Elder Grotepas : Area 5, Week 8 - Burewai, Fiji 12/14/14

Dear Family,

I don't really know where to start.... It was just a normal week for us this week. We did lots of missionary work this week.

I hope that you all are doing good and that you are all bulabula vinaka tiko (healthy) and strong. I heard that it has not snowed there in Utah for a long time. What is happening to Utah? It seems to get worse and worse every year. In 10 years we won't ever have snow if it keeps going at this rate.

We had a couple of trials this week that were kind of sad. One of our investigators brothers passed away from drowning. It was really sad becasue he was only 21 and he was a good person. So we were not able to see V___ or his family this week becasue they have been really busy with the funeral and getting everything ready for it. In the Fijian culture, it is a really big thing to them and their whole family will get together and eat. Also after 50 nights, they will have another big feed and after 100 they will have another big feed and then to finish it all off, they will have another at one year. I feel really bad but I know he is in a better place. Missionaries are administering to him in the Spirit World.

We did have a miracle happen to us this week. We had a feeling that we were to go and meet with this couple named Tawake and Di. They have been investigators for about 3 years and they really want to be baptized. The only thing is that they are not yet married legally. So we have not seen them in a while because they said that they were really busy with things and they were not able to get married this year because of some things. So we kind of put them on the back burner for a little bit. But we had a feeling that we were to go and see them and see how they were doing. When we got there, they were so happy to tell us that they are planning on getting married this week and that they can get baptized. They were so happy and we were also happy at the same time. The Lord showed us that we needed to go and see them and look at what happened. We are going to give them a date next week when we go over to see them.

As for our work, we doing really well. We had 3 investigators attend church this week and we have about 5 progressing investigators at this time. Currently we only have 1 baptismal date but we are looking to have at least 2 or 3 by the end of next week. I am trying to teach Elder 'Ita on the importance of working with the members. Like what I have always said, this is where the work is. So we are hoping that by this, we will get more people to teach.

I learned a really big lesson this week about the Sacrament. I learned that that is what Sunday worship is really about. It is a covenant we make with God and everytime that we partake of it, we are making a new covenant with God that we HAVE to follow. I know the Sacrament is so important for us and I want to invite you to remember the importance of it and study about it in your spare time.

I love you all very much and wish you all a good week. Always remember to pause and remember the covenants you have made with God and it will bless you in you life.

Have a good week!

Love,

Elder Grotepas