Old Saint Nakelo (Also, I'm 20) (Nakelo Area, Week 2)

Merry (belated) Christmas! And Happy New Years from Fiji!

This is the back part of a large village called Lomainasau - 

the house on the left belongs to one of our investigators, Susana.

Boy, what a week! Where do I begin? So many big things were going on this week, and it was just so much fun. I'll start with the days leading up to Christmas, because that was the only time we had to proselyte this week.

Tuesday we got to see a bunch of people, but we biked our hearts out trying to get everywhere and

see everyone. Probably my favorite lesson of the day was with Susana, a woman who wants to be baptized. She took lessons when she lived in Samabula (where the Temple is in Suva), and now she's really liking having us come over every week. She's way nice - I hope she can start coming out to church and then she can be baptized sometime next month. She's really curious and really questions everything we teach her - which is good! We want people to know our message is true for themselves, not just because we told them it was true. Our job as missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to present the message of the Restoration clearly, testify of its truthfulness, and live in such a way that the Spirit of the Lord can be with us to help people come to the knowledge of the truth for themselves.

This is how Fijians decorate

for Christmas

This is Elder Sooula!

Wednesday was a long, hard day, but it was also super fun - our dinner appointment with the Tawake family was way good. I love sitting down to eat with members - we talk, we laugh, we build good relationships, and if you eat a lot in front of them, it makes them so happy. Island culture, especially Fiji, is best represented when you sit down to a meal with them. I really like the Tawakes, we're going back there on Wednesday for dinner and I hope that as we visit them and talk and laugh with them that they will have the desire to come to church every Sunday.

Sweet new watch for my birthday! 

Thanks, Mom, Dad, Emma, and Zac!

Christmas day was great - definitely not the same as being home, and I already opened my presents on Taveuni, but it was still a good day. We had a Christmas Devotional as a Zone, and I gave a talk on the Savior's birth. It was really special to get to learn more about Him and His birth as I prepared for the talk. After our Devotional, we went to a big field and we played touch-Rugby for like four hours straight. It was way fun. I didn't even hurt myself! It was a Christmas miracle!

My birthday, though, was the best day. I opened the gifts my family sent me - some fantastic ties and a nice new watch and even a few LEGOs! But then we got to Skype our families - we get to talk to them twice a year, and when we Skyped home on my birthday, it was Christmas at home (due to the time difference) and it was just the best thing ever. I was so happy I could hardly speak. They've all changed so much, but at the same time, they're the same as when I left them. I loved it, though. I bore my testimony in Fijian, and (don't tell them I told you) but we all started to tear up. I love them! I'm so glad that our family was sealed in the Temple and that we can be together forever!

Best Birthday gift of all - 

Skype with these hooligans!

The power went out on all of Viti Levu island

 Sunday night - not sure why.

Killed a giant centipede during the night. Apparently,

their bites hurt like nothing else.

To top things off this week, the whole island of Viti Levu had a power shutdown on Sunday evening. We still don't know why, but we lost power, and we talked to some other missionaries and all of Suva City was out of power, too. It was crazy - but we lit some candles and told funny stories until it came back a few hours later. I'm glad the Light of Christ never goes out in anyone, even temporarily, and if we exercise it and use it right, it can grow "brighter and brighter until the perfect day" (Doctrine and Covenants 50:24)

Happy New Years! Vakamarau na Yabakivou! Hope 2016 is the best year ever!

Elder Barnaby

I never thought I'd find the best Strawberry milkshake 

in the world in Fiji. But I want another one.

This is in a village right next to Lomainasau, called Nabitu

This is the view from Nabitu village - I don't know what it's called though