" It's not about you"

Man this week was so good! Im finally adjusting to everything the work is so great and I am really starting to feel like Tonga is my home! I just want to thank everyone for the sweet emails and all of your prayers. I can definitely feel them. So thank you! 

This week, with one of the wards we work with, we held an open house at the church. Me and my companion worked with the ward mission leaders in the ward and we planned the whole thing. The topic of the open house was the plan of salvation. We had all of the return missionaries in the ward each teach about a topic about the plan of salvation. Like the pre earth life, Earth life, Spirit world, and all of the kingdoms. My companion and I taught about the Celestial kingdom. So on Tuesday we went around with all of the missionaries in our area and we passed out invitations inviting members, investigators, and less actives. Wednesday was the open house. We all started in the chapel and after the first speaker the members stayed in the chapel to watch the restoration and all of the investigators and less actives went to a new room to listen to another speaker. We had 6 different rooms they moved to and ours was the last. While they were in each room they were given a piece of paper to write down any questions or concerns they had with that topic. After we all met back in the chapel to have a closing prayer and song. It was such a cool experience and very powerful! It was also very helpful because we got a lot of new potential investigators and we are able to teach to meet their needs and concerns from what they wrote on the piece of paper. 

I titled my email "its not about you" becasue thats something I constantly remind myself. Theres an EFY song called "Its not about you" and me and my companion listen and sing it everyday haha. We always look at each other and say "Hey! remember its not about you." There was one day that it was rainy here and all of our teachings fell through. We could have gone home so we didnt have to walk in the rain but we looked at each other and started singing that song and we went and visited the members. Nothing great happened that night but the spirit that we felt walking around visiting people and sharing a message with them was awesome! Even though it was raining we worked hard. We are here on the Lords errand and the Lords time. 

Anyways it was a really good week! This week I learned that Heavenly Father always gives us a promise when he knows something is going to make us doubt. When you doubt yourself or doubt your faith take a step back and look at the promise or promises that are in store for you and it will give you a change of heart and mind. I love it here in Tonga! I hope you all have a great week. 

Ofa Atu!

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SISTA SYLVESTER

I think its full!

This is the grocery store in our area :)  We dont have an oven, stove or microwave so we don't really cook.  The members just bring us food every day!

Here was our breakfast they brought the other morning :)

This is our favorite restaurant!

I Have really been missing veggies so one of our District leaders brought me some stir fry! :) It tasted so good!

Pizza party with our district

The beach area by our MQ  (apartment)

The best Zone brought me Donuts because they know I love them :)

Love her!

Tonga❤️ ❤️

Week 4 in Tonga!!

What a week! This week was really good. Im finally starting to get used to the food . :) However there is a food here called "ufi" and I love it  but I think i'm allergic to it or something because every time I eat it I get so sick so I had to stop eating it!  So funny story…..Me and my companion went to our fafanga last Monday to eat dinner. I was still really sick that day so I didn't eat anything. They came out with this huge plate of meat and it looked like pork and my companion LOVES pork so she just went to town. The family came out a couple minutes later with some Corned beef for me and said " We bought this for you because we know you probably don't want to eat the dog." My companions face when they said it was dog was so funny haha. Here in Tonga it is totally normal to eat dog and Ive heard its really good. My companion is from Tonga but she doesn't like to eat dog because people treat them like their pets and then eat them. Luckily we had to leave for a teaching appointment so my comp didn't have to eat anymore but as soon as we left we both just laughed because it was a dog haha! My district leader keeps telling me were going to make dog for P day and he's going to make me try it but we'll see!

On Saturday our investigators all got baptized!!   Emeli, salesi, and Faleta!  It was such a special day! Its such a great feeling seeing someone you've grown to love enter the waters of baptism. The spirit was so powerful and there was such a visible change in all 3 of their faces after being baptized. The light of Christ is definitely a special gift that we are all able to have when we strive for it.  Yes Mom I absolutely Love my Mission President and his wife!   Havelu is where sister Tuione grew up and so whenever they are in Havelu they come say hi and sister Tuione always texts us to see how i'm doing. She's always willing to bring me food to help my stomach. I love them! I also love my district!  We have all gotten so close! They are awesome! My district leader is from New Zealand....Elder Talisa. The other elders are from Utah and one from Tonga. I go home with both of them in august 2018 so that will be fun!  Also, you asked about my bed and sleeping.  Im sleeping good, my back hurts like it usually does……the beds are so uncomfortable!  But its okay :)  Sometimes when i'm doing my ab workouts my back pops and it feels so good :) So all is well!

I hope you all had a Happy Easter! How great is it that we have a holiday to remember our savior and his Resurrection. Did you all get a chance to watch the Prince of Peace video? If not I strongly advise you to! I was able to watch it in the MTC before it came out. It is so powerful!!  I just want to share how grateful I am for our Saviors atoning sacrifice. Being here on a mission has really strengthened my testimony and love for him. Missions are not always easy and Ive struggled more than I ever have before but because of his grace and mercy I am able to feel his love through the hard times. Each day is a new day!  Remember to keep pressing forward!  As Dad would say "You are Powerful Beyond Measure" That is so true. When i'm struggling I always think of that and remember the truth!  Through him, our savior Jesus Christ we are all powerful. We have the ability to overcome anything. The blessings lie ahead!  I love you all and i'm so grateful for all of your love and support. I can feel your prayers! They have strengthened me. Have an amazing week. Ofa Lahi Atu!

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SISTA SYLVESTER

My district

Baptism! :)

    

Week 3 in Tonga!

What a powerful week! I finally got to watch conference and it was amazing. This week started out a little rough because Ive still been so sick but everyone here has been so great and loving!!  They bring me food and always call to check on me. Wednesday it was so bad I had to stay in, but I got a blessing and Im feeling a lot better :) We only have a fridge and a sink so the members bring us food everyday. Breakfast the other day was spaghetti, bread and Oreo's! haha! 
Im a little bummed because we didn't get to have our baptisms last week because of conference but this week is the week! We hate pushing them back but our investigators are so great and faithful that I know they will keep being faithful and prepare for their baptisms this week. 

Anyways, I have so much to say about conference :) but not a lot of time so I'm just going to pick little pieces from some of my favorite talks. I just want to say how grateful I am for the testimony of our prophet. He was so powerful in the short time he talked but you could tell his love for this gospel is so strong! He talked about having a testimony of the gospel and how important it is to have your own testimony in these times. I totally agree with him. Coming to know and understand the gospel for yourself is one of the most powerful conversions. A steady testimony of Jesus Christ will lead us to safety. I also love L. Whitney Clayton's talk. He talked about not always understanding why the Lord asks us to do something but we just need to do it! Trusting in the Lord will bring blessings into our lives that can only come through simple Practices of faith. Praying with real intent, Scripture study, temple attendance, and keeping the Sabbath day holy. These are only a few but they are so important that we should constantly do them. " God always blesses us when we are obedient, but rarely does he show us his time table. Thats where faith, hope, and charity come in. Trust in the lord and whatsoever he says unto you....Do it!" One of my favorite quotes said during conference! 

I don't have lots of time but just remember to constantly keep the words of conference with you. The Holy Ghost is there to be our guide. Listen to it. Trust in the lord. be faithful and endure to the end :) I also forgot my camera cord so no pictures this week...sorry! I love you all! The mission is great and i'm grateful for all of your love and support! 

-- 

SISTA SYLVESTER

Mom to answer some of your questions.......I get up at 6:30 and work out. My companion and I  study until 10 and then we leave the house. We usually meet with members because they are our best resource for new investigators. We teach at night and then we find time during the day to do comp and language study. We are not allowed to be out when its dark unless we have a lesson so we are usually in by 7. Right now I am the only Palangi (White) sister missionary in the whole mission. Man its a little intimidating! I am the 9th Palangi sister to serve here in Tonga.  Most of the missionaries here are from Tonga. There are very few from other places and if they are they are Tongans from the states. haha!

There is so much love in Missionary work!

Hi Everyone,

This week was a really good week! The work here is so awesome! Especially in Havelu. The ward members here are so strong and so powerful. Yesterday we had church for 7 hours. I didn't know it was possible to go to church for that long haha! After church we went to our Fafanga. They're the people that feed the missionaries. We had dinner with the Bishop and after dinner we went with the bishopric to meet with a family who are not members. Their house is so cool. It reminded me of the tree house in George of the jungle! haha. We had the opportunity to share a little message with them and they want us to come back and teach them more. Me and sister Palenapa are so excited! Our baptisms last week got pushed to this Friday. We have two and the elders have one. We are super excited. I cant even explain the feeling when someone decides to be baptized. Theres so much love in missionary work and that is the key for conversion.  

The other day we were out visiting members, because thats our best way to get referrals here, and i was just having the hardest time. Its been so hot and the uniform we wear makes it even hotter. Also I've been so sick from the food that I've been really dehydrated. I knew I could keep going so I said a little prayer and my first though after was about our Savior Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice. I felt so much comfort knowing that he knows exactly how I'm feeling because He's felt this way. I put my own worries aside and I kept going with a positive attitude. We went to a less active members house and we just talked to them to see how they are doing. I could tell they were going through a hard time and after they thanked us for stopping by to see them. I could tell they needed the spirit in their home and I was glad we had the opportunity to bring it. I share this experience because I've really struggled my first couple of weeks here, but I am continually reminded that this is not about me. This is the lords work and we are instruments in his hands. We had a mission zone conference and president said "You weren't called here to learn the language...you were called to bring others unto Christ." That was so eye opening because I've been so focused on trying to learn the language that i wasn't focused on the real reason I'm here. Once I made that change my experience here has been so much better.

The lord really does know each and everyone of us personally. I thank my Heavenly Father every day for the trials and hardships I'm faced with. I know they will make me a better missionary and a better person. Im so grateful for all of your love and support. You guys are so awesome! Continue to be examples to those around you. Never hesitate an opportunity to be a missionary. Also I haven't had the chance to watch conference because of the time difference but I'm sure it was wonderful because it always is! Remember to feast upon the words that were spoken and to study them each day! Love you all!

--
Sista Sylvester

Heres a picture of what they give us for breakfast. This was my plate.....6 egg sandwiches and 3 pieces of cake! hahah I could barely finish one piece of cake.