Pictures March 23, 2014

COLOR FEST!! and sister Johnson from the MTC came and stayed with us waiting for her flight!

Riding the bus with our colorful faces(:

We decided to climb a tree! And I DIDN'T fall and break my arm!(:

We tried to pet the cow!

 I'll Always put on a Sari when someone has one!(: 

Thank You Carly for the bracelets!!!!(:

District Celebration with Holy!!

HELLO my Beautiful family(: 
This week has been... adventurous! Haha Thats the only word I can think of to explain this week! But it was so fun!(: It all started on Monday! With our awesome district celebration with Holy! We had a huge chalk fight and it was so much fun! Then on Tuesday my new companion came!! Her name is Sister Au and she is from Samoa! She is a super good teacher and is very straight forward. Which is good because I cannot be straight forward with my investigators when I need to be.. She told me I was too nice! haha But i don't know how else to be! So I guess thats why we are companions! I'm the sugar and shes the vinegar or the spice... I think thats the analogy.. right? or I'm the sweet and shes the sour! haha!! She told Sister Koto that she was scared to have a white companion, because I guess all the white sisters before me gave me a bad name... But thats okay! I can totally change her mind(: 
We have had a really good week and had a lot of lessons this week with ALOT of walking! We tried to go and see everyone we could! Which we did really good  job of, I think! But I did get a really bad sunburn! (: but we had a lot of really good spiritual lessons! The spirit has been so strong lately! I don't know what it is but we had the best lessons with some of our investigators and Less actives. Just made me feel like I need to be here. And that was kinda of what I needed after last weeks disappointment! haha(: So it turned out to be such a good week! We were also able to get our lost investigator back! I was so excited about that!! It is so good just seeing the work moving and seeing it progress in this area! I am LOVING IT!

Its just amazing to have a front row seat to the greatest change in peoples lives! I get to see people's lives change every day! I get to see the light in their eyes when they realize the gospel is true. I get to see their testimonies grow as they realize what they can do to be closer to Heavenly Father. And by far my favorite, is when I get to see people finally realize that they aren't alone and that Heavenly Father LOVES them unconditionally! For me that has been the greatest blessing... seeing other peoples lives blessed by this gospel. And it breaks my heart completely when they don't accept it.. but this gospel is light and that light never goes away! 

So weird story that kinda ties into what I was just saying, but then not really... but heres the story! 
 So we decided to walk down this dirt road the other day.. we just kept following the road and having fun and taking pictures... not really sure where we were going! But we ended up in this little village called Bali! Its is just a small village with that Bahai religion. They are all Bahai, and they invited us to come back for their ceremony the next day.. So we did! It was SO interesting. They actually looked down on me because I was from America and they dont have this religion in America at all...And no one really was talking to me. Which I was okay with. But it was so interesting to me to see the difference in beliefs. (So the Bahai faith believes in everything other churches believe... kinda confusing.. but i'm not really sure...) They were happy people, but during the meeting, the light was gone... I don't know if that makes sense. But there is such a difference in our messages. When we share our messages/lessons.. we share from our heart and with this faith, they read things and quote things. So it is just interesting to me to see the difference in the messages. I could just really tell how much our message brings light! How much it brings happiness and that change that I was talking about! Its just amazing to me how true this gospel is! How AMAZING it is and how lucky i am to be able to share it with other people. I just love being a missionary! 
I hope you guys had a fun week! You guys are always in my prayers and I love you SO SO SO MUCH! You're awesome, I love you!(: 
LOLOMA LEVU,
 Sister Rich

Pictures March 16, 2014

Chaba Sunday!!

My adorable luvegu!!(: 

March 16, 2014

Well another week done and over with! Can you believe it? I can't! haha It has gone by so so so fast!! This week was definitely an adventure! We had so much fun! And just a lot happened! Oh yea... and tranfers came in! Sister Kotobalavu got her visa. So she leaves on the 25th! And for me... I'm not getting transferred yet! I am getting a new companion tomorrow! I was actually kinda upset and sad about it and kinda thought I was ready to leave! Haha I just thought I was going to go when Sister Koto was going because they told me this area wasn't permanent... But I guess the Lord has people here I still need to help! Haha I might as well just stay here my whole mission! haha(: Just kidding!

Anyways.... This week was so good! We had so much fun and we were busy a lot! one of our new investigators has a new baptismal date for the 29th! So we are working really hard to get him baptized on that date! He was able to come to church though! So that was good!

Oh yea and little exciting news, today is that Festival of Colors Holiday that the Hindu people celebrate! So we are planning on having one of those chalk fight things where its all powder! haha!!! I CANT WAIT! But it was so fun walking in town today because there were so many people just covered in it! And people just walk by and throw the chalk at you! haha YAY!!!(: Pictures will come next week(:

okay back to last week... We did get to wear our Chaba/color vata to church on Sunday! We did sing in Sacrament and the spirit was so strong! It was much fun and it has been a long time since I sang.. haha! We sang Joseph Smiths 1st prayer to the tune of come thou fount. It was so pretty! Sister Ihaka said after she wishes she could've recorded it! hahaBut it turned out SO SO SO good and so many people said it was what brought the spirit so strong.

I also got to go on exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders.. STL for short... and it was so amazing! I got to go to Ba!!! YAY!!! that was so nice to have a fresh view and new people! haha *It was so fun! I got to go with Sister Tugaga and actually.. funny story! So we took the bus back to Ba and we went to teach their relief society a song for their musical fireside this week and that was so fun! then we went back to the flat and guess what?! SHE DIDN'T have the key! Hahaha the key was with her companion in Nadi! And it takes 2 hours to get to Nadi from Ba and it was already 930... so we couldn't go get it! So we sat there for like 20 minutes trying to see if we could break in and we couldn't! haha So we called the District leader and he took us to Lautoke for the night and we stayed with some sisters there! Then we ended up staying up talking all night! haha! it was kinda what I needed! So we went back to Ba the next day.. got there about 230 and all of our appointments were fall throughs! haha Me and Sister Tugaga just had fun and walked everywhere and I actually learned a lot! but our last appointment was home so we went and it was so good! I really learned a lot! We were able to read with her from the book of Mormon and she was so awesome! Exchanges were so good! Made me excited to go again! haha(: It was weird because I was having a down week, but me and sister tugaga were able to talk everything out and she was really able to help me! Which was just what I needed! So it was good! Its amazing how Heavenly Father does that for you! He gives you someone at the perfect time to help you! And that is just what I needed! I realized what I need to do to be a better missionary! But it is amazing that through the hard thins I still LOVE being a misisonary! I still LOVE everyone and everythign about it! That love doesn't go away! The blessings never stop! But what I learned this week is that I am incharge of how many blessings I recieve according to my work and diligence! SO I have come to the conclusion that I need to work harder! Haha so that Is what I am going to do!(:

I love You all! Thank you so much for everything you guys do and all of your love! I can't tell you how much love I can feel everyday! I really can feel your prayers!(: Keep beiong you and keep helping the missionaries! LOVE YOU!!!!

LOLOMA LEVU!
Sister Rich

March 9, 2014 Pictures

CHABA!!! WE GOT IT MADE AND EVERYTHING! LOVE It! 

Sister Klingler

Zone Conference

Fiji Sunsets never get old!(:

this made me think of Madee! Sari material! 

Best P-day ever! We did the Olympics and our District won!(: 

The Sighs Baptism!!!

Is it already Monday? It feels like just yesterday, I was emailing you about the Singhs baptism! haha! Weeks are going by faster and faster! This week was another awesome week for us! There was nothing super special about it, but it was super spiritual. There wasn't a lesson this week where the spirit wasn't there! So to me that is an amazing week!(: 
We had Zone conference this week. It was so good! the spirit was so strong and I was able to learn a lot from the trainings! It so cool to learn something and then apply it to your teaching and see how much it actually works and helps you investigators! haha(: It so cool! I wish I learned this much in school.... haha(; but it was good to have president and Sister Klingler here! Oh yea.. did I tell you that we will be getting a new mission president in June? Well we are! It will be so sad to get a new mission president. Especially since you have this trust in him and this relationship with him. It will just be weird, not having them! But it will be good! i think it will be interesting(: 
Anyways, this weeks theme is Less actives! Because literally thats all we did this week. Was work with our less actives and Recent converts! haha Once the Singhs got baptized out teachign pool went down so much and we had no one to visit. and On top of that we lost an investigator! So.. that was kinda sad! Especially since we thought she was progressing SO SO SO well!! But we were able to have such a good fast this week! And the next day... MIRACLES! Haha Seriously we have been trying to get a hold of this girl we OYM'd a few weeks back and everytime we talked to her, she was at school or busy. So we decided to call and GUESS WHAT?! SHE WAS HOME AND TOLD US TO COME OVER!!!! YAYYYY!!! So we hurried and got ready, being worried she would call and cancel. But we made it there and when we got there her 2 other sisters were there and all 3 decided they wanted to learn more about this church and the gospel!!!! We walked out of there just thanking Heavenly Father. Oh and on top of that, they are related to one of the branch presidents in our area! SO‪#‎GOLDENINVESTIGATORS‬ haha then we went to onother investigator and she was busy but she invited us to go to her daughters wedding in April!! SO hopefully i will b e here! haha and she is indian! So Indian wedding and guess what?! She gave us Sari's to wear!!!!!(: and she told me I could keep them! SO I have a Sari! haha(: but anyways then we went and visited our less actives. We went to one lady, Sister Fong. She is a Fijian Lady and she is the only member in her family. But the kids always sit in our lessons when we come over. They are so cute! There are 3 girls ones 11 the others 9 and the other is 5. So anyways... we totally didn't share what we planned to share we diced to talk on the Holy Ghost and listening to the spirit. So we did and the little girl whose 9 asked us, "how do we know what he says?" and we said you have to listen! Really really carefully! and not just with your ears, but wit your heart! and so then she came to church yesterday and she came up to us and was talking to us and wanted to sit by us at sacrament and she tells me that she went and prayed and asked Heavenly father what church is true and she said she was listening really really hard and she said when she really listened she hear someone screaming MORMON to her! haha and so she wanted to get baptized she said! haha I was seriously so happy and just gave her the biggest hug!
It amazing the blessings and miracles and testimonies of our less actives! They are so strong, they just have to realize it themselves. It really made me recognize the importance of part member families and less actives! It was such a blessing and such a good week. I seriously can't tell you guys how amazing this work is! haha! Its amazing how Heavenly Father has the perfect timing for everyone. He has a plan for each of these people. I am here just to help them move along with their plan! Heavenly Fathers plan is the best! Our theme of this week was member referrals. Every members house we went too, we shared a scripture in Alma 13:24. It has helped so much! We are seeing members be more invlved and really helping our work move a long! I just hope that I can stay here to see the changes in the area as the members get involved! 
I love you guys so much! i love this work so much! I love being a missionary so much! AND I love this gospel so much! It is seriously the best thing ever!(: 
AU LOMANI VALEVU KEMUDOU! 
Loloma levu! 
Sister Courtney Rich

Pictures March 2, 2014

I ate Fijian Sushi!(: YUMMM!!

Elder Day and Elder Teke... Elder Day is from my intake and Elder Teke has been in my district with me here in Nadi Since I got here! We are both terrified for the next transfers.

Fijian food.. and the stuff that looks like throw up is the best!!(: 

Since the Dengue outbreak.. I decided to put my mosquito net to good use(: 

The BEST baptism ever

My Indian brother and sister(:

March 2, 2014

So this week has been eventful!(: Trips to the doctors, running through the rain to an investigators, helping members move houses, baptisms, and birthdays! Busy and just like everyone has said in their letters this week, it went by so fast! All the days seem to mesh together haha! I feel like we never had a down moment this week! We were always out and going. So heres my week! 

Well it started off with a weird headache and sore throat just after I started feeling better from before... but it was bearable! I went to play volleyball and had a fun pday with the elders. Then we went to a FHE which was so fun! The Lasei family! Lily added you on facebook(: haha anyways, i love this family because they just remind me of my family so much! They're crazy and just have so much fun! Oh yea!! And I like totally forgot to tell you guys!! They named the baby after me! SO I get to call her my "yaca"! haha Her name is Lillian Damu Courtney Lasei! Haha They said they want me to always remember them so they wanted too! And in Fijian culture, getting someone named after you in a BIG deal! So I guess you could say, I am kinda a big deal... haha JUST KIDDING(: No she is the cutest thing ever and I love that family! They're the best(: 
Then Tuesday morning I woke up with a worse headache and sore throat again. It was so bad I couldn't even move my neck and then it continued to get worse, so the mission nurse decided I should go and see doctor... (i was not very happy about that) but we went. He took one 5 second look in my throat and said "oi... you have Tonsillitis! You could have an injection or tablets?" I immediately said tablets.. and he said if it doesn't get better then I might have to get them removed!! You can just imagine me sitting in the doctors office, Absolutely No facial expression,totally blank,  Nothing!!   Just totally scared.. haha! Then I just got up and said okay we go get my prescription. My companion was laughing at me! But it all turned out okay and I dont have to go to New Zealand to get my tonsils out!!!! YAY!!!(: and I am feeling better than I have in weeks!!Thanks for those miracle prayers!(: 
We also got to help the Laseis move into their new house this week! It is a nice house! They were so excited to move though! We literally spent all day with the elders takign trip after trip moving things and cleaning the old house and setting up the new house! It was a long day, but we still had so much fun! 
And then the best part of my week.... we had the BEST baptism ever... It was literally the most spiritual moment. Friday night they had their interview and we didn't think they were going to pass because they drank tea this week../: But they haven't since Tuesday.. but Elder Nemrow said that he could just tell they were ready.. He said that he felt good about it! SO me and Sister koto were so excited! Then Saturday happened to be Sister Singhs baptism! Which made it even more special! Me and Sister Koto decided to get some little gifts and so we did! We were running around all day looking for something and we finally found it! Then we went to the tailors, because GUESS WHAT?! next week we have stake conference and the bishops wife wants us to wear chaba! The fijian outfit... So we had to get it special made! I AM SO EXCITED! haha but thats for next weeks(: Anyways... So then we went to this appointment with the elders to show them where she stays.. I don't know if you remember a few months ago I talked about a lady named Jokapeci... well anyways, she is in the elders area so we got permission to go with them to teach her since the elders didn't know where the house was and so we went and had such a good lesson! She was so excited to see me and she kept saying "Awww Sister richie" Thats what everyone calls me here! Sister richie! So that was good then, we realized it was like 430 and the baptism was at 6 so we ran home and filled up the baptismal font... then we noticed we locked EVERYTHING in the house! We didn't have a key! We sat outside for like an hour waiting for the other sisters to come home and then we hurried got ready, went and picked the Singhs up and brought them. Before we even walked in the chapel, Sister Singh was crying! She was SO excited/nervous/scared! haha everything! She was so good! The kids we scared too! They didn't want to go in either! Finally we got them in and it was literally the best baptism ever! They bore their testimonies at the end and I was just crying... It was like the perfect moment. It was a District moment...(: haha But It really was the best! Everything they deserve! It was the Best! 
This week was definitely one I will never forget! I have really reconized how much LOVE plays a role in missionary work! I seriously LOVE these people so much! I love them so much I don't even know how to put in into words! I LOVE being a missionary for them! I LOVE sharing the gospel with them! They deserve it! Sometimes I feel like the sons of mosiah when they are testifying of their journey with the lamenites and they say that the very thought of one soul perishing causes them to quake and tremble! Thats how i feel with these people! I seriously LOVE being here. And I really LOVE being a missionary! It is the best thing I have ever done! i have really been able to see myself changing which is weird! I sometimes feel like I am watching this part of my life because it is going my so fast and I can actually see changes happening! It is so weird how Heavenly Father guides you and leads you! But it is the best!(: 
I love you all SO SO SO MUCH! You are the best family ever! I can't even tell you how much I love being here! I wish you could all just be here with me to experience it! ALL OF IT!!! Haha(: 
I love you and can't wait to talk to you next week(: 
LOLOMA LEVU!!!
-Sister Rich