Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Week 2 in Tonga

 
Hey Mom, Hey Pop, 
      Ok, so this week was really good. Yes, we did Baptize Lau, in fact, I was   the one who baptized him! I'll send you the picture. In the coming weeks we will have more baptisms.  People have definitely been placed here and they are ready to hear! It's incredible! In fact, the other   day we had a TON of lessons planned and they all fell through! So, we went to Sandra (a lady in our ward) because she had an investigator for us to teach. Her name is Sella and I don't know if God could have   placed a better moment for us. We found her house, walked up she called us in and set up her own date for a lesson! It was AMAZING!! God truly does work in mysterious ways! I have now witnessed it! 
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      All we have is a one-room building. The sink in the bathroom the sink is about 5 to 8 inches wide.  We have no air conditioner, just a fan and we have no water heater, just cold water comes out and the showerhead is just a hole in the wall!  And as for a kitchen, we have a sink and a water filter.  High class living!

        So, before I answer this plethora of questions, I have yet another   funny story! This week in church was Fast and Testimony meeting...   So, it's going well, I got up and bore my testimony (fakemo'oni) and so   did my companion! After we went up an old lady and when I say old, I mean OLD, makes her way to the stand and sits down. She gets  up and begins her testimony, instead of walking to the microphone, she gets right up to the front of the stand sticks her chin up and   starts YELLING her testimony!!!  Ok, now to answer questions... 

1. How is the language coming along? 
    The language is a bit rough. It's hard because all of the Tongans speak slang here.  So it's been hard to understand and it will be a very long time before I do start to understand! But, I'm working on it.  I’m definitely paying attention at church! It's too funny not to! And, I listen intently for anything I can pick up! So, I'm working at it!   

 2. Are you able to understand the locals? 
      I am able to understand the daily questions they ask me but, for the most 
part, no. They speak incredibly fast and with all the(faka's) words seem to 
blend super easily..... ha-ha It makes it really hard but, I hear a lot of words that I know!!!
  
 3.Are you able to understand at church?
      Like I said up above, not really. Also, because they talk right into the microphone and that kind of makes weird noises and you can hear them breathing which makes it super hard to hear them.

     4. Where is your companion from?
     My companion is actually from Murietta, California! It has been super fun to talk to him about surfing and stuff from home cause he isn't that far from us! He is a palangi and he's my height but a bit more chub on him from the Tongan food haha. He told me that.   I'll send a picture of us. 
  
 5. How many lessons do you teach a week?
    We teach quite a few lessons each week. Actually, we probably have   been teaching a steady two a lessons a day or so. This area has picked up a bit again, so it's been super fun. We do a TON of walking everyday!   And we talk to everyone, seriously, everyone!
  
 6. Do you go door to door?
     No, we don't go door to door. And if they had doors on their houses we still wouldn't knock. The people here don't respond to that and they don't like it. So, we only go through members and we get TONS of referrals through that, seriously! We had 13 last week and we   are teaching most of them!!! It's amazing!!! 
   
 7. What is your typical day like?
     Our day usually consists of this schedule: from 6:30 to 12:00 we are studying and preparing for the day. From 12 to 5 really just trying to find something to do because everyone is working or asleep! Then from 5 to 9 we have lessons and dinner.  That is a normal day here in Tonga!!!
  

 I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!

 ELDER SHEPPARD  

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