I am glad you liked my video mom. This week was really good I will talk about the family later. Every day it is slow from 1-4 still and it makes the days go by so slow - I just want to sleep all day so that really sucks. We got our companion this week. His name is Elder Lolohea it is very interesting. He doesn't really care about the Secretary aspect, not sure if he understands the importance of the position :) Elder Lloyd and I are arguing a little bit but it is definitely a blessing to be in a trio. Elder Lolohea totally dissolves any spirit of contention. I hope Kolten is okay. It sounds like transfer would definitely help. I am sorry to here about Gentille - that is very sad. You were right when you said that it was heartbreaking. Death is such a weird thing. It happens to everyone but we are always sad when it actually happens. The Plan of Salvation is perfect. Our family is amazing. The islander families are like that as well so that helps me feel at home. For example, if Elder Johnson was having an issue up north or something, I am convinced that Bro Fatai and his family would drive the 3 hours just to give him some taro - that wouldn't surprise me at all. The tree is sad too, our house will look different by the time I get home that is for sure. When did we plant that tree anyways?
This week:
Elder Lolohea joined us last Monday. We were at the chapel playing volley when he was dropped off by the zone leaders. He is from Tonga. He went to Liahona High school which is like a high school version of BYU. Apparently it is the nicest school in Tonga. Learning this I expected him to be like a really strict missionary. I was totally wrong. He told me that if he had to guess he is probably in the top 10 disobedient missionaries in the mission, possibly even top 5. It is a very interesting tri-panionship because on the one hand I have one of the most disobedient elders who doesn't even speak English that well and on the other hand Elder Lloyd is one of the most obedient elders in the mission. For example, he called me out for reading the Christmas book that you sent me in my Christmas package - the one about mary. He pulled out his white handbook and read me the section on reading which says don't read anything not authorized by the church. Definitely I would say I get to experience two extremes. I would say I am more a spirit of the law kind of missionary. I am not disobedient but I am not letter of the law either. It is an interesting balance but we are making it work. We are definitely having a fun time being in a trio, it is the best.
In the work we are focusing on Lani and James right now. They also have a cousin that is wanting to be baptized as well. The only real concern is that we need a family member to be active in order to baptize them because it is useless to baptize them into "less activity". Hopefully their mom will come to church next week. It was pretty fun this week though. She just dropped off all her kids at church to us last week. So it was the three of us and like 8 little kids that we were herding around. It made me really wish I had one of those shepherd staffs with the hook. Plus we had another of our investigators come - Jainielee who was helping us keep track of the kids too, haha. I am sure that everyone was laughing at us. It was a little crazy getting them all to the right primary class and then finding them a ride home too. Their parents are funny. They trust us completely. Yesterday was the Come and See fireside and we needed investigators to come so brother Fatai went over and picked up the kids. So yesterday we were in charge of these kids for like 6 hours total. I think my primary teacher experience, brief as it was, has been helping - especially during lessons and we taught sharing time as well.
The work is progressing! Being in a three-way definitely helps in every aspect of the work - talking with people on the street, knocking on doors, teaching lessons, speaking to Tongans, and of course herding children. I am loving the work (even if it is boring during the day).
Love,
Elder Summers