Baulko Kiai

Malo lelei family & friends!

How are all of you? I hope everyone is happy!

It has been an amazing week! Sister Taholo and I are really loving this area and figuring out what it needs. We have set stretching, achievable goals for this transfer. We are committed to these goals and we know why. Because we love the Saviour! Because we know that making and keeping covenants is necessary for salvation and it is the only way families can be together forever! Because we know that we all need to acknowledge and partake of the love of our Heavenly Father and the Atonement of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. 

Please, jump on every opportunity you have to do any kind of missionary work. The triage of a soul is found in helping others into eternity. The most peace for your own salvation comes when you are focused on that of others. The most closeness I have felt to Heavenly Father is while labouring for His children. Honestly, it's incredible. Please participate freely and frequently in the greatest work in the universe. 

I want to share with you one of the discoveries of my mission: we really can choose to be happy. I have realised just how powerful our agency is. I know we can choose to be happy or at least happier in any circumstance. My catch phrase has become "The Saviour has already come." That's what I remind myself when something goes seemingly wrong. Because of Him, there is always hope. I invite all of you to try it! Try to be happy even when you feel down. Sometimes we wake up in the morning and we don't know how we are going to get through another day full of work. But then we smile, sing a song, maybe do a little dance, read the scriptures, plead in prayer, and make a choice. Today I will follow the Saviour with a willing heart, and I will do it happily! 

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS!

-Some of our eternigators (eternal investigators) are starting to progress! We are especially excited for Annie. She shared with us that she acknowledges the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and that she will be baptised when she feels she is ready. She still has so many concerns, but we are so excited for this huge progress!

-The Baulkham Hills sisters started driving, so now we share the and we are walking some days. Honestly it is so fun. Sister Taholo and I LOVE walking around and talking to people. Australia is so funny because some days it's like fully spring outside and then other days it's winter again. But we're up for it. :)

 

-Marilyn, Sister Vaiho's recent convert in our ward, is preparing names for the temple! We are so excited for her.

-I saw Sister Panmongkol twice this week! I loooooove seeing her sweet face and hearing her cute laugh! Made my week.

-Everyday is an adventure. 

-I'm obsessed with Baulkham Hills stake. This stake is so fantastic with missionary work. I'm so grateful to work with the leaders here. 

-I love my companion! The work is so fun with this one. We laugh all day long! 

Have a great week! Let me know if you need a boomerang or anything.

Ofa atu,

SF

Ofa From Sova

MALO LELEI!!!!! 

That's right everyone, I have another Tongan companion. 

Say hello to the lovely Sister Taholo!

My companion is amazing. She is so humble, she's always smiling, she has a powerful testimony of the Gospel, and she is a hard worker. I'm so excited for this new transfer in Winston Hills with Sister Taholo! #TonganHoaKIAI 

This week I have l feel a fresh gratitude for Christ's Atonement, particularly the healing power of His sacrifice.

I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love being a missionary. I love these people. This week I have really felt the healing power that the Gospel has. The Gospel can seem complicated, but truly it is so simple. It is the good news. It is that Jesus Christ has provided a way. No matter what trials you are currently facing, He has already provided a way for you to succeed. Hope without end. 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is simply access to His Atonement. It is our ointment. It is our healing. It is our forgiveness. It is our strength. 

Please center your life around this understanding. And if you don't have this understanding, seek it. We must live our lives in a way that allows us to continually receive the healing we need. He is before us, arms outstretched. And all He requires is for us to live the Gospel. To have faith, to repent, to make and keep covenants, and then to endure joyful to the end. It doesn't happen all at once, but as we do these things we are healed. Step by Step. Day by day. (Stop singing the theme song to Step by Step in your head) Prayer by prayer. 

If you are hurting, if you are filled with bitterness, if you feel hopeless, if the weight of your trial seems to great, or if you are the happiest you've ever been in your life, it doesn't matter. The answer has always been and will always be His Atonement. And we can partake of the blessings of His sacrifice as we simply live the Gospel. 

I love you all. I invite you to do whatever the Spirit has prompted you to do while reading this. 

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS! 

-What a crazy week. We were all sick. Sister Tuala was especially not feeling well. One day, while we were out, we got a call from Sister Checketts asking us to get some medicine for Sister Tuala. When we came home. I see our District Leader and his companion in our flat. Elder Khon is cooking special Cambodian food to make Sister Tuala better. I just could not stop laughing the whole time. It was quite the sight. 

-Sister Taholo and I had so much finding this week. We met so many amazing people. Including a Tongan less active at the train station! 

Winston Hills District! 

-I love the sisters I live with. They are the best. They are funny, obedient, and hard working. Nobody can make me laugh faster than these ladies. #manukaaaaaava

-I love teaching with Sister Taholo! She is so bold. We are trying our best to get these people progressing. 

-It is amazing watching people change and grow. The recent convert we are working with, Marilyn, is doing so well. It's such a blessing to be a part of her journey. 

Have a great week everyone!

Ofa atu,

SF

Swee-eeee-eeeet Inspiration

Bonjour & Dia duit! 

I hope everyone is happy & healthy and doing great!

It has been a lovely week in Winston Hills. We met so many wonderful people. This ward is amazing. I love the work here! When I do this work, I feel cocooned by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It is what motivates me to wake up every morning. It is what enables me, cleanses me, and changes me. It influences every action I make, the way I respond, the way I view life. I see the need for it in every single face I see and person I talk to. I get to watch it working in the lives of those we teach. I see it transforming them. 

I truly have a testimony of a Christ centred life. This is happiness. This is what's real. This is what matters. It's the simple things that transform us.

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-08-012-daily-bread-pattern?lang=eng

Update, Sister Vaiho is getting transferred to the City, and Sister Dorman is getting transferred to one of the University's right outside the City with Sister Koi. I will miss these sisters dearly. It has been such a privilege to be companions with both of them. I have loved teaching with them, laughing with them, talking with them, and just doing this work with them! 

Also, I decided I'm going to be mean and tell you about my new companion next week. She comes to Winston Hills tomorrow. 

Weekly Highlights! 

-We had a great ward activity! Talent show!!!! :) Heaps of non members. Heaps of good food. A few of the less active members we're working with came! The elders performed, we performed. It was a great night!

-On pday, there was a lot of fourth of July celebrating even though there were only 4 Americans. We had a great pday together! Tongan BBQ, rugby, and soccer lol not very American but it's the thought that counts! 

Some of our Zone

- Also Sister Casperson and I realized that we were both wearing American socks at the Library.)  -->

-Sister Dorman has blessed my posterity infinitely as she gave me a pretty journal that motivated me to start writing again. 

-When you go drop by to visit someone and it's just the time when they need you. It's the best feeling ever. 

-I went on a trade with the lovely Sister Leaaemanu 

(I betcha can't pronounce that right!). She is honestly a joy to serve with. She loves the work, she knows why she's here, she one of the happiest people on the planet. I love this sister. 

(To continue the American theme, Sister Leaaemanu pictured with my American flag scarf.)

Have a great week everyone!

Je t'aime & is gra liom!

SF

Luck of the Irish

Bonjour & Dia duit!

You might be wondering, why I am saying hello in French and Irish. The simple answer is I'm temporarily in a trio with the lovely Sister Dorman from Ireland. #TRIOLIFEISTHEBEST #Blessed 

(Sorry for the lack of Sister Vaiho, she's really popular and has heaps of emailing to do)

It has been a great week. I hope everyone is doing well and getting ready to celebrate the country of the Restoration! 

I have felt this new peace. Maybe it's not new at all, it's really always been there. But the effect it's having on my life feels new. It's not hard to recognise the source of this peace. I think we all know that it comes from Jesus Christ. From the Plan of Salvation. It is accessible to all of us as we live the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I wish I had the time and the words to share with you what I've observed from those we meet and their beliefs. But all I do have time to share is that I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is real. It requires faith, repentance, priesthood power, ordinances, and covenant keeping. It was established long ago. It is the same Gospel that was taught to Adam and revealed to Prophets called by God ever since. It truly is the pathway to peace.

I invite you all to renew your testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If your not sure if it's true, that's okay. Please evaluate your life, and say a heartfelt prayer to our God who loves you. If you feel you can declare with absolute conviction that it's true, that's okay too. Please humbly kneel before your Heavenly Father and ask Him to teach you something, to deepen your understanding, and to stir your heart to remembrance. 

I love you. I truly do love all of you. Whoever you are, you're my family. It's cheesy but I can't deny that it is true. I try to imagine the people we teach as my own blood. I try to imagine my Brother, Jesus Christ, wrapping them in His arms and wiping their tears. How can we love God and not love each other? 

I only preach to you each week because I want you to be happy. And the only way I know to be truly happy is to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Keep trying. You are infinitely loved by the Divine. In fact, you, yourself, are divine. 

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS!

-I went on a trade off with my pepe. My precious, Sister 'Ete'aki! I feel like she is my actual child which is terrible unhealthy but I love it. She still calls me mama and speaks baby Tongan with me. She is companions with Sister Salvador. Way back in Emu Plains days, we all used to live together. She is an amazing missionary! She loves the people, loves the work. And it's amazing to see how she's grown.

-I got a fourth of July package which made me BEYOND happy! :)

-We are teaching this 7 year old who is getting baptised and it's a pretty amazing experience. I love seeing what she understands and the faith that she already has.

-We had an amazing conference this week with President and Sister Checketts. They are so inspired!

Have a great week!

Je t'aime & is gra liom!

SF