Kilisimasi Fiefia :)

Malo e lelei! 

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas! It was so fun talking with you guys :) Having Christmas on the mission was such a blessing. On Christmas night we had a Family home evening with our stake president and one of our investigators her name is Akata. We baptized her son last week ad we've been working with her for a couple weeks now. It was such a cool experience to be there with her and her whole family. Her Husband is already a member but no longer goes to church. Here in Tonga they are very traditional. Everything their parents and grandparents did they have to keep it in the family especially if you are the oldest. Akata's husband Paea shared how because his mom is still living he will continue to go to her church, and then he shared maybe after his mom passes away he will consider coming back to the church. We felt bad for him but we are so excited for Akata and her kids. We talked about Christ and the story of His birth and His atoning Sacrifice and how he should be the center of our lives everyday :) 

Akata has accepted to be baptized this Sunday (Tomorrow) and we are so excited for her! She cried to us when we invited her and she said she just feels so warm inside and she knows that this is the right thing for her to do. Three of her kids are already baptized and we are just waiting for the other 3 to turn the right age so they can be baptized too. While teaching her this week we found out that her and her husband are not actually married. There was no reason behind it they said they just never had time to be married but she told us her and her husband will be married so that she can be baptized. They were married this week and our bishops wife came back crying and said it was such a special ceremony. Paea, Akatas husband told the family that he will come to church this Sunday to see his wife be baptized and he also said to forget everything he said before but he will come to church with his family every Sunday. Man we are so happy for them!!!!

It was such a good week to celebrate the birth of our savior Jesus Christ.....although its way different here than in the states. We're over here sleeping with three fans on and no blankets hahah while you guys have the snow. The spirit of Christmas is still the same and what a blessing it was to spend Christmas with a family who just received one of the best gifts....to be baptized!

Im so grateful for the opportunity I have to spend time as a missionary. The best blessing I could have ever received was to come here to Tonga to share the gospel! I cant believe its almost the New Year. Time is going by so fast. Remember to put the Savior at the center of your lives everyday. Keep reading the Book of Mormon, and keep inviting others to listen to this great message! Ofa lahi atu :) HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

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Sista Silivesita

Saying goodbye to my favorite mission couple the Hafokas. They finished their mission and they are headed back to Utah!

One of our members making herself some fish for lunch.

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An older lady in our ward named Ofa sells tomatoes everyday to get money. 

Holding a turtle

We saw this random horse on the road so i decided to take a picture with it and while my comp was taking the picture she scared me and said it was coming towards me hahaha. 

Tongatapu :)

Malo e lelei! This week was such a fun week :) On Monday we flew to Ha'apai with president to have a Christmas party with the missionaries there and deliver their gifts. It was a really fun experience! theres not much in ha'apai but the missionaries were so happy with what they have. Theres a couple of outer islands that some elders go to and they couldn't be happier just living on this little dot in the ocean. They came for the party but could not wait to get back out to work. It helped me realize that theres so much to be grateful for. What a great Christmas experience!

On Tuesday we flew to Vava'u to have a Christmas with the missionaries there. When we got there it was p-day for the missionaries so we had a Christmas devotional and then played p-day games. Man it was so fun! Each zone took turns singing their songs they had prepared and then some of the missionaries shared their testimonies about Jesus Christ. Again it was another great program to help remind us the true meaning of Christmas. 

Ken with Sister Tuione (mission Presidents wife)  

We took presidents sons to the beach so they could swim. Man it was so tempting to just jump in! hahah  This is a sandy beach in Ha'apai. It is beautiful!!

On Friday we came back to Tonga and had a big Christmas party here with all of the missionaries. We spent all night Thursday decorating the hall and making sure everything was ready for the missionaries. It was so fun to hear all of their songs and we had the missionaries who are leaving at the end of this transfer share their last testimony with us. I was getting a little sad thinking about not spending the holidays at home but I cant think of anything better than spending christmas as a missionary. Service is one of the best gifts you can give! Im so grateful for the light the World challenge. We have a family we've been working towards and after many days of visiting them and serving them they finally accepted to come to church. It was so exciting to see them at church! I have strong faith that they will be baptized!

Tonight we have our zone baptism "Kilismasi hinehina" (White Christmas) and two of our investigators will be baptized. We are so excited for them :) Probably the best Christmas gift to see people you have come to love receive the greatest blessing! 

I cant wait to Skype you guys in TWO DAYS!!!! I hope you all have a very merry Christmas :) Remember our Savior Jesus Christ and his everlasting atonement.  Continue to try and become like him each and every day.  Ofa lahi atu! Tau toki sio :) 

-- 

Sista Silivesita

Malo e lelei! 

Sorry I don't have much to say mostly pictures! This week was a good week and a very busy week. We've been getting ready for the Zone Christmas parties next week. We will be going to Ha'apai and Vava'u with president and the Ap's. 

This week we also invited our investigator Ofa'aki to be baptized and he accepted!  We are so excited for him! He will be baptized in the Zone baptism next Saturday "White Christmas" we are so excited for him! 

Hope you all have a great week! Ofa lahi atu :) 

Cant wait to talk to you next week!!!!!!

-- 

Sista Silivesita

I got my package! :)

​Mate Ma'a Tonga!

MLC

One of my memebers made this maui hook for me and now I just need to find a way to send it home! hahaha!

Going to Costlow (Costco) with Sister Tuione  :)

Ward Christmas party

Headed to Ha’apai for zone conference and to deliver Christmas gifts to the missionaries there!

I found these on the mission Facebook page.  This is Ken saying goodbye to Sister Pupunu from Draper.  She said it was really hard to see her go. 😢

Malo e lelei! 

Man this week was so good!! Last Sunday we had the opportunity to baptize 4 of our investigators. They were baptized before sacrament meeting and then they were confirmed in sacrament. It was such an amazing experience! We baptized two of our investigators their names are Tevita and Lovely and they are brother and sister. We also baptized Feao and Kana and they are brothers. It was such an exciting day to see 4 people who we have just come to love enter into the waters of baptism :) We are now working towards Tevita's and Lovely's parents. We are also helping Kana and Feao's parents work towards the temple. They are both already baptized and now we just need to get them to the temple. 

This week also we had MLC with all of the leaders in the mission. Man it was so fun! On Thursday we went to the temple and did team building activities and then on friday we had an all day discussion on what things we need to do in this mission to help the missionaries progress in the work. There will be some changes here in Missiona Tonga and i'm excited. 

I hope you've all had the opportunity to "Light the World" keep finding opportunities to serve those around you :) This past week we went around with President and Sister Tuione delivering watermelons to people. It was so fun! I love this gospel and I know it is true. Remember our Savior this Christmas season and try everyday to become more like him :)  READ your Book of Mormon! Ofa lahi atu! 

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❤️ ~Sista Silivesita

Baptism!

❤️ ❤️

MLC Meeting                                                                                                                                     

Light the World :)

Malo e lelei!

Mou fefe hake? Koau eni ko sai aupito! This week was a really good week! Probably the busiest week of the transfer but one of my favorites :) On Wednesday we got to welcome the new missionaries here to the mission. Its so fun getting to know them and seeing their desire to come here and serve the lord. I also love being able to share my experiences with them and letting them know that the work gets better and everything we go through is for our own good. We also had transfers on Wednesday so we were busy moving everyone around. Even though we were busy we still had time to go out and work! In our area EVERYONE is a memmber but they are so good with missionary work! I think thats one thing I've learned on the mission is there is always time for the most important things. Heavenly Father will always provide time for you to do the small and simple things like reading your scriptures and saying your daily prayers. Never forget to do the two most important things everyday :) I promise you will see a difference in your life. 

This week we were able to invite two of our investigators to be baptized and they both accepted and will be baptized tomorrow!! We are so excited for them :) Their names are Kana and Feao. They are brothers and one is 12 the other is 10. They are so smart and so ready to be baptized. Their parents were actually baptized last year and now want their kids to be baptized.  We are hoping after their baptism we can help them get to the temple! 

Its finally December!!  I hope you all have had a chance to look at the "Light The World" calendar. What a great way to invite the spirit of Christmas and serve others! I challenge you guys to find opportunities everyday to help those around you come unto Christ.  I know Christ lives and he love us. He knows us personally! Trust in him, trust in his work and you will be able to feel his love more in your life. Share his love with those around you by serving them :) 

I hope you all have a great week! Ofa lahi atu kiate kimoutolu :)

-- 

Sista Silivesita

1. This was like our 5th meal that day and this is how we felt at the end of the day when they told us to keep eating so they could receive blessings. hahah we were dying! 

2. Thanks for your cookies mom :)

3. Playing dodgeball with some of the kids in our area! 

Mate Ma'a Tonga!  This past month was the Rugby league world cup and it was the first time the Tongan rugby team made it to the semi finals. Every weekend after the games people will go out until midnight beeping their horns and doing floats to support the team here in Tonga. Well this last week Tonga lost so no more floats, but the team actually came to Tonga and every thing on the island was red to support the team. Floats all day everyday! They are crazy but its so fun to see their love and support to their team!  

This is someones house!!   haha