Finding My Inner Bula (Tavua Area, Week 16)

 Hail, all you people that read these things.

This week was a tough week, to say the least. It was the first of a two-week school vacation, and most of our investigators were gone to Suva and elsewhere. The rest of our investigators were busy with parties and weddings and such. We did a lot of just walking around this week - not super fun, and a little discouraging at times.

But! It was still a wonderful week! Lots of fun things happened! For one, on Saturday we ran into a missionary who used to serve in Tavua area - Elder Grotepas. He finished his mission the day I got to Fiji. He even gave us a ride (which, for two guys who mostly walk everywhere, was really nice). The pictures on the blog this week show the fun parts of the week for me and my companion. There's this Australian white lady staying somewhere in Tavua, and we've seen her a few times but never said more than hello. Then, one day, she was riding by in a truck, taking a video, and as she passed us she said, "Bula!" and we replied "Bula!" While speculating what she was really doing in Tavua (because no one in their right mind would come here on vacation), we determined she was "looking for her inner bula".

We found our 'inner bula' when our District went on a hike last week.  It was way fun, but at the top we started wading through a field of spiny grass. I'm still finding the spines all over my clothes!

Alright, I guess I'll share just one great experience from this week: We went to go visit Viliame Vauvau in Nabuna Koro. Viliame is 18 years old and he's been a member for 3 years. But he hasn't been to church in well over a year. We visit him almost every week, and he knows the church is true and that he needs to go to church, but he just doesn't do it. He's probably the person that annoys me the most here, just because he has a strong testimony but doesn't act on it. We sat down with him and instead of pointing out where he could improve, we took a different approach: We asked Viliame to think about his own life and his goals and ask himself if he's remembering the Savior in them. Elder Carlson asked me what I'd do if Viliame went to church. I told him I'd cry. And I almost did. He came to church, and I was back up on Cloud Nine. I'm now convinced Cloud Nine is the closest cloud to Heaven.

This is Sister Naua, her granddaughter, and I. 

She's the sweetest lady.

"Bula" is used as a common greeting in the Fijian language, but it's actual meaning is "life". John 17:3, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." That's the inner bula I'm finding, and the one that I'm sharing with the people of Fiji.

Me sa tiko ga vei kemuni,

Elda Barnaby

I found my feminine side during Service Day this week. 

Elder Carlson found his barbarian side.

The next Fiji water model!!

Apparently they have scouting in Fiji.