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
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