Happy Thaksgiving

Malo e leleli!

This week was a good week! Not a lot happened other than my companion left. :(  She finished her mission on Friday. It was sad but Im excited for her! My new comp is Sister Vakalahi and she is from Utah.  She is awesome and i'm excited to work with her!  She has been out the same amount of time as me but she went to the New Zealand MTC because she already knew a little bit of Tongan. We actually finish together so we will be going back to SLC together. 

We were so busy this week so I don't have much to say...but.... the church is true!  It was a different experience sending  missionaries  back home to their families, but next week we get to welcome the new ones! This work is amazing! I hope you all have a great week :) Keep reading the Book of Mormon! 

Ofa atu!

-- 

Sista Silivesita

After the rainstorm our car got stuck. hahaha.

This is Elder Moala. Hes 6'7 and just finished his mission and now he's going to play football for BYU. We took a picture so he will remember me when he's famous.  ;)  hahaa

Devine design!

Malo e lelei!

Man this week was a really good week! We had Mission tour and Elder Cardon the area 70 came to speak to us. On Tuesday we had it here in Tonga and then Wednesday we flew to Vavau with him. He is such a powerful speaker. He asked us to write down two questions before the meeting started and then after the meeting see if they were answered. Both days I wrote down questions and I was able to not only have answers but advice on what I need to do to keep going. Im so grateful that we are able to have called Servants of the Lord to lead and direct us in these days. I know that Heavenly Father is able to speak to us through them, and if we listen we will be guided down the right path. One thing I love about being a missionary, and that I have come to learn and gain a testimony of is Divine Design. Heavenly father knows us and knows what we need, when we need it. I strongly encourage you all to read the talk by President Rasband from this last conference. :)

This week our investigator Aisea will prepare himself to pass the sacrament. I'm so excited for him! Its the most amazing feeling to see your investigators progress in the gospel. We will also be helping him get ready to get a temple recommend to do baptisms. He told us the other day he's thinking about going on a mission. Man I just smiled because I know the blessings of serving a mission. This work is so powerful. 

I hope you all have a great week! Keep reading your scriptures EVERYDAY :) I promise you will see blessings in your life from reading everyday. Keep inviting those around you to come unto Christ. Ofa lahi atu :) 

-- 

Sista Silivesita

Pictures from Vavau

This is President Makai he is friends with Brother Tuileva.  (Who is our neighbor/friend and was Kenidees Sunday school teacher.)

I wanted to share a few things Kenidee wrote us in our personal email because it is so true!!  She is a beautiful, valiant daughter that we have been PRIVILEGED  to raise!....... "I had the special opportunity to interview with Elder Cardon. It was such a blessing for me! Not all of the missionaries had this opportunity maybe like 15 and I was one of them! During my interview he asked me about my family ( yes of course I cried) and I had the opportunity to share with him about my wonderful family. I shared with him how dad is a convert and how much it has blessed my life and the lives of others. Because of dads decision I have the opportunity to share the gospel with the people here in Tonga. I also shared how grateful I am that you guys were sealed in the temple and that I had the blessed opportunity to be born in the covenant. I think my favorite lesson to teach is the plan of salvation because Heavenly Father has blessed us with this plan so that we can all live with him again. That is our goal and purpose here. EVERYDAY we need to continually try and become like Him. 

He also asked me to share my testimony with him.I shared about the Book of Mormon and the influence it can have in ones life. 

Elder Cardon paused for a minute before he started talking again and said " Sister Sylvester I want you to know that you are a valiant young lady. You have been called here for a reason and you will be blessed so much for it." And then he said "I want you to email your parents on P-day and tell them everything about our interview,  I want you to thank them for the beautiful, valiant daughter they have raised."  She then gave us a challenge to read the Book of Mormon more...."I know you guys are busy but this book is the most important book here on earth. If you don't have a testimony of its teachings you can't progress in the gospel. 

There's and invitation and a promise in the introduction of the Book of Mormon. I know the blessings from this Book can change lives!!!  Im so grateful for you guys and I cant wait for the day I get to see and hug you again! 

We all have a purpose. :)

Malo e lelei! 

Hello this week was a good week! Not a lot happened so i'm sorry a short email again....but we did have a baptism yesterday and it was awesome! We baptized our investigator his name is Aisea. He is the first investigator I have baptized in the mission who doesn't really have a religious background. Most people here know a lot about the bible and go to church every week. Here in Tonga everything closes on Sundays and everyone goes to church. So it was different to teach someone who didn't really have a church background. We really focused on the Book of Mormon with him. We read it with him everyday and he kept all of his reading commitments. When we taught him the Plan of Salvation and we talked about our purpose here in earth we asked him what he thought his purpose was here but he couldn't answer it. By the time he was baptized he could answer it, he knows why he is here and what his purpose is. It was really cool and inspiring! 

It's these little experiences that make missionary work so amazing! It was a really good busy week. Next week we have mission tour with Elder Cardon the area 70 so that will be fun and exciting! Also I hit 9 months this week. Man time is going by so fast. Missionary work is the best! I love you all have a great week :) 

Ofa atu! 

-- 

Sista Silivesita

Note from Mom......While briefly emailing back and forth with Kenidee today  I asked her if there was anything she needed me to send with her Christmas package.  She said...."Could you send me something for my hair to leave in  it at night to help......refresh it....I guess??   I don't know how to explain it or say it in English anymore!  Hahah!"  

I think she was trying to say a leave in conditioner!!  This made us laugh, I wonder if her dreams are on Tongan now?!?!  😂  She also said "Could you send me some toothpaste? I bought some from Costlow😃  (Tonga's Costco) and it is SO OLD I almost threw up!"  😳 😷  haha.. Real problems! :)

Aisea our investigator.  :)

Christmas lights!! Our neighbor used to live in the states and they go all out for Christmas. We turned the corner in our car and we both got SO excited because we were so happy to see Christmas lights!! 

Our Chapel. :)

Cleaning our shoes. Haha!

Baby John: This is the little boy of the house we stay at.

Pineapple is expensive here so we had to keep it safe hahah.

But its pineapple season now. Yay!

Man me and my comp got stuck behind this car on the road and we were laughing so hard! 

This is how a lot of people drive here.

Half way!

No email from Sister Sylvester today just a few cute pics. :) She finally received her Birthday package!!!  YAY!! I chatted back and forth with her briefly and she is doing good just super busy!  She told me that they have changed the clothing guidelines in the mission and they now have a choice to wear either Palangi clothes or Tongan clothes. She has one dress that she wore on the plane there, but the rest she sent home when she left the MTC.  She said "my comp and I tried it out and it really felt so good.  I was able to put on a little makeup and wear my hair down!  I will probably still wear the Tongan clothing most of the time but it is nice to know we now have an option".   :)  "I love being a missionary!"

She hits her half way mark this week!  We miss her like CRAZY but of course we are so happy she is serving the great people of Tonga!❤️