My hump week....and "hang loose!"....

I am going to be honest, this week was a slow as week when it comes down to missionary work... It was kind of stink.

    So starting off, on Monday night Elder Summers and I went to visit a member family at around 8. Well we popped the boot to get our scriptures out of it. (note from Mason's mom...I had to ask what the heck "popped the boot" meant!  It's to open the trunk for anyone else as confused as I was!)  Well we got them out and then we shut the boot and well, it didn't shut. We slammed it again... and nothing. We tried for like 5 minutes to shut the boot of the car and it just wouldn't shut... That sucked. Well we ended up using a belt and a cloth strap we had in the car to tie the boot down and drive it back to our flat. That took the rest of the night. The next day we planned on calling the mission office and then taking it in that morning and getting it fixed. Well we called and no one answered... We then realized that everyone would be at the first Mission Tour. So we couldn't drive it around open, so we just biked... We ended up biking that entire day. It was actually really cool though! It ended up being an awesome day! Then we got it fixed on Thursday.

     Wednesday was a great day also! We got to go to a thing called a Mission Tour. It was just a Zone Conference, but Elder Haleck from the Area Presidency was there and presiding in the meeting. So we got to learn from President Balli, Elder Haleck, and their wives. It was cool... but kind of boring... I love learning from President Balli, he can really impact me! He is an amazing guy!  Elder Haleck's training was kind of boring... He just basically did a scripture reading... Heaps of scriptures... It was good but boring. There was a lot of talk on teaching baptism and how important Comp study is. It was cool, but then President Balli talked about how we need to be giving our investigators commitments that will help them. Then how to give and commit people! I felt like it was just the advise I needed!  

     So now a funny as story about church on Sunday! There is a guy named Robert that Elder Bass and I found that we found out is Less Active Member. Well we have been bringing him to church for a while.  He came to church with another Less Active member that he has become friends with. So Robert is a pretty big guy. He is shaped like a Pear on legs.. Well during sacrament he moved to two new seats then back into his original seat... Every time he moved his pants would fall down his butt and then his shirt would come up and he would have a big Crack showing as he walked around the chapel. After that, we had combined class for 3rd hour. Well as our bishopric was announcing opening exercises, Robert stood up and pulled out his phone and took a picture of the bishopric... It was so funny! We then sang the opening song, He recorded the man sitting behind him sing the whole thing.... THEN the bishopric was doing announcements and Robert stood up again! Then he pulled out his phone and took ANOTHER picture! It was dead silent and the phone made the camera click noise. The best part of the whole thing is right before he took the picture the 2nd time our Bishop leaned over and put up a Hang loose sign without cracking a smile. The ENTIRE ward was laughing! It was literally so funny!

         The Isaako's were at church this week! It was awesome! We saw them a few times this week! They are one of my favorite families! Also the Mafi's got back from Tonga. We were very happy when they got home! They brought us Flip Flops, Lollies, and fresh Coconuts!

     It is amazing and terrible to know that I am a year out. I honestly don't feel like I have been out that long! It is so weird! I don't feel like I know enough or have seen enough to be halfway  done... I don't really want to ever come home. Well I do and I don't... Its weird... Its like those vacations you never want to leave but you miss your bed and house and friends... Bitter Sweet.

Love you! Have a great week!

Elder Seelos

The traditional "Burning of the shirt" for my 1 year mark!

Elder Summers

Me and Brother Mafi

Warm prospects, cold weather, and HOT meat pies.....

 Well this week for me was a good one! It had its ups and downs! A lot of teaching but a lot of dropped appointments also... So good and bad depending on the day!

     We were able to have Trade off this week with Elder Leung and Elder Andrew! Which went really well! I was able to go into their area for the day with Elder Leung! I served with Elder Leung in Waterview so we know eachother pretty well! It was nice to have a break and not have to worry about leading an area! I love Favona ward and all of the work in it, but its always nice to be able to relax and not have to worry about what we are doing all day! There is a big popular NZ singer called Swiss, well we met him. Hes a pretty cool guy! Not a member but loves the missionaries!

      Update on Violet, She is really annoying us... She has dropped like a million appointments and makes excuses on EVERYTHING! Its really hard to teach her because we have to have a 3rd man with us to get into the house but all of her appointments drop, so we feel bad dragging a member out to her appointment only for her to drop it... We keep thinking she is so close but we are now realizing how far she really is... We will keep working with her but will have to really figure out what she really wants to do and what her commitment is!

      I didn't see the Isaako's all week, which was weird. Elder Summers saw them last week with Elder Andrew on trade off so they were seen but not by me. Then they didnt come to Church, which was really disappointing. We will hopefully be catching up with them soon!

      We are really in a finding mode this week! We tried really hard to get more people that we can go teach and visit! So we went tracting a few times, from that we met 2 people that we can go back and see! One is a like 30ish year old lady, we talked to her at the door for a little while and then she said we could come back sometime. The only issue is that she will be moving soon out of the area... The struggles of a small as area... The other lady that we met is like a 40ish year old lady who is married to a Sikh (Indian religion) guy from India. That one was weird. She said she was busy then we talked to her about her religion, she was catholic but married this guy and follows him. Then we asked if we could come back at a better time and she said that they had missionaries visiting about a year ago before they moved. We were honestly so surprised! It was weird. Well they said it would be all good if we came back and saw them again! So we will try again! Also at church we met a new member of the ward. He just moved in and he asked for our number and told us that he wanted to go out with us sometime soon and then said that he is living with his less active brother in law and his non member partner... So he wants us to come over and see them and the Partner is apparently wanting to take the discussions! So hopefully he will get back to us soon on when!

Love yous and hope you have a great week!

Elder Seelos

MEAN member drop off!  We love our ward!

Meat pies are delish!

Transfers and Tongan Tattoos

        

        So for all who do not know! I have been given the opportunity to stay in my area with my Companion for another Transfer! I am so excited!!! I was really hoping and praying that I would get to stay with Elder Summers here. I have really fallen in love with this ward and this area! I have no desire to leave or to go anywhere else! So now I have another 6 weeks here! I will have a really hard time saying goodbye one day!

 

        This week was a really weird one... We had transfers, which always makes things interesting! Its a good and a bad thing! I was happy and sad with transfers... I was happy with a few of the people that left because I was honestly getting annoyed by some of the people... So it was good fro a change! I was also very happy to see Elder Neria, ( Was with me and Elder Willardsen in Henderson ) He is now in the Samoan Ward in Penrose! Because of transfers Elder Summers and I had to spend a lot of time just running errands basically! Which sucked. It took a lot of time out of what we could have been doing! But that is how it is I guess!

       We went to the Mafi's fireside yesterday, it was so good. I loved it. We are heading over there for P-day today because it is their little boys first birthday. They are sooo good to the missionaries. We love them so much! The youth in our ward are doing a dance right now for youth conference at the end of the month. So we are going to stop by this week and hang out with them!

  

        We have been visiting an older Less Active lady in the ward. She was baptized like 30 years ago with her first Husband. When they divorced she stopped going to church and she started smoking and drinking with a few other partners. She is now living with her 7 year old Grandson Nesian in a Government house. She has been smoke free for about 4 months now and is making amazing progress! We are trying to help her get to church and get the ward involved. Its cool to see how we are able to help people out in this church! She was struggling and Bishop has been able to help her to get back onto their feet and deal with issues that have been happening! Its so cool to see the changes that can be made in our lives, when we just decide to follow Christ! She isnt a fully active temple goer member yet, but one day as long as she stays going the way she is she will make it! I love that about this gospel!

        Last week we were given a Referral from a member in the Tongan ward. She called us and told us about her Nephew who is a less active member but doesnt speak Tongan so she wanted us to go and visit! She also told us about his non member partner and family. So we were really excited to meet them. Well we had an appointment with them for last week Sunday. He ended up having to cancel because of some family issues. She told us on Saturday that we could go over again yesterday and see him. Well we decided last week just to drive by and see the house. Well we drove past and The house was covered in Neon lights and had a big bar in the front... We were quite excited! So we got to go back yesterday. We got to the house and saw a dog in the yard so we didnt go in. Well the dog came over and we decided it was nice so we went in and knocked on the door. Which was good! Well an old lady answered the door and we asked for Pini, She called out to Pini and she said he was coming... Well, there was a long hallway past the door and we looked down the hall and there was a massive man coming down the hallway. He was bald, tattooed, and buff! He was a scary looking man. We both just stood there as he was walking towards us and prayed he wouldnt eat us... Well he came over and we met Pini. He was actually a really awesome nice less active guy who didnt understand the gospel. He grew up in a Tongan ward, but he doesnt speak or really understand Tongan... So he never really learned anything... We sat and talked to him and got to know him and his wife Jennifer. He said the last time he had been to church was 8 years ago on his wedding day. Mean guy! He has some cool Tats!

     Love yous Heaps!! 

                Love Elder Seelos

Elder Clayton and I doing a little "cross zone" emailing

Sister Wattie-Crystal Suatia Leifi had Elder Summers and I over for a feed - She is great!!

Traditional island food - Fafaga

Goin Hard....

Well Hey there Family! How are yous?

     So this week was a pretty good one! A few disappointments but a few great experiences! I will start off with the downer experience. So ever since I have been here I have been working a good amount with a Less Active YSA Family. It's 3 girls whose parents have moved to Australia but they wanted to stay here so they did. Laney is 25 with a daughter who is 3 Mila. Then Bre is 22, and Tatianna is 17. So we have been trying to get them to just come to church... Like I have been there at least once a week for like 4 months. That is a lot of times! Bre and Tatianna have been to church a few times, which is awesome! They are getting fellow shipped back into the ward. But Laney hasn't been at all... She is the tough case one... We will go over and just chat and laugh and share lessons, so we have had heaps of fun over there! We just don't understand what Laney needs... its hard to see her reject what we have shown her will help her... I just hope that I get more time here to see her do something. 

       So moving on, We will have transfers this week. I am hoping and praying that I will get the chance to stay here with Elder Summers! We have a lot of work coming and I really want to be a part of it! I love this ward and this area more than I have with any other area! I have fallen in love with the Hood!! I am loving it here! Even with the Dogs and weird people! Its Heaven down here!!!

       Now for a really cool Experience we have been having! So there is a less active guy named George that we have been working with HEAPS! We saw him 3 times in the last week and he is really trying to become better! He is working so hard to become a better person. He is trying to get his son from his ex partner. So he really wants to be a better person and is making huge changes in his life! He has given up alcohol and has given up drugs and is just working on cigarettes. He is really making so many changes in his life!!! Its cool to see a 40 year old man almost in tears while he is figuring out how to change his life!

        A Quick update on the Isaako's, They were at church yesterday! Which was so cool! They are really becoming a good part of the ward!  It's cool that the ward has been fellow shipping them so much. I love that family!

                            Love yous! Have a great day!

                                    

             For P-day last week we had a 4th of July feed at the park...Elder Summers and I came ready to party!

Trying to fix my broken heater...it didn't work out so well though!

S mores!

Mission Leadership Conference

Elder Seelos

MLC & Meetings....

Well I just wanna start of by wishing everyone a Happy 4th of July!!! Happy Birthday America! 

     This week has been a Slow as week! It has been hard because we have had to take so much time off for different things. We had MLC ( Mission Leadership Conference) on Wednesday, and it was very fun to get to spend the day at the mission office! It was extra nice to be inside when the Crazy hard rain was coming down and we were in a nice warm house! We talked heaps about Member Missionary work and how we can help our wards do more work. We talked about Ward Councils and how we need to be making them more effective! We should be asking for and getting the things we need! The next day Zone Training went well. It was a bit Dry... We had heaps of Info that we had to cover so not heaps of time for fun... Which was stink.

      One Big Miracle this week was at Church on Sunday! We have been working with a lady named Violet. She has been an investigator for a while, but wasn't baptized because her Partner wouldn't marry her. Well a few weeks ago she kicked him out! Which was Awesome!!! We have talked about Baptism and Church and everything. But she was just not coming to church... Well about 5 minutes into Sacrament she walked in with 2 of her kids!! It was so great! We were so happy! She had to leave for classes, but we will be seeing her on Friday! It was such a great meeting! The Chapel was packed!

      We were able to have trade off with Elders in our Zone. I stayed in Favona with Elder Andrew from Aus. He is a really cool guy! He had been out for about 6 months and is a really good missionary! He can make anyone laugh! We got to see the Isaako's that night. They are really doing good. They didnt come to church yesterday, but they are doing well. I think Melaina is really moving forward. Please keep them in your prayers!

Sorry for the short Email, but we have a 4th of July party today and we are setting it up!

                                             Love Elder Seelos!

So we have had no hot water in our kitchen sink so plates pile up...
so we have been doing them in the tub!  Yes, that is disgusting.  Hopefully it will be fixed soon!