tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38689830828947492892024-02-18T18:23:49.257-08:00Elder Max BarnabyFiji Suva MissionBarnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.comBlogger111125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-54593481548464446662016-11-16T04:16:00.002-08:002016-11-16T04:16:15.212-08:00Isa Isa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps." (1 Peter 2:21)</div>
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My whole mission, I've lived by a quote that our beloved prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, said several years ago. It's a motto, of sorts.</div>
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<b>"There are lives to brighten; There are hearts to touch; There are souls to save."</b></div>
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My time here in Fiji has been in this service, with this goal and this watchword, that I am "in the service of [my] fellow beings...[as I am] in the service of [my] God" (Mosiah 2:17).</div>
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For those of you that don't know or don't understand what it is I've been doing, it's been declaring the good tidings of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is so beautifully described by the Savior Himself as he visited the Nephites after His Resurrection. Said he, "Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me. And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil. And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works" (3 Nephi 27:23-15)</div>
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I've had a lot of trials here in Fiji, and a lot of hard times when I didn't know if I could keep going, or if I was making any difference. The words of Nephi helped me to put into perspective how God fits into the picture: "My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me<i> upon the waters of the great deep</i>." (2 Nephi 4:20)</div>
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In addition to the trials, though, I've seen literally countless miracles and blessings. I feel like Ammon, whose heart was "brim with joy", for "many mighty miracles [that has been] wrought in this land, for which we will praise His name forever". "Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel." (see Alma 26:11-12, 16) My experience in Fiji has been indescribable. I love the culture - so welcoming, so loving, so deep. I love the beauty of this land - especially Taveuni Island. Most importantly, though, I love the people - there isn't a people like this upon the face of the earth. There's no one like them. I love them so much, and have made so many amazing relationships with them that I can never forget them. They will be forever imprinted on my memory and my life. I'll leave Fiji on November 19th, 2016, but the Fijian people have stolen something from me, something they won't give back: my heart. It will always be here in my island home.</div>
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Like you have no idea how much I love this people. I feel like I'm leaving home all over again, it's going to be so hard to be gone and not see them for a long, long time, especially those people I've been able to work with closely, namely my Recent Converts and those who I've helped come back to church. My companions as well, I'll definitely miss them too. Honestly, this goodbye is going to be the hardest thing I've ever done. The mission experience has changed me - you'll see. I'm different now, because of these people and my Savior's blessed Atonement, which he performed in order "that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations", including Fiji (see Luke 24:46-48).</div>
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Au via wasea na noqu ivakadinadina ni'u kila ni bula tiko na Tamada Vakalomalagi, vaka tale ga kina na Luvena Duabau Ga ko Jisu Karisito, sai koya na iVakabula kei na Dauveivueti kei Vuravura. Au lomani koya, oqori gona na vu ni noqu veiqaravi vakaoqo. Au sega ni kila tu na cava na qai yaco e na gauna e muri, ia au sega ni vakatitiqataka tiko ni'u vakararavi tiko vua na Tamaqu mai Lomalagi. Au vakadinadinataka ni dina na lotu oqo, sai koya oqo na lotu dina duadua ga i vuravura kece sara, sai koya na Lotu i Jisu Karisito. Au vakadinadinataka ni dina na loloma ni Kalou, vaka tale ga kina na Nona Veisorovaki na iVakabula me baleti keda. Au dau lagata na sere ni lotu talei duadua vei au, sai koya na ikaciwasagavulukavitu ni sere, "Liutaki Au". Dou kua ni rere se dou taqaya; e na liutaki keda tu ga na noda Kalou vinaka. Au lomani kemuni, me vaka au sa lomani ira na iTaukei eke i Viti, sai noqu vanua dina. Au lomana vakabibi na noqu matavuvale, ka'u cavuta na veika kece oqo e na yaca talei i Jisu Karisito, o koya sa vakaukauwataki au, Emeni.</div>
Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-54003615711256301402016-11-13T18:56:00.000-08:002016-11-13T18:56:10.116-08:00Na Veitacini (Lautoka 2nd Area, Week 12)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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LautoKlan District in our District shirts at our Beach P-Day!</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">So just to explain the title of this email, we went to see Sireli, Sereima, Elesi, and the gang on Saturday like we set up but we got there and everyone was sleeping (Fijians just leave their doors open during the day, that's how peaceful this country is), so we left and came back the following day. They told us that after we'd left, one of the little kids woke up Sereima and said, "Na, rau na veitacini sa qai lako oti!" (translation for those who don't know the celestial language: "Mom, the brothers just left!") But funny thing is, the word "veitacini" means brothers as in siblings - like, brothers in a family, not like referring to other people as "brother". So it was pretty crack up, just thought it put a perfect spin on our week.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGw_1S8PSw5aXgXlPw3NYpxHmqCPKKswM3ccontsTKFQviBSBJD8Lj8NGIMvut4Zq5r9czLxw3rQid6QoSVWEQ_h-CfgbjbAl8wJJE73KQ3quU8_H9UYuOat77rQKYq73PwM8nzYEGGn0/s1600/IMG_1158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGw_1S8PSw5aXgXlPw3NYpxHmqCPKKswM3ccontsTKFQviBSBJD8Lj8NGIMvut4Zq5r9czLxw3rQid6QoSVWEQ_h-CfgbjbAl8wJJE73KQ3quU8_H9UYuOat77rQKYq73PwM8nzYEGGn0/s320/IMG_1158.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFKUtB804I2uEM8jKBBmgoKh_wIBcjZzTA2_ju8dzhZzXFm0i_TprrhR2intTfx3lxhnP3qz4ODzFUfPwM9hlD148aGG5dPnd1zN3UB2ddHbZOzuDTv9Gh92f70d275rt790MqtcH_uo/s1600/IMG_1154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFKUtB804I2uEM8jKBBmgoKh_wIBcjZzTA2_ju8dzhZzXFm0i_TprrhR2intTfx3lxhnP3qz4ODzFUfPwM9hlD148aGG5dPnd1zN3UB2ddHbZOzuDTv9Gh92f70d275rt790MqtcH_uo/s200/IMG_1154.JPG" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-size: small;">Monday we hit up that beach P-Day down at a beach in Nadi called Wailoaloa (which means "Black water", which was a little unsettling at first but we got there and realized it wasn't actually black). We had a blast playing touch rugby and playing frisbee on the beach, and we took some sick District and Zone pictures too with all the missionaries here in the Lautoka Zone. Tuesday we had our Zone Training Meeting, which went very well, and we had a local barbecue stand cater for us and it turned out to be one of the best zone lunches any of us have had on our missions. Just a way fun day, and we ended it off with some splits in Nawaka area and then heading back to Lautoka.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3Exh8KshlVwzbZ3qt9WOgtfyBxX0ZNjybjWdvgeoypUNTprJjPsl72GGsiTbf2UIe3mflPryBdHfAMFLXxx9twTjOl2xwJQp6ocLyzXRS8bbVnfSl649W9ZK1iiXuMgVHIag4w7jYx0/s1600/IMG_1157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3Exh8KshlVwzbZ3qt9WOgtfyBxX0ZNjybjWdvgeoypUNTprJjPsl72GGsiTbf2UIe3mflPryBdHfAMFLXxx9twTjOl2xwJQp6ocLyzXRS8bbVnfSl649W9ZK1iiXuMgVHIag4w7jYx0/s200/IMG_1157.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Wednesday was pretty fun too, but Thursday is where the real fun started. We </span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb2fTk2P6fo5fq2gbhQpa3V840jS_ZziBdFjZ1cunOWFeEghRAQ5VEeenFPq4-f4eThpFt-oJHmOVC-dN1djrqWQRCCcrZcmi7RjElfszWTkW7goNLdmNpVKsxJ_vRpRek5W-feH-sVTE/s1600/IMG_1167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb2fTk2P6fo5fq2gbhQpa3V840jS_ZziBdFjZ1cunOWFeEghRAQ5VEeenFPq4-f4eThpFt-oJHmOVC-dN1djrqWQRCCcrZcmi7RjElfszWTkW7goNLdmNpVKsxJ_vRpRek5W-feH-sVTE/s320/IMG_1167.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">brought two of the YSA with us, Lusi and Manu, and we went to see Rupeni, who schools at Fiji National University (FNU) and came to church last week on Lusi's invitation. He really wanted a Book of Mormon, like really bad, so we gave it to him and taught him the Restoration. It was a pretty legit lesson, and we talked again about the Book of Mormon when we saw him on Saturday. He said he wanted the English version because he said it was "titobu" ("deeper"). We were like, "Okay, this guy is for real". He didn't end up coming to church, which was unfortunate, but that's okay, he's still new with the lessons and everything.</span><br />
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Left to right: Lusi (member), Rupeni (investigator),</div>
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Manu (member), Elder Afatasi, and me.</div>
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Eroni, who just </div>
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got baptized last week!</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our lessons this week with Sireli and Sereima were just boss as, we saw them on Thursday with</span> Manu and Lusi, and then again on Sunday afternoon with two more YSA who are preparing for missions, Uthro (our Ward Mission Leader's son) and Nunia. Sireli and </span><span style="font-size: small;">Sereima have been opening up tons lately, they have been really interested in the Plan of Salvation and it's brought out a lot of interesting comments and concerns. We talked again about baptism on Sunday when Sereima said that she was sometimes worried that her past mistakes would stop her from getting to heaven. They seemed so keen about being baptized that after the lesson, Nunia and Uthro both said that they were really sincere investigators. It was just so nice to have great member presents this week. If youse are free, try going out with the missionaries in your area and you will be a great help to the missionaries and the investigators. It's really amazing actually the influence everyday members of the church have on people taking the missionary lessons.</span></div>
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Me and Elder Mong-Yen,</div>
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the man himself</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFaagUhmtvDWh6L50vjFxuQA9MAqhGVdOt9jBdqmyG1JkPMvAi8f8aTv4XG1Wmho32f285qPkfrxOcBjOclpbIl-4ob1IbwaFfQ9nc67all-w735NuNUu-ixFNNHuPtT_y6GSAjPi_mnI/s1600/IMG_0228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFaagUhmtvDWh6L50vjFxuQA9MAqhGVdOt9jBdqmyG1JkPMvAi8f8aTv4XG1Wmho32f285qPkfrxOcBjOclpbIl-4ob1IbwaFfQ9nc67all-w735NuNUu-ixFNNHuPtT_y6GSAjPi_mnI/s200/IMG_0228.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWaajHm9h4RBFtrqsdbzxki_3ZxWKAxYYqO3wV_tEMdgqU0Y_dm9cmnUtN-hPHy27FJm8yrdx1-ERthvgJyM_xwoY5O2unFW8_D9iCAYY3_ew7t0iStATmpffWgDnurLRQ5XBgOFevdmM/s1600/IMG_0226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWaajHm9h4RBFtrqsdbzxki_3ZxWKAxYYqO3wV_tEMdgqU0Y_dm9cmnUtN-hPHy27FJm8yrdx1-ERthvgJyM_xwoY5O2unFW8_D9iCAYY3_ew7t0iStATmpffWgDnurLRQ5XBgOFevdmM/s200/IMG_0226.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">Saturday we also got to go to Nadi to do some baptismal interviews for the Nadi Hindi Elders. The two candidates were some of our favorite interviews both Elder Afatasi and I have conducted. It was super fun to see that progression and how ready they were for baptism. We were hoping for Sister Taukei's baptism to be this week, but she was never home when we went to see her and she didn't even come to church, so that was a little </span></div>
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Some pictures with members I know </div>
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and love here in Lautoka 2nd Ward</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Well, you'll see my final update a little later this week, my lovely mother will post it on the blog. Hope you all have a wonderful week!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Elda Barnaby</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: small;">Primary Program Party - we got the invite!</span></b></div>
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Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-67865114426774899302016-11-06T17:55:00.003-08:002016-11-06T18:02:06.856-08:00The Lord's Not Letting Me Finish Easy (Lautoka 2nd Area, Week 11)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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Last MLC picture!</div>
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Wow! What a week! It's been one thing after another - first, I was sick on the way back from Suva. And then I had a fever. And then I got pink eye. And then I lost my voice. I couldn't believe it. I haven't been sick for months, and then BAM! Elder Afatasi was just like, "Hey it's cause you're going home in 2 weeks, the Lord's not letting you finish easy!" (that's paraphrased, but at least it sounds cool)</div>
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Tuesday and Wednesday we were in Suva for our Missionary Leadership Council. It was way good, and tons of changes were implemented to help the mission become so much more efficient and better at the work of salvation. It was a pleasure to be on the MLC during such a time. I had to give me departing testimony there too, and it was hard sara ga, but don't worry, I didn't cry (yet).</div>
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Thursday we got back and went straight to drop off all the tons of stuff we brought from Suva for the missionaries out here - everything from washing machines to microwaves to chairs - you name it, we probably had it stuffed somewhere in Pattie. Gotta love Pattie. But we were just exhausted - in fact, we've driven probably 800 kilometers total this week. Just nuts!</div>
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This picture is very special to me even though I wasn't there...</td></tr>
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This is Atu - the big man in white, also from Samabula! The amazing thing about this is that when Elder Kahia and I were together, we just talked to this man outside his home, it was nuts how well he progressed and when I heard he'd been baptized, I was elated. The power of the Spirit to work in the hearts of the Lord's servants is amazing!</div>
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The rest of the week was spent getting ready for Eroni's baptism, which was awesome (pictures to come next week). We got there Sunday morning, though, and found out at 7:30am that the font was not filled the day before like we thought - and the baptism was at 8:30am. So we were rushing around, filling buckets, dumping them into the font, trying to get it filled on time. It was actually really funny - reminded me of Sister Matanatabu's baptism, when we had to change the dirty water last minute. Our Ward Mission Leader, Brother Lal, and his family helped us out and it was way fun. Stressful as, but fun.</div>
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At church on Sunday Eroni's cousin, Nunia, invited her friend to come to church and he really enjoyed it - he and I really hit it off and we easily got a return appointment with him for Thursday. His name was Rupeni, and we're way pumped to starte teaching him. After church we went on splits with some of the YSA and we just smashed out 6 lessons in 2 hours. It was way fun, and we got some new investigators too who accepted a soft baptismal invitation. We're way excited for what's coming next.</div>
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This picture is very special to me even though I wasn't there...</td></tr>
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This is Deborah Matanatabu (the 9-year-old girl in white) from Samabula. She was the last one that needed to be baptized in their family, and when I was there we got her excited about being baptized, but the problem was she was living with her grandparents who are very against the church. Now, though, she stays with her immediate family and her dad, who I helped bring back to church, was able to perform the baptism. You'll recognize Sofaia Matanatabu too, her mom, who is still my favorite convert.</div>
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While in Suva, I ran into Sister Sautu, wife of the Bishop from Samabula 2nd, and she told me that the ward is getting way big - in the 90s and 100s now every week. When I got there in February, it was hitting maybe 30s or low 40s, and when I left in July it was hitting 60s and 70s, but hearing those numbers and hearing about all the wonderful people I know being blessing and getting baptized, it just brought amazing joy to my soul. Best of all, remember the Matanatabu family and their living conditions, where they were kicked out of their house? Now they have a place of their own!</div>
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This truly is the Plan of Happiness - and even though the Lord's not letting me finish easy, I'm loving every minute of my time here serving Him. I know He does it because He love me and wants me to grow.</div>
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Love you all!</div>
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Elda Barnaby</div>
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Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-15122476822161715632016-10-30T20:02:00.000-07:002016-10-30T20:02:18.076-07:00Oqo (Lautoka 2nd Area, Week 10)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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Got to go back to Nasivikoso - one last time!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJCYwd51Cf-Dk2175LcG6joHtKVpcYyZhk1LGha8r5mZp5MoIMABY81Itw9UnM3A20xivbaviJZ-tTPshGUzK8Tz2udjo4UsihI-ZhMHehO0pS6NOyLtj0r6r8f21djbDdI_evfQlBCVU/s1600/IMG_0036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJCYwd51Cf-Dk2175LcG6joHtKVpcYyZhk1LGha8r5mZp5MoIMABY81Itw9UnM3A20xivbaviJZ-tTPshGUzK8Tz2udjo4UsihI-ZhMHehO0pS6NOyLtj0r6r8f21djbDdI_evfQlBCVU/s320/IMG_0036.JPG" width="320" /></a>Well this week has been quite a week! Sorry, it takes too long to explain this week's title, suffice it to say that it means, "This" in Fijian. Things are still moving here in Fiji Suva Mission, here's the run-down!</div>
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Monday we had a fun combined Family Home Evening at the Stake Patriarch's house, followed by a boss potluck dinner. It was potLucky for us! #letsgo #dry</div>
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Tuesday District Meeting was fun, we had some fire cooking from the Sisters (though Elder Mokie did knock my plate on the floor). After a few fallthroughs to start off all of a sudden the work picked up and we were able to see a bunch of our investigators and less-actives. One of our investigators, Eroni, we invited to be baptized on the 13th on next month, my last Sunday. He happily accepted, but when he came to church on Sunday, he asked, "Hey Elders, can I just get baptized next week?" So we're getting excited to have him for baptism next week, along with Sister Taukei, whose records are missing and has to be baptized again in order to recreate them. Probably best part of our day, though, was getting to sit down with Niko. He's still the man - his church attendance since his baptism has been on and off, it's been hard because of his work, but we're trying to help him see the wonderful benefit of coming to church every week and putting the Lord first in his life.</div>
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More shenanigans with Elda Afatasi</div>
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Wednesday we went up to Nasivikoso with the Dratabu Elders, probably for the last time. The area has been handed over to them so we, being the only one who knows the way up through the mountain road, took them up to show them around and introduce them to the members in the village. It was a fun time, especially when I was talking to a recently baptized 10-year-old girl up there and asked her who baptized her. She replied, "Elder 'Ita and Elder Painapiu!" I just laughed because I (Elder Painapiu/Pineapple) hadn't baptized her, she had just forgotten the other Elder's name.</div>
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Thursday we hopped right into an exchange with Rakiraki elders, and I got to go with Elder Masoe, who was my MTC companion. It was actually ridiculously fun, we told stories and laughed the whole time and had a boss day of laboring in the Lord's Vineyard (see Jacob 5 in the Book of Mormon). We got some new investigators, two Indian girls named Jana and Jyoti who are ons tu mada ga. Jyoti asked some really soul-searching questions, so we came back on Sunday and started teaching the Plan of Salvation to help her out (for more on the Plan of Salvation, go to <a href="https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/plan-of-salvation"><span class="s1">https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/plan-of-salvation</span></a>).</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Friday we got back from exchanges with Rakiraki elders and, after a quick lunch, went straight on exchanges again with the Nadi Hindi elders. It was a fun day of lessons in their area, though it was funny because we taught only Fijians, when their primary focus is supposed to be the Fiji Indian population. One family we visited (who the Nadi elders are hopefully going to baptize next week) was way funny as we taught them about the law of tithing. The father wanted to give an example, so he pulled out one of the pamphlets, gave it to Elder Howard (of Nadi) and said, "Here, let's say this is my tithing. I give it, and"--picking up his empty glass of water--"the Lord pours out His blessings upon us." </span>He then tipped over the not-so-empty cup and out came water, all over Elder Howard's lap. We all died laughing, it was a classic gag.</div>
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Lots of exploring this week - gotta love Fiji!</div>
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Peni got baptized!</div>
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Saturday was a really slow day, but we were able to get Peni approved for his baptism, which was held before church on Sunday. We were so happy for that event, because it's been well over a year in the making. He finally made it, and it was a special experience to watch his wife hug him right as he came up out of the water, and as he bore his testimony he started crying and it just showed how much this man has hoped for this day, trying to overcome past mistakes in order to align his life with the Savior and His teachings. It was just a great end to a great week.</div>
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I love you all, and I am ready for another awesome week!</div>
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Elder Barnaby</div>
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he Naicker kids were looking for crabs while </div>
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we walked with them to visit one of their friends.</div>
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I made pudding pie with an oreo cookie crust for District Meeting. It was pretty good!</div>
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Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-2846287980291471342016-10-23T18:54:00.003-07:002016-10-23T18:54:43.746-07:00Me + Christ = More (Lautoka 2nd Area, Week 9)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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Picking up Pattie again with some of the elders - happy happy, joy joy!</div>
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My oh my, it's already been 9 weeks in this one area - that's so fast! I love it here in Lautoka, and even though this past week was long and hard, I think I finally know how much worth each minute is here on the mission.</div>
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At District Meeting, the Sisters got each of us jellybeans </div>
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with Disney characters that "represented" us - <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">I got Yoda, cause I'm small haha</span></div>
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What made this week long? Just lots to do, most of it spent traveling back and forth from Nadi in the car. But we finally got Pattie from the garage and gave the Nadi Hindi elders their car back, so everyone's happy now! It was kind of unsettling how they fixed the doors on Pattie, though - we watched as probably four or five mechanics pried from the outside with screwdrivers and kicked and pushed from the inside until the door got unstuck. Only in Fiji, folks. But hey, I should be grateful, however ghetto it was, it worked, and now the doors are unstuck.</div>
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My universal charger broke, so I went all MacGyver on it</div>
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Like I said, it was a very busy week, but one of those busy weeks that drag on because a lot of the business is spent sitting waiting or driving places. We did have the Assistants over on Thursday after </div>
our self-reliance class because of the Leadership Training meeting on Friday, where President and Sister Layton came and taught us leadership skills. It was a good, intense meeting with some lovely pizza in between (as lovely as pizza can get in Fiji).<br />
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We had a good lesson with Sereima, Sireli, Elesi and Fina on Saturday - we had challenged them to watch the "Restoration" dvd that we'd given them and some of them watched it, but I felt like we needed to be more serious with them about all of this. They seem to like the Book of Mormon and understand that what we share is good and might be true, and they're like right on the threshold of revelation but haven't quite made that final step to know for themselves. So we challenged them to try their faith and come to church. We even offered to walk with them. They said yes. On Sunday morning we walked to their house (a good 30+ minute walk) and only Elesi and Fina could come, but we brought them anyway. They seemed to really like it, even though the chapel was far and transportation was hard to find. We tried hard to get as many people as possible, especially the YSA group, to introduce themselves and make them feel at home. We were really proud of them making that step, and we're hoping that Sereima and Sireli will soon follow afterwards.</div>
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Powerful zoom on my camera reveals the stowaway - hope he doesn't fall off!</div>
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I've learned a lot this week about love - the divine love that our Heavenly Father has for us, His children. I also learned that being positive goes a long way in making a better day - a lot of the time this week I was pretty down because of missing appointments and the amount of travel in order to fulfill our duty as Zone Leaders, but when I was happy and positive, everything changed. Finally, I learned that I can't do all this on my own. Me + More does not equal Christlike. No, the correct equation is Me + Christ = More. (see <a href="https://www.lds.org/blog/the-perfect-lie?cid=HP_FR_21-10-2016_dOCS_fBLOG_xLIDyL2-1_"><span class="s1">https://www.lds.org/blog/the-perfect-lie?cid=HP_FR_21-10-2016_dOCS_fBLOG_xLIDyL2-1_</span></a>)</div>
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Use Christ's enabling Atonement this week, and I promise I will too. Remember, the Atonement is for much more than just blotting out sins; it's about making sinners celestial.</div>
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Love yous!</div>
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Elda Barnaby</div>
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Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-64586504470737232892016-10-17T08:08:00.000-07:002016-10-17T08:08:15.193-07:00I Love Walking (Lautoka 2nd Area, Week 8)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7EzMSiVR_3e68oodLcSOSuwjOsCS9DZvCg2LhIzgLDPg4mVRmmvksfXGSzrCp-JI4jn53slPPofciuWIGPJZ_akhYrr4b45hUt9vhSR54Sj5gad-r6W9r9DeuMw7MPzBuPSmurFbOMs/s1600/IMG_0144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7EzMSiVR_3e68oodLcSOSuwjOsCS9DZvCg2LhIzgLDPg4mVRmmvksfXGSzrCp-JI4jn53slPPofciuWIGPJZ_akhYrr4b45hUt9vhSR54Sj5gad-r6W9r9DeuMw7MPzBuPSmurFbOMs/s640/IMG_0144.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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Ulunikoro family, definitely one of my favorites here in Lautoka</div>
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Wow! This week has legit been one of the craziest, most exhausting weeks of my life - every single night I hit the hay way hard and woke up still sore and tired from all the running around the night before. We had several unexpected transfers and other errands to run, this week was just crazy.</div>
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We were hoping for Peni's baptism this week, but unfortunately, he his interview didn't go as well as we hoped, and he will have to wait a few weeks to make sure he's fully ready to make the commitment to be baptized. We were disappointed, but proud of him, because he asked us for a Priesthood blessing (<a href="https://www.lds.org/topics/priesthood-blessing?lang=eng"><span class="s1">https://www.lds.org/topics/priesthood-blessing?lang=eng</span></a>) to help him to stay strong until the time that he can be baptized.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisr1Wih4SV-_SDms78G_htZXhzp9Llt2qYSMxqCBCffCn9QVCbKBt-ItM0bJEApFtQtpemjIUNO3d4h5J_9eqWWhHkch8Ntl3bELouWKZBax8ZsiArvHZeEzABJidUy3qHjpTj8qmveB4/s1600/IMG_0134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisr1Wih4SV-_SDms78G_htZXhzp9Llt2qYSMxqCBCffCn9QVCbKBt-ItM0bJEApFtQtpemjIUNO3d4h5J_9eqWWhHkch8Ntl3bELouWKZBax8ZsiArvHZeEzABJidUy3qHjpTj8qmveB4/s320/IMG_0134.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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My newest (and last) companion, Elder Afatasi!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9T-y1TA_vY8-l3TTZDlJiI6zLJWa8-aGfDzwEIQvUmC6jVKwXBU1FRbGDQStmeONBTSShpBE7bHV9X0aLjtl2o8QK6phNerZCHFEX4fh9P9XLGhPMCx8ZqDUUV0XWGcPDL-rr28AnL4/s1600/IMG_0138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9T-y1TA_vY8-l3TTZDlJiI6zLJWa8-aGfDzwEIQvUmC6jVKwXBU1FRbGDQStmeONBTSShpBE7bHV9X0aLjtl2o8QK6phNerZCHFEX4fh9P9XLGhPMCx8ZqDUUV0XWGcPDL-rr28AnL4/s200/IMG_0138.JPG" width="200" /></a>We were able to find several new people to teach this week. One is Eroni, a friend of some Recent Converts that has now come to church twice. Another is Sini, the husband of a member who has also come to church two times. We're excited to start working with them this coming week.<br />
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We were also able to go on exchanges with the Nawaka Elders in their area. Boy, I was so excited to walk again - it's kind of funny how that works. But we had a great time, got a lot of work done, and had some funny moments - like when I interviewed a baptismal candidate and then we found out afterwards that he had already been baptized a member of the church and had just forgotten. That was hilarious. Kind of disappointing, but very funny nonetheless.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_0ibMX_mUPZDQL9MeyWMkReblepCipEVd_4V_5xR7rqsnZbgNhjFkfBzFXAhgxinSc9NgplIaPG015rqLyg7axVd9dyRS9Rg-yIk55xJvG59UN8q90AM8Ogd-QaGgCd96xuVJEcyjJw/s1600/IMG_0152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_0ibMX_mUPZDQL9MeyWMkReblepCipEVd_4V_5xR7rqsnZbgNhjFkfBzFXAhgxinSc9NgplIaPG015rqLyg7axVd9dyRS9Rg-yIk55xJvG59UN8q90AM8Ogd-QaGgCd96xuVJEcyjJw/s320/IMG_0152.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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Our District Leader, the sisters and I spent the </div>
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morning making donuts<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> to </span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">surprise Elder Afatasi for his birthday!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9jCatBXMCgytAIFMtd9hk-QTE4TuH2mEKf7LTfKswYrDMMvDlrdpuq14h2jnF8JWHvrVEFBHI2xHyQIeJZtmpiCE_UlKEQOdcUfQyFwF2sOGGakMdpZEeULmAkb08FafOoPpeJT2gkQ/s1600/IMG_0155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9jCatBXMCgytAIFMtd9hk-QTE4TuH2mEKf7LTfKswYrDMMvDlrdpuq14h2jnF8JWHvrVEFBHI2xHyQIeJZtmpiCE_UlKEQOdcUfQyFwF2sOGGakMdpZEeULmAkb08FafOoPpeJT2gkQ/s200/IMG_0155.JPG" width="200" /></a>Sorry this isn't very long, we spent all morning making donuts for Elder Afatasi's birthday (which is tomorrow, but we want to celebrate with the Zone for P-Day) and I didn't have a lot of time today. But I do want to share one thing from General Conference, which we were able to watch this past week. Here are two quotes that I loved:</div>
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"Someday 'every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess' that God’s ways are just and His plan is perfect. For you and me, let that day be today." - President Dieter F. Uchtdorf</div>
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"There is only one way to judge righteous judgment, as Jesus Christ does, and that is to be as He is." - Lynn G. Robbins</div>
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Love yous all!</div>
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Elder Barnaby</div>
Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-23899847299818463452016-10-09T18:09:00.001-07:002016-10-09T18:09:41.681-07:00Reality Check (Lautoka 2nd Ward, Week 7)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_HZyd-aRNxw1yU4d7kTr4xakCQAJlEh0Hr0EIaDVNZTtWPMnUCKkr4BZb6nMvvR2J0MeIiHhWYnqvmSGy9mPAldsSfR9Bb_Vv74Y3-ux-05AaK64FaIKCp7lyrpVglCL7iDHFcDwda8o/s1600/finish+line+ahead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_HZyd-aRNxw1yU4d7kTr4xakCQAJlEh0Hr0EIaDVNZTtWPMnUCKkr4BZb6nMvvR2J0MeIiHhWYnqvmSGy9mPAldsSfR9Bb_Vv74Y3-ux-05AaK64FaIKCp7lyrpVglCL7iDHFcDwda8o/s320/finish+line+ahead.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I think that the beginning of the end is almost harder than the actual end. Last week, we had transfers, and thankfully I didn't go anywhere, but Elder Fitisemanu got transferred to be Zone Leader over in Suva Zone, in the Suva 2nd Ward, while Elder Afatasi, former Zone Leader in that zone, got transferred to be with me, as my final companion. We've now also been told that Nasivikoso will be handed over to the Dratabu Elders, along with our truck (we'll be getting the van from them - that's right, Pattie's back!) I've now officially had 16 companions and 7 areas, and this is my final transfer.</div>
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Tuesday we had our Zone Training Meeting, and it went pretty good, though we ran out of time at the end so Elder Fitisemanu and I greatly shortened our training, to the point where we really didn't say much at all. But it was still a good meeting - lots was learned, and to be honest, I learned a lot about running a meeting, almost more than the actual topics discussed. The same thing happened last ZTM, and Zone Conference as well. The Lord designs these missions in an amazing way.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdscM2lt2-rBNitCJePz4LZBckudbgq2SUaoKe2D4o10wfmFneTrcd0RfTyKsGZnnOEyJx_I39KQlKHNvToa1oq5MB7xzPtG8p65YLiSWiMlB1b2vjfYi0cET6y_kTlRBGcFzmhIWqMGw/s1600/MTC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdscM2lt2-rBNitCJePz4LZBckudbgq2SUaoKe2D4o10wfmFneTrcd0RfTyKsGZnnOEyJx_I39KQlKHNvToa1oq5MB7xzPtG8p65YLiSWiMlB1b2vjfYi0cET6y_kTlRBGcFzmhIWqMGw/s320/MTC.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Beginning.... <br />(me entering the MTC on Dec 3rd almost 2 years ago)</td></tr>
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Later that day we got the transfer calls, actually right as we were waiting with Miri for Peni to get home so we could review the Baptismal Interview Questions with him. It was way funny, too, cause after the call from President, we waited until it was dark out and then we turned to Miri and told her we'd come back another time and just closed in a prayer. In the prayer we asked that the Lord would help Peni prepare for the interview on his own and that he would remember everything, and to our shock, as we closed in the name of the Savior and said amen, who should walk up at that exact moment than Peni. It happened again later, as we had a wonderful lesson with the Vunibola's about the Temple and, as we talked about giving Niko the picture of his baptism, Niko walked up right then. It was awesome, because Elder Fitisemanu was then able to say goodbye to him before getting transferred.</div>
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Elder Fitisemanu left on Thursday, and I hung out with the Dratabu Elders until Elder Afatasi came in. We then worked on Transfers until Saturday, when we helped out the Dratabu Elders with the outgoing missionaries. That was a long, hard day - not only because of all the logistics, but also because it was hard seeing them go. Elder Ta'a finished his mission, as did Elder Noble, and two of the Sisters that served in my district in Samabula, Sister Fiu and Sister Taufa. It was hard saying goodbye, but I was so proud of them all - especially my comp, Elder Ta'a. Overall, though, it was just a big reality check, because I'll be in the next group of missionaries that goes through that airport to the plane home.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zMAKSPo7QpmE6Dhl4D04pQ5rfXIbEv2KhiUqL2rjA1jLTBonN0NardD5CMmQLQcP46tzqwEIEDf-RnDOIdph-YG4FsBgB9TjXM4V2CNtfhyphenhyphenr4WGfFMuhsDfMg0Y-0Tnj0_QpiFUZBag/s1600/DSCN6853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zMAKSPo7QpmE6Dhl4D04pQ5rfXIbEv2KhiUqL2rjA1jLTBonN0NardD5CMmQLQcP46tzqwEIEDf-RnDOIdph-YG4FsBgB9TjXM4V2CNtfhyphenhyphenr4WGfFMuhsDfMg0Y-0Tnj0_QpiFUZBag/s320/DSCN6853.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Middle...(me on the beach of Taveuni over a year ago)<br />The Finish Line is not far ahead.....</td></tr>
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Sunday was a nice dive back into missionary life - we had a packed house at church during the watching of General Conference. In fact, we had 4 investigators and something like 7 or 8 less-actives that came. We had to go into the overflow, there were so many people! It was a great introduction for Elder Afatasi into the ward. We were hoping to have Peni's baptism on Sunday, but Bishop asked for us to have it next week, so we obliged and so did Peni. We're so excited for him, though, and the rest of our less-actives and investigators we're working with this month.</div>
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Even though I know reality is catching up with me, I'm going to work hard and achieve much in my life these last few weeks. No need for "Ready, Set, Go" because I can see the finish line - but before then, I think I'll be on my knees a lot, and then on the move towards victory.</div>
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Loloma yani!</div>
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Elder Barnaby</div>
Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-52110009218006708922016-10-02T19:17:00.002-07:002016-10-02T19:17:41.684-07:00Our Way < The Way It Actually Went (Lautoka 2nd Ward, Week 6)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2fJyJNEDJcvZ1pslD8dvMJ3T6K2bUJ4zql5fBmblFIFR_idIlnidhKKth6rcgu084-nUQaeZFOeTTZFJAJBL5O2ILUEZ-aIjpFuexMDgxkBtup6RMmSEzhXFkvxGIt7CVdwsN1F9YWs/s1600/IMG_0068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2fJyJNEDJcvZ1pslD8dvMJ3T6K2bUJ4zql5fBmblFIFR_idIlnidhKKth6rcgu084-nUQaeZFOeTTZFJAJBL5O2ILUEZ-aIjpFuexMDgxkBtup6RMmSEzhXFkvxGIt7CVdwsN1F9YWs/s640/IMG_0068.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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Nice scenic shots from Nasivikoso and Natabua seaside</div>
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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.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Pw7EcLTdnySsbB46nbmyVvorm0dJLTUOi4avr8K8ajXmIgaE2jiCOBUH14UgyvPAUwUWaJs4PfeQUhTjNDSGz72wMeKW4VXRcx7ymRA6m0Xrv9gCYSyXVfRljdMkTlGYLl2u_N01JU4/s1600/image028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Pw7EcLTdnySsbB46nbmyVvorm0dJLTUOi4avr8K8ajXmIgaE2jiCOBUH14UgyvPAUwUWaJs4PfeQUhTjNDSGz72wMeKW4VXRcx7ymRA6m0Xrv9gCYSyXVfRljdMkTlGYLl2u_N01JU4/s320/image028.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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Mission Leadership Council, October 2016</div>
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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!</div>
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The drive up to Nasivikoso is always a spiritual experience</div>
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(especially when I fall asleep for half of the way)</div>
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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 <i>didn't</i> happen was the lessons that we wanted to teach).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPlyGa-aw4vKQmbU6ms8h6KmMwJC0kx6dyXPsO1M4dxB12H4P49ilVdPABmh8mBbmZy9QNBo78bAGHVv9z8qg_W1-aGF2oLvxi600bQl8rdNUJ528NwvaZFl9ITiMhl7-dG6I1PJTJGH0/s1600/IMG_0018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPlyGa-aw4vKQmbU6ms8h6KmMwJC0kx6dyXPsO1M4dxB12H4P49ilVdPABmh8mBbmZy9QNBo78bAGHVv9z8qg_W1-aGF2oLvxi600bQl8rdNUJ528NwvaZFl9ITiMhl7-dG6I1PJTJGH0/s400/IMG_0018.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjySHfitnC7CrNdZOVXxlGiczc8LJWhrPjHk5m3Ihrthr_T9TKCgDphQH9oN2gbcaDkL-IyTEpcpW7LOfydDBcHVZpB5pMgqsqlb6Gvxe0iK7PRsd54N55cR_32kIe40L-R0ubvjqjelg/s1600/IMG_0041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjySHfitnC7CrNdZOVXxlGiczc8LJWhrPjHk5m3Ihrthr_T9TKCgDphQH9oN2gbcaDkL-IyTEpcpW7LOfydDBcHVZpB5pMgqsqlb6Gvxe0iK7PRsd54N55cR_32kIe40L-R0ubvjqjelg/s320/IMG_0041.JPG" width="320" /></a>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.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5Li6-mKPaOHwATgMF-oRSOdjxHvSd0v_8z_70YP5D9hiMbrfji4cIyRNviya4eFk0PrUXowZ3WF4fuqGhUvX8EyybYxNBjSkpjHwe0dPrDcVBZxc35nXkzhwqzSjOctfTeXiR3uyfjA/s1600/IMG_0010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5Li6-mKPaOHwATgMF-oRSOdjxHvSd0v_8z_70YP5D9hiMbrfji4cIyRNviya4eFk0PrUXowZ3WF4fuqGhUvX8EyybYxNBjSkpjHwe0dPrDcVBZxc35nXkzhwqzSjOctfTeXiR3uyfjA/s400/IMG_0010.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFLoHXlQN7BDhGDUAG8CW8FDXUo2y8o4FY3kSsqLBhcRGsEqTcA3cdgLNPy3e1cfo2mg90Kfhzi3TmmbE6EVxtc72rSRF2Gsacx4sfcpmyeXVeUIWv24jV7eWCPPeVtmSTgRi3PStOFI/s1600/IMG_0014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFLoHXlQN7BDhGDUAG8CW8FDXUo2y8o4FY3kSsqLBhcRGsEqTcA3cdgLNPy3e1cfo2mg90Kfhzi3TmmbE6EVxtc72rSRF2Gsacx4sfcpmyeXVeUIWv24jV7eWCPPeVtmSTgRi3PStOFI/s200/IMG_0014.JPG" width="200" /></a>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).</div>
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And then we wenta farmin' with Atu Sigadrodro</div>
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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 <i>your</i> plan. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." (Isaiah 55:8)</div>
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Elder Barnaby</div>
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This camera has been floating around the mission for like a year, </div>
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and I'm using it for the last stretch of my mission </div>
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until it's rightful owner comes off of Rotuma Island.</div>
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Gettin' ghetto in Nasivikoso #kaicolo</div>
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<br />Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-22778159967132143532016-09-26T06:31:00.000-07:002016-09-26T06:31:13.829-07:00The Great Plan of Happiness (Lautoka 2nd, Week 5)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuDDdHDL5ugJMphX7e4_HCXYrkb3TsV-0xD75FKkY6eLgmG6ybKt8yqk78t45Flx4P_UOJCVjSKZ5LHoI-CbCkIDYNrhds9LMpRoizeWqon79732rZBIhOgYr2n2iXbrm3yrnXfkkyO8/s1600/DSCN0284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuDDdHDL5ugJMphX7e4_HCXYrkb3TsV-0xD75FKkY6eLgmG6ybKt8yqk78t45Flx4P_UOJCVjSKZ5LHoI-CbCkIDYNrhds9LMpRoizeWqon79732rZBIhOgYr2n2iXbrm3yrnXfkkyO8/s320/DSCN0284.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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A lot has happened this week. This may have been one of the most draining weeks of my whole mission. But oh, how happy I am. In spite of all the hardship and sorrow, somehow I'm still happy. Probably because of Mosiah 2:41, which states, "<i>And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual.</i>"</div>
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Now, what happened this week again?</div>
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Peni and Miri - they crack me up</div>
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Tuesday was a great day for lessons - we didn't have any fall-throughs and we had a great dinner with the Ulunikoro family (they're like my new favorite family here in Lautoka). Brother Ulunikoro got home just before we got there at 7pm, and his wife wasn't home yet, so he threw together some curry for us. It was nice! And then, when Sister Ulunikoro got back from fishing, she fried up some of the fresh fish she caught. I forget what type of fish it was (that sentence was hard to write, first thing that came to mind was the Fijian, "mataqali ni ika"), but it was probably the tastiest fish I've had my whole mission.</div>
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Exchanges in Rakiraki with Elder Stock</div>
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Wednesday we went on exchanges with the Hindi-speaking elders in Nadi, but before that we went to an appointment with our new investigators, Sireli and Sereima. Sireli's niece and aunt both sat in on the lesson, and it was a powerful lesson - they really understood as we shared from Ephesians 2:20 and 4:5 about Christ's church and the need for His original church to be on the Earth today. By the end of the lesson, Sireli's aunt, Laisa, asked for a pamphlet of her own and she and Sireli's niece, Alesi, both expressed excitement about our next visit.</div>
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Exchanges with Nadi Hindi was fun, though (I got to drive the truck!), and we did a lot of good. We visited a less-active family with the ward clerk, Brother Pillay, and committed them to coming to church. My tactic to making sure they would come was that they wanted to feed us some time, and I told them that they could sign our dinner list at church on Sunday. They came, and it was signed, so that's a win-win-win situation for everyone. I learned a lot from being with Elder Howard on exchanges that day, though. We even got a new investigator while teaching Niko about the Ten Commandments - a kid named Wani, who lived next door to Niko.</div>
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Thursday was also fantastic - mostly because we got to see Sister Labalaba, who we were helping to reactivate, and found out that she had not only met with Bishop to get a temple recommend, but he'd also extended her a calling - and she accepted! We were so proud of her, and she was even among the first to church on Sunday. That night we talked about Temples with Niko, and he just grasped every little bit.</div>
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Friday and Saturday we had exchanges in Rakiraki with the Elders there. I went up to Rakiraki with Elder Stock and it was way fun - lots of work got done, and boy, they have a nice flat! I kept calling it "The Hotel". Maybe it's just nice to me because of my flats on Taveuni, which weren't the first place I'd choose to live. Saturday when we got back from exchanges, though, Niko had his baptismal interview and passed with flying colors.</div>
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Best news of all: Niko got baptized!</div>
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Sunday morning, at around 8am, we were able to witness Niko's baptism. It was a pleasant experience - probably one of the nicest, happiest baptisms I've had on my mission. Niko looked at me after I baptized him and he just looked like he was where he belonged. I felt the Spirit confirm that to me last week at Stake Conference, when a member of the Stake Presidency here in Lautoka was released and he spoke to all the nonmembers and less-actives that had come and said, "You're in the right place." Niko is starting to really become a part of the ward, too - after the baptismal service, a bunch of ward members came up to him and shook his hand and gave him hugs. I really like Lautoka 2nd Ward.</div>
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I want to send my condolences to the Pierce Family from my home ward in Massachusetts, who recently lost their son, Matthew. After hearing the news and a lot of prayer and study, I've gained a greater testimony of our Heavenly Father's plan for us, the Plan of Salvation. I hope and pray that all who knew Matthew, and all of us who deal with trial and hardship in our lives, may come to learn my personal favorite name for that plan. As Alma calls it, it truly is the "<b>great plan of happiness</b>" (Alma 42:8). So many things this week have taught me about it, and increased my desire to live it and love it and share it with others.</div>
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Toso Viti Toso,</div>
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Elder Barnaby</div>
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Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-9972754745636928012016-09-18T19:26:00.003-07:002016-09-18T19:27:15.870-07:00"And He ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of Miracles" (Lautoka 2nd Area, Week 4)<div class="p1" style="text-align: center;">
That scripture, found in Mormon 9:19, reads as follows: "<i>And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.</i>" (for a more full testimony of this truth, read the full chapter)</div>
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This is Niko - he's the man.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">He's a pretty good artist, too - he doodled this during Stake Conference</span></div>
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And boy, were there miracles this week or what.</div>
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Monday we had dinner and Family Home Evening with the Koro family, a few of which have started taking lessons and several of which are current members of the church. We had curried parrot fish, and I thought it was nice - Elder Fitisemanu, on the other hand, got a little sick from it.</div>
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Tuesday was a fun day - busy, but fun. We were tasked by our Mission President's wife, Sister Layton, to do the missionaries' flat inspections, due to the distance between the West and Suva. We'd done a bunch up to that point, but Tuesday morning we had to drive up to Ba and all the way to Tavua to do some of the inspections. By the time we got back, we were late for District Meeting, but thankfully they waited for us and we had a fun Preach My Gospel jeopardy challenge, in preparation for our Zone Conference Preach My Gospel challenge. I'll refer back to this later. Also on Tuesday we saw Niko and he surprised us when he handed us a piece of paper with a summary of the chapter we'd asked him to read from the Book of Mormon - we were shocked, because hardly any investigators do that. He also downloaded the Book of Mormon Stories animated videos onto his phone.</div>
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Zone Conference takeaway: "No Grit, No Pearl"</div>
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Wednesday we had exchanged with the Assistants to the Mission President, and that was fun - I went with Elder Harris, who was in the MTC with us, and we cranked out the work. I was especially excited when we didn't have a single fall-through, and we ended up with probably three or four return appointments and referrals, too.</div>
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Thursday came around and we had Zone Conference - my last one - in which we learned about how </div>
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We had a Preach My Gospel challenge </div>
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during Zone Conference, and our district won!</div>
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we need our trials to become better, and we also need to learn better how to commune with our Heavenly Father through prayer. It was way intense, and I learned tons! I also had the opportunity to bear my departing testimony, which all missionaries do at their last Zone Conference. It was sad, but it didn't put a damper on the Zone Conference spirit. Also, remember that Preach My Gospel challenge? Thanks to our practice activity during District Meeting, our district ended up winning.<br />
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Friday and Saturday were good - tough, but good. We were both a little under the weather and worried about pretty much everything, and we had a lot of fall-throughs that put a little damper on our spirits, but we were just excited to get to Stake Conference on Sunday.</div>
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E dua ga na vale</div>
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And that's when the miracles exploded.</div>
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We were sitting there, Stake Conference started, wondering where Niko was, along with the others we'd invited. Then Peni and Miri, a couple we're teaching, showed up during the beginning of the meeting. That made us happier, but we really needed to have Niko there, so that he could meet the requirements to be baptized next week. I prayed during the meeting - hard - that he would come. And then, I glanced back fleetingly and saw him, standing in the back of the crowded chapel. I motioned for him to join us, and my heart soared towards heaven with thanks. But after the meeting the Lord blessed us tenfold - in the end, we had 14 investigators at church, including Peni, Niko, Mereoni, 4 other new investigators, and 7 investigators from our other area, Nasivikoso. It was a miracle. Our mind was blown how amazing that was.</div>
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This is Niko - he's the man.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> We committed him to read Alma 40, and </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">he wrote up a summary to go along with it. That's a first.</span></div>
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To top it off, this morning (Monday morning) we witnessed Peni and Miri's marriage, something that they've been trying to do for a long, long time. Now, Miri is worthy again to hold a Temple Recommend and Peni can now be baptized in a few weeks. Amazing!</div>
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The Lord.</div>
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Loves.</div>
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Fiji.</div>
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Elder Barnaby</div>
Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-9440853070363102002016-09-11T19:30:00.000-07:002016-09-12T04:59:01.361-07:00Back to My Roots (Lautoka 2nd Area, Week 3)<div class="p1" style="text-align: center;">
"O iho hoi vai?" "Qi luve boto ehe - ahwe na lequ horo."</div>
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This week was packed, crazy, and just fantastic. Definite highlight of my week: I went back to my first area on exchanges.</div>
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I went to <b>Tavua</b>.</div>
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Crossing to Nasivi from Matanagata in Vatukoula, Tavua, just like good ol' times!</div>
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Here in Fiji Suva Mission, we embrace Fijian culture and say that wherever our first area is, that is our "koro" (village, specifically referring to your father's village) and our second area is our "koro ni vasu" (mother's village). So I am Kai Tavua (i.e. my ethnicity is Tavuan), Vasu i Taveuni (i.e. my "mother's village" is on Taveuni Island). That's how most people refer to themselves here in Fiji, by their father's village followed by their mother's village. Anyway, I got to go by to <i>my</i> koro - Tavua. (Also, that line at the top of this entry is in Tavuan dialect)</div>
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"So, we meet again, </div>
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Buzz Lightyear, for the last time!" - Zurg</div>
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We had our Zone Training Meeting on Tuesday, the first I'd led with Elder Fitisemanu, and it went pretty well. We only went a little over-time and I feel like we got the messages we wanted across. Immediately after lunch, we went on exchanges with the Tavua Elders for me to train one of the elders how to properly train a missionary. But to be honest, my heart was racing, because I was gonna be able to go back to Tavua after over a year of being gone. We taught a few lessons to some people I didn't know, but along the way, heaps of memories flooded back. The poor elder I was with had to listen to me rant about how new the stores looked and how I tripped on that log and how the flat smelled identical to when I was there (it really did!) - ah! It was the best!</div>
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Everyone's done it, it's about time I made a tag-in-the-sand picture</div>
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Especially when I got to see some of my favorite people, including Sister Vauvau, the Vunisa's, the Tora Family, and Nina, my not-so-recent convert! We stopped by their house and they like mobbed me, it was like the happiest day of my life. They were amazed at how my Fijian has progressed (quote, "When you were here before, your Fijian sucked!") and I found out one of the less-actives we were working with was now ready to start filling out her mission papers - it was just a grand day!<br />
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Me, Navi (recently baptized), Lucy, </div>
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and their younger brother, from Tavualevu village in Tavua.</div>
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I took the Tavua Elders out to Vatukoula to show them around, and while we were looking for a referral that lived out there, we decided to ask someone and he then invited us into his home. We walked in and saw a big painting of Jesus Christ on the wall, the very one that many LDS families have in their homes (see attached picture). We thought, "Hey, are these less-active members?" and then the guy proceeded to explain that his uncle was a Bishop in one of the wards in Lautoka. I was surprised and asked which one. He replied that it was Bishop Tuwai, who just so happens to be the Bishop in Lautoka 2nd Ward, the ward I'm serving in right now! We chatted and invited him to try out our message, and he accepted warmly. It was a way cool experience.</div>
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The past few days I've been on exchanges with Elder Luatua, my district leader and fellow-intake member (i.e. we were in the MTC together). Our companions took the truck up to Nasivikoso to check on the unit there and have church there, at the request of the Lautoka Stake President, President Kaumaitotoya, who we met with on Wednesday to discuss missionary efforts in the stake. It was a <br />
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Didn't even know they had Koolaid in Fiji</div>
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way fun exchange with Elder Luatua too, catching up on old times in the MTC and enjoying how much we've changed since then. We were disappointed when Niko didn't come to church again, and our returning member, Sister Labalaba, failed to meet with Bishop to receive her calling and temple recommend interview. We were excited when Sini, the non-member husband of a member showed up to church. We were especially excited because we realized we were scheduled to have dinner with their family on Monday night, just a day after they'd had a spiritual experience at church.</div>
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Scenic shots from Natabua seaside</div>
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I love serving my mission. If any of you are considering going, I say pray and ask Heavenly Father if He will consecrate your desire to go. He will answer you, and give you direction in all things (see Alma 37:37). But seriously, especially you guys, don't wait - go now and serve the Lord and see if He will not open the windows of heaven and pour out an indescribable blessing upon you (see Malachi 3:10 and 3 Nephi 24:10).</div>
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Elder Barnaby<br />
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Lautoka 1st Ward youth practicing Polynesian dances for an activity</div>
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Scenic shots from Natabua seaside</div>
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Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-84176296531298170662016-09-04T18:59:00.003-07:002016-09-04T18:59:53.539-07:00From Coast to Coast and Back Again (Lautoka 2nd Area, Week 2)<div class="p1">
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Some scenic shots from some of the places we proselyte in Lautoka.</div>
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Boy, what a busy week! I thought being an Airport Elder was busy, but this might top it!</div>
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Monday we were able to visit Jonas, an Indian youth in the ward who has cancer. We gave him a blessing, and he came to church this week for the first time in 6 months. He said something as he walked into the chapel that I don't want to ever forget, "I feel just a blast of the Spirit right now." He's such a great guy, so proud of how hard he's fighting this sickness!</div>
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Tuesday we were able to see Niko, our new </div>
investigator, for the first time. We taught him about the Restoration of the Gospel and he just ate everything up. He said he wanted to change his life, and he's doing that in amazing ways! I've never had an investigator quite like him - when we handed him the Book of Mormon for the first time, he accepted it with a gentleness I didn't expect, but was grateful to behold. We saw him again on Friday and had a great lesson on the things we need to do in this life to return to live with our Heavenly Father again, including baptism, which he accepted immediately. Unfortunately, he had to pull a double-shift on Saturday and got home early Sunday morning, so he wasn't able to go to church.<br />
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The Mission Leadership Council (MLC), made up of Zone Leaders, Sister Training Leaders, and Assistants to the Mission President. I look so small compared to everyone haha</div>
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Wednesday we drove down to Suva for our big mission leadership meeting - about a five hour drive, but it was fun, and we actually made great time. I got to see Elder Kahia and his companion, they were having a baptismal interview that night for the boyfriend of a girl we met the day I left Samabula 2nd - who woulda thunk! I was happy to see some of the people I knew and loved in Samabula. It was funny, though, because the Stake President in Suva North Stake, President Qaqa, whose home we ate at every Tuesday, thought I was still serving in Samabula - funny guy. We met the other Zone Leaders, Sister Training Leaders, and Assistants to the President at the Mission Home for what they call "Unity Night" - basically, all us leaders get together and play games to build unity in our Mission Leadership Council (MLC). It was way fun, and I got to see some of my favorite missionaries, too.</div>
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Thursday we had out MLC meeting, and it was amazing! We learned so much about building good relationships, gaining a true testimony of missionary work and family history, and presenting the message in a way that will touch peoples' hearts. President Layton spent a week on the island of Rotuma two weeks ago and stayed at the Elders' flat, so he got hands-on experience that he shared with us about presenting the message, especially the introductory lessons and the baptismal invitation. It was amazing - I learned so much! We then held a council and set some goals for the mission during the month of September. It was special to be a part of it - and the food was to die for, so that was nice too.</div>
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Got a package from Denver, Colorado - from Hermana Rebekah Pierce! </div>
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Our mission secretary had a heart attack, though, when she couldn't figure out who Elder Pineapple was.</div>
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We then had to make the trek home with all the things our Zone needed (including a package - shout out to Hermana Rebekah Pierce!) and, as soon as we got back to the west, we immediately went on exchanges with the Nawaka elders. It was a crazy packed weekend, and it was way cool to test out the suggestions President Layton gave us during MLC about teaching new investigators and focusing on the Temple.</div>
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Sunday was great - full of giving healing blessings and visiting less-active members. One of our favorite progressing less-actives right now is Sister Labalaba, a young mother who is finding her newfound-love for the church and the gospel. I love serving as a missionary, and I love serving here in Fiji - I can't wait to see what this week will hold!</div>
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Elda Barnaby</div>
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Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-8322933197653700192016-08-28T19:15:00.004-07:002016-08-28T19:15:34.310-07:00I Asked For Lau, Got Lautoka (Lautoka 2nd Area, Week 1)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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New area: Lautoka, the second largest city in Fiji!</div>
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Well this was a shocker - I got transferred! I thought for sure that I was staying in Dratabu, and then, one transfer and I'm outta there. As far as I know I am the shortest-lived Airport Elder of all time #randomachievements #wheresmymedal</div>
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But I'm way gutted, I didn't get to say goodbye to anyone. Not even Jolame, who I haven't seen since his baptism last week. I'm most upset that I won't be part of the journeys of our awesome investigators anymore, namely Jope and Adi, Maki, Violet, Iva and Mela, Jone, Ranadi...isa I miss them. And apparently, Elder Whiting told me that on Sunday two less-active families came to church on Sunday, determined to come back, and one of them is a part-member family with family members interested in joining the church. Isa lei, Dratabu! But duty calls elsewhere.</div>
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My newest (and 15th) companion, Elder Fitisemanu!</div>
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Lau is a group of islands east of the main land of Viti Levu, and I've been dying to go there for a long time. Only a handful of missionaries have ever been there, and I was studying the dialect, along with Dratabu dialect, hoping that President would allow me and another Elder to go out there. But instead, the call came to go, no to Lau, but to Lautoka, the second largest city in Fiji. I was also asked to fill a position as a Zone Leader, which basically means that my companion and I are in charge of the 24 </div>
missionaries in the western-half of Viti Levu, from Rakiraki to Sigatoka. It's a big responsibility. Thank goodness I have a solid companion, Elder Fitisemanu, who's half-Samoan, half-Tongan from Utah (actually went to the same school as Elder Whiting).<br />
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Sorry, not a lot to update on this week, we had a hectic time with transfers - almost every day we were at the airport, three times at 5 A.M. dealing with lost baggage, visa waiters staying at our flat, and, the most exciting of all, putting 14 missionaries on a bus to Suva and then getting a call from the Assistants that the bus showed up empty (they were found, but almost two hours later). So this has been a really crazy, roller coaster week. District meeting was fun, though - we played Wheel of Fortune, scripture style!</div>
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Our last district meeting in Dratabu District</div>
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Lautoka 2nd Ward is an awesome ward, though - very well run, and this past Sunday, I met a lot of people I knew from other wards in Fiji and a young man named Niko who just showed up to church and told us he wanted to join. That's a nice welcome to the ward! Our Ward Mission Leader, Brother Lal, is the man too - he's so organized and concerned about missionary work, ward goals, and retention of converts. I'm excited to finish my mission in this ward, it's a great place!</div>
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Next week will be more exciting, I promise - we have Mission Leadership Council in Suva on Thursday with the rest of the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders in the Fiji Suva Mission. I've heard it has good food, so let's go!</div>
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Elder Barnaby</div>
Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-88165268137360486432016-08-21T19:50:00.000-07:002016-08-21T19:50:30.924-07:00Too Many Sleepovers (Dratabu Area, Week 6)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Nasivikoso Sleep over</div>
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Wow, this week was so crazy, filled with so many exchanges we were hardly even at our own flat this week. I can't believe I have to do this again, but here's another play-by-play of the week.</div>
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Monday we had district P-day because the other districts in the Zone had a combined P-day without us - that's cool, whatever, we had tons of fun playing basketball and such.</div>
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Nasivikoso adventure </div>
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(Elders Barnaby, Fitisemanu, Whiting, and Masoe)</div>
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Tuesday we came to support the Nadi Sisters' baptism, which was hectic because their ward mission leader forgot about it. Directly afterwards, we had district meeting, and then we went home and waited for the Zone Leaders to call. We were headed on exchanges to Nasivikoso, a village in the interior of the main island of Fiji, Viti Levu. There's a unit of the church there that the Zone Leaders check up on every once and a while, and they had us come with them this past week. Tuesday we went up, slept in an old building there they use for the chapel, and, because there's no running water there, we had to bathe in the river. We tried to visit some members and recent converts there, but they were all gone selling their harvest in the markets in Nadi. It was a super fun two days, though.</div>
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This is the crazy road that leads into the Nausori Highlands</div>
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towards Nasivikoso (also the end of the pavement after this)</div>
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Wednesday and Thursday we were able to do a lot of work in our own area, especially getting Jolame ready for his baptism on Sunday. He's such a beast investigator, he shares his testimony at the end of every lesson. When we talked to his mom about signing his baptismal form, she told us that he tells her at least twice a day about his baptism and how excited he is. Then, Thursday night we headed down to Sigatoka to go on splits with the elders there. I also did a baptismal interview for the elders' investigator while we were down there, and Friday evening we came back up to do a little more work in Dratabu.</div>
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Saturday we had Jolame's interview, which he passed with flying colors (as was to be expected). We had a very successful Saturday, though it didn't end well - Elder Whiting lost his camera and our appointment with our investigators Jope and Adi, who both have baptismal dates for the first week of September, fell through. We're probably going to have to postpone their baptism.</div>
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Sunday was the most happy, hectic day of the week. We had ward conference, and for the second week in a row, we had almost all of our baptismal dates at church. Seven of them came, including Jolame, who was baptized after church. Ward Conference dragged on for almost two and a half hours (pretty much a stake conference) and then, right afterwards, everyone went home early because apparently they were shutting down the roads in Nadi for a big event. The Fiji Rugby Sevens Team got back on Sunday from the Rio Olympics and the people were going nuts - literally everyone was wearing Fiji flag sulus, shirts, and waving the Kuila i Viti (flag of Fiji) out of every car and house window. The whole bishopric left, and we were left, wondering what to do about our baptism. The side that everyone from Dratabu lives on didn't have closed roads, so we could still hold our baptism, but there was no one there to preside. I remembered something that we learned in our leadership training though that President Layton said that if it was necessary, we could preside at a baptism because we hold the priesthood keys for convert baptisms in the mission. So we started the baptism anyway.</div>
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Jolame Lawavou's baptism!</div>
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Just as Elder Whiting got in the water with Jolame, though, I felt an unmistakable prompting from the Spirit, probably one of the most powerful promptings I've ever gotten: "Call the Zone Leaders." I interrupted the baptism and called the Zone Leaders immediately and asked them if it was okay that we presided at our baptismal service. They said that we needed to call President Layton, so I called him and asked him for his permission to hold the baptism without a member of the bishopric present. When I heard the words. "Yes, Elder Barnaby, thank you for checking with me," I felt a great peace come over me. It was wonderful. The baptism turned out great, and we ended the night with a district sleepover at the Nadi Hindi Elders' flat.</div>
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We went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders </div>
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up to one of the most bush areas in the mission, Nasivikoso!</div>
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The church is true, but more importantly, God still talks to us and that's why I'm doing this work, to give others the opportunity to receive baptism by water and by the Holy Ghost, which is the Gift of the Holy Ghost, given by the laying on of hands (<a href="https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/jesus-christ"><span class="s1">https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/jesus-christ</span></a> - subtitle "The Gift of the Holy Ghost"). I gained a powerful testimony of it this week. I love you all! Transfers are this week, so we'll see what happens! I only have two left!</div>
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Elder Barnaby</div>
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Pattie needs a car wash after all the rain this week</div>
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Na loma ni koro i Nasivikoso</div>
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Up in the interior of Fiji, they have budget goal posts for their rugby fields.</div>
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Na loma ni koro i Nasivikoso</div>
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Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-24967576166880950992016-08-15T05:23:00.002-07:002016-08-15T05:23:34.099-07:00<div class="p1">
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This is my country! They won gold! Two of the players (back row, third from left and second from right) are from Dratabu!</div>
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I don't know how I'm going to explain the awesomeness of this past week - it was so good. It was hard at times, but it was so good.</div>
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First hard thing: We got stuck in the mud again. On Tuesday. This time, we got out the same night, with the help of some members, the Ravudra's. It was kind of embarrassing, especially since we were trying to be extra careful to not go anywhere we would get stuck. It was kind of funny, though, and now we're being EXTRA extra careful.</div>
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Wednesday we had to wake up early to take the Nadi Sister Training Leaders to the airport, because they were going to the northern islands, Taveuni and Vanua Levu, to go do exchanges with the other sister missionaries there and train them. When they got back on Saturday, they told us about some of the missionaries there that said hello to us - it was cool to be remembered and loved, even from so far away!</div>
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Thursday we had to have our car, Pattie, serviced, and they told us it would take about 2 hours, so we left and got something to eat and came back at the appointed time. When we got there, they said, "Oh, actually it's going to take another 5 hours." That kind of annoyed us, so we explored Nadi town while we waited for the car to be done. When we got it back, though, they hadn't fixed our stuck side doors - 7 hours and it wasn't even completely fixed. Somehow, though, we had an effective rest of the evening proselyting. We committed Jolame to be baptized, and he was so enthusiastic that we set the date for the 21st of August - next week! He's a boss kid.</div>
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On Friday, Fiji won their first ever medal in the Olympics - Gold, in Sevens Rugby. It was a madhouse here - the people went crazy, and they deserved to win.</div>
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Definitely the coolest days were Saturday and Sunday. We had fall-throughs for days on Saturday and we had an airport run in the middle of the day, but it was still so good. Our investigators, Jope and Adi, fed us dinner (some sorely needed Fijian food - rourou), and before dinner we had a lesson. In addition to Jope, Adi, and Jope's mom, about four of our other investigators in the village were at their house (Fijian houses are very open and people can come in and out of them easily). We read 3 Nephi 11 together, which talks about the Savior visiting the people of ancient America (<a href="https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/book-of-mormon"><span class="s1">https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/book-of-mormon</span></a>), and in the chapter it talks about Jesus Christ giving people authority to baptize. We talked about it with those sitting there and invited them all to be baptized. By the time we left, we had committed all 7 of them to being baptized next month.</div>
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And then, Sunday. We got to church, waited for the van that always picks up people to come, and prayed that those whom we had invited had come to church. And when it came, they poured out of the van - 9 investigators came to church. Nine. Ciwa. One of them we had just met in passing and gave him a Book of Mormon, and he came to church because of it. Needless to say, Elder Whiting and I were over the moon. And they were all from Dratabu village. We are so excited with all the work and miracles we're seeing here!</div>
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Can't wait for this week! Go Fiji Go!</div>
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Elda Barnaby</div>
Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-43867485544054667862016-08-08T07:01:00.001-07:002016-08-08T07:01:11.439-07:00Out Of The Mud (Dratabu Area, Week 4)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilNrhALi5KBwnxCqaq60ShEq__tWvGQbk64H21pHesKmeXYsfGg0vCGUiAwiJAD-nx82R5S34Q2an_bkGLDYwDLocsyJiDG6nQn3tRomJc1OTOB7BB0BOmkq120dT1C8jOtWpXO_kCiCY/s1600/DSCN0044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilNrhALi5KBwnxCqaq60ShEq__tWvGQbk64H21pHesKmeXYsfGg0vCGUiAwiJAD-nx82R5S34Q2an_bkGLDYwDLocsyJiDG6nQn3tRomJc1OTOB7BB0BOmkq120dT1C8jOtWpXO_kCiCY/s320/DSCN0044.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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Dratabu Koro</div>
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Trust me, the title for this week has a funny story behind it. At the time it wasn't funny, but now it kind of is.</div>
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And so on Monday we had a Zone Family Home Evening, which included a talent show that just turned into a bunch of last-minute skits. It was fun, though, and then the next morning we enjoyed Zone Training Meeting. I say we, but actually Elder Whiting and I had to leave halfway through to go pick up a missionary at the airport in Nadi. When we finally got back around 2:30, we went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders and I brought Elder Fitisemanu with me to Dratabu area. We had a fun exchange and made a few more airport runs on Wednesday. We also started teaching Jolame, Iokimi's cousin, and his family. All the kids wanted to come to church, and they would have had the transport come to pick them up. When we found out it didn't, we were pretty embarrassed.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVoOgTL85HvYnn04RymbxQGhRKtr0ZvW8v2WzzNlr6eoaxP9u6cNEe33TNGVC6T20IWdo2-rRq297-jgRlPvdyWGzp5PjC42WgrgQQbJ2gxu_7NXAwfFJ1zyYzM7qhCf_3zJUo3BOAsCw/s1600/DSCN0042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVoOgTL85HvYnn04RymbxQGhRKtr0ZvW8v2WzzNlr6eoaxP9u6cNEe33TNGVC6T20IWdo2-rRq297-jgRlPvdyWGzp5PjC42WgrgQQbJ2gxu_7NXAwfFJ1zyYzM7qhCf_3zJUo3BOAsCw/s200/DSCN0042.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
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This is what missionaries look like when </div>
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they're headed to the airport (our treat to them)</div>
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Wednesday night, after switching back, Elder Whiting and I went on another adventure through Nadi to go find a missionary from Christmas Island who had landed, lost his itinerary, and was staying with some nice people while he waited for us. We searched for probably an hour before we finally found the house. We brought him back with us to stay at our flat, and then early the next morning put him on his flight to Suva. We thought after that, surely the adventures were over. Oh boy, were we wrong.</div>
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Friday we had a Leadership Training Meeting, which President and Sister Layton and the Assistants drove out to Nadi to do for us. We learned tons about our calling and responsibility as leaders in the Fiji Suva Mission. After that we struggled for a few lessons with some of our investigators, though we did give Jolame a baptismal date for later this month, which he gladly accepted. And then, Saturday came.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQXzfJwFQxZ2Kd6BrXcGRGA2Pwjxvpl-6HG44xBulkmzdxPm_pHbiyvtKix9heYRj5apy853GZExWrQCMNlx9K0M5awvm_K-Tr9zilDn-eH7svT8dMW5xBmjAUrFHkcOUPkjO5ZL2oWQ/s1600/DSCN0047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQXzfJwFQxZ2Kd6BrXcGRGA2Pwjxvpl-6HG44xBulkmzdxPm_pHbiyvtKix9heYRj5apy853GZExWrQCMNlx9K0M5awvm_K-Tr9zilDn-eH7svT8dMW5xBmjAUrFHkcOUPkjO5ZL2oWQ/s320/DSCN0047.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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Play-Dough activity at our leadership training meeting </div>
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- it's a moko (fijian gecko)</div>
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Like I've explained before, as a District Leader I have the privilege of interviewing baptismal candidates before they are baptized, and we had three interviews in Nadi on Saturday, all in a row. The first two went okay, though during the first one a downpour had started outside. By the time we picked up the Nadi Elders to go to the third and final interview, it had rained for a good few hours. It's still raining now, on Monday afternoon. They told us that the interview was down a dirt road into a small settlement. We discussed it, voiced concerns about driving down it, and ultimately decided to just go for it. As we were headed down, however, another car was coming up, and there was no room for it to pass, so we pulled off to the side of the road to let the man pass. We'd pulled a little ways into a short driveway on a hill, but as I tried to back up the hill, the tires just spun. I tried pulling forward, but didn't know that it was a patch of freshly laid dirt, which makes for excellent mud. And then we couldn't move at all.</div>
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You can imagine my panic. We tried to push it out, but it was no use. We were forced to abandon it for the night, to the dismay of the owner of the house whose lawn we had accidentally torn up. We prayed and fasted that night, but when we woke up Sunday morning, the downpour was worse. We went to church, wondering what to do, and during Sacrament Meeting I had a thought come to my </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlltw5-HbJTuO-yqoG-9flMU5DjNi4_9MDE_b2ZQIrOV8llxa4Uv-HLXEbNVVqWdkFazbP8FqRHLSXa3bberlLuOPe856_X5-g8ZTZjecibogH6Ae6Mlxz-Cn84Rppwk0m59kGX0d8zMY/s1600/DSCN0048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlltw5-HbJTuO-yqoG-9flMU5DjNi4_9MDE_b2ZQIrOV8llxa4Uv-HLXEbNVVqWdkFazbP8FqRHLSXa3bberlLuOPe856_X5-g8ZTZjecibogH6Ae6Mlxz-Cn84Rppwk0m59kGX0d8zMY/s320/DSCN0048.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
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This is Junior - his jacket is the best</div>
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mind, which I am convinced was from the Lord. The voice in my head asked, "What are you doing? Don't you know that I can do My own work?" I had forgotten the whole week to include the Lord in His own work, and even while fasting and praying to get the car out of the mud, all I was thinking about was how inadequate our abilities were to get it out by ourselves. Finally, after church, and a lot of pulling and tugging with the Zone Leaders' truck, we gave it into the hands of the Lord. The owner of the lot then called a man with a tractor, who was able to come and get our van out of the mud. It was a miracle - but the bigger miracle was that the Lord had pulled me out of the mud in the first place.<br />
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Okay! Let's all have an even better week this week, cause I know we will!</div>
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Elder Barnaby</div>
Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-24856666351257502212016-07-31T21:50:00.002-07:002016-07-31T21:50:54.131-07:00First (Dratabu Area, Week 3)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTZ_GI2k4l54hj014dEJFu6Y4E8t3MQkNh7SNIXaH517OEVwm5fTaR-xc988L6lVVgQ3yIvcy5ClNTod8m9RdbfBa2zodXaiXDxtvEBS2XWJxw9MBa12K0Kyw7OoHwuYRWDr4akAMovU/s1600/DSCN0010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTZ_GI2k4l54hj014dEJFu6Y4E8t3MQkNh7SNIXaH517OEVwm5fTaR-xc988L6lVVgQ3yIvcy5ClNTod8m9RdbfBa2zodXaiXDxtvEBS2XWJxw9MBa12K0Kyw7OoHwuYRWDr4akAMovU/s320/DSCN0010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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Kuki Ravudra with his best friend, his speaker system.</div>
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A<span style="text-align: center;">wesome week! Absolutely hectic and draining but awesome nonetheless!</span></div>
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Lemme break it down for ya.</div>
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So on Tuesday I accidentally had district meeting go for 2 1/2 hours (no one was really happy about that - my bad), but it was good nonetheless. We had a cool activity where I gave the missionaries different materials to make a card tower, but some of the materials were just there to frustrate them and, in some cases, I gave them less cards than they needed. While they worked, I held up a sign that said, "Just ask for help". Each team slowly realized that I was holding the sign and then asked for specific help, like a better base for their tower or more cards. It was all about our mission president's 5 steps to success (I'll let you draw ties between the activity and the following):</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWI_aP0HQ64Oyka3l-rVxlm4IRJxR8G6VyKe5QlUrG1oT5L27QgXQhyvgFcCNmSu8sTiOcmj4nGiQ7krfMpuQBiWIjrxEoMClkD3oAyoGA64Aqin92_D9imp1mJX2Em3PgC0G6pgZXdFc/s1600/DSCN0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWI_aP0HQ64Oyka3l-rVxlm4IRJxR8G6VyKe5QlUrG1oT5L27QgXQhyvgFcCNmSu8sTiOcmj4nGiQ7krfMpuQBiWIjrxEoMClkD3oAyoGA64Aqin92_D9imp1mJX2Em3PgC0G6pgZXdFc/s200/DSCN0004.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
<div class="p1">
District Meeting card-building activity, group 2 </div>
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(Brother Vodonaivalu, Elder Howard, Elder Johansson)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XxgpU0OLLQJxlDHqxF7dEBB8LzRq9CP65SIElg8cB4Mj9qgI74nfqnBK6ssfTizczYlE_tYX38ieNvlj1u2tmPAOErSrBIooNF616yI1KV3567I5_guia-BO2t28sTlj-HkqQnZasPw/s1600/DSCN0003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XxgpU0OLLQJxlDHqxF7dEBB8LzRq9CP65SIElg8cB4Mj9qgI74nfqnBK6ssfTizczYlE_tYX38ieNvlj1u2tmPAOErSrBIooNF616yI1KV3567I5_guia-BO2t28sTlj-HkqQnZasPw/s200/DSCN0003.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
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District Meeting card-building activity, group 1 </div>
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(Sister Baki, Elder Jones, Elder Tony)</div>
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1. Personal Relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ</div>
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2. Hard Work</div>
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3. Exact Obedience</div>
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4. Teachability</div>
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5. Attitude</div>
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<br /></div>
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But next time, I'll keep it to an hour or less. Oops.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3B0D1s38HXQafWG-A9g7VRvXarGH70Xjan2tLIN1N2Ja1GSx_NzGsoEUenOoRmjk07Ydxx5ISpkF5gEvUh70eIAGy4lWCOGK6ZWMwlXyQKBWF1cMwPzoqCT2DCAvuw6ckl_FC1dfo2ew/s1600/DSCN0006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3B0D1s38HXQafWG-A9g7VRvXarGH70Xjan2tLIN1N2Ja1GSx_NzGsoEUenOoRmjk07Ydxx5ISpkF5gEvUh70eIAGy4lWCOGK6ZWMwlXyQKBWF1cMwPzoqCT2DCAvuw6ckl_FC1dfo2ew/s200/DSCN0006.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
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District Meeting card-building activity, group 3</div>
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(Sister Hawkins, Elder Whiting, Elder Babcock)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizT8JyT5PucL2KvYFpb-nLlbFWGjvsozjKtuvkFX0gmR3bS-RITpkEbG9r6fLtlYVJEetSXKJmQmNMAlXbNSfdMfhkvSV4Baog6uJaCL2hyphenhyphenTAFRdHTT3_giCCJRMhbun1NZf8QoNDZnZA/s1600/DSCN0035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizT8JyT5PucL2KvYFpb-nLlbFWGjvsozjKtuvkFX0gmR3bS-RITpkEbG9r6fLtlYVJEetSXKJmQmNMAlXbNSfdMfhkvSV4Baog6uJaCL2hyphenhyphenTAFRdHTT3_giCCJRMhbun1NZf8QoNDZnZA/s320/DSCN0035.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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Baptism of Iokimi Ravonu Turuva.</div>
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Wednesday was a crazy day, we picked up another new senior couple, saw a bunch of our investigators and less-actives, and reviewed the baptismal interview questions with Iokimi, who was (spoiler alert) baptized on Sunday. His interview was supposed to be done on Thursday when the Zone Leaders got back from a meeting in Suva, but they got back too late, so we postponed it until </div>
the following day. Iokimi was so excited when he passed the interview, you could just see it in his 12-year-old eyes. Two of his friends, Alipate and Jolame (the latter of whom has come to church two weeks in a row), both asked when their baptism interviews were. It was way cool!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6yKHqojrx6DJeqJvLBxwsMkde395Rtof1s3I3Wf68Vmikp9FCnwLsxTZq_LtFU94fXHOxTkwRMqt7-0q7__WlOx3EzsBQrLp01PCCk02cABrWgfCeqhw0pKoD1TWe737sk0ygahLd9zs/s1600/DSCN0021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6yKHqojrx6DJeqJvLBxwsMkde395Rtof1s3I3Wf68Vmikp9FCnwLsxTZq_LtFU94fXHOxTkwRMqt7-0q7__WlOx3EzsBQrLp01PCCk02cABrWgfCeqhw0pKoD1TWe737sk0ygahLd9zs/s320/DSCN0021.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<div class="p1">
Said goodbye to Elder and Sister Knight -</div>
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Elder Knight took care of the mission finances and</div>
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Sister Knight was our mission nurse for the last 18 months.</div>
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Friday we also put the Knights on their plane home. Elder and Sister Knight had been serving in Fiji for the past 18 months as our mission's finance secretary and nurse. We were sad to see them go - and it was way funny, cause the Zone Leaders made it to the airport just before they went through security to say goodbye. Saturday we filled up the baptismal font and saw some of our other investigators, but near the end of the day we started getting worried about the baptismal clothing for Iokimi's baptism. After doing a baptism interview for the Nawaka Elders' investigator (and eating some amazing pumpkin curry) we started racing around, looking for some baptismal clothes (a white jumpsuit) that a family had forgotten to return after the baptism. We couldn't find it anywhere, though. We raced around and checked both chapels in Nadi (Nawaka Ward and Nadi Ward), but no one had any baptismal clothing. In the morning we made it halfway to Lautoka to meet the Zone Leaders when we got a call that a white sulu had been found for Iokimi's baptism. We were so relieved, and he was baptized Sunday morning. He received the Gift of the Holy Ghost (<a href="https://www.mormon.org/blog/gospel-of-christ-part-4-gift-of-the-holy-ghost"><span class="s1">https://www.mormon.org/blog/gospel-of-christ-part-4-gift-of-the-holy-ghost</span></a>) in Sacrament Meeting directly after his baptism. It turned out to be a great week with that kind of ending.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfeK19nupcWTrrm-q3eZrzOyBlBso1v6eGY-NkkEDcVn93wzizYPnIlfehJhlqupWP4TVbEg5bJOtVKXyT_LgXwowc13Cg6QCHPjRf56EopIRDH_jv-VbRc_qGfAnCpL0cEQVXZogXG4/s1600/DSCN0016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfeK19nupcWTrrm-q3eZrzOyBlBso1v6eGY-NkkEDcVn93wzizYPnIlfehJhlqupWP4TVbEg5bJOtVKXyT_LgXwowc13Cg6QCHPjRf56EopIRDH_jv-VbRc_qGfAnCpL0cEQVXZogXG4/s320/DSCN0016.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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Checking out a river to see if we can have our baptism there -</div>
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it was kinda dirty so we thought against it.</div>
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<span class="s2">Iokimi is </span>the first person in his "yavusa" (a portion of a tribe where the members are all interrelated) to become a member of the church. Because of him, about 5 or 6 other people have started to take lessons and started coming to church, too. In Fijian, we would call him "na isevu", directly translated as the first fruits of a harvest, but meaning that he is setting the tone for the rest of his family, being the first one to join the Church. He bore his testimony to his friends the other day, and even though it was simple, it was powerful.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavmcuMHBq-NUsF6wZFnUcGrsqYqyUjMBDgRpTl8aJdoQqo62QEGRccDF_zi7YVvcIWYLSEWvjoWurgV0Wvbd506ttVuGYFBVlirNA3AIVJjB-5V8G6fqFUTLWunAIgi9di_BoCUgkejU/s1600/DSCN0031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavmcuMHBq-NUsF6wZFnUcGrsqYqyUjMBDgRpTl8aJdoQqo62QEGRccDF_zi7YVvcIWYLSEWvjoWurgV0Wvbd506ttVuGYFBVlirNA3AIVJjB-5V8G6fqFUTLWunAIgi9di_BoCUgkejU/s320/DSCN0031.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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Roti for days!</div>
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We're in for another crazy week - we're heading up to Lautoka today for a Zone Family Home Evening tonight! Sota tale!</div>
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Elda Barnaby</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxO-0qM5QFdcyKfx3U5_ol1PU9SOLyZBG4jQWih3ktBVOrgwXTMiO7xjboD9n8m9XtVUgyKyqC9r92hGSYSYUpvT_Nk5VM3qk0WVofXfa2MAH9kM2Wa31Xc5CSs2Bpx8UW9UxtY67N1XE/s1600/DSCN0008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxO-0qM5QFdcyKfx3U5_ol1PU9SOLyZBG4jQWih3ktBVOrgwXTMiO7xjboD9n8m9XtVUgyKyqC9r92hGSYSYUpvT_Nk5VM3qk0WVofXfa2MAH9kM2Wa31Xc5CSs2Bpx8UW9UxtY67N1XE/s320/DSCN0008.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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That is an old-style Fijian "bure" (house)</div>
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Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-14244081280863134252016-07-24T19:29:00.002-07:002016-07-24T19:30:00.351-07:00Not Sure Who's More Tired, Pattie or Us (Dratabu Area, Week 2)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivp_A37HpKKEpHW0RixgDba_FnWOm65MedTuIHlGBprdFWgRNpTN5kmP99l_swvl4XqiuPlvSuqz0ju6oysLR7Y9VSe83tpCGd4WbaUevGXAW6EMuiUZI77sxi_AEMLxjsk-JB5OQYT3E/s1600/DSCN0026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivp_A37HpKKEpHW0RixgDba_FnWOm65MedTuIHlGBprdFWgRNpTN5kmP99l_swvl4XqiuPlvSuqz0ju6oysLR7Y9VSe83tpCGd4WbaUevGXAW6EMuiUZI77sxi_AEMLxjsk-JB5OQYT3E/s320/DSCN0026.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">This is our baby - Pattie! <br />She's on her last legs, but she looks good after a fresh car wash.</span></td></tr>
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Pattie is the name of our lovely van - and we're all equally tired.</div>
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Oh boy, where do I even start? This week has been filled to overflowing with crazy work, runs to pick up and drop off people at the airport, district meetings and exchanges - I'm literally falling asleep here at the computer!</div>
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My driving skills are still rusty - coming along, I don't stall as much now, but they're still rusty and people really enjoy passing me. Most of our area requires dirt off-road travel to get to certain investigators and members, it's pretty fun.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6gATbBA_9QJlxKMLdY6jFozYe3ITUlkD67cUZboa2sLv3g6uf55NzMXpKxxTOQgzH1Qw9YUkuPntmpk8ZUD-0T4xEwEXmowdanTGsghcrtQo6_EfUI2c__PzEL5hj6RGp2OCFDiSKDE/s1600/DSCN0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6gATbBA_9QJlxKMLdY6jFozYe3ITUlkD67cUZboa2sLv3g6uf55NzMXpKxxTOQgzH1Qw9YUkuPntmpk8ZUD-0T4xEwEXmowdanTGsghcrtQo6_EfUI2c__PzEL5hj6RGp2OCFDiSKDE/s320/DSCN0002.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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A little kid was carrying a can of ketchup and spilled it all over me.</div>
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I just picked up a piece of cassava and dipped it in.</div>
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Probably the area of most excitement and activity at the moment is Dratabu village. A humanitarian LDS youth group from America (HEFY) just finished building some new outdoor bathrooms in Dratabu village and they had lots of missionary experiences along the way, they referred a bunch of people to us and we've started teaching a few of them. One of our investigators in Dratabu, Iokimi, is getting baptized next week. He's a great investigator - he's gotten some of his friends interested, and he's brought probably 3 or 4 new investigators for us. Talk about the Lord working in mysterious ways, using a 12-year-old boy like Iokimi to get others interested in learning more about the Restored Gospel.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxO6SzgjVosIuRzG61vaTgApU5pgf3SbnEVUt_C6IxF1HXJCa9J61lmRrsoOLXWDaxq_Qh35hIydx0WugKs4bqEALA3zDRaBAS2PD7Isy0QNl9lWYewsAQ4SbP6p-TR5E6eoQxsTq7Aw/s1600/DSCN0009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxO6SzgjVosIuRzG61vaTgApU5pgf3SbnEVUt_C6IxF1HXJCa9J61lmRrsoOLXWDaxq_Qh35hIydx0WugKs4bqEALA3zDRaBAS2PD7Isy0QNl9lWYewsAQ4SbP6p-TR5E6eoQxsTq7Aw/s320/DSCN0009.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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Teitei bele mada! (planting bele leaves for service!)</div>
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Thursday we had a fun service with this less-active family. The mom, Lewa, had us plant bele plants. </div>
It was way fun! Where they live looks a lot like the mountainous areas of Utah - dry, evergreens, tall grass - the only difference is there's also the occasional banana tree. It's a fun drive out there, which takes about 15 minutes. On Saturday we tried to see them, drove all the way out there, and...they weren't home. Which is a first. So we got some roadside barbecue made by a Canadian guy to make up for it.<br />
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Friday and Saturday we had exchanges with the Nawaka Elders, I went with Elder Babcock and it was way fun! We talked to a lady outside her house who happens to be from Matei, Taveuni, and I happen to know her family - we used to teach her niece, Phoebe. Way funny how small Fiji really is. Also, we started a giant argument in a house over my nickname, "Painapiu" ("pineapple"), and its equivalent in the Nadi dialect, "Vadrasola". These two people had a full-blown argument over the fact that they weren't the same thing. It was pretty funny, actually.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWWEtyE0mrC0N0hELUDNj3csGXjye_t0xqR1j974HYCvdpKDldKz5ZegdqQvS7gFTcfA_94Pz9QBrNn_Xgb32jIt_X0KHkHgDOQ6xLM0TOqvet2nZjVYYQYKjASLV_rtxSL46VLv8NdZc/s1600/DSCN0037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWWEtyE0mrC0N0hELUDNj3csGXjye_t0xqR1j974HYCvdpKDldKz5ZegdqQvS7gFTcfA_94Pz9QBrNn_Xgb32jIt_X0KHkHgDOQ6xLM0TOqvet2nZjVYYQYKjASLV_rtxSL46VLv8NdZc/s320/DSCN0037.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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These two kids wanted to wear our bags - they're our new replacements</div>
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Sunday was the best day of all. When we got to church about 30 minutes early, only 3 people where there. We waited, and waited, and waited, and were about to start the meeting at 9:45 am when the transport showed up. And out came enough people to not only fill the little unit meeting house, but also 5 investigators. Remember Jope from last week? His wife came today, along with her niece who lives with them, and Iokimi and his friend, and Sister Kurucake's brother, Nathan. It was just nuts. We loved every minute of it. Definitely a Sunday to remember.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarKOljklDCxy9MwmNWv-fG3d7EJt2gaJgxhDVJWxGW1MO7gho9uh1j_PI0T6Uprd62o-g8to-PbDv57Q3o3DDnYFPmfKlEC486DDP5R_jKVmskoRFbghBaFavCp9gBngwovA05lub_aQ/s1600/DSCN0040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarKOljklDCxy9MwmNWv-fG3d7EJt2gaJgxhDVJWxGW1MO7gho9uh1j_PI0T6Uprd62o-g8to-PbDv57Q3o3DDnYFPmfKlEC486DDP5R_jKVmskoRFbghBaFavCp9gBngwovA05lub_aQ/s320/DSCN0040.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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Elder Whiting played soccer for BYU-Hawaii, just so everyone knows.</div>
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Well, gotta sign off, but it's been a great week, we're looking forward to an even better week this </div>
week!<br />
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Elda Barnaby</div>
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Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-18737044745059925882016-07-17T20:30:00.000-07:002016-07-17T20:30:10.571-07:00Can We Pretend That Airplanes In Nadi Are Like Shooting Stars (Dratabu Area, Week 1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOCjjeh2jHjKw2uHeUQWfEPJ2FpNf7w76osKpi82x7g1Onx_vUowyS0lXK1hpWjy7QHvTh7cpCzqACDPm93JmQKLaeomWODhnF8GTdb4gP1Xmz1nb8_uT-o9qE3LZZXbaj9VyyDr4Gpw/s1600/DSCN9996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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Moce Samabula 2nd!</div>
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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.</div>
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The Suva North Stake President's son, Errol Qaqa, </div>
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won gold in the Melanesian Games for Hurdles! That's the medal!</div>
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One last district picture - let's go Samabula Fire Monkeys!</div>
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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 </div>
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Sister Taufa cut my hair and related it to </div>
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the gospel for our last district meeting in Samabula</div>
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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.<br />
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Rogosau boys - Pita, Jone, Ioane!</div>
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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.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnr-a2yOYhdmgrmF_9jCeLShUsBt2GnBmbHbm6a8rBCjHWhj2wi8mCQs-X_gSsF3lwPXAf3qH6DZXqiKmaM-nWqNNPtnksEmhDysLgVkkq2crFL-5ighVY2H6w83O4hu3VRuaHjOZ8v5k/s1600/DSCN0019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnr-a2yOYhdmgrmF_9jCeLShUsBt2GnBmbHbm6a8rBCjHWhj2wi8mCQs-X_gSsF3lwPXAf3qH6DZXqiKmaM-nWqNNPtnksEmhDysLgVkkq2crFL-5ighVY2H6w83O4hu3VRuaHjOZ8v5k/s320/DSCN0019.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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The saddest goodbye of all - Brother and Sister Matanatabu</div>
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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.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiImZpSTpDxClBPtvXTTKT6GW5rndTkaveGn18A7jsgq_iHvfqiytpkT90elBs16thhdX8kTGLMJtPgx4T980IjjDQqOm_whHqRoM0XIDsCHR15k_3ZY1sJGVNralBQi4ZdSg59CBP2EpU/s1600/DSCN9998+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiImZpSTpDxClBPtvXTTKT6GW5rndTkaveGn18A7jsgq_iHvfqiytpkT90elBs16thhdX8kTGLMJtPgx4T980IjjDQqOm_whHqRoM0XIDsCHR15k_3ZY1sJGVNralBQi4ZdSg59CBP2EpU/s320/DSCN9998+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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Seruwaia'a Baptism!</div>
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Had to say goodbye to Talei before her baptism - that was sad!</div>
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Friday, I got to Nadi - and we started work right away, transporting Elders and Sisters back and forth </div>
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!<br />
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Elder Whiting and I in Dratabu!</div>
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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!</div>
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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!</div>
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Elder Barnaby </div>
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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!</div>
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That's a lot of Burger King (gotta feed the missionaries headed home somehow)</div>
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Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-89270304615791022662016-07-10T20:11:00.000-07:002016-07-10T20:11:33.992-07:00"Where was Jesus born?" "The hospital?" (Samabula 2nd Area, Week 22)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLbPE1YSLQ4uHbMKVV6h2TOS4sKpybZC6UlkaJw3MdMhexCJW-y7Gu7H_RUJoqz-hafmIkMDWFVOTy6BPjKd5aDVeXn9aBf61YDd8wavvPXlec0n38mgccZkbGTJlORVAXVH73XK9YW8/s1600/DSCN9997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLbPE1YSLQ4uHbMKVV6h2TOS4sKpybZC6UlkaJw3MdMhexCJW-y7Gu7H_RUJoqz-hafmIkMDWFVOTy6BPjKd5aDVeXn9aBf61YDd8wavvPXlec0n38mgccZkbGTJlORVAXVH73XK9YW8/s400/DSCN9997.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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This is called "Wiwi" - I think it's a star fruit in English, but it's Fijian name just means "sour".</div>
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You remember our investigator, Sisa? He and his wife, who is a member, have been teaching their little daughter Adele things about Jesus and the gospel, and they quiz her often so she remembers. When they asked her, "A sucu evei o Jisu?" ("Where was Jesus born?"), she said, "Na valenibula" ("The hospital"). Way funny - and that describes our fantastical week. Sorry, this one's a novel.</div>
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This week was just PINS AND NEEDLES, we were on the edge of our seats ALL WEEK. Last week, during our weekly planning session (where we go over the schedule, plans, and goals for the coming week), we decided we wanted to try to get 30 lessons this week. For a walking area in Fiji - especially the notorious Samabula 2nd Area - it's not an easy task. This area barely saw anything above 15 lessons a few transfers ago, let alone 30. It takes a lot of discipline, hard work, and a lot of time on your knees, pleading for help and miracles and people to be home and stuff like that. In addition to that, we had Talei Ciri and Seruwaia Kasa's baptismal interviews that they needed to pass and their attendance at church and it was just nonstop anticipation for 7 days.</div>
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Of course, getting no lessons on Monday did not help our anxiety.</div>
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Then, having to figure out the Suva bus system for the first time to get to and from Zone Training Meeting was another adventure.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQrBoqNtP4HJUK3Ur9C1mytN8dt-L5P7owUXCpZFgnFxSXc-1SQWqg6N0l6kjx_jVcfSP-vuHTtuC2sAw7zZDNjSCPdVf9bblN1cVaqsskraabx0BEz3_-aYjpCjiK007IFpcM-5QLJY/s1600/DSCN0008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQrBoqNtP4HJUK3Ur9C1mytN8dt-L5P7owUXCpZFgnFxSXc-1SQWqg6N0l6kjx_jVcfSP-vuHTtuC2sAw7zZDNjSCPdVf9bblN1cVaqsskraabx0BEz3_-aYjpCjiK007IFpcM-5QLJY/s400/DSCN0008.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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Elder Kahia learned how to "kari niu" (scrape a coconut) from Sister Kasa on Wednesday!</div>
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And then, it began.</div>
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Tuesday we saw Atu and Lusi, some of our newer investigators, and went over the Restoration again with a cool cup-tower analogy. It's kind of hard to describe, but basically the foundation of Christ's Church (the Apostles, the Prophets, Jesus Christ, and the Scriptures - see Ephesians 2:19-20) makes up the bottom row of the cup tower. We placed my Fiji Driver's License, which represents the Priesthood (the power and authority given from God to act in His name), on top of the two cups that said, "Jesus Christ" and "Prophets", connecting the two. The rest of the tower includes Christ's teachings and the different ordinances of the Gospel, including baptism. We then removed the cup labeled "Jesus Christ" from the tower, because after His Resurrection, He ascended again to His Father. Anticipated result: the tower falls. Actual result: because of the Priesthood (represented by my driver's license), the tower still stood. But when that authority of the Priesthood was removed from the earth due to the death of the apostles and prophets, the whole tower fell. We then reconstructed it as we talked about the prophet Joseph Smith and the Restoration of the Gospel. It's one of my favorite object lessons, and Atu and Lusi seemed to enjoy it.</div>
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Wednesday was PACKED. We ran all over the place - preparing Talei and Seruwaia for their baptismal interviews, teaching heaps of people and just having a blast doing it all. Thursday was equally stressful, running back and forth with the Zone Leaders doing Talei and Seruwaia's interviews - which, by the way, they both passed! - and we were just so dead tired and we were still only half-way to our goal of 30 lessons.</div>
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Friday we ran into Sister Matanatabu, our recent convert, as she came home from work. We sat down for the last time in their home - they've been asked to leave their house for reasons I won't describe, but suffice it to say that the Matanatabu family is very low right now. And yet, somehow, their faith is unwavering. She and Brother Matanatabu both described how they know this is a test of their faith from the Lord, and that they want to make sure they stay strong through it all. In a moment I can't ever forget, Sister Matanatabu asked, "Elders, how do I forgive someone? I mean, I say I forgive them, but I want to forgive them completely." In the midst of all this pain and trial, all Sister Matanatabu wants to know is how to forgive as the Savior forgives. I was reminded of the centurion that came to Jesus to ask Him to heal his servant, an experience to which Christ remarked, "I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." (Matthew 8:5-10)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_uSObooY3DbTUL5d3CTujFn2ShAffkWYdPw2H7UeH-6CRLcciI2XvdBCWPGb9XtB_DPlw7bCoqba67A7Ncv_gaLqcc4SG4uzS9Y9lf7qsNGjxeKfsveB4aiisxSyFqkAOBaVwjHvp6I/s1600/DSCN0014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_uSObooY3DbTUL5d3CTujFn2ShAffkWYdPw2H7UeH-6CRLcciI2XvdBCWPGb9XtB_DPlw7bCoqba67A7Ncv_gaLqcc4SG4uzS9Y9lf7qsNGjxeKfsveB4aiisxSyFqkAOBaVwjHvp6I/s400/DSCN0014.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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This is exhibit A of the Fijian wedding reception food.</div>
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On Saturday, our dinner appointment was at a Fijian wedding reception - Sister Sautu's sister had just gotten married, and they invited us to eat. And BOY. Did we EAT. Let me tell you, if you want a taste of Fijian cuisine at its best, just go to a Fijian wedding. We ate everything from palusami to pork cut from a spit-roasted pig and prepared three different ways, fresh water muscles ("kai"), earth-oven cooked taro ("dalo"), kokoda, the list goes on and on. It was good preparation for the anticipation of Sunday and what it would hold.</div>
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Sunday we sat at church, waiting for Talei and Seruwaia to walk in. Sacrament meeting started, and they hadn't shown up, and we were just clinging on to that faith that we had that the Lord would deliver. And then Sister Kasa and Seruwaia walked into the chapel. A mani vakacegu sara ga kina na yaloqu. Seruwaia will be baptized on Thursday, which is right before transfers, and we're just so happy that she came. Talei didn't come, she apparently went on a surprise trip to her aunt's house (that happens a ton in Fiji), so we'll have to push back her baptism another week. But the Lord came through - in His own way and in His own time.</div>
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Okay, one last miracle and then you can go back to your lives. Remember Atu and Lusi and the cup tower analogy? Well, we saw Atu after church and when we got there, he like skipped all the pleasantries and was like, "Elders, I'm ready to hear your message today." As we talked, he said that when we showed the cup tower analogy, he said something clicked in his mind. He told us that his soul just couldn't rest all week, and he looked at us and asked, "Is it alright if I can come to church next week?" And we were just floored. I've never had that in my whole mission, and this sincere seeker of truth just asked us if he could come and see for himself.</div>
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And guess what? We hit our goal of 30 lessons on Sunday at 7pm. The Lord just loves Samabula 2nd area! Transfers are this week, and I'm worried I'm going, but I'm secretly hoping I get to stay for just one more transfer. Not my will, though, but His be done. We'll see ya next week!</div>
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Elda Barnaby</div>
Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-22545294708122946212016-07-03T18:50:00.000-07:002016-07-03T18:50:37.122-07:00Earth Right After Rain (Samabula 2nd Area, Week 21)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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Meet Immanuel. While waiting for dinner at the Tuinisautu's house, </div>
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he proceeded to bring forth 3 basketballs and fling them at us.</div>
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Ever heard about that "silver lining" that shows where the sun is behind the clouds? Yeah that was basically this week. Literally, and figuratively. Oh, I like this theme this time! Now, I explain.</div>
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This week was, somehow, even busier and more exhausting than the week before. Some of our new investigators had us do service with them this week - way fun! We just collected wood and different leaves for their "lovo" (Fijian earth oven). It was good, hard work - I definitely got a workout carrying all the wood up and down hills! They're a nice family, and they're starting to get more interested in the Book of Mormon too.</div>
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ervice - part one! We were collecting wood for them </div>
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to make a "lovo" (Fijian earth oven)</div>
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Service - Part 2!</div>
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This is Pita and Simeli, two of our investigators, </div>
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with Elder Kahia during our service with them on Thursday.</div>
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We've been seeing Serewaia and Carissa Kasa, and Talei a lot this week to prepare them for their baptisms this coming week. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to see Carissa - every time we see her sister, she's not there. In addition to that, it rained all weekend, and none of them - including Talei - came to church. It was really disappointing. Like when it rains, most people just want it to stop. That's kinda how I felt at church on Sunday, when after a busy week, there didn't seem to be any fruits of our labors.</div>
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Talk about WRONG!</div>
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And another full dinner list!</div>
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Miracle days were, ironically, Friday and Sunday (which were the days it rained the hardest). Friday started with us contacting a less-active who told us, "Elders, I'm done with the church. Sorry." And that like never happens in Fiji, where they don't even invite you inside - it was a little shocking. After that, we started walking again in the rain and I turned to Elder Kahia and said, "Let's go see those potential investigators on Bureta Street" - a couple we had talked with something like two weeks ago. As we were headed over there, a car pulled over and the driver asked, "Hey, do you want a lift? But ready for the curve ball? It was the family whose house we were headed towards right then. We told the lady, Lice (not like the bug, it's pronounced "lee-they"), that we were just going to their house right then, and she was surprised, because they were wondering what they were going to do for about an hour before they went to a rugby game. Talk about the Lord's hand in His work!</div>
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We played baseball at P-Day last week!</div>
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Next miracle was, even after the not-so-great day at church (church itself was good, just the fact that none of our investigators came to church), we saw Atu and Lusi down in Nauluvatu settlement. When we got there, Atu was sleeping, and they woke him up (we told them not to - in fact, we left but they called us back) and when we sat down with him, he told us, "Elders, au mani wilika koya na lavelave ya, ka'u kila ni dina na ka sa volai kina." "Elders, I read that pamphlet, and I know that what's written in it is true." We were caught off guard, but he explained that he agreed that we need the gospel to be restored or brought back as it was in its origination by the Savior. By the time we'd explained the Restoration, the Prophet Joseph Smith, and the Book of Mormon, Atu was determined to read the Book of Mormon to know for himself. We were so excited!</div>
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Miracles are real - just like Earth after rain.</div>
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Elder Barnaby</div>
Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-29518443943319339582016-06-26T20:16:00.000-07:002016-06-26T20:16:31.808-07:00Too Tired To Think Of A Clever Title (Samabula 2nd Area, Week 20)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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Na Vale Tabu</div>
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And that's how hard we worked this week. So much work, we're so exhausted. I'll try to cover what we did this week really quick, if I can remember past what I ate for breakfast (I had pretzels that a member gave us).</div>
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Monday we had a combined Family Home Evening with the Matanatabu's, the Kasa's, and the Toga's. Two of Sister Kasa's kids, Serewaia and Carrissa, have started taking lessons and are going to be baptized probably next week. They're so solid, we've been seeing them a lot so that we can get them baptized before the end of the transfer. We're also still working with Talei Ciri, who will now be baptized with Serewaia and Carrissa, probably on the 9th of July.</div>
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I love little Fijian kids!</div>
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Tuesday and Wednesday I was on exchanges with Elder Carlson, my old companion from Tavua who <span id="goog_1582946049"></span><span id="goog_1582946050"></span>is now my Zone Leader. It was way fun - he's changed so much since I've last taught with him. I asked him if I've changed at all, and he said that I've changed so much he could hardly describe it. That was a bit of a proud moment for me - but I know that I have a long way to go, and I'm hoping to change just a lot more before I finish my mission later this year. But the exchange with Elder Carlson was way fun - I worked him so hard that we had to take periodic breaks in walking (Elder Kahia and I don't take breaks - we walk until we get there*).</div>
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We ate something called "Moca" (moe-tha) at the Tuinisautu's house, it's some kind of green that's the midway point between rourou and bele (not that any of you know what that is). It was way tasty! We ate our fill that time, and the Tuinisautu's always give us a big plate of cucumbers too, which is pretty rare in Fiji (my brother Zac would die here without cucumbers). We have some fantastic families here in Samabula, and they never let us go hungry.</div>
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Sunday was a day of a lot of ups and very few downs - the only real downer being that the Kasa's couldn't make it to church. But Salote Ravosai could, and it's been 3 years since she's been to church! Elder Kahia and I were so happy when she walked in with Sister Korologa. Elder Kahia and I also spoke in Sacrament Meeting about people we've served here in Fiji. It was fun hearing the members compliment us afterwards on our Fijian.</div>
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We found this centipede on our way to a lesson on Thursday night -</div>
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I've never been bitten by one, but I heard that it just hurts ca sara ga</div>
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I'm sorry, at the moment like everything escapes my mind. I just know that nearly every day, we worked until we dropped. And that's what's gonna happen next week too! Let's go!</div>
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Elder Barnaby</div>
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*unless we stop at the store for a snack</div>
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Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-39277310661735703012016-06-19T20:23:00.000-07:002016-06-19T20:23:16.870-07:00The Week God's Work Worked Us (Samabula 2nd Area, Week 19)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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We found a cool little trail - it led to a pig sty (I mean a literal pen of pigs)</div>
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Sister Taufa tried to draw the</div>
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"Avatar: The Last Airbender" symbol on my head with a whiteboard marker.</div>
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And I mean it! There hasn't been a single day this week that we haven't gone home just completely dead-tired. Allow me to explain a little bit the wonderful, joyful, hard work that Elder Kahia and I experienced this week.</div>
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We had the great "Suva North Zone Cup" last P-Day - </div>
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District versus District. </div>
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Samabula District's team color: blue (SamaBlua!)</div>
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Monday was super fun. We had a big Zone-wide tournament and each District had a color and there were different events like Basketball, Volleyball, relays, and "Pani" (a Fijian game involving stacking cans and throwing balls). It was awesome - even though we lost by one point to the Tamavua District. That evening, we had a Ward Family Home Evening, to which came several of our investigators.</div>
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Behold - Tukana "Tuks", king of dance</div>
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Tuesday we had our first-ever District Potluck Lunch after District Meeting. Definitely worth it - Elder Carlson cooked some mean curry and fried chicken. This next week Elder Kahia and I are the chefs, so beware! But Tuesday, that's where it started. We started getting into so many houses and so many appointments that by the end of the day, we were just so exhausted. We started teaching Talei, Sister Ciri's daughter who is 9 years old and hasn't been baptized yet. She's really shy and quiet, but she really wants to be baptized so we're excited for her.</div>
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Fijians know how to make the most of life</div>
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The rest of the week was just work - work, work, work, work, </div>
work. I've never sweat so much and had so many people just stop us and say hello and ask us to come back sometime. No one has come up to us yet and said, "Hey Elders, baptize us" but that's not our entire purpose anyway. Our real purpose, as we explained to Shane and Asinaca Suka in a very Spirit-led lesson on Saturday, is to invite all to come unto Christ by helping them receive the Restored Gospel and its blessings, through faith and repentance and keeping covenants with our Heavenly Father. The other purpose is, of course, to bring families closer together. One observation we made this week is that our well-known name tags carries to names in bold: the name of our family and the name of the Savior, which is part of the name of the Church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). That is our purpose - baptism is just a step in that process we make to draw closer to the Savior.<br />
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It was fantastic! Rosi's husband, Jerry, performed her baptism!</div>
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LDS Primary School children just know </div>
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the most important parts of the gospel</div>
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The main focus this week was Rosi Matanatabu and her baptism. And was she ready? You better believe it. She opened up so much this week, passed her baptismal interview with flying colors, and was able to be baptized by her husband Jerry. It was such a special day. To hear Rosi bear her testimony was powerful - she was quiet, and very nervous, but the Spirit was strong. This girl is converted. We're so proud of her, and Jerry, who have made such changes and sacrifices in their lives to become more like the Savior of the World, our Master, Jesus Christ.<br />
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We're not the best at selfies</div>
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This week brought heaps of work - and next week, now that we're stronger, the work better watch out!</div>
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Elder Barnaby</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My home Fiji!!</span></div>
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Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-22926183663860344642016-06-12T20:04:00.003-07:002016-06-12T20:04:50.763-07:00The Members Are Calling Me Fat (Samabula 2nd Area, Week 18)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This little guy's name is Josevata - we did service at his family's house this week</div>
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This week has just flown by, and somehow tons of work got done in between. I don't know where to start!</div>
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On Wednesday we had our Zone Conference about the Atonement and it was fantastic - so inspiring, we learned so much from it! President Layton has a great understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and it was exciting to get to tap into some of that wisdom. Probably the most quotable thing he said - "Some people try to atone for their own sins, but that is impossible - except to the Savior."</div>
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This is Immanuel, he's from the island of Rotuma and he's about to leave on </div>
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his mission to the Gilbert Islands (Kiribati) this week!</div>
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Throughout this whole week we've been seeing Rosi and Jerry, getting her ready for her baptism next week. She's so prepared! She comes every week and has kept all the commitments we've asked her to keep. Jerry is also a big help - he wants to be at every lesson to help and support her, and he often asks her unspoken questions. Ever since they got married a few weeks ago, they've been much happier and more open with us. The Lord truly does bless those that put him first. The ward is getting pumped for her baptism this week, in addition to two other activities and our Ward Conference that will be happening this coming week. Seems like we'll be at the chapel every day!</div>
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Service at the Suka family's house</div>
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One of our favorite new families that we found is the Suka family. Shane Suka is the brother of Sister Williams, who runs the Church Distribution Center on the Temple compound. He and his wife have had a lot of interaction with the church over the years, their kids school at LDS Primary, and they were super welcoming when we first met them, on request of Sister Williams. We went to their house on Saturday and spent all morning helping them cut and clean their yard. It was a very enjoyable experience, and a great first-contact with them. They invited us back to have dinner there next week, and we're so excited to get to know them better.</div>
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Elda Kahia and Tukai just chilling</div>
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How 'bout those headphones? Kelepi is </div>
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determined to get the experience out of his game</div>
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Every day was filled with food this week - some days we ate four times, between the hours of 12 and 6pm. It was actually very hard. Never thought I'd have that problem on my mission. In Fijian culture, they give you everything - and the best of everything. And it's very rude not to accept the offering, so we just ate as much as we could without it coming back up (with one exception...). At our dinner appointment on Thursday, Sister Tuinisautu pointed out that since I've gotten to Samabula 4 months ago I've gotten fatter ("O iko sa levulevu mai!"). And those were her exact words. Several other members agreed throughout the week. I'm not sure how I feel about that, but I guess it is a blessing that the members love us so much.</div>
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And I love them too. This week was so great, and I can't wait for what next week holds!</div>
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Elder Barnaby </div>
Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868983082894749289.post-40214234135891554042016-06-05T19:29:00.003-07:002016-06-05T19:29:35.995-07:00Lucky Number 13 (Samabula 2nd Area, Week 17)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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Elder Ta'a's last day in Samabula - we had a race with Ben and Isikeli Dunn </div>
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for exercise that morning (Ben won by a landslide - and he was the only on barefoot)</div>
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Transfers! Elder Ta'a left to go to Toga Branch in Nausori South Zone, and I am still here in </div>
Samabula 2nd! I tend to spend a good amount of time in each area - at the end of this transfer, it will be nearly 6 months in Samabula 2nd (same as my stay in Taveuni and Tavua, the latter being my first and longest area).<br />
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My new companion is named Elder Kahia, he just finished his <br />
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My newest companion - Elder Kahia!</div>
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training in Dratabu, Nadi and he is my 13th companion. Lucky number 13! Not often do people have this many compnaions - I'm just lucky I guess! Elder Kahia is from Brisbane, Australia, he's 18 years old and he's way funny. He loves the Fijian people and is just a great positive guy to be around. I feel like this is going to be a way fun transfer!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo credit to Ezekiel Dunn</td></tr>
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We got Elder Ta'a all ready to go on Friday to Toga Branch (which is funny, because it's pronounced the same way as "Tonga", which is where Elder Ta'a is from), said some goodbyes, Sister Matanatabu made us a big pot of kokoda (raw fish salad - and she made us finish it ourselves), and we parted ways. Elder Ta'a is my longest companion, and I definitely learned a ton from him in our 3 1/2 months together. He's a really fantastic missionary - and nothing stops him!</div>
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Rosi and Jeri are officially married! They put the Lord first, and to be honest, I haven't seen them happier. We sat down with them on Saturday and set Rosi's baptismal date for the 18th of this month. She's really excited to be baptized, and her husband wants to sit in on every lesson to help her to understand everything! Those Matanatabus are so inspiring. Sister Matanatabu is having a bit of trouble - she got a new job, which requires her to work on Sundays. Prayers for her would be great, so she can figure out that situation to be able to keep the Sabbath Day holy and come to church.</div>
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Just outside the temple, we ran into the Tora family from my first area - Tavua! </div>
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Nina, the one in the center, was my second convert in the mission.</div>
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Nice view from Nauluvatu settlement</div>
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We're doing lots of finding, trying to expand our teaching pool and see more people this transfer. We're hoping and praying for miracles, which I know will come as we work hard and are obedient and prayerful to the Lord. After all, Elder Kahia is lucky number 13! Let's go Samabula! Go Fiji go!</div>
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<b>Elder Barnaby</b></div>
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I got a new name tag - Fijian style!</div>
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<br />Barnaby Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08818981437771980694noreply@blogger.com0