Elder Mafi stays in Eua for another month!

Elder Mafi with other Elders on the little island of Eua where he's serving right now.

(I love how they're all wearing sweatshirts and coats...it's probably 70/75 degrees! haha. Brrr!)

What it do fam?

I'm so thankful for this opportunity I have here to write to ya'll. 

I just want to say thank you all for the emails ya'll have sent to me and the countless letters that you mail to me as well. I know it's a sacrifice to do things for others so thank you all so very much. It's hard to convey my true appreciation through this email here but thank you all. 

As far as updates go, we are still teaching this family of five and another girl. All the lessons have been completed and now we are just going back over the lessons a second time trying to find things that need re-explaining and what not... they are participating in the lessons however which is good news for us because participation means there is interest in getting baptized... so I'm crossing my fingers and knocking on wood...or a coconut tree harharhar - Palangi (American) joke. 

Anyway, that's about it. We have set up a date for October so I hope and I pray that some day there will be a vision of eternal happiness for them. 

But other than that...pretty much it! 

It's getting pretty warm here and a bit stormy but not as bad as I heard America is right now... looks like America has some repenting to do!  Haha! Jokes - Jokes!

Hope yalls are safe tho. 

Love you all and keep those who are in danger in your prayers. Love, Elder Mafi

Down time at the MQ (apartment) working on those UNO skills.

I thought I'd share a few uplifting things that Kalisi has shared in his personal emails to me over the last couple of months:

Me: Any experiences to share?

Elder Mafi: No outstanding experiences. But there is a guy we're teaching who got deported back to Tonga. he was a gang member but since then he's straightened up and has a family, but he is a drinker and he desires to stop because of his two little girls. he wants to stop to set the example and be a better father. This really hit me and it made think like you know? There is good in the hearts of men. People do want to change. There are always points in peoples lives to change. You know the Spirit always whispers in people's ears at some point and it's our jobs as members of the church to be there to answer their plea to change.

Acting on every prompting you're given. 

Me: What have you learned from being a missionary for a year so-far?

Elder Mafi:

I love my mission...the work is good and it was meant for me, to stand up and learn integrity. To be obedient even though people aren't watching...I've been learning a lot and adapting.