Elder Max Barnaby: Our Way < The Way It Actually Went (Lautoka 2nd Ward, Week 6)

Nice scenic shots from Nasivikoso and Natabua seaside

You know those days that you have a great schedule ahead of you and you think, "Man, I can't wait to get started!" and then partway through the plans which are beginning to go awry you're like, "I hope things get better..." and then next thing you know it, you're stuck in the center of Fiji, sick in a blazing hot tin house, trying to teach five people about prophets and none of them are grasping what you're saying. Yeah that was basically this whole week. I'm not complaining, I'm just saying it how it is.

Mission Leadership Council, October 2016

Monday we had a fantastic DLC - way good, us and the District Leaders in our Zone are now pretty much on the same page. We're way excited for this month after that meeting. MLC was similar - we had a lot of great discussions as Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders in the Fiji Suva Mission and came up with an achievable goal for the month of October. We did get into Suva later than we wanted and left Suva later than we wanted - again, our way versus the way it happened!

The drive up to Nasivikoso is always a spiritual experience

(especially when I fall asleep for half of the way)

Thursday we had planned to go up to Nasivikoso and get a lot of good work done up there. There was about 7 investigators that came to Stake Conference a few weeks ago, so we thought, "Oh perfect, we'll start up the lessons and they can be baptized within the next month or two." And then we got there, and we were told that there was a funeral going on that weekend, and in Fijian culture, when there's an event like a funeral going on, you can guarentee two things: 1. Everyone will be busy, and 2. They're probably gonna kill a cow. And that's exactly what happened (And exactly what didn't happen was the lessons that we wanted to teach).

I mean, I did get sick from some bad water in Nasivikoso, and we taught a total of a single lesson, from which we realized that we would have to be at this for a little bit longer than a month or two to get these people baptized. We ended up coming back a day earlier than expected, because the Nasivikoso Group of the Church was heading down to it's mother unit, Nawaka Ward, to join them for Sunday services.

Still sick, we ended up going to church back in Lautoka 2nd, and we did end up getting a lot of good work done there. It was just an up and down experience this week. I've learned a lot. It doesn't really matter to me that we didn't get what we wanted or expected this week - that happens in life. In fact, I can see how much I have to learn because of my experiences this past week. "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed" (Romans 5:3-5).

And then we wenta farmin' with Atu Sigadrodro

I know that these experience will work together for my good. It's my job to learn how to react in a way that won't stifle the Spirit's quiet teaching, that won't give into anger or selfishness or pride, that will bring about much righteousness. Hope you all can learn a little from my experiences this week - and just remember, when you think it's not going to plan: it really is, just not your plan. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." (Isaiah 55:8)

Elder Barnaby