1 Month: Happy New Year 2024

 It's been the first month now and it's also the new year since I'm a day ahead. Reflecting on the past month there were ups and downs lots of struggles. For example the first week or so I didn't even have my trainer elder vaioleti. He was stuck in vava'u and I was posted up with one of my good friends from the mtc elder holakeituai which is dope by the sound of it but we both don't speak tongan or know too much of what we were doing. We'd still go out and walk around but it was hard with the language barrier. After that was home sickness which home sickness really only comes if you think too much about it or if you are not busy doing the work. I have kept my mind busy for the most part my biggest struggle was christmas and new year. Both holidays felt like regular old days. It was nice seeing other people happy celebrating with their families, big dinners and kids running around. But after seeing them I then forget I'm also about 6,000 miles away from my home living with a person I had only met a couple weeks ago. If honest I would say I felt alone. I remover a story my uncle had told me about when he was away from home and when he watched the ball drop for new years that's when it really hit him. Christmas was okay but this new year day the home sickness hit harder than usual. Also as you all had heard about my spider bites. The pain was immense unless I took pain killers. I eventually ran out of the pain killers and every bit of pain I felt. The pain was unbearable especially when we had to squeeze the bite to release the pressure inside, I would much rather break a limb or bone in my body then go thru that same pain again. Even though I've had these tribualtions I've seen many blessings while here as well. For one we were able to baptized 2 people. In some cases missionaries would say "yeah I got 2 baptisms under my name." The reason I enjoy the baptisms is because some one has been brought closer to God and salvation and I was able to help them through it. In some cases people who get baptized will be disowned or looked down upon by their family. But those who made the sacrifice to come unto God have been blessed immensely. I had listened to a talk by elder Jeffery R. Holland a member of the 12 apostles. The talk is called "Called to Serve" and I invite you all to read and listen to the talk. In the talk it talks about sacrifice. In my head I had realized that in order to recieve a great reward, one must give a great sacrifice. In order to recieve a dope dj set (shoutout dj katuni and lil siva) you sacrifice time for money, and money for the dj set. In order to pay mortgage on a house you sacrifice again, time and money. Coming on this mission I sacrifice time 2 years of my life, missing 2 birthdays from memebers in my family, 2 christmas holidays, and more. I will miss my younger brothers baptism which scars my heart as of right now even though the baptism is many months away. I sacrificed time that I could be hanging with my family and friends or making music with my cousin working with my uncles and more. Jesus christ sacrificed his life and was laughed at, spit on, whipped, and crucified. But with all the sacrifices named, my family has been blessed with numerous blessings. With Jesus Christ's sacrifice we are able to live with Jesus christ and our Heavenly Father again. Everyone has sacrificed something in their life before so i know that you all will understand what i say in this email. Blessings are always bound to come sometimes you just gotta sacrifice a little. Happy new year to my family and friends my district and my siblings. Love you all and i will see you all next week. 

Ofa Atu,

Elder Tuha Vimahi

#HurrahForIsrael✊🏾

I grew up watching the movie “The Other Side Of Heaven” about John Groberg who served his mission in Tonga.  Now it makes a lot of sense why it’s called that, "The Other Side of Heaven".  Tonga is so beautiful.

These pictures don’t do Tonga justice.  I hear the sunset is even more beautiful in Vava’u because that is where the sun REALLY goes down.

 

 America might have money, but out here people really are happy just living a simple life with the basic needs.  They live the Law of Consecration which I love 💙 Our village really takes care of one another.  On this day, our neighbor gave us ice cream.  She tells us to call her grandma and spoils us like grandsons 😂