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