6 June 2016

Season 4: Episode 3 "The one with Graduation"

This week we went on an exchange with the Zone Leaders which was a lot of fun.  I was with Elder Helvo again (I was with him in the MTC) and it was great to get a chance to catch up with him!

On Friday, Kirby was baptized.  His family was able to be there to support him, and the Elder that I replaced (Elder Lesa) was able to come back and baptize him!  It was a great service and the Spirit was so strong!

On Saturday, we went to Kirby's graduation.  It was outside from 8-10 am and it was like 85F already and super humid....I think I got a shade darker after that morning, haha.  It was a little weird being there.  Experienced a bit of a throwback.  It was a huge shocker to me that I graduated a year ago....I have had a time to reflect and to see the miracles the Lord has worked in my life from the past year alone.  It was truly humbling to see.

I love y'all and hope you have a great day!

Elder Tanuvasa

30 May 2016

Season 4:  Episode 2  The One with the Highest Point in Florida

There wasn't too much that happened this week, just a lot of the regular (bike, meet people, bike some more).  One thing I've found out since being here is that there are hills in Florida!  Yes, I'm not kidding!  There even a mountain and we got a chance to see it this week.  When we were on the highest point in Florida (or so I'm told) and it was a whopping 150 ft!  I am just glad I didn't have to bike it....lol we drove up it and I was just in awe!  Haha but there are a few hills in Winter Haven and no lie, they had me huffing and puffing at first.  But now it's alright hahah.  I'm really enjoying being here and love my new companion, Elder Brandon!  Hope y'all have a great week!

Love,

Elder Tanuvasa

23 May 2016

Season 4:  Episode 1 "The One with Gladys Knight"

This week I was transferred again.  This time to Winter Haven!  I'm super excited to be here, especially with my new companion, Elder Brandon.  He goes home pretty soon, so I'm trying to learn all I can from him!

Like the title of this episode says, Gladys Knight and her Saints Unified Voices choir came to Tampa!  She did a few showings, and we were able to bring a few people to the 8:30 pm showing!  It was truly amazing, both the singing and the testimony that was given.  The people we brought definitely felt the Spirit, and I know that I did.  The show ended at about 10:30 pm.  The missionaries stayed to clean up, and it was all finished by 12 am.  As we started to head home, we saw this car stuck in the middle of the road with its hazards on at about 1 a.m.  We jumped out and helped push the car to the side of the road.  As we pulled over to see how we could help her, she had been stuck in the road for hours, waiting for roadside assistance.  There was something wrong with her battery.  We left two missionaries with her, and went to a Walmart down the street and got some jumper cables to help her.  When we came back, her car wouldn't start, no matter what we tried.  In the end, she said that roadside assistance was on its way.  We ended up leaving her with a prayer and got her contact information to met with her another time.  I don't know why we were meant to stop and try to help her.  I don't know the good that it died her, but I know the impact that it had on me.  Service has a special way of looking outside yourself.  Though we ended up getting home about 2 a.m. and only having less than 4 hours of sleep for the next day, I never once regretted helping her.  The next day, the Lord blessed us so much, because we were perfectly fine, we had so much energy and felt so good.  At 6 p.m. that day, Elder Brandon and I were talking about it, and we were like "shouldn't we be tired?"  It was then that we recognized the Lord's hand in helping us.

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Elder Tanuvasa