Headless Cockroach

Hello everyone!

I hope everyone is doing well! This week, i got a new companion!! Her name is Sister Natto and she is from PNG (papa new Guinea). We are still in Santo, covering the Pepsi area. I LOVE sister Natto!! She is so wonderful! We have already taught wonderful lessons filled with the spirit! We have also shared many laughs :) Sister Natto is a FABULOUS cook!! She makes delicious meals and wonderful cake i hear. I havent had the opportunity to taste the cake yet. We did make those brownies you sent in the MTC mom, and they were so good! Natto cooked them on the stove top. She put paper in a pot, buttered the paper, and then poured in the brownie batter. They tasted like chocolate melting cake from the cruise! So good :) Thanks for sending those mom! 

Haha one funny story from this week. Sister Natto and i were up one night just talking in the kitchen. She was making something and i was just sitting at the table. Out of the corner of my eye, i see something big fly in the open door. I look up, and there is a huge cockroach just chilling there on the floor across from me!! Natto was just walking over and the cockroach starts climbing on her backpack! We both scream! I just up and move away. She asks if we have any bug spray, but i say no. So she grabs the broom in hopes of squishing it on the wall (it started climbing up the wall, fast). Next minute, it starts to fly again!! I was freaking out! It flies up and goes right into the ceiling fan!! It shoots out just in front of sister Natto! We go over and inspect the situation. The fan had cut the roach's head off!! The body was on the floor, still moving mind you, and the head was on the table also still moving. It was nasty.. Haha. But we were so grateful for the fan! Heavenly Father was looking out for us :) 

Now on a more of a spiritual note. This last Sunday, we taught a few investigators, one being a papa. His name is Cydeaque. I have only taught him a few times but he is a wonderful papa! He is so ready to be baptized! We are going to try for this Saturday so we hope to get all the commandment lessons in before then. During the lesson, i felt the spirit so strongly with him. He told us how he wants us to pray for him to increase faith. He says sometimes it is hard for him to come to church, and he feels that he needs more faith to help him with that. I feel that he has so much faith, and such a strong desire to follow Christ. But we are praying for him! I feel so much love towards all our investigators and everyone here in general! :) 

I am so grateful that the Lord has called me here to serve. I am striving each day to fulfill my purpose here as a missionary. I thank you all so much for your prayers and all your words of encouragement. I would not be able to continue this mission without the support of all of you back home. I love you all so much!! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Remember all the blessings that our loving Heavenly Father has given you. His hand is in everything. Have a wonderful week! 

I love and miss you all dearly! Until next week-- 

Sista Alfin 

Challenges and Blessings

Hello Dad!!! 

 I thought that mom's birthday was going to be on Thanksgiving but i couldnt remember. That is wonderful! I hope you are all able to have a wonderful celebration. Give mom a big hug and kiss from me and tell her happy birthday!! I hope the card i sent gets there for her birthday. Nope we dont get to celebrate Thanksgiving here.. But my new comp knows how to make cake, so maybe i'll ask her to bake a cake and we always have really good dinner :) She's a fabulous cook!  

Dad, thank you so much for what you said. It really touched me and brought me to tears. Thank you for expressing your love for me. I always hope to please you and mom, and most importantly my father in heaven. The mission so far has been such a struggle, but i always think about all you at home and how you all believe in me. I never want to be a disappointment to anyone, so i must trust in the Lord and push through my challenges. I agree, that we grow through our challenges. Heavenly Father is only testing us, not wanting us to fail. He never pushes us beyond what we can handle. Thank you for all the words of encouragement. I know that you were inspired of the Lord, because i definitely needed to hear that. So thank you dad, I love you! 

The language is ok. Its not as good as it should be or as i would hope.  My new comp however, has told me that we are going to really work on it and she will help me! She already has a ton! I am so grateful for her! I really feel that she cares for me and for my success as a missionary! 

Letter from my Dad:
 We had a new couple speak today at church, the Clarks who moved into the Sandburgs house in the culdisac below our house. Then he gave the lesson in priesthood also. They are an older couple all there kids are grown. Sister Clark suggested that while she gave her talk we should write down impressions that we have, not necessarily what she is saying but impressions from the spirit. and then an action on the other side of the paper.

    

    I felt  impressed to tell you what a special daughter you are and how proud I am that you are serving a mission. My mission was a struggle for me at first and I think it is probably the same for most. Heavenly Father has blessed you with wonderful talents and abilities and will provide  miracles to bless your experience as a missionary. I sometimes feel inadiquate to find the right words to express my feelings but hope you understand my love for you. I think we grow through many of the challenges we face. I hope this is helpful in some way.

Still in Santo

This week was a different week. We were here in Santo for the first half until thursday. We went out and taught which i s always great. I am getting more comfortable with teaching which is great! I find it easier when i go in with confidence in the Lord, knowing that he will help me know what to share. When i go in nervous, it never turns out as good. But the language is coming along! I just want to know everything right now! Sometimes i get lost in what everyone is saying, but i still try to understand. I usually get most of it :) On Friday we flew to Vila because Schuster had an eye appointment. They found that she has a lot of dust in her eyes, which is causing allergies or something. So tey gave her some drops to use and hopefully that with cure whatever is going on. I got to go on splits with the sister training leader, sister Nisa. She is my favorite sister out here on the mission. She is Tongan but very different from the rest. She is humble and so loving. She sincerly cares about everyone and is a wonderful example of a great sister missionary. I really enjoyed teaching with her. We went to 3 boys who are preparing for baptisim. 2 brothers will be getting baptised this saturday, but unfortunately i wont be there.. These brothers are 15 and 17. I wish i could be there to see them baptised. We taught them 3 different times while i was in Vila, so i felt that i had made a connection with them and felt they were my investigators! But now we are back in Santo and will continue the work here.

Thank you for emailing Dad! I love to get your mail. I love you so much Dad and am so grateful that Heavenly Father sent me to you. I wouldnt want any other father. I miss you each day but know that i need to be here. Love you Dad!!!

Love your daughter, Sista Alfin

Happy 20th Birthday!

Hello!! :)

I was really looking forward to emailing today! But where is everyone?! Did you send any other emails mom? Well I have a lot to tell about this last week!! First of all, have you already left for Fiji then? How was the cruise? Katie email me and told meabout it; sounds like it was fun! :) I wish I could have been there as well.. But when I get home, right?!

Anyway, this week here we go.. The first half of the week started out not so good.. I was feeling so discouraged. We were only teaching about 1 lesson a day. Then just going home and not really doing anything. I can't handle doing that anymore. I wanted to call someone and tell them that I needed to go home. I didnt think I could do this anymore. (But I was able to learn that I just needed to exercise faith. God called me here and knows that i can do this. I cannot give up.) So i talked to sister Schuster. I told her about everything that i have been feeling. I told her i wanted to work hard. When i come home from my mission, i want to be able to say i did all that i could do. I dont want to waist any of the Lords time. We worked through everything wednesday night.

Thursday was a wonderful day!! We grew as a companionship and then were able to have the spirit present. I finally taught lessons! I took the lead in more than half of the lessons this day. It wasn't perfect and they were short and simple, but i know that the Lord was helping me and those i taught. Before going into the yards of those we were about to teach, i would pray. I told the Lord that I was going in with faith. I prayed taht He would help me to say the things that they needed to hear. I prayed that i might have confidence and wouldnt be nervous. I KNOW that without the help of the Lord, i would not have been able to do it. Coming home this day, i felt so good! I felt that we had done all we could and that the Lord was pleased with us. Friday went the same. I was so grateful for these days!

Saturday was my birthday, and it was great :) We went and taught some lessons, and then that evening we went to Shalom's. She put on a little party for me!! She is so wonderful; i love her! She made steak, rice, potatoes, and a DELICIOUS cake!! They do have ice cream here mom, but we didnt have any. That's ok though, i have had enough ice cream while being here. While Lutui was with us, we got it a couple times. Its expensive though! 8-9 dollars for 2 liters. Anyway, they sang happy birthday and we ate! I will try and send pictures of it. It was so great; they made my birthday very special :) I hope you all enjoyed celebrating it with the cruise ;)

I have had more island kakae this week! That is island food. We went to Mami madelines house and we had... COCONUT CRAB!!!! Haha It was actually good! I was so scared to touch it.. They gave me the pinchers and i had to pull the meat out. It was good :) Then her husband brought out a live one, that was all tied up. It looked very weird.. Like a little alien. I will try and send pics of that too.

Saturday we went to another Mami's house, Charity, and she fed us some laplap taro. It wasnt as bad as the banana but still not my favorite. But good to try! :) The fruit here is SO wonderful! I have had cavaca (vanuatu apples), pomplomouse (grapefruit), popo (papaya), and pineapple!! Pineapple is my favorite!! SO SWEET!! Aye, but when i was eating an apple at one members house, i wasnt really paying attention. Then i look down, and there are worms crawling on the apple... I was sickened, but didnt know what to do. i didnt want to offend anyone. So i pulled it appart and tried eating around the worms. haha, it was an experience.

Also at Mami Charitys, i bought an island bag and a turtle! They had been making them for me. Her husband carves turtles and it is beautiful! She makes the baskets. So those two things were my birthday gifts :)

Well, that is about all i have to say this week! I am loving being here, but it is not easy. I have to pray each day still, that i will be strengthened and look for the tender mercy's im given. We are so blessed by the Lord each day.

I love you all SO much!! Thank you for the birthday wishes. Have wan gudfala wik!! LAVEM YUFALA EVRIWAN!!!!!

Love, Sista Alfin

Transfers are this week. There are 2 new sisters that will be coming here to Santo. So i dont think i will be transfering. Sister schuster and i have been covering 2 areas for a little while. So she might show one area to one missionayand maybe i will have to show the other area to the other missionary. So i could change trainers actually! I just dont know.. I want to go to Tanna though.. haha. 

Happy Birthday To Me!

Today i am going to have a great birthday :) we are going to Shaloms later tonight to have a cake and she is making some dinner. She cooks really well. We will also be sharing with her a message about the importance of baptism. We are hoping that her husband will be able to sit in with us. I think it would really help the both of them what we have to share. 3 nephi 27 i think it is? verses around 15 i think. I will let you know how that all goes on pday!! Praying hard :) Anyway, this week has been horrible and great all at the same time! I will write on monday and let you know what i mean by that! 

Well, i love you all SO much!! Notice the hand of the Lord in your lives each and everyday. He pours out blessings upon us!! I love you!! and hope you are enjoying the cruise!

Love, Sista Alfin

ps, were you able to send the package before you left? Just so i know about when it might get here. And i sent a bday card to you on thursday so i hope it gets to you by your birthday! Dont open it if it comes early!!! ;)

The Work in Santo

 This week has been a lot better for me and not feeling homesick!! Monday will always be pday, but idk if i will always email at the same time. Today it is a lot earlier. We came here fist before cleaning. I like coming at this time. I would love to talk live with you! Yes i will email each week. There is a internet place here that sells phones and stuff. Just in town.

I pray each day for strength to get through the day. Then each night i thank my father for helping me that day. The next morning, i start again. I could not have done it without His strength. He has helped me so much. I was reading in Mosiah the other day in chapter 10.  Zeniff and his people are preparing to go to battle withe Lamanites. Verse 10 really stuck out to me. It says that they did go up in the strength of the Lord to battle. For everyone, there will be times in our lives where we don't think we can make it. but we must not forget, we can with the help of the Lord. As Nephi taught, There is no commandment given from the Lord, save he prepare a way to accomplish it. I believe that often times, He is the only way to get through our trials. We cannot forget He is ready and willing to carry us, we just need to ask.

I received a blessing from the 2 couples that we have here in the area. The blessing was wonderful! Everything that was said was just what i needed to hear. And i guess Elder Kerns has been talking to you! Did he send the pics? :) And yes, i got the pics! They are wonderful! So cute! I love the pumpkins! And that's alot of jars!!! You work so hard Mom!

That is right about just loving the people. Thank you for that advise! I just want to speak with them so i can come to love them and understand them. 

This week we hardly did anything... Sister Schuster was not feeling well Friday and Saturday. Oh, and we got another companion last Monday! Her name is Sister Lutui. She is Tongan and SO fun!! She makes you laugh so much :) She is a hard worker i can tell. She served in Tanna for the first two months and now is here waiting for her companion that she will train!! She will do great!

This week we taught a few little 8 year olds. They are so fun to teach! I really just sit there and then bare testimony, but they are cute. They are really shy to answer, but when they do they know what they are talking about. I honestly love these children so much!! Its fun to see them and think of my nephew and nieces :) It makes up for not getting to see Kelsie's baby when it comes :)

You really should come pick me up when its time :) Its amazing and a once in a lifetime chance. I really want to go to Tanna my next transfer. I have heard a lot from Sista Lutui about it. It is more bush life. The house is humble, the walks are long, there are big spiders.. (;/) , there are volcanoes and it just sounds like you work really hard there. I want to work hard. I want to give all i can to the Lord and His work. Its missionary work, not vacation.

Thank you for your prayers mom!!! I feel them and catch them :) haha. I memorized my testimony in Bislama just so i can have something to say during lessons. Once i learn the language, i wont need it memorized. Haha yes, i would love to get pictures from you as well mom ;)

Did Halie ever get the letter from me while i was in the MTC? I hope so! It was a good letter!! :) And she was so diligent in sending me letters! I looked forward to all of them :) Dont worry about the shoes. They were the brown sandals we got at cabellas. I have the sketchers ones and they are wonderful!! I'll find some flip flops that will work fine! Thank you. All my skirts blow in the wind.. haha i have to hold them down. But don't worry, they will me fine. I left my b-day gift in my other bags, thinking i could get it some time. But i wouldn't be able to. So I'm hoping they send it with some other things from my luggage that i need! I left all my extra toiletries in the bag. I have been stressing over getting that stuff.. But it will come.

Yes, it is Mi Lavem yu! haha or Mi Lavem yu tumas! I love you so much! The mosquitoes are eating me alive!! It is insane! I hope it gets better! My blood is too sweet.. haha.

Well, this will be the only letter i write. I don't get time for other letters. You're more important :) I love you so much mom!! And tell everyone i love them too! 

Are you getting ready for you cruise? How are Kaden and Halie doing? Is Kaden still having a hard time? Tell him I say he needs to be nice! We are still racing to get ready for bed and in the morning!! He needs to beat me! haha :)

I love you all so much!! Have a wonderful week!

Love, Sista Alfin

 

Arrival in Santo

Halo Family and Friends!!!

Olsem Wanem? I'm here in Vanuatu and still alive! I'm doing well! But boy, has this week been a journey! The first day here was wonderful! We arrived in Port Vila, all 15 of us missionaries, on Tuesday after a very long flight! I traveled from Salt Lake with 5 elders and then 8 other missionaries were on our flight from NZ to Port Vila.  We were greeted by President Brewer and the AP missionaries. Let me just say, walking off the plane in Vila was incredible! It felt amazing and was so beautiful. SO green! Now, the weather is super hot but its all good! Its paradise. Anyway, we went to president's house that evening where we met Sis. Brewer. She is so wonderful! I love her. They fed us a wonderful meal and President talked to us. Then off to bed for the next day where we would fly out to our areas! I packed my 1 suitcase I would take and flew out to Santo with my new Comp., Sister Schuster! She is wonderful. She has helped me so much and she is so kind. She is Samoan from New Zealand. She has about 3 months left on the mission. She's a wonderful trainer. 

I had a rough first few weeks. I began missing home and was just not feeling like I should be here. I felt so out of place and knew I must learn a new language. I really wanted to be home. But with her advise and help and relying so heavily on prayer, i knew I could do this. I needed to forget myself and go to work. This isn't about me, its about helping others come unto Christ. Through Him, all things are possible, so I know I can do this :) 

The second day here, we went out proselyting. I was able to bare my testimony in Bislama to those we met! It was great. 

And those sandals we got mom, they  gave me terrible blisters... My feet have swelled up so they don't fit the same. But my other shoes are good. Ill have to find some cheap sandals here. That's what everyone wears. 

The people here are wonderful! They are so kind. They ALL smile and say halo! Here in Santo, its almost like Vila. There are shops and almost a city feel down town. Where the people live is not as nice though. The people are always outside! I guess on the outer islands, or "bush", is where you see the third world feel a lot more.

So I live in an apartment... So different from what I expected! Electricity, running water, fridge. Pretty much everything we need. It gets super hot though. At night, I only sleep with a sheet. Sometimes nothing though. Ew, there is a huge spider here that make webs up high in the trees! They don't come down and bother people though. I haven't seen spiders other than that! So we're good :)

Saturday we had a branch picnic. It was so fun! We drove down to a beach front. The water is beautiful! I wanted to swim! But it was fun watching all the pikininis (children) swim and play in the water! We also got to play volleyball!! I hope you're happy to hear that mom! IT was so fun! They are a blast to play with; laughing and just having a good time! I wish i could understand them though. That's my only issue. There was also a festival this night and we watched the native dance! Haha like on YouTube! I got video :)

Sunday at church they had me bare my testimony.. It was good but I was so nervous! The people just smiled at me and i could feel their love! They are the greatest people. I love them! After church, we went to an investigators house for lunch. Her name is Shalom. She fed us a really good meal, including FISH!! Haha my first fish out here! And I liked it!! It wasn't bad at all. Not fishy. It was the whole fish just without the head. So i know i can eat fish! Anyway, Shalom is wonderful. She seems so prepared to hear the gospel. She has faith and knows this church is true. Sister Schuster wants me to invite her to be baptized this week!! Hope that goes well :)

DAD!!!! Happy birthday! Wish I could be there with you all to celebrate! But have fun! I got to celebrate your b day before you did :) I have been thinking about you for a few days and hope you enjoy your day. I love you and happy birthday!! I wrote you a letter so it should get there in about a week now..

I miss you all so much! Thanks to everyone that wrote! If I don't get back to you today, I will next week or write you a letter. Just know I love you!! And send lots of pics, I love them!! Kaden and nieces and nephew, draw lots of pictures for me!! I hang them on my wall and LOVE them! :)

I love you all SO much! I pray for you everyday and have felt your prayers as well. They help so much! I know missionary work is so important and I'm grateful to be out here. I know the Lord answers our prayers when we come to Him in faith and with a sincere heart. He has blessed me tumas! I love Him and I love you!! Stay safe. Mi lavem yufala evriwan!!

With much love, Sista Alfin