Elder Michael in Niuatoputapu

Elder Michael in Niuatoputapu
The Other Side of Heaven

Monday, July 30, 2012

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

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