Monday was just a normal P-day, cleaning, emailing and getting ready for the week. We visited members and did a lot of contacting new investigators. I was very frustrated with one of our members because he just would not stop talking....I told him we had to leave but he wouldn't let us so I said ( it being 9:00 pm) Ma o and got up shook his hand and we were off...in the process of trying to hurry...my planner flew out of my pocket...I didn't realize it 'til we got to the flat....sucks! Got a new one on Tuesday.

Tuesday- This was my first district meeting as a District Leader:) HA I was so nervous but I pulled through and I did great....I think:) We got water thrown at us riding our bikes down the road...I just laughed and said " Thank you it's a hot one today" hahahaha So glad that I was leading the way if Elder Calizo was in front....that would have been bad..Thank you for being able to atina'e onosa'i (cultivate patience)! Went through the day laughing and full of cheer. It was a great day:)

Wednesday- I was not in the best mood this morning and I went through the day with this attitude until we had a trade off w/the Zone Leaders. Elder Jorgensen and I had a Fiji woman say to him " You should be a model" What? he said. She said "You are a tall, hot guy, you should do modeling." hahaha We shook her hand and we RAN back to the car laughing our heads off!!!!! So funny! We had a lesson with our set Vaiala about the Restoration...wow was the spirit strong:)

Thursday- We had Missionary Council Meeting in the evening...and we contacted a new investigator..a family actually that are so KEEN!!! So ready for the Gospel. I bore my testimony and we are planning to go back on Monday to share a lesson hopefully:)

Friday- Nothing to report. Friday's seem slow cause everyone just wants to start the weekend.

Saturday- Conference all day so AWESOME!!!!! I feel so full of energy and excitement for the things that I have been taught.

Sunday-  The same...Just listening to the Prophet and Apostles gave me a new appreciation for the Gospel and the work that needs to be done. And I'm blessed to be a part of it. I can't really say what my favorite talk was cause they all were amazing. But truly just hearing from the Lord's chosen servants is an inspiration.

That was the week. LOVED IT AND CAN NOT WAIT FOR THIS UPCOMING ONE:)

Love you all and have a great week:)

My new DISTRICT

First as week as DL....
This past week so awesome! I learned more this week than any other, SO FAR!

Monday- We didn't have P-day games this week because the other district was using the chapel....so we cleaned the flat and did a workout ....and took a nap. We didn't have our bags because we left them in Elder Kilpatrick's car....so we carried Book of Mormons around while riding bikes. That was interesting in itself. We knocked doors of potential investigators from the sisters who were in the area before us.

Tuesday- Can't remember anything unusual or special happening, so nothing to report.

Random pic..Hubcap Heaven

Wednesday-  We met one of the many "dry" mormons in our area. Haha He told us " I want to hear something new....really? Do you? We are still trying to figure out what to teach him to switch his thinking around....we also met a boy named Kumora. Just like Hill Cumorah..haha Planning on visiting him this week some time. We planned a lesson with an investigator named Vaiala (who we later in the week set for baptism!!!) it fell through...but we still ended up teaching a lesson to the family:)

Thursday- Zone Meeting. The Doctrine of Christ (My personal fave subject) Listened to Elder Holland's talk from Conference Oct. 2012, The First and Great Commandment "Do you love me?" The spirit was so strong! I love this topic. Drop your nets and move on...forget yourself and work. We all as a zone were spiritually uplifted from the message and implemented in our work this week:) We also had Missionary Council meeting with the ward Mission Leader..just letting him know about all the investigators we have and what they need the most to help them out. I met some of Dad's friends from Samoa: Brother Pogai, and also Fiti Taua, Ula Papali'i and Savea Harrington. All on the same day! All telling me about my dad's awesome basketball skills. That me doesn't have anymore;) hahaha

Friday- I had the chance to go on a trade-off with Elder Huffman one of the Zone Leaders. Had a blast with him talking to people that didn't want to talk to us..(persistence) what an awesome tool to use. Also makes the day funnier. "NO I DON'T WANT TO LISTEN TO YOU" they would often say. Why not? "BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE WHAT YOU ARE SAYING". We had a man walking away from us, naming off all the beliefs in New Zealand except LDS. He went on to say, "I've been to Temple Square and I DON'T BELIEVE ANY OF IT!"  He just laughed and laughed and laughed. Also talked to a crazy Jehovah's Witness lady...yeah I'll just leave it at that. hahaha

Saturday- We did have a Ward Trade off (Ward Rescue) to visit all the less active members and non- members (our investigators). It went great and we did a lot of good today. After the meeting we had another meeting til about seven....with no food in our stomach we finished the night off and headed back to the flat we were hungry, so we called a member and they brought McDonalds....Thank you!

Sunday- Church :) We bore our testimonies today me, Elder Calizo and Sister Camiletti! We all did amazing with the testimonies:) I was exhausted today and I about fell asleep in Priesthood....We had our feed with the Gatoloai Family! Amazing food then we met with our investigator, Vaiala answering his questions about the difference in church standards. Why so many Rules? Why is it water and no wine? Is the Book of Mormon and the Bible the same? The spirit was so strong and I had the Baptismal Invitation in the back of my head. The spirit was telling me to invite him so I did, and he said YES!!!!! HECK YEAH!!! His baptism date is for the 19th of this Month!!! Woo Hoo Miracles!:) Love the work and time is flying faster and faster!:( Almost sad actually.....:( But making the most of the time while I can!

Love you all and have a great week:)

Aso Gafua: P-day, we as a district said goodbye (not knowing that we were going to be shifted) we made a video of all of us being goofballs, playing around:) Then we played basketball. Got ready for the evening and went to a family home evening with bishop

Aso Lua: We spent a lot of the day trying to TWE (?) but nothing came of it....just open ended and no one wanted to talk to us...because they had already been stopped by other missionaries before....hard but just got to do it. Had ward trade off....good turn about and a lot of work still needs to be done in that area.

Aso Lulu: Companionship study with the District Leaders...and it went great, learned a lot!...When we went back to the flat we had two messages on our phone one from Pres Lekias. I called President back..."Elder Matua, hello well I would like to call you to be the District Leader in the Waterview Zone!" I about jumped out of my chair and I began to cry...I accepted and soon after I went to my knees in prayer! I was so excited...so that meant packing everything that night into the next day.

Aso Tofi- Transfer meeting came and went, we said our goodbyes to everyone and boom in the new area...fast! Elder Calizo crashed into a trash can and took a tumble. He's okay:) We spent today and most of the day Friday getting familiar with the area and meeting the members. So much fun meeting everyone and our area is MASSIVE thank you!!! Means more chances to work!!!Yes!!!!!!!

Aso Toonai- Visited members again getting referrals like crazy!! This is what we wanted to see!!!! :) The members love the missionary work!!! Yes, yes, yes!!!:) I love it here! I can't wait to see what else is in store!!!!

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Hello Family!!!! Here's the week:)

Monday- P-Day we cleaned up the flat for half of comp study..off to shopping with Elder Tascon. I loved the video of the Family Home Evening @ Grandma's. Thank you for that! Jennie "My nose will have a baby too!"..Great Grandma Burt " Where have you been all my life?" Both sayings were super hilarious! Met some Elders who just finished their mission in the Phillipines, then we played rugby....super fun!!! But I had some nasty blisters!! Played a game for Family Home Evening (Pitch, Hit, Read) Book of Mormon guessing the chapter:) Super fun!

Tuesday- District Meeting was all in Samoan and when we finished we took pictures (explains some of the pictures:) Had lunch with the District Leader and Elder Pulito and Elder Faasege:) Practiced a song for fun, Hymn 26, the First Vision. Helped our ward mission leader fix up some cars.

Wednesday-Companionship study with the District Leader and Elder Sione:) Did a lot of door knocking and well nothing came of it....but at least we tried. Visited a member and they said I had to sing a viiga (hymn) tomorrow when we visted...thanks....

Thursday Super slow also....nothing happened. The song I sang was A iai i le Aiga ma Elder Calizo, sounded good!:) We ate pizza at a member's house with this stuff called marmaid?...weird stuff..then watched volleyball at the fale sa (church):)

Friday and Saturday kind of a blur, can't think of anything exciting that happened. A couple of days that just flew by.

Sunday- We opened a fast last night for the area and went all day 'til afa le lima (5:30). It was an amazing day and I had a great spiritual experience that I will have to share with you all when I get home.

 Love you all FA:)

Cyclone Lusi

Sorry everyone that this is late, I didn't have time to update Elder Matua's blog because I left for St. George and didn't get back until today. So here is his email from last week.

Hello Family and friends:) At the request of my mother she asked if I could report on the week day by day so....let's see how good my memory is:)

Monday- Just a normal P-day full of emailing mom and dad about the past week. We played rugby at a park in Otara for P-day...and my BODY WAS SO SORE! Couldn't walk straight 'til Wednesday.
Had a family home evening at a member's house, aiga o (family of) Tema. Awesome family, I cried as I shared my testimony of the Atonement...like always.

At the park for P-day

Tuesday-We had a special training meeting with President Lekias to help us with our lesson plan making. After the meeting we picked up the ward's potential mission Fiali'i, he comes with us almost everyday to help him prepare for the mission life..and we SET SOMEONE FOR BAPTISM!!!!!! Next month.

Wednesday- Nothing really happened today we knocked a lot of doors and well we found FOUR new investigators plus a new family!!! We have got a lot of work to do! Fiali'i was with us again. We had a trade off, Elder Calizo was with Elder Utia(District Leader) and I was with Fiali'i. Nothing happened....the rest of the night no one new. We sang to someone on the street...There is sunshine in my soul today..brought the spirit so strong!!!

Thursday-A lot better. We visited less-actives...and more less actives...and members...non of our investigators answered their faitoto'a (doors) ....really tough today!

Friday- Today was an answer to my prayers...We had companionship study with Elder Utia and he left us with some great advice to help us with talking to everyone and we used his advice as best as we could. We had a prompting to visit one of our members so we followed it and I am so glad I did!! Brother To'ona'a shared with us his plan to help the ward with the missionary work...having a seminar with nothing related to the Church....learning how to plant fruits and vegetables. Elder Calizo and I bore our testimonies to him and BOOM felt the spirit and he thanked us for the encouragement!'

The wrath of Cyclone Lusi ;(

Saturday- CYCLONE!!!!! Wasn't that bad the Lord was watching over us when we were working The storm seemed to just go around us until we went home...and then it poured down on us...

Sunday- We had meetings all day...I was so tired...SOOOOOOO Tired!!! Great week full of work and full of the spirit! Almost finished with the Book of Mormon!!! WOOO HOOO, I'm in Ether chapter 3:)

Love you all :) Stay Healthy and REMEMBER THE SAVIOR IN ALL THAT YOU DO!

Alma 26:12 READ IT!!!

Being Bold....and Learning to be Patient

Bike Repairs

Well to begin I'd like to thank our Father which is in heaven for this chance to send this e-mail to you:)

A whole fish...delicious!!!!

I'll stick to the positives this week because this past week didn't go as we expected it would. But we had a chance to really work with members of the ward ....building their confidence and being BOLD, saying we need your help with this work NOW!!! Well not in a mean way...just out of Love and a lot of spirit to back it up! But I'm grateful for the members of this ward. Do all things with Love and the Lord will do the rest! Slowing realizing that. But we also had the chance to take some potential missionaries out to do some missionary work and let them experience the work...Fialii Tautai and Sapati! Had fun with them!;)
A lot of talking with members trying to get there help and getting to know the area better. I hope it works!!!!


Love you all:) Have a great week::)

New Challenges, Same Great Spirit

Hello My Dear Family!!
How are all of you?
I'm glad to say that my companion and I found two new families and 3 new investigators:)
So excited to see what will happen! The work is picking up.Yes, I think the work will be going a lot smoother now! I pray everyday that it will:)
The work is quick and everyday is getting faster and faster! I love it! I love it! I love it!
One of our NEW investigators is AOG (Assembly of God) Pastor with a family of six ! He had some really interesting questions about Salvation...we taught the Plan of Salvation...but he can't wrap his head around it quite yet and we are planning to go back to his house:) We have been studying the Bible so much! It's so good! I've learned about how the Book of Mormon and Bible are SOOOOOO TRUE!!!

We switched areas and now we cover a different part of the ward...a lot more members and a lot more opportunities to share the gospel!!!:)

Love you all and have a good week:)

A week full of GROWTH

Flower decorations for our bikes

This week was a stressful one. Getting told that you and your companion are to cover a whole other area that you have never been in before and having to find two sets from the previous sisters( who failed to put an address of these people on the teaching record). It has definitely been one of those weeks! Having to find them and them not answering and KNOWING they are there was frustrating.

Breakfast????

But we had the AMAZING BLESSING of Hearing from Elder Neil L. Andersen this week @ our Mission Conference! Oh my gosh was that an a amazing experience! I was blown away, I had many questions concerning the things that I have experienced in the five almost 6 months I've been out. As I listened, I could absolutely feel the spirit and many of the questions I had were answered as I listened to the words of an Apostle.
 "If you are questioning impressions that you are receiving, Is this me or is this the spirit?
You are so close to the spirit now than you will ever be, BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING THAT YOU RECEIVE IS TRUE AND ACT ON IT AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE IT!"
My jaw dropped as I heard those words! I really needed to hear that. I'm going to follow that counsel and hopefully the work will explode.

MMMMMMM!!!!

So we're hoping that we can  move forward and continue to teach and find more souls ready to listen.

Crazy week but knocked it out! LOVE YOU ALL:)

New companion, same area.

Me and Elder Calizo

Well I'll be honest this week had a lot of high notes! I was grateful for things that happened! My new companion is Elder Calizo from American Samoa. He is half Filipino and half Samoan. We are working in my original area and we hope to find even more people to teach. I had a very interesting thing happen to me on the Thursday after I got my companion...We visited a non-member (Seventh Day) she was talking and talking and talking and..then she said fai se tatalo a'u ( I'm going to say a prayer). Well, a thought came into my mind that I did not fully understand  and you'll have to ask my Mom  about it. Needless to say it was something my Mom wrote to me in a letter she sent that made me think back to that prayer and the thoughts that I had, so I decided to record it in my journal. Maybe I'll share it with you someday.

In your studies I would suggest you take a minute and read Moroni 10:4-6 and also Joseph Smith-History. And I would also recommend Elder Tad Callister's book, The Infinite Atonement.

On our way to transfer meeting

Love my new companion and I hope to be the best trainer I can be! :) LOVE YOU AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK:)

A New Chapter

I got some great news this week and I am so excited to tell you all that I am going to be training a new missionary!!!!! So excited!!! I received the call this week on Tuesday! As soon as I got the call... I accepted :) I went straight to my knees in prayer to know what I should do for this new Elder and I was reminded of the things my trainer taught me. Thoughts of teaching lessons came into my mind from the last twelve weeks and the things I learned but I also thought of the things that I would do differently. I want to do my best to help this Elder transition to this life....the life of a missionary!   Also that I can become better in teaching others and learn from him also! I hope to do the best that I can! MY LANGUAGE IS GOING TO GET SO MUCH BETTER THAN IT IS NOW!!! AHHHH I'M SO EXCITED!!! I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Me and Elder Pulido went on splits I was honestly a little nervous to cover my area with the two of us and the lack of Samoan we have...but I think the Lord was with us more than usual helping us answer questions. I was grateful for that trade off because I actually felt like I was making progress! I have been making progress and I'm reaping the fruits of it !!



Each passing day the work is becoming easier and that much more important. I have loved reading the scriptures lately, I'm currently in Helaman and reading the New testament! I invite all of you to read the Book of Mormon and rebuild upon the foundation of your testimony and the reality of knowing that HEAVENLY FATHER AND JESUS CHRIST LIVE AND THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST IS TRUE!!!!!

I love you all and can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for me!:)

Quick email...slow week

Malo Soifua Lo'u Tina, Uso, Tama...and to friends and family! This week was a slow one but was also super fast, if that makes sense?? I still don't understand why that is...but let's get to the point:) The work is sssssllllllllooooowwwwwllllyyyyy building! We did a lot of relationship building this week and ahh..well yeah that was probably why this week went so slow. Pheww glad I have this week behind me!

Stake Conference this week:) Went really well and I was having some Deja-Vu those two days...almost like I'd been there before in that very chapel.. ...I was listening to one of the Sister RM's bear her testimony and BOOM I had a feeling of ....."woo I've been here before...and she was speaking....and woo this feels right!"

Taking a Break

I had a lot of spiritual promptings this week that always led me back to my Patriarchal Blessing..I found myself THREE times this week reading it..right before going to bed...I guess that's why the blessing is so important! If YOU haven't gotten yoursyet, GET IT! The blessings from it are numerous and I can't explain how much help it has been to me!

I ran across some scriptures concerning Diligence...Alma 26:5 and D&C 75:1-5. These can apply to any situation I invite you to read them! And reap the blessings from it!

Love you ALL! Have a great week!:)