Mo'ui Feilaulau :)

Malo e lelei!

This week was a really good week! Even though we are still trying to get by with what we have, the show goes on. :) This past Monday there was a HUGE service project all over Tonga. All of the stakes, wards, and missionaries planned a service project and on Monday morning we all got up at 7 and just worked in our areas for a couple of hours. It was so fun to see the ward and stakes get together to do a big service project. After that service project we went to go find another area to work on. We ended up at this tiny little house in the back of our area. We didn't think anyone lived there and it turns out they spend most of their time at their daughters house so they are never really home. When they came to see their house after the storm it was destroyed. They live in this tiny little shack basically and everything inside it was gone and ruined. We started to talk with them and then got straight to work. We cleaned up the leaves around their house, hung up their clothes to be dried, and just spent time talking with them. The old lady just kept talking with me because she was so surprised that a palangi could speak Tongan. hahah!  She just kept asking me questions. We also learned that her husband is not yet a member so we now have an opportunity to go back and talk with him :) Monday was just a whole day of service projects. After cleaning up that house we went with President and some other missionaries to the "Mala'e Kula" (Grave site of the Royal family) and cleaned it up. It was really fun! We had to wear our Tongan attire though because it is a Royal property and it was SO hot! The queen stopped by and talked with us for a bit. It was hard though because there is a "royal language" that you are supposed to use and im not quite yet fluent in the royal language, but it was cool to see her. Im not sure if you guys know but the Prince of Tonga was baptized a couple of years ago in Hawaii and now is serving as a counselor to the bishop. Its really cool! We see him a lot but he is still considered higher than all of us so there are certain things to do when you see him. 

This week we had transfers and I got a new companion.  Her name is sister Paletu'a and I love her!  :)  She doesn't really speak English and I love it because i'm only speaking Tongan. :) We have the same trainer so technically we are "sisters" in the mission. She is from Tonga the area Sopu and she's a very hard worker.  We are still working in the office with President and Sister Tuione and 
I love it! :) 

This week was such a busy week! We still have no power in our area/MQ but we are surviving :) We have Flashlights all over the house and its actually kind of fun. The water is only on at night time, so we can shower and do what we need to do and then its turned off. This morning we got up to go work out and the water was on and when we got back it was off and we had no where to shower! hahaha. We were able to use our resources and shower and everything worked out. Im truly learning to "Mo'ui Feilaulau" (live a life of sacrifice). Im understanding that you dont need everything to have a happy life. Use what you can and just enjoy every moment. Im so blessed to be serving in the best mission :) 

I love you all! Thank you again for your prayers :) Keep being examples to those around you. Keep reading your Book of Mormon, Ofa lahi atu!

--

Sista Silivesita


Service Project cleaning up all the debris at the Royal Property.  Sister Tuione is right in
there helping.  :)

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We went and bought food for our investigators kids because they hadn't eaten all day. We sat down and ate bread with them. (Bread is like all we eat now)

Our members still stay at the chapel and last Sunday we ate sandwiches with them after church 

Got my package. Thanks mom :) 

My new Companion Sister Paletu'a.




Sleep over at the mission home


Temple then out to dinner with the new February intakes (missionaries) before sending them off to their new areas.

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The days after Cyclone Gita

Malo e lelei!

I don't even know where to start with this email but first I want to say I am okay and alive :)  

Sunday evening we had a meeting with President and discussed the upcoming cyclone. Every year Tonga has cyclone warnings but over the past like 5 years they haven't had one. So we were praying for a miracle. The cyclone first hit Samoa and after that was headed straight for us. When it hit Samoa it was a class 2 but as it was heading for us it picked up speed and was around a class 4-5. Monday day we spent all day preparing for the cyclone to come. We bought over 100 cases of water, stocked up on food from Costlow, made sure all of the missionaries were in the chapels because thats where they would be sleeping that night. Every hour we were texting the missionaries to make sure they were okay. We were able to keep in contact for awhile until the power went out. My companion and i stayed at the mission home with President and his family. Their house was safe we just had some water come inside through the windows and doors. They also have a generator so we were able to have power and water. We had so much to do that day to prepare! It helped me understand the importance of food storage and why we should have it. 

During the Storm: The storm started at like 7 o'clock in the evening. By 5 the radio announced that everyone should be home and no one should be on the road. It started to get really windy and as time went on the wind picked up and it started raining like crazy! We just sat inside eating snacks and talking trying to keep our minds off of it, but I could tell President was stressed thinking about all of the missionaries. At about 11:00 I looked outside and it was so dark and scary. It was weird though because I could see the wind, like white air was just everywhere. Hahah I don't really know how to explain it but man it was crazy!  Around like 1 in the morning we were in the middle of the Cyclone. Everything was moving the wind was SO loud, water everywhere! I finally was able to fall asleep at like 2 and i didn't wake up until the morning. 

After the Storm: Man I woke up at like 6 in the morning and I cant even explain what it felt like to look outside. My heart just hurt. Big mango tree's on the ground, leaves, trees, roofs from houses, all over the ground! We got up with president and the Ap's to go around and try to visit the missionaries. As we started to drive i just wanted to cry. Seeing a place you have come to love so much and people you have come to love and everything was just so different over one night it was just hard to see. The roads were covered with trees and leaves and power lines so it was really hard to go see the missionaries. We eventually got a flat tire and so then we were stranded for a little bit hahah. We were able to hear from all of the missionaries and they were all accounted for and they were all safe that night. They all said how nice it was to sleep at the chapel not only with members but with non-members as well. 

These past couple of days have just been cleaning, cleaning and cleaning. We wake up everyday and go find a house to work on. We didn't have power or water for like 4 days. Some areas are just now starting to get power and water. Our MQ has water but no power so we have little flashlights all over the house. Also our MQ survived hahah but our back door got ripped off by GITA so we had some flooding and leaves everywhere. Thankfully we put all of our stuff up! Last night we finally slept at home and it felt good. I feel like i'm at girls camp but just a little more extreme!....Shower when you can, eat when theres food haha but I love it! Im learning so much from this experience. They said that in the next two months we will start to experience a "honge"  which is a famine. We are slowly running out of drinking water and gas for the cars, all of their crops were ruined so a lot of the food is gone. But we are surviving! There are people here from Australia and New Zealand to help us :) 

 Cyclone Gita is  the biggest Cyclone ever recorded in Tonga's history. I honestly feel so blessed to be here at this time. One thing I love is how positive the Tongan people are. The day after the cyclone they were all outside with a smile cleaning, laughing, and just making the best of it. They have all come together to help rebuild buildings, homes and roads. I have a feeling the next half of my mission will be lots of service projects. 

Thank you all for your love and support. I can feel your prayers and I have felt so comforted. I know Heavenly Father is so aware of us. Especially the people here in Tonga. I have seen little miracles this week, and i know that when we do whats right He will bless us. We've done a couple of service projects in our area already and things are slowly starting to be cleaned up. Im not sure how often I will have power so there could be weeks that you might not hear from me. But just know i'm okay and I love being a missionary :) Keep praying for the people here in Tonga. Ofa lahi atu!!!!

-- 

Sista Silivesita

Stocking up on water for all the missionaries

Listening to the radio and watching the news to know the details about the Cyclone

Boarding up the windows at the mission home

A member in our area lost their roof. They are not the only 

ones though. Almost every house lost their roofs. 

And some lost their whole house :(

The road. It took forever to just get down the street. 

Our MQ (mission Quarters)

Our back door. :)

Cyclone Gita

Feb ll, 2018  2:11 pm

Dear Parents / Guardians,

RE: CYCLONE GITA

Update in regards to your missionary: 

As you are aware of the cyclone Gita coming our way and directly to Tonga and she is expected to arrive later this evening. We wish to inform you that we have contacted all our missionaries and couple missionaries in the Nuku’alofa Tonga Mission and have made necessary arrangements to ensure their safety. We have also given them instructions to:

1. Secure and lock their Mission Quarters and head out to the nearest Chapel

2. Take 72hr packs including medications, first aid kids, torches, enough food items and water and leave to the nearest chapel for shelter well ahead of time before the cyclone hits and remain there with other members/ non- members until further instructions.

3. Make sure their phones are charged and standby for further instructions.

As of right now they are preparing to leave to the nearest chapel and they are all safe. We will keep you informed of their safety for as long as the Internet and power is available.

We ask that you continue to pray for us and for our safety.

Kind Regards

President and Sister Tui’one

-------------------------------------------------

Feb 13 2018  10:31 pm

Dear Parent/ Guardian, 

We do apologize for the delay in communications, which were a result of a power outage and subsequent internet failure.

Cyclone Gita has been an experience to remember and something that we will be talking about for a very long time. For some of us it was the longest night of our lives. The Cyclone has left our Island Kingdom of Tonga, and although much foliage, many trees and various houses were destroyed, I’m please to let you know that all the missionaries in the Nuku’alofa Tonga Mission are accounted for. Each of them are safe, healthy and pleased to be serving the people of Tonga in this time of need. 

It will be a very busy week and month for us as we will take part in the cleaning up and giving of service to others in need. This will also be an opportunity to build our love for the Lord and others. Due to the major destruction caused by Cyclone Gita, the power on the entire Island has been shut down so please expect some delay in communications for the time being. 

We will do our best to keep you updated as long as we are connected to these services.

Kind Regards,

President and Sister Tui’one

--------------------------------------

Feb 13,  10:26pm

Hello Family!!!!

Im writing you a quick email to let you know i'm okay and i'm alive :) All of the missionaries are okay and now we are just working hard to help all the families here in Tonga. Please keep Tonga in your prayers. I don't know when we’ll get power or water but i'm learning to live a life of sacrifice. The storm was scary and I have never seen or experienced something like that. Every house has been damaged and there is  LOTS of work to do,  but thats why we are here to serve others! I love you so much! I’ll talk to you when I can :) 

Ofa atu!!

It was a long night riding out the storm

But but they made it!  These are pictures that members 

and senior couple missionaries sent us after the storm.

He knows you better :)

Malo e lelei!

Man what a week! This week was a good one, it felt kind of long haha but there was a lot accomplished this week.  It still raining a lot. Everyone's been saying theres a hurricane coming but who knows. Someone asked me last week what we are supposed to do if something like that were to happen, like what to do and where to go and to be honest i'm not sure! I guess we'll just have to wait and see what president says. :)

We had the opportunity this week to do some companionship exchanges with some of the sisters. Its always been something I love to do!  Its a great opportunity to learn from the other sister and we get to work together to help each other. 

Wednesday I hit my year and that was a crazy day! hahah My poor companion was sooo sick so we stayed inside the whole day. In the morning we had a meeting with president and when we came home and my companion knocked out and fell right to sleep. I was up doing some studying and I had to get something out of my suitcase.  I walked over and there was a HUGE spider by my bag. I think this one was way bigger than the one last time. I screamed to myself and had to sit and breath for a sec. My companion was dead asleep so this was all on me to kill it!  Last time it took me and my comp like 45 min to  kill it but I was not about to have that happen again. Anyway, long story short I was able to kill the spider by myself. Again...I felt like it was a reminder to me from Heavenly Father that I can't let the little things take control over me. Sometimes we get so caught up on the little things that don't matter and they hold us back from what we can do and be. So this week I was reminded to let go of the little things and to keep moving forward :) 

I was reading in the Liahona about how to teach more like the savior. I was asked this week what my favorite thing about being a missionary is and I would have to say teaching.  l love any opportunity I have to share a message with someone!  I love that everyday I get to wake up and all I have to think about is the gospel and what i'm going to do today to help someone! Its just so awesome I cant even explain it! I also love that time I have to study my scriptures. I could spend hours just reading the scriptures, and before my mission that was not like me! hahah. It was really hard for me to have the motivation to read them.  I've come to gain such a great testimony of the doctrine in this gospel and I have seen it change lives.  Its so important to make sure when you are teaching to teach how the savior would teach. 

This week while teaching our investigator she accepted to be baptized next week! We also have an investigator that will be baptized Sunday morning! He's one we've been working with for awhile and he has now stopped smoking. He's finally been keeping his commitments and is ready to be baptized. We are so excited for him. 

I just want to thank you all for your love and support :) Being a missionary is not always easy but its definitely worth it! I love this gospel. I hope you all have a good week! Keep reading your scriptures :) This week I challenge you to seek for an opportunity to to share the gospel with someone. It will make your day/week so much better! The gospel is the best gift you can give someone! Ofa lahi atu !

-- 

Sista Silivesita

Sister Fa'aui and I on our exchange.

This little old lady is our favorite in the ward. We visited her the other day and she was playing 

her little card game with her friend :)

The spider 

Malo e lelei!

I first want to give a big Birthday shout out to mom! I hope you have an amazing day and just know ill be thinking about you this week :) Thank you for all you do. Im so blessed to have you as my mom! I also cant believe I hit my year mark this week! Time is going by wayyyyy too fast! I hope this year mom you will have something planned for your birthday because you wont have to worry about sending me off to the MTC hahah! 

This week was a really good week! Its been raining all week and i love it! Haha I didn't think I would miss the cold weather but now that its been cold and rainy i'm enjoying it. Its hurricane/tsunami season and so there have been some crazy rain storms. No hurricanes or anything yet but its rained for like 5 days straight and the roads and stuff were flooding. This week we finished the rest of the zone conferences here on the main island. It was really good! On Thursday presidents son came home from his mission and they invited us to go to the  airport with them. It was really cool! It was kind of weird though because my time as a missionary is starting to count down and just seeing how happy he was to see his family but when the time came for him to take off his pin it was so sad to see. Its so true when they say appreciate every moment that you have and I can say it makes it so much more fun when you do, even the hard days :) 

This morning we had a baptism! We were supposed to baptize her last week but something came up so this morning she was baptized and tomorrow she will be confirmed!

Being a missionary is the best! I hope you all have a great week! Keep reading your Book of Mormon! 

Ofa lahi atu :) 

-- 

Sista Silivesita

 The office crew

 Me and my comp :) 

Our baptism we had this morning