Area 1, Week 1 - Nasinu Suva 3/10/13

Elder Ishibashi - first companion 

The sunset in Fiji

This is our room.  We have a fan going all night because it is so hot!

Bula,

Vakacava tiko? I am doing really well here. I am a little bit stressed out with the language though. It seems like they are speaking a whole different language here than they did in the MTC. They talk really fast and it sounds like all the words are morphed into one word.  My companion Elder Ishibashi said that it takes a couple of months to understand what they are saying. I know that it will take a little bit of time. I have to admit this is probably the hardest thing that I have done. We wake up, study, study, study, then go teaching. We do not have a car so we have to walk everywhere we go. All of our investigators are all spread out throughout the city. It seems like they are opposite sides of the town.

It is very hot and humid here.  I am in a town in Suva called Nasinu. We are in a Fijian ward. They speak a lot of English here. My companion’s name is Elder Ishibashi.  He is from Hawaii, born and raised.  He has been out for five months. 

The first day that we got here, we had a five-hour bus ride to Suva. Once we got here (at the mission home) we met the President and got to know him. He is way cool.  We have since been able to go to the temple with him and his wife.  I really enjoyed that.  That first day we stayed back and got interviewed by the President and the other half went to go get their sulu’s and sandals. Then we went to the other missionaries’ flats and stayed with them for the night. The funny thing is that I stayed in the same flat that I am in now. I did not even have to go anywhere because one of the Elders that were hosting us ended up being my companion.

Later that night we went with Elder Smith from California to a member’s house to teach her two daughters. Sister Sulu is her name. I forgot the girls’ names. It was weird because it was nighttime and they don’t have lights. There was just a little lantern in the middle of the floor. Elder Smith taught them about the Resurrection of Christ. At the end both myself and Elder Heninger bore our testimonies and we left. It was raining very hard by the time we started to head back. Once we got back I was soaked.  I didn’t have a sulu yet, I was still in my pants. That night both me and Elder Heninger were so exhausted that we went right to sleep. That next morning we got up and went back to the mission home. Then we went to get our sulus and shoes. Once we got back we had an orientation with President and were told our assignments. Then we went back to the same flat and slept there for the night again. I really don’t like our flat because it has a mouse problem.  We have some traps but they don’t work. They are really smart I guess.

We do our laundry at our flat. Every flat has a washing machine but not a dryer. So we let them air dry inside the flat. I really like my companion, he is really good at teaching and I am learning a lot from him. 

My companion says that it is possible that when I am done training that I could be training other missionaries right after.

After that night everyone went to their areas. I stayed in the same area, so I did not even have to move. That day we went to teach a couple of lessons. I feel bad in the lessons because I do not know what they are saying and I don’t say anything besides bearing my testimony at the end. My companion says that that is normal. I think that I will get it.

The other Elders from my MTC district went everywhere. Some went to other islands and some stayed here in Suva and others to the top of Fiji (Nadi).  

We have quite a few investigators and we have one baptismal date set for the 23rd of March! The only thing (with the woman to be baptized) is that we cannot get her to come to church. We have a big problem with getting investigators to come to church. I don’t know what it is but we are really trying to get her to come. 

The kids here are very funny. Its kind of sad because they don’t believe dogs and cats have feelings. So they will just kick them, throw them around, throw rocks at them, and beat them. Elder Ishibashi said that in his last area a guy would beat his dog every morning. He would beat it so much it would eventually stop crying. He did that every morning. We were walking down the street two nights ago and we heard a little yelp. We went over there and it was a little pup that was all cut up on the face and ear. I don’t know what happened to it, but it was very sad to see. We went past the area the next day and it was not there so I don't know if it died or it is still alive. It is really sad.

The people here are so humble. The houses are just sheet metal put together. Most of the Hindi people have the somewhat nicer homes.  All of the houses back home would be mansions to these people. The homes here are no more that two rooms. Most of the people sleep in the family room and the other room is the kitchen. It is a lot different than back home.  They don’t even really have doors here to knock on.  Everyone leaves their doors open during the day because it is so hot.  

We are walking all day.  We ride some buses but not much. The shoes here are terrible. I bought a pair in the afternoon and by the end of the night they had already fallen apart.  I found a pair of shoes in our flat that are good for now. The food is really different here. My first night here the dinner was disgusting. It was a whole fish just chopped in half, scales and everything. For the most part it has not made me too sick. Some of the food is really good. They have a lot of curry and rice.

The people here are lot different than in Utah. Everyone says “Bula” to each other. The Hindi people just say “hi.” The Fijian people are the nicest out of all of them.  The main cultures here are Hindi, Fijian, and Dogs.  

We have a total of 20 investigators.  We have one baptismal date set for the 23^rd of March.  My first Sunday was crazy. I had no clue what they were talking about. In our ward, we are going to be fed by the members every night!   The Nasinu 2nd Ward only gets fed a couple times a month.  Next letter I will know more about all of our investigators.

Tell everyone that I love them and miss them alot.  Also, tell the boys to prepare to go on their missions.  Studying will really help them to know how to teach.  I have a testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I know that it is true.

It is way fun here. I hope that everything is going good at home.  I love you all lots and miss you tons. You are always in my prayers.

Love,

Your Missionary Elder Grotepas