No letter, but lots of pictures:)

West side Tongatapu

Where I live

How I leave the house

The green sign says "ulumtangata" This is the last place where they cooked and ate someone. Ha ha

Our dog Reggie

Our backyard

Like my volleyball court?

The cement thing on the right is where we collect rain for our drinking water

The bed with about 8 springs that poke me in the back.

The reason we can't go out.  He was bitten by a centipede that crawls into our bed and bites us when we are sleeping.

Forgot to take the trash out and burned it instead like the rest of Tonga.

Elder Vea was in our tripanioship and now it is just back to Elder Tuikolovatu and I.

"Hi Mom,  I got your package with a new tie!"

Pictures, pictures, pictures!!!

Elder Sepeti and President Tupou

Tongan Rainbow

Mom, I got a new haircut!

Baptism Day!

After Baptism refreshments

Tongan sisters

Ward members

Cleaning the Bishop's turtles

Flying turtles:)

Bishop's son and family pet.

Tongan sunset

Connor on the beach

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!