Week 90 in Vava'u

This week has been quite an interesting one.

Poulsen and I have gotten to know each other a lot more and it's been great. Lots and lots of talks about baseball and travel ball and old memories. Made me miss baseball a ton but it was good. 

We also ran into some kids on wednesday that would not leave us alone. We tried everything. And so finally I gave in and said alright lets play, and then we preceded to play dodgeball with four year olds using soccerballs. Tongan kids are really tough, so when we would peg them they would just laugh.  They loved it.

Also, that same day, we were visiting with a less active woman, and she asked me what I was doing after my mission, and then told me that I could have her daughter......"E atu a eku ta'ahine ke mo mali" or in english "Take my daughter to wife." So that was interesting. More so when I found out the daughter was only 16 years old!!! I thought she was way older. Yikes.

We got to see a very different church service on wednesday night that made me think a lot of the Saviors sermon on the mount. They projected a devil animation onto the wall entitled "HELL IS REAL" with the intent to scare people into being good and keeping the commandments. It was awful, babies and little kids were crying while watching it. I thought to myself "Fear is only ever a tool of the devil" and couldnt imagine Jesus ever trying to get his followers to follow him by scaring them. Then they all went into the church hall, and even out on the road and started yelling their prayers up at the sky, and they were yelling for a long long long time. It made me think of Mathew 6:1-8. I was just amazed at it all. 

We taught a bunch of little kids, a new guy named Fate (pronounced fa tay), and had some other really good lessons. Had a cool program at the church on friday, and the works started to pick up also. 

We witnessed a massive fight of 15+ people at the corner where we live two days ago. I've never seen anything like it before. Absolutely crazy. The punches sounded exactly like fake punches in the movies. Tons of kids got messeddd up really bad. At one point two kids were throwing big rocks at each other. A dad also came in at one point and threw down the hammer. It was crazy. 

All in all its been interesting. The scenarios we've found ourselves in have produced plenty of entertainment, spiritual experiences, and laughter.

Hope you guys have had an awesome week! 

Ofa atu, Taylor

Weeks 87, 88,and 89 in Vava'u

Letters are getting shorter and shorter, less and less info. Internet didnt work last week. I asked him to sum up the last 3 weeks. Here it is-

These past couple of weeks have been pretty good. Things that have happened. 

Got a nice new haircut. Possibly my last one in Tonga. Thats weird. Ate some delicious spit roasted pig for dinner. Had a service project in Tefisi. Grant and I got to talk about old times and have some great conversations. The service project was at the queens palace here in Vava'u. Cleaned up the grounds basically. It started raining halfway through though and we all got soaked. Fun service project though. We saw a yacht there in the Neiafu harbor that had a helicopter on it. The Governor was at the service project and he told us that that yacht has a submarine in the bottom of it and that it belongs to some billionaire from new zealand. Cool boat.

Sometimes I wish we ate something other than bread for breakfast, but we got hot sauce the other day and so thats been amazing. I honestly dont get very hungry at all anymore, we've eaten so little that I can go a whole day without eating and still feel fine since my stomach has already shrunken so much. I dont like how skinny its making me though. I think but I've lost all the good weight. I tried on my new comps pants the other day, and they were loose on me at a 30" waist.... I havent worn a 30" waist since before highschool I think so... thas no guda.

Made real american pasta again. Delicious. 

Last P-day we got a call for transfers and I found out that I'm going to finish my mission here in Leimatu'a, and that Elder Poulsen is going to be my last companion. So thats awesome. It's been great. P-day the internet was dead at the church so we didn't get to write home, but Poulsen came over so that was cool. Its been great. Very nice to work with someone again that wants to work, or I should say, is enthusiastic/motivated about the work. So thats a blessing. Nothing against my last comp, he was the man, just a little tired of being in the same area for six months I guess. On the other hand, Poulsen is super excited to be out of his last area, and onto a new area he was there a while. 

Oh yeah, Grant and Harmon came over to net at our church but the net was dead like I said, so we all had a movie day and watched "The work and the Glory" series. Good movies, but made me more excited to be around girls again and start dating. 

On tuesday I tried a new drink Poulsen told me to get from new zealand that everyone apparently says is delicious. It was called sparkling Pineapple something. Wasnt bad. That was interesting, tasted like pineapple soda though. 

Oh yeah, On wednesday this past week I met KOLIPOKI. Elder Groberg in the movie "the other side of heaven". I know, I'm just as surprised as you are that he's still alive. Cool experience though.

All in all things are going great. I'm loving it out here and having a lot of fun with my new comp. 

Also the work is starting to pick and we've had a lot of good lessons this past week. 

Sorry no pics. Ofa atu kiamoutolu, Tay

see you all in five weeks!

Week 86 in Vava'u

Hey everybody, sorry this is a short one not much exciting happened this week. 

On tuesday we walked eight miles in the pouring rain from district meeting back to our area. Soaked. At one point we used giant Taro leaves as umbrellas. Wish I took a picture of that. 

On friday we met a man named Sione Kuila, he was so excited to see me, a white guy from america, that he pulled out his wallet and started showing us all his american stuff... including his greencard, and even his social security card... I know his social security number now 575-73-*&% hahah. If I ever decide to be a felon it could come in handy. Jk. That was interesting though. We had an awesome teaching with a new family that day also. 

Later in the day I was filling up waterbottles from our neighbors tank, and I came back into the house to find a little downsyndromed man sitting on our floor eating some ufi hahah. He said a prayer for us and then we left.

But all in all, its been a great week. Hope you all had a nice one as well. 

Ofa Atu, Tay

Week 85 in Vava'u

This week was great. On monday we got to call home for mothers day. So that was awesome. Really nice to talk to everybody and joke around. Easily the highlight of the week. ​

Lots of walking and talking.

On wednesday we watched a bunch of kids get into a fight on the road. Entertaining. Also helped our stake president build his rockwall. 

On saturday I woke up to our next door neighbor lighting fires in a literal circle around our house to get rid of our trash.... what the heck. Very smoky. Excited for fresh air soon.

Also on saturday, our next door neighbor went crazy and started telling everyone that he was Sihova (Jehovah). Very interesting. He tried to preach to us but he would continually interrupt himself.

We got up at four this morning to go climb a tall mountain and got cool pictures of all of Vava'u. Here is the worlds first sunrise.

 I'll send more pictures next week

ofa atu kiamoutolu!

Taylor

Week 84 in Vava'u

Pretty good week this week. Highlights: 

Tuesday: My comp and I were both finally feeling well and so I finally got to see more of my new area. It is awesome. Huge area, and really cool views. That night I met one of our new members, who is from Hihifo in Ha'apai (my last area). So that was awesome. Got to talk about all my favorite people over there with her. 

Wednesday: We had zone conference with the mission Presidency, and it was great to see so many old missionary friends that I haven't seen in forever since I was in ha'apai. Prez is the coolest too. I love that guy. Want to be like him someday. He's such a great example for all of us. President Fetani (one of presidents counselors) did something about us being proud of representing our countries and had everyone sing their national anthem. New Zealand did the Haka instead. After the meeting Vele'ika had the district leaders give a fakamalo after our food, and so Ieni got up, and he gave his fakamalo in mandarin... haha he threw in little tongan words here and there though and it made it pretty funny. "chinese.... ongo AP.... chinese.... eva noa ia" hahaha we were all dying when he said that. That night we set up two new appointments and got four new investigators, so that was sweet. 

Thursday: Met a woman who is family with Sione Kauvaka, my old ward mission leader from Ohonua so that was cool.

Friday: Watched a pig run in front of a truck and get destroyed. Also, we did a companion exchange and so I went to Tefisi, they had HOT WATER!!! So that was awesome. I took my first hot shower in over seven months. Felt soo good. 

Saturday: Traveled all around Tefisi and talked to a lot of cool people. Tefisi is freaking beautiful. Cool sights. 

Sunday: Mothers day, Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers out there! Church was good, Fafanga was even better... Our fafanga prepared a massive kaibola for us (feast). And I'm not exaggerating at all, they prepared two full tables of food for the two of us to eat... homemade pizzas, mashed potatoes and ground beef and cheese and crab salad and clamshells and so many other good things. Ice cream and american chocolate cake afterwards. Delicious. I haven't eaten that well in ages. Later that night, we had to go and help the Tefisi boys get a ride, so we rode in the back of Muhus uta truck up there, no hands mom. I love riding in the back of those trucks. I had to use the bathroom while truck bed surfing, and looked at the situation as a challenge to be conquered, and I'll tell you, it wasnt easy to do on those bumpy roads going 50+, but I was succesfull. Good times.

Great week. Hope everyone back there had a great week too. 

ofa atu kiamoutolu katoa! ofa pe ke mou ma'u ha sapate fa'e lelei! Kai ke mate, oua fo'i!​

Taylor

Some more pics of our Zone Conference

Week 83 in Vava'u

Hey Guys,

This weeks been rough. I got off the plane on Tuesday and it was raining really hard, also the other two elders in the mq below us were staying with us for some reason while they waited to move to their new area. Then, my companion got super sick and was bed ridden for the remainder of the week. I've left the house twice for a combined total of maybe 2 hours, including church... 

Its been very boring, and makes me miss Hihifo in Ha'apai a ton. I'm just hoping I don't get sick now cuz I have a migraine right now... not fun. 

Hopefully good things to come soon. This week I've literally just studied, and I figured out how to solve the rubix cube in four new ways. I just cant wait to finally move into the place after it gets cleaned up and I can feel somewhat more at home. I've gotta go, it hurts my head to look at the screen, sorry I dont have more for you this week. Hopefully more next week. 

I hope your week went well! 

Ofa atu kiamoutolu, Taylor

Week 82 in Ha'apai and heading to Vava'u

Hey guys, This week has been great. 

GHighlights: 

Tuesday: Sickkkk. No guda. 

Wednesday: Still sick. I found out why everyone was laughing so hard during our ward council meeting though...

One of our less actives is pretty much universally called Tevita Pupu by the people in this town... but apparently (unkown to me) thats just his nickname. His real name is Tevita Tuifua. But anyway... 

I referred to him as Tevita Puupuu during the meeting, and everyone erupted in laughter. Siale told me on wednesday why: Puu is a really crude way of saying uncircumcised, or calling someone a little child since no one goes under the knife until they're older here. Pretty sure its a curse word. but, when its said together twice like Puupuu, it becomes another curse word that basically means someone is incredibly tiny in that general area... Sooo.... What I actually said is "tic tac dic* Tevita"... Hahaha oops. 

Tongans are very harsh with their nicknames...

Friday: Was overcome with Gratitude for how great my life and family and friends all are. So grateful. I'm a lucky guy. Finally got to listen to the Saturday morning session of conference too, good stuff. Lots of good teachings. Taught an albino man. Cool dude. 

Saturday: Made Pasta again! good stuff. 

Sunday: Transfers, I'm going to VAVA'U! Plane leaves tomorrow. New island ki ai! Gonna be fun. 

It also was really hard saying goodbye to the people here. I'm going to miss them all a lot. Gotten pretty close with em all. Great people. 

All in all, Great week! Hope all of you guys are doing great! 

Ofa atu kiamoutolu, Tay