Hey there family,
So, I'll get right into it cause this
week was nutso butso. I won't butter your bones too much. So, the
first thing that happened this week was that one of the ZLs got in
trouble for spunkin' around the dunk bunk or something and got released.
Anyways, he was just breaking rules. So I got asked to be ZL again, I
think at least temporarily. So right now it's me, my new comp, Elder
Levave, and then my other comp, Elder Gasio. Gasio and I are ZLs, but I
am going to continue training Elder Levave as well. And Elder Gasio
isn't actually finished with his training program either. He has only
been out for 2 months or so. He's from Utah and doesn't speak much
Samoan yet. And Elder Levave is just like really shy, I guess. So when
we make visits, people make jokes that my companions are busy thinking
about their girlfriends cause they don't really say much. It's a work
in progress though--they're getting better. So I guess that's the big
change. Luckily, I got used to sleeping on the floor since I was in
Savaii, so I let Gasio use my empty bed and I still sleep on the floor.
It's good for my back though, so I like it. The triple companionship
has a really good flow to it though. I'm actually really enjoying it.
Levave doesn't really speak any English and Gasio is the same with
Samoan. So it will be good for the both of them. Gusio snores like a
handicapped walrus and it is super loud. But I made myself some
earplugs out of some putty I found and now I sleep great.
So that's the big news I guess. I'm training,
follow up training, and I guess ZL as well--at least until next month, I
think, when they do the next transfer. I'll probably go back to
staying just in Lotofaga with Levave. So it's good.
Also, there was like the dopest miracle that
happened this week. So we got this referral from the area that Gasio
was at (Malaela). So we went to go contact the lady and it turns out
she had been going to church and had even had like six sets of
missionaries come before us to teach her, but she never got baptized.
Simolo is her name. So anyway, the first lesson was like super
awesome. It was like one of the most spiritual lessons I've had on my
mission. She started crying when we taught about eternal families and
she told us that she wants to be sealed in the temple with her husband.
At the end of the lesson I felt impressed to invite her to be baptized
that Saturday (2 days later) because I felt like the Lord had prepared
her in every way and that she was totally ready. She, however, said no,
and that she would have to talk to her family in Savaii and think about
it. So we scheduled another lesson for the next day and then left.
That night my companions and I had a special fast for her that she
would be ready to be baptized. I've really never seen another person
more prepared than Simolo, and I just wanted to see her baptized.
Another thing is that she moves to New Zealand in like a week and a
half and that Saturday would have been the only day she could be
baptized before she leaves to NZ. So anyways, we prayed hard that
night. We were really praying for a miracle. So the next day we go to
our appointment with Simolo and the first thing she says is "Elders, I
think I received my answer. I want to be baptized on Saturday." Haha, I
was so stoked. We ended up covering all the lessons in two days, but
she already knew all of it. The Spirit was way strong when we taught
her and I could really tell it was one of those times where the Holy
Ghost just fills you up from head to toe and everything you say is
purely inspired from the Lord. She said that our words really touched
her heart.
Anyways, so we had her baptismal interview at 7:00
am on Saturday morning, and then baptized her at 8 am on that same
morning. She asked me to do the baptism, which I was happy to do. It
was so awesome though--the Lord really did answer our prayers. That was
an awesome miracle that happened this week. Simolo even gave a talk on
Sunday during their ward conference, which she did awesomely. I even
got a shout out. I'm just overall stoked on this woman. You don't get
too many experiences like this on a mission. I feel really grateful to
have been a part of Simolo's baptism.
Also, the work has been really awesome lately.
We've gotten quite a few new investigators, two of which are set to be
baptized this upcoming week--Sanaga and Metuli. And then we just
contacted this woman in Salenpagoi who wants to be baptized as well. I
can tell we've really been blessed as we strive to increase our faith
and be 100% obedient. My comps are down to be obedient to the days, so
I'm stoked on them. So I'm really excited for all the good work up
ahead. I'm really enjoying my time on this part of the island. (BTW,
we now cover from Lotofaga uta (by Fuipisia Falls) to Malaela...it's way
far.) There's a lot of way cool people that we've been in contact
with--like all the bishops in our wards and stuff. I'm stoked on the
people out here. Things are going super good though right now the work
is really progressing forward.
Also, this week was the temple trip for the Lepale
Ward that I used to serve in at the end of last year and beginning of
this year. Faitau and I had been trying to get a trip going forever to
take that family that we baptized to do baptisms for the dea. So
anyways, I had been calling the missionaries that are in the area
forever and they finally set a date. Well then it turned out that the
whole family wasn't going to be able to go, just two of the kids--Selina
and Tavita. Remember that Selina was like my golden investigator and
like freakin' awesome. Anyways, so I ended up talking to the APs about
it and then they told me that I couldn't go. So I was pretty mad and
super bummed cause I was sort of the one who instigated the trip, but
they wouldn't let me go. But whatever--that's how it is. I'm going to
continue trying to take our new converts to the temple though cause it
is the most awesome thing, even for temple baptisms.
Also, I'm going to include an edition of this
month's mission newsletter. You'll notice I got a pretty nice shout out
from the big man himself. Me and the mission president are tight
though. Every time I go in for an interview, I'm always like, "Well
President, I think..." and he's like, "Please, please, call me
Johnny...Would you like something to drink?" and then he stands and
unlocks a mahogany cabinet and with a sly wink pulls out two Mountain
Dews. "Drink up, my boy." he says jovially. And then leaning in
slightly says, "And this stays between you and me." And the two of us
then share a knowing look.
So that's what it's like. Also this week I got into
a pretty clunky situation at the Malaela ward's ward conference. They
had part of it on Saturday. So after the lessons and stuff everybody
went into the gymnasium for food. They had like all the tables lining
the walls and like forty or fifty chief dudes were all sitting on the
tables. And they were doing all kinds of Samoan culture stuff like
speeches and stuff that they do. Anyways, so then they started bringing
out these massive boxes of frozen chicken and beef and setting it in
front of all the chiefs. I guess it was like a gift for them from the
ward. And then each chief would stand and like give a speech and like
than them for the food and stuff. Anyways, one of the guys was like,
"Wait, what about the missionaries " So then they brought us this giant
box of chicken and sat it in front of our table. So then everyone was
looking at me and the ward mission leader was like, "Stand up, you have
to give a speech!!!" Haha, I didn't know what the heck was going on.
So I stood up wondering what the heck I was going to say, but then the
guy who was calling everything out told me to sit down and that I didn't
have to say anything. Haha, I guess you have to understand the Samoan
culture to really understand. I don't spend really any time studying
the cultural stuff and the speeches cause the mish prez wants us to just
focus on the gospel. So having no knowledge of a Samoan cultural
speech, I was ke'i trying to figure out what I was going to say. Haha,
it was funny though. I think we're going to look for a family who needs
help and then give them our new box of chicken. It's good though. So
this week was mega sick.
Keep the beans,
Helder Johansen
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