This last week has been a good one! Nothing suuuper out of the ordinary except a few things I'd rather not mention, but there were a few highlights!
On Tuesday, we were invited to the mission home for an incredible zone conference! We were privileged to receive trainings from the Assistants, the zone leaders, and President and Sister Layton. All huge eye-openers and testimony builders, I honestly have a newfound appreciation for the closing doors and wave-offs we get daily. Now I recognize those as tried opportunities.
Elder Datoon has gotten into the annoying/helpful habit of saying things like "They could be the ones" or "What would Jesus do?" when I'm hesitant to approach houses or people. These little remarks are normally met with "FINE" or "UuuUUGGHHH", but I've come to see that those remarks are only made to help me see the importance of approaching EVERYone. I do firmly believe that I was called here to find and bring back people I knew and loved in the pre-earth life, and I do firmly believe that the lord won't just hand them over to me. I have to be ready and willing to search for them. I also know without a shadow of a doubt that the lord would approach anyone and everyone to bring them the message of the Father. Though I have gotten heaps better at it, it is still uncomfortable for me to approach people, but I go and do it because I know that Lord would want me to. There will always, without fail, be people who are not ready to accept the gospel when we knock on their gates. Their will be people who will never be ready in this life time, but I've learned not to see unwilling souls as failures on my part or eternally-lost sheep. If we've spoken up and invited someone to hear the restored message of the everlasting gospel, we've done our part. They will either accept or decline. What follows the invitation is entirely up to them. However, the Lord has His way and His time for those who decline. They are NOT hopeless, just not ready.
In conference, President Layton stressed a new importance of gathering the Lord's flock, and this came with a change in the mission schedule and key-indicators.
One of the key-indicators linked to the new stress on finding is that missionaries will no longer focus on reactivating less-active members. Ward members are now entirely responsible for the looking-after and bringing-home of less-active members in ward boundaries. This will give missionaries more finding time and more opportunities to work with current investigators and recent converts.
FAMILY. PLEASE look out for those who are less/inactive. Show them that you love them and want them to return to church, whether it's through inviting them back or something as simple as weeding their yard. Get the ward involved in letting those people know that they are not forgotten, and that they will always be a part of the ward family.
A few of the changes include the following:
P-day is now from 10am to 4:30pm, which basically just means we start and end an hour earlier than before. This will allow for missionaries to have an earlier start to the day and have missionaries back in their areas earlier, so as to allow more proselyting time between qito and dinner.
Weekly planning (previously on Fridays from 12-3pm) will be held on Sundays, opening Friday to be a full proselyting day. Sundays, which typically are less effective for finding anyway, will be shortened to three hours of proselyting due to the five hours used for studies and weekly planning between church and dinner. We're free to arrange that block however is most convenient for us.
Service can be done on any day between 10am and 9pm, no longer on Thursdays from 8-11am only.
I'm still adjusting to the changes, but they'll definitely be good for us and the work!
Anyways, I didn't bring my notebook from zone conference so I'll share something from it next week!
Saturday was a really special day, and it turned out to be more-so than I thought!
Shreya had a beautiful baptism on Saturday. Lots of family and friends were in attendance, and wonderful talks were given on baptism and the power of the Holy Ghost. On Friday night, we received a call from Sister Chand saying that Brother Pillai would not be able to make the baptism the next day, and someone else would have to baptize Shreya. Sister Chand asked if it would be okay for me to baptize Shreya, and I gratefully accepted! I was able to perform my first baptism last week! WHAT a special experience that was, and it's given me a new hunger to find and baptize those who are ready and willing to learn of the Lord's plan.
Anyways, it was a really nice service!
Elder Datoon and I continue to be in great health and spirits as we teach and preach and work as Fiji,Suva missionaries do. I'm loving my companion, my area, my ward, and the work!
In regards to the letters,
SO glad everyone's doing well at home!
Mom, thank you so much for your letter. That's a message I've become especially fond of sharing lately, that as long as we strive to the best of our ability to keep the covenants we renew when we partake of the sacrament, we will receive the blessings promised. As long as we always remember him and take upon ourselves his name, he will remember us and be with us always.
One account that took place on Saturday night strengthened my testimony of what you said, about my mouth being filled when I allow for the spirit to humble and guide me. Elder Datoon asked me to lead the lesson with a less-active member we were visiting. I felt a sense of confidence and calmness when I was extended the opportunity that I honestly don't feel as often as I should.
In zone conference, Presdent Layton told us that we could know when we're being guided by the spirit when we learn from what we say. I felt that on Saturday night.
The words seemed to pour out of me in ways that I've never expressed them before. I didn't get stuck this time, I didn't get scared or feel obligated to pass it over to Elder Datoon because I ran out of things to say. It simply felt like the feelings of my heart were rolling off my tongue smoothly and fluidly. No it wasn't in Hindi, but it was still a really special experience for me and I consider that an experience in which I was able to obtain the gift of tongues even if for a brief moment. I know that as I continue to genuinely and excitedly accept invitations to teach that my mouth will be filled and my remembrance will come to me in the time and place that I need it to. Thank you so much for reminding me of that, mom!
Dad, I'm glad you have the desire to help the Scouts! What a blessing it is for our boys to have you as a leader for them! REALLY make them want the opportunity to progress to Eagle, and do it with love. I didn't feel the drive because I felt forced by my leaders and they gave me reasons that didn't appeal to me or the future I saw for myself. Looking back, I definitely wish I had that drive and put in the effort to get my Eagle. Also a great growing experience!
That picture of Herb and Jaz is SIIIICK, I love it! Definitely printing that out and putting it in the trunky book. What is Jazamin really holding though, just curious haha.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOO SO HAPPY for 'Io! MAN it just reminds me that I REALLY need to fast more and further immerse myself in the work. I need all the help from home and on high if I want to get accepted as well (because I think it's pretty safe to say that my grades alone won't get me there). Just kidding. Anyways CONGRATULATIONS TO FILIPINO ELDER ISHIBASHI!
Good to know that Kala'i and Lehia are enjoying and thriving in their activities! Both of you, never stop developing your talents! A missionary in the MTC gave me some advice he received from his band instructor in high school.
"Don't practice something until you get it right, practice it until you can't get it wrong"
I don't imagine grandpa was one to simply suffice. Don't just be good, you don't necessarily have to be the best, but be GREAT and LOVE what you do.
I'm glad Nina seems to be unchanging, except in her face, which really doesn't matter all that much because you'll always be my baby sister. I'm laughing thinking about the fact that we referred to Kala'i and Lehia together as "the babies" until Kala'i was like 8 years old.
Thanks so much for the pictures, U'i! I can't wait to catch up with your babies on the things that happened in their baby lives over two years.
OKAY I'm out of time, again, everything is all good here in Nasinu! Know you're all in my prayers day and night. I love you all so much, have a blessed week!
Ham aaplogke bahut pyaar karta hamaar julum pariwaar!
Kial rakna!
Elder Ishibashi-Fiji
--Combine-zone qito feat. Suva zone "City slickers"
-Benjamin Kumar/Elder Reuben (Joe's little brother) was sent off to the Johannesburg MTC on Wednesday morning!
-NAAAAAANTS INGONNYAAAAAAAMA BAGITHI BABA
Hindi translation: UUUUUUUUUUS EK SHER HAAAAAAAAAIII UUS AUE HAI ABI
-LOOK AT THIS MILLIPEDE. THIS MIGHT BE THE BIGGEST BUG I'VE EVER SEEN, AND IT'S A MILLIPEDE.
-Fijian licence plate
-Team lefty (yes, all three of them)
-Service w/ Sister Kotobalavu and sisters
-Elder Datoon dumped a bucket of water on Eroni and made him cry
-Baptism of Shreya Chand and Luisa Nacebe! Sister Nacebe asked Elder Datoon to baptize Luisa, and I was asked by Sister Chand to baptize Shreya! What a special experience! (I am aware of the grossness of my shirt and I plan on buying more soon no worries)
-Currently
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