Hello!

We had another wonderful week here in 'Eua. I've seen in many instances the hand of the Lord in our work. We have started teaching Seini's older brother and wife who have one kid and belong to the Wesleyan church. He is very religious, has done lots of studying the Bible and other religions so he's read lots of the Book of Mormon and looked into our church and is preparing to become a missionary in the Wesleyan church. He asks quite a few intimidating questions. Probably trying to decide if we're worth listening to or not. Like specific questions about the bible, or "Do you feel "fe'unga" (enough, worthy) to preach the gospel?" Or "Wait, how old are you?" Despite his smarts and intimidating questions, we did our best to control the direction of the lesson and be led by the spirit. By the end of the lesson, he admitted that he knew the Book of Mormon was true and Joseph Smith a true prophet, he just can't leave his responsibility in his church because he has so much going for him! We testified to him that when God teaches us through the spirit, He expects us to listen and act on that prompting. I was SO shocked after the lesson because I knew that it could have only been God and the Holy Ghost that could stump him like that. He would probably be even more 'ohovale if he only knew how much we really knew about religion and the Bible. Not much compared to people like him who study it for their career. Only God could perform that kind of miracle, stumping the wise and learned, through 2 palangi girls with braids like us. He is AMAAZINNG. He and his family will make such strong members and missionaries!! 

Other than that and the other people I have already talked about, we are teaching a few people who were baptized before but weren't taught the lessons. I can't help but think, if only this had been done right the first time. But God has taught me that even though none of us are perfect, he can still accomplish His works through us. It has been SO much fun working with one of the girls, Una, who we had started teaching a while ago and then got baptized in Tonga. We just started teaching her again and were able to talk about her experience. Through the whole thing, she would ask questions , trying to make sense of it all. When we gave her a Book of Mormon and shared about how she can know if it's true through the power of the Holy Ghost, as I said that, her eyes lit up and she asked "HOW??" She was so invested. After talking about the feelings of the Holy Ghost, she shared how she felt during her baptism and must have made a connection in her brain that the warm feelings she had after being baptized was the Holy Ghost she had felt. We were all crying. She's been through a lot...gangs, drinking, smoking. I'm so grateful that God led us to her so that we can help her become converted to the church with a strong testimony and changed heart. It was truly a miracle how we found her. 

Our collection of shoes

The typical meal for the two of us.

My companion is so wonderful she even made me a cake<3 Male e ma'u e M&Ms.  Happy 20th. 

Eva matanga ki ai

Lakufa'anga VAHE'EUA

Hello!                                                         May 14th.  
So this week had it's ups and downs. First off, mata kovi hit 'Eua,
some new virus or sickness. It actually started making us laugh when
almost every house we went to Saturday, someone would come out a
little shy, with one hand kind of covering their eye and their eyes
are bloodshot or swollen and really watery. So sad. Half the ward wore
sunglasses to church. I'm not sure how Sister Reid and I haven't
gotten it yet, but that's a blessing.

Lots of our investigators dropped us this week for a variety of
reasons and I'm still trying to recover from a little bit of a broken
heart. One family was because of peer pressure their getting from
their family and friends, but they invited us over Friday, for us
to sit down and really talk about it. I'm not really sure what they
have in mind, but we will prepare lots for that! Another was a brother
and sister that were SO GOLDEN and their parents seemed to love us and
not mind that we came and shared with their children, but then on
Friday when we went, our investigator told us that his dad wasn't loto
(or wanting it) to us sharing our message with them anymore. That was
really hard. But we will try to work towards the dad and get on his
good side somehow.

Good news is that Seini is progressing and doing so well!! She
couldn't make it to church Sunday because her and her little baby
got hit with mata kovi the day before. But she is going to Tonga this
week and coming back with her husband who is a member, but
less-active. We're so excited because now he will be here for her
baptism and we can start working with him too so they can be sealed in
the temple. W

Well I wish I could go on, but time is cutting me short. I love this
work! I feel so blessed to have these experiences and bring people
their eternity. God is so wonderful and amazing. I know he lives and
that he loves each of us. Have a wonderful week <3

xoxo,
Sister Petalisi

Island hopping for training meetings last week.

 Hi! 

So this week was wonderful and terrible at the same time. But then again I could probably say that about lots of days of my mission so I always just choose to say it was wonderful. We did lots of "knocking" and meeting new people/potential investigators ki ai! One of the days the member who was supposed to feed us that morning maybe forgot or something so we walked to our bishops house and asked for food. It was probably the worst day we could have done something like that because their house was a crazy house everyone running around, changing the house and furniture, cleaning, cooking TONS of food, preparing for the funeral of the Bishop's mom who wasn't actually dead yet. I guess Tongans just know exactly when to start preparing for a funeral because she passed away on Saturday. Every night they have a "fai lotu" at the house where everyone goes and sings and prays. We went last night and I love singing with Tongans but my voice was gone after because as a little palangi I'm pretty much singing/screaming at the top of my lungs for an hour. The actual funeral and burial will be on Thursday, which is perfect timing because we'll get back from Tonga on Thursday morning.

A young couple in the ward invited us over to teach her mom who is Catholic at their family night. It was a fun night and good lesson but when we ended with "Finasi'aki" (pretty much where you go around the room and everyone takes turns saying what's on their mind being open and honest with each other, problems they have with each other or whatever it is they want to express, I guess you could say it's just a big family inventory) and she let us know she was grateful we came but would be staying in the Catholic church because that's what she was raised in. It was very sad for Mele, her daughter, because I know how much it has taken for her to get the nerve to invite missionaries to teach her mom. She has said since the time I moved here that we are just going to take it really slowly with her mom because she's a hard one. But I know that NO EFFORT IS WASTED. Even though I'm sure it was very hard for Mele, she has been such a sport about it and I'm sure part of it is just feeling the responsibility come off her shoulders because now she has done her part. Maybe one day her mom will have a change of heart.

I love this work and I know it is the Lord's work. I see His hand in it every day and I know he will ALWAYS lead us as long as we strive to have His spirit with us each day. The Lord is amazing. He is perfect and he loves us perfectly. I know that the atonement of Christ has the power to heal all imperfections, weaknesses, insecurities, doubts, and troubles that enter our lives. We can know this if we trust him. Love you all. Have a beautiful week <3

 Sister Petalisi