Monday, April 20, 2015

Sandy Hook! (Eatontown)

Its Been CRAZY!!! So Ive been Transferred to Eatontown! In the Sandy Hook Area! My New companion is Elder Ayers! Hes from Canada by Niagara falls! Amazing Missionary! Has about 6 months left in his mission so hes got a lot to teach me! Ive been so blessed with the Greatest Companions!
We got doubled in so its pretty frustrating trying to find people in an area neither of us know at all! Thank Goodness one of the Elders that was here before us is still in our zone, so hes able to give us some pointers. Its also been super hard because we had Stake Conference yesterday so weren't able to have regular church to meet all the Members of the Ward. We also have regional Conference next week! So its going to be an interesting next couple of weeks... 
This Area is really cool and HUGE!! The Most Northern part of our area is Keansburg and Union Beach both on the Shore right under Staten Island. West side of the Area is Holmdel. East side is Sandy Hook down to Monmouth Beach and Ocean Port. Jersey Shore!! WOOOOHH!! Then we Live in Eastontown and the Chapel is here as well! And we cover Everything Between these cities!! Its kinda crazy but im Excited for the Experiences and Trials that will shape us and help us become better, more full-purpose Missionaries!!
Well thats about it.. im sure ill have a lot t more to say next week! 
Shout Out to Jacob! Last week in Poland!! Crazy how fast this thing goes by!
Thank you all!
Love you all!!
-Elder Fotu          

Monday, April 13, 2015

Crazy Week!

This past week was best and worst week of my mission so far.. Started off pretty chill we were teaching a lot of lessons. We picked up a New Investigator his names Josè! He was a referral from some Elders in Central Newark. We met with him for the first time on wednesday at the church and he was Drunk/high.. He told us he had been a drinker/addict since he was 17. hes 35 now. But as we met with him he told us he would do anything to change. He has 2 kids that he cant be around because of his Drinking & Drug abuse. I felt he was being sincere. Most of the time when we meet with people that have drinking or drug Problems we only see them once and thats it! But we prayed and with him and during the prayer he just started sobbing and he cried out: "please Lord Help me change!" The spirit was super strong! 
Jose has been calling us Everyday now Telling us that hes been sober since and is working again and seeing his Wife and kids everyday now! Such a bittersweet Miracle. Pray for him!

My week went down when on friday i woke up and just felt like i was going to die! I had the worst Cold i ever had in my life! I couldn't even Support myself my head was just throbbing so bad and every time i coughed it felt like someone shot me in the chest! hahah being dramatic but it was bad! But Elder Vause (my fav senior missionary) just so happened to be coming over with our Branch President to pick some stuff up from the storage in our basement. So they and Elder Laceste gave me a blessing, and by the afternoon i felt soooo much better! 

Sunday Rolled around and it was our Branch Conference. Now when i fist come to East Orange there were maybe 25-30 People in sacrament meeting.. Sunday there were over 100 people there!!! The Stake Presidency and High council were blown away! It was Awesome!! We seriously so close to becoming a ward its not even funny!! The Branch has been working together so hard to make it happen!

Then we got a Transfer calls... Im getting Transferred.. So sad right now! East Orange has been such a great experience and I've been here for 7 months! Its going to be so hard to leave. But I know that the Lord is all knowing and if im needed elsewhere then here i come!

I thank you all for your Prayers!! Love you!

-Elder Fotu

He Lives

(Deeeeeep Breath) Wow!! Easter Sunday & General Conference!! Where do i start??? 

Well I guess i can start by Testifying that i know that The Lord Jesus Christ Lives today and Forever more!
So many events took place this week that i dont have time to share but have changed and improved my Outlook, Attitude, and Focus of my mission. Its Amazing how Heavenly Father Answers Prayers. 

Saturday I went on Exchange with the Zone Leaders. I was with my Homie Elder Wilcox! He was an Assistant for a long time and this is his Last week before he goes home so i had the opportunity to learn soooooo much from him before he dies. Saturday was super busy day in Elizabeth. It was a Spanish Area that Ive been to Before with Elder Wood (Old Zone Leader) so I was super pumped to see people i had met before, again and try my horrible Spanish. Hahaha its so funny because so many people think im from the Dominican Republic so they start speaking spanish to me and i just say "no ablo espaniō" hahah and they say where you from and i say "Tonga", so they just call me Elder Toonga in a Spanish accent the whole time! so funny but if i get transferred i want to get transferred to Spanish so bad! Never would have said that before my mission but the spanish people here are so Humble! and they feed you like crazy;) Best Exchange ive had so far!! 

I cant even explain how great Conference was! My Most Favorite Talk by far was Elder Wilford W. Andersons Along with all the other Missionaries i was so pleased to see him up there because he visited our mission about when i first came into the mission and i could feel the great Spirit he brought with him. His talk about Dancing to the music of the gospel was one of the best Analogies I've heard! I will be Defiantly be listening to that one over and over agian for a long time!

It sounds like everyone really Liked Elder Pearsons talk, so did I! And so did Sadrac! He is so close to giving us a date its not even funny! and i think that General Conference gave him that last push he needs to commit! 

Funny story: Sunday morning we walked into the church a little late and President Monson's talk was just ending and all the Haitions in the branch were crying and i thought someone had died or something! hahaha but it was just that the Haiti Temple was announced. So everyone was so excited about that! Its gonna be an interesting day for our branch when the chapel is almost empty because all the Haitions are in Haiti for the Temple Dedication... hahaha 

One talk that really made gave me an awakening was by Elder Michael T. Ringwood, he talked about People who dont seek after Position, Callings or Power and are steady and faithful in keeping the commandments and enduring to the end and recessive blessing because of there Faithfulness. He starts by talking about how his older Brother was a zone leader and how he was seeking after being a leader in the mission. And i have to admit Ive had my share of thoughts about how Dad, Garrett and Jacob were all Assistants to the President and i have been seeking after that Leadership and trying to impress other missionaries who have leadership to try get a calling. But Elder Ringwood Talks about how his mission President says that God, his President and Elder Ringwood knew his companion was a good missionary, who else needs to know, when he wanted to silence some gossip about his companion. 
It is the Lord who calls us, so its not about impressing others. Its about Pleasing God with our work.

There is so much more I would love to talk about but I just don't have time!
Im so grateful for All the lessons i've learned from serving and can't wait for the knowledge and lessons to come! I truly Love This Work. I Truly Love the Lord.

Happy Birthday to Jake, Selu & Tyler!! I wish i got to go to Disney Land for my Birthday! Mom you spoil that little boy to much!
Shout Out to Alema Tautu For getting his call to New Zealand!!! Love You Bradda! 

I love and am grateful for all of you! You wouldn't be receiving these emails if i didnt! hahah not to disclaim my love for others...But you guys are Awesome!!
Hear Y'all next week!

-Elder Fotu  

Monday, April 6, 2015

He Lives

(Deeeeeep Breath) Wow!! Easter Sunday & General Conference!! Where do i start??? 

Well I guess i can start by Testifying that i know that The Lord Jesus Christ Lives today and Forever more!
So many events took place this week that i dont have time to share but have changed and improved my Outlook, Attitude, and Focus of my mission. Its Amazing how Heavenly Father Answers Prayers. 

Saturday I went on Exchange with the Zone Leaders. I was with my Homie Elder Wilcox! He was an Assistant for a long time and this is his Last week before he goes home so i had the opportunity to learn soooooo much from him before he does. Saturday was super busy day in Elizabeth. It was a Spanish Area that Ive been to Before with Elder Wood (Old Zone Leader) so I was super pumped to see people i had met before, again and try my horrible Spanish. Hahaha its so funny because so many people think im from the Dominican Republic so they start speaking spanish to me and i just say "no ablo espaniō" hahah and they say where you from and i say "Tonga", so they just call me Elder Toonga in a Spanish accent the whole time! so funny but if i get transferred i want to get transferred to Spanish so bad! Never would have said that before my mission but the spanish people here are so Humble! and they feed you like crazy;) Best Exchange ive had so far!! 

I cant even explain how great Conference was! My Most Favorite Talk by far was Elder Wilford W. Andersons Along with all the other Missionaries i was so pleased to see him up there because he visited our mission about when i first came into the mission and i could feel the great Spirit he brought with him. His talk about Dancing to the music of the gospel was one of the best Analogies I've heard! I will be Defiantly be listening to that one over and over agian for a long time!

It sounds like everyone really Liked Elder Pearsons talk, so did I! And so did Sadrac! He is so close to giving us a date its not even funny! and i think that General Conference gave him that last push he needs to commit! 

Funny story: Sunday morning we walked into the church a little late and President Monson's talk was just ending and all the Haitions in the branch were crying and i thought someone had died or something! hahaha but it was just that the Haiti Temple was announced. So everyone was so excited about that! Its gonna be an interesting day for our branch when the chapel is almost empty because all the Haitions are in Haiti for the Temple Dedication... hahaha 

One talk that really made gave me an awakening was by Elder Michael T. Ringwood, he talked about People who dont seek after Position, Callings or Power and are steady and faithful in keeping the commandments and enduring to the end and recessive blessing because of there Faithfulness. He starts by talking about how his older Brother was a zone leader and how he was seeking after being a leader in the mission. And i have to admit Ive had my share of thoughts about how Dad, Garrett and Jacob were all Assistants to the President and i have been seeking after that Leadership and trying to impress other missionaries who have leadership to try get a calling. But Elder Ringwood Talks about how his mission President says that God, his President and Elder Ringwood knew his companion was a good missionary, who else needs to know, when he wanted to silence some gossip about his companion. 
It is the Lord who calls us, so its not about impressing others. Its about Pleasing God with our work.

There is so much more I would love to talk about but I just don't have time!
Im so grateful for All the lessons i've learned from serving and can't wait for the knowledge and lessons to come! I truly Love This Work. I Truly Love the Lord.

Happy Birthday to Jake, Selu & Tyler!! I wish i got to go to Disney Land for my Birthday! Mom you spoil that little boy to much!
Shout Out to Alema Tautu For getting his call to New Zealand!!! Love You Bradda! 

I love and am grateful for all of you! You wouldn't be receiving these emails if i didnt! hahah not to disclaim my love for others...But you guys are Awesome!!
Hear Y'all next week!

-Elder Fotu