So week two of the transfer came to an end this week. What a week! We are getting fed so much. Like really. Imagine the most full you have ever felt in your life, like you went to both grandparents for Thanksgiving full, then multiply that times the dinner appointment we have each evening + the meal that people feel compelled to offer us each time we visit someone before dinner, but close to 5 or 6, + the meal we are given if we visit someone after dinner or go to a ward activity, which ='s something that usually feels like the fullness level of eating a meal, then a feast, and a snack. The best part is that all the food is awesome. I love Samoan food. It tastes so good.
Let's see..... OH I also ordered/received my Samoan name tags. I finally decided on Elder Rosamalulu literally Rose-Winter. MANNNNN! Sunday was awesome. Holy Cow. So my companion and I decided that we were gonna bare our testimonies in Samoan on fast Sunday. I translated mine the week before last and he had another Samoan Elder translate his for him. I haven't been that nervous about bearing my testimony since...... ever. My heart was pounding out my chest. It was great though. I even wore my glasses so I could see the expressions on the people’s faces when the white boy got up and bore his testimony fa'a Samoan. Yeah... it was awesome. The Lord was definitely helping me on that one. It wasn't like the gift of tongues, but there was definitely someone helping me.
Then we had a lesson with this young guy named M. He is awesome. He had been coming to church for like a few weeks before we were transferred here. But yeah, we were able to teach him the about the Restoration, and then we read Moroni 10:3-5 and I asked him if he had felt these things enter his heart over the last few weeks. He said yeah, so then we challenged him to test them, right there, to kneel down and ask Heavenly Father if they were true. AND HE SAID SURE!!! So then we all knelt down and I realized we hadn't even taught him about prayer, and he was like, "What do I say?" So I just told him to tell Heavenly Father that he needs to know if these things are true; if the Book of Mormon is true, if the Church is true, and if Joseph Smith was really a prophet. So he said a prayer, and asked; showed his desire, then asked for an answer. He paused for a second, and you could feel the spirit but it was kind of faint, and then I whispered, "In the name of Jesus Christ, amen." Then he closed the prayer with those words and, the second he did, it was like we were all hit with a wave of the spirit. Baptized together by fire. M. received his testimony! We then talked about the spirit that was present and talked to him about how it is that Heavenly Father invites us to follow Christ's example and be baptized. Then we said those magic words."Will you follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized by someone holding the Priesthood authority of God?" And he said YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then we asked him when he would like to be baptized and he said, "As soon as possible!" with a huge smile on his face! Hahaha. It was amazing. I felt so blessed to have been able to participate in this great work. I'll keep you all posted next week.
Now as you may have noticed my letter is coming a little late. This is because today, Wednesday, was the first time I've been able to go to the temple in 9 months. I was way excited. So my companion and I were driving what is normally a 10-minute drive and we literally hit every single red light. We were even stuck at a couple for two cycles. So we ended up missing our endowment session, and my companion was being a little ticked about it cause he thought he was going to not be able to go to the temple before he gets to go home (in 5 months). But we did get in and we were able to go and do sealing sessions. It was awesome. Normally they aren't able to seal an entire family all at once, but because we showed up we were able to participate in two entire families being sealed. It was amazing because the spirit was so strong there. It was one of the coolest temple experiences of my life. And the sealer just kept saying, "Good thing you Elders were late! Good thing!" The Lord works through His servants in His infinite wisdom. I feel so grateful that He let me be there and be present.
Serving the Lord will bring any man or woman more blessings than they can ever imagine. Period.
Your Samoan words for the week.
"Talofa"!" --------------- Tahh - Lo-fah
Hello!
"O 'a mai o'e? ------- OH ah my oy?
How are you?
"Manuia fa'afetai!" ------ Mahn-we-uh fah'ah-fay-tah-ee
Fine thanks!
"Fa Soifua!"----------- Fah Soy-fuah! (He didn't give a translation for this one... we think it's like farewell)
And now for the question answer time! I have no clue what you are talking about with the Thanksgiving Celebration? If it is the reason that they are hiding all the mail being brought into the office then that makes sense, but I don't have Zone Conference for another week or two! I'm 15 minutes from the office. My neighborhood is humble. That's why I don't trust a package sitting on my front deck for half the day till I get back to the apartment. By humble I mean like downtown Pasco humble. We will be safe. Mom, come on... When have I been known to act recklessly? :) I'm Street Smart. Probably much more street-smart than most missionaries. Haven't been fishing yet. In a month or so it will be good for ice fishing though. I'm kind of excited for that. Family brings the Samoans to Anchorage. And the cold. They dream of getting out of the heat - till they get out of the heat! But the number one thing is that their culture is strong here and there is lots of family here. The neighborhood we live in is mostly Samoan. It's awesome.
Haven't got the retainer fixed yet, haven't bought my gloves yet. The pants still fit. If I end up not using them I’ll send them back. :) My area covers the north west quarter of Anchorage and then all the way up to Eagle River, Palmer, and Wasilla if necessary. But the Samoans really only live in Anchorage for the most part. The western boundary of our mission is the new Seward Highway and the southern is Tudor Street. You can mapquest it. :) Language study is going, but slowly. Speaking what we know is helping tons though. And we are visiting members and we ask for help when we visit, so it's starting to come along. I understand a lot more than I can speak though, and I almost always know when people are talking about me. :) We are currently driving an 09 Chevy Malibu like the one I was driving in Valdez. I really have no clue what I want for Christmas. OH I Know! Just be awake when I call, okay?!? But if you really want to get me something I guess the best thing would just be.... Idk. I don't need anything, really. Hats would be nice? Tell me how to measure again! Hahaha. I just don't know about the fur hats because never know if I will have the opportunity to get like a seal and bear one or like a more legitimate animal one.... I think I will hold off on the hat for now, I'll just swallow my hat envy when I see other people with their hats.
Answering Q's eats up time.
Hahha. Well I've got to bounce now, but I love you guys and I will talk to you later. Bye!
Elder Rosamalulu (Elder Winterrose)
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