Happy New Year from Tonga!

Well friends and family, I hope your Christmas was great and spiritual! Because mine was! 
I got to facetime my family but the internet would go out every 10 minutes...so that was annoying! It would not come back on for like 20 minutes. It was terrible but it was awesome seeing them for the chances i got in those 10 minutes, haha. We're getting some teaching referrals so that is really helpful. I can feel some baptisms coming! 
I love you all! I love it here in Tonga and the humidity haha! Have to make it quick since the internet will probably go out. Thank you for all the prayers! 

Ofa Lahi Atu

Elder Nomani💕

Where I slept for 4 nights...my tailbone was killing!

Got stuck in Vava'u for 4 days because of canceled flights. Got to stay with Kahalewai and his new hoa

We have the ocean in my new area, Kolomotu'a

My dog, Mushu...

Every morning at 5 am....

At Christmas gathering

Got to see Elder Tu'u Afu

My MTC brother, Elder Vaitohi

Happy New Year from Elder Nomani and Elder Anetisoni

A visit to the hospital and transfers

Well, friends and family, I got transferred back to Tonga! To a big kolo called Kolo Matu'a! It is so different then little Ha'akio, lol. 

I haven't been able to write but last week I had to visit the hospital... It was one of the worst experiences of my life haha. They don't provide sheets for your bed, water for you to drink, and they don't provide TOILET PAPER! It is soooo weird! That was something else! But I was just having REALLY bad stomach pains and stuff. It was terrible! 

I am doing a lot better now! I got a new companion! It is one of my good friends from High School! Elder Jase Anderson! What are the odds of that! It was so crazy, haha. But I am enjoying it here a lot and having a lot of fun. We have some teaching set up. Not to get my hopes up, but the missionaries before said there are 4 people waiting to be baptized! So maybe some baptisms coming soon! 

I love you all. I can't talk for too long, internet keeps going in and out. I love you all! Thank you for your prayers!

Elder Nomani

Faith....

So this week’s post will be made by Elder Nomani’s mother.

We were able to hear from him for just a brief moment yesterday. Our Elder has been having stomach issues for a few weeks now. He let us know that this past week he became ill with “pain like he had never felt before” and was throwing up every 10 minutes. So he was hospitalized for a couple days. The Drs think it was a virus. He has been transferred to Tongatapu, where he will be closer to the Mission Home. He assures us all is okay and to not worry.
Although this has been a trying time for myself as a mother, I have to put my faith in Heavenly Father that all will be well. He is blessed with an amazing Mission President and Wife to care for him. Sister Makai, who is acting as the mission nurse, is someone we love dearly. The members in Vava’u have been so good to him. He is in great hands.
As a mother, I shed tears that this has to be part of his mission experience, but I know he will grow from this....WE will grow from this. We will continue to pray for great experiences for our son. We will continue to thank our Heavenly Father for all the angels here on earth that have taken care of our Elder. We will forever be thankful for this time for him to be serving a mission amongst the great people of Tonga.
For those questioning how we can let him be so far away and not want him to come home, let me share this. The work that my son is engaged in, is a calling our son has accepted and WANTS to be doing. He represents our Savior, Jesus Christ, as he shares the complete fullness of the gospel. It helps others understand where we came from, why we are here on earth and to understand our purpose in this life. He also shares where we will go after this life and how we can achieve the greatest blessing of being with our loved ones forever in the eternities. All of this can only be obtained through Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of this world. This is the most important message of all and my son wants to share it with his brothers and sisters in Tonga. Because of his faith in our Savior, he will continue to serve in Tonga till he is told he can’t. And we will stand behind him in any decision he makes. We KNOW this is where he is supposed to be, at this time in his life.

We ask for prayers that his body will heal and that he will be able to give 100% to this great work again. And maybe, just for a moment every day, remember why we celebrate Christmas. It is when we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Redeemer and King, Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas.....Kilisimasi Fiefia

Ofa Atu,
The Normans

Patience....

These weeks are going by really fast! I swear it was Pday yesterday! 
Not much has happened this week but I will try and tell some highlights! 
I had my first Vilohoa(companion exchange). They last an hour and the elder I was with is Elder Van Moose. He’s from Payson, UT! He came to Tonga a transfer before me. Soooo...we both don't know Tongan haha! It was really a big test for both of us haha. We went and talked to our members and they all had a good laugh at our broken Tongan. But it was really fun and a really good learning experience! 
We had the oppurtnity to teach 3 new people and they seem interested! So we're gonna keep teaching them and hopefully commit them to baptism! But one thing I have really learned out here is patience and to not run into things blindly. To just take everything 1 step at a time. 
I am really loving it out her though! Learning so much! That is my week...
Sorry again if I don't reply to your emails. Time is short and the internet in Vava'u isn't the best! 
Ofa atu kiate Kimoutolu (love you all).
Thank you so much for the prayers!

Elder Nomani💕 

Got some nice tan lines going

Crazy rain storm came through

I love Milo....and my crazy comp

They drink hot Milo even when its blazin' hot outside

Crazy tall tree

Still alive...

Update: 
I am still alive and I am doing good... I still don't know Tongan lol. The days are starting to merge together and time is flying! I am loving this work even though it is very difficult and it is very easy to get discouraged.  Luckily my companion is a very good missionary and loves the work so we always go out and work! 
My testimony has grown so much here. Since I am still learning the language, I can't teach as much as my companion. He always takes the lead and I chime in every once in awhile lol. But I always bear my testimony and even though it is very basic, I know what I am saying is true! By saying my testimony over and over, it is really strengthening my testimony. I try to add on to my testimony everytime I say it but it either doesn't make sense or I confuse the person I am talking too! haha...but my companion is there to translate my broken Tongan haha.
The days here in Vava'u are starting to heat up and get more humid.  It doesn't rain anymore and it is just blazing hot.  Since I cover 3 Kolos (villages), and they are all spaced out pretty well, we do lots and lots of walking. But I love it and we get fed so much! Every house we go to they offer to feed us or give us drinks. It's really nice. And our Kaingalotu (members) feed us so much and take care of us! It is a true blessing. 
One thing that is really hard to work is a Putu. That is a Tongan funeral and they have it for like a week. They celebrate the life of whoever has passed and they cook so much food. Since everyone knows each other out here, everyone goes and they just eat and mourn for who has passed. Literally, everyone goes, and as missionaries we are not allowed to attend the putu. We try and go around to those who didn't go and try to teach, but so many people go to it. And there's been 2 putus since I've been here, and like I said they are like a week long, everyone goes to help prepare, eat, and then clean up. 
But the work is slow and we try are hardest to speed it up. I love it here and I know I was called here to the 3 kolos for a reason! I know that if I put 100% of my faith in the Lord he will bless me with the gift of tongues and the language will come. I love looking down and seeing my name and Sisu Kalaisi right under it. I love being a servant of the Lord and I love spreading this gospel so much! Can't wait for the day I can speak to these people and I know that day will come! 
Shout out to my Grandparents and my aunty for sending a package. It was much appreciated and me and my companion already ate all the snacks lol. I am always open to more packages!!

Also Birthday Shoutouts:

My brother Elder Kaili! The best aunty in the world, my Aunty Nica! My bro-in-law, Jordan! My brother here in Tonga, Elder Vaitohi!

Thank you for all the emails and prayers!

Ofa Lahi Atu

Eleta Nomani💕

2nd week in Tonga

Can't believe it has been a week already! 
This week has been pretty eventful. Start off by saying we have 2 new investigators! Our first one is a lady named Lupe and she has two kids that live in Australia that are members! She seems really interested, but she is really commited to the Wesleyan church. And she has heard from countless missionaries, but has finally taken a Book of Mormon! She lets us come in and teach her and has a lot of questions.  It's hard for me because I don't know much Tongan and can barely understand it. Luckily, my companion is really good at speaking and good at teaching lessons and inviting the spirit. I just sit there and add in when I can and bear my testimony haha.  I am really excited to see how Lupe takes the gospel and hopefully we can commit her to baptism soon!

Our second investigator is a little more difficult because he is a Wesleyan missionary.  His name is Havea and we gave him a Book of Mormon. He seems really interested and he loves the way our church interprets the scriptures. He seemed pretty excited to get a Book of Mormon! Again, thanks to my companion, I can't say much, but my companion is awesome! I am learning so much by watching him. We'll see how Havea takes it in the coming weeks!

Other than that, we have been eating so much! Every house that lets us in (even nonmembers) give us food and they don't accept no, haha! The people here are really kind with the biggest hearts. Thank goodness a lot of the fruits here are in season! The pineapple, watermelon and mangos here are absolutely amazing! They are so good! Everyone gives us so much! Our neighbors have a farm and they bring fruit over everyday!! It is the best! 

I don't have much time this week so sorry if I didn't respond to your emails! I will try next week! Thank you for all the prayers!

Ofa Atu!

Eleta Nomani❤

Arriving in Tonga

Testimony meeting with the President and his wife

Dinner when they arrived in Tonga

Breakfast after the temple

Meeting trainers

MADE IT TO THE KINGDOM!!!

Well family and friends, I have made it to Tonga!!! Let me tell you what has happened so far:

Monday

We left the MTC in the morning at like 9:15 am. We left to the airport on the trax! I got to see my family one last time as I passed my hometown Trax station, and that was really awesome, but so sad. I was crying most of the ride up to the airport lol. We had a flight to LA that wasn't bad at all. I just caught up on some sleep and read the scriptures! But then we had a 6 hour layover and that felt like forever. We then had a 12 hour plane ride to New Zealand. Luckily, I slept for 9 of those hours so it went by really fast! Then, we had a flight to Tonga! We landed and it was 12:00 pm on a Wednesday!

Wednesday

We got to Tonga and we met with President Tuione and his wife! President is so nice and his wife is too! My former stake president is one of the counselors, so it was really good to see President Makai! We all went to the President's house and had a nice devotional and testimony meeting. It was awesome! But that night we ate and it was sooo good! We had pig, watermelon, rice and lau! It was sooo good! Then we got to sleep in the hotel that night and it was pretty nice!

Thursday

We woke up and had a bomb breakfast. We had some coconut french toast, pineapple, watermelon, sausage and potatoes! It was nice! Then we went over to the chapel to meet our trainers. That was so exciting. It was cool seeing where everyone is going. I was getting so anxious to see where I was going and who my trainer would be! It got down to the last two missionaries, and they were represented by the secretaries to the President, and I knew they weren't training, so I instantly knew I was going off Island... Then they read it and it said Vava'u!! For those of you who don't know, it is way north of all the islands (there are hundreds of islands) and it is so much hotter here. Not a lot of people speak English here! I found out that we didn't get to leave to Vava'u until Friday afternoon so we just got to chill with the APs and Secretaries all day while everyone got to go to their areas.... that was the longest wait of my life! I just wanted to get there!

Friday

We woke up and we got to go get my tupenu and tavalas! We went to the airport and that was the smallest airport I have ever seen haha. We got to go on a plane, luckily! It was only an hour ride and I slept through it all. We landed and I met my trainer, Elder Kahalewai. He's so cool and he is a good trainer! He is from Hawaii and he has been out a year! We got to meet some members and I don't understand ANYTHING! I don't know anything that is going on! haha. But it has been an experience.

Saturday

We got to go to the second part of our area, Houma! That was a far walk! Got to meet some of the members there! They fed us and I got to eat fish (guts and all) and lau. I don't eat alot of fish. I hate it!! haha but I can eat this. It is crazy! It was surprisingly good! The Lord has blessed me!

Sunday 

It was fast Sunday so we got to bear our testimonies. That was awesome, but hard haha! I got to bless the sacrament too. I was so scared!  But I did it and didn't have to say it again, so that was good haha. We went to member's houses after and shared some spiritual thoughts and ate with them to break our fast! Sundays go by so fast!

Monday

P DAY 

We did laundry in a bucket (see pic below) lol and went and got a haircut. We don't have internet in our area so we have to walk all the way to Ha'alaufuli. That is like an hour walk just to email! (I must love you Mom!) It is so hot and humid here too!! 

But i am doing good. I am loving it and I hope everyone is doing good back at home!

Ofa Lahi Atu!

Eleta Nomani❤

saying good bye to my family from the train

Tonga airport

Nuku'alofa Temple

Elder Jase Andersen, my friend from back home

All roads in Ha'akio look like this

My Hoa, Elder Kahalewai

My home (MQ)

washing machine

 

members cut our hair

****As we were emailing him, he sent this pic, saying "I just ate Kuli (dog). It is good. Taste like roast beef!" A good member came to the chapel to feed them. **** --Mom