Area 5, Week 12 - Burewai, Fiji 1/11/15 (Final week)

It has been a good two years here in Fiji!  I have experienced many things physically, spiritually, and emotionally during my stay in Fiji. I have come to know that all good things will eventually come to an end and now is that time for this part to end. I have had many bittersweet feelings this past week.  I am glad that I finally get to come home and see my family but I am also sad I'm leaving behind my second family here in Fiji. I know what Brother Cheney felt like the time that he had to leave Fiji. After reading the letter that he sent me, I feel the same way. I cannot believe that this time is already here, I thought that it would never come.

I have learned lots on my mission over the past two years. Along with what I told you last week with how we are never alone, I have also learned many things that will bless me throughout the rest of my life. I have learned a good deal of patience and how to deal with other people, how to plan, obedience, listening skills, social skills, how to be a leader, being humble, counting on the Lord, asking for guidance, doctrines of the chruch, and the list goes on and on. It has really made an impact and I now know why they say "These two years are the best two years in a young mans life and every young man needs them to develop the skills that are needed to learn." I can see why they need them, it is preparing us for the rest of our lives. I give a big thanks for the things that I have learned.

I told you last week that I was going to tell you the biggest thing I have learned on my misson. I think that my number one thing is that the Book of Mormon is a true book. Throughout my mission I found out that the reason why I am really here is becasue of that book and the things that we teach from it is truly the word of God. Like what it says "The Book of Mormon is the Keystone of our religion and without it, our church will crumble." We always tell our investigators that we are not here to teach and convert them. We are only the guides and we have given them the tools that will help them know for themselves. Through the Book of Mormon, they will then come to know that Joseph Smith is a true prophet and that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. It is all becasue of this book that we know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is truly the Lord's kingdom here upon this earth.

I have a testimony of the Book of Mormon. I know from the bottom of my heart that it is true. God loves us so much and he wants us to find the right way and help each one of us find the way back to him. I finished reading it for the last time on my mission just 2 days ago and I know it is true. Just from the feeling that I felt while reading it and after reading it was just so powerful. I invite you all to do the same thing if you have not already or even if you have recieved a witness that it is true. I invite you to read it and pray about it with a sincere heart, willing to act on the prompting you recieve and this is the way that you can know of a surety.

I am grateful to be here. I thank my Heavenly Father for this opportunity. I know that now I am going to have to start my second mission. It is going to be a lot scarier than this one but I know Heavenly Father will bless me through it.

I learned two things this week from Elder Johansen (Area Seventy) on Sunday that I felt impressed to share with you. 1) The greatest title God has given to mankind is what?????????????? Father. Being given the chance to be called Father is a privledge and we need to use it to the best of our ability, and 2) "We know when we are following the correct path when we are having hard times in our lives." Satan is working hard on those that are trying to follow Christ. He is going to throw everything he has at you when you follow. So when we are having hard times, we are on usually on the right path and we need to preserver. Just like Joseph Smith when he went to pray, something came over him and made it hard for him to pray. It aplies to our lives as well.

I hope that I will continue to follow and endure the rest on my life. I have learned so much. I am glad tha I am going to be seeing you all here in a few days. I think that that is the reason why I am all nervous here in my seat. I really want to see you all.

This is my last email to you all and I want to tell you that it was really the best two years of my life. I would not change it for the world. I have loved each one of my companions and I thank them so much.

So, I guess we will meet here is a few days. :) Can't wait.

Love your son/brother,

Elder Grotepas

Usia, one of our investigators

Me and Joji from Nasinu. He could'nt beleive how much weight I have lost. It was funny.

 

The great Nausori Zone

Levuka

Area 5, Week 11 - Burewai, Fiji 1/4/15

Dear Family,

Ni sa bula vinaka oi kemudou na noqu matavuvale. Sa vakacava tiko? Vacava tiko na uca cevata? The weather is still pretty much the same, little bit of rain or lots of rain every day. The work is moving along really good in our area in Burewai. We were a bit slow this week with our work because of New Years. Lots of people were really busy with that and all the villages that we go to all had meetings and parties that everyone was attending. But we had a really good week even though we encountered all these hard things. We feel that the Lord is very pleased with the work that we were able to accomplish. We saw all of our progressing investigators so that was a plus to our week. 

We currently only have one saint with a baptismal date set for Febuary 1st. He is the boy that lives in one of our far areas in Saioko. Then for the other saint that we were going to get baptized last month, we are still helping him. He has been on holiday for the past couple of weeks in Lautoka and we are going to be seeing him today. We are setting his new baptismal date for the  25th of January. I was kind of bumbed that I am not going to be here for it and see him get baptized but I know no matter what that I really helped him out and I helped one soul come unto our Savior Jesus Christ. 

We were privileged to find a few new investigators this week. We recieved a refferal from some other elders in Suva and we were able to contact her. She is really interested in learning about our church and what we believe. So we will be seeing her today after this. She seemed really good and she was really interested. We also contacted another refferal for a man that lives in Natalaira. He was given to us by a member and we will see him next week. So we were able to find some more people for us to teach. 

We also had one of our investigators pass away this past week. We dont quite know for sure what happened to him but he passed away in Suva. He drove taxi's in Suva to support his family in Nasautoka so he was away in Suva when he passed away. It was really sad becasue we were shopping and his brother came up to us and told us that he had passed away. We were working on getting him and his wife married so they could be baptized. They have known that this is the true chruch for a long time but have had a really hard time with their marriage. It really made my heart sink when I heard this because I feel for the family that he left behind, his wife and his kids. Man, I cannot believe how hard it would be on them and especially his wife. The cool thing is about this is that we know where he is and we know that we are going to see him again. Just think, because of this Gospel and it being restored back to this earth, we have that knowledge. We are going to live again and he is going to live with his family again. The branch is doing a lot to help this woman and her family and I feel for her. We tried to see her yesterday but she was busy. 

We had a really good New Years. Just a typical New Years for us. We had the Zone Leaders stay with us that night becasue they had to drop some medication off to Elder 'Ita and they did not have enough km's to return back to their home so they just stayed with us. We stayed up until midnight and then went to bed. Just like a usual New Years Eve.

I have really been trying to finish the Book of Mormon these past couple of months and I am really close to finishing it. I only have about 30 more pages to go. I set a goal of doing this about 3 months ago. I marked every single reference to our Savior Jesus Christ. It is so cool to see how many times it actually references Jesus Christ and all of his names. There have been so many of them. I have really gained a testimony of this book and I know that it is true. I think this is what made my testimony so strong these past 2 years. I love the book and I encourage you all to read it also.

I know that this is my second to last email that I am going to write home. I would like to include in these two letter the things that I have learned the most on my mission. The second most important thing I learned on my mission is that when things get tough in your life, keep your Heavenly Father involved and preserver, keep going. Many people will give up or try something else. An elder said "When life gives you lemons,.............. make lemonade? No, baptize those lemons."  We have to work with what we've got and it will work out for us in the end. 

I encourage you all to do the same thing. When life is hard, just keep pushing along. Like the movie "Finding Nemo," 'just keep swimming.' I know the Lord and Heavenly Father are always there for you because they have been there for me. I know that this is the true chruch of Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for this oppertunity to be a missionary and I love it here. I am going to be sad when I have to leave but I am also glad to see you all again. Keep up the good work and we will see soon.

I love you all very much and I wish you all a good week.

Love, 

Elder Grotepas

Our Christmas Tree

Taito making bread. HAHA

Me and Elder I'ta

This is a bamboo cannon. This is what was going off all day on New Years.

This is called a qiqi. This is the hot toy here in Fiji. What do yous think of it?

Does this look fimiliar? This is the Fijian roro.