I luh ya papi!!!

Malo Soifua Aiga!

Well this week has been an interesting one. To be completely honest it has been pretty stressful. But it all worked out :) 

Oh and one thing...HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!! I luh ya papi!!! haha. Here is the weekly update:

-Avea's baptism is scheduled for this Saturday the 31st and I am so excited!!! My companion and I want to make it a really big event so we have invited all three of our wards and he is doing a special musical number. It is going to be a really cool experience because she is so fragile that she needs 4 people in the font with her. I will be performing the baptism and I know that it will be one to remember :)

My comp, myself, and Avea :)

-The work is really starting to pick up in our area. Which hands-down is an answer to prayer. We were struggling for a bit with ward-involvement but now we have a really good Ward Mission Leader and everyone is really excited for Avea's baptism.

-I'm officially a Koko Samoa-a-holic haha. It has been out of season for a while now and I've been having withdrawels...haha I was so happy when I got some the other day!

-talofa e haha (poor thing) basically every old woman in this village says that to me when I try to speak Samoan...hahahaha

That's all for this week. Is there anything you all want me to send out? Or anything specific that you want to know? Just email me if there is. All is going well here though. I love you all!

Alofa tele atu outou!

Elder Hunter S.G.

Mango, delicious!

Sunset

My new companion Elder Aokuso from Sydney Austrailia

I saw some amazing things this week.

Malo Soifua Aiga!!!

A really cool week in Savaii! Honestly one of the hardest, but I saw some amazing things this week.  Here's the update:

-My companion Elder Aokuso and I are doing good. He is struggling adjusting to the weather a little bit, but other than that, he is doing really well. His Samoan is really good, and I can tell that he is really going to help me out with mine :)

-My comp is teaching me how to cut hair, I'm not the best, but I'm getting there :)

-We are still teaching Avea and Olina. My companion and I both felt that we needed to move their baptism dates back to give them more time to understand the doctrine and prepare. Avea's is the 31st of January and we don't know about Olina yet.

-We had such a cool experience with Avea. We got her new wheel chair out to her and we took her to church yesterday. It was so cool! She hadn't left the house for over 4 and 1/2 years so she was so excited! She loved the service, and we are going to take her again next week. 

-We got to see a miracle with Avea. She had been having a hard time understanding our last lesson we taught her. My companion and I offered to give her a blessing. We did, and then came back that night to finish the lesson. She understood everything and it was hands-down our best lesson with her. It was honestly incredible... When I look at her I feel the Spirit so strongly. I can say without a doubt that she is one of the reasons I was called to the Samoa Apia Mission. 

All is going well here. I was struggling a little during the week with inadequacy with regards to language, but Avea totally turned my week around. There is true power in Priesthood Blessings and I recommend anyone and everyone to ask for one if you are struggling. I love you all! Manuia le vaiaso!

Alofa Atu,

Elder Hunter S.G.

Thanks Durantes and McKinney/Herrons!

Malo Soifua Aiga! Sorry but really not too much to report this week, but I will answer all of the questions. Here's the Weekly Update though: -Training is going well! We are starting week 3 of the program and sticking with it. Elder Aokuso is the man! I definitely miss Elder Mo'o, but my new comp is great :) -We had a lesson with Olina again this week, which went alright. We committed her to reading the Tusi A Mamona this week and she agreed. Her next lessons are Saturday and Sunday so hopefully those both go well. Also we are going to teach Avea again tomorrow and President Tolman is sending out a wheel chair soon so it should all work out. I'm really excited for her! She is probably my favorite investigator :) -No strange food this week, and I got the boxes from the Durantes and the McKinney/Herrons. DELICIOUS!!!! Woohoo American food! Haha thank you all so much :) -It's been hard taking over the area but it good. I've been forcing myself to speak more which is really helping my Samoan which is good:) Hope all is going well with you all.  Nice job Thayne on the Eagle Project!!! But I had the best project ever...haha. Alls good here.  Manuia lava le vaiaso!!! Alofa Atu, Elder Hunter S.G.

Hard to Say Good Bye

Malo Soifua Aiga!!!

Wow so much has happened this week! It's been pretty hectic with all of the changes, but it's also been very exciting! Here's the update:

-Elder Mo'o has officially been transferred. He is now a zone leader in Nofoali'i. It was hard to say good bye because we got pretty close, but it's all good.

My new companion's name is Elder Aokuso. He is a brand new missionary from Sydney, Austrailia. It has been very exciting becoming a trainer and I really have enjoyed the experience. 

Pretty difficult for me with the language, but it is really helping it progress which I'm thankful for. Luckily Elder Aokuso has really good Samoan so it'll all be good. 

-We have two baptisms lined up. One is on the 23rd with a girl named Olina. She is a Jehovah's Witness so she is very well read in the Bible. But we had our first official lesson with her yesterday. It was really cool to see how her demeanor changed. At first it was border-line bible bashing but then the Spirit softened her heart. It was a really cool experience and she was really receptive to the message. She committed to baptism and I think she will stick with it. 

The next one is is on the 24th and that is with Avea. She is 74 years old and has a hard time hearing. The lessons have been difficult, but she is very receptive. We are trying to help get her a wheel chair so we can help her attend church. I honestly love this old lady, she has such an awesome Spirit about her. I hope they both go through :)

That's about it for the update. It's been a little different with a new comp but it's been good. Elder Aokuso is the man! All is going well here, and I hope you all are doing well there. I love you all!

Alofa Atu, 

Elder Hunter S.G.

Oh btw I weighed myself at the MRC. 194.4!!! Honest but I think I've lost a bunch of muscle...but everyone says I look skinnier so that's good :)