BUSY BUSY BUSY

I'm so sorry to hear that Romy Cooper's father passed away-- that has got to be pretty hard.  There is an Elder here who's father passed away two weeks ago.  It was when i was in Vava'u and President called me to drive out there so he could tell him.  I have never been there when someone has found out there has been a death in the Family.  He is doing alright now and has chosen to continue his mission.  The miracle of Technology allowed him to use Skype to talk at his Father's funeral, all the way from far-out Vava'u.  That was one of the many stories i didn't get the chance to tell you about.

 Another one that i really wanted to tell you about was when Elder Person came. He is the 2nd Counseler in the Area Presidency, he came to Vava'u while i was a zone leader there and President Tukuafu called us and told us to be on stand by just in case Person wanted to have a surprise meeting with all of us missionaries up there. So we went and met him at the stake center where he was having a meeting with all the Stake presidencies in Vava'u. He was just about to walk into the meeting when he looked over and saw us walking towards him.  He turned and warmly greeted us--it was cool to shake hands with a General Authority, and he told us to keep working hard.  Turns out the meeting with the missionaries didnt work out. He instead had a meeting with all the ward auxilery leaders and pretty much anyone with a calling in the Church, for every unit in Vava'u.  The meeting was held at the Biggest Stake Center in Vava'u and pretty much all the adult members in Vava'u were there.  My comp Elder Fainu and I and a few other missionaries went as well to listen to the voice of a General Authority.  Even though his focus was not on Missionary work, his talk was very helpful for me and the rest of the missionaries that were there, and it was so super spiritual as it always is when a GA gives a fireside.  During the middle of it, Sister johnson's mother comes and talks to me, and tells me to tell Sister Johnson  to send some yarn from America so that Sister johnson's mother can finish the Tongan mat she is making and sell it, and use the money to pay off Elder Fotu(sis johnson's younger brother) mission expenses.  Then right after that, Elder Person talks about the improtance of sending your children on Missions, and how missionary work is the life blood of this Church and they are how the Lord Runs HIs Church, and that families have to sacrifice inorder to send there children on missions and here was  Sister johnson's sweet mother who is in her state of poverity, like most Tongan parents, doing everything she can to afford to pay for her son's mission, because she knows how great it will be a blessing in the life of her dear son elder Fotu.   It was a humbling thing for me to sit and listen abd think about this all. 

 

Well this is my first week in my new area and it has been busy, we had 10 new missionaries come in from the MTCs New zealand and Provo combined, and we had meetings and had to take them to their new areas.  It's pretty much like being a zone leader in Vava'u but on steriods. You just have way much to do! I still haven't met any bishops in my new area, but we do have a lot of investigators so we are going to be busy busy busy!!  

I love you all!  I sent a happy birthday letter to Hillary look for that soon!

 

'Ofa atu
Elder Maikolo

News from TONGA

Hey,  today is my New Pday. It's Saturday here and probably Friday there!!

I am  good. How is everything at home?

'Ofa atu
Eleta Maikolo

On Sat, Jul 28, 2012 at 12:36 PM, Martha Michael <stillindowney@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hi Jacob,

sorry we missed writing to you this week--maybe you will get a chance to read this after all--but we are in Cedar City going to the play, TO KILL A MOcKINGBIRD with Aunt Gail and her daughter, Melissa and hillary and Ellen. We are going to see Aunts melynda and melissa and kayleigh and give them Ashlyn--it has been a fun trip but it is blazing hot here--not like Tonga, that is for sure.

We are excited for your new assingnment and we look forward to hearing all about your new adventure. Please let us know what you are doing. I heard that Elder Prescott is on the island, Eua, and now he has been every where but Niua--maybe that will still happen.

We love you--please be happy, and obedient--

xoxo

momma

 Saturday, 07/29/2012

yeah Prescott is in Eua which is a very pretty Island; he has served everywhere but Niua. I dont know if he will get there but he might.  Right now in Tonga it is really cold!!!!

Who is home with dad?

Tell aunt gail thanks so much for the Package she sent me a while ago, i lost her adress but have a thank you gift for her!

Transfers Tonga

Yeah mom i did get transfered, really a big surprise, last week after zone conference Prez interviewed me and told me that i was going to stay, but then Sunday afternoon he calls and tells me that i am transfering back to Tonga, but didn't tell me where, well i am the new AP. I dont really know how else to put it. I feel very inadequate and overwhelmed a bit by the amount of stuff to do, but i will have ample amount of time to Email home as we will often be working in the office.   I was really sad to leave Vava'u. Man, I was crying so hard because I had to leave.  I really loved it  there and I really loved my comp Elder Fainu.  He is from my new area, and is the greatest missionary in the mission.  My hardest transfer so far, I really didn't want to leave.  Now, I am comps with Elder Fisher who I was in the MTC with and we are going to work super hard this next transfer.   We were really busy the past two weeks with Zone Conference and other stuff which why I didn't write back, kataki fkmolemole.  I hope you got my snail mail letters that I wrote you.  I got the package Malo aupito for the sandels and the candy loved it a lot!!

So sorry to hear about Uncle Dave and Aunt Melissa that has to be a big bummer.  I will keep them in my prayers.  They have done a lot of praying for me and I can return the favor some.  

Looks and sounds like Ellen had a blast at Girls camp and at Girls State. So great to hear she is having a great summer.

Hope hillary is doing well.

Mom, I got your letters about Christmas in July-- the one you wrote on June 28== is right in front of me.  I haven't looked up that scripture from Alma but I will when I get to my new house. I havent even gotten to my new house yet-- we have had so many meetings and doing a bunch of stuff.

 

Okay oku ou ofa lahi atu!!!!

Elder Maikolo

Hey Russelll can you tell me how to say  "i dont speak german" in German?  There is a german phone company maybe T-mobile  that is always calling the Mission Office here, they dont speak English.  So we have a lot of fun talking to them in Tongan but if you could tell us how to say some things in German.  We can have them stop calling us I always say dankechen Thank you spelling haha! 

Parents of Sister Johnson

These are the Parents of Sister Johnson!

July 8, 2012


Dear Ellen:


That is so crazy sis!! What a super star you are--not being afraid or
anything to speak up and ask. "Is some one here Mormon?" 
That is so great of you not to be shy or afraid or anything! and she is from Tonga and from Vava'u!! and her last name is Tonga!! 
I baptized a girl yesterday whose last name is Tonga!! We ate yesterday at a Family whose last name is Tonga! 
If she is from San Francisco/Oakland CA== then
yes, I definitely know her Family. We had a feast yesterday with the
Tonga's. It's such a small world, but Tonga is just a small
Island so yeah everyone pretty much knows or is related to
each other!!  Thanks so much sis for sharing with me that story. Ask
her what village her family comes from?   If she know where Neiafu, or
Feleto'a is then yep I know her family!!  I totally thought you were
both shouting at each other the way you wrote it haha love you so much
sis hope you are having a great summer!!!!  
Did mom and dad get my
birthday present from me yet??

Rosie, Zone Conference and Baptism

Wow that is so weird to think that both Hillary and Rosie are home!!
and Corbin gets home next month? i thought he entered into the MTC in
October?

Today i am not in Vavau i am in Tonga.We just finished our zone
conference meeting, it was a spritual feast with President Tukuafu. i
am so lucky to have him as a Mission PResident he is so spritual it is
just awsome to be in the same room as him.

As far as the work in Vava'u goes we had a very sweet baptism
yesterday at church.  "Alame" a 24 year old man we found by visiting
members was baptized he married a member but she is lessaactive,  he
is so awesome, a really strong testimony t0 me that there are people
who the lord is preparing to receive the Gospel. They just dont know
where to find it and it is up to us..

I cant believe that its already July, wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  how does
the time go bye so fast!!!! this is insane!!!! craziness.


Im so glad that you got my snail mail and the pictures , 
   That is so
great to hear that Ellen had a blast at Girls state --what a wonderful
experience for her!!!!
Right now we are just trying to find new investigators.  It kinda seems
right now the members are sleeping haha but we had an open house last
night that went really well.

Okay sorry this is short.  Know that i love you all and that i am
greatly engaded in the greatest work in the world!!

Send this is sister Johnson
sista johnson, malo etau ma'u ki he efiafini, ke fefe hake, ko au heni
, oku sai pe, kou fiefia lahi aupito keu lava o fe'ilo'aki mo ho'o
fa'ee mo tamai, koe ongo matua anga lelei aupito,  na'e tala mai 'e
Nesi ke tala atu oku ne fiema'u ha kalasi , lanu kulokula mo mata ke
ne fk;osi ene lalanga ha fala ke fk'tau i okatopa,
Kou ofa lahi atu kataki oku fu'u nounou ae tohini
Ofaatu