Hey Family!
Wow, what a week! I got to my new area on Tuesday. It sure is weird being on this side of the Bay again! So I cover the Peninsula 2nd and the Peninsula 4th wards. The 2nd ward is a Tongan family ward, and the 4th ward is a Tongan singles ward. It has been quite the culture shock, but I love it! We live in San Mateo, and spend most of the time working here as well. I have the best companion ever! His name is Elder Neiufi - from Tonga. He speaks English pretty well and has been out for 1 year (we were both trained in San Ramon!). We mostly teach our lessons in English, because most of the members can speak English pretty well, but church is all in Tongan! Well, yesterday was the Stake Conference, so we didn't go to regular church, but Elder Neiufi says that the family ward is in Tongan, but most of the singles ward services are in English. So that is good. But yesterday was Stake Conference, and it was a broadcast. Elder Packard and President Eyring spoke, but I couldn't understand a word that they said, because it was all in Tongan! Elder Neiufi is helping me to learn a little bit of Tongan every morning for our language study. Obviously I'm not going to become fluent in 3 months, but I hope to be able to begin to understand what people are saying to me, and become familiar with the language. Elder Neiufi is super funny, and is helping me become adjusted to things. We are the Zone Leaders of the Tongan Zone which consists of only 6 missionaries! It is the smallest Zone in our mission! I am the only white person i our whole Zone! Everyone else is Polynesian. Its fun.
But I really love this area so far. The Tongan members are probably the best members of the church! President Wade always says - "When I get to the celestial kingdom and I'm surrounded by the Tongan people, I will know that I'm in the right place!" They are so loving and willing to do missionary work! We don't knock doors in the Tongan program - all of our finding efforts are through the members. Another crazy thing is that the Stake boundaries (and our ward boundary) go outside of the mission boundary! So we have permission to leave the mission, as long as we are in our stake boundary (which goes clear down to San Jose!) Yesterday Stake Conference was in Menlo Park - which is not in our mission.
So me and Elder Neiufi have seen miracles already! Our second day together we met a Tongan man on the street named Sione Tongamoa. We started talking to him, and he was a little standoffish. We asked if we could come back and share a message that would help him come closer to God. He agreed, and told us that he sits on the street coroner that we were talking to him on, every night. So a few nights later we went by, and brought Huhane - a recent convert who knows Sione. (the crazy thing about he Tongan program is that everyone literally knows everyone! The whole ward is seriously related some how). We walked up to him, and the first thing that he told us was, "I told you guys that I am Methodist!" My awesome little Tongan comp. (and when I say little I mean just short - my companion is huge! His biceps are as big as my thighs!! So I feel pretty safe) smiled at him, and began to teach. We bore our testimonies to him, and promised him blessings. His attitude immediately changed, and he told us that he felt happy. The spirit touched him, and he wants to learn more. Huhane invited him to church and yesterday he came to Stake Conference and loved it! Then we taught him later Sunday night for the first time, and he is golden! We invited him to be baptized and he said yes. Wow, it was an amazing lesson! (and we taught in English!)
It is fun being the only white person in the ward! The members are very nice, and feed me too much! I may come home a little chubby! Me and Elder Neiufi are working on being more united in our teaching. He is pretty well at speaking English, but has a long way to go! We were teaching a lesson to a less active member about faith, and I asked them how faith in Christ has been an "anchor" in their life. Elder Neiufi thought I asked how faith in Christ has caused "anger" in their life! He was surprised, and tried to back track and tie anger into faith! He said something like "I know that when we exercise faith it can be hard, and sometimes we get angry...." Wow, it was funny. Also, Elder Neiufi is working on getting a California drivers licence. He has a permit, but hasn't been able to practice yet, because he hasn't had a companion with a California drivers licence. So since I have a Cal. drivers license he has been able to start driving! Wow, now I know how you felt mom and dad, when you taught me how to drive! It is his first time driving in the USA. In Tonga there are no free ways or stop lights, so it is quite different! It has been fun teaching him how to drive!
So things are going really well! I love the Tongan program so far! I still can't believe that I got transferred here, but I am grateful for this experience to stretch, and learn new things!
I love you family!
-Elder Cook
No comments:
Post a Comment