ELDER MATUA AND ELDER UTA'I

This is the look on Wilson's face as he realizes that the Elder standing next to him is his cousin. Elder Uta'i (Oscar) is serving in the same mission in New Zealand. Elder Matua's paternal grandmother, Faleupolu Fetalai Uta'i Matua, and Elder Uta'i's paternal grandfather, Nuualiitia Tauamanu Uta'i are brother and sister. This marks the third time in our Matua family history that a Matua is serving with an Uta'i at the same time, in the same mission. My sister Teuila served in the Samoa Apia Mission with Uta'i cousins, Faamoana and Moira. And my brother Seti also served in the Samoa Apia Mission with Uta'i cousins Risati, Tauamanu, Sifaga and Polotisano. SO AMAZING!!! All I can say is that GOD is SO GOOD!!! By the way, Elder Uta'i (pictured above) has a sister, Luisa, who is currently serving in the Utah Salt Lake City East mission, and is actually heading back home to Samoa tomorrow as she completes her mission. I'm sure Wilson will run into some more family as he makes his way around the mission.

ANOTHER GREAT WEEK

Time sure does fly when staying busy. Feels like I just got here. I'm having a really good time here but still kind of miss being home around the family. But that will have to wait because THE LORD'S TIME COMES FIRST. I can't tell you how great it has been. I haven't been really saying much in Samoan just more or less listening...not helping. So I have made a goal of talking Samoan as much as possible this month so I can talk to you in Samoan when I call. A goal I surely think I can accomplish.
My companion and I have found much success. People prepared to learn more about the Gospel! Six investigators! Woooo I'm really hoping all goes well! Awesome things this week!!! One of our investigators is so close to saying the Book of Mormon is true!!!! She's so close!!! I can't wait to see the Gospel work in their lives!

I got to use my bike this week!!! So good to finally ride something instead of walking everywhere. Had a split this week too. IT WAS SO FUNNY!!! The Elder I was with is from Madagascar....his English isn't that good and everyone here speaks English. ha ha ha he didn't say much but I got to know some people around here pretty well;)

I bore my testimony Sunday! But had to do it in English not enough time to bear it in Samoan would have taken too long. But luckily everyone could understand me! The spirit was so strong I asked the ward to look for missionary opportunities to serve others and said I loved them and also said Missionary Work isn't easy but it is SUPER REWARDING. I miss Sundays at home the most. Where all of us are together, enjoying one another's company I loved that! But that will have to wait another 21 months! I've been out three months. It's gone by so fast! And is only getting faster I can't believe it! Before I know it will be a year! AHHHHH IT'S SO FAST! I'm loving this experience and when I'm down I've put my trust in the Lord to help me. My testimony has grown and is still growing! I love the Lord and love this Gospel! IT'S AMAZING!

I love you all SO MUCH and can't wait to see you all again!

LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU!
Tofa soifua ma ia manuia.
Elder Wilson Matua

Part of an email from my cousin in New Zealand

I hope you're enjoying reading some of Wilson's experiences in New Zealand. As we've told some of you, a cousin of mine, Dahlia, moved to New Zealand and she happens to be attending the Samoan ward (Tamaki 1st Ward) in the Tamaki Stake that Elder Matua is currently serving in. I thought it would be nice to share some of her email she sent to us recently.

I want you to know that Elder Matua is doing really good.  We are so happy that he is here and while I really really want to tell you all about what is going on with him, I will leave it to him to share with you....but don't worry mom, they are all good things!  He is absolutely amazing and already during his first week has made an impact on the work in our ward.  

So, he is doing well my dear and like I said, not to worry.  TJ and I stopped by last night after they got home so I got to see their place. They are living in Otara, which I guess is the equivalent of Compton. A totally new but good experience for Wilson, and I say that because when he comes home, he will have a much greater appreciation for the things that mom and dad have done and provided for him and his brothers! Truly!  Having said that, they are surrounded by and live on a street that has tons of families from the ward.  The missionaries never have a problem in Otara.  They are in a nice clean flat but they dont have a phone yet so all of the work they are doing is on foot. 

The last thing I will share with you for now is that Elder Matua has also made an impact on TJ. TJ and Wilson have had just a few conversations, but it isn't so much about the conversations they've had that has impacted TJ. It's just seeing Wilson, his countenance, the way he carries himself, the way he talks to you, its everything about him!  TJ cannot stop talking about how he cannot wait to serve and he literally said, I hope I can be like Wilson.  

Love you all

Dee

THREE MONTHS NEXT WEEK

Talofa!

Wow NZL is so pretty! Driving on the opposite side of the road, completely different lifestyle than America, and everything is so expensive!
I'm still adjusting to the missionary life, I was struggling this week but my companion has been a big help to talk to when I'm in need of help. My companion's name is Elder Gaga from Malaela on Upolu!
Native Samoan. Oh my gosh I have learned a lot from him! I asked him to help me say things in Samoan and he has been able to teach me! His English is pretty good! I can usually understand what he is trying to say to me. We promised each other that we'd teach each other the language (me to him english, him to me Samoan) it's a struggle but I know with time it will get easier.

I have enjoyed the field! A lot of walking but it's been awesome talking with everyone. Everyone really likes talking to us. It's so nice both in English and Samoan. I can't for the life of me understand a word in Samoan because they speak with the K's. I'm usually just listening to my companion speak and then write down words that I don't understand and then have him tell me what that word is. SLOWLY BUT SURELY I WILL LEARN THIS LANGUAGE NOTHING IS GOING TO STOP ME!

This was week has been full of miracles. On Saturday Elder Gaga and I felt we needed to visit a member family in our area. We went to the house and the son (Sam) answered the door. He was speaking in Samoan and Elder Gaga basically talked to him the whole time. I caught a few words here and there but the one word that stood out was Papatisoga (Baptism). I wasn't sure why he said that so after we finished talking to Sam. I asked "So what did Sam say?" Elder Gaga replied " Sam's girlfriend wants to be Papatisoga, we have to come back later today and give the baptism lesson." I freaked out and hugged him  Elder Gaga looked at me when I hugged him and said " Elda don't hug me here you can hug me in the Flat" Me and him laughed and went on our way. We came back two times and no one was there. But third time, when we came back they were home.
When we entered the home, we sat and then conversed with the father of the family before we talked to the girlfriend. When she arrived she entered the room and I had to do a double take when she came in because I swear I had seen her before. Like it was from a dream!  Her name is Rona, she's afakasi (half Cook Island and half Samoan), she understands a little Samoan but mostly English. Most of the lesson we taught her was in English.  There was a long pause, and it was my turn to say something, I couldn't think of anything except committing her to Baptism.
I opened my mouth and said " Rona will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized and prepare yourself to be baptized on December 7th?".......................
She said YES!!!!!!!  AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I am so excited and guess who is baptizing her? I AM!!!!! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!
I haven't even been here a week and I've got a Baptism!! AHHHHHHHHHHH
I can't wait!! We were led to that house for a reason and she was prepared by the Lord before we met her. The policy before being baptized you must attend church three times, she has been going for two months!!! Now we just have to teach her everything before the 7th!
SO EXCITED!!

 The field so awesome!
I've been out for almost THREE MONTHS!! Where did the Time go!!
LOVE YOU ALLL!! Thanks for the pictures!!!

Tofa soifua ma ia manuia.
Elder Wilson Matua

Elder Matua has arrived safely in New Zealand

Elder Matua arrived in New Zealand today (their Wednesday) and here is an email that his mission president sent along with a couple of pictures.

13th November 2013

Dear Brother and Sister Matua,
It was a great pleasure to welcome your son, Elder Matua, to the New Zealand Auckland Mission.  He arrived in good health, ready to begin his missionary labours with a people who are full of faith and love.  He is a credit to you both and I appreciate the privilege of having him here in the mission.
Elder Matua’s new companion is Elder Gaga, his trainer who will help your son adjust to missionary life.  They have been assigned to work in the Tamaki area.  We are confident that as they work diligently together that the Lord will bless them and they will experience the joy of seeing our Heavenly Father’s children progress towards baptism in His church.
Your son will look forward to your weekly letters of encouragement and support.  Monday is his preparation day and the time allocated to him to write emails home to you.  All mailed letters should be sent to the Mission Office.
Thank you for all you have done to prepare your son for his mission.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.  Sister Lekias and I will do everything in our power to help him have a wonderful and productive mission.  We pray the Lord will bless and sustain you in his absence.
Sincerely yours,

President Paul N. Lekias

New Zealand Auckland Mission

LAST FEW DAYS IN THE MTC

MTC LIFE COMES TO AN END :( ON TO NZ.....YEAAAHHHH!!!

Well this week has been great! Much has gone on this week Elder Merideth just got a reassignment to Ft. Collins, Colorado. Sister Camilletti got reassinged to Gilbert, Arizona where Braden Bennett is at!!  Hopefully she gets to meet him.
This week we lost Sis Lasike she's in Hawaii right now. We as a companionship wanted to say goodbye to her before she left on Tuesday morning @ 4:45 IN THE MORNING. We got up but it just took forever to get going. We finally got to the bus stop as we got there....a bus was leaving.... We wanted to see if she'd come later we waited 30 minutes and nothing happened so we went back to our room and went to bed for about a hour. Well in short we went to breakfast that morning and found out it was the travel office fault. They told her to come to the travel office at 6:50 am WE MISSED HER BY 20 MINUTES!!!! Shucks! I wish we could have said bye to her.

I've been great! The days are going by really fast and I can't wait to Get to New Zealand. And I'm hoping I don't get reassigned. Please no!! haha

The language is coming but I'm still trying to figure out sentence structures. Kind of stressful when I don't know when to use them. But I'm slowly figuring it out. I wish it were easier but I just need to be patient and talk and talk and talk  to EVERYONE! I'm doing a lot better than I was last week A LOT BETTER!!! I've been in the best mood for the most part.

I AM SO EXCITED TO GET OUT OF HERE!!!! You have no Idea!

I got a haircut today. Iese wrote me about the mission. So awesome! So good the hear about the Mission ahhhhhhhhhhhh I can't wait to get there. I leave here on Monday and won't get there 'til Wednesday....Tuesday doesn't exist for me. So weird to me how that works.

And I can't wait to talk to you all when I get to the Airport!!!

Love you all so much!

LOVE YOU ALLL AND CAN'T WAIT TO TALK TO YOU ON MONDAY!!

Tofa soifua ma ia manuia.

Elder Wilson Matua

It's Official..Elder Matua has received travel itinerary

Had to get this out because Elder Matua was so excited he sent us a picture of his travel itinerary!!! He will fly out of Salt Lake International Airport on November 11(it will actually be Nov. 12 in New Zealand), first stop is LAX. He has a 4 hour layover there and then he'll board a flight for Auckland, New Zealand. He should arrive in Auckland around 7:15 am (NZ time) on November 13. Any guesses which Samoan ward he'll be assigned to first? Anyways, wanted to pass that along because he has been looking forward to leaving and getting on with the work.