Ono na Vula! (6 Months)

Ni sa Vinaka na noqu matavuvale!

Isa! I can’t believe that this week was already my 6th month mark. We burned a
tie so I have some pictures from the ceremony haha I called Elder Stock and
talked to him for a bit too so that was good. Last Monday the sisters made me a
cake and stuff and brought it to P-day so that was fun. We also had a big water
fight for the New Year.
Well this week was really good. Yesterday Roko, Esira and Sainimere's grandson
got interviewed and is going to be getting baptized this next week. And what is
even more awesome is that Esira gets to do the baptism. It will be way sweet to
see one of my recent converts baptizing his oldest grandson. They told us this
is just the start and that they eventually will get all of their family to join
so that would be so awesome. On one of the nights that we were teaching him
this week the other little kids were all running around and stuff and the
spirit was definitely not there in the lesson, but then Esira and Sai made them
go out and we needed to make sure that Roko had a testimony of Joseph Smith and
the Book of Mormon. So Elder McCombs started re-sharing the Joseph Smith story
to him and instantly the spirit was back. It was so strong that Elder McCombs
started to get choked up as he was sharing the story. And then I bore my
testimony about it and then Esira and Sai both bore their testimonies about it.
They were 2 of the most powerful testimonies that I have probably ever heard.
When Sai was bearing hers she started crying and it made me cry because I felt
so thankful to have been the one to just have a small part in helping her to
receive this gospel that she was bearing testimony about. They are both the
bomb. They are pretty much like my Fijian grandparents haha
On Sunday Joseph also got interviewed and will be getting baptized this week.
He has taken the lessons probably 5 or 6 other times at all different places
that he has lived in Fiji. He just could never stop smoking, until now!! He is
the man. His wife Louisa has been a member forever and she is amazing. She is
really the only reason he made it. Angeline and David should be getting married
this week so she should be getting baptized this week also. Shabina was being a
huge drama queen as usual and didn’t come to church and hasn’t for the past few
weeks, so she won’t be getting baptized this week which kind of sucks because
she is totally ready, she just needs to show some more effort and go to church.
There is a cool story that happened with her though yesterday. So her husband
is Muslim and he has pretty much hated us from the start. So this week while we
were there he came home and she called him over and said that we all need to
take things out or something. So we talked to him and he pretty much just told
us he doesn’t like us because he is a pure Muslim and all this stuff but that
Shabina can choose to do whatever she wants. So we just told him we are not
forcing her to be baptized and stuff and that it is her choice. He was still
pissed when we left but I guess it was a little better haha now for the good
part though. So last night we get a call from Shabina and she tells us to come
over to pray for her husband because his leg suddenly got all swollen up and he
is in so much pain that he is crying. So I told her we could come give him a
blessing. So we go over and get in the house and he is laying down grabbing his
leg and crying in pain and smoking his cig like a chimney. So we tell him that
if he has faith that us giving him a blessing will heal him that it can. So he
is a little hesitant but he says sure do it. So Elder McCombs anointed and then
I gave him a blessing. Of course we were hoping for us to open our eyes and for
him to be healed but that didn’t happen haha so we sat there for like 15 more
minutes but then we had to leave and when we left he was still in a lot of
pain. But then that night we are at the flat and we get a call from Shabina. I
answer and ends up that it is actually the husband on the phone. I could tell
he was a little hesitant but he said, I just wanted to call and tell you thank
you, I am feeling a lot better now. So pretty much we healed this man who hated
us and now we are hoping that it will soften his heart and he can get baptized
too! ha It is so cool to have these front row seats and get to even participate
in the Lords work.
Well by next Monday I should know where or if I am getting transferred. We are
all pretty sure that I will be because there are 7 new missionaries coming in
and Elder McCombs will probably be training again. I am really excited, but I
know that I will miss a lot of the people here.
It sounds like everything is still going as good as ever back home! That is
crazy about that missionary from Herriman haha I am pretty sure that I know who
you are talking about. Tell him that I say hi! O yeah! and I finally got my
Fiji drivers license card today so I will try to take a picture of it and send
it haha Au lomani kemudou!!

Loloma, Elder Hawk