Week two in TONGA!!! 9/22/2013

What's up :)

    This week was kind of slow but we got to teach a new investigator. Her name is Ana. Her sister is baptized and now we are teaching her. She is 22 and she is cool. We gave her a Book of Mormon and she said she would read it. The other Anna was busy this week so we teach her again on Wednesday. Stan is still struggling he said he wants to stop smoking and drinking but we saw him smoking it was kind of sad. It hurts because he wants to change but he is special and we will get him :) just gotta have faith.We have continued to teach Natasha and she said she wanted me to baptize her, which is really cool. It will be on Oct. 11. I am really excited.

TYLER IN TONGA

     We have been eating really well. The food is good and so far I like everything. I actually had a challenge... OCTOPUS!! I ate it and it wasn't bad but it was tough to get down. There is no Mtn. Dew here sadly and no American candy!!! It is a treasure here so send candy. And Sriracha hot sauce. Just some things I would enjoy. Uasila'a and Tu'akalau left today :( they were the party and made everything fun. I love them but they are going to do great.

    There are two sisters and me and my companion Elder Fiefia in my district. We are really small! We cover Tofoa and Havelu. Transfers are every six weeks but I think I will be here for 12 weeks. I am trying to stay in shape I use the TRX and also jump rope and do push ups everyday. The members are all really nice, I just wish i could talk to them! HaHa

Love you all
Elder Swan

Malo e lelei from TONGA! 9/15/2013

First night in Tonga the sky was on fire. The sunsets are beautiful and the stars and moon are so big and bright
I LOVE IT!

Malo e lelei from Tonga!

     Well I guess that means I made it! It is the most Beautiful place. We got here around 4 on Tuesday and hung out with the Mission President. He is a really cool guy. We then got to stay with each other one more time in a pretty nice house. The next morning we went to the mission home and had breakfast with the President and then went to our orientation. It felt like it took forever. I got my companion his name is Elder Fiefia (happy) and he is from Salt Lake City. He only has 6 months left. People keep telling me he is the best trainer and I already love him. Some of the missionaries got sent to Vava'u and are suppose to leave today. So Elder Tu'akalau and Elder Uasila'a from the MTC are staying with us. It's been real nice they make me laugh and made it more comforting. The weather is really humid and hot! Sorta windy. It's almost summer here and i asked what the difference was between summer and spring and he said summer is hotter with no wind... THAT BLOWS!!! haha. But that does mean the mango's and pineapple's are coming! Can't wait for that!

     Well the work here is really great. My 1st full day with Elder Fiefia we taught a girl named Anna. Her daughter is baptized and is super strong in the church. She is a huge example to Anna. Anna wants to take the lessons so we are teaching her. It was really cool to test out my Tongan in Tonga. It went really well! She is a sweetheart and committed to reading the Book of Mormon. We are teaching her again on Friday. We have also been visiting with a man named Stan. He was born in Tonga and moved to the U.S. when he was young. He lived in Texas and loved it. But he is a gang banger... He has the craziest stories. Him and his friends would rob people at gun point just for fun. He was CRAZY! He said he thought he was like sacrifice. So the reason he is back in Tonga is he got in a gun fight with some people and cops surrounded them and said "put down your gun" and he started shooting at them. So the cops shot back and hit him in the chest 3 times. One hit his heart and he should be dead. They took him to the hospital he had surgery on his heart and they thought he was dead but he opened his eyes. He was in the hospital for awhile and then taken straight to jail. Once he got out of jail he got deported. But he totally changed his life around he stopped smoking and only drinks sometimes. He believes everything about the church but isn't sure about the Book of Mormon. We keep telling him to read it and he just has a hard time starting. He is such a good guy though. Oh and he speaks English THANK YOU!!! And Netasha she is Indian from Fiji. She has already committed to Baptism and is going to be baptized on the 11th. She is 18 and is so cool! Her dad has noticed a change in her and started reading the Book of Mormon too. Every time we see a member they give us a referral. It's amazing. They help so much, I love the people already!

     And now the food. My first meal was not to great but all the rest have been amazing! For breakfast we usually have canned spaghetti and corned beef mixed together and a half a loaf of bread. IT"S NASTY!!! But i am getting used to it now. Go try it haha it's no good. Oh and its cold. If it was heated it would be the bomb! But other than that people bring us fafanga which is food twice a day. In the morning and at night. The ones at night are usually good. It'll take some getting used to. But I'm ready for it. Oh and the soda here O ia wei! So Good. I love the Pineapple Fanta! My P-day is Monday so Sunday for you.

     Oh I almost got to baptize a little boy named Foeti. But they changed the baptism to 4 and we thought it was at 5 so someone else did it ... :(      Send everyone my love! I miss everyone so much! Be safe- I love you.

This is me doing my laundry... That's where I live, it's tiny.. but I like it

They have some paved roads mostly just the main ones the rest are all dirt

   
  
 

More Pictures from the MTC

This is my last time at the Provo Temple

Wow what a photographer

Friends from Tonga
Tefito/David, Patrick and Mafi

Tonga here I come!!!! 9/5/2013

On my way     

I LEAVE IN 3 DAYS!!!!

     Holy cow... Time really does fly! It still feels like I have been here a week... But also 6 months. I don't know it's kinda weird! I leave on Sunday which is also my Birthday! We leave the MTC and fly to L.A. We have a 7 hour layover and then it's a 12 hour flight to FIJI and another 8 hour layover then
a 2-3 hour flight to Tonga! Honestly I can't wait. I am still freaking out about the language but I know the Lord will help me every step of the way.

   So not much has happened in the MTC besides the same thing everyday. Except yesterday we got to host the new missionaries. It was a blast! Later that night my companion and I were recommended by somebody to teach the new missionaries "How to begin teaching" It was kinda scary but really fun. There are six companionship's recommended and we were one of them. So about 40 missionaries sit in this room and they make it look like a house. They get an investigator and put him in it and we show up and knock and somehow get in the house where we get to know them and begin to teach them. We had to teach two investigators it is so much fun and the spirit really is amazing! It totally guides you. Also it is unbelievable to me how in 10 minutes you can feel love for the people you teach! I love it! This work is amazing and I can't wait to get out there in the field! Next time you hear from me I will be in Tonga! With actual stories not MTC stories Ha Ha. I love you all so much and can't wait to tell you all about the Tongan people. I am going to the Provo Temple for the last time in 2 years today. The Temple is my favorite place in the world! I'll talk to you later. Te toko sio!

Elder Swan and Elder Diehl

'Ofa atu,
Elder Swan    

Happy Birthday Tyler   (Thanks Lindsey)

Birthday Party!!!! 

IT'S P- DAY

MTC Pictures

It's all about friends and fun at the MTC :)

MOMMAS BOYS

May the FORCE be with you!

Messing around with Elder Freer

Elder Josh Nash

Elder Weston Farnsworth

Journal Time

Tonga needs some Elder Swan :) 8/29/2013

     Well Family, Friends, Blog, Whoever sees this?? This week flew by. It was one of the harder weeks as it seems I have hit a wall in the language.  It is tough, but I'll make it with God on my side. We got to hear from Elder Neil L. Anderson on Tuesday night! It was really cool to hear what he had to say. He spoke about "Love and Sacrifice" How we sacrifice the things we love and love the things we sacrifice. He went on to tell us how if our Testimony's are strong enough we can touch peoples souls by them and leave a lasting impression by just a few simple words. He also said if you Work hard and with your full heart, might, mind, and strength then we will be successful and our work will be great. It was a really cool devotional. After it was poring rain and we had to walk back to our class and room and got absolutely soaked. It looked as if we found a pool and jumped into it with our suits on. I guess God is preparing us for Tonga :)

     I had the opportunity to do a TRC and teach some Tongans from Tonga that were going to school in Hawaii and just graduated and were visiting Utah. My Companion/ Hoa got to teach them and It was sooo cool! They said they could understand everything we were saying and that we were better than the Tongans from Utah.. Hahahah What a compliment! But after, we were talking and they ended up knowing my Grandma and Grandpa!!! Small world. They were so cool.

  The guy i taught was named Tefito/ David. The girl was Mafi. The other guy was a twin of Tefito and his name was Patrick! They are going to try and see us when we get to Tonga! I am so excited for my last week in the MTC. I gotta get out! Tonga needs some Elder Swan haha :) I miss you all and Love you all! 

'Ofa atu,

Eleta Suani