Week 53 - Lefagaoali'i


Man it's been a fat couple weeks! the zone leader life is definitely different that is for sure. we have our own proselytizing area and we actually are covering two different ones right now waiting for more missionaries. we are in the car mostly all day and instead of just thinking about my own area I now have to think about every area in the zone, logistics, leading, and a bunch of other responsibilities. i don't like the word overwhelming but I am definitely unsettled right now kinda like at the beginning of the mission. it is awesome though. i am learning a ton and i know that either the zone needs me, i need this calling, or both. It will definitely stretch me but that is definitely a good thing.

My new companion elder tiatia is awesome. his brother is actually serving in salt lake city and the funny thing is, he is companions with a guy from american samoa named mau gisa, who me and elder masuisui used to go with on splits all the time back last year in malaeimi. we love talking to each other about stuff that matters and we learn a lot from each other i feel like.

The other day last week i saw him reading, "spiritually anchored in unsettling times" by bruce hafen who i immediately recognized. I remember when i was having questions about my testimony about a year before my mission my dad gave me the books, "the broken heart" and the "believing heart" by bruce hafen and I absolutely loved them. I don't know how mature I was back then but I was mature enough for those books to have a big effect on me. Immediately i wanted to read the book that tiatia had and i don't know if you guys have read it before but I started to read it and now i am almost done. but it has been incredible to read it and reflect back on my life on how I have gained my own testimony. It has so many amazing insights on how testimony is sparked and developed and man just reading it has helped me to make sense of long time feelings and thoughts i have had about testimony and conversion and most importantly sanctification.

I have learned so much on my mission, and honestly some things took much longer than i thought they would, but it gives more meaning to the scripture in ether 12:6..."you will have no witness until after the trial of you faith." I have realized now but am still trying to put into action the idea that faith isn't everything. Just knowing the gospel is true isn't going to get me anywhere if i don't act on that knowledge. Like a scripture i came across when studying the new testament for come follow me: 1 corinthians 13:2 i think it is. It says something like, "even if i were to have all the knowledge in the world, and all the faith even to move mountains, if i don't have charity i am nothing." I want to be more charitable and loving. These are all things that I am still coming to learn and know for myself but I am grateful for all i have learned up to this point.

I will give more updates on the work next week but my time is running out!! I love you all so much!

Elder Love
-------------------------------------------

Elder Tiatia and Elder Love...



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Week 5 - American Samoa

Image
Tolofa Lava! O a mai outou? this week has been very interesting for sure! So as I said before Elder Lavaka got a tama'i lima straight to the mata and he was even tafetoto from his eye so we had to take him to the fale ma'i (hospital) last aso gafua(Monday). the foma'i told him that he had to stay inside and away from the sun for a week. so we took to our matua fa'aleagaga(spiritual parents) and he chilled there all week while I proselyted with zone leaders! what an honor let me tell you. I got to drive in the van every day and I pretty much got a tour of the whole island! It was sick. The best part though was that I got to learn so much from so many different missionaries! Because I was with the ZLs we visited like half the missionaries in our zone and I had the chance to proselyte with both ZLs-- Elder Johnson and Elder Tiatia. I learned something very important.. There isn't one right way to do missionary work. Everyone has their own style but there is only o
Read more

Week 42 - Fagamalo, Samoa

Image
Salo le Moifua, There is little to update on besides the baptismal service for Lasi was exceptionally amazing. I had the great opportunity to give a spiritual thought as well as confirm him. What a guy he is. We also had a great stake conference where these two 70's came and gave some mean talks. President and sister ho ching came as well. Me and my companion have been working hard together to find new future bishops and relief society presidents and we found a few people but we will see if they are truly prepared. there is still a problem with getting pictures but I will try to get it figured out. I did my laundry in a bucket earlier that was cool. till next week. ----------------------------------- Note--these two pictures were posted on facebook by the mission president's wife, Sister Ho Ching:
Read more

Week 38 - Fagamalo, Samoa

Malo le soifua ma se palagi e mama, This week was pretty amazing. me and my companion have been working really hard here in fagamalo and we are definitely being blessed to find those who are ready. The water is being filled up right now for a baptism we are having later at 6 o'clock for our dear friend Sene. Not to be partial or anything but this guy has a special place in my heart for sure. He was just divinely prepared by god to receive the gospel at this time. He is getting baptized on a wednesday because he is getting surgery on his leg on friday and he can't get it wet after that so he really wanted to do it before surgery. He is a 57 year old guy who is like off the wall crazy and has the funniest sense of humor but having done lessons me and my comp have really gotten close to him over these past three weeks. We have two other baptisms this month I will explain later! Jesus is the Christ. Elder Love ------------------------------------------ From Aaron's da
Read more