Cyclone

Hello Mom!! Yes i am ok!!! :D 

Our island was not affected directly. It just passed us. But it hit many other Islands that the missionaries are on. Luckily, my comp and i live in Sarakata and that is not pepsi. So pepsi is always full of mud and puddles. They did flood a lot because it was raining for more than a full day strait!! it was crazy! The wind was so strong as well. Anyway, a lot of the members in pepsi came and slept at the church for a few nights. Tuesday we just stayed in all day with the door wide open, feeling the wonderful cool breeze. I even used my blanket!

The other Islands that the cyclone actually hit im sure have so much greater damage! Crops being pulled out, flooding, and all. Everyone here in our area is safe though. Just a lot of work to clean up. Continue to pray for the families affected by the storm! But know that we are safe :) 

This past week wasnt the greatest for proselyting.. First the cyclone, then my companion dislocated her arm and was out for a day, then we were catching more sicknesses and just a bunch of things. So this week was more of a discouraging week for missionary work unfortunately. But yesterday at church, six of our investigators came! That was great. 

We really wanted to have a baptism this coming saturday but Suzy, the one we want to invite to be baptized, hasnt been home for the past few days. She left to her moms and hasnt come back. So that is a little disappointing for us. Transfers are next week and im really afraid that i might be transferred. I have been here in santo for quite a while. I really want to see our investigators baptized though!! 

Well, today we will go to a family house night with the Yunak family. They have 2 recently returned missionaries and one that is preparing to go. They are a wonderful family! And i am in charge of the activity. I will have many ideas when i come home for activities, so be prepared to have FHE every monday night!! ;) I hope you are doing it now though! Its a wonderful way to keep the family close. 

I dont have much else to say. i love you all so much! I know this gospel is true. I know our Savior lives and gives us strength to face our challenges. I love being a missionary!! Stay safe this week, my prayers are with you! Lavem yufala evriwan! 
Love, Sista Alfin



Our District leader baptized 2 families! 8 people total. It was such a wonderful experience to be there! The spirit was so strong. Our opening hymn was i am a child of God and all us missionaries were just tearing up. The spirit was testifying at that moment of how true this gospel is. it was so wonderful! I was so glad to have been there. I hope i get the chance at some point to baptize a family! 

Missionary Blessings

I've been pretty good. This week was alright. I have been sick since friday night. I have a cold so that isnt terrible but its also really annoying in the heat. But i also was having extremely bad back pain friday night, saturday, and sunday morning. It was so painful! I never have experience it like that before. It hurt just to breath. So saturday morning, we went to the other sister's baptism. After that, i just could not take the pain.. We went back to the house and Sis Tu'uefiafi (not my comp) tried to massage my back. Then they tried putting a hot water bottle on my back. Nothing was really helping. I was taking pain reliever too. So we just went back to the house and i lied on my stomach with the hot water on my back. It was a painful night. :P Then sunday morning, there was no change. I tried sitting every way possible to see which way would help me feel better. Then at 8am i began to get ready to go to church, still feeling a lot of pain. We get to church a little after 9 and we go sit down for relief society. My back was not bothering me. I was so glad that the pain was able to go away and we were able to go to church. Now this morning, there is a little pain still but it isnt bad. And my cold is just annoying but not painful. haha yesterday in church, Mangali was making fun of my voice. She goes, "Garrr voice blo yu..." haha Garrr is just an expression, like goodness. or something. Haha she says she wants me to teach it to my little brother (kaden) when i get home! Anyway, and every time i would sniff because my nose was running, she would make a noise and look at me. Haha she's funny. She always sits next to me in sacrament meeting. And often falls asleep leaning on my shoulder.. haha. And she loves to hold my scriptures and find paper she can draw on.
 Anyway, unfortunately none of our investigators came to church yesterday... it was really disappointing. it was really heavy raining all day (and still is) so that is why a lot of people weren't at church. We do have many investigators though and usually at least 5 come each week. I think we have 15 investigators right now and a couple referrals. 

One new investigator that we just met on wednesday, Andrea, is such a wonderful investigator! She was taking the lessons a couple years ago but then she moved to a different island in the bush. She just now came back and told her aunt, who is a member, that she wanted the missionaries over again. We go over there and we talk and get to know her. She shares with us her feelings of the missionaries teaching her. She says she believes everything they taught is true. She says she believes Joseph Smith is a true prophet and she shares other things. We go into the 3rd lesson, The Gospel of Jesus Christ, as she had mentioned she didnt understand faith and its difference from belief. Anyway, we go through the lesson, and at the end we invite her to be baptized. She accepted. At the end, we continue to story and she tells us that she remembers everything that the sisters taught her previously. She never forgot about it, all that time she was in the bush and away from a church or missionaries. She took all her books with her. She still continued to think about everything! I thought that was amazing! We are so excited to work with her and be there with her as she continues to develop her testimony in this gospel! She will have to get married before she can be baptized, but she is aware and was actually the one that told us thats why she never was baptized. We talked and hope to set a date for next month! I'll keep you updated, unless i transfer... 

Also, mama Antonia told us that she read through lesson 3 pamphlet and has decided that she wants to be baptized! She has a real desire to do it and become a member! My heart was so glad when she shared that with us. We will set a date for her when she comes back from visiting her sick sister on a different island. 

Well, i know this work is the work of our Father. Im so grateful to be here and to be going through the experiences i am. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and i know He died for each and everyone of my sins. Im grateful for this gospel in my life and for the testimony i have. It is strengthened each day by the people im privileged to serve among. 

I love you all so very much!! I miss you tons, but i pray for your safety and health. Mi lavem yufala evriwan!! Kasem wan gudfala wik! 

Lav, Sista Alfin 

Lessons are coming along

The missionary work is wonderful! Our area is great! We are working with our investigators and have one baptism date set. But we havent been able to see her for 2 weeks... she hasnt been home or she has been sick. her name is julie and she is 15. Another investigator, suzy, we will be inviting to be baptized this week! She is 14 and very sweet. She is also really smart and always remembers the things we talk about and keeps all her commitments.

Again yesterday we practiced for our musical fireside. I was trying to help the tenors with their part... we didnt have a piano or pianist. But i got the notes! haha. It was a long night... Lots of singing.

Im not sure what else to say. The week was good and we did our missionary work! Nothing super mountain moving this week. But i did give the first vision in one lesson and it was perfect! I didnt have any mistakes! That was the first time that i have dont it perfectly without having to look at the paper. I havent said it too many times either so that is why it has taken so long..

Dad:

Shaina, this day March 2nd many years ago in 1985 I took your mom to the Oakland temple to be married. I think that means it is our 29th anniversary. That means next year mom will have a good reason to plan a trip to celebrate our 30th.  She  is always looking for an excuse to plan a vacation.

Sister merrill bore testimony today and talked about dropping off their daughter. It is amazing to me to see how many sisters are leaving from our ward. You are all so strong. Brother Robenheimer commented in sunday school that we turn them over to the lord. I don't think anyone could know what this is like unless you go through it, and it will be slightly different for everyone. I will never forget the moments we had in the parking lot across from the MTC as you gave me a hug and you were trembling like I had never felt anyone tremble before. Perhaps you were cold and I took it as trembling when you were shivering. We are so grateful that you are blessing lives through your  service as a missionary. 

I hope all is well for you , love Dad

Shaina:

Happy anniversary to you and mom!! I always remember when i am at home but being away i forgot! Good thing you said something. And good thing you are a day behind me because today is the 3rd for me.
haha yes she will definitely plan something for next year then! One big trip.

Wow, the wall with all the missionary plaques must be getting very crowded! Did they have to use both sides now? I too will never forget the time in the parking lot. I was going through so many feelings and i knew they were the last moments i would have with you all for 18 months. haha i guess i was really nervous! I knew i would miss you so much! Im grateful for the time i have to be out here in the service of our Lord. Its a time that i will never get back and so i really need to work each day and always be striving to imporve myself as a missionary and a daughter of God. I dont want to come home with any regrets.

Dad i love you so much! Thank you for always writing me. 

Mom: Dad mentioned it was our anniversary and next year will be our 30th. Guess what? MARCH IS WHEN YOU COME HOME! We will have to plan our 30th to come to Vanuatu!! :-) I think the only way it would make sense for us to come, is if you can get released first.  Shaina: YEs that would be a perfect anniversary!!! But guess what... i come home april 7th..haha but close enough right?!

New Baby Niece :)

Hi sweetie,

Well it finally happened, you have a new niece!! Kelsie's took castor oil on Thursday night,I decided I better take the kids that night, good thing. She went in at 11pm and had her at 2:07am (I think).
We went in Friday morning after taking the kids to school,I got to hold her :-) We went back in that night so Halie and Kaden could see her, they couldn't hold her cause they have colds. I had Owen and Sadie Friday and Saturday but they came and took them home last night, when Kelsie was discharged. We have colds in our house and they didn't want the kids getting sick. I feel like I'm useless now! I had such a hard time when they came to get them and I couldn't pick the baby up to cuddle her.

Hello mom!! Happy sabbath day to you! 

Im so happy to hear that Kelsie had her baby girl! and I'm so glad to see her :D she is so beautiful! i just want to hold her!! But sorry that you are all sick and cannot cuddle with her. Thats too bad. 

My week has been good :) My companion came last monday after emailing. Sista Roko. She is great!! She was serving in Fiji for about 3 months waiting for her visa. So she has already been trained and there is no need for us to go through training again. But i am doing my best to help her with Bislama. Its hard to speak it all the time when my companion knows english. But that will be the best way for her to learn, if i just speak bislama. So we will try better this week! :D 

OUr area is great! back to Pepsi. We have quite a few investigators. This week we were trying to find where a lot of them live. We just walk along and ask people if they know them. Its funny how people here sometimes dont even know their neighbors! But the Lord was definitely helping us and directing us were to go and who to ask. A lot of times, the first people we would feel prompted to ask were the people we were looking for! So that was great. We taught Mama Antonia this last week. She is Papa Cyriaques wife, our old investigator that we just baptized before Christmas. She is wonderful! She really is so interested in everything that we discuss. She asks many questions and wants to really understand the principles we go through. We invited her to be baptized and she said yes but she is not ready yet. But she will be ready once we finish all the lessons. She came to church yesterday, along with 4 other of our investigators! :D We were happy to see them all there.  

My companion knows how to cook, and we had crab on Tuesday! Crab with kumala. IT was really good! She made this coconut milk soup thing that we put the crab in. I really liked it! The only thing was, i was afraid to touch the crab... I dont like when my food can stare at me. Sis Roko helped me to get all the meat out of the crabs. Hahaha she was laughing at me because of the faces and sounds i was making. man it was funny. She bought a fish to make for dinner last night, but i told her only to get enough for herself. I cant push myself too far! haha. She really wanted me to eat some, but i lost my appetite when i looked at the cooked fish with its clouded eye and all.. :P 

Yesterday, we also had practice for our musical fireside that will be in march. We have 2 different groups of YSA that will be singing songs. Our group is singing Joseph Smiths first prayer and A poor wayfaring man of grief. It is coming along pretty great! I just hope that we will have enough time! It is creaping up fast and we have a lot to do still. Us missionaries have to make narrations, in bislama, for inbetween the songs. And we are also going to make a slideshow with pictures about Joseph smith and the restoration. That is the theme, the Restoration. It should be really great! :D 

I love you all so much!! Have a wonderful week!! Im so happy that Ember is here and that she and Kelsie are happy and healthy!! Give her lots of love! 

Waiting fo my New Companion to Arrive!

Well, since i am still in Sharpi with these other 2 sisters, i haven't been able to go to my area. One investigator though, that Sister Takuvaka and i taught once, came back from an outer island. So the 3 of us went and taught him once on Friday. His name is Judah and he has a real desire to be baptized! he asked how long the lessons would take before he could be baptized. I just hope that he will be able to understand these 2 sisters when i leave them. They speak english still. Sister Clement is from martial Islands and Sister Tu'uefiafi is from Tonga. Sis Clement has a very strong accent but she is so adorable! She is very kind and so humble. Sis Tu'uefiafi as well, she is very humble. I love these 2 sisters, but i really want my comp to come so we can work in our area!! There are a lot of investigators in the Pepsi area, and so we need to get back over there!! 
The Dr is still here. We taught him again on Thursday. We watched the testaments and the sisters taught him about the book of Mormon. He seems to be coming along. The language is still a barrier, but i think these new sisters will be great and be able to teach him very well. 

Well, i love you so very much!! I miss you all. Just a little over a year left; time is beginning to fly! Kasem wan gudfala wik ol famle blong mi! Mi stap prea lo yufala yet. Mi glad tumas lo harem long yufala. Lavem yufala evriwan!!! 

With much love, Sista Alfin

My new comps name is a hard one, Sister Rokotuiloma :D So excited to meet her!! 

Hello Dad and happy sabbath day to you! 

Yes, we are in a branch here. There are apparently around 500 members in just our branch but only about 130 show up each sunday. We meet in a chapel but it is very different from the chapels we are used to! I will have to take some pictures of it and send them home. it is a really nice building. I have been in 2 areas but they are both in the same branch. So i have not moved branches yet. And yes, the same island. 

Well this week was good. I am still waiting for my companion to arrive so that we can go to our area. She missed the first flight to Vanuatu and so they had to rebuke it for her. She got to Vila on Saturday and now they just need to send her here to Santo. I still dont know for sure when she will get here... :( Right now i am with the other 2 sisters in the Sharpi area. It is good though because they are both brand new! So i am doing what i can to help them with Bislama and with the area. They are both really doing great :) 

I love you so much dad! miss you

Love your daughter, Shaina 

Kaden's Pinewood Derby.

I am in Cub Scouts now. I like doing to Cub Scouts. and I got my hand book. I am going to make a pinewood derby car in March. I will send you a picture of it when I finish. I love you very much and miss you everyday.

Love Kaden

Wow Kaden, that is so exciting!! I am glad taht you like going to Scouts :) That will be fun to make a car! Yours will probably be the fastest! Make sure you and dad make a really good one :) and send a picture for sure! I would love to see it. I love you so so much Kaden and i too miss you everyday!! But im happy to know you are happy :D Are you getting to school on time? Do you race me in the morning?! I hope so! Sometimes i want to sleep in... ;) haha. love you so much kaden!

Love your sista Shaina

Back to Pepsi again! :)

This week was good :) Sister Nisa flew out on Friday so we are in a trio right now with sister Ipu! She is wonderful! We love her :) 

We have been teaching Shalom and creating a wonderful relationship with her. We share scriptures with her and she really enjoys it. The spirit is always very strong while teaching her. 

On Saturday we went to Pepsi area because that was Ipu's and Nisa's area. It was good! :) It felt so nice teaching a lot of lessons again! There are a lot more people in Pepsi. And i got to teach Mangali again! :) haha it was great. We taught her about Priesthood. This night, we got called for transfers... Everyone was telling me that they thought i would be out of Santo.  But.. I am staying! I am going to the Pepsi area again!! haha! I am so thrilled! :) Sharpi, pepsi, sharpi, back to Pepsi. And i will be training a Fijian! They didn't tell me her name. Oh but i am so excited! I am not as nervous now. Sister Takuvaka will be going to Malekula! It is an island. She will also be training, a PNG. Sister Ipu will be going to a different area in Santo and will be training another Fijian. She just got here last month and will now be training. So yes, probably on Thursday they will all come in and we will being working in our new areas! I am excited! :D

Sunday we went out with the RS to do visiting teaching. They go around and visit with the less actives. I split and went with one Mama, the president of RS. We visited one woman and taught her about love. I shared the scripture about charity in Moronae 7:47-48. I shared how we all must strive each day to have charity for others. We need to develop this Christ-like attribute to have joy in life. Charity can be hard to have, but as we pray each day for help from our Father, He will give us this "bigfala lav". We told her that we love her and tried to show our love for her as well. We hope to see her next sunday! :) Also, her daughter needs to be baptized still and so she will be a new investigator for us in Pepsi! :) 

That is great that you had missionaries speak. Why has our ward never had permanent missionaries? I think that would be good. 

Oh im so happy to hear that everyone could see Halie perform! :) im sure she did so wonderful! :) I want to see it live! She really is a star. So beautiful. 

Love, sista Alfin