Another week in Lanakila

We have been working really hard on putting a month long fast together for the ward that will give them a boost and hopefully help the members begin to see the importance of completing ordinances so that they can receive the promised blessings from making and keeping covenants with our Heavenly Father. We had a lot of lessons cancel on us though so that has been a bummer.

We have continued our teaching with two young men who are cousins. One of the young men has a less active father and two older brothers who have been baptized recently. We really needed them to come to church so that they can be on track for their baptismal date. Sadly as we waited they never came to sacrament meeting. After church we went to see them and discuss the matter of changing their date. The oldest brother came to the door to talk to us and told us that they had all slept in so he woke them all up and took them to the Samoan ward. So they all got to church and they are still on track for baptism!

This past week as we have been trying to contact members on our lists we have gone to some sketchy places. We contacted some members in a place that made me feel like I was in another world. Everyone there was speaking a different language and the buildings were so close together we had to walk single file and the houses felt like they were going to collapse on us. Then we went to some housing units and as we were walking through the narrow hallways my companion decided to tell me that he has heard stories of people getting stab in these halls. So lots of fun times searching. We were protected by the Lord even though I did step in some pee... haha!

Love you all, hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Easter Sunday and was able to strengthen their testimonies of our resurrected savior Jesus Christ. The church is True!

Alofa tele,
Elder Kingston Matua

Update from Honolulu

We got to go to the temple this morning which means p-day is today. Nothing new going one here. We had two investigators coming to sacrament meeting so that was great. One of them was a young man who is ready to be baptized and has a date for May 3rd!! The other was his cousin who still needs some work.

We are starting to build our teaching pool and the ward is getting behind us really well. We will keeping working hard and do everything we can to help the people in the Lanakila area.

Dad, Elder Teisina was with me in Kaneohe. Teisina and Elder Langi were covering the Tongan branch and I think he is the only one out here that I know of. My new companion is Elder Temahuki. He is one of the best missionaries I've served around. He is done in three weeks so he is coming to the end. It is a very different experience working with a missionary who is almost done but I am learning so much from him and I'm very grateful for the opportunity to be his last companion. The area is slow but we are slowly picking things up so all is well.

I'll have a better update with pictures next week, the computer is just about to kick me off. Love you all! The gospel has been restored and we are doing the work of the Lord.


Alofa tele,
Elder Matua

Weekend Highlights

Had a great conference weekend and I feel very spiritually fed. I am settling into my new new area very nicely. Me and Elder Temahuki are working very hard. He goes home after this transfer so I will be his last companion so it is my job to help him finish strong, but he wants to finish strong so I'm just trying to keep up.

We are teaching a couple of families but this past week was mostly just getting to know the area and the families that we have. On Friday we were going to see an investigator, but she wasn't there. While we were waiting at the door a Poly couple across the way called out to my companion. It was a family that he had talked to in his first area. They had been going through some really hard times and asked if we could come and leave e blessing upon their family. We went in and taught them a short lesson, but they are active they just go to the Tongan ward, and Elder Temahuki left the blessing. They were all very thankful for us stopping by and loved the blessing.

Every time we go somewhere and our plan doesn't exactly work out we look around for why the Lord had sent us here to this place. We have seen many blessings but sadly our numbers don't show it but we are working super hard and trying to get the Ward excited about THE WORK!! It is no longer missionary work it is THE WORK!! haha - Everyone needs to be working toward the purposes of our Heavenly Father.

I know, I know, I have received many comments about how my mass has increased. I'm doing my best to make sure that I am gaining good mass, but hey here in the Aloha mission they call the mass gain, "ward trust." The people here love us and we are fed plenty.

Hope all of you had a great conference weekend and had your questions answered. It is crazy to think that I have watched half of my General Conferences out here on my mission!! Time flies when you're having fun and on the Lords errand.

Love,
Elder Matua

Quick Transfer

Well after just seven days in the great Mali Kai Samoan Ward I am getting transferred to Honolulu West. I'm pretty bumbed about it but it's all good the Lord needs me somewhere else. Hopefully I will get a chance to serve in another Samoan Ward.

Nothing too exciting happened this week. Just getting settled into a new area but that didn't last long. The Samoan Ward was great and my Samoan got better even in those seven days. I bore my testimony in Samoan on Sunday and had a chance to speak at a missionary fireside about the importance of members in missionary work.

Like I said there is nothing to big to report. I'll write again next week about my new new area and companion.


Alofa tele,
Elder Matua