Monday, January 27, 2014
A Year From Today!
Another week and I can't believe we have 1 YEAR LEFT!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IN 1 YEAR YOU WILL BE IN FIJI!!! That's crazy! I was talking to Sister Ihaka about it and I was telling them that you guys are going to die in the heat! You will be coming from the cold to the hotter than hot heat! Haha(: You'll love it(; haha I just can't believe it is a year from today!
Anyways, this week was good! Definitely felt like a roller coaster though! We were able to find people and we also lost some people... But its all gravy! We had a really cool experience with one of our new investigators! We found her while we were getting off the bus, but there is a background story.....
So, we left our apartment planning on going to see a referral, who we didn't know if she was there or not! Then as we left our flat we got a phone call from one of the Elders asking us about the sister staying with us! (Oh yea, there is this sister staying with us.. she is going home from her mission because she is sick... but she is so sick she can't walk or leave the apartment! So we are stuck switching off all day with her... so anyways...) We got on the bus to go to Namaka and I was still on the phone and totally forgot to go see the referral... so we said oh man.. we will just go see her on our way home. We got off the bus and this lady was getting off the bus at the same time! I saw her struggling with her groceries, so I turned to Sister Koto and said, We go ask her for help.. So, side story... I stopped asking people to help them here because everyone looks at me funny and just says no... So I feel like super awkward asking now because everyone just says no and turns away! but for some reason I felt like I should ask her... so I did and she SAID YES! haha!! I was so excited because in the 5 months I have been here I have been told no every time! So we helped her and were just talking to her and then she invited us in and made us juice and brought us cookies! She is like the sweetest lady! She is migrating to Canada next year because that is where her husband is! She was telling us all about that and she is this indian lady so she was showing us all her Sari's and you know me.... I just love them! So we just sat with her and then she started telling us the story about how when she got off the bus she was praying that someone would help her.. and then before she was even done asking we came along! Which gave us like the perfect opportunity to sneak the gospel into our convo(: So we talked about it and instead of us inviting ourselves back, she invited us back!!!! WOOHOO!!! Me and sister Koto were so excited when we left! It was seriously like the boost we needed to help us get through this week! We were also able to go and find a less active family! They have been like MIA since we got here but me and Sister koto went one night and they were doing their evening devotional (Oh yea, so in Fiji, at 7 oclock every night everyone who goes to church has family devotional.. like FHE but it every night...!) They invited us to come back the next day and have devotional and dinner with them.. so we did and they are so awesome and the wife isn't a member... so we have been praying for her to want to start taking lessons!!(:
Anyways other than that I was able to get you all some little gifts!! They will come in the next few weeks! I am giving it to a member who is a flight attendant and she is flying into LA next week! So I asked her and she was more than happy to send it for me!(: SO LOOK OUT FOR THAT!!(:
Lets see other things that happened this week! I got cussed at in Fijian..!!! That was fun! haha ohh and I also I learned how to Indian dance!! So for language study, me and sister koto listen to Fijian radio and translate it! I write down words I don't understand and it is actually really helpful! But, yesterday when we were listening to it, the fijian station played a indian song.. Sister Koto said I know the dance to this song, so she taught me and she was just laughing the whole time! She also taught me how to do a fijian dance and the fijian chant type thingy.. haha we have to keep ourselves entertained somehow when we are just sitting at home with the sick sister from Kiribati! So evertything else funny wont be that funny to you guys! So I'll just keep it in my journal.. haha(:
Anyways, I just want to tell you guys how much I love you! I can't even tell you guys how much I miss you somedays! There are those days, where I just think how long a year is and how hard things have been and i don't know how i will be able to do it, but for some reason I am here. I stay... haha I have really been learning a lot from this Book of Mormon reading challenge the mission gave us and it has been helping me so much! A mission is the hardest thing ever, but it is the best. It has really taken me 19 years of my life to really know for myself how true this gospel is and how true this church is! It really is absolutely amazing! And there is no way that I could've made it through the thing I have without it! You guys are so awesome! I love you all so so so much! Don't ever forget how much I love you all and just keep doing what you are all doing!(: Have such an awesome week! OH and Jess and Greg... CONGRATS! I can't wait to be an aunt!!!(;
Love you guys!!(:
Lomani iko!
-Sister Rich
Anyways, this week was good! Definitely felt like a roller coaster though! We were able to find people and we also lost some people... But its all gravy! We had a really cool experience with one of our new investigators! We found her while we were getting off the bus, but there is a background story.....
So, we left our apartment planning on going to see a referral, who we didn't know if she was there or not! Then as we left our flat we got a phone call from one of the Elders asking us about the sister staying with us! (Oh yea, there is this sister staying with us.. she is going home from her mission because she is sick... but she is so sick she can't walk or leave the apartment! So we are stuck switching off all day with her... so anyways...) We got on the bus to go to Namaka and I was still on the phone and totally forgot to go see the referral... so we said oh man.. we will just go see her on our way home. We got off the bus and this lady was getting off the bus at the same time! I saw her struggling with her groceries, so I turned to Sister Koto and said, We go ask her for help.. So, side story... I stopped asking people to help them here because everyone looks at me funny and just says no... So I feel like super awkward asking now because everyone just says no and turns away! but for some reason I felt like I should ask her... so I did and she SAID YES! haha!! I was so excited because in the 5 months I have been here I have been told no every time! So we helped her and were just talking to her and then she invited us in and made us juice and brought us cookies! She is like the sweetest lady! She is migrating to Canada next year because that is where her husband is! She was telling us all about that and she is this indian lady so she was showing us all her Sari's and you know me.... I just love them! So we just sat with her and then she started telling us the story about how when she got off the bus she was praying that someone would help her.. and then before she was even done asking we came along! Which gave us like the perfect opportunity to sneak the gospel into our convo(: So we talked about it and instead of us inviting ourselves back, she invited us back!!!! WOOHOO!!! Me and sister Koto were so excited when we left! It was seriously like the boost we needed to help us get through this week! We were also able to go and find a less active family! They have been like MIA since we got here but me and Sister koto went one night and they were doing their evening devotional (Oh yea, so in Fiji, at 7 oclock every night everyone who goes to church has family devotional.. like FHE but it every night...!) They invited us to come back the next day and have devotional and dinner with them.. so we did and they are so awesome and the wife isn't a member... so we have been praying for her to want to start taking lessons!!(:
Anyways other than that I was able to get you all some little gifts!! They will come in the next few weeks! I am giving it to a member who is a flight attendant and she is flying into LA next week! So I asked her and she was more than happy to send it for me!(: SO LOOK OUT FOR THAT!!(:
Lets see other things that happened this week! I got cussed at in Fijian..!!! That was fun! haha ohh and I also I learned how to Indian dance!! So for language study, me and sister koto listen to Fijian radio and translate it! I write down words I don't understand and it is actually really helpful! But, yesterday when we were listening to it, the fijian station played a indian song.. Sister Koto said I know the dance to this song, so she taught me and she was just laughing the whole time! She also taught me how to do a fijian dance and the fijian chant type thingy.. haha we have to keep ourselves entertained somehow when we are just sitting at home with the sick sister from Kiribati! So evertything else funny wont be that funny to you guys! So I'll just keep it in my journal.. haha(:
Anyways, I just want to tell you guys how much I love you! I can't even tell you guys how much I miss you somedays! There are those days, where I just think how long a year is and how hard things have been and i don't know how i will be able to do it, but for some reason I am here. I stay... haha I have really been learning a lot from this Book of Mormon reading challenge the mission gave us and it has been helping me so much! A mission is the hardest thing ever, but it is the best. It has really taken me 19 years of my life to really know for myself how true this gospel is and how true this church is! It really is absolutely amazing! And there is no way that I could've made it through the thing I have without it! You guys are so awesome! I love you all so so so much! Don't ever forget how much I love you all and just keep doing what you are all doing!(: Have such an awesome week! OH and Jess and Greg... CONGRATS! I can't wait to be an aunt!!!(;
Love you guys!!(:
Lomani iko!
-Sister Rich
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Happy Birthday Carly!!
Sorry this week is going to be a short letter! But I will try and include some pictures!
1st of all let me just tell you this week has been so good! Nothing big happened but it was a good week!
Me and Sister Koto are doing so good! We got the area split, which means me and Sister Koto are basically starting from nothing... Our area is an area that no one has really gone into! We only have 5 investigators and 4 of them are all in the same family and their planning on getting baptized on Feb. 1st.. which means after feb. 1st we will have 1 INVESTIGATOR in our area... haha so our 24 new investigators we have to work towards is going to be hard... but I know me and Sister Koto can do it! We just OYM vei siga kece! (everyday!) Its fun! We have met a lot of people.. But another sad thing about the split is that we aren't in any villages... our area is the middle of a town called Namaka and we are in the heart of the city.. so I was kinda sad about that! But, me and Sister Koto are working hard for our 24!!! And we will get it!(:
We had such a amazing lesson this week with a new investigator!!!(: She is 21 and just had a baby... She is a Sister Ihaka (a member) sons girlfriend.. haha but she is amazing.. I couldn't not think of Jess the whole time we were teaching her and it just made the lesson so much better and so much more meaningful. I was crying and Sister Ihaka was crying! The spirit was just amazing! She is Bohai.. which is like a crazy religion.. in simple terms, they believe in EVERY religion! Everything they follow... So when I found out I was a little nervous about teaching her because the last Bohai we taught was mean and just wanted to hear our religion and bible bash.. which was a weird experience i don't think i ever told you about.. haha but anyways! It was completely opposite of what I thought. She started crying and I could tell the spirit was really there! It was probably one of the best feelings ever to see someone recognize the spirit for the 1st time! I LOVED IT! After the lesson she still wasn't sure if she wanted to continue to take lessons, so she said she would text us the next day to let us know.. we invited her to pray and she said yes... soooo i can't even tell you how hard I prayed that night for her! And then the next day I was just waiting for her response all day.. nothing.. we were so disappointed... then friday... nothing... then saturday.. at about 8 pm.. she texted us probably the best text ever! She said she wants to continue taking lessons!!! I WAS SO EXCITED!!! I was jumping up and down with Sister Koto!! Haha Isn't this gosel just amazing!!!(:
well today we went on this amazing hike!! It was so hard! But I haven't done anything like that since i've been here! So I loved it! It was gorgeous! I got super sunburned... even with snscreen! But its okay! The view was worth it! We had so much fun! I will try and send some pictures!(:
Other than that this week has just included OYM, training, and I do a lot of talking... haha my companion is a little shy when it comes to teaching lessons! But thats okay! One day she will be the one talking and I won't have to!(: I LOVE training! It is probably the best thing ever! I was super nervous about it! But, i feel like I am doing what i need to be doing! I am learning so much from it too! So it is good(:
Well i love you ALL!!!(: Oh and CARLY.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!(: I love you all! Don't ever forget how true this gospel is! People never told me how hard a mission is, but i can't even begin to tell you how worth it, it is! I can't imagine being anywhere else or doing anything else! Thanks to each of you who helped me prepare for this!(: I really have THE BEST FAMILY EVER!!!!(:
Au lomani kemudo!
LOLOMA LEVU!!!
-Sister Rich
1st of all let me just tell you this week has been so good! Nothing big happened but it was a good week!
Me and Sister Koto are doing so good! We got the area split, which means me and Sister Koto are basically starting from nothing... Our area is an area that no one has really gone into! We only have 5 investigators and 4 of them are all in the same family and their planning on getting baptized on Feb. 1st.. which means after feb. 1st we will have 1 INVESTIGATOR in our area... haha so our 24 new investigators we have to work towards is going to be hard... but I know me and Sister Koto can do it! We just OYM vei siga kece! (everyday!) Its fun! We have met a lot of people.. But another sad thing about the split is that we aren't in any villages... our area is the middle of a town called Namaka and we are in the heart of the city.. so I was kinda sad about that! But, me and Sister Koto are working hard for our 24!!! And we will get it!(:
We had such a amazing lesson this week with a new investigator!!!(: She is 21 and just had a baby... She is a Sister Ihaka (a member) sons girlfriend.. haha but she is amazing.. I couldn't not think of Jess the whole time we were teaching her and it just made the lesson so much better and so much more meaningful. I was crying and Sister Ihaka was crying! The spirit was just amazing! She is Bohai.. which is like a crazy religion.. in simple terms, they believe in EVERY religion! Everything they follow... So when I found out I was a little nervous about teaching her because the last Bohai we taught was mean and just wanted to hear our religion and bible bash.. which was a weird experience i don't think i ever told you about.. haha but anyways! It was completely opposite of what I thought. She started crying and I could tell the spirit was really there! It was probably one of the best feelings ever to see someone recognize the spirit for the 1st time! I LOVED IT! After the lesson she still wasn't sure if she wanted to continue to take lessons, so she said she would text us the next day to let us know.. we invited her to pray and she said yes... soooo i can't even tell you how hard I prayed that night for her! And then the next day I was just waiting for her response all day.. nothing.. we were so disappointed... then friday... nothing... then saturday.. at about 8 pm.. she texted us probably the best text ever! She said she wants to continue taking lessons!!! I WAS SO EXCITED!!! I was jumping up and down with Sister Koto!! Haha Isn't this gosel just amazing!!!(:
well today we went on this amazing hike!! It was so hard! But I haven't done anything like that since i've been here! So I loved it! It was gorgeous! I got super sunburned... even with snscreen! But its okay! The view was worth it! We had so much fun! I will try and send some pictures!(:
Other than that this week has just included OYM, training, and I do a lot of talking... haha my companion is a little shy when it comes to teaching lessons! But thats okay! One day she will be the one talking and I won't have to!(: I LOVE training! It is probably the best thing ever! I was super nervous about it! But, i feel like I am doing what i need to be doing! I am learning so much from it too! So it is good(:
Well i love you ALL!!!(: Oh and CARLY.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!(: I love you all! Don't ever forget how true this gospel is! People never told me how hard a mission is, but i can't even begin to tell you how worth it, it is! I can't imagine being anywhere else or doing anything else! Thanks to each of you who helped me prepare for this!(: I really have THE BEST FAMILY EVER!!!!(:
Au lomani kemudo!
LOLOMA LEVU!!!
-Sister Rich
Monday, January 13, 2014
How do you say in English.... ???
ANOTHER WEEK! Man this week went by fast! I can't believe it! Although it went by fast, there wasnt a lot of amazing stuff going on! So sorry if the letter might be short! Haha
Fun story though!! I got to go to a baby shower! Haha! She is one of our potential investigators. I was so excited because as you all know, I LOVE KIDS! Haha! But the baby is already born and so cute! I was so excited to go and the food was so good! I LOVED it! It kinda felt like home for a day! Haha! Then Tuesday night, I got really sick.. it was no fun! I was stuck in the apartment all day on Wednesday because the mission nurse wouldn't let me leave because of the heat! But, don't worry I just slept ALL day long and was better by Thursday and was able to go out! haha! We have been hosting a lot of sisters lately! We had one sister that served in Georgia from Kiribati. She is so awesome! She came and told me I don't even sound American anymore!! It was really funny actually! We were having lunch and we were all just talking and I was telling one of my "Courtney stories" and in the middle of my story, I forgot how to say a word in english.... YES I FORGOT ENGLISH! It was such a weird feeling to not know how to say something in english because I have kinda like spoke english my whole life! Haha... Sister Kotobalavu and Sister Jonathan were laughing so hard at me and I had to say it to them in Fijian and then they said the word in English! I was so embarassed! haha... The other sister going back to Kiribati was just laughing because thats how she is with her language! She said she is so scared to go home because she forgot how to speak her language! haha! but now i understand why you guys were all laughing at me on Christmas! Haha!
Thursday we had the longest service ever! We went to a members house and the elders are helping them build their house on top of the old house, so when it floods they will be safe upstairs. So the elders were on the room all day and me and my companions were in this old ladies garden.. well you cant even call it a garden.. it is more like a rubbish bin! haha!! She asked us to pick up ALL the trash. So we thought "Oh! this wont be hard" ... YEA RIGHT! We go over there and we start picking it up and there is trash all in the dirt. We kept digging and digging and there was trash in the dirt for what felt like 500 ft. But we did it and she was so happy! But, I seriously just wanted to go home and sleep after that! After our shower and studies we went to a Indian families house for a lesson! They're Less active but still have strong testimonies! But anyways, we have been visiting them and they love me.. it is so funny! The mom hardly speaks english but she calls me her "bahoo" which means daughter-in-law in Indian!!! They always tell me to come back after my mission so I can marry her son! Hahaha... We just joke and tease about it! But they are coming back to church! SO YAY!!!! Haha
Anyways, the rest of the week was good! We are still doing our finding for our 24 new investigators. We were able to find 5 this week(: Which means we are at 7 new investigators these past two weeks! YAY! Now we have 15 investigators we get to see twice a week! Haha we are SUPER BUSY! But, busy is best! We also received transfers this week!!! GUESS WHERE I'M GOING!!!!..... Nadi #2.... haha! Me and Sister Kotobalavu, my trainee/daughter, are opening a new area for the sisters here in Nadi! We are super excited, but kinda not sure what is going to happen! We will still be in the same ward and same area, but either me and Sister Koto are moving, or Sister Jonathan and her comp will be moving houses! So we are still waiting to find that out! but this means that there will be 2 sets of sisters in Nadi! YAY! Which means mom, no, i won't be transferrign next transfer either because I will be training Sister Koto and then when she gets her Visa she will go and I will get a new companion and I will have to show her the area. So me and Ana estimate that I won't be leaving until March or April... haha! So I'll be in Nadi for half my mission pretty much! Which I am okay with(:
That is pretty much it for this week! No funny stories, nothing!! But the work is going so good! Everyday the work gets better. And everyday I love being a missionary more and more! I had a lot of tests of patience this week, but I learn and grow from everything! Haha(: Each companion and each person you face, you will learn from them. Even if you don't recognize it at 1st, you will always come out a better person if you try to learn something from them! I know that why Heavenly father puts you in companionships also! Haha! But every transfer is like a new start and can't wait for this new adventure/start!(:
Hope you all have a good week this week! LOMANI KEMUDOU! KEMUDOU SA WANANAVU!
Miss you all and love you all TONS!!!
Lomani iko!
-Sister Rich
Fun story though!! I got to go to a baby shower! Haha! She is one of our potential investigators. I was so excited because as you all know, I LOVE KIDS! Haha! But the baby is already born and so cute! I was so excited to go and the food was so good! I LOVED it! It kinda felt like home for a day! Haha! Then Tuesday night, I got really sick.. it was no fun! I was stuck in the apartment all day on Wednesday because the mission nurse wouldn't let me leave because of the heat! But, don't worry I just slept ALL day long and was better by Thursday and was able to go out! haha! We have been hosting a lot of sisters lately! We had one sister that served in Georgia from Kiribati. She is so awesome! She came and told me I don't even sound American anymore!! It was really funny actually! We were having lunch and we were all just talking and I was telling one of my "Courtney stories" and in the middle of my story, I forgot how to say a word in english.... YES I FORGOT ENGLISH! It was such a weird feeling to not know how to say something in english because I have kinda like spoke english my whole life! Haha... Sister Kotobalavu and Sister Jonathan were laughing so hard at me and I had to say it to them in Fijian and then they said the word in English! I was so embarassed! haha... The other sister going back to Kiribati was just laughing because thats how she is with her language! She said she is so scared to go home because she forgot how to speak her language! haha! but now i understand why you guys were all laughing at me on Christmas! Haha!
Thursday we had the longest service ever! We went to a members house and the elders are helping them build their house on top of the old house, so when it floods they will be safe upstairs. So the elders were on the room all day and me and my companions were in this old ladies garden.. well you cant even call it a garden.. it is more like a rubbish bin! haha!! She asked us to pick up ALL the trash. So we thought "Oh! this wont be hard" ... YEA RIGHT! We go over there and we start picking it up and there is trash all in the dirt. We kept digging and digging and there was trash in the dirt for what felt like 500 ft. But we did it and she was so happy! But, I seriously just wanted to go home and sleep after that! After our shower and studies we went to a Indian families house for a lesson! They're Less active but still have strong testimonies! But anyways, we have been visiting them and they love me.. it is so funny! The mom hardly speaks english but she calls me her "bahoo" which means daughter-in-law in Indian!!! They always tell me to come back after my mission so I can marry her son! Hahaha... We just joke and tease about it! But they are coming back to church! SO YAY!!!! Haha
Anyways, the rest of the week was good! We are still doing our finding for our 24 new investigators. We were able to find 5 this week(: Which means we are at 7 new investigators these past two weeks! YAY! Now we have 15 investigators we get to see twice a week! Haha we are SUPER BUSY! But, busy is best! We also received transfers this week!!! GUESS WHERE I'M GOING!!!!..... Nadi #2.... haha! Me and Sister Kotobalavu, my trainee/daughter, are opening a new area for the sisters here in Nadi! We are super excited, but kinda not sure what is going to happen! We will still be in the same ward and same area, but either me and Sister Koto are moving, or Sister Jonathan and her comp will be moving houses! So we are still waiting to find that out! but this means that there will be 2 sets of sisters in Nadi! YAY! Which means mom, no, i won't be transferrign next transfer either because I will be training Sister Koto and then when she gets her Visa she will go and I will get a new companion and I will have to show her the area. So me and Ana estimate that I won't be leaving until March or April... haha! So I'll be in Nadi for half my mission pretty much! Which I am okay with(:
That is pretty much it for this week! No funny stories, nothing!! But the work is going so good! Everyday the work gets better. And everyday I love being a missionary more and more! I had a lot of tests of patience this week, but I learn and grow from everything! Haha(: Each companion and each person you face, you will learn from them. Even if you don't recognize it at 1st, you will always come out a better person if you try to learn something from them! I know that why Heavenly father puts you in companionships also! Haha! But every transfer is like a new start and can't wait for this new adventure/start!(:
Hope you all have a good week this week! LOMANI KEMUDOU! KEMUDOU SA WANANAVU!
Miss you all and love you all TONS!!!
Lomani iko!
-Sister Rich
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Happy New Year!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
I can't believe it is 2014!!! It seems like it was just yesterday I was going up for school... WEIRD! Haha! well this week was actually a slow one! It was good but it just felt like it took really long to get to Monday again! But, we got a lot done so that was good!!
I am going to take things from my journal again because this week was so long, I don't know what really happened! Haha
Monday: We had Zone training and Zone Pday! It was so fun! We played dodgeball and the training was actually really good! We have been challenged to do a Book of Mormon reading!! It starts Jan. 20th and ends in March I think! It is only like 3-4 chapters a day! I will have to send it to you so you guys can do it with us! But I am excited because I am almost done with reading it and then I will be able to read it ALL over again!(: We were also challenged to get 100 baptisms in the month of March. So for our zone, that means we have to get 42 baptisms. And when they did the math, that means we need 24 new investigatotrs before the middle of Feb! We can totally do that! That is only 5-6 new investigators a week(: Haha But yesterday we had a mission fast and it was so powerful! It was awesome and i am so excited to see the miracles!
Tuesday: I got yelled at a lot today! Haha I got the door slammed in my face... which is really unusual in Fiji! Even if their not interested in what we say, they still invite us in for juice or something! So that was kinda depressing! then when we got out of a taxi, i shut the door and the taxi driver told me to stop shutting the door so hard and then started cussing at me in Fijian.. haha so that was awkward! THEN, we went to a return appointment from an OYM and we got told to go away and never come back again! Haha it was just a weird day! but I did see an old lady scrubbing the side walk and I felt bad so I went and helped her and sister jonathan just stood there and stared at me... haha But i felt good that I was helping someone after a day of getting yelled at and doors slammed i n my face that is what I needed... haha! Oh and HAPPY NEW YEARS EVE!!(:
Wednesday! NEW YEARS! I definitelykept thinking about just watching football and eating chip dip all day! haha but we went to the YSA camp and said hi to some people from Suva that Sister Jonathan knew! So in Fiji, the way they celebrate the new year is by throwing water on people! Haha... But I didn't get wet. But we were at Ana's house and I poured water on Iliesa.. One of their cousins that stays there and it was fun! A tradition I will take home! SO.. be careful on New years!(: They celebrate it all day long(: We also wen to one of our less actives for dinner! They were so nice! They are an indian family! The mom asked me to marry her son when I get home! Haha... that was kinda awkward.. But I just laughed! He was embarassed though! haha! I think that is like proposal #4 since I have been here... haha
Thursday: We had service in the morning! We went and helped tear down a room at a members house! IT WAS SO HOT! Mom, i felt lke i was in Yoga! we were in this little room and we were sweating from like every pore possible it felt like! haha but it was fun hammering the walls(: Then we went and GOT MY TRAINEE!!!(: She is a Fijian! YAY!! Her name is Sister Kotobalavu! But I call her sister koto for short(: She is awesome and I love her! We got along the 1st second she got off the bus! I was so excited! We don't know how long she will be here though.../: Sehe is waiting for her visa to serve in Vanauatu! But we heard a maximum of 8 weeks, which means I will be in Nadi for like 3 more months! Haha Which means, half my mission! haha
Friday: We got a new investigator!!! YAY!!! She is someone we oym'd a while ago but she has never been home!! But she was home and she told us how much she loved the restoration pamphlet! She asked us to come back so she can learn more so yay!!!(:
Saturday: We went on splits today! Sister Jonathan with a member missionary and me and Sister Koto. It was so fun! Me and sister Koto have decided to do one act of service a week and so we decided we would buy groceries for the mataitogas because they had like no food when we went over the other day. SO we did and when we took them over, sister mataitoga started crying and just gave us like the biggest hug! It was so good! We knew they needed it! Then we walked ALL DAY LONG! Oi lei! Let me just tell you, I don't think I have ever sweat this much in my life! It is so hot here! And the sun is just so hot! We had to walk from like our house to yucaipa in the heat! I wanted to just sit down and fall asleep! haha but when we got there the family we went to see was so glad we came! They fed us and we stayed for like 2 hours because they wouldn't let us leave! We also went to another less active who is doing lotulotu now (worshipping idols.) his wife was the only one home with the kids and she was SCARY! She like wouldn't stop staring at me! And It made me feel really awkward and Sister Koto felt awkward. And when anyone else would talk she wouldn't stop staring at me! I was just thinking of Indiana Jones... don't look into the eyes.... haha so I did! I avoided all eye contact! And then once we left I felt so much better and so i don't think we will be going back there again! haha
Sunday: Church was so good! I love Sundays! We went to pick up our investigator! She is so awesome! She came to church with all the kids!! Then one of our members we are close too, Sister Lasei, she was prego! She went into labor! So you know me, BABY LOVER, had to go to the hospital to see her! Man things here are so different!!! Your husband isn't allowed to be in the room when you deliver, the nurses aren't on the clock all the time! No drugs nothing! I felt so bad! She was in so much pain! I was like rubbing her feet and her back! haha everyone was looking at me weird! But I felt so bad! But then she had her baby!!!! YAYYY!!!! A baby girl! She is so cute! I got to hold her(: Haha It was so fun! I love babies!(: It made me so happy! Then we went to anas and had lolo buns!! So sunday was a good day!
Sorry my week was kinda boring and slow! Everyday is the same thing! Haha so I never really know what to write about! but you guys always have such fun weeks, I have to try and sound like I can compare to it! haha(: But You look like you had such a good new year! Glad katelyn, Carly and Emma were able to stay up!!! Haha! We still had a 1030 bed time! haha But I did get lovo the next day!!!(: haha still doesn't compare to fondue though(: You guys are seriously so awesome! I can't even tell you how much I love you guys! Sorry I haven't sent that many pictures lately! I keep forgetting to bring my cord..... SORRY!!! But next week I will FOR SURE remember!!(:
Love You all!!!
-Sister Rich
p.s. can you believe that next year you guys will be getting ready to come and pick me up!!!!!! WEIRD!!!
I can't believe it is 2014!!! It seems like it was just yesterday I was going up for school... WEIRD! Haha! well this week was actually a slow one! It was good but it just felt like it took really long to get to Monday again! But, we got a lot done so that was good!!
I am going to take things from my journal again because this week was so long, I don't know what really happened! Haha
Monday: We had Zone training and Zone Pday! It was so fun! We played dodgeball and the training was actually really good! We have been challenged to do a Book of Mormon reading!! It starts Jan. 20th and ends in March I think! It is only like 3-4 chapters a day! I will have to send it to you so you guys can do it with us! But I am excited because I am almost done with reading it and then I will be able to read it ALL over again!(: We were also challenged to get 100 baptisms in the month of March. So for our zone, that means we have to get 42 baptisms. And when they did the math, that means we need 24 new investigatotrs before the middle of Feb! We can totally do that! That is only 5-6 new investigators a week(: Haha But yesterday we had a mission fast and it was so powerful! It was awesome and i am so excited to see the miracles!
Tuesday: I got yelled at a lot today! Haha I got the door slammed in my face... which is really unusual in Fiji! Even if their not interested in what we say, they still invite us in for juice or something! So that was kinda depressing! then when we got out of a taxi, i shut the door and the taxi driver told me to stop shutting the door so hard and then started cussing at me in Fijian.. haha so that was awkward! THEN, we went to a return appointment from an OYM and we got told to go away and never come back again! Haha it was just a weird day! but I did see an old lady scrubbing the side walk and I felt bad so I went and helped her and sister jonathan just stood there and stared at me... haha But i felt good that I was helping someone after a day of getting yelled at and doors slammed i n my face that is what I needed... haha! Oh and HAPPY NEW YEARS EVE!!(:
Wednesday! NEW YEARS! I definitelykept thinking about just watching football and eating chip dip all day! haha but we went to the YSA camp and said hi to some people from Suva that Sister Jonathan knew! So in Fiji, the way they celebrate the new year is by throwing water on people! Haha... But I didn't get wet. But we were at Ana's house and I poured water on Iliesa.. One of their cousins that stays there and it was fun! A tradition I will take home! SO.. be careful on New years!(: They celebrate it all day long(: We also wen to one of our less actives for dinner! They were so nice! They are an indian family! The mom asked me to marry her son when I get home! Haha... that was kinda awkward.. But I just laughed! He was embarassed though! haha! I think that is like proposal #4 since I have been here... haha
Thursday: We had service in the morning! We went and helped tear down a room at a members house! IT WAS SO HOT! Mom, i felt lke i was in Yoga! we were in this little room and we were sweating from like every pore possible it felt like! haha but it was fun hammering the walls(: Then we went and GOT MY TRAINEE!!!(: She is a Fijian! YAY!! Her name is Sister Kotobalavu! But I call her sister koto for short(: She is awesome and I love her! We got along the 1st second she got off the bus! I was so excited! We don't know how long she will be here though.../: Sehe is waiting for her visa to serve in Vanauatu! But we heard a maximum of 8 weeks, which means I will be in Nadi for like 3 more months! Haha Which means, half my mission! haha
Friday: We got a new investigator!!! YAY!!! She is someone we oym'd a while ago but she has never been home!! But she was home and she told us how much she loved the restoration pamphlet! She asked us to come back so she can learn more so yay!!!(:
Saturday: We went on splits today! Sister Jonathan with a member missionary and me and Sister Koto. It was so fun! Me and sister Koto have decided to do one act of service a week and so we decided we would buy groceries for the mataitogas because they had like no food when we went over the other day. SO we did and when we took them over, sister mataitoga started crying and just gave us like the biggest hug! It was so good! We knew they needed it! Then we walked ALL DAY LONG! Oi lei! Let me just tell you, I don't think I have ever sweat this much in my life! It is so hot here! And the sun is just so hot! We had to walk from like our house to yucaipa in the heat! I wanted to just sit down and fall asleep! haha but when we got there the family we went to see was so glad we came! They fed us and we stayed for like 2 hours because they wouldn't let us leave! We also went to another less active who is doing lotulotu now (worshipping idols.) his wife was the only one home with the kids and she was SCARY! She like wouldn't stop staring at me! And It made me feel really awkward and Sister Koto felt awkward. And when anyone else would talk she wouldn't stop staring at me! I was just thinking of Indiana Jones... don't look into the eyes.... haha so I did! I avoided all eye contact! And then once we left I felt so much better and so i don't think we will be going back there again! haha
Sunday: Church was so good! I love Sundays! We went to pick up our investigator! She is so awesome! She came to church with all the kids!! Then one of our members we are close too, Sister Lasei, she was prego! She went into labor! So you know me, BABY LOVER, had to go to the hospital to see her! Man things here are so different!!! Your husband isn't allowed to be in the room when you deliver, the nurses aren't on the clock all the time! No drugs nothing! I felt so bad! She was in so much pain! I was like rubbing her feet and her back! haha everyone was looking at me weird! But I felt so bad! But then she had her baby!!!! YAYYY!!!! A baby girl! She is so cute! I got to hold her(: Haha It was so fun! I love babies!(: It made me so happy! Then we went to anas and had lolo buns!! So sunday was a good day!
Sorry my week was kinda boring and slow! Everyday is the same thing! Haha so I never really know what to write about! but you guys always have such fun weeks, I have to try and sound like I can compare to it! haha(: But You look like you had such a good new year! Glad katelyn, Carly and Emma were able to stay up!!! Haha! We still had a 1030 bed time! haha But I did get lovo the next day!!!(: haha still doesn't compare to fondue though(: You guys are seriously so awesome! I can't even tell you how much I love you guys! Sorry I haven't sent that many pictures lately! I keep forgetting to bring my cord..... SORRY!!! But next week I will FOR SURE remember!!(:
Love You all!!!
-Sister Rich
p.s. can you believe that next year you guys will be getting ready to come and pick me up!!!!!! WEIRD!!!
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