Can We Pretend That Airplanes In Nadi Are Like Shooting Stars (Dratabu Area, Week 1)

Moce Samabula 2nd!

And it's official! I had to say goodbye to Samabula 2nd this week and come back to the Burning West - I've been transferred to Dratabu area, just outside of Nadi, with Elder Whiting as my companion! But allow me to explain the whole week - it was a good one. Exhausting as usual, but good.

The Suva North Stake President's son, Errol Qaqa, 

won gold in the Melanesian Games for Hurdles! That's the medal!

One last district picture - let's go Samabula Fire Monkeys!

Tuesday we had our final district meeting before the transfer and Elder Tairua finished his mission, so I made it really memorable. It was all about trusting those who we work with - so I let

Sister Taufa cut my hair and related it to 

the gospel for our last district meeting in Samabula

Sister Taufa cut my hair (it was pretty scary, she used material scissors), we did trust falls from 3 or 4 feet up, and had a jump-rope competition (I lost by a landslide). Definitely memorable. We got transfer calls a few hours later and found out that I was being transferred to Dratabu area this week. They just combined two districts here in Nadi, too, and so President Layton asked me to be the District Leader over 5 areas from Sigatoka to Nadi, in addition to being the Airport Elder with my companion, Elder Whiting. That means that we have to help out with all the missionaries and senior couples coming to, from, and travelling by plane within Fiji with their tickets and such. We pick them up and drop them off and it's pretty fun, actually.

Rogosau boys - Pita, Jone, Ioane!

Anyway, so Wednesday we said some goodbyes and decided to try to go to this one area that we'd never been to, Tamavuaiwai. While there, we met this way nice Methodist lady named Soko who told us, "Don't marry an atheist girl, don't marry a methodist girl, don't marry a catholic girl - marry a Mormon girl!" It was pretty funny, considering that she wasn't even a member of the church. But while coming back, some kids started tossing a rugby ball with us and I slipped and cracked the glass on my camera. Luckily it's just the water-proofing glass above the lens, so it still takes pictures fine.

The saddest goodbye of all - Brother and Sister Matanatabu

Thursday was a great day - and a sad day. Elder Kahia and I went to say goodbye to the Matanatabus, and it was probably the saddest goodbye I've ever said. I love that family so much, because Elder Ta'a, Kahia, and I all helped them become active members of the church. It was so special. That night, we held Seruwaia Kasa's baptism, and I was able to baptize her right before I left the next day for Nadi. It was hard saying goodbye to the Kasa's, too. I love that family as well. I wish that their older sister, Carissa, had been ready for baptism too at that point, but I know Elder Kahia and his new companion will take good care of Samabula 2nd. I really love that place, it was hard to leave.

Seruwaia'a Baptism!

Had to say goodbye to Talei before her baptism - that was sad!

Friday, I got to Nadi - and we started work right away, transporting Elders and Sisters back and forth

from Nadi to Nawaka to Lautoka and back. Pretty exhausting first day. Our van, who's name is rightfully "Pattie", is an old, rundown Toyota manual-drive van. It's a blast to drive - and I'm the driver, so it's really crazy over here! Saturday we spent all day with the departing missionaries and finally got them on their flights in the evening, after 7 or 8pm. Airport Elder is where it's at!

Elder Whiting and I in Dratabu!

Sunday, though, was my favorite day. We work with Dratabu Unit, which is a very small group with maybe an attendance of 40 every week, sometimes less. Elder Whiting and I preside, and conduct, and come up with the program, and do pretty much all the official stuff. It's pretty legit, but I wish we had one of the members do it. The problem is there isn't enough men who hold the Melchizedek Priesthood here. One cool thing that happened, though, was this man walked into church and said he felt so touched that he wanted to join the church with his family. He comes from a rough background, and he wants a good, solid foundation for his family. We're excited to start working with him!

I love my mission, and I love my new area and my new companion and how wonderful the Lord has been to all of us! Let's go team! Let's go, God's side!

Elder Barnaby 

These valiant missionaries finished their missions this week, and as the Airport Elders we saw them off at the airport on Saturday. Shout-out to Elders Tairua, 'Ita, Johnson, and Pomate!

That's a lot of Burger King (gotta feed the missionaries headed home somehow)