MTC - Week 2

Bula Vinaka! - Week 2

2 weeks down, less than 4 weeks to go, and 10 pounds heavier! Haha. Our schedule is literally: Wake up, eat, classroom, eat, 30 minutes of gym, classroom, eat, classroom, go to bed. So you can imagine how I'm gaining wait. Don't worry mom, everything still fits alright! We'll see if that's the case in a couple more weeks though... And also, all of my teachers that served missions in Fiji said that they lost a ton of weight out in the field. So I think I'm ok.

Anyways, this week was awesome! There was LOTS that happened and it's so hard to pick and choose things to tell you guys. But I'll try my best. 

At the beginning of the week, all of the missionaries speaking Tongan left for the field. We had some really spiritual meetings, when they all said their goodbyes and sang one last hymn from the Tongan hymnbook. To be honest, it was kind of just awkward for us Fijians... Because we didn't know them too well, and everyone was crying and giving hugs goodbye. It was mostly just a realization that in less than a MONTH I will be in their shoes, hopping on a plane to fly to Fiji. Wow I have a lot of language to learn before then.

Speaking of the language, it is coming great. I learn SO much every single day. It can be really hard though. The sentence structure is really different. For example, to say "I know God called Joseph Smith as a prophet" you'd say "I know He called a prophet Joseph Smith, God." It's crazy. And they have some really really long confusing words. Like vakavinavinakataka and vakalougatataka. But I love the language. I KNOW I am being blessed with the Gift of Tongues because I have learned so so much. Thank you for your prayers, I can truly feel them!!

So a little more about our schedule. Every day we teach a "progressing investigator" which also happens to be one of my teachers. Haha. But the whole lesson is in Fijian. They're really stressful, but so fun at the same time. We mostly rely on the Lord for these lessons, because there's no way we can talk in straight Fijian for 10 minutes without Him.

Ok, I could not decide between these 2 spiritual thoughts, so I'm going to share them both. 

So, this last week, the importance of prayer keeps coming up. In every lesson with our "investigators," we make sure to close with a prayer and ask God to bear to the investigator the truths of our message. Well during our devotional this tuesday, we sang hymn #45, and it was so spiritual for me. I don't know why I haven't heard it be before! Here are the lyrics:

Lead me into life eternal by the Gospel's holy call.

Let thy promise rest upon me; Grant me ready strength for all.

Father, all my heart I give thee; All my service shall be thine.

Guide me as I search in weakness; Let thy loving light be mine.

Hear me as I pray in meekness; Let my strength be as thy day.

Give me Faith, the greater knowledge; Father, bless me as I pray.

Those last two verses are so beautiful and powerful. If you missed it, I encourage you to read the last 2 again. I love this hymn. I know that as we pray to our heavenly Father in our darkest, weakest moments, he will fill us with strength and faith if we pray. Prayer is our most powerful tool. 

I named this last story. It's called the Life of Pai. One of my Fijian teachers named Brother LeDoux sat both Fijian districts in a room and showed us a TON of pictures from his mission in Fiji. It got me SOOOO excited to get out there. But he stopped on a picture of a little boy name Pai (pronounced Pie). This little boy practically raised himself. And he LOVED the Gospel. Whenever the Elders came into his town he would run over to them and FORCE them to take him with them to their next teaching appointment. One sunday during church, it was the Primary Program. All the little kids got up and bore a short simple testimony. But then Pai stood up on the stand. He bore the most powerful testimony of the happiness of the Gospel, and about how he KNEW that God loved him so so much. While Brother LeDoux was telling us this, he started crying. It bore such a strong testimony to me of how important this message is. Little children in tiny villages of Fiji are counting on me to bring them the good news that God knows each and every one of them, and that he loves them all more than anything. I can't wait to bring this message to them.

I love you all. Thank you so much for thinking about me and sending me things! It makes me SO happy to hear from you guys. Miss you all.

Au lomani kemuni!

Elder Jaxson Jeremy Miller

This is my District