Fo'ui is incredible!

Hey Family!!

Well..... its definitely been a while, hasn't it? You know,  it's funny working in Tonga. Especially when you go to the church to use the internet and the only website that doesn't work is myldsmail.net and then irony kicks in and Facebook does work on the computer but, its against the rules!!!  I have 2 more lessons tonight and institute with 2 of our investigators, VOLLEYBALL!  Mom,  Dad,  I am so good at volleyball now....... so good!!

So, let me tell you what has happened! I have been moved to a new area called Fo'ui and it is incredible! The first transfer here was rough and hard to settle into but, everything is amazing now!!! We have about 6 investigators and 3 of them are confirmed for baptism next Saturday!  One of the new and interesting facts of my new area is that there is an incredibly surprising amount of deportees (people who went to jail served their time and then returned to Tonga after their sentence) I have about 25 in total here! Most of them have told me their life stories! The cool part is how almost every single one of them finishes their stories, "o pehe" "God really does work in mysterious ways. " It just makes me think of all the things that I didn't understand at first, then recognize God's hand in it later! Of course, their stories are much more dramatic and quite frankly, terrifying!  They needed that to happen to help them return to church!

Other than that, work here is incredible! The members literally drop investigators off at our house in the morning and tell us to teach them, then walk them home.  ha-ha This isn't a joke either!  That actually happens!  It's incredible how different missionary work is here compared to that of the states and other missions. This mission requires alot of getting close with the members and with the people of the small village you work in.  That's about 80% of the work here! Then, after you do that, they begin to give you people you can teach!

Thanks mom and dad! I have to go.  Unfortunately,  I knew this would be short! I love you both send my love to Jackson and tell him to get some strength back because I'll be home soon to teach him how to really play rugby;) The Tongans have been my masters and now I will be their master! Love you both!  Enjoy my email. Hopefully, I will have another opportunity soon!!!

I love you all!!!

Elder Sepeti!

Faka'uha. Look it up. Do it!

Connor doesn't have internet in his village and was borrowing a member's phone for a short email conversation. 

 Guys!

I know its been a while.  This is the first time I've had net! There is no internet cafe. 

It's raining and I'm with some members. They say "hi." My new comp is Eleta Taukiuvea and he just came from Vava'u.

 If you look up 'Umu Tangata in Tonga,  I'm staying in the big white house!

I'm in a ward and and they are incredible!  They do all the work! haha They have missionary correlation meeting every other week and the Bishop is from Utah.

We have a district meeting every week and I teach.  We have 6 elders
and 2 sisters. We have 6 investigators and we should have a baptism
soon! I'm teaching about 2 lessons a day here.  Except today,  it's dumping rain!

Sorry, I've got to go.  I'm going faka'uha!  Look it up! Do it! 

 Love you!

I looked up faka'uha.  It means showering/playing in the rain. Everyone will run outside in their clothes and proceed to sing and play.  Connor says that rainy days are like holidays. 

The very shortest of emails

Guys,
 I got moved to the most awesome area ever called Foui!  The members said they are so excited to have their white missionary and the missionary as their District Leader.  A lot of them are deporties (not sure if this is a Tongan word or just terribly misspelled?) So,  they are loving me there! But, I don't have time, maybe next week.  I love you all! I have 8 teachings today so no pday:) LOVE YOU!!!

Mom, can you buy pigs in Pomona?

HEY MOM!!! did you see the food!!!


Sorry,  instead I'm sending pictures today.  Unfortunately, when you send
pictures the internet isn't fast enough to keep up with emailing. But, all you guys missed was just ward conference and me getting called out in church for being white! hahahaha

Connor's companion and the Bishopric

WOOOOOOOOO TUNU PUAKA AT THE BEACH!!! By the way,  I need you guys to check something.  I want to tunu pigs for all of you when I get home and apparently they sell pigs in Pomona !! Take a look at that,  yeah?

Now, I may not be a big seafood lover but,  3 fresh crawfish with melted butter and salt and caught only 45 mins before eaten and cooked is a good way to end the day!!

Hey Mom and Dad,  got to go!!!
 I LOVE YOU! HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE PICTURES.  SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!!!

IN TONGA WE FEAST!!!!

Our contact with Connor was very short and sweet this week:

I'm on someone' s phone!! The net is dead!!  

 IN TONGA WE FEAST!!!!

I don't think its enough food! That was right in front of me and if you carefully look through that picture there's a roasted pig in the middle, under all of it!

Blessings Come From Walking!

Hey Everyone,

Sorry, I couldn't email yesterday. We were with the zone leaders all day and meetings!

So, let's see,  my mission is steadily moving forward, and as usual a little too fast for me.  But, it can't slow down! Its hard to believe I've been in Fatumu for the last 4 months!  To be completely honest,  never once have I wished I was in another area.  I love it here and could definitely stay here for the rest of my mission!

As for new news,  Elder Tafea and I have been working hard out here! Both of our wards have doubled in attendance!! It has been so cool to see the growth we have had from when we had just gotten here until now! We have 2 investigators now and both girls Alilia and Saune! They are both 16 years old and they will be getting baptized this week on Saturday,  actually! Tafea will be performing both of the ordinances! I'm super stoked! It's been a while for this ward to have had a baptism, too! About a year!! And, we will be having two in one week! Work here has definitely progressed since we started! Honestly,  its probably because of all the walking we have done! haha That walk in between Lavengatonga and Fatumu is not fun and most of the time with very little shade.... blessings come from walking, I am living proof of that!

Mom,  I thought I got your package yesterday but,  I got one from Grandma Sheppard out of nowhere.  Oh, and it was perfect to because we were trying these new chicken subs and there were 2 boxes of chicken in a biscuit in it and I was wishing for crackers. Heavenly Father does answer prayers!! haha

Other than that work has been just moving along we are still working a ton with the mamalohis and they are slowly but steadily showing back up to church!!! I always feel so incredibly grateful for the opportunity I have received to work here! I have never wished once I could be any where else and I have never met a more loving people than here!!

Ofa lahi atu!!!

Elder Sepeti!

Rainy Days and Rugby

Male' Lelei Ko Hoku Famili!!

You know,  one of my favorite things about serving in this country is the rainy days.  Wanna know why?

Well, because,  as it is is normal tradition in America, you go to work and come home and go to bed.  Maybe watch your T.V.... Well, here it’s a free vacation day where everyone runs outside; and I mean everyone! Even the Finemotu'a (old women) and we all enjoy the rain and play!! The best part though, is muddy touch rugby! Everyone pushes each other harder so we can get a good slide! I don’t think I have ever laughed harder! Honestly, it’s the greatest because everyone comes outside.  People pull out lawn chairs and sit under houses where the rain comes tumbling down and they just sit there laughing and talking! We play with all the locals. But, everyone plays there is usually about 30 people out! They play everyday unless someone dies.  Then you don’t play for a week because it’s disrespectful.  But, you do get fed well.  Seriously,  funerals here are these huge week long events where people just sit and eat and talk and lay out side all week and literally moan out loud..... that part was true in the "Other Side of Heaven" but,  is just when they bury the person!!!

Connor's walk for fafanga

Well, other than the thought and preparation of the hurricane this week everything went as planned! We taught a few lessons and we have two investigators that are committed to baptism two weeks from now.  So, that’s pretty exciting! We are stoked because we have finally struck a nerve in these wards out in the boonies! It feels good to finally see our efforts paying off! We have done a lot of walking. See, the fun part is we have Fafanga in a different village every week. (Fafanga is the evening meal that the members feed the missionaries.)  This week Fafanga is at 6:00 every night in Fatumu and then we have to eat and walk about 30 mins or so to our lessons in Lavengatonga which start at 7:00! So, we will be running with full stomachs or we will get lucky and as we walk some truck will stop by and will let us jump in the truck bed and sit down for a nice, breezy ride!! Those are the best!! Other than that our week was a lot of watching the storm clouds gather and the lighting striking the ocean!!

Hey, here’s a first.  Church yesterday was cancelled after an hour to prepare for the hurricane. I’ve never heard that before in the weekly announcements at church!! “Everyone: mutual is Friday and church is only an hour today so we can all prepare for the natural disaster.  OK,  now we will sing hymn  #...." haha

Ofa lahi atu Kiate kimoutolu!!

Eleta Sepeti