5-7-17 Heʻs still strong

Naaamaste hamaar bahuuuuut julum parivaar haiiiii!

Aaplogke kaise hai? Kam kaise? Pare achaa chale? Aaplog finbhi achaa rahe? Haam bahut kushii hai kyunki haam sakta dekhe ki aaplogke bahut achaa chale, aur aaplog saab julum kam kare khoi jaga aaplog rahe me. 

This last week has been a reallyyyy interesting one. The beginning was pretty average, had a way nice and fulfilling district meeting. The week was pretty much mostly vakamoce'ing new families and adjusting to my NEW AREA! I'll get into that a little later, just had some nice little experiences that occurred over the weekend I wanna share. So as you've all apparently heard, my brother Elder Koyamaibole has been called to the Philippines, Cauayan Mission! WAY excited for him! Raymond has come out with us a few times and we'd have FHE with his family every Monday evening, and I've no doubt in my mind that he's ready as he'll ever be to serve the people in the Philippines with all his heart, might, mind, and strength. He's such a bright young man and I see a big future for him. I love that family so much, Sister Koyamaibole is like a mum away from home for me, and her children are as easy to play around with and love as my own siblings.

Please keep the Koyamaibole family in your prayers.

On Sunday, we found out that the day after the letter opening, Sister Koyamaibole suffered a stroke. She was rushed to the hospital on Friday evening. Fane stuck her head out the window and waved enthusiastically as she passed by us on the road in a taxi. We had no clue where they were going, or that Sister Koyamaibole was unconscious in the back seat. Raymond is doing incredibly well, he has such a strong spirit. We were invited to the hospital after church to give Sister Koyamaible a blessing. It was really, really hard to see my Nasinu mum in the state she was in. The left side of her body is paralyzed. She cannot open her eyes or speak. She can hear and communicate with hand squeezes and subtle nods. The doctors say she will never be the same. I think about the way Raymond was in church that day before we even saw Sister Koyamaibole. He was all smiles, all laughs, the same enthusiastic man he always is. Fane smiled and waved and called out to the missionaries on her way to the hospital. I have so much respect for them and the faith that they have. If I were in the same situation, I would be destroyed. They love their mum more than anything, yet they remain strong and positive. Raymond shared with me during sacrament meeting "Maybe this is why it took a while for me to go out, aye?" Raymond ran into hurdle after hurdle in preparing for his mission. Had everything gone smoothly, he would have been out long ago. He seems to have gained a greater testimony of the Lord chucking us where we need to be at the time we need to be there. 

After the blessing was given, we went to the other side of the hospital to the children's ward where an investigator family was waiting for the missionaries to bless their daughter. It's a bit awkward that everyone here is so religious one way or another, because after that blessing was given, several other families asked for us to bless their sick children. I'm not certain, but I don't think it's allowed for missionaries to throw priesthood blessings around like that to random people, BUT I also don't know how to bese(reject) someone's asking to bless their disabled child. We blessed probably a good 6 kids that day, and I felt okay about it. Maybe we planted some seeds there.

Going back to Thursday after the call letter opening, I went about Nasinu to vakamoce some of my recent-converts and beloved member families. I had planned to visit three houses belonging to youth I had grown close to (including Tabokai, whom I baptized a couple months ago). Fortunately, all the youth happened to be grouped at the chapel for a sports night. All the youth I planned to see were there! I talked to them a bit, took pictures, said goodbye, and just watched them play for a while before leaving to our dinner appointment. As I sat there and watched Tabokai play with the youth like they were his own family, I felt accomplished. What a huge blessing it was to me, and what a feeling of peace it brought me to see Tabokai's relationship with the youth. I'm sooo appreciative to the Nasinu 2nd ward youth for being so warm and welcoming to our new investigator. I can see that Tabokai, through the gospel, has formed bonds that will bless him in his life. The church truly is the flock of our Savior, and I can't stress enough the importance of warmly inviting our lost sheep back into the fold. Though sheep ourselves, by the voice and influence of the shepherd, we will be able to bring our strayed brothers and sisters back to the fold. Please continue to be loving to EVERY new face that enters the doors of that chapel every Sunday, no matter the lowliness of its expression or the tattoo that covers half of it. Everyone is a sheep, just like us; one in need of our love as well as the love of the Savior.

On a side note, I read a poem that I looove from an ensign.

'Twas battered and scarred,

And the auctioneer thought it

hardly worth his while

To waste his time on the old violin,

but he held it up with a smile.

"What am I bid, good people", he cried,

"Who starts the bidding for me?"

"One dollar, one dollar, Do I hear two?"

"Two dollars, who makes it three?"

"Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three,"

But, No,

From the room far back a gray bearded man

Came forward and picked up the bow,

Then wiping the dust from the old violin

And tightening up the strings,

He played a melody, pure and sweet

As sweet as the angel sings.

The music ceased and the auctioneer

With a voice that was quiet and low,

Said "What now am I bid for this old violin?"

As he held it aloft with its' bow.

"One thousand, one thousand, Do I hear two?"

"Two thousand, Who makes it three?"

"Three thousand once, three thousand twice,

Going and gone", said he.

The audience cheered,

But some of them cried,

"We just don't understand."

"What changed its' worth?"

Swift came the reply.

"The Touch of the Masters Hand."

"And many a man with life out of tune

All battered and bruised with hardship

Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd

Much like that old violin

A mess of pottage, a glass of wine,

A game and he travels on.

He is going once, he is going twice,

He is going and almost gone.

But the Master comes,

And the foolish crowd never can quite understand,

The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought

By the Touch of the Masters' Hand.

So beautiful.

Anyways, then came Friday. Back on Tuesday, we received our transfer assignments calls. Elder Hariprasad has replaced me in Nasinu, and on Friday, I transferred right over to the other side of town, in Suva! Now the last few days have been pretty familiar and odd at the same time. Familiar because I'm still in the city, and odd because I am very familiar with my current companion. I'm been placed BACK with Elder Mo'unga (the Hindi program is really weird)! Suva seems like a really nice place, both the wards we cover (Suva 1st and Suva 3rd) seem to have a SOLID member family and youth program. I'm wayyy excited to work with these people with Elder Mo'unga, super happy to be here. Herbert has apparently seen a video of me participating in a combine-ward FHE game from Friday night, SO much fun haha. Speaking of Herb, HERB, we've been invited to Brother Soko's house for dinner next week Wednesday. He told me to give you his loloma and thanks. Herbert baptized Brother Soko three years ago. He's still strong, very active, and seems very faithful. It makes me super happy to see the great results of Herbert's labor here five-three years later. 

We'll be heading out soon, but I'm way glad everything seems to be doing well back home! I hope everyone is in good health, thanks U'i SO MUCH for the pictures! Fia was way madua (shy) our last skype session, so I really won't believe she's so talkative until I see it because I can't imagine it. The babies are looking big and strong and still ridiculously cute. I'm sooo sorry but I need a reminder as to when my nephew's birthday, I'm sorry if I missed wishing him a happy birthday, and if I did HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEREMIASSSSSSSSS!!!! 

I'm also gonna need a reminder as to when my siblings' birthdays are, I'm honestly forgetting so much about home life it's scary.

AS FOR MOTHER'S DAY, I talked to Elder Mo'unga a bit and we should be good to Skype at 12pm Fiji time or later. IF 'Io wants to coordinate something, I could probably just plan to Skype around his time. Elder Mo'unga has no problem with coming back to the internet cafe for him or me to Skype, so he's okay with anything. We may need to plan around him, however, because his situation is a bit tougher. Utah is 18 hours behind Fiji, so 12pm Fiji would be 6pm Utah. He said they wouldn't mind Skyping at night, but if there's a time convenient for both of us to Skype our families comfortably, we'll find it. I'll get back to yous before Monday to finalize details, but for now, I plan to call home at 1pm Monday, Fiji time (3pm, Sunday, Hawaii time). Gotta head out, please give my aloha and congratulations to the 2017 seminary graduating class! I love you all, glad you're doing well, know I'm happy and healthy (fat) and safe! 

Haam aaplogke bahut pyaar karta hai hamaar julum parivaar! 

Khyaal rakna,

Elder Ishibashi-Fiji,Suva