Area 4, Week 9 - Naduna, Vanua Nevu, Fiji 7/20/14

Dear Family,

How is it there in Utah? I hope that everything is going good with you all. I know that for me, I have had a really good week and it has just flown by. It was yet another really fast week and we had quite a bit of success. I am doing really good. My clothes and my health are good. I think that I have adapted to the weather here. It is kind of weird, I have forgotten what the cold feels like. I am getting cold now when it is like 70 to 75 degrees. I can hardly sleep because it is so cold. I have been so used to the hot and humidity that when it gets cold, I cannot stand it. I am going to have a rude awakening when I come home in the middle of the winter. I am not really looking forward to that at all!

Like I mentioned, we had a really good week. We did a lot of running around for a couple of days due to one of the members in our branch getting ready to go to the temple for her first time.  We had to help coordinate the interviews for her mother to take her to the temple. The morning before they were going to go, she found out that her temple recommend had expired and that she needed a new one. So for half of the day, we coordinated to get this done for her. We picked up President to do the interview. Then we had to wait for one of President Layton's assistants to come and interview her. But it was all good. She got her recommend and was able to take her daughter to the temple for the first time.

We did have one really big miracle happen to us this week that was amazing.  So, back to the previous story when we found out that we had to  arrange for this woman's interview for her temple recommend, we had to call Elder Walker and ask him what was best for us to do. He told us that our Branch President had to interview her and that he himself would come down and interview her. He had to drive about an hour and a half to come down. In an effort to find our branch president, (he was out cutting sugarcane), we called his phone to see where he was. Now, this is where the miracle starts. Our branch president accidentally left his phone at one of our former investigator's homes that he was working for. Also, our branch president and his family were getting really close to the family and even sharing a little bit from the Book of Mormon and the Liahona. We had previously dropped the family because they were not keeping there commitments. But when we had called our branch presidents phone number, the wife of the former investigator happened to have his phone and answered it.  She began telling us how she felt about our church!

She told us that the previous night, she had a dream that she saw an angel of God come down to her and tell her that the true church is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She said that it was the most wonderful thing that she had ever seen. She woke up and just knew that it was true. She then picked up the Book of Mormon that one of the members were sharing with her.  It was sitting in her front room and decided to read it. She knew right after she picked it up and read it that it was true. She told us this all over the phone and we said that we were going to be there in a couple minutes to see her and to see if our branch president was there close by.

When we got there and saw this lady, she had the biggest smile on her face and she seemed so happy. She told us the story again and it just blew me away. We had not seen her in about 3 months. Back then she was really hard hearted and did not even what to listen to what the Elders had to say. She was just being nice and let them in. She said that she did one time tell the elders of that they were not even interested. She apologized for all of those times that she was like this and now she testifies that this is the true church. She said that her and her whole family are going to be coming to church this week. And the amazing thing is that they did come to church and they loved it!  Her, her husband, their two small children, and their three week old baby were all there. She even wants to be baptized now.

It was so cool to see how the spirit works. Sometimes the spirit does not work right off the bat. Sometimes it takes a while to get your answer. He waits for you to be ready, not for Him to be ready for you. We did not even see them for about a month and she knew that it was true. She even made the decision to come to church. This really made my testimony stronger on how the spirit works. It is there, we just have to wait for the answer and keep preparing ourselves. Things happen for a reason. President left his phone at their house that day for a reason!

But that was one of the greatest things that happened to us this week. We were also blessed to have someone give us more money as we were shopping last week. As we were checking out, one lady put out her hand to me and said "Here." I put my hand out because I had no clue what she wanted and she gave us the money. I said no, and she forced us to have it. The cool thing is that she was not even a member of our church. She used to live in France and she had some friends from there and did the same thing that we did. She said that she loved and admired what we did and said that she wants to give us the money. Man, it was good to think that God is really looking out for his servants and there are good people to help us out. I know that when I get home, I am going to try to help out every missionary that I see.

Well that was pretty much all the big things that happened to us this week. We had a good week and we are working really good together. This is one of my favorite companionship's. I know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ. I love you all and I wish you all a good week.

Love,
Elder Grotepas

Us at one river in Korotari

We are trying to teach this little girl (Rosi) something

Area 4, Week 8 Naduna, Vunua Nevu, Fiji 7/13/14

Well to start of today, I want to say that this week has gone by so fast. It seems like these weeks are going by faster and faster. It really does feel like the other day I was just sitting her in the same computer lab emailing you. Time is just flying by. I feel like I just hit my year mark just the other day but I am now coming onto my one year and six month mark. It is just going so fast. 

But we did have a really good week.  For about 3 days of our week, we were really busy with running around town getting ready for all of us missionaries to meet our new mission president, President Layton. We were all able to meet him on Wednesday of the last week and he was able to teach us what he thinks we should do to improve the Fiji Suva Mission from what it is now. He said that it is going to be hard because President Klingler left it so good. But our new president is way cool. He seemed like he really is going to do a lot and he is ready to work. He told us that he is going to start to go on splits with the Elders to help train them and help improve what they are doing, so I am looking forward to that. He is a way cool man and all of the missionaries like him.

I want to share with you one of the things that he shared with us that I think will help us and could also help you in the Meadows Ward also. Missionary work is like a tree that has fruit on it. The best way to taste the fruit is if you have some. He said that most of the time, everyone that wants a piece of fruit always goes for the fruit that is low hanging. It is easier to get and does not take as much effort. We should make it be easy and put most of our efforts in going for those fruits that are low hanging and not having to climb clear up to the top of the tree to get one fruit that you could have easally gotten at the bottom. So this is what he told us to do. For us to focus on harvesting those low hanging fruit by using our recent converts and our less actives. That is where he thinks a lot of the work is. He also said that he wants us to focus on the less actives and help them get stronger so that they can invite their friends and build the church. There is no point in missionary work if we cannot retain the fruits of the efforts that have been given. We need to keep them strong and keep strengthening one another.

I feel that this is a really good thing to do. I feel that throughout the whole world, there are many less active members that need to come back to full activity. We need everyone to participate in this work of salvation to let everyone get the chance to hear about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are going to try this in our area. I know that we do not have too many members in our branch, but I do know that we do have those less actives that need the help and nourishment. We need to help them also. I also invite you too in the Meadows Ward, to try to find those less active families that are in the ward and help them out. Be their friend and help them to come back. If we never get a baptism it is alright. We are helping someone's soul. One more really big point that President Layton said to us is that "IT IS NOT A WASTE OF TIME!!" Most of the time when we go places or homes and they do not accept us, it was not a waste of time. This is one of God's children that we are trying to save. We are never wasting our time even if they reject. We are helping God. I know that I sometimes thought that we kept going over to people's homes and they still did not want to listen/progress. It was not a waste of time. It is just in the timing that they will be ready. These are a couple things are the things that really stuck out to me. 

We were able to have two baptisms this week. One was for a man named Vijay and the other one was for a little boy named Peceli. It was really cool to see them all change especially Vijay. I think that I told you all about him in some of my previous letters. He has gone through a lot of hard times and even a long time with being taught. It was finally his time and he was so happy. I could see it in his eyes that he was so happy and glad that this had just happened to him. We came to the baptism about 45 minutes late due to some hold ups but he was still in a good mood and happy. It was the coolest thing and this is what the coolest thing about missionary work is, seeing those you teach finally receive the answer and follow Jesus Christ. But Elder Fonua was privileged to baptize Vijay and I was able to baptize Peceli. It was so sweet and I love it so much.

We found a new investigator this week also that seems pretty interested in what we have to share. Her aunt killed herself the other week and she did not know where she was going. She was taught that she was not going to a good place. Elder Fonua told her that she is going to a place for someone to help her. She is waiting for someone like you to help her. She seemed really interested in what we had to share and gave her a Plan of Salvation book. When we went back to see her yesterday, she had read some of the things that they gave her and had many questions. We taught her the first part of the Plan of Salvation and invited her to be baptized. She said that she would like to be baptized in the future sometime. But I know that we will help her and let her know the truth. She was really interested and we will see what will happen. 

But this week was good. Many things happened but just cannot remember them that well at the moment. But I do want to let you all know that I know the Church is true and that Jesus is the Christ. I love you all very much and look forward for the next 6 months to work as hard as I can. I never let a moment roll by where I don't testify what I know to be true to all of my spiritual brothers and sisters.

I love you all and miss you all very much.

Thanks for everything and have a good week.

Love, 

Elder Grotepas

Me and Rosi (Brother Cava's daughter)

All of us doing the Fiji sign

This is the baptism of Vijay Prakash

July 9, 2014 Northern Zone Conference photo

Elder Grotepas with President and Sister Layton

Area 4, Week 7 - Naduna, Vanua Nevu, Fiji 7/6/14

Bula vinaka,

Hello there again! How is everyone doing this week? I have to admit that this week has been another one of those really fast weeks. I think that it is going by really fast because me and my companion are getting along really good and there is no problems between us. This companionship is doing really good and we are working really well together.

We were a little bit saddened this week because we were going to have a baptism but we had to push it to next week because the mother of the person was in the hospital during that Sunday. We know that it is important that the mother and the father are both there to witness the baptism of their son. We did not want to baptize him if they were not there. The bright side is that we are going to be planning on having 2 baptisms next week then.

The investigator that is preparing himself to be baptized next week is doing really good. We did have a problem this week with the branch that has kind of shaken his testimony. He still knows that the church is true but wants to go the church that is in town instead of the one in Naduna. But he still is willing and wanting to be baptized. I will not go into to much detail about this but everything else is going good with him. It is really cool because he is already talking like he is a member. He is a member in heart but he is not even baptized yet. I know that if he will stay strong in the church, someday he will be a leader.

This week we got to sit down with a preacher from another church and teach him about what we believe. Mainly about the priesthood and prophets. During the whole lesson it felt like we were Bible bashing with him but something really stuck out to me as we were teaching him. During this lesson, we both felt the spirit working through us. Before the lesson, we knew that they were going to ask us many questions. We prayed before we went in and asked the spirit to be with us. What we thought came true. They had many questions about what we had to share. As we were teaching, we were able to teach them and know every question that they asked. After the lesson we were talking and we said something that really hit me, "You can never question the truth". It is so true. Truth will never change. This really builds my testimony of this church. I know that everything that we taught was true. It says it right in the Bible and the people we were teaching were not using it. I know that this church has all the truth and that is what my testimony was to them.

Oh yeah, I need to tell you this story.  So this time of the season is called musu dovu. This means cane cutting. So for our service this past week we set up a time to go a cut some cane with an investigator. As we were there cutting in the cane field, the keys to the truck fell out of my pocket and onto the ground that was covered in like 8 inches of cane leaves. They fell out of my pocket when we were sitting on top of the leaves drinking a coconut. That was at the beginning of the day. Then about 4 hours later when we were about to leave, I went to grab the keys and they were gone. I could not find them. We thought that they were back at the house but we did not know. So when we got to the house, they were not there. I was so discouraged that the key was not at home but we said a prayer that when we go back looking for the key that we would be able to find it. So after we ate and me stressing out, we went back to the cane field to look for the keys. We looked for like 20 minutes and had no success. Our hands were all sore and we had little prickly things all over our hands because of the cane leaves. Right when I thought to myself that we were never going to find them, one of our lady investigators named Ema, walked right up to where the key was and picked them up. She had just barely got there and she found them.  I was so relieved when she found them. I had no clue how we were going to get another key. But from this experience, I know that God really does answer prayers. No matter how big or small the thing we need is, we should not lose our faith and have doubt. It may be hard at times, but God will make a way. If there is a will, there is a way.

This is pretty much what happened this week. I was able to do another interview for another soul to enter heaven. It is such a cool experience and feeling to meet all these people that are changing their lives to come closer to the Savior. I am so grateful for this opportunity to see this and I know that this is what missionary work is about. Seeing the fruits of what we do. Help strengthen families/individuals for a lifetime. This is the Lords work.

I want to let you all know that I love you all very much and miss you all. I hope that you all have a great week. Stay strong and never lose the faith!!

Love,
Elder Grotepas