Week 2

I hope everyone had a good week! Im glad Shay is okay and it wasn't anything more than just a broken arm. Ive been praying for you!

This week was a really good week and I learned a lot. In class we've been talking a lot about The Gift of Tongues. We watched a video and something that really stood out to me is "Its not about learning the language but its learning to love the people." Ive never thought about it like that before. Each night I pray for the people of Tonga. Thats something I've really tried to focus on these past couple of days. I already love the people of Tonga but i do have my worries, like the food haha and the language. But I've realized Heavenly father didn't give me this language for myself. I was blessed to learn this language so i can bring the message of his gospel to the people of Tonga. Ive stopped worrying about the little things and I've really focused on my love for the people and each day I'm learning something even if its small. On Tuesday night we had a devotional and Gregory A. Schweitzer spoke to us. He talked about the 3 talents a missionary should have.One that really stood out to me was "The Nephi" principle. He said " God will give us challenges to help us do what is improbable so that later on you will be able to do the impossible." Theres a lot of things in the MTC that seem impossible at times but really they are just the improbable and they are preparing us to face the impossible. He also talked about harkening unto the lord before you pray. Something I've never thought of doing before but I've been doing it every night before i pray. I ask myself what things would me Heavenly Father want me to pray for to better myself as a missionary and then i sit there and think for a little bit before I pray. I've noticed a huge difference in my prayers and my days.

Wednesday was kind of an emotional day for our zone. Two of my favorite Elders left to go home. They both had some things they needed to figure out before they successfully finish their mission. Im really grateful for their examples. Its a reminder that we don't only need to repent for the "big" sins but we should constantly be repenting everyday. That night we had FHE as a zone and sang hymns and bore testimony about the Atonement. It was a huge testimony builder for me. On Thursday we all fasted together for the two Elders. I know it was so hard for them to do what they did and go home but I think we are all grateful for their examples and we pray everyday and hope they will be able to make it back out in the mission field. 

Thursday was our first day doing TRC's and it was terrifying. Me and Sister Egan taught together and we had our whole lesson all planned out and we got in there and couldn't understand a single thing they were saying! Ive realized that my teachers use the easy broken Tongan when they speak in class so we can understand them. The spirit was still there and we were able to teach them and get our point across we just didn't quite know how to answer their questions haha. It was a really good week! I don't think its hit me yet that i'll be gone for 18 months! I kinda feel like I'm at a glorified EFY.  The days are so long here but the weeks go so fast. I cant believe I'm already into my third week. Thats crazy to me. I love you all! Im praying for you everyday!!! 

SISTA SYLVESTER

Sister Kinikini. We went to High School together. I just love her! 
She leaves for Guam on Monday

Sister Kolo. She's from New Zealand but lived in Tonga. She will be serving
in Fiji but lost her passport so right now she's in SLC

My class and I playing a memory game we made to help us with the Language

Here are some more pictures she sent to mom! :)

Her good friend Ganton Horsley from elementary all the way up!
He just came in on Wednesday and she was so happy to see him!

Her roommate from college Megan.❤️

Her companion Sister Egan from Australia.
She will be the first ever Indian to serve in Tonga!

You know enough!

I first want to wish my sweet Nana a Happy Birthday! I love you and I hope you have an amazing day!

Well I've officially finished my first week here at the MTC. Its been a week of a lot of ups and downs but they've all been very powerful experiences. Last Saturday we taught our first investigator and it was terrifying. We didn't know anything and the questions we did know how to ask we didn't understand when he responded. When we came back to class he showed up later and he is our teacher!  We have two Palangi (white) teachers and one Tongan teacher. His name is Brother Tautuaa. He is one of the most intimidating/spiritual guys I have ever met. We taught him again on Wednesday and this time we really prayed to know and understand what to teach him. It wasn't perfect and we still didn't know a lot but we were able to use the words we do know to get our point across to him and understand what he was saying. That same day he gave us a lesson in class that was SO powerful. We all left class crying that day, even Brother Tautuaa. 

On Sunday I got called on to speak in church and thankfully I had my talk prepared. Tuesday we had a devotional and Elder Ballard came to speak to us. The spirit was incredible. He talked a lot about attitude and not waiting to be great. Since sister Egan is an international Sister we get to sit in the front section for every devotional!  Even though she can speak English we sit up there anyways haha. Its pretty cool!  We play volleyball as a Zone everyday for gym. There are a lot of Poly's in my zone so the games get really intense. Lets just say my volleyball skills have gotten a lot better since I've been here haha.  I guess in Tonga they play Volleyball every P day so I'm just preparing myself for the field. :)  This Sunday me and my companions and some other sisters in our Zone are singing a Tongan song in Church.  I've learned to love  a lot of things here that I never really did at home. For example singing in church. I would have never done that in our ward or any other ward! 

I titled my email "You know enough" because Shaylor sent me a letter with a conference talk titled that and it has helped me a lot this week. We all have been feeling like we've hit a wall this week. A spiritual block. Within the first few days we all were feeling really good about the language, but as we've been studying and learning more this language seems to be a lot harder than we thought. There are so many words with multiple meanings and the sentence structure is so confusing. There have been so many times where we've just wanted to give up. After reading that talk from Shay and I had the opportunity to fast on Tuesday. I've noticed and learned that I do know enough. I may not know the language perfect (because its only been a week and thats not normal) but I know that my Heavenly Father loves me. I know that the blessings I will receive while I'm here will help me to progress and become a better missionary.  It may not come when I want it to but this a learning experience and it has strengthened my testimony so much.  I love being a missionary!! I don't think I can say it enough. Its definitely one of the hardest things I've ever done, but I've grown so much in just one week I can only imagine what it will be like in 18 months. Im praying for all of you every day! I miss you guys so much. Thanks for being so great!

Love,

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SISTA SYLVESTER

Week One!

                                                                                                                              Feb. 10, 2017

Malo e lelei' Family!

Well, I've only been in the MTC for like two days but I've learned more in these two days than I ever thought was possible! I love it here! I think the MTC is fun and my district is amazing! Im with all of the Islanders. Fiji, Marshall islands, Samoa, Australia and we also have the American sign language group with us too. I was fortunate enough to get two companions!!  I love them! Sister Egan is going to Tonga with me. She is from Australia and she will be the first ever Indian to serve in Tonga. Sister Mauinatu is from Orem and she will be serving in San Jose California Tongan Speaking. Elder Cox is the other missionary going to Tonga. He’s from American Fork and he’s hilarious. He always quotes Nacho Libre and it makes me laugh. Its weird I don't feel like I'm in Utah! haha!  The MTC feels like a different world here. I’ve seen a lot of people I know and it was really comforting because I'm not going to lie the first day I kept asking myself "What the heck am I doing here?"  But I’m over that now and I’m ready to serve!

The first and second day of class was really intimidating. We walked in and our teacher was only speaking Tongan and he just acted like we knew what he was saying. We learned how to pray in class and he had us all write down a prayer and then he asked me to say the closing prayer in Tongan. I said a little prayer to myself and then I just went for it. I know I definitely said some words wrong but I was able to read the whole thing confidently. The language has a lot of F's and K's so a lot of the words sound like we are swearing. Haha  At first we all felt a little weird pronouncing those words but now its normal. For example the word "Fakalakalaka" means to progress. Me and my companions have set goals for us to help us learn the language.  Every morning and night we say a prayer together and recite the missionary purpose all in Tongan. We also read at least two chapters from the Tongan Book of Mormon everyday together. Yesterday was our first day doing it. We studied the language SO hard yesterday.

This morning when we woke up we got right on our knees to say our prayer and it was my turn again to say it and the words just came to me and it was one of the most heart felt prayers I have ever said and it was all in Tongan. THE GIFT OF TONGUES IS REAL. My testimony has grown so much in just two days. I know this is the true Gospel of Christ and I cant wait to share it with the people of Tonga.

I don't have a lot to say because I haven't been here that long but I miss you guys and I’m praying for you everyday! I wouldn't be out here if it wasn't for you guys! Thank you for making me the person I am today. OFA ATU! 

Oh Dad…. There’s a sister in my district and she was like "Your dad is Todd Sylvester? His video is the reason I’m out here! He changed my life!" I wanted to cry, one because I miss you Dad and two because you are changing so many lives its incredible!
Love,

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SISTA SYLVESTER