Elder Michael in Niuatoputapu

Elder Michael in Niuatoputapu
The Other Side of Heaven

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Malo e lelei Famili

Malo e lelei Famili!!!!
'Oku ou fakamalo aupito ki he Tamai Hevani ma'amoutolu ki 'eku mo'ui!!
This week was, well as Sefita Finau would say "No good". It was very
ta'e'oli. It started off great we had two baptisms on Monday, Ana
and Wesley, the kids whose grandpa kicked us out as we were teaching,
got baptized in to the Siasi 'o Sisu Kalaisi 'oe kau ma'oni'oni 'i he
ngaahi kimuini. Other then the baptism we didn't do much else. we
visited a lot of members but received no referrals, We might tract
this Friday, which would be my first time! The transfer ends on
Sunday and i am pretty sure that i am getting Transferred, this could
be the last time i email in a while, as i could be sent to a remote
Island with not electricity and where the rats eat the skin off your
feet haha most like not going to happen, i probably will stay on
Tongatapu and go to a different Zone. I really have gotten close to
the members here in Nukunuku and it will be hard to leave. The Bishop
yesterday called President to see if I can stay in Nukunuku, I felt
very appreciated but at the same time i don't want to put pressure on
President he has a tough enough job already.
It was sooo cold this week!! I know what your all thinking "cold in
Tonga??" It is winter here in the Southern Hemisphere and last night
at our fafanga (dinner) we were all shivering as we ate. I've just
been using a sheet as my blanket and my feet where uber cold last
night. Elder Tu'avao is going to get me a blanket today from this
place in Liahona. I love you all so much and i am so very grateful
for your support.
I had a really cool experience this week, on Sunday after Church we
went to a members home to visit. They were all asleep except for
Ma'afu who if you remember was the very first person i taught the
lessons to here in TOnga. He lives with his cousin Simi Mokofisi (the
Mokofisi's are one of my favorite families here in Tonga) Ma'afu and i
started talking and he was telling me how he wants to serve a mission.
This was sooooo cool to here. I looked back on when i first met
Ma'afu and how there is a glow about him now that comes with accepting
the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. After he was baptized he was
being all that active in the Church. I was worried for him, and i
said a prayer to Heavenly Father to help Ma'afu make some friends in
Church to help him stay active, and the next time i saw Ma'afu he was
hanging out with kids from the ward. Now he is preparing to serve a
mission he goes to Institute and is great friends with the LDS kids in
his area. President Hinckley said "Every Convert needs a friend" This
is so true They need friends that can answer their questions and help
them stay strong. look at some of the greatest converts we have seen
in our lives, Donna Penn, Josephine Diaz, Uncle Dave they all had
friends in the Gospel and look how strong each and everyone of them is
today in the Church.

The Gospel Of Jesus CHrist is the Greatest thing in the World
today!!!!! This is the greatest adventure of my life, to share the
Gospel with the Greatest people on Earth. Love you alll sooo much.
Read your scriptures especially the Tohi 'a Molomona. I read a
scripture in T&F(D&C) in 133:8 I call it my scripture, go read it
right now its really awesome. The Gospel of Jesus Christ brings so
much Joy to all of our lives, through it we are able to be happier
then we can imagine.
I have experienced the greatest happiness of my Life in my service to
the Lord. its not always been easy there are still struggles
everyday, but its not suppose to be easy, but it will be WORTH IT!!
'Oku ou 'ilo ngaahi me'a ko eni mo'oni!!

'Ofa Lahi aupito atu

Eleta Maikolo
PS Psalm 89:15 D&C 38:7

Thursday, May 19, 2011

KAtaki Fakamolemole!

First thing first.
HAPPY BIRHDAY MOM!!!!

I just wrote a huge email and then the computer died. Man, it was a Tika aupito email. well this week was great. We had a baptism on Saturday i performed the baptism which was really cool. We received a surprised on Monday when our ward mission leader showed up at 9 am with a investigator for us. That's how the work works here--the member brings the investigators to us. On Tuesday while we were teaching two kids at a house --we were about done with the lesson and the Grandpa showed up and man he was angry! He yelled at us to leave and so we did. But, we told the kids to meet us at a neighbor's house to talk about their baptismal date. That was kinda a theme for the week-- people 'ita aupito 'i Siasi Mamonga. On Wednesday we checked with a laumalie about his Baptisimal date but he told us he didn't want to be baptized b/c his family would disown him if he got mad. On Thrusday we had Zone Conference we watched a MTC fireside by Elder Holland the same one I saw live in the MTC. It was really Great. Sorry this is so short gots to go
Love you all
--
'Ofa atu
Eleta Maikolo
 
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Saturday, May 14, 2011

The Church is True and the work is going forward

Dad Thanks alot for the personal letter, thanks for sharing your
experience from your mission. This mission is different then any
other mission in the World and its my mission i know that Heavenly
Father has called me here for a reason, everyday i am learning things
that will greatly bless my life down the road. In my mission prep
class Brother Bott told us that the mission is a literal roller
coaster ride for two years with amazing highs and the lowest of lows.
i have experienced that roller coaster ride. Like with the language
sometimes I wish i had been called English speaking because i wouldn't
have this language barrier, but then other Times i am able to carry on
a conversation with people and after im like whoa i just talked to
that person all in Tongan then i feel really good about myself and
then someone will ask a question to me and i will have no clue what
they are saying. I always try to tell my self that "Rome wasn't built
in a year and i will not become fluent in Tongan in 2 months" Someone
said to me yesterday "Good things take time" he was talking about
chicken that was cooking in a 'umu (underground oven) i was really
hungry and wanted to eat already but the food wasn't done cooking.
But when it was oh my goodness it was the best chicken ive had here.
The Lord is teaching me to be patient in a number of ways here in
Tonga, with my struggles in the Language and with the food haha.
It was great to talk to you all on Sunday/Saturday, Mom i hope you had
a wonderful Mother's Day talking to Hillary and being with Ellen.
Here In Tonga it was a big deal there were programs at both the wards
we went to. There was a Girl Mele, she was baptized two weeks ago
whoes birthday is Jan 13, 1995, she gave a small little talk about her
mother who passed away in March, it made me think about Samantha and
How is she doing?
I love you all hope that everything is going good i received TWO
packages yesterday!! One from Ashley Holt (a friend from BYU) and
another one from Grandma Marlyn they both were sent on April 12 and
were loaded with Candy tell grandma thanks for that. Love you all
tell Russ that i love him and good luck with school.
Dad Happy Fathers Day from Tonga i just learned this In Tonga they
have Fathers day the following Sunday after Mothers Day also it is
Father and Son's outing this weekend what are you going to do with
both Russ and I gone? spend some time with Ellen hope shes doing all
good with school winding down Thanks for sending Austins address, Hey
Dad what is your work email?

Love you all the Church is True and the work is going forward!!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

I will call you on Sunday here which is Saturday there

Mom and Dad, i will call you on Sunday here which is Saturday there in
America. I think that will be easier for you, that way you can have
Hillary call on Sunday and me on Saturday and wont have to worry about
us calling at the same time.
This week has really flown bye. Elder Tu'avao and i have really been
working hard and the Lord has really blessed us. We had a Baptisim
last Friday, a young girl Mele, i performed the baptisim which was
pretty neat, i was really nervous but i got through it.
we currently have 7 laumalie's (investigators) we just committed one
last night to be Baptized, a 16 year old girl named Heu. Her brother
was baptized 3 weeks ago he is in one of those pictures i sent home
two weeks ago. We are Really busy. We have been doing ngaue ofa
(service) for a half members family. We've been clearing this field
with machettes. its really backbreaking work. I cant wait to talk to
you all on Sunday(your Saturday) it probably be around 5 or 6 pm your
time. sorry this is so short again. I hope you enjoyed all the
pictures. especially the ones of the Dog hahaha

'Ofa atu
Eleta Maikolo
 
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