane back to Fiji. The people were so generous and gave me such wonderful gifts for going away. It was raining the day I left ,which isn't that common in Tuvalu. It was as if the island of Tuvalu was shedding the tears for me that day. As I left, I felt a feeling of peace, hope and determination. I know the elders that are there will do a great job.

 

I then returned to Fiji. I was only in Suva for one hour when I flew from Suva to Nadi to meet with my brand new companion. His name is Elder Tay. He has lived in Singapore, Hawaii, and recently in Idaho. He went to BYU before his mission, but I won't hold it against him. (I'm just kidding, but how about that game?!) I actually was a little sick that day and the next, I think mostly because of travelling, it may have been a continuation from my sickness the week before.

 

Elder Tay is an extremely good missionary. He already has really good patterns and he is very knowledgeable both in the gospel and in a lot of other things (including cooking!). I'm really excited to work with him. He is really good to work with. We have to do an extra hour of study for the first twelve weeks as part of a new training program in the mission. I am really excited for it! I think it will really help Elder Tay to learn some things I was not able to really learn. We had training on it last week and we have been doing it for a few days now.

 

Ba is still beautiful. I really love the people here! They are so friendly and so wonderful! One of my favorites is Sister Ratu. She just talks to everyone and she is fluent in English, Hindi, and Fijian. She is so funny and when I first saw her on Saturday she was so happy to see me again!

 

There is word on the street that they will soon put a senior couple in the west and most likely they will be situated in or near Ba. I'm really excited for their help. Senior couples help so much in the mission! Elder Sherry is a former institute teacher and one of the other missionaries in the mission was actually in his institute class. They're from Oregon. They come next month.

 

Well I love you all! A lot of you responded to my email last week, so I'm going to try to email back! 

--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission

Nothing lasts forever... except marriage in the temple

Talofa soon to be Bula Vinaka! I am transferring this Thursday. I think I mentioned that there were rumors of change and it turns out those rumors are true. I am going back to Fiji on Thursday and then I am heading west to Ba. My new companion is a brand new missionary and I will be training him. I'm not really sure what to think of everything, but I know that the Lord's hand is in this. I know he will help me in this exciting and slightly scary new challenge.

I was kind of sick this last week on Wednesday with a little infection that has been going around the island. I just had diarrhea and I vomited once, but overall not too bad. I was still able to work that day and I am now feeling one hundred percent. I even went running this morning, but unfortunately the old tendonitis in my knee flaired up a little bit. I think that's what I get for riding bikes everyday! It's ok though, and I am really glad that my new area too is a biking area. I want to be in good shape when I get home from my mission. Mom and Dad get ready to walk everywhere when we come back (including in Tuvalu!).

Well we have seven people preparing for baptism in two weeks. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend due to the recent transfer. I'll admit I think everyone is a little disappointed and surprised, including me. It will be good though! We had the baptismal interviews for Nau and Lilo as well as for Eti's family and everyone passed! In the coming week Elder Momoisea and his new companion Elder Strong (I served with him before) will finish the interviews.

Something that made the transfer really hard to me is that a lot of the people we're teaching expressed that they had been hoping I would baptize them. One in particular was Michael and Ue. We were discussing when they would get baptized and Michael said, "You'll still be here in this month won't you?" I told him no I'm getting transferred this coming week. He started crying and said, "We had been hoping that you would honor us in baptizing us." It was like a knife to my heart.

Honestly, my last few journal entries have usually begun like this My heart is as bitter as gall that I must leave these people, or Today was a really hard day because I had to tell everyone that I'm leaving. It seems like adventures like this will last forever, but then suddenly everything changes. I have felt kind of in a daze ever since we found out. I was hoping to stay here until October.

Yesterday was a very sad, but rewarding last Sunday in Tuvalu. A lot of people came to church and especially my investigators and recent converts, I was very pleased. Then in Sacrament we began singing the branch's favorite song "Welcome, Welcome Sabbath Morning." I couldn't sing, because I was so emotional at singing their favorite song. They sing with such spirit and gusto. Then they allowed me to bless the sacrament. Then I gave my last testimony in Tuvalu. I sang a song, and somehow I was able to sing without becoming emotional. I then started talking and I could barely get out my I knows and my I believes. I just felt so much love for the beautiful saints in this corner of paradise.

We then had our last branch council meeting, and that was rewarding as well. The branch has improved a lot while I've been here, I don't know that it has anything to do with me. President Niko thanked me at the end of the meeting and it was really nice. I really look up to President Niko. He has been the branch president for 20 years and has never complained. The Ensign should come to Tuvalu and do an article on that great man of faith. If anyone asks your opinion, tell them that.

This new week will bring many challenges and many adventures, but I feel up to the challenge. It's interesting but I prayed that I would have an opportunity to train on my mission, but I never thought it would come so soon.

It's hard to believe it has been ten years since September 11, 2001. My thoughts yesterday turned to America and to those who protect the rights and liberties of our country. Yesterday was kind of a sad day for me, but I feel very peaceful and secure doing the Lord's work. I know he will protect me and guard me in his work.

Well I love you all, I hope you will have a wonderful week! 

--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission

Awesome investigators!

Talofa my friends and family!

Another beautiful week has passed in my island paradise of Tuvalu. It seems so slow at times, but then looking back suddenly I realize that yet another month has passed by. There's rumors that something is going to change here in Tuvalu within the next week (meaning transfers) but I don't know if they're true or not.

Our investigators are all progressing well. Those who are getting baptized in the coming month are so prepared! We should baptize them today! Not really, but we practiced the baptismal interviews and they are all so smart in answering the questions. I was especially impressed with Eti's wife Taiga and their daughter Teleia because they both fasted yesterday to help Eti to quit smoking. They are so stalwart! I am so glad that Taiga really prayed about the church to know if it's true. I was thinking about that today, how sometimes people in the church say that they have never questioned if the church is true or not. That isn't good! I was thinking about other people who are blinded by the truths they have believed their whole lives and they too never question. For a lasting testimony, we must question and ask with a sincere heart to God what is truth. That is a really remarkable teaching of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints I think. That we encourage people to ask for themselves to God, the giver of all truth.

Yesterday was Fast and Testimony Meeting and I bore my testimony. I don't know if I'll be here for the next one or not. So I thought I would take the chance that I had. By the way, I think that's how we should always be. I noticed that members of the church in Utah are less willing to use the sacred time for bearing testimonies than the saints here in the pacific. We should all burn with such testimonies that we cannot sit down in Fast and Testimony Meeting. Speaking of those who could not sit down, there is this wonderful family that is probably my favorite family in Tuvalu. The mom's name is Ilau and her husband recently came back from over sea. His name is Manumalo. Ilau is a recent convert and Manumalo is a returned missionary that sometimes doesn't feel very strong in the faith. We had family home evening with them on Monday. Well in Fast and Testimony meeting their three oldest children got up and bore their testimonies. I was so proud of their righteous examples to their parents. The best was when little Avonitele who is only six, got up and folded his arms all serious and bore a simple, but pure testimony of the truth. He'll be a missionary someday!

We have started teaching some new people who seem really good. One is Uikilifi and his wife Joyce. Uikilifi is President Niko's brother. He is a humble man who is brilliant in building houses. He recently built a new house for President Niko. His wife Joyce has come to lots of church activities and seems super interested, but we were unable to go to them because they live far from the main village. Luckily, we now have bikes which makes everything possible. President Niko's sister is Ue the wife of Michael and is doing so good too!

Elder Momoisea is a really good companion for me. He keeps me laughing and isn't too judgemental when sometimes I'm not very patient or I'm not very good at some things (like planning). I have learned how hard planning really is! We watch a lot of Preach My Gospel videos and everytime we do I think, man I am not that good at planning. But the missionaries we watched, also had some intense training on how to become better missionaries.

I hope you all are healthy and well! Have a wonderful week!

Much Love

--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission

Talofa everyone!

Talofa everyone!

So first the wonderful news! We have moved our baptism to September 24th and we will be having seven baptisms then and four more in October. There are still more people that could be prepared but that is our plan at this point. We got authorization from President Klingler for Elder Momoisea to do the baptismal interviews for those who are prepared. It was a wonderful thing! I hope that I don't get transferred before the 24th but nothing is certain.

This week we went to ask Eti's family if they would get baptized on the 24th. They were supposed to get baptized on the 13th of Aug along with one of their daughters who just went back to boarding school. At first when we were talking, Eti wanted to wait until the family could be baptized all together. Then his daughter talked to the mom and she turned to us and said, "Well, he can wait until December, but we want to get baptized in September." I was blown away! It was so ironic, because before it had been Eti who said, "WEll I don't know about these two, but I am going to get baptized."

This week we had some ups and some downs. We had nine investigators come to church and we had some new people come to church who might become investigators. On Friday, Saturday and Thursday, all of our appointments fell through and it felt like no one wanted to let us in to visit with them. (I know that is how missionaries feel everywhere else in the world, but it was a new feeling to me.) I think it was a test of our diligence and faith to see if we would keep doing what is right.

We had branch council yesterday and I was really glad that I have grown up in the church. I feel like I understand how things should run because I have had a really solid example of how the church ought to run. We planned a branch activity for the 24th with our baptism. I feel like we get better every time we do it.

I hope all of you are well and that you have a great week.

With Love,

--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission

Investigators who rock!

Talofa oku kaiga mo oku taugasoa!

It is such a sweet blessing from Heavenly Father to be a missionary in Tuvalu. I was really worried that having spent nearly two months in Fiji, the people of Tuvalu would be less prepared to recieve the gospel. Boy was I wrong! I prayed every night for Heavenly Father to take care of my investigators and members here in Tuvalu, and I felt in my heart, "I will take better care of these people even than you can, so don't worry about it." He really did take care of them. We now have thirteen investigators that we will be preparing for baptism in October. Unfortunately, I probably will be unable to be here for the baptism. It doesn't matter though, if I'm present or not, as long as we get them all there.

One particular case is with a lady is named Hetagi. Before when we taught her, we had committed her to baptism but I had thought she said yes just because she didn't want to hurt our feelings or something. I didn't sense real commitment, but when we came back, Elder Momoisea and I went to visit her and within the first ten minutes she asked when she can be baptized. We were very surprised and excited and explained that we are planning one in October (we still don't know the day because we don't know what day you'll be coming for sure yet.) She was sick this week and unable to attend church but I feel confident she will come next week.

Another one is Loia. I think I've mentioned her before. We have been teaching her since April and she only came to church once. Well, Elder Momoisea and I decided we would do everything we could to help her come to church and we decided to walk together. While we were walking, one of the members picked Loia up so she could get there faster. She told us later that she really enjoyed church and she even walked home with another investigator named Moeava.

Moeava is a boy that is nineteen and he drinks and smokes, but he really wants to change his life. Before, I don't know if he was that committed, but now he is excited. He told me, I really want to change my life, please keep coming. He has quit smoking for a few days now, but smoking is a hard thing for many people to quit. He's strong though, his faith is strong in Jesus Christ.

There are so many others that are so ready to be baptized, we just have to finish the lessons and wait for the interview. Michael and Ue, Eti's family, Jo, Hetagi, Loia, Moeava, Nauala and Lilo, and Molesi and Tom hopefully will get baptized in October. I'm so excited for them!

I really love the people here in Tuvalu! It makes any hardships that we might face worthwhile because I know I will get to see them and to help them.

I know this church is true! Have a great week! I love you all!

--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission

To Tuvalu, by boat

Talofa at last! We are back in the small island country of Tuvalu. It was kind of a different way to see it coming from the boat. It's funny because Fiji has beautiful mountains and the islands are towering over the sea, but Tuvalu is very flat and the only way you know it is there is because you see the coconut trees growing on it.

Travelling by ship was very interesting! We called the boat on Monday and they said, "No boat, high winds." Well on Tuesday the Fiji government told the boat to either set sail or they would have to pay a hefty fine. Well, if there's anything that motivates people around here it is money. So the ship got ready and we set off around nine o'clock at night. It was kind of sad to see Fiji disappear in the distance as the Boat's engine powered us away towards Tuvalu. The next day we saw lots of the islands of Fiji that I've never seen before and we saw flying fish. The flying fish were some of the most graceful creatures I have ever seen. They would just jump out of the water and then glide across the waves until eventually they would sink into the water.

Being on the sea was a very humbling experience. Even though the sea was quite calm for the most part, I realized that those waves could turn violent and crush us if God willed it so. I realized that we truly were in his hands. It is a nice feeling to be rocked to sleep by the waves. I didn't get sea sick, because I took some sea sickness medicine.

Arriving in Tuvalu, we were unable to leave the ship because we were supposed to have bought a return ticket on the boat or else we can't stay in Tuvalu. Well we stayed on the ship for a while and then finally President Niko came and bailed us out so that we could get off the ship. It was really funny now, but at the time it was kind of stressful.

I felt like I had come home when I arrived at our flat here. Things were the same pretty much, although tomorrow my friend from New York is going back to America and some others have left for various places. Eti and his family are still coming to church waiting until they can get baptized. So is Michael and Ue. The work is wonderful here, and I am so excited to really dig in this week.

We will be here until October! That means I will be assigned to Tuvalu 10 months and will have stayed here for about eight. That's a lot longer than President Ostler told me I would be here, but I am happy. Perhaps I will be here until I die. I don't think so, but I thought of Ammon this morning when I thought of how long I had been here.

Well, sorry it's short, but I'll try and write more next week.

Loving you all,

--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission

Still in Fiji!

Bula bula and bula! I am still in Fiji and I am losing my mind! Not really, but I am kind of frustrated that we are still waiting for our boat and nothing has happened. We call them almost every day and they say oh maybe tomorrow we will leave, maybe tomorrow. I was talking to a Tuvaluan lady yesterday at church and she was like, "Oh it's just Tuvalu Time." Fiji time is one thing, and Tuvalu time is another thing. So when a tuvalu boat meets a Fiji wharf, time gets multiplied by a 100. So we'll probably leave for Tuvalu in September.

This week was really good though. We had a baptism in Suva 1st ward! Her name is Mele and she's from Tonga. I actually didn't teach her, but she seemed so happy after her baptism and she seems like she'll do a lot of good.

We had some really nice dinners this week. One was with a missionary couple from Southern California named the Taits. They are such nice people, they were teaching some of the fijian kids how to count in base five and things like that. They help the teachers at the LDS school here in Fiji. They are both retired teachers themselves and they are really good. Another great dinner was with a Fijian lady named Sister Dhatt. She's married to an indian. She's from my old Suva 3rd ward and she is a good friend who offered to make me dinner. It was so cool!

One good thing about being in Suva still is that I've gotten to know President Klingler and Sister Klingler better. Sister Klingler is absolutely fantastic. She loves to bake and is always making cookies or cinnamon rolls. She is a retired piano teacher too. She reminds me in some ways of Jeanette Stephens like how she plays the piano and how excited she gets about certain songs. She told me, "If you're still here on Sunday, I want you to sing at a fireside for me." So I agreed. She pulled out this perfect arrangement of This is the Christ and we practiced a little and we sang it yesterday. I'm surprised at how my voice has matured and gotten better as I'm growing up. I'm able to hit higher notes with more confidence and I still have my low range. I haven't sung a lot out here, I mean apart from hymns and things, it was nice to sing.

President Klingler is also a singer and he is such a good man. He is quiet and decisive and when he speaks I feel the spirit so strong. He is a man that I would really like to be like in many ways. He is really good to his wife and really loves the Savior. When I think of the Klinglers, I think of deep devotion and love for the Savior. Sister Klingler was telling me about the Baptism song from the primary hymn book and she just got tears in her eyes when she said, "I really want to meet John the Baptist. Just think of meeting the man who baptized the savior." She's a really good lady.

I was really happy with my companion this week. There was a day where a lot of missionaries came over to our flat and were all sleeping. We call that moku siga in Fijian (moh-ku sing-a) wasting the day. My companion noticed that I was restless though, and he said let's just go. So we walked to our appointments and I was so happy that he didn't waste time that time.

I've recieved a lot of mail this week which was nice! I finally saw pictures from NaTasha's wedding. I also got a birthday card from Granma. Oh also! There were some pictures from the Clinton 15th ward the other day and that was really nice, I think it was from the CTR 5s or something like that.

Well I love you all so much! The Church is True!

--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission

Still Bula

Well Bula!

I'm still in Fiji! Our boat was supposed to have left last wednesday but it got postponed until thursday, and then friday, and then today. Hopefully, we should be shipping out in a little over two hours. I really had to learn patience because there was nothing we could do about it. I felt really disappointed because I feel such a sense of urgency to get back to those people and resume our important work with them. I know though, that the Lord's will is done.

I did go to church in Suva 3rd yesterday, which was nice. Unfortunately, my favorite family is still absent, the Raos. The kids come, but the parents are both having issues. I just keep praying for them and I won't give up on them. I love them far too much for that. One of the investigators, Ana, a Tongan girl did come to church though. We were teaching her after church and she said that she asked her parents to be baptized and they said no. They also told her it was her choice. Yesterday we retaught the restoration and I felt so much power and truth in the things that we taught, I know that the Holy Ghost was bearing witness of the things we shared. I know she felt it.

This week I was able to read a lot from past editions of the conference liahona. One apostle I have always admired is Joseph B. Wirthlin. So I searched out his talks and read them. One that particularly helped me was a talk entitled the Abundant Life. One sentence he said that hit me like a rock was "Make of your life a masterpiece." I thought of this brief time we have on the earth to be with our friends and family and to prepare to go back to our Father in Heaven, and I desired that more than anything. That I could make of my life the most that it has to give. I love being a missionary, even though some days it is hard. I don't ever want to go back to who I was before. The great thing is I don't have to. I realize I won't be sharing the gospel all the time when I get home, but I will continue in the dilligence and obedience I am trying to acquire in these short two years.

I love his talk about kindness, and come what may and love it. There is also one about death entitled Sunday will Come. That one really bore testimony of the reality of resurrection. For just as the savior was risen, we too will rise from the grave.

I really love my companion Elder Momoisea. He is really funny and really laid back! I think we will get along really well in Tuvalu. He's nervous about learning Tuvaluan, but I know he will do a great job.

I love you so much and thanks so much for the package!
--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission

Cola Vina!

This week was a really good week, but it is really tiring to be out of my area. I have kind of bad news. My companion, Elder Poleka, is pretty sick and won't be able to return to Tuvalu. He had an ear infection or something a few months ago and it never healed completely. He probably will need surgery, but that kind of surgery is not available in Fiji. So I don't know what will really happen with him. I will be going back to Tuvalu with a new companion, Elder Momoisea, another Samoan. I think I'm destined to serve with every Samoan in the mission. We will be going back to Tuvalu at the end of the month by boat. It takes three days to go from Fiji to Tuvalu by boat.

I was in Ba this week for the first two days. It was fun and I was sad to leave. Then I rode a bus from Nadi to Suva. Let me tell you! Long bus ride! I had to ride alone too, because there were no other Elders coming from Nadi to Suva. Luckily, there was a member on the bus who I knew his family. We talked a little bit and he even bought me a soda. It was like the Lord still provided me a companion even though I thought I would travel alone.

Then I was able to serve in my old area, Suva third for two days. I went and saw the Rao family. I think I sent some pictures of them home. I love them so much, but the parents have stopped coming to church. So I went to visit them and I just felt a lot of sadness and stress when I went to their home. I feel bad for them, but I hope they will go back to church. That undoubtedly helps those kind of problems. It was really strange to be in Suva 3rd again. There were people I honestly had forgotten. It is so strange to go back to the past.

Then I served in Lami for a few days. I really like it in Lami and I got to serve with my old friend Elder Ethington. He came to fiji with me. We went to a town called Navua one day and I really felt the Lord's help again when he sent a taxi driver to us who was driving from Sigatoka to Suva. Elder Ethington already knew him too. What a blessing!

Something I was reading today was Joseph F. Smith's story of when he had a dream that he was in a dreadful rush to get some place. All he was carrying was a small bundle and he came to a large house. He saw a sign that said bath. He went in and bathed and then opened the handkerchief to reveal white garments. He then put them on and entered into the house to meet the prophet Joseph Smith. President smith said, "Joseph you are late." He replied, "Yes, but I am clean -- I am clean."

I thought of how much I have learned about repentance on my mission. We go among the sinners as missionaries. Among people who have committed a variety of sins. However, the process is the same for all of them to become clean like the dream of Joseph F. We have to be cleansed through the blood of our Savior Jesus Christ. Just as it says in 3 Ne 27 I think it's verse 19. No unclean thing can enter the kingdom of God. We must repent and be baptized and become clean in the blood of Christ. Through the atonement of Christ we can become without spot. I feel like I have learned how to do that better on my mission. I also have learned to take of the sacrament to renew our baptismal covenant. A sister said something that I thought was perfect. She said, "I don't have to be perfect to take the sacrament. I just have to do it with a humble heart and a spirit of repentance." I thought that was absolutely perfect. I have felt the cleansing power as I have prepared and taken of the sacrament. Repentance is real, and we can become clean.

I love you so much! I hope you have a wonderful week and a wonderful day!

--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission

New Mission President!

Cola vina! Sa kuci koto? Yes, that is fijian and it's pronounced (Tho- la). I'm back in this wonderous land. The land of jungle and so many people. I was honestly devastated to come this week because I just feel such a strong connection to my rock in the sea in Tuvalu. I really want to go back there and keep working. I think though that I can even help the work here in Fiji.

This past week was President Ostler's last week. He left the day that Elder Poleka and I arrived in Fiji. President Klingler came the day before I believe. Maybe it was before that. On Friday, we got to meet with President Klingler briefly and just introduce ourselves. He and his wife are absolutely lovely people. They have been serving for many years in the Mesa Arizona Temple as ordinance workers. I really would like to visit that temple when I get home. Anyway, We had zone conference yesterday and I was thoroughly impressed by President Klingler's dedication to the Lord as well as his sweet wife. They both served missions. He went to Paris, France, and she went to Minnesota and Wisconsin. They're both from Montana but they now live in Arizona, I think in Mesa. If you have questions about them, please feel free to ask me!

This week I have been stationed in Lami. It is one of my very favorite areas in Fiji because it is so beautiful! The people are wonderful here too. I've found out that I remember Fijian better than I thought. The Lord is helping me a lot. I have mostly been serving with an elder from my MTC district named Elder Ethington. He is from Salt Lake City. He always speaks a different dialect of Fijian from the West, so that's where the greeting comes from today! It has been good serving with him. On Saturday, we went to another village, far from here called Navua. It is a small ward with a lot of problems in the ward. The church is still growing there, and we met many good families that gave us a warm welcome. It reminded me a lot of Wainibokasi because it is far from Suva and the towns and the way of life is so much simpler. There are huge trees too! They make me think of Africa! Elder Ethington told me, when he served in Western Fiji, he often thought, am I in Fiji or in Africa? There is so much diversity in this beautiful little island in the sea!

I received a lot of mail this week! That made me really happy! I read it all in one day, because I was so excited to recieve it! It will take me many days to write back however!

Well I am nearly finished with my credit, so I had better go! More next week! I love you all. I know that this work is true. Most importantly I know that Jesus Christ is our saviour. One scripture that Sister klingler shared yesterday was in Alma 31:5. I invite you to read it and see how it applies to you. I really enjoyed it!

Love you,

--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission

Sorry I posted this so late!

Hello everyone!

What a marvelous week it has been! It rained quite a bit this week, especially on Saturday. The kids all had boards that they would run and slip around in the puddles. It looked like a lot of fun! It reminded me of snow days back at home how all the kids get all there snow gear on and go sled around. I miss the cold weather! Not that much though...

This is just a news report to everyone! I am going to be huge! Elder Poleka and I go to the gym here in Tuvalu almost every morning. We bench press, squat, powerclean, and all the good stuff. Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt myself. Elder Poleka can lift like 6 times as much as I can... but eventually I am going to lift like him maybe. I really do feel good though, with us walking everywhere and lifting weights I think I am going to get pretty toned, not that it matters. It would be nice to be stronger though, so people don't have pity on me and try to get me to eat six full plates every time I eat. (that is an exaggeration, but not by much.)

Honestly though, this week was really amazing. We had some real progress with some of our investigators. There's three boys, Molesi, Tom, and Likilua (the ones that asked us for the Tuvaluan pamphlet), that we have been helping to read the Book of Mormon. This week we committed them to baptism in August. Two of them even came to church. They're doing really good and I think they really identify with Elder Poleka and Me because we're about the same age as them.

I am always amazed at the impact of the Plan of Salvation when we try to teach it simply and with the goal of eternal life in view. We were teaching a recent convert and one of our investigators who isn't really progressing this week. When I asked Sister Ilau, the recent convert, "What is the purpose of our time on Earth?" She said, "To recieve Eternal Life." I thought what better answer than that. I think they really connected to the atonement when we taught that though, because Sister Ilau later came up to me and said, "The lesson you taught earlier was really nice, thank you."

We also showed a leadership training from the First Presidency to the branch this week. I think it will help them a lot. I was really tired afterwards because it ended late. But at least we got a cake.

As of this week, I have been a missionary for one full year. It's hard to express what a mission is like. I once said it is like being squeezed through a tube, because it can be so uncomfortable sometimes. I think I have met with all of my greatest fears on the mission, most of which were not things, but feelings and situations. Sometimes I just stop there and forget the other part, but I have left out the greater part if I just say that. Being a missionary is so amazing, it is like training for the bigger race of life in just two years. I feel sometimes as my trainer, our Heavenly Father, pushes me to the limits. He puts on that 20 kg weight on both sides and says, "You can do it." He always helps me though, and then afterward I feel like I have climbed a mountain and I see the beautiful view of eternity as I see people make everlasting covenants at baptism and as I see people change there lives so someday they can be an eternal family. The joy that one feels as a missionary is inexpressible. The love that I feel for these people, for my companion, and for my family right now, is beyond anything that I had ever felt before. I feel as if I am doing the most meaningful thing I have yet done in my whole life. I love it, even though it is hard.

I love you all! I know this church is true! Last night we had a fireside where some of our recent converts shared their precious testimonies and it really strengthened mine. I know that this is Jesus Christ's Church. I love him, he is my saviour and because of him I can inherit eternal life.

With Love,
--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission

Bench Pressing

Talofa!

This week your greeting is in Samoan. My companion knows samoan quite well, and since Tuvaluan is close he can understand the people here. The problem is, he speaks Samoan whenever he speaks. It's actually not much of a problem, but it is funny. He's learning Tuvaluan quickly though. I found out though, that I can mostly understand Samoan. So that's pretty great!

This week will always be near and dear to my heart because it was so hard, but we were blessed so much! On Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday all of our appointments fell through except maybe two. My patience was tested thoroughly and I wondered why the Lord was allowing that to happen to such a promising and rich area where there are so many people who need to hear this gospel. That was the wrong question! I should have been asking what is the Lord trying to teach me. Eventually, that is what I asked, and the answer was patience.

I realized that I was not very patient. I wanted us to make every appointment and to move forward with the lessons we were teaching each person, but perhaps I should have been more attentive to the spirit and how I could meet the needs of the people that Heavenly Father placed in our paths. In any case, The Lord blessed us so plenteously, that I almost would ask him to do it again.

On Sunday, two of our recent converts who have hardly come since their baptism came back to church. It was one of the sweetest things to see, as one of them with her whole family, and another sister full of faith came on her own. I could tell that the Branch was really happy that they came back. I hope that those two sisters felt really welcome, because otherwise maybe they won't come back. Something that I know has helped is our diligent efforts as missionaries and our attitude that we will never give up on them because we love them so much.

We also had two of my favorite investigators (Molesi and Tom) who came to church yesterday. They seemed super uncomfortable to be there and when we came in the morning to see them they weren't ready then, but they got ready and came. I was so happy that they came to church! They are doing really good, even though they can't really understand the Book of Mormon. They are trying their best and I think God is showing them his spirit and the things that they should do.

I was still sick at the beginning of the week, but by Tuesday I was mostly better. My companion decided we needed to go work out! I was actually totally excited! So we went and did some bench press, some squats, and things like that. My companion used to play football and he's a huge half Tongan half Samoan, so he's really good to help me in my lifts. I think I really am going to gain some muscle mass, plus I have been eating a ton lately! My companion sometimes makes me breakfast and he makes me so much food! I hope that I get huge and not just fat. At this point, I'm still just skinny... but you just wait! I'm gonna be huge! That's what I tell my companion every morning when we go to lift. For that reason, I really hope that we stay together in Tuvalu for a while, so that I can gain some muscle and get stronger.

My companion is really good! He is probably the most compassionate companion I have had. He makes me food and is always trying to do things in a way so that I'm happy. Which is awesome, but sometimes I want to just tell him that it's ok, I'm not too picky. He's really trying hard! I can tell that this first week has not been easy for him. He's really good though, and I think I can help him just like he's helping me. It's amazing how sometimes you have the thing to complete your companion and vice versa. The Lord is infinitely wise in how he places us together.

Yesterday I gave a talk in church about the temple. I love the talks from General Conference about the temple, but my very favorite is Elder Scott's talk. The story that really touches my heart is about his son that died as a baby because of heart problems and how he knew that it would be ok, because they had been sealed in the temple. What a powerful motivation for me to someday be sealed in the temple! It's so beautiful that even though problems come in this life, that our family can be together forever because Mom and Dad were sealed in the temple. God loves us so much!

Well I love you! I know that this church is true! I know that God is our Heavenly Father, he loves us, he helps us, and he is guiding us through what may appear to be a perilous and impossible journey, but if we rely on him and his son, Jesus Christ, we will make it safely home to him. Sometimes are trials, just like those weights that I bench or squat in the morning, may be hard to lift, but make us stronger. Something I learned in lifting is that the best lifts are when it feels so heavy and your arms are shaking as you lift the bar, but you do it. Sometimes we can't lift it by ourself either, sometimes our spotter has to reach out and help us lift it. Our spotter is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He is ever there for us.

I love you!

--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission

Tuvaluan is really similar to Tuvaluan (?)

Talofa my lovely family and friends!

This week has been really good! I can't believe I'm back in Tuvalu so fast! It's good though, I'm really happy to be here. It feels like my home here! It was so familiar to be with my branch family and to eat at the Branch President's home. I love Tuvalu, I can feel the time coming though that I will have to return to Fiji and serve there. I'm sad, but I feel like I have worked really hard here.

When we got here on Thursday, all was well, but on Saturday both Elder Poleka and I were sick. Elder Poleka had an ear infection in Fiji, but it had gotten a little better. Then when we flew, our mission nurse thinks that it made it inflamed again. I got a little head cold, but it still made me really tired. Luckily, we didn't have too many appointments that we had to cancel.

Elder Poleka has been really good while we've been here though. He really understands the language and he is really good at speaking even though he just got here. Tuvaluan is really similar to Tuvaluan so he has learned a lot already, but I think there is still a long journey ahead of him in learning it. I didn't realize how great a feat it was that I had learned this language until I was talking to another American, named Amelia, who had tried to learn spanish before. I told her I thought it was easy, but she said she thinks it's harder than other languages. It just goes to show how much the Lord has helped me while I've been here. Maybe when I go back I'll try to learn Russian or something... We'll see.

This week when we got back one of our families that we have been teaching finally started coming to church every week, and they want to be baptized in August. I am really amazed that they finally want to get baptized. We have been teaching them since January and they finally have decided that it's right for them. The mom hadn't really prayed about it before, so Elder Whipple and I had asked her to sincerely pray if it is right. When we met with them yesterday, she said she prayed and she felt the whisperings of the Holy Ghost tell her that it is true. She has stopped going to her other church and told them that she needs to be replaced in her position as treasurer. I just wish Elder Whipple was here to see it. He would be so happy! This was Eti's family. I don't know if you remember them, but we have been teaching them for a long time. Ever since I was companions with Elder Key.

I love the members here. We gave them a dinner list yesterday for the next two weeks (we go back to Fiji that soon!) and they filled it up so quickly! They are so kind and compassionate.

President Ostler and Sister Ostler go home in two weeks too! I will really miss them, even though they have been really busy and it's hard to have a super personal relationship with them, they have felt like my parents away from home here in Tuvalu. I'm sure President Clingler and his wife will be just as good. Maybe he'll even learn Fijian! We'll see. He has to know french, that's a requirement to be the Mission President here. It should be fun to meet them at the end of this month.

Well I love you all! I sent package home but it only has stuff for Mom and Dad and Tom. Next time I'll send some stuff for the rest of you all. Love you love you!


--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission