Tyler in Tonga: First Week of 2014

My Tongan Name tag

This week was awesome!

So I'll just start off by saying our water is still out! We haven't stayed in our MQ for 2 weeks now. So Over NEW YEARS we stayed in Longolongo with Elder Hefa and Elder Larsen! So New Years Eve was good we bought some Ice Cream (best in the world) and knocked off oreos and two 2 liters of sprite. Around 10:15 we began to eat and Elder Lutui was there on a vilo hoa (Exchange) so it was Larsen, My comp, Lutui and me. I actually got chocked out with an iron cord so how about that to end my 2013 year!? We decided to stay in Fanga with Elder Gagon and Tauvaka (with the permission of the Zone Leaders) because it was a shorter walk to our area. So We have been there for 4 nights now.

My companion said it's his last year and he wants to finish strong! So that made me happy! We taught 8 lessons this week which is more than we have in the past 4 weeks! We taught the two kids and asked them to be baptized this week and they said yes but their dad wants them to wait until February for who knows what reason!? So that was disappointing.. After that I had these feelings that I was worthless and that I am doing absolutely nothing here. That I could do better somewhere else. Just the typical downer feelings. But after teaching them we went to our ward mission leaders house and got a referral and went to teach the referral right then. We got there and taught and it went very well! At the end we asked him to be baptized and he said YES, so we asked him when he thinks he can and he said Tomorrow! So we hurried and went over the baptism interview questions and answered his questions he had and the Zone Leaders came and interviewed him and he got baptized on Saturday. He received the Holy Ghost on Sunday, and we are teaching him again tonight. His name is Sione Viau. He is about 21 or something like that. But It reminded me of the saying how when you're the lowest you can possibly be that's when God lifts you up and gives you the Miracles you need to keep pushing forward.

As For Sione Kiu the Soldier, we weren't able to teach him! He is super busy with work but we are gonna try super hard to baptize him this week! In Our last district meeting I was thinking we don't really make district goals so I made one that is to have 6 baptisms as a district before transfers on the 13th. So Far we have one but one thing a lot of people don't have on me is Faith! I'm not the smartest but I have a lot of Faith and I put it in Christ to help me. So Each Companionship needs 2 baptisms this week, but we need one! I am going to work super hard and try my best to Accomplish that goal!

I hope all is well with you all back home! I love you all tons!

Elder Swan