Elder Grotepas : Area 3, Week 1 - Tavua, Fiji 4/13/14 New Companion Elder Tonumaipe'a

Dear Family,

How is everything going there in Utah? I hope that everything is going fine and that everyone is healthy. I also hope that everyone is having a good start to their spring and is enjoying life. I know for me, I am loving it here. I have to admit that I was a bit down at the start of the week because I had to leave the area of Waila that I had been serving in for 7 months before coming to Tavua. It was a hard change for me, like I said last week but now it is all good. I love it here in Tavua.

One thing that I want to say about Tavua is that it is way hot. There is a saying that over on this side of the island it is "The Burning West". I did not really think that it was going to be any hotter than it was in Nausori. I thought that it was way hot there. But now since I am here in Tavua in the west, I can testify that it really is the "Burning West."

The landscape is a lot different here also. They are more mountains here and there is not as much green. Most people think that Fiji would just all be green and palm trees, but it is different on this side. That is what I thought also before I got here. It is really dry here and does not rain too often. Every night it rained back in Nausori and here it has only rained once. So it is a lot different that what I have been used to.

Another really big difference here is the language. They speak the Tavuan dialect of Fijian. Everyone pretty much knows that dialect that I know but when they speak to each other, it is always in the dialect that I do not know so I have no clue what is going on in their conversation. It is going to take a little bit of time for me to learn that dialect.

We live right in town. It takes us about 10 seconds for us to walk from our house into town for us to shop and eat out if we want to. So it is really nice that we are really close to everything.

The ward here is good. It is not quite the same as the Waila Ward and what I have been used to. This area is a lot different and is still in the developing process. It is a ward here but we are struggling in keeping it that way. We have about 50 members that come to church every week. So I know that we have lots of work to do here in Tavua with the members. I know that we need to gain a relationship with them and help them out the most we can and I know if we do that it will in turn lead to referrals/trust and after that, baptisms.

As for my companion, he is a great elder. His name is Elder Tonumaipe'a. He is from the wonderful area of Australia. He is 19 years old and he has been here in Tavua for the past 3 months. Before I came here, he was serving with one of my old companions in the past, Elder Moulton. It looks like they had a lot of fun together and moved the work along here. It was really cool to see what they have done here to move the work forward. But Elder Tonumaipe'a is a great elder and I know that I am going to get along with him just fine. We have not had any disagreements. We are like two peas in a pod.

As for the work, it is going good. We are struggling with the investigators. They did have 3 investigators that were going to be baptized that were no longer able to take the lessons because the parents changed their minds on what they were doing. So we are in the process of looking for some more investigators. I am going to try to apply the same things that I learned in Waila for here. See if we can get the work here moving and help the ward.

We do have one investigator that has a baptismal date right now. Elder Tonumaipe'a and Elder Moulton found him through a member and he wanted to change his life. The elders went over and he really liked it and wants to be baptized. The only really big problem is that they were not married but they are still living together. So this week, we had the opportunity to help these two get married to help them accomplish this step in their life and to help him so that he can be baptized. So this week, we got to act as witnesses for their wedding. I thought that I would never do this is Fiji, act as a witness, but I did. I helped someone do that big step in their marriage. It was a lot different than a marriage back in Utah. All we did was go in one room and a guy spoke to them and gave them a little counsel to guide them through their marriage. After that, they signed 2 papers and they were married. It was a really cool experience and I would not change it for anything.

Well that is pretty much for the work that is going on here. We saw quite a few less active members this week and we are tying to help them and also to strengthen the ward. I am still a bit confussed on everything here because it is all new. I know that this week will be better. We are going to get out there and find those ones that are ready to hear about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I know that we are only going to be able to do this it we have the faith in Heavenly Father to guide us and show us what we need to do. I know that that is one of the biggest things that I had to learn in Waila and I know that it is what I have to do here in Tavua to move the work along and help the members her do their part in serving also. I know that missionary work is really the work of the Lord. This is the place that I am supposed to be and I am also called here for a reason. I need to find that reason and magnify it. I know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ.

I thank you all for everything that yous have done and are doing for me in my life. I love you all very much and I miss you all tons. Have a good week and keep your chins up in everything that you do.

Love,

Elder Grotepas