Referrals and more service

So we got in all of our regular visits and contacted some of our referrals this week. We did a ton of service. There was an old couple who was in a time crunch in putting some finishing touches on their house so we helped them. We moved all their stuff, helped paint, and my personal favorite, scrub all the tile floors.

We also helped move a family (who was also in a time crunch) move stuff from one house to another. They are non-members from Brazil and they were very surprised that so many young men would be willing to sacrifice a beautiful beach day to come help them move. haha! There was also great support from the ward.

Dad, I'm doing great! It's always good to hear about you and uncle Eddie back in your glory days haha! Transfers will be on October 15th and I'm 98% sure that I am leaving Hau'ula. I have been here for a very long time but I love it.

Last nights dinner was hilarious. They knew Wayne and Kenra. The whole time it felt like was having dinner with you guys and the Tarawhiti's! They were so much like all of you guys. They were all making fun of each other and cracking Samoan and New Zealand jokes! It was the best. haha

Other than that nothing too new this week. Still love life and learning choke.

Love you all!

Elder Kingston Matua

Some photo's from the Saints in Hau'ula:

With the Moea'i family

Meeting auntie Julia Purcell-Ah You for the first time

Dinner with the Alaiasa family

Dinner with the Tapu & Liava'a families

Being in Hau'ula has truly been a blessing for Elder Matua and for us, his family. No matter where he goes in Laie and Hau'ula we know that he is being cared for. Mahalo and faafetai lava to all of our dear families, friends and all of the lovely people of Hawaii ~ The Matua's

Less actives, tracting and a prospective Elder

Another week gone by in sunny Hau'ula!

We had a really good week and got to meet some really good people. Along with our normal visits to our less active and elderly friends where we were able to meet another less active family and a less active man whose wife is not a member. With the family we got a very warm welcome...with the older man not so much. haha!

On Saturday we got some help from a YSA ward that want to do some missionary work in our area. They broke up into companionships and each covered a road and tracted out pretty much our whole area. We got a huge chunk of referrals and spent the rest of the day Saturday contacting them.

While the sisters were tracting our area we actually went into the next area over into Ka'a'awa to go out with some guys. Me and elder Shute got the only prospective elder who is getting his papers ready. It was a neat experience to see a younger guy, who is Chase's age, anxious and willing to give tracting a try. I love being able to share missionary experiences with those people who are getting ready to go on missions, especially when I think of Chase who will be leaving in a few short weeks. That is crazy to think that he is in the same place I was a year ago! He is going to be a great missionary, the people of Taiwan are lucky.

We are being fed very well by the Samoan ward. I leave dinners with a very, very, very full stomach.

That's all for today!

Love you all!
Elder Kingston Matua

Stake conference, farming and Samoan lessons

We did a whole lot of the same old same old this week. Visited all of our normal less-actives and were introduced to some new families with the ward mission leader. It was stake conference this weekend so we had a pretty fun and spiritual weekend. On Friday the stake had a family night where we ate tons of food and met some really cool members. Of course there were some Samoan members who knew the Matua's somehow and also an interesting lady from Australia who was the casting director for the old Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum PI. She was telling us all kinds of stories and talked our ears off while we were trying to get our last bites of taro and palusami.

Sunday we had stake conference at the BYU CAC. There were some really good talks from leadership and the Laie temple president and his wife.

We just got done helping this sweet old Hawaiian auntie clear out a patch of land and plant some new taro. I have done so much farming since being here I think I am ready to start my own taro and banana plantation. I love helping the elderly over here. They teach us a lot about the land and do everything old fashion.

Last night before we went home, I got to go on an exchange with Elder Young Yen to see a Samoan family. I loved sitting there and listening to them speak to see what I could pick up. I'm getting better at listening and can answer simple questions, but I hope I can continue to improve. I have loved being so close to the Samoan culture over here in Laie. I'm learning so much and hearing so many great things about the Matua family (mostly just how good dad and uncle Eddie were at basketball).

Love,
Elder Kingston Matua

Learning Samoan and doing work

Nothing too crazy happened this week. Our district leader was actually sick all week so we were helping them out with exchanges to teach all their lessons. I got to go with the Samoan elder a few times. He has taught me a ton of Samoan. I can get the gist of most conversations, but I'm still very far from really speaking. I really understand now the reasons why FOBs talk the way they do, hahahaha. They speak English with Samoan grammar haha!

I got the chance to go and teach a young girl that is getting ready for baptism and has less-active parents. That is the majority of our teaching opportunities. I will be with this comp for the rest of the transfer, so 'til about the middle of October. He is a good companion for me right now.

President told me that next transfer I will be training so I'm preparing myself for that. It should be interesting in comparison to the last time I trained. I was still so new - I still feel so new. But at the same time it feels like missionary work has just become a part of me. I feel so much more confident in anything that I do. At the same time I knew how to act mature about it and approach the situations in a correct manor. I think a lot of it has to do with the spirit so I'm hoping to be able to carry a bit of that home with me in my carry-on.

It is crazy that Chase is leaving and I'm on the down hill slope...such a weird feeling.

Ia i ai le atua ia oe male galuega faapea valaauga!
(May the Lord be with you at work and in your callings)

Love you!
Elder Kingston Matua

One more transfer in Hau'ula

This week was pretty busy. We had a temple trip on Tuesday which is always great! Wednesday we had District meeting as usual. Friday we had Zone conference and Saturday we had a lot of service.

Zone conference is always fun. Since Laie is so big with the 30 Visitors Center sisters we only have our zone. President and sister Warner always give very good training's. President talked about the Doctrine of Christ, and how to address it in different ways with our investigators. Sister Warner talked about integrity, "What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am." (3 Nephi 27:27). Sister Warner is really good at telling us straight up that we can always be and do better. The AP's gave a training on teaching simply. Good zone conference!

Funny story of the week: We were asked to go and see a family for the Ward Council. There are two girls in the home who aren't baptized yet so it is a great opportunity for us. We walk up to the house and the first problem that we encounter is that there is really no distinguishable front door (which is the case with most Hawaii homes). So we climb over some toys and holes in the deck to a side door and knock. One of the little girls comes to the door and we ask if mom or dad are home. She nodded and ran off. Well minutes goes by and she never comes back. We knocked some more and eventually left. Hopefully the WC can set something up for us because we seem to be having no luck contacting them.

I will be staying in Hau'ula for one more transfer so I will be here until October. I feel good about that. Me and Elder Shute are going another seven weeks together to go find some people to baptize.

We also had a good cottage meeting last night at a ward members house. We got a recent convert from Uarota Lima (5th Ward) to share her story. Her name is Nicole and she has been awesome to work with over the past four months. She can definitely see the gospel changing her life. We also got the chance to teach the restoration there.

Advice for Missionary Prep: If you don't listen to your parents' counsel and humble yourself, you are not going to make very many friends and you will struggle teaching. I find that Elders who rely on their own knowledge while teaching have a very hard time listening to what an investigator needs and the spirit is a lot harder to tap into. Which means that the gifts of the spirit (discernment, knowledge, love, etc.) are hard to feel. But if you do humble yourself quickly then the knowledge that you do have can be accessed by the spirit and you will do great.

Good for Dillon! He will always be someone I look up to.

That's all for this week! Alofa tele atu mo outou uma!
Elder Kingston Matua