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