Area 4, Week 13 - Naduna, Vanua Levu, Fiji - 8/17/14

Ni sa bula vinaka,

How are things going there in Utah? I hope that you all are doing good and everyone is healthy. I know that in the letter that you sent me this week, you were asking me about how my health was. I can assure you that my health is good.  Nothing much has really changed here in Fiji. It is still hot and humid. It is kind of weird because this week, it has not felt as humid as it has been. We went on a hike today to a mountain called the "Three Sisters" and it felt like I was just in Utah. It was way dry and somewhat hot. I don't know if it is just that I am used to the heat and humidity or if it really is changing. But, I am doing good and nothing is really new with me.

This week has been a rather challenging week. We are still trying to work with the Branch and also trying to find investigators that we can teach. I know that if we keep trying and working hard, we will get the work that we need. All we need to do is be patient.

We were able to meet one really cool person that I want to tell you all about. So this story is about a lady named Pushba. The way that we met here was really interesting.  So, early in the day, we were looking through our area book and looking at all of the former investigators that were in Naduna that we could pay a visit to. As we were looking, we came across this a name of a man and it looked like one of his daughters was way interested in the Gospel. She even wanted to be baptized. But the thing was  that the father was not even interested one bit. So he was stopping his daughter from taking the lessons and even told the elders that they were not allowed on his property. So we thought to ourselves, "Lets try to go see her. Lets just say that we did not know and kind of talk to the father a little bit." So that is what we did. We went up to his house and talked with him a bit. He shared his feelings about Jesus and what his beliefs were. They were not very nice thoughts so we just invited him to listen and he declined. But as we were talking to him, the daughter that had been interested, came out and asked us for a blessing. She said that she had been praying for this to happen, for the elders to come over and give her a blessing. She was so happy to see us and she was so nice, I just feel bad because the father is kind of holding her back. But to continue on with the story, after we were done talking to the father, he said that he had to take something back to one of his neighbors and we could talk with him on the way there. So when we get to his neighbors home, he give the rebar back to her and says something in Hindi to her and points at us. Then the lady starts to yell at him and he just smirks and walks off. I think that the lady did not want to see us. So out of courtesy, she lets us inside to talk with her. As we were talking, I could tell that she was trying to avoid what we were saying and said "I know no English". But we were able to talk a bit about her family and we did find out that one of her sons had passed away and she was really distraught about his passing. I then asked her "Would you like to see your son again?" She said,  "yes, I would!" We told her that she could and she said "How?" We talked a bit about the Plan of Salvation and told her where he is and he is waiting for her. At this point, she just started to cry. She kept asking us how she could see him again. She was so surprised. She invited us back over to see her this week. So we are going to see her and teach her more.

Two things really stuck out to me in this story. First, it that God really does put people in your paths many different ways. I would have never imagined that we would have found someone this way. I wanted to get back in the truck and go to a different home but I just had a thought that I was to walk with that father. But, look at what turned out of it. We influenced someone and gave her knowledge that can bless her and her family. Second, is that Heavenly Father does answer prayers. Dealing with that girl that was praying for a blessing, God really did answer her prayer by sending us to their home. This story was a really big testimony builder and it was probably the highlight of my week.

But everything else is doing good. The Branch is going good and my companion is way good. We were able to hike up a mountain today and it took us about an hour and a half to get up to the top. We then all had a companionship study all together and got to know each other good. I am loving this District and we are having lots of fun. I think that the Sister Pauga and Trammel are making it way fun. Also Elder Walls, Peritt, Read, Magalogo, Malula, Johnson, and Delfin. Also last week we were able to go to the beach with the Senior Couples, Elder and Sister Walker, and have a good time. We played lots of cool games and had a awesome lunch. I will send you some pictures a bit later because we are at the computer lab that had loads of viruses on them.

But everything went way good this week. I was also able to go on exchange with an Elder named Elder Peritt. It was way fun and I learned a lot from him.

But that is pretty much all the highlights from this week. It was a pretty normal week for us and we had a good time. I do know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ. We can live with our Heavenly Father only by living his Gospel and standards. I love you all very much and I hope you all have a good week!

Love, 

Elder Grotepas