Big Island Aloha

This week was up and down.

On Tuesday I had my first baptism! It was a 13-year-old Marshall boy named Launit who is the bomb! He was great during lessons and loves everything about the church. He still has a lot to learn but he catches on quick and is very outgoing. He and my other friend Tevenson both say that they can't wait to turn 18 so they can go on missions.

We are also teaching two young men named Randy, 16 and Alika, 14. They are both very receptive but we need the support of the parents so that they can get to church. It is very difficult to get people to church because the chapel is 25 minutes away in Waimea but we keep trying. They both attended the baptism and really want to go through with it so we are aiming for next month for both of them. Hopefully it happens before the next transfer.

The work is still going great! I'm meeting new people everyday and I'm still lovin' it! Sorry about the short email, not a very eventful week.

Family, I love you all. There is really no new insight this week since it was really kinda a slow. I didn't get any letters all week and found an empty mail box every day so that kinda stunk :(

But it's okay, I love you more than ever. I still can't even tell you how much I brag about all of you, because I have the greatest family in the world! Keep being awesome and spread the word. I know it doesn't work the same in Utah but help the missionaries when you can. If someone is a non-member share everything with them. This gospel is the greatest thing this world has to offer with the greatest teacher - the Spirit! Also I just finished "Our search for happiness" by Elder M. Russell Ballard. It's awesome. I highly recommend it. I'm just starting "Jesus the Christ". I'm 15 pages in and I already love Christ more and His atonement 100 times more. I also highly recommend it but make sure to have a dictionary handy. :)

Love
Elder Matua

Here are some recent photo's

A little rugby action on P-Day

Shaka braddah with Elder Humphreys

With Elder Humphreys and his inside-out coat

Elder Matua and newest convert Launit

Elder Matua, Elder Johnston and our friends

Hammin' for the camera

Service, Zone Conference and more

This week was a blur!

We did choke (a lot) of service. We moved two tons of green waste which took forever. We also had the amazing opportunity to clean the temple. Me and Elder Humphreys were pressure washing the outside of the temple. He was making a joke that we looked like angels cleaning the temple and then I broke the pressure washer so we had to wait till they fixed it. We moved a lot of furniture in and out of the temple - great experience.

Earlier in the week we were helping a member move their brother into their house from a shipping container. While we were going to the container me and Elder Johnston got searched randomly and our car was checked. The members were laughing - of all the people they searched us!

We had a rough week with our investigators though. The young men we have been teaching were hit and miss and weren't able to make it to church so we have to move their baptismal date to November. But we were able to talk to Launet's parents and confirm his baptismal date. We have been teaching Launet all month and he has been awesome. He is my little homie out here. He is so happy to be baptized and loves the Young Men program. He is getting baptized tomorrow! I think I'll be doing the baptism in Marshallese because his family doesn't really speak English so we are trying to help them understand.

We had a Zone Conference in Hilo last Thursday with Elder Schwitzer of the Seventy. He was awesome! Great lessons from him and his wife. President and Sister Warner were also great. They came to do interviews with us on Saturday and then came to church with me and Elder Johnston so we had a good weekend with our Mission President. They also spoke in a fireside Sunday night.

My life here is still going great. I'm so grateful to the Lord every day for the amazing calling that he has blessed me with. The Ward I am serving in is amazing and a huge help to the work. I challenge everyone at home to get involved in the work. That is our job after we become members of this church our duty is to share it with anyone and everyone. We all have that special light of Christ and should work everyday to strengthen it and the best way to strengthen it is to share it with others. Serve with Charity, the PURE LOVE OF CHRIST!


Love,
Elder Matua

P.S.
Mom - Sister Warner challenged everyone in the Wards here to come up with a family mission plan. It could be something as simple as inviting a less-active family over for dessert once a week or everyone has to place one pass-along card.

Boys - Looking back on my High School and Jr. High days I really regret not doing more. We should all be missionaries 24/7. Don't be afraid to open your mouth or to stop and help someone when they need it. We are all servants of the Lord and should take advantage of the blessing you have to already know the truth and have his light in you already. So many people are searching for that and most of the time they aren't willing to talk to the guys in ties (us) so it needs to start with the members. Do everything mom and dad ask. Get your Eagle Scout and Duty to God stuff done. Mom and dad only bug you about it because they know it will be for your benefit and you won't learn that stuff later when you're on your own. Love and miss all four of you guys every day. I talk to everyone about you guys and how amazing you all are. Everyone is probably sick of hearing about you guys but they all think that you are studs and cuties. Ya I'm glad I taught you everything you know! J/K

Update from Kona

Aloha!

Working hard in Kona

Well my very first transfer has come and gone and life in paradise is still great! I will be in Waikoloa with Elder Johnston for another transfer which will take me through my last bit of training. We just keep on working hard to meet our goals. In this recent transfer we lost nine good missionaries but pick up a great of nine new missionaries in our zone, three of which are green! It is going to be a very fun transfer and I have faith that we as the Kona Zone will hit high a water mark for the month of October! Me and Elder Johnston are hoping to bring in at least five but we won't stop there.

In the North Wards we have two new elders in Waimea 1st - Elder Humpherys and Elder Cagilaba from Fiji. Cagilaba (a.k.a. Storm), has a really cool conversion story which should be appearing in the December 2013 Ensign. These two Elders have become instant friends to me and will make this next transfer a good one. Hopefully they can get things going in Waimea.

We have choke investigators that are all young men right now and they are already pumped to be baptized! The only trick is getting them to church on Sunday's because the chapel is up in Waimea and most people can't make that trip every Sunday. But the ward members have been great with helping us get them there. We just keeping being faithful and obedient and The Lord will provide a way.

I'm staying busy and will keep working for the Lord!


Love you all!
Elder Matua

Pics from Kona - October 2013

Latest photos from Elder Kingston Matua in Kona, Hawaii

Last photo with MTC District

New Hawaii transfers in Honolulu airport

Elder Matua's living space

The view from Elder Matua's front door in Kona

The kitchen in their apartment

Another view from the apartment with Elder Johnston

Study time

Elder Matua, Elder Freeman and Elder Johnston

Elder Matua and Elder Freeman

Fun with members (an obstacle course)

More fun with a little helper

Elder Johnston gives it a shot

Elder Freeman has a go

Spending time with great families in Kona

Adventures on P-Day

Exploring Kona

Another shot of the obstacle course

Back to work!

Aloha once again

Hawaii has been treating me great! Another week in paradise has come and gone and the work of the Lord is going forth at an amazing pace. Like they said in conference many times, this is the time when the Lord's work is hastening. I've been lucky to feel the blessings of that work. We have begun to teach three new young men who are all ready to learn and except the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have been filled with the spirit as we teach and our investigators are feeling it as well. The members in Waikoloa are still an amazing help and the work could not go as fast as it is without them.

Please, wherever you are, whatever your calling, whatever your age, find your place in the work. As members of the church we have the knowledge of Christ and if we love Him we should be bursting with joy and proclaiming His truth. Even with the 80,000 missionaries serving in the world the work cannot progress without the 15 million members of the church doing their part. If each one of those 15 million members did their part and brought just one soul unto Christ and His everlasting gospel that would double the number of people who can be happy. 

I give you my testimony that I know that we are all here to help our brothers and sister on earth. We are blessed to know the truth and we have been commanded by prophets, seers, and revelators to share that knowledge. I can also testify that you will receive true everlasting happiness when you bring those people around unto Christ and you will be able to love all those around you more fully.

I love missionary work and love The Lord. I am growing everyday in my testimony of Christ our Savior and His Atoning sacrifice. I've had an amazing conference weekend and learned how to be a better missionary, member, son, and brother. I am proud to say that I took 10 pages of notes and only dozed off for part of one talk but the rest of the time I was awake and actively listening.

My first transfer has come and gone in the blink of an eye. Time moves so fast out here. I know that I need to take advantage of every last second I have out here as a missionary with a sacred calling. Got to get back to work! Love you all!

Love,

Elder Matua  

Aloha from the Big Island

Another week has come and gone and I loved every minute of it. Things here in Waikoloa have been starting to pick up a bit. More people are answering their doors and we are finding more and more opportunities to teach investigators and help those members who are less active. My love for the people here on the Big Island is growing rapidly. It has such a different feel than being on Oahu.

This week we picked up another Elder and this area. Elder Freeman (from Lehi) has joined us and we now cover Waimea as well. We will be in a threesome until the end of the transfer which is in a week and a half, so not to long.

As far as investigators, we have picked up two just this week alone. We have begun teaching a lady whose husband is a less active RM so we are killing two birds with one stone. She is really interested in the church and loves the environment and feel of being with the members here. He seems willing to come back but I think he just needs a little bit of a push. She is getting ready to have a baby so that will slow us down a bit but we'll get right back at it ASAP.

Our second investigator is another 13-year-old Marshallese boy. He loves all the people in the ward and he really likes being with us. He is really smart and loves listening to what we have to say. As of right now he really wants to get baptized. We have set a date set for Oct. 12th!

My testimony has continued to grow and I have really felt the Lord using me while I teach. I don't think about what to say anymore, I just open my mouth and the Lord fills it with words. It has been an awesome thing to feel his presence so often. I also have a strong testimony that when we are obedient the Lord is willing to do anything for us.

Thank you for all the loving words of encouragement from home. I love you all and I'm very grateful for the support. The Lord is providing everything I need out here so there's really no need for any of you to send me anything - except maybe the occasional treat :-)

Boys - Listen to mom and dad. Listen to general conference closely. The words from the talks that I have read have been more helpful than I ever would have imagined. I highly recommend that you start every day with some kind of personal study. You never know when you can/will have an opportunity to teach and you won't be able to take advantage of those opportunities if you don't have any knowledge of the gospel. The Lord can provide the opportunity and do the teaching, but you need to prepare and be open to his spirit. Plus you study for several hours a day while you're on your mission so its good to get used to it now.


Love you all so much!
Elder Matua