Area 2, Week 6 - Waila, Fiji 10/20/13

Lomani Family,

Ni sa bula vinaka. I don't have much time to write this. I have to do a survey for President.

How is everything going with all of you? As for me here in Fiji, everything is going great. I have had a great week and I hope that all of you did also. I cannot believe how fast these weeks are going by. We are already on week 7 of our training. The training is only for 12 weeks. It is going by so fast. I guess time flies when you are having a good time and you have a great companion. I still cannot forget my trainer and what he did for me. I hope that I am making that same impact on my son, Elda Banks.

Well this week was a really good week. We don't have that many investigators that are really interested. We are still struggling because we started this area with only one or two investigators. Elder Banks and I did a lot of OYM's this week and had a good time doing this.

This was a pretty usual week. Sleep, study, teach, and eat. But this week when we were contacting, I had my first big "NO", while knocking on doors. We introduced ourselves as missionaries and gave our names and they said no and shut the door.  I was really surprised because I did not think that that would happen in Fiji. Now I can say that that did happen to me.

This week we were going to see a referral from one of our members. Her name was Tima. She had gone to church with a member family twice and she really liked it. She even went to General Conference and she watched all of the Sunday session. She really liked it a lot and wanted us to go teach her. So we set up a day that we could go see her. We also had one of the members plan to come with us, Allen. He is one of Tima's friends. But when we went over to pick him up to go to the lesson, he came out and said that we we cannot go over there. He thought that his mom called us and told us that we could nor go over. He said that the parents got really mad at her and told her that the Elders were not welcome to come into the house. Allen said that Tima was really sad about that. Her parents are really strong in their church and do not want to change. So this was a really big downer on our week because we thought that she was going to be a golden investigator. So I hope that eventually down the road the parents will let her take the lessons.

But the work here in Waila is still moving. It might not be going fast, but it is moving. We are working the hardest we can.

I know that I am doing the Lord's work here in Fiji. His work is moving right along in Fiji. I testify that Jesus is the Christ and the Redeemer of the world. Though him, we can be clean and return to live with our Father in Heaven. The church is true and the doctrines inside of the church are true. I love you all very much and pray for your safety.

Know that I miss you all and love you all very much.

Thanks for everything.

Love,

 Elder Grotepas

                          Us getting back from a lesson soaking wet because it dumped rain on us.