Elder Grotepas : Area 2, Week 31 - Waila, Fiji 4/6/14 Last week in Waila :(

Ni sa bula vinaka na nogu matavuvale lomain,

Man, we had a really good week this week. I don't really know where even to start. Well I will just start out by saying that I am doing fine and nothing is really new with me as far as any health issues. It was not the most rewarding or most teaching week but we were able to talk and find a lot of people to share the gospel with. We are a bit down on the investigators here in Waila so that was our main focus this week, finding and testifying. We were able to find a couple of new people to share the gospel with.

The sad thing is that I am not going to be able to see these people or teach them any more. We got the sad phone call on Saturday night around 10 o'clock saying that I was going to be going to a new area called Tavua. It was so unexpected. We knew that there was going to be a transfer because our District Leader Elder Wilson is going home this week. So we thought that it was going to be a small transfer with only a couple of missionaries moving. I was so bumbed that I was going to be leaving Waila. When they said my name, it was like someone stabbed me and all my happy went away. I felt so bad after I hung up. I have become so close to every member here and especially a couple members of the Maiwiriwiri family and Aca Small. Man, I am going to miss them and miss this area. Isa lei.

I have to admit that even though it was a good week it was also sad at the same time. I never thought that I would get so close to people other than my family. Yesterday was the last full day that I was going to be in Waila and I was saddened. Everyone said that they were going to miss me and they thanked me for the work that I am my companions have done. It was a really sad day.

One of the memorable experiences that I have had on my mission was yesterday. I will never forget what happened. One of the members of the Waila ward got up and bore her testimony in the Fast and Testimony meeting. She thanked me for everything that I have done. Then all of a sudden, she broke into tears and really thanked me for everything that I have done for her. Because of me and my companion, we helped her start her eternal family. This is the wife of our most recent baptism of Anare. When she started to say this and tear up, it brought tears to my eyes. It really testified to me of what we are really are doing. I am not here just to change my life and to go home and say "I am a returned missionary", it is something else more spectacular and rewarding. It is helping people like her have the opportunity to live forever with her husband and children. Not just her but everyone. It really hit me this week, I am really here to help these people. So, that is what I have to do, find everyone that I can to help them experience this same feeling.

We had a member of the ward tell us this week that on his mission, he did not pass one house with out knocking on it. He said, I know that there will be one day that I am going to be held accountable for what I did. Someone might come up to me and say, "why did you not come to my house. You were right there. You did not do what you were supposed to." It really hit me because it is true. There will be one day when that will happen. I will be judged for the work that I have done here in Waila. I know that I have helped lots of people here and I hope that Heavenly Father is pleased with all that I have done.

It was also sad this week to leave one of the best members in the world, Jiobe. It was sad. We taught him a lesson yesterday and it was a really good lesson. We taught him about testimonies and how no matter how small or simple they are, we still need to share them. We shared with him the movie, "A Man Without Eloquence". I knew that the spirit was there and it really did touch him. At the end of the lesson, he shared with us his testimony and it was one of the best testimonies that I have heard. It was so simple and eloquent. Then, I shared mine. I have to admit that it was so hard to share my testimony because I was so emotional. I did start to cry. I told him that this could be the last time that I share my testimony to him. After that, the emotions kicked in. It is like what I said before, this could be really the last time I see him in this life. I got so close to him and now I have to leave. That could be the last time I even talk to him.

This was another really hard thing for me this week. But I know, I will see him again someday, maybe when he goes on his mission. But we will talk through facebook.

I have to admit, that I have had a good time here in Waila. I am really going to miss it and I am going to miss Elder Arthur. Even though we had our differences we got through them and were good. Every companion that I have had I would like to thank them for everything that they have done. Especially my trainer Ishibashi for teaching me the ways of missionary life.

This is pretty much my week. We did do a lot of finding this week. We were out of investigators so we went looking this week. We did find a couple but we are still looking. No really good stories of weird things that happened to us. Pretty usual week this week.

I did get stung by one really big bee. We were working on the missionary farm at the Maiwiriwiris house and I got bit. I was cutting down some tall grass with, guess what, a big cane knife. As I was going, I went into a place where there were a couple of bees and one of them came out and bit me right in the head. I went running around like I had just been lit on fire! It hurt pretty bad for about 1 hour or so. That was about it for funny things this week.

But I want to let you all know that I know that this church is true. Everything about it is true. I really did love all the people in Waila and I know that I will love all the members and people in Tavua. I know that this is the Lords work.

I love you all very much and I thank you for everything that you have done for me and are doing. Have a great week this week and STAY FRESH!!!!

Loloma,

Elder Grotepas