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