Elder Michael in Niuatoputapu

Elder Michael in Niuatoputapu
The Other Side of Heaven

Friday, December 16, 2011

SUPER SUPER BUSY

Well a lot has changed since i last wrote. On Sunday night as we sat
down to watch the First Presidency Christmas devotional the APs showed
up and told us that a transfer was taking place. One of the APs and a
Zone Leader had their time extended from Salt lake, but it was only
for a month and that month ended Sunday night. So we drove with the
Aps to Liahona and waited at the Mission office. My Hoa Elder Vuki
replaced the finishing Zone leader in Hahake and a kid from the
office, Elder Bowman replaced him. I was kinda sad that Vuki got
tranfered i felt like we were going to great things in Ha'akame. Eld
Bowman is from Mesa Arizona and my first White Companion, its pretty
weird, but he is a cool kid, he has only been here for a few months
and not to great at the language but i know what thats like. I still
think we can do great things here. We had some really cool
experience where we totally could see the Lords hand in helping invite
others come unto him. im not going to be alble to share all of them
sorry! oh that was so cool to hear from and see pics of Gramp Herb,
(can you send me some pics of you)
Yesterday as we were teaching a 18 year girl Tapu she asked about
Hilifaki nima and i used a scripture (alama 31:36) that i totally had
found in personal study that morning. then today we taught her again
and she totally asked what is the Book of Mormon and so we taught
about that. She has already been baptized but she said that she never
met with the missionaries before the day of her baptisim and that she
never got confirmed, we are going to Office late to check on it.
We are super super busy here its so awesome!!!! okay i love
you all dont worry about calling me, I will call you. and DONT CALL
BACK> like if the phone dies or something, i can talk to you all for
an hour for only $5 tongan pa'anga, i dont want you spending another
$500.

Hope all is good with mom and everyone

Oh mom can you send me a Flash for my birthday
A flash drive, maybe a 8GB or 12GB thanks so much Russ good luck
with finals!!!! and ELlen KAtaki ki he ngata'anga, i cant wait to talk
to you EJ this Christmas.

PS ill call when its Christmas here in the OTher Side of Heaven
'Ofa atu
Eleta Maikolo

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

HE'S BACK

well this past Monday i boarded a plane and flew 400 miles and several
centurie to Tongatapu. I am now serving in Ha'akame which i have
decided in the 2 days I have been here is the best area in the Entire
Mission, both in missionary work and in the fafanga ( feeding the
missionaries) This is a village on the south side of Tongatapu, its
actually where my trainer (eld Mafoa) comes from, i've met his family
and told them that he was my very first hoa, i was surprised when
President told me i would be working here. How many missionaries get
to serve in the place where their dad is from?? haha Misiona Tonga
mo'oni! The Church is HUGE here, like every house we go to is a
member. but there still is lots of work, i got to teach a lesson my
first day here and we have a baptism this Saturday. My new hoa is
Elder Vuki, he is from New Zealand, he also served in NIua, Niuafo'ou
the other island in the niua group, we already get along great. I
feel like Niua really prepared me to work here, i feel like i can
really talk to the people in Tongan now they are all surprised that
the plangi speaks tongan. its really cool to back in a place where
there is electricity. i can charge my camera every night. i am
going to get really fat serving here in ha'akame. Oh did i tell you
that when i left Tonga for NIua in July i was 89.9 Kilos (this is
fully clothed in tongan attatie tupenu &ta'ovala &kafa) then the
wednesday President came i again weighed my self at the airport and i
was 82.25. But during the 5 days President was here we eat extremely
good, pig everyday and loads of other good stuff. so on monday when i
left NIua i was up to 85.25. and im sure i have gained some more
since i got to Ha'akame. Ask Sister Johnson if she knows any one from
here i met a guy who knows her last name, also my hoa's dad is from
the same village as her in vava'u (koloa).

It was really hard to leave Niua, i was crying at the mala'e vakapuna
(airport). The two hardest goodbyes were to Elder Cook i was hoa with
him for 2.5 transfers, and then saying bye to Mele and her two girls,
they gave me a knecklace as i said good bye. Eld Nai and I taught her
and baptized her and one of her daughters in August she is super
strong in the Church and she such a great example of how great the
Gospel is and how big a change it can bring to people. Im very
hapy to be able to be serving a mission so share this message with the
Kingdom of Tonga. we taught a less active member yesterday and i
really felt like i was just going by the Spirit it was way cool, the
spirit is key to this work
Okay i got to go see yah nexty week love yah

'Ofa atu
Eleta Maikolo