It's a boy! (Matei/Qeleni Area, Week 11)

Na luvequ taleitaki! Elder Jonutz!

Extra, extra!: Elder Barnaby is training a brand new missionary! Meet Elder Jonutz, the man himself.

He's from California, he loves surfing and snowboarding, playing the guitar, and he is so excited to serve a mission for the Lord. He has 3 sisters, all younger than him, and this is his first time out of the country. He reminds me so much of myself - it's fantastic.

Elder Sarufa from Papau New Guinea - 

we were both waiting for our new companions together

That also means I'm "senior companion", which means that I have full control of the area in which I'm serving and full responsibility for the work here. It's a big deal. Also, we're reopening Qeleni area this week for proselyting, which will be tough because neither of us know many people here. It's a lot to stress about, but I know and feel that my Heavenly Father is on my side - I'm ready for anything now!

This week, we helped a member of the Church who hadn't been coming to church to come back to full activity. In missionary terms, she was a "Returning Member". In the Fiji Suva Mission, we have goals each month to help a certain number of people become what we call "Saints" - either Returning Members or convert baptisms. It's really special to help someone come unto Christ like that.

Elder Jonutz getting off the boat! (Not that you can see him)

Branch-baptism in Matei! 

Speaking of which, on Sunday I baptized a little 8-year-old girl! She's one of my favorite little girls

from one of our families here in Matei Unit. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe that people must make their own choice to be baptized, and that when a person turns 8-years-old, they understand well enough to make that choice for themselves. I was so happy for Faith yesterday.

Her name is Faith Liahona Nasici Ratunigaloa.  A member's daughter that wanted me 

to baptize her, and I was so honored

Had to say goodbye to Elder Carter -
 my companion and my friend!

This week, Elder Noble (my District Leader) and I are reopening Qeleni. Next week, we'll be going to Labasa on the island of Vanua Levu for another training meeting. I'm so excited for all that's happening, the Lord really loves us all and His work is true and real and moving! Onward!

Elder Barnaby

P.S. In the Fiji Suva Mission, if someone trains a new missionary, they are that missionary's "dad". So I have a son! Hurray! Love you all!

The Foretold Harvest (Matei/Qeleni, Week 10)

Me and My friends!

It was a tough week, we had our baptism fall through again, and he won't be baptized for a while for extenuating circumstances. It's okay, though, someday in the future there will be someone to baptize

Sikeli! This kid read the whole 

Book of Mormon in Fijian in a month!

him. Sikeli is the man. I have faith that the Lord will provide for him.

We finally got out and about this week, and I'm not sick anymore! I'm still using the crutches, but my

ankle feels so much better now. It's getting hot here on Taveuni - way hot. But I'm doing great health-wise! I still move slower with the crutches, and getting home in the evening is tough because I'm so sore from walking all day. But things are looking up. The work here is moving slowly - very slowly. But that's okay - I know I'm planting seeds for a harvest in the future! I do want to share a few experiences from this week.

One was with one of our new investigators, Dipika. She's an Indian lady (for those of you who don't know, Indians make up almost half of the population here, because of Indian laborers that the British brought a hundred-plus years ago), and she's way nice! We had invited her to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it's true, and she said that she did, and it was interesting because she recognized her answer after about a week of waiting and praying. She said that she just felt and knew it was true, and that the Church of Jesus Christ was true. She currently goes to the Assembly of God church, and she's not ready to be baptized yet, but she is interested and wants to know more. God works in mysterious ways!

Cutest. Little girl. On the face of the planet.

Her nickname is Goldilocks

We only had 15 people at church this week, which is always sad - we work hard all week to fill that little building we meet in, and only 15 people show up. But they are 15 of the best. One of them was Sister Talei, a member who hasn't been coming to church for some time, but just recently, she decided to come back. She's loved it the past two weeks. We've been going over to her house and trying to strengthen her ever since I got here 10 weeks ago, and she has finally heeded that prompting of the Holy Ghost to come back to church and partake. I love it. Everyone knows I love stories - and a redemption story, that's the best kind.

Transfers are this week, and we think that Elder Carter will be transferred! Stay tuned!

Elder Barnaby

This week we attended a funereal for a church member.  It was a wonderful celebration of life.  There was lots of love and lots of food. 

And an epic card game... Go fish Fijian style!

The Week I Starred On The Travel Channel (Matei/Qeleni Area, Week 9)

Missionary of Steel - 

on Crutches... 

I didn't actually star on the travel channel, but with the amount of travelling we had to do this week, I should've! We had Zone Conference in Labasa this week, which is another island and a 4-hr bus ride away from Taveuni. Travel was absolutely nuts - After Zone Conference, we had to wake up at 3 am to catch the bus from Labasa back to Savusavu and the boat back to Taveuni. I can't even describe. We spent full days this week just travelling. To top it off, I got some crutches for my sprained ankle - my arms are way sore, but at least I can go out and work now.

View of  the island of Vanua Levu.

Tuesday we left on the 8am boat to Vanua Levu island - I was way excited to be riding a boat, because one of our rules as missionaries is that we aren't allowed to ride in boats or participate in water sports - just for safety reasons. But we got to ride a boat called the Taveuni Princess and it was cool classic-looking wooden boat.

When we got to Vanua Levu, we rode a bus to Savusavu and then on to Labasa. It was really warm there! Vanua Levu is the northern island in Fiji, the second largest and it's nickname is the "Friendly North". When I got to Fiji, my dream was to serve in Taveuni or Vanua Levu. Now I've been to both.

Cool training during 

our Zone Meeting in Labas

We had Zone Training Meeting on Tuesday evening, we went and got some FANTASTIC food (I got Mongolian beef - it was so good, you have no idea). I also got my crutches on Tuesday, so by Wednesday I was using them everywhere I went. Zone Conference was on Wednesday, and boy, it was so good. For Zone Conferences (every 3 months), our Mission President, President Layton, always comes up from Suva to visit us and give us some training. This time, it was focused on finding people to teach and retaining recent converts after they are baptized. It was a really good day, I learned a lot - especially that our efforts often have a ripple effect that we could never have realized. President Harward, 2nd Counselor in the Fiji Suva Mission Presidency, told a story how after 50 years of being off his mission, he got a call from a girl who thanked him for baptizing her mother. Since then, that one lady President Harward had baptized has had several children and many grandchildren, many of whom have since served missions of their own, in turn blessing hundreds of other lives. All because President Harward served his mission and baptized that one person. I love it! It gives me hope that even just one person whose life I touch could have an effect that would bless dozens, hundreds, even thousands of lives. It's a wonderful thing.

We ate at this one place in Labasa, "Horseshoe" - 

man, they had some way good $4 burgers. 

We never, ever get burgers in Fiji, let alone for $4.

The trip back, as I said before, was a nightmare. We woke up at 3 am and for basically 10 hrs we just traveled. And then, after a little bit of down time, I went straight on an exchange to Vuna with Elder Brown, who is a new missionary in training. I was exhausted, but it was definitely a fun experience. Until on Friday, when we went to one area called Navakawau. All of a sudden, I came down with a high fever, and there was no cell service, and the bus was 3 hours late coming down to Navakawau. So I was taken care of in the home of a few members of the Church, the Muri family. They took care of me until the Senior Missionary Couple, the Vermeerens, were able to drive down and pick us up (we found cell service after searching for a while). The fever was gone by Saturday, though.

This is from the Vuna Flat on the 

southern side of Taveuni Island.

Elder Lautogia is serving in 

the most bush-area of the mission - Nakawakawa. 

As you can see, it's doing interesting things to him.

Unfortunately, we had Sikeli's baptism planned for Saturday, but he didn't show up. He also didn't come to church, which was unlike him. We're really unsure of what's up, but we're going to work hard this week to answer his concerns and help him to make that covenant of baptism, which can only bless his life. He already wants it, he just needs to take the step of faith. It would mean a lot to me for him to be baptized. But it's up to the Lord, and Sikeli. All I can do is work

From the Taveuni Princess boat to Vanua Levu from Taveuni

and pray.

Tough week, but only good things are ahead! Toso!

Elder Barnaby

God Helps Those Who Sprain Their Ankles (Matei/Qeleni Area, Week 8)

Teaching the Word of God under a Mango tree

Just a little note my mom sent me and
I thought it applied perfectly right now

Here's the story of a lifetime: Last Tuesday, Elder Carter and I ventured out to Somosomo to stay with the Elders there for part of the day. I decided to use another Elder's shoes - they were so comfortable and only a little bit big for me. We bought some breakfast pies with fruit fillings and the like, but as we returned back to the flat, I took a wrong step down and ate it. Not the pie, the ground. However, I did NOT drop the pie (to my everlasting credit). My foot, however, is now severely sprained, to the point where the Mission Nurse had me in bed for more than half of this week.

So not a lot else happened! Elder Carter and I had to get pretty creative with our time - we made up games, we watched church videos, we even played battleship - on paper! But we were so bored, we were stuck inside from Friday until Monday morning. Thankfully, our District Leader, Elder Noble, came up to visit on Sunday afternoon so we could go on splits and Elder Carter and Elder Noble could go visit some people. Elder Brown, who's a new missionary, stayed with me while the other two went.

Elder and Sister Vermeeren and Elder Roth with me and
Elder Carter

However ineffective our week was proselyting-wise, we had a great day on Thursday, with help from the Senior Missionary Couple, the Vermeerens. They have a truck, so I was able to go out proselyting and visiting several families, and each visit was just filled with the Spirit of the Lord - they were all powerful lessons! It was very enjoyable day - I loved it, even though I didn't go out again the rest of the week. When Elder Carter and Elder Noble went teaching on Sunday evening, though, they visited Sikeli, who will hopefully be baptized this week. They asked him how his reading was going in the Book of Mormon, and he said that he'd finished it - and started again. First of all, the Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ - which we use alongside the Bible to testify of the Savior and of His Gospel) is 500 pages long. Secondly, Sikeli is only 15 years old - and he finished the whole book in a month! We were over the moon when we found out! He's gained a testimony of the Book of Mormon and knows that it too is the word of God, working with the Bible to help us to know how we can prepare ourselves in this life to return to live with our Heavenly Father.

Here's a verse from the Book of Mormon that really gives me comfort, especially after a week like this:

As you can see, my badly-sprained ankle and 

I have a very agreeable relationship.

"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." (Alma 7:11-12)

That's Christ. Sure, I couldn't help His people this week, like I wanted to. But I definitely feel that He remembers me. You, too. Here's to a great week ahead! 

Elder Barnaby

This is Paula, one of our investigators, and his way funny kids.

This is Sister Koroi and her son Keli - they're fantastic members!

Keli will be baptized sometime this month, he's 8-years-old.

My attempt at french fries - they weren't too bad...

We Love Mail Time... Thanks Mom!!

Even Weddings Don't Stop Us Now (Matei/Qeleni Area, Week 7)

Wow! This week has been just crazy! It's been tough, but for some reason, it's also been one of my favorites. This week, I've learned to adopt a positive attitude of not worrying, just going with it and having fun. In addition, I learned this week what hard work coupled with faith in the Lord can truly do.

I smell the Truth in those sandals

Elder Carter is...special to man and beast

On Monday, we had a Family Home Evening planned (family scripture study/activity night) with

some members who live nearby our house, but they all of a sudden cancelled on us. Tuesday was rather unsuccessful as well, though we did have a very enjoyable District Meeting. On Wednesday and Thursday, we went on exchanges - Elder Carter went down to Vuna area (on the other side of Taveuni) and Elder Noble, our District Leader, came up to Matei. Elder Carter was especially excited because he started his mission down in Vuna, and he got to go back (which doesn't happen too often).

Exchanges with Elder Noble - 

he really enjoyed this ice cream

Elder Noble and I had a ton of fun - there were no more lessons on Wednesday, but on Thursday we had some very effective lessons. That was most impressive, because Thursday was when the weddings happened. That's right, the weddings. Two weddings, on the same day. One was the wedding of the Naselesele village chief's daughter, so it was big. EVERYONE was gone. We had to work really, really hard just to get a few lessons this week. The thing with Fijian weddings is that everyone goes (except for us - no one invited us) and they last for days afterward.

This is Koroi - he's hilarious.

The funnest days, though, were Saturday and

Sunday. We saw some great families on Saturday, and they all had way funny little kids. The Tuvasu and Qumi families - some of my favorite families here in Taveuni. We also saw Sikeli, my favorite. He's getting really excited for his baptism - he's started telling everyone about it! Since we started seeing him last month, he's read all the way to 3 Nephi in the Book of Mormon - it's way awesome! I love the guy, hopefully he'll be able to be baptized in the next few weeks. He's the man himself.

Members - Brother Tuvasu and Brother Qumi and child

Sunday, though. Sunday was crazy good. Church was good, there wasn't great church attendance - only about 17 people came to church, but one of them was Sikeli and a few less-actives as well. We were very happy for that. After church, we reviewed our week and saw that we'd only seen 11 families and individuals this week. In the past, we've been able to see 20+ people per week - that's what we refer to as "Standards of Excellence" here in Fiji Suva Mission. 20 lessons a week is having really effective and productive weeks. Elder Carter and I set a goal to have 20+ lessons every week this transfer, so we decided to work as hard as we could on Sunday. We were literally carried from lesson to lesson - the Lord aided us in His work. We flew from lesson to lesson and village to village, and at the end of the day, we'd seen 6 families and individuals and traveled a good 5 miles by foot. It was amazing to see the Lord in His work, helping His people through us. This was the best.

I love the Lord, I love these people, I love you all, and I love being me. Because me is who I am, and I am changing into who God wants me to be. 

-Elder Barnaby

Can Elder Carter outsmart this Fijian child...

The essence of Elders Noble and Carter

Helped move someone before emails..
Work before the reward!

I Testify that Murphy's Law is Real (Matei Area, Week 6)

I walked into a pole. I was not pleased.

Disclaimer: I'm not being negative! This week just exemplified Murphy's Law: "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong, and at the worst possible time". That's not to say that absolutely everything went wrong, there were some fantastic things that happened this week - some that came because of Murphy's Law. Allow me to elaborate.

Suffice to say it Rained on Saturday

First of all, Elder Carter POPPED MY BUBBLE and informed my that I'd been spelling my nickname wrong my whole mission - it's Painapiu, not Pinapew. It's the little things that get me.

Elder Carter and Brother Lagi, the Ward Clerk, 

who was going visiting with us on Saturday. Poor guy.

Monday, we missed the bus (surprise! every week!) so we started walking to Matei, and we caught a ride after about an hour of walking. As we started walking to an appointment, we stopped to say hello to a less-active. This man is the son of the Matei Group Leader, and he's always gone. Elder Carter has been here for 3 months and has never sat down with him. But he was there, and we were able to sit down and talk to him. He told us a little about his conversion story, and the Spirit took the lesson in an entirely different direction than we were expecting. It was amazing, and the discussion led to my favorite book of scripture in the Book of Mormon - Enos! (Fijian: Inosi). It was a bomb lesson. But that was the only lesson on Monday.

Pot of gold after the storm (the aftermath of the rain!)

On Tuesday we made pancakes for some of the members - REAL pancakes, not the fried Fijian batter things. We just made them to show appreciation to some of the members of the unit that really help us out - and later on this week, they all started requesting the recipe! Our Group Leader, Brother Celua, thought it was a time bomb...uhh...anyway, we had some fantastic less-active lessons this week, though. It was a tough week for investigators, but it was getting better throughout the week.

Now, back to Murphy's Law. Friday, our dinner appointment fell through. Saturday, we planned to go on splits with the members, and the whole day's plans were messed up when one of them didn't show up. Saturday, it rained for a long time - and we were interior visiting less-actives, up in the hills, so that was an enjoyable walk. Saturday, Elder Carter left his bag in a truck that gave us a ride (we did end up finding it). Sunday, 27 people came to church! And over half of them left right after Sacrament Meeting, and the rest after Sunday School. That was a little bit frustrating, but the most important thing is that they're coming to Sacrament Meeting. Also, we're hitting large roadblocks with our investigators and the less-actives we're helping to return to church. It's just an exciting time here in Matei - I'm not mad, it's just difficult at times.

 Tuvasu kids!

I will tell you what I learned this week: I read President Thomas S. Monson's talks from last conference, and thought about how old he is now. I thought to myself, "What if these were his last talks - is this what's most important to him, the Prophet of God?" The first was titled, "The Priesthood - A Sacred Gift" and the second "The Blessings of the Temple". These two things intertwine so nicely and are so eternally important that I couldn't help but feel that he is a true Prophet, living today. It was amazing. As I read them, I gained a realization that I wish I'd gained a long time ago: being worthy and clean spiritually isn't just about getting to heaven - it's about pleasing my Heavenly Father, and being able to bless other people. That's the point of the Priesthood, the power and authority to act in God's name, given by Christ Himself to His Apostles and restored to Joseph Smith in these the last days. That's the point of the Temple, the House of the Lord, wherein we can find the crowning ordinances, including sealing a family together for time and all eternity. This is the point: to bless others. I have this newfound excitement and drive to be more worthy, so that I may be an "instrument in the hands of God...and this is my joy" (Alma 29:9)

Elder Carter made Pumpkin Curry and a chutney 

(which is like a sweet side dish of tomatoes and onions - kind of like a sauce or topping). 

Way tasty!

Au lomani kemuni kece sara,

Elda Painapiu (not Pinapew)

Frogs get hit all the time here. But this...this takes the cake.