7-2-12

Sup Dudes,
This letter's gonna be mega quick today cause the senior missionary couple are coming to pick up the mail in like two minutes....OK, jk, they just came, so tough luck.  But actually the ZL's are going to Apia tomorrow, so I'll just give this letter to them tomorrow.  I assume you've already sent me some stamps, so I won't ask for any just to avoid redundancy.  Also, the letter I wrote last week is still with me so you'll probably get these ones together or something.  But it's all good. 

This week was pretty cool.  It's been pretty busy, which is good, definitely.  Even today (p-day) we had to teach a lesson.  We got up like it was a normal day and did study until 10:00 when we went over to our lesson.  It went really well though.  My companion's Samoan is coming along way good.  This week we're only gonna speak in Samoan, so that should be pretty cool.  My comp understands more than he speaks, but it's coming along way good.  So that's dopeness.  Everything's dank and sick over here.

We got a new investigator this week.  She's an 11 year old girl named Maleka.  She's pretty stoked on the church and has been going and stuff.  We have to finish up her lessons this week, but she's scheduled to be baptized this Saturday, so that should be good.  This morning we taught Failelei, which is officially her last of the missionary lessons.  She just has to get married now.  She's totally ready though.  She understands the gospel way good and reads and prays every day.  We just gotta convince her man to get married and she'll be totally ready.  So we'll see what happens with that.  We'll continue to visit her and teach her just whatever--so it'll be good.  And it's the same story with Faasinoala.  She just has to get married and she's been ready for baptism for months now.  We were supposed to have the interview for marriage on Sunday, but her man didn't show up, so we'll just have to keep working on it.  Also, we've been helping out our recent convert, Palepa, and her family a lot.  We're trying to get them to the temple and get them callings and stuff, so it should be good.  We committed her husband, Samai, to quit smoking so he can receive the Melchizedek Priesthood and he hasn't (smoked) since, so that's way good.  I pretty much called him out on it.  My Samoan isn't good enough to imply secret messages or do any sort of persuasion.  I sort of just have to be blunt with people.  But it works.  I guess just as long as we're following the Spirit.  But yeah, so that's good.

So yeah, it's later now.  Today was pretty cool.  We pretty much played volleyball with our zone and stuff.  It was pretty cool.  So yeah, this week was really good.  We've been pretty busy.  On Sunday we also started lessons with Paualaisa.  That was way good.  He had tons of questions and is really stoked on the church.  He's a way cool guy, probably in his early 20's or so.  He's mega good.   He has a smoking problem as of this point, but I think  he would be willing to quit, so we're going to prepare to teach him the Word of Wisdom this week.  I really think he'll be alright. 

Also, this week we taught a lesson in zone meeting about how to work miracles.  Cause me and my comp are really trying our hardest to work miracles in this area over the next few months.  But it's been crazy how much things have changed just within the last month.  I've really seen so many blessings and so many great things happen.  I consider it a miracle that my companion and I can even help one person to be baptized, let alone any more.  But truly it's the Lord that prepares these people.  We just have to stay in tune with the Spirit so we can be ready when these people come across our path.  My companion and I have really high expectations this month.  I have a feeling this month is going to be one of the best.  One thing I learned lately was the power of personal revelation.  It really is so completely necessary for all of us to know what the Lord wants for us.  My companion and I both prayed to know what the number of baptisms we should give as our goal for this month.  We both prayed separately, but when we discussed it, we had both been given the same number to work toward. It's a larger number than we've ever had before, so this month should be really good.  We just have to give it our 100% so we can make this happen.  But that just tells me that there are a lot of people the Lord is preparing for baptism and the ordinances of salvation. 

Things are going super mega good.  It's pretty hard sometimes, but it's way more awesomer than it is hard.  I feel like I've grown a lot in the last month.  It's been really good.  Me and my comp work really well together and he is progressing mega fast in everything.  I'm stoked on this guy.  Things are freakin' tight though.  It's awesome to see the changes in these people.  It's just awesome to be here.  I really can't imagine where I would be right now if I didn't go on a mission.  There's so many really important principles that I've learned that I really never would have understood if I wasn't here.  The world comes into perspective and you see how things really are and what things truly are most important.  Once you really put the Lord's promises to the test, then it all becomes real.  Your faith grows and you begin to see the blessings of living the gospel and living righteously.  It's good stuff.  The mission is good stuff. 

We also started teaching Faamau this week.  She's probably 17-18 or so.  But she's gone to church a few times and likes to go to all the youth activities.  She has a little brother too, so we want to get him to join in on the lessons too.  That should be good.  We'll need to prepare her a little bit before and she'll be ready to be baptized, but we'll keep teaching her and try to help her develop her own testimony. 

So the work is going really good.  Even though me and my companion have no clue what we're doing, the Lord does, so that's all that matters.  He really does lead up to those who have been prepared.

So yeah, that's what's gone down for this week--it's been a really good week.  Today the mail came after like forever of not getting any mail, so I was stoked on that.  Unfortunately, I have like no time to write letters, so all you people who want letters are gonna have to wait cause we're freakin' busy as heck.  I really have no time.  But I got Becca's package--thanks BECAB!!!!! I was really stoked, for reals, it was the best.  I'm gonna write you, just be patient.  Also, Momma--I got your two packages--thanks a ton.  Really though, it actually just made me feel guilty cause I know you spent like many hundreds of dollars on all those pictures and all that stuff (Julie says not true.)  I do appreciate it and sometimes there is stuff I need, but please don't go overboard.  Like how I asked for pens, thinking you would send me a cheap pack of Bics, but you sent like this huge pack of these nice pens.  And you spent like a billion dollars on all those pictures (again, not true), but I just wanted some printed, not every picture that has been taken since the world began.  Just try to be frugal--it's important to budget your expenses and be thrifty.  I appreciate the packages, it's like the best thing ever, but maybe you could send me cheap things like animal bones, or neat things you find at the dump.  (He really shouldn't give David ideas like this...)  I know I ask for stuff sometimes, but try and be frugal and "money-smart."  Just so I don't have to feel guilty about receiving packages. 

But yeah, things are going good here--it's dankness.  I really can't think of anything else to say and this letter is super long, so I hope it placates any and everyone.