Season 6: Episode 7

This week had a lot of ups and downs, tons of walking, it's getting hotter, barely missing possibly fatal accidents, sang at another's church service, crashed bikes, gave a sacrament meeting talk, and witnessed tender mercies all along the way.

So I'll explain "Possibly fatal accidents". On Wednesday we were driving and trying to turn left, crossing 2 lanes of traffic. A car, made an unexpected left turn coming from the opposite 2 lanes of traffic, I warn my companion, and he brakes and everything is fine. Fast forward a few hours later, and we are at a stop light, again turning left. We get a green light and start to pull out, when a car coming from our left, zooms behind us at 50+MPH, barely missing up by inches. It's interesting to note, that the companion that was sitting in the backseat, tried to say something, but nothing came out. I believe it was the spirit that held his tongue, because one touch of the brakes would've resulted in at the very least, injuries. We said a prayer of gratitude afterwards.

For the past 7 or so weeks, we have been volunteering at a food bank/emergency shelter for those in need. Through a series of unfortunate events, they found out that I could sing... so on Saturday, they did a little service for those who are staying at their temporary homes and I was asked to sing special musical numbers.. it went better than I thought. Also, after the service, they presented my companions and I with a volunteer of the month award with a few things, it was really touching to see, and we felt super appreciated afterwards (not that we didn't before) but we were very grateful and humbled. 

For those of you who know me, and how competitive I am, I have companion who is also that competitive. So we wanted to show our other companion how to bike fast. We always talk to everyone, however on this occasion as I was leading and biking, a man came out of nowhere, so I slammed on my brakes to talk to him. I was able to get a few words out, before I hear "whoa whoa whoa!" And my companion who is equally competitive slammed into me, lol. No worries, we still made the contact, and stayed on our feet... my companion does now have a bruised shin from where he hit my bike hahahaha 

I was so grateful for the opportunity to speak on Easter Sunday. I spoke specifically on Christ's title as the Prince of Peace. I'll share a few things that I learned from studying. As I read the story of Jesus calming the tempest, it stood out to me that the apostles at this time had witnessed several miracles, had seen some of Christ's greatest teachings (the Sermon on the Mount, for example) and had even taught and witnessed of Him. I have no doubt that they had faith that if any sick or afflicted needed healing and were brought to Him, that Christ could heal them. However, in this situation, it was their own boat being rocked, and their own trials and tribulations. I wonder if they forgot that Christ was in the boat, that the Creator, the Messiah, the Christ was with them. 1). Peace, like Faith is a choice. 2). As we Study Christ's life, we have more confidence in Him and are less likely to falter when the tempests come 3). As we make and keep sacred covenants with God, a power and strength come into our life that we wouldn't have otherwise 4). Christ is in our boat. I know that the Peace Christ offers is real, it is tangible and is offered to every one of us.

We had the opportunity to help someone move that was moving in next to us, we were super excited when he actually let us help! Not trying to boast, but he really needed our help, we lifted all the heavy furniture and helped them get everything up the stairs. They were super grateful afterwards, and even during, they went and got us gatorades. After helping them, the dad said that after they get settled in, that he'd like us to sit down with him and he'd listen! The next day, we were out walking, and towards the end, when we were getting close to our apartment, he pulled up next to us with his kid and handed us all gatorades! He told us that he had seen us walking, and his kid suggested that he get them gatorades, and so he drove over to the nearest gas station and bought some, but we had turned off another road when he got back.. so he spent the next little bit searching for us basically. It was definitely a tender mercy.

I'm loving the mission, it's been such a blessing and I am especially grateful for the hard times. I wouldn't appreciate the good ones as much if I didn't have them.

Elder Tanuvasa 🏽

Season 6: Episode 4 The one with General Conference

Good morning all!

Things are going well this week. On Wednesday we had a Zone Conference, and it was amazing. We talked about how we could more fully consecrate ourselves to the Lord our Savior Jesus Christ, and one of things talked about was emailing, hence this email has picked up once more. A few Elders and I were asked to sing a musical number and someone recorded it, so I'll attach that at the end.

During General Conference, I'll share a few of the themes that I recognized:

1). An increased emphasis on the Plan of Salvation and its importance.

The peace, joy and love that the knowledge of this Plan brings.

2). Charity: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

3). Repentance: Luke 15:7

7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

This weekend I gained a re confirmation of the truthfulness of the gospel, I bear witness that Christ's church has been restored. We have been blessed with a prophet, and apostles today, who lead and guide the same way they did in the meridian of time. The spirit has made it known to me, and I know it to be true.

Elder Tanuvasa ✌🏽

3 January 2017

16 January 2017

Thank you for your prayers.  This week we had two awesome lessons with them!  During one of them, I learned a principle through a comment the wife shared.  Love and appreciation are two different things.  You can love someone, but not appreciate them.  Sadly, lots of times we don't appreciate people until we don't have them anymore, or something alike.  But when you show your appreciation, it is one of the highest forms of love that can be expressed.

Thank you so much for all that you've done and all you continue to do...you are life-savers and the work you do as Parents, Spouses, Friends doesn't go unnoticed.  Thank you.  I love you!

Elder T

9 January 2017

This week, may have been the most tiring week physically of my mission.  We helped a brother in the ward who recently had back surgery to put his in his new fence.  Including digging holes with a post-hole digger, building gates, nailing, cementing, etc....there was a day where we worked from 11 am to sun down.  I have truly felt the Lord's hand especially this week in the mornings when seriously the last thing I want to do is get up.  When I try, the Lord gives me the strength I need.  As a result of our service, this Brother stayed all three hours of church, something that he hadn't done since the ward split some 8 months ago.  I have a testimony of fast offerings.  The blessings this week were immediate as soon as I prayed, one family wanted to buy us groceries, then we came home, we found a bag with food in it from another with a gift card to a restaurant with the exact amountI paid....He does keep His word!  Anyways, hope you're doing well and that you're not freezing, it got down to 34 degrees here and I don't know how you do it...I'm so thankful that I was called somewhere hot!!! hahha

Love,

Elder Tanuvasa

2 January 2017

This week was a lot of fun!  The Zone Activity on Monday was awesome, it really helps to unify us as missionaries, and helps us get to know each other in a different setting.  Bike week was this week (the first in a really long time, lol) and it was a little rough getting started, but as of now I'm back and feel a lot better physically.  Plus we're getting to talk to a lot more people on the street!  New Years Eve wasn't very eventful, except when we got back to our apartment, the people right across the street were popping off huge fireworks!  So it was a little hard to sleep at first, haha.  We now have church at 11 am which is so nice.  How is church at 9 am?  What really stuck out to me this week was how spiritual our weekly planning was, you could feel it leading our discussion as Elder Hudson and I correlated about those whom the Lord has entrusted us with.  Revelation was received, and we are looking forward to meeting with them!  A few talks that I've been reading if you want to check them out are "Pride and the Priesthood" by President Uchtdorf in April 2010 and "Beware of Pride"  by President Benson in 1989 general conference.

Love ya!

Elder T

26 December 2017

Hello, hello!

It was awesome seeing you guys yesterday!  Looks like you're doing awesome!  Thank you for the gifts that I have received so far!  Sorry I wasn't able to respond very much during the Zone Activity!  I'm doing a lot better about being where I'm at physically and mentally, haha which is a big difference from when I was at home.  We played a lot of knockout, played signs, made gingerbread houses, and then finished off with a white elephant gift exchange!

This week an investigator actually bought us a tree and lights and a stand, so Christmas did reach Valrico, lol.  We strapped it to our car and drove it home.  We've been getting a lot of referrals lately, and it's exciting to see where they'll be going!  Nothing else, really interesting....Holidays are hard for teaching...I love y'all and pray for you often.

Love,

Elder Tanuvasa

19 December 2016

Yesterday, I was at the live nativity there....you saw a few pics and videos of me and Mal, hahah.  It's unreal being able to see her.  I can't believe it's Christmas already!  It's really crazy...by the time you get this...I'll see you in a couple days.

This transfer, we have a motto, and it can be found in 2 Timothy 4:6-7.  We read it every time we leave the apartment because we are both coming to that time when our missions are done (at least full-time officially) and we want to be able to say the things in verse 7.

I am reading in the New Testament right now, and something that stood out in my studies yesterday was Matthew 14:34-36, if you read it with the footnote to 35a, it makes a difference.  As soon as the men "recognized Him", they sent forth into all that country round about and brought unto all."  I am not too sure how many members recognize what this church is, the only true and living church on the face of the earth, the only one with the authority from God necessary to receive eternal life.  If we did, I believe our attitude toward sharing the Gospel would be different, we wouldn't limit ourselves to just our friends/family, we'd desire for all to be brought.

Recently I've been reading/listening to "Ask in Faith" by Elder Bednar in the April 2008 general conference and I think it would be a great one for the family to read if you had time.

I love you and I'll see you soon!

Elder Tanuvasa

12 December 2016

I just wanted to share an experience from this week:

Just to start out, if you could read Doctrine & Covenants 84:85.

This week, I have made a big focus on my studies.  Referring to the scripture, I was treaure-ing up the words of life.  It's amazing to see the scriptures speak out to me.  I feel like I've improved so much on my study, but the Lord helps me to continue to raise my vision!  It's hard to explain the feelings when Doctrine & Covenants 24:6 is happening, when you are teaching someone, and a question comes into your mind, as you are bearing your testimony, and letting the Spirit guide, especially when I am acting as voice during a blessing.  The power, the words cannot come from those of us below.  I know of a surety that they are blessings from on high.

So...I guess to describe the experience, we were teaching one of our Dates Set, and it was going well, we were reading the account of Samuel the Lamanite, and as we were talking about it, I was observing our investigator as my companion was teaching, and the thought came "has he prayed to know the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon?" and so I asked.  Boom! to find out he hadn't!  It was kind of like a "whoop! There it is!"  moment.  It totally changed the course of the lesson and he was able to draw closer to Heavenly Father.

I know the Gospel to be true.  The Spirit WILL guide.

I love y'all!

Elder Tanuvasa

5 December 2016

How's it going?  By the time y'all get this, Mom's birthday will have passed....So how was it?

It's hard to beat Florida winters....the weather is awesome!  This week had to be one of my favorites on the mission, mainly because of all the service opportunities that we had!  It is so satisfying to be an answer to someone's prayers.  To help someone truly in need.  i hope that this is something I can continue to do after the mission, to continue to be searching for opportunities to serve.

On Saturday, we had a ward Christmas breakfast and we had 9 investigators come, as well as 2 more guests that we met!  lol, we also sang a hymn with an ukulele from one of our investigators, "Nearer My God, To Thee"  We're planning on singing with our investigator in the next couple of weeks hopefully.

Joined the ward choir with our investigators, lol.  It's pretty funny that was the most efficient choir practice ever!  The director was in and done in 45 minutes and it was non-stop:  here's your part, your part, your part, ok, put it together, NEXT!  I was struggling to keep up!

I was listening to a talk by Elder Holland and he was talking about how the first and greatest commandment is to love God, but the first and greatest truth of the gospel is that He loves us.  The first principle in the Restoration is our loving Heavenly Father.  I know that this is true, one of my favorite scripture can be found in Romans 8: 35-39.  His love is infinite and eternal.

I love y'all!!!

Elder Tanuvasa

14 November 2016

Hey Hey Hey!

We are meeting with this family that I absolutely love, they are investigating and one thing that he shared with us on Sunday was this:

He talked about how he sat back after church and realized how amazing this all was; the church, the feeling, the Book of Mormon.  He said that he'd never been happier and he can see his family happy, and he thought, "wow, this is a good thing".  Never did he ever think that he would be attending the Mormon Church or would even be looking forward to Sunday's!

I know this gospel to be true.  I have seen the joy and happiness that it brings.  I am truly blessed to have been brought up in it.  I wouldn't have it any other way.  This is the truth, Jesus is the Christ.  God is our Loving Heavenly Father, He answers prayers.

I love you,

Elder Tanuvasa

7 November 2016

I really don't have much to share except for a cool experience that happened this morning.  I was asking a lot of questions, those that really weren't applicable like "why are people tone-deaf and others aren't" during companion study.  anyways, I was actually wondering and we literally flipped open my companions quad and flipped to Matthew 25:15.  I searched the definition of "several" and the origin of the word means "different", so we are all given certain attributes or talents varying because we are different.  Not because one is loved more than the other, but rather some will need different things in this life, while some might necessarily not use them at all.  Anyways, just a thought.  I love you!

Elder Tanuvasa

31 October 2016

Hello, hello! I always love getting to "talk" to you on Mondays, it's such a blessing.  Transfers are always a spiritual experience for me.  There is such a bitter-sweet turmoil going on inside of me, bitter because i will be leaving (for a time) those whom I love, but sweet in the sense of new experiences.  Change is good if you allow it to be.  I am so thankful for the experience of serving a mission.  It's hard to describe these experiences, but it makes it easier knowing that you've both served missions and can relate.  I love you!

Your son,

Elder Tanuvasa

17 October 2016

Thank you for your continued love and support. It makes all the difference.  I know that god is real, that He loves and cares for all of us.  This is His work and His glory comes from our happiness.  I am grateful for an eternal-loving Savior, and thankful for the opportunity I have to represent Him officially at this time.  He is at the head of this work, and I see many miracles every single day.  I am grateful for the talents and blessings that I've been given, and I am striving to better use them every day.  you have helped to make this possible and I am so grateful for you.

Your son,

Elder Tanuvasa

10 October 2016

I have been seriously blessed with the people I am surrounded with right now, those in the past, and I know that the Lord will put people whom I am supposed to meet.  I want you to know how much I appreciate your 100% support with not only this decision with education, but really my whole life.  It is a huge burden that I have not had to feel and I wanted you to know of my gratitude.

It is sad to see lots of missionaries only caring about numbers.  I wish I would've had the attitude earlier of really just strengthening everywhere I am.  This new  mentality has brought a whole new sense of joy and drive.  Doctrine & Covenants 108:7 has been one of my favorites and is my goal right now.  To always be strengthening.

Thank you for always doing so for me.

Your Son,

Elder Tanuvasa

P.S.  love ya!