Dearest Family and Friends,
This week has been great! Both Elder Whipple and I were sick with colds, but it didn't stop us. Elder Whipple will only be my companion for three more days, and then it will be someone new! I'm not really sure who it will be, because they still haven't announced transfers. By the way, last week I said Elder Whipple knew who my companion was, but he was just kidding, he didn't. So it will probably be a big surprise when we get to Fiji. I am excited to head to Fiji this week. We have been teaching a Fijian man and it makes me miss the Fijian language and culture. Although, I absolutely love Tuvalu.
One of our investigators is that Fijian man. His name is Jo. He has a very interesting past, and when we met him the first time he was stone drunk (that's actually a common occurrence here in Tuvalu, although the drunks are truly harmless here.) He asked us to help him and he showed us his house. It took about three tries back to finally meet with him, but then we met with him and his family. His family wasn't really interested, but Jo just clung to what we taught him. He began asking questions like: What is the Book of Mormon? Can I pray even though I sin? We gave him a Book of Mormon and explained that our Heavenly Father wants to hear our prayers. He began reading and reading in English, then we gave him a Fijian Book of Mormon. Then he read and he really started to understand and ask good questions. Yesterday, he came to church for the first time. The branch wasn't brilliant in fellow shipping him, but some of the young men who play rugby with him went and talked to him. That was good! I really have a good feeling about him, because he really wants to change. If someone wants it that badly, they will change no matter what their weaknesses.
This week something funny that happened is that every kid on the island recently has gotten an airsoft gun. If they can't afford a gun, they take a pvc pipe and put a balloon and a rubber band on the end of it and shoot each other with the little BBs. It's really funny, because they go around in like gangs and stuff. We even saw one kid with a laser pointer on his gun. I'm just glad there aren't any real guns here, or these kids might be doing bad things. As is, it is quite amusing, and sometimes Elder Whipple and I will borrow one and use it for a second or two. The other day Elder Whipple was having a battle with some kids and it was really funny, because they were trying to be really stealthy and everything, but Elder Whipple was a really good shot, so he shot the kids sometimes. Funny times! No worries, we won't be buying our own guns, that's probably not allowed. In Tuvalu, there literally aren't other guns though. I think the police have some, but other than that none.
Something really good that happened this week too, was that Elder Whipple and I got asked to talk last minute. Always count on the missionaries to be ready to talk at the last minute. I had maybe five minutes to prepare my talk and I just prayed to know what to talk about. I just felt the Lord guide me to speak to the people about loving others especially their families. It's amazing the guidance we are entitled to on a mission.
I love getting your emails! I hope that no one gets carried away in a flood! I probably won't, so don't worry about that! Maybe die of thirst, not really we have plenty of water recently! It has rained every other day for the last week or two.
Loving you,
--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission
5/23/11
Talofa oku Kaiga fagasele!
Talofa oku Kaiga fagasele!
This week has been really wonderful! The Lord's hand has poured out many blessings upon us! We have had so much to do! I am really tired, but I am really happy about the work that God has provided for us here. We had nine new investigators this week! We also didn't have any investigators that we dropped this week, so we have a lot of people we're teaching.
Two of the new investigators we found are Molesi and Taam (pronounced Tom). When we met them on the road, they asked if we had any Tuvaluan pamphlets that they could read. The first time we didn't have any, but then we got prepared and we saw them again. Then we asked if we could come back. We went and had a really good first meeting with them. They asked about baptism and about the Joseph Smith Story. They seemed genuinely interested and willing to act on this wonderful message. We'll see what happens this week. I really liked them, partly because the one's name is Tom, just like my little bro, and also because they just seem like humble seekers of truth. We'll see them again on Tuesday and see how that goes.
Two of the girls in our branch are friends with a less active and her non member brother and sister. We asked them to come with us to the lesson on Saturday and they gladly agreed. They shared beautiful testimonies and when we invited them to church, the member girls even invited the investigators to walk with them, without any prompting from us. Then on Sunday we had the less active girl, Meli, and her non member sister Tara at church. Meli felt the spirit so much, she asked if she should be baptized again. We told her that if she repents and changes her life, it will be good to prepare to take the Sacrament. I'm excited to increase the member presents and see what other miracles might happen.
I felt really tired yesterday and I didn't really enjoy church too much, because it is hard for me to understand the language when I'm tired. I was feeling pretty down, but then we went to a lesson with one of my very very favorite families, Eti and Taiga. Their son is preparing for a mission, but they've yet to join the church. We asked Taiga about baptism again yesterday, and she said, "I'm still thinking about it." We asked if she knew what we had shared was true, she said yes. We then shared about Joshua 24: Choose ye this day whom you will serve. We shared that sometimes you have to make hard decisions. Then while I was sharing my testimony an experience came to mind in my life. Probably the hardest decision I have ever made was to come on a mission. I still remember the day I really decided that I would go. I had church at the U and I was walking to the Music Building to practice the piano. I was thinking about going on a mission and I just had a feeling like, "You need to go." After that, I decided to go, and it felt like hands from the other side were preparing the needful things and I felt a force drive me to go. I had to leave some things behind though. I had to leave music and the piano for two years. I remember Lenora's face when I told her I wanted to go on a mission. She was happy but she was also puzzled I think that after getting that good that I would put it on hold for two years. Of course, she understood, but just like I knew it would take a lot of hard work when I get back, I knew that too. I also remember Dr. Allred my choir director saying "No you can't go. You have to sing for the singers." The hardest thing though was to leave friends and family that I love so much. I don't regret it though, I have never regretted it.
After I shared that, I knew that she would have to face some similar things to me. Leaving her church, she would probably have to leave behind friends and family that didn't fully understand the reasons. She would have to leave behind her position as treasurer of her church. I knew though, it would be worth it. The Lord always blesses us when we heed his words and sacrifice whatever it takes to follow him.
Well, two more weeks and then I get a week in Fiji! I don't yet know who my new companion will be. Elder Whipple knows, but I don't... The Assistants told him not to tell me. haha well fun times
I love you all! This church is true! Joseph Smith really saw God the Father and his son Jesus Christ. Most of us in the church don't know how significant a statement that is, but it is true. Through Joseph Smith, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has again established his church on the earth. It will never fall, and it is the way for our families to be together forever!
Love,
--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission
This week has been really wonderful! The Lord's hand has poured out many blessings upon us! We have had so much to do! I am really tired, but I am really happy about the work that God has provided for us here. We had nine new investigators this week! We also didn't have any investigators that we dropped this week, so we have a lot of people we're teaching.
Two of the new investigators we found are Molesi and Taam (pronounced Tom). When we met them on the road, they asked if we had any Tuvaluan pamphlets that they could read. The first time we didn't have any, but then we got prepared and we saw them again. Then we asked if we could come back. We went and had a really good first meeting with them. They asked about baptism and about the Joseph Smith Story. They seemed genuinely interested and willing to act on this wonderful message. We'll see what happens this week. I really liked them, partly because the one's name is Tom, just like my little bro, and also because they just seem like humble seekers of truth. We'll see them again on Tuesday and see how that goes.
Two of the girls in our branch are friends with a less active and her non member brother and sister. We asked them to come with us to the lesson on Saturday and they gladly agreed. They shared beautiful testimonies and when we invited them to church, the member girls even invited the investigators to walk with them, without any prompting from us. Then on Sunday we had the less active girl, Meli, and her non member sister Tara at church. Meli felt the spirit so much, she asked if she should be baptized again. We told her that if she repents and changes her life, it will be good to prepare to take the Sacrament. I'm excited to increase the member presents and see what other miracles might happen.
I felt really tired yesterday and I didn't really enjoy church too much, because it is hard for me to understand the language when I'm tired. I was feeling pretty down, but then we went to a lesson with one of my very very favorite families, Eti and Taiga. Their son is preparing for a mission, but they've yet to join the church. We asked Taiga about baptism again yesterday, and she said, "I'm still thinking about it." We asked if she knew what we had shared was true, she said yes. We then shared about Joshua 24: Choose ye this day whom you will serve. We shared that sometimes you have to make hard decisions. Then while I was sharing my testimony an experience came to mind in my life. Probably the hardest decision I have ever made was to come on a mission. I still remember the day I really decided that I would go. I had church at the U and I was walking to the Music Building to practice the piano. I was thinking about going on a mission and I just had a feeling like, "You need to go." After that, I decided to go, and it felt like hands from the other side were preparing the needful things and I felt a force drive me to go. I had to leave some things behind though. I had to leave music and the piano for two years. I remember Lenora's face when I told her I wanted to go on a mission. She was happy but she was also puzzled I think that after getting that good that I would put it on hold for two years. Of course, she understood, but just like I knew it would take a lot of hard work when I get back, I knew that too. I also remember Dr. Allred my choir director saying "No you can't go. You have to sing for the singers." The hardest thing though was to leave friends and family that I love so much. I don't regret it though, I have never regretted it.
After I shared that, I knew that she would have to face some similar things to me. Leaving her church, she would probably have to leave behind friends and family that didn't fully understand the reasons. She would have to leave behind her position as treasurer of her church. I knew though, it would be worth it. The Lord always blesses us when we heed his words and sacrifice whatever it takes to follow him.
Well, two more weeks and then I get a week in Fiji! I don't yet know who my new companion will be. Elder Whipple knows, but I don't... The Assistants told him not to tell me. haha well fun times
I love you all! This church is true! Joseph Smith really saw God the Father and his son Jesus Christ. Most of us in the church don't know how significant a statement that is, but it is true. Through Joseph Smith, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has again established his church on the earth. It will never fall, and it is the way for our families to be together forever!
Love,
--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission
5/16/11
General Conference and a lot of other good stuff
Talofa kaiga!
As I expressed to Dad last week when he called, we ran out of water this week. Tuvalu water supply relies on rain and it had been probably a month since we had a good rain storm. This whole week we had the opportunity to bathe in the lagoon, and we still had a little bit of water for toilet and enough for drinking. It felt really nice to bathe in ocean water. My companion was super excited because truly not very many missionaries are allowed to do that. It was a good week, and luckily we got water back yesterday, from a nice rainstorm that was truly heaven sent.
This week was really good! I was really grateful for the plan of salvation this week. We had two separate investigators whose parents had already died who asked what happens to them. We shared with them the hope that the Plan of Salvation brings back into our lives. One of them, a boy of 13 named Pelisa, heard my talk last Sunday and remembered that I mention that my dad had been sick. He asked if he was still alive. I told him he was, that after surgery he got better. He asked how he had been sick (it's not rude to ask questions like that here, plus we're pretty good friends so it was good) I told him cancer. He told me his mom had been sick with cancer too, that she had two surgeries but in the end she died. I felt very sad for him, but I knew that there will be a time when he can see her again. How great is that?
We then had another investigator whose parents both died within three years of each other. She asked if God was punishing her. We told her no, that in this life we experience hardship and trial as a way for us to learn. We told her that God had a plan for her and that she would be able to see her parents again. Some religions teach that life just ends at death, but she didn't like that, and neither do I. A loving God wouldn't just give us this time and then say ok, well good enough you're over. We existed before we lived here and we will exist for an eternity after this. We watched conference this week and I was really touched by Elder Scott's talk about his wife. How he shared that those who are married in the temple can be together forever. I was really touched by the love he expressed for his wife.
Speaking of that, We watched conference and it was amazing! I really loved the Priesthood session and it made me want to understand better the doctrine of the priesthood. Just like Elder Uchtdorf shared. I will study that and I hope it will help me better magnify my calling in the Priesthood.
Also while watching conference I saw 3 people I know. Brother Saunders (my seminary teacher) was conducting the Priesthood choir, I believe Megan's cousin, Peter, was singing the spirit of God, and I think I saw Lori Hayward in the Tabernacle Choir. Did she really make it in?
This week wasn't the best for numbers or anything, although something wonderful is that of 26 recent converts, 25 of them came to conference yesterday. We still have the one that we are working with her family to come to church, but I am really happy with the branch's work to keep those 25. I think as we continue our efforts, we will see miracles here in Tuvalu. We already have!
Thanks for your emails of love and support! I am happy and safe!
Much Love,
--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission
As I expressed to Dad last week when he called, we ran out of water this week. Tuvalu water supply relies on rain and it had been probably a month since we had a good rain storm. This whole week we had the opportunity to bathe in the lagoon, and we still had a little bit of water for toilet and enough for drinking. It felt really nice to bathe in ocean water. My companion was super excited because truly not very many missionaries are allowed to do that. It was a good week, and luckily we got water back yesterday, from a nice rainstorm that was truly heaven sent.
This week was really good! I was really grateful for the plan of salvation this week. We had two separate investigators whose parents had already died who asked what happens to them. We shared with them the hope that the Plan of Salvation brings back into our lives. One of them, a boy of 13 named Pelisa, heard my talk last Sunday and remembered that I mention that my dad had been sick. He asked if he was still alive. I told him he was, that after surgery he got better. He asked how he had been sick (it's not rude to ask questions like that here, plus we're pretty good friends so it was good) I told him cancer. He told me his mom had been sick with cancer too, that she had two surgeries but in the end she died. I felt very sad for him, but I knew that there will be a time when he can see her again. How great is that?
We then had another investigator whose parents both died within three years of each other. She asked if God was punishing her. We told her no, that in this life we experience hardship and trial as a way for us to learn. We told her that God had a plan for her and that she would be able to see her parents again. Some religions teach that life just ends at death, but she didn't like that, and neither do I. A loving God wouldn't just give us this time and then say ok, well good enough you're over. We existed before we lived here and we will exist for an eternity after this. We watched conference this week and I was really touched by Elder Scott's talk about his wife. How he shared that those who are married in the temple can be together forever. I was really touched by the love he expressed for his wife.
Speaking of that, We watched conference and it was amazing! I really loved the Priesthood session and it made me want to understand better the doctrine of the priesthood. Just like Elder Uchtdorf shared. I will study that and I hope it will help me better magnify my calling in the Priesthood.
Also while watching conference I saw 3 people I know. Brother Saunders (my seminary teacher) was conducting the Priesthood choir, I believe Megan's cousin, Peter, was singing the spirit of God, and I think I saw Lori Hayward in the Tabernacle Choir. Did she really make it in?
This week wasn't the best for numbers or anything, although something wonderful is that of 26 recent converts, 25 of them came to conference yesterday. We still have the one that we are working with her family to come to church, but I am really happy with the branch's work to keep those 25. I think as we continue our efforts, we will see miracles here in Tuvalu. We already have!
Thanks for your emails of love and support! I am happy and safe!
Much Love,
--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission
5/9/11
Happy Birthday
Talofa Kaiga!!
It was so nice to talk to many of you today! I wish we could have talked for hours and hours but I know that we all have things we need to do! This week was exceptional, as they all are in Tuvalu. I turned 20 this week as many of you know, and it was a really good birthday week. My companion elder Whipple had his birthday on the 7th too, so we had a few birthday celebrations here on the island.
My birthday was a pretty ordinary day. Me and my companion took the other two that stayed with us to the airport and said good bye. We were once again the lone wolf missionaries here in Tuvalu. We then came home and drank some Dr. Peppers that my companion's mother sent him in his package. Elder Whipple got a really nice package for his birthday too, so we have been sharing the goodness. We then taught some lessons, ended up getting some of my very favorite fish (it's some red fish... maybe a red snapper or something.. I really have no idea.) and I had fish and rice for my birthday dinner. I loved it too! I really like rice and fish now, one of the blessings of being in Tuvalu. I don't think I would have been happy with that before.
We also had some great birthday celebrations this week. We went to a family named the Kaitus for a celebration, because it was their daughter's birthday the same day as Elder Whipple's. So we went to that and they fed us really good cake and we had fun talking with them and enjoying the evening. We also had a party at one of our recent convert's house, the Teikauea's family. They gave us more cake and took good care of us.
We also had a very funny experience this week. Elder Whipple really wanted to go to a cultural experience here in Tuvalu. Well, one day we were teaching this old lady and her granddaughter's were putting up signs for a dance show. We thought that sounds cool, so we decided to go. The show was called the "Wakawaka" show. Well we went and nothing starts on time here in Tuvalu. We had to get permission from the Assistants to the President too, and we got permission to go. Well when the show finally started it was a man dressed as a woman doing the cultural dances. It was not what we had expected! We waited for a little bit to see if the girl we knew would dance, and it turned out to all be cross dressers dancing the traditional dances. Needless to say, we soon got out of there and went home.
A highlight from this week was one of our investigators whose name is Jo. Jo is a fijian man and we met him when he is drunk. He really wanted to change though. So we met with his family and it went really well, they seemed really interested. The next time we came back, we only met with Jo, but he had read the Restoration pamphlet and wanted to know what the Book of Mormon was. We gave him a book of mormon and promised to bring one by in Fijian soon. When we came back yesterday, he had read all the way to 1 Nephi 9. He may be a drunk, but I think he really wants to change his life. Yesterday he asked if he can pray, even though he is drunk all the time. I was so happy that we could say, "Of course, your Heavenly Father loves you and wants to hear from you."
Everything is really good here! I hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day and enjoy the last little bits of spring before the summer comes.
Love you
--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission
It was so nice to talk to many of you today! I wish we could have talked for hours and hours but I know that we all have things we need to do! This week was exceptional, as they all are in Tuvalu. I turned 20 this week as many of you know, and it was a really good birthday week. My companion elder Whipple had his birthday on the 7th too, so we had a few birthday celebrations here on the island.
My birthday was a pretty ordinary day. Me and my companion took the other two that stayed with us to the airport and said good bye. We were once again the lone wolf missionaries here in Tuvalu. We then came home and drank some Dr. Peppers that my companion's mother sent him in his package. Elder Whipple got a really nice package for his birthday too, so we have been sharing the goodness. We then taught some lessons, ended up getting some of my very favorite fish (it's some red fish... maybe a red snapper or something.. I really have no idea.) and I had fish and rice for my birthday dinner. I loved it too! I really like rice and fish now, one of the blessings of being in Tuvalu. I don't think I would have been happy with that before.
We also had some great birthday celebrations this week. We went to a family named the Kaitus for a celebration, because it was their daughter's birthday the same day as Elder Whipple's. So we went to that and they fed us really good cake and we had fun talking with them and enjoying the evening. We also had a party at one of our recent convert's house, the Teikauea's family. They gave us more cake and took good care of us.
We also had a very funny experience this week. Elder Whipple really wanted to go to a cultural experience here in Tuvalu. Well, one day we were teaching this old lady and her granddaughter's were putting up signs for a dance show. We thought that sounds cool, so we decided to go. The show was called the "Wakawaka" show. Well we went and nothing starts on time here in Tuvalu. We had to get permission from the Assistants to the President too, and we got permission to go. Well when the show finally started it was a man dressed as a woman doing the cultural dances. It was not what we had expected! We waited for a little bit to see if the girl we knew would dance, and it turned out to all be cross dressers dancing the traditional dances. Needless to say, we soon got out of there and went home.
A highlight from this week was one of our investigators whose name is Jo. Jo is a fijian man and we met him when he is drunk. He really wanted to change though. So we met with his family and it went really well, they seemed really interested. The next time we came back, we only met with Jo, but he had read the Restoration pamphlet and wanted to know what the Book of Mormon was. We gave him a book of mormon and promised to bring one by in Fijian soon. When we came back yesterday, he had read all the way to 1 Nephi 9. He may be a drunk, but I think he really wants to change his life. Yesterday he asked if he can pray, even though he is drunk all the time. I was so happy that we could say, "Of course, your Heavenly Father loves you and wants to hear from you."
Everything is really good here! I hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day and enjoy the last little bits of spring before the summer comes.
Love you
--
Elder Paul Leland Hill
Fiji Suva Mission
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