From Sydney

Maloelele kianga lotu!

 

Ko Sister Powell au. Oku ou ilo'i oku oku mo'oni a e Tohi a Molomona. Ko Sisu Kalaisi ko hotau huhu'i Ia. Oku mo'oni a e ongoongolelei a Sisu Kalaisi. Oku ou ofa Sisu Kalaisi. I he huafa'o Sisu Kalaisi, amen.

 

And that my family and friends is the testimony that took me FOREVER to perfect and forever to learn. AND I never got to even say it. Tongan wards aren't like palongi wards or spanish wards where you get to share your testimony because there is a a fifteen minute break. Nope. Everyone runs to the stage to say there twenty minute long Tongan testimony. So I decided to write it for you all (I didn't even look at a paper) even though you can't understand a word of it. It's the simplist testimony ever but eu gosta muito:)

 

This week started off with Sister Funaki accidently dropping the GPS and it shattering on the carpet. How in the world does carpet break a GPS? So, we have gotten lost a lot because some reason I can't memorize directions or do math with out a caculator (which has nothing to do with this) but you can understand that this might be a source of some contention. Sister Funaki and I can't even look at the carpet without seething. That darn carpet.

 

So our area has 3 new Elders co-covering with us, which means that Sister Funaki and I are basically kicked out of our area. We are stuck in a HUGE area with no GPS, no members (except for three who we don't want to visit TOO much), no area book, and we are walking a lot. I think I have lost four billion pounds. We aren't being fed either:( Fakamolemole e que triste! AND IT IS Mamoko! COLD!

 

But out of all the walking and wondering around, I have felt so peaceful. I don't know if it is because I am driving less or because I am serious dayquil because I have a nasty cold, or the nice air, but I feel super peaceful when I am walking around handing drunk guys holding Budweisers Copies of the Book of Mormon. I am carrying so much copies of the Book of Mormon. I am trying a new contacting approach- solmente o livro de Mormon contacting. It's going great (and there is only room for improvement!)

 

We went to a baptism this week. And after this baptism was a eating. As I was walking with my huge pile of food (because to my lovely Tongan friends I look like the walking dead) These two old men and old woman grabbed me arm and made me sit in the old woman's chair. And they kept talking to me in Tongan and I was just like: uhhhhhhhh Sister Funaki HELP!

But Sister Funaki just sat at the end of the table and was just laughing and taking pictures of me. But those old men were really impressed with my eating. I ate and ate and ate. The only thing these old men can talk about in English is about food.

 

Me: This food is so good. Saipe! Saiaupito!

Old man: You like pig?

Me: I am from Louisiana! Ofa pig!

Old Man: Elder Tonga give Sister pig!

Elder Tonga reaches for the butt of the pig. Rude.

Old Man: Don't give Sister butt of pig! Give Sister best part of pig!

That's right. You best give me best part. Elder Tonga gives me half of the pig.

I ate all of half of the pig.

 

I am still sooooo full. Haha.

 

Well, last night we attended a fireside for Missionary work, and one of our less actives was there and was asked to bear her testimony on what the gospel means to her. Here name is Angie, and we visited her a couple weeks ago. It was a super good visit. I was sitting there and I just randomly asked the question: "What does the gospel mean to you?" and she answered: "It means home."

 

And she gets up there and she bears her testimony about how the gospel is like home. It was so beautiful and she kept going on about how it was ironic that the Sister Missionaries had asked that same question. I just was so happy because, it wasn't us that asked that question, it was the spirit.

 

I love y'all so much! I am sorry that this letter was so random and confusing, but quite frankly, I feel a little out if it right now. I hate having colds. I am a coughing mess!

 

We have a baptism on the 30th of November! His name is Arnold. Keep him in your prayers por favor!

 

The church is true and the book is blue! I love you:)

 

Sister Powell the 4th