Best week of my MISSION! 7/6/2014

Elder Caudill, Elder Swan and 'Ema

Ko hoku famili faka'ofo'ofa!

Man it feels like yesterday I just talked to you! Well The reason may be because this week was the BEST WEEK OF MY MISSION! I'll start off with Ma'ata, Saane, Paula, Ta'ofa, and kokona! This is a family of 10 but we only got to teach these 5! The dad left when we showed up! But It was amazing! Elder Caudill and I taught really well together and they understood it all! We taught the restoration or lesson 1. Saane who is 20 took it the best! After testifying of the book of Mormon we invited them to be baptized! The mom said that they will get baptized when they get married to a Mormon! We had a laugh then we testified again and Elder Caudill asked "Is Atapani (the dad) able to take you to heaven?"  They laughed then said no. Then He testified of the gift of agency or me'afoaki oe tau'ataina ke fili. Then Saane asked for an opportunity to say something and this is what she said. "I'm so grateful for you guys coming to this poor house to bring us this message. I'm sorry we don't have any food for you, but we are grateful! I know that what you have said is true! I know that the book of Mormon is true! I trust it and believe it! I will read it and help my family to read it! Thank you!" Now if that's not faith I don't know what is!! She is an amazing girl and she is the only one in their family with a job to support the family! We are planning on going back there tonight!

We also had an investigator who is 12 that was staying at our Branch Presidents house! His name is Tolokina! We taught him all 3 lessons and he wants to be baptized so we will baptize him not this week but next week! He was a blessing in our lives and we are grateful for him!

Also 2 boys visiting from Tonga came to stay in Mangia! Sione and Sonasi! We have taught them two lessons and they take it well every time! They also came to church last week! We invited Sione to be baptized when he knows it's true! He said yes! So now we just need to get on him and help him keep all his commitments! Sonasi is an inactive member but said he would try and come back! I know they both feel the spirit when we teach! I just hope they will become more receptive to it and accept it as the truth!

Now the Miracle (All of these are miracles to me but this was pretty cool! and it goes with moms quote at the end of her e mail!) So I've been pondering a lot lately about my past work in other areas! If I was able to help anyone! I prayed and asked for comfort and all the good stuff, well God listens! At church yesterday I saw a teenage girl who looked super familiar!  I looked at my comp and said "If her name is 'Ema, she was one of my investigators in Tofoa." So we found out her name was 'Ema! I could remember her like it was the back of my hand! I remembered the lesson we taught her it was the Plan of Salvation! Afterwards she spoke and testified that it was true! Then in Sacrament I heard her testimony again and Anyone in that room knew that she knew it was true! The reason it's so great to me is because I taught her one lesson. Then transferred! To a totally different island in a tiny village! And she ended up coming here! We talked after church! She remembered my name and was so excited as was I! She told me she was baptized and I was walking/ standing on air! She is truly an amazing girl and has so much faith! Her family hates that she was baptized and it's really hard for her! But she is strong! I love it!

We also had a BBQ and made cake for the 4th! It was an awesome week!

I love you so much and can't wait to tell you more about these beautiful people! Love you mom! Tell Tanner  Dad and Parker I love them.

Elder Swan

Elder Caudill, me and Elder King
~Happy 4th of July~ 

We made cake :)

WOW ~ Looks Great!!! 

 

We made cake~ AGAIN 

Tolokina

Ko Hoku Fonua eni 6/29/2014

Malo e lelei Famili!

Ene'io Beach

This week was really kind of short and we weren't able to get a lot done. There was the Wesleyan Conference in Vava'u this last week and every morning the entire village got on the village bus and went to the conference in town. It was rough on the work and we didn't get much done at all! There are a lot of people here from America, Australia, and New Zealand! All for the Conference so it's cool seeing new people but they all leave to town and it's just us in the village. We did a vilo hoa this week which is a comp. exchange. I went with Elder Silakivai to Tu'anikivale and worked there for a day! I ran in to a guy named "D" He is inactive and served a mission for 3 months before returning! He came up to me and wasn't very nice so I tried being nice and after awhile started joking with him also! Then Elder Sila asked what I thought of him, I said jokingly "Kou fakakaukau oku ne fiema'u fakatomala" or I think he needs to repent. Then He got mad and kinda went off. I felt bad but then he said something about my language that wasn't very nice and said since I'm a missionary I should be fluent because It's so easy to be a missionary and God makes it easy! I replied by saying "God puts trials and roadblocks in our lives to test our faith and patience! Maybe my language is slower than others but I can speak it and do exactly what I'm here to do! I'm grateful for the gift God has given me to speak this language! If you think life is easy as a missionary you are wrong." He got mad then started talking bad about Sila and Elder King, so Sila said alright lets go, so we left. I thought about what I said and maybe I shouldn't have said somethings but I was happy and felt good about standing up for myself and the Gospel! It's hard to do that in your own native language but in another tongue.. It was difficult but I did it and it felt great! After that the next morning we went to a place called "Ene'io" It's a beach and is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been! It was so relaxing and it was a good way to just ponder!

When I returned to Houma, still there wasn't much work because everyone was gone! But we did get to meet a family of 10 who seem really open about the gospel and have friends who can fellowship! The mom is really nice and they have 8 children! Since I'm staying in Houma, They are my focus this transfer! I feel as if they are already ready! So I'm excited to get going with them and another investigator named Sateki!

I'm staying in Houma and staying with Caudill!

I loved hearing about all the fun and camping!!! Jealous... But I saw a house this week that is sticks and leaves standing as walls... IT looked exactly like dads camp and I felt so bad... Our camping is literally better than the way some of these people live... They are so faithful and so strong and I love these people!

Here are some pics of Ene'io and my week!

Ofa lahi atu,

Elder Swan

Great place to ponder

Playing the Uke on the roof at night after
a planning meeting~ Man was that a good time!

                                      

My cute friends Sala and Matiu!

Good week with some hard work!! 6/23/2014

A little USA in Tonga!

This week was really good! We did a lot of work! The baptism was a no go, she moved back to her home village! We got a new investigator I'm really excited about and hope to get him going! We went to a members house to invite them to church! It's the Relief Society Pres. and the 2nd Counselor! We went there and invited them! (They haven't been to church for 2 of our transfers here...) We went over and they made us stand out in the rain! We decided to invite them from outside and they got a little angry and the mom said some things that were really mean and really hurt our feelings! I've never felt so bad in my life! I don't think anyone has ever spoken to me like that before! It hurt deep! But I remember that Jesus' people spoke to him like that all the time! He took a lot of nasty things and eventually gave His life! So I can take it! It just isn't very fun when even our members treat us so badly! How do we expect to get into non member homes if our members don't accept us! Other than that the week was great! I'm sorry I couldn't get on yesterday! But here's just a quick update! I I don't really need anything else besides my friendship tie... I'm sad about that! It meant a lot to me!

 I got 2 of the razor things, my ties and socks were goners! I actually saw the yellow one on an Elder Today! The socks I'm upset about and Sick about the other tie! I got everything else! I got the 3 little books and my hymn book!
Love you all
Elder Swan

Abe Young with Elder Harmon and his Companion
eating a large meat lovers pizza!!!

Holy Packages, Fishing, Uke and a Fridge! 6/15/2014

Hey Family, What's up!!! Happy Father's Day! Give dad a huge hug for me! A big TONGAN hug! I loved your email's, you guys are awesome.
This week was really good, we had over 30 Po Malangas! Those are just random lessons taught to anyone. We do have a baptismal commitment for Saturday from Mele! It was a great week. I feel lazy today so no long letter just going to play my Ukulele.
I got my boxes and there was a surprise in the 5th box with A1 sauce a 6 lb. bag of Gummy Bears, pringles and mint candies... So was that Abe or You??? My new Ukulele is amazing and beautiful. I can almost play Somewhere over the Rainbow.. well I can I just can't sing it yet. Hahaha
I just wanna say I love you and I will email you next week. I loved the picture books and all the fun things, Thank you so much! Tanner! The truck looks unreal! Send pictures of it in the dark.
I love you all
Elder Swan
Thank you Abe Young!!!  8-)

~Holy Packages~

Thank Heavens... My first cold drink in a year!

My new Ukulele!  I am so happy :)

Sling Shot Fishing

Reel it in

BAM... That's how it's done!!

 

Beautiful place, Beautiful people, Beautiful language ~ 6/8/2014

Malo e lelei Famili.

Fefe hake? Man this week was really good! On Tuesday we got our standard of excellence which are the numbers we need to strive for each week! Man they are really high especially for those in small ares but hey guess what!?? The Lord is with us and we will do our best to reach the goals!  They are all 15-20 per week. Except the baptisms are 2-5! They are very tough numbers but we need to remember that this is not mans work. This is the work of a Supreme being and with His guidance we will be able to Hasten the work and bring MANY souls unto Christ. So we have been struggling with these numbers... All of Vava'u has been... Last month both zones on Vava'u only had 2 baptisms each... That's 4 baptisms... That is awful... Our goals is each zone to get 40 baptisms a month. So you could say we need to step it up! And we have! Elder Caudill and I are planting seeds! It may not be useful now but We are planting and nourishing! We share 1-3 minute lessons to almost everyone we see! We also try and serve and talk to everyone we see! I can see others opening up to us as we do this! A member that hasn't been that open and friendly with us has actually just become one of our closest friends! She went and bought us eggs and cheese and onions so we can make omelets today! Off topic! Sorry! Back on! This week we did teach 2 of the 3 girls! We committed one to baptism and she said yes! She lives in Mataika which is the zones area! So I talked to them and hopefully we can get her a date to be baptized there! The other girl is also from Mataika but is already a member just inactive! So we committed her to go to church and read the Book of Mormon! They are doing well! The other girl went back to Holonga so I don't know about her... We just received 5 referrals from our branch presidents wife! So we plan on going to them Today or Tomorrow! She told us they want to be baptized but they want to wait until the grandparents pass away... Family is huge here and church can ruin families! I have seen HUGE sacrifices by young 18 year olds and have seen them kicked out! Their Faith is amazing! Anyways, as I heard this I thought of Matthew 10:37 which says that we must love our God more than our Parents and Children! If we love Him more we will follow him and be obedient to him! That's a scripture all of Tonga needs to know and understand!

The work is good and moving forward!

I am so blessed to serve in such a Beautiful place with Beautiful people and a Beautiful Language! God really does know these people! He really looks after them! Each and every one of them I believe wants to do what is right! It's just hard for them to do so with all the pressure. They are too caught up on "The Kingdom of Tonga" Rather than The Kingdom of God! Yeah on Earth you can be popular and can be high up there and have people look up at you like a star, but what about in the life to come? What about after mortal life? Will they still be popular? Will they still be looked upon as the stars of the sky? No! But those who do what is right in this life will continue on to the next life and be given Glory. We will be as God and what else can you want? You can't want anything more! There is so much more than this life!

So this week I went to the Ocean with Elder King as we were on a companionship exchange! We caught some fish and an Eel! Haha The eel bit king on the finger and he couldn't get it off! It was Hilarious! Finally he got it off and was fine! Just some blood! Haha! I'll send some pictures! And about the Omelets! We came to the church to cook them! They were amazing!!! I took a video of me speaking Tongan explaining what we did but It wont send... Sorry! Hahaha! Oh and I ate Ota Ika right outta the ocean!! (Raw Fish!)

It's gonna be a good week! I love you all so much! Keep on studying and living this gospel! It's all that really matters :) Smile!

Ofa LAHI atu!

Elder Swan

Went fishing today~ caught an EEL!

Tevita caught a black spiky sea creature

Puffer Fish

Elder King

 

Holding a Sea Turtle.... So Cool

I love this Ongoongolelei 6/1/2014

"Brothers"

So this week was really good! Sad and good at the same time! So Sitivent bailed... He never showed up to the lessons and I guess it was all a joke or he just got into something with his family... We kept seeing him but he would avoid us so it was really sad! But on the bright side we were able to get 3 new investigators in Ha'akio! All girls 18, 18, and 14 and they are all really really.... Cool! They are all really shy and nervous to talk to us so we just try and make them laugh and help them trust us! The family we got them from is a good family but not good fellow shippers... Luckily there is another 18 year old girl that is LDS staying there! She is really cool and helps a lot! The investigators always ask her questions then when we come back she asks us hahaha!!!! At least they're listening! But I feel good about them I just want them to accept the gospel! It's hard watching so many deny it. I just want someone to accept it and watch the happiness grow in their lives! It truly is a blessing to bring the Ongoongolelei to all these people. Ongoongolelei (Gospel) Literal meaning (Good News)

So Saturday we had a full day of Ngaue ofa! Service! It was really fun! We built a fence! It was a good time in the pouring rain! We were all muddy from head to toes and soaking wet! But It was an awesome time getting closer with the members through hard labor and taking a shower with the mud! HA ha!

Today after netting we are going to the Tahi (Ocean) with two rascals named Tevita and Loma! I love these kids! So I'll have an adventure to tell about next week!

The work is good! I love it! I love and miss you! Keep reading the B.O.M! I just finished it again and started yesterday! So get going!

Ofa lahi atu!

Elder Swan

Elder Swan, Elder King, Elder Vaea and Elder Katoa
Our Zone Leaders

Our Branch Pres. son

Tongan Sacred grove...