Hello Everyone,

Koe faingamalie fakaofaofa ko eni ke fai ha kii tohi atu ka moutolu. (I'm grateful for this opportunity that I'm able to write to you guys).

oku tomua fie tuku ha fkmalo ki he Tamai Hevani ihe ngaahi tapuaki kuo Ne tuku mai kiate au pea moe faingamalie nau ma'u ke taa'i ki api he sapate kuo osi. (First of all, I want to thank our Heavenly Father for the blessings and the opportunity to speak to my family on Mother's Day)

I want to wish my mum a happy mothers day as well as all the aunties and grandmas in my life. Thank you so much for your sacrifice and the wonderful job you have all done in raising me and raising your kids. 

It was great to call home and talk to the fam. In which during my call I felt like I just needed to put a little more effort into writing my emails so... I guess I'll do that - haha Nah, jokes. 

But this week has been full of change. I got a new comp and a new area. I am comped with a palangi (white guy) named Elder Earl and I'm serving in Maufanga. So I will have now served in every area in this vahe (area). First in Popua, then in Houmakelikau and now in Maufanga. I am pretty sure the Lord has me here for a reason if I keep coming back and I can't leave hahaha Nah it's pretty slick here. I am also right next to the Tonga Fit Club where I can lift to get some masolos (muscles) lolz.

My area is real small but the work I heard is rollin' and I think I'll also just finish here as well. There is one guy here named Kung and this guy half Asian half Tongan and he is really spiritual.  I was told he was able to go from a pack a day I guess to one cig a day - I was like dang bruh he must really wanna get papied  (baptized)but the only thing is the mom is like nuh he needs to be fully converted and not just taught then baptized which  is alright so you know we're working with that guy. He's a good bloke honestly. 

But man my testimony has really been strengthened in the gift of the Holy Ghost and His role in our everyday lives. 

I noticed that, and I'm sure many of you can relate, but when I read my scriptures I feel such a strong spirit of what I am reading is true and the doctrines and the teachings found in the scriptures.  What's interesting to me is I don't really notice I need to read the scriptures until I actually start reading. Like for example through out the day I'll do my thing and vilo (prosylete) and talk with members and eat fafangas and what not but then when I sit down either in the morning or at night to read my scriptures I feel like that was the thing that was missing for me even though I felt the Spirit that day or did some service, when I read my scriptures it brings a whole different perspective into my life.  I'm not just thinking about the work or the people or myself, I'm feeling like I'm being taught. I know that the scriptures are the word of God and that He set them here on this earth not to just read and hear stories about people coming from Jerusalem to America and people burying their swords, but to be taught and study and to hear the words directly from the Lord. Even though there's not a conversation with anyone during scripture study, I feel the Lord answering my questions and more or less having a conversation with me in a way through the scriptures. I wish I could explain it better in English, haha but I know that the scriptures are true and I know that it is through them we receive truth and when we study with an open heart and you are open to learn and hear the words of the Lord, you will gain great knowledge and answers and "all manner" of things. I just hope that you all continue to read your scriptures prayerfully and stay on the path to eternal life.

Ofa lahi atu

Love Elder Mafi

(sorry for spelling and slang haha)

Dearest Family and Friends,

It is with a thankful, enlightened heart that I add a few words to Kalisi's blog today. 

As most of you have undoubtedly heard, Tonga suffered a category 4/5 cyclone last week.  The worst in the history of the island. Cyclone Gita passed directly through where Elder Mafi is serving at this time. 

February 11th/12th (Washington's Sunday, Tonga's Monday) I received a brief message from Kalisi saying he was at the church building where the missionaries were told to take refuge in the hopes that they would be protected. They took nothing except their scriptures from their MQ as they were told to get to the church immediately. He even left his uke.

In response to his message, I asked if he was scared he said, " ...the sea is very angry...I'm right on the sea...I hope I live...I could die, but I think if I follow the Spirit, I won't..."

We joked around a little bit back and forth, mostly because we were worried. Then he dropped off. Neither of us got to say, "I love you."

Much of the night was restless, I played games on my phone to occupy my mind in between sleep and prayers. Intermittently, I would see posts from the Kapps, a Sr. couple serving on Kalisi's Island. For some miraculous reason, they never lost power or internet connection. They documented the storm all through the night as they battled an insurgence of water through their doors and windows.  

(kennybecky.blogspot.com for real videos and post-storm pictures)

I felt in my heart that Kalisi would make it through and be alright. 

The next couple of days were filled with faith. Faith in the Lord and faith in the feelings that I had. Faith in what church leaders were relaying to us from Tonga, all the missionaries were accounted for and safe. But I still hadn't heard directly from Kalisi.

On the 13th Elder Kapp messaged me and said he had a short email from Kalisi (below).

Hey mom what's up?
I'm here at the chapel with the Kapps andI'mm emailing you on his i pad thing. Anyway how are you guys? Hope everything is good. We're here just cleaning up and picking up all the trash, reroofing homes and putting in house walls. But the storm was insane! I have lots to tell you but for now I gotta make it quick cause I gotta let my comp email.
Ofa lahi atu and no need to worry I am ok, haha.
Love you mom and fam

I'm not going to lie, I wept. 

Relief is a powerful emotion. 

Anyone who's stuck with this story so far I want you to know that my faith is strong in the promises of our Heavenly Father. It did cross my mind that I may not see my son again in this life,
when we said goodbye at the Sea-tac airport August 2016 nobody handed me a signed paper that said, "your son will come back to you alive and well." I have always been right with that. When a child goes on a mission, everyone in the family makes sacrifices. For me it's been like laying a piece of my soul on the altar. I smile when I say this, but why didn't anyone tell me it would be so hard? It wasn't even this hard when I was on my own mission. I have been honored to do it, Kalisi is not my possession to hide or keep to myself. 

What I want to convey most of all is this: we all live by faith. Faith that the food we eat will help us maintain energy. Faith that if we go to work we'll make money. Faith that if we give love, we'll get love. Faith that planting seeds in springtime will bring vegetables and berries in the summer. Faith that our lives will be better guided as we read the scriptures. Faith that if we simply do what is right, despite what others may think, it will be worth it.

I boldly testify that like the relief I felt in receiving a tangible, bonafide email from Kalisi, will be the same relief we will feel when we see our Savior Jesus Christ again because He is real.  In that same moment I felt relief about my son, I knew that the faith I strive to live by would come to pass and be a reality as I touch the nail scars in the hands and feet of Christ.  That day will come.  It will come for all of us. 

Kalisi's mission has made me painfully yet wonderfully aware of what I lack. It has been in my spiritual shortcomings that I have grown. I could use some great pottery analogies right here, but I'll let you imagine them for yourselves...haha.

Let us all be thankful. Let us recognize our blessings. Our devoted friends. Our loyal family. Our Heavenly Father who, I declare, in faith, allows us to choose for ourselves what we will become, and who will guide us in all our righteous hopes and desires. 

With Love, Heidi jo

Kalisi and companion after Gita. (Note: Vienna Sausage can haha)

Family & Friends,


Transfers just happened and I am still here in Navutoka, Tonga'tapu. I am still working as the district leader for my district. Navutoka is kind of a beachy area, we're right on the shore. It's pretty cool "for-shore," hahaha jokes!

But I got a new companion aye? Pretty excited to work with him here. His name is Elder Hirinuki from New Zealand and we're teaching many discussions and have a few baptisms lined up so the Lord for sure been helping out a lot with the work here in Navutoka. The only struggles here are small ones. Like fafanga not being lava (dinner appointments not happening) and the people of other churches being fakamahuahu (snobby, or sticking their nose up) to us just stuff like that and that's not even bad you know? So like im just really happy. The people that aren't stuck up are really nice and love us and we love them, well, we even love the stuck up ones (maybe not as much but still, haha). 
But this area is fakalata atu (very enjoyable). 

There was this one time this past week, it was interesting what the Spirit whispered to me.  We were walking to the different member's homes and the Spirit was like, "hey you should go see your family over in Manuka" (manuka is another area we cover about 2 km from where we live), but then the Spirit said, "but they don't really wanna see you, but you should just drop by anyway." I was kinda laughing to myself like ah that's kinda silly. Why would the Spirit say that? But I was so curious to see if He was right and so we walked all the way to tbe family's house and it was EXACTLY like how He said it would be! We were asking how their day was and if there was anything we could help them with, but they were just sitting there watching their Indian movie, not really caring that we were there to see them.
The thing I learned is, I feel there is always a reason for the Spirit to lead you to do something so follow it whenever it prompts you to do it. Because even though the people I went to see didn't want to see us, the Spirit was still right, you know, big picture-wise.
This experience has helped me become more familiar with the Spirit and get to know who he is and how the Lord works through him. 

I'm so happy to be working here again in this area and to be here to serve the Lord.

I wish all you guys a great week.
Ofa lahi atu kiate kimoutolu ( I love you all)

Elder Mafi