11 Months!

August 19, 2019

Malo E lelei fam! Officially 11 months out here on the field as a set apart representative of our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ! And I have loved every second and moment of it. I can't believe I am almost 50% done with my mission. That literally blows my mind. I remember going into the MTC like it was a week ago! Time flies when you are working all day, every day!

Today is transfers. They told us we would find out our transfers at 6 pm...well its 9:30 pm and not one person has received theirs...welcome to Misiona Tonga, where nothing happens on time, ha! President said transfers were done Monday but they still late hahaha!  I think I'm gonna stay, Taoa is the place!

About our 3 investigators. 2 of them are brothers and we are trying to get their Mom's permission to finish teaching them and to baptize them. And the other 1 lives out of area, so it's hard trying to find time that is good for her to finish these and baptize a nautolu!

Also, birthday shout out to hoku fa'e! Mom! I love you Mom! She is my #1 supporter! She is one of the biggest reasons I am out here! 32 never looked so good! ha! Ofa Lahi Atu, Mom!

Ofa Atu ka Moutolu!

Elder Nomani

Beautiful Vava'u

August 8, 2019

Hello family and friends! This week ws honestly one of the best weeks on my mission!  This week we got some actual referrals! We are working with 3 people right now. They are looking very promising. We have been teaching them and these lessons have been some of the best I have ever taught. For the first time on my mission, I feel like I have an actual grasp on the language. I can explain what's on my mind in lessons and try my best to teach by the Spirit instead of having like a script  and just teaching by memorization. The only problem is that we have transfers this Sunday, so we might move and lose these investigators. But all that matters is that they are coming unto Christ. So if we plant the seed and other missionaries baptize them, it's okay! Most important  is that they receive the ordinance!  But we will see what's in store!

Taoa is the place! The people here are so nice and so funny, haha!  That is one thing I love about the Tongan culture, is their humor! They love to laugh. They love to joke. Story time...

We had a meeting with the Stake Presidency and all the missionaries and their Bishops. We just talked about how we can better the work in the stake. But after they fed us heaps of Kentucky (fried chicken), but we had fafaga right after. I couldn't eat anything. I was so full! So I didn't eat a lot and the sister straight roasted me. haha. She was saying how I don't love her because I didn't finish my food, haha. So I promised her I would eat all her food at next fafaga. We had fafaga at her house yesterday an I ate the most I've ever eaten in my mission, haha! AND I made that lady so happy, haha! I gained her respect. Now I'm not a fakaofa palangi anymore, haha! 

Update on me:

I LOVE LIFE and I LOVE THE MISSION!

I love you all. Thanks for all the emails. 

Ofa Atu,

Elder Nomani

Member took us on a ride in his boat. Went and saw some awesome caves

Mom's high school friend, Vaha Ahonima, brought me some goodies from his store in town. Thanks to him!

Crashing the party!

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YES! That is a bat! 

It's been a minute...forgive me!

August 5, 2019

Well, I am so sorry friends and family! It has been like 3 weeks that have passed and a lot has happened. Long story short, I am back in Vava'u! Yes, I am finally back in the promise land! ha!
I got moved from Kolomotu'a to a small area called Taoa. It's a small area on top of a hill. Our house is at the very bottom of the hill, so every day we have to walk up the hill. And I will tell you, it is a workout! LOL! The people here are so nice and loving! It is so beautiful here also. My companion is Elder Hufanga. He is from Hawai'i. He i awesome! He really makes the work fun, LOL! Since Taoa is such a small village, everyone knows each other, so it's really easy to get to know everyone. It's literally like a big family. We cover 1 branch but it is a big branch. The only reason it's not a ward is because we don't have enough priesthood holders. There is just a lot of women and girls in our area. But I really love it here....a lot! The work here is really hard though.  There is a lot of Methodists an siasi maama fo'ou. They all are really nice to us, but they don't want to hear about the gospel. So we have been trying to get really maheni with them by doing service and being friends with their kids, haha! I can see it softening their hearts. They let us in to their houses and eating with them.
A lot has happened! For starters my comp went to Tonga for a week! I stayed with the Elders in Longomapu. He went to Tonga to go see the dentist. He was only supposed to be there for a day or 2. Yeah....this is Misiona Tonga and nothing goes as planned. hahaha. He stayed there for 7 days. But he's back. We are trying to find someone to teach and I can feel that something is coming! Stay tuned!
First zone conference in Vava'u and with our new mission President and wife, the Piutaus. Sad thing was, my companion wasn't here. I was having a hard time with my leg. I had a bad infection on my left leg from a small cut. I got it when playing with one of the kids. He swung a board, in my mind I dodged it, but apparently it hit my foot. It developed into an infection. My foot was HUGE, turning black, starting to go up my leg and very hot to the touch. I finally went to the drs and they gave me antibiotics. First gave me penicillin that I am allergic to. Even after I told them. So had to go back and get a different kind. I also got another boil on my right foot. But while my comp was gone, I got to stay with Mahe and Vaughn.

I didn't even get to interview with my mission president. He ran out of time. :(
Till next week!

Ofa Atu Eh!
Elder Nomani