Counting down.... four....

Four emails to go….. I am going to miss them…

Bula Bula Bula,

So...Rich what? Richmond. hahaha

This place is really just what I imagined, haha, but it’s chill though because all the crazy stuff that I imagined only happens at night and we ain't out at night, haha. We were walking in Richmond a couple days ago near some projects and a cop pulls up in front of us and asks us who we are then was just like, you know where you are right? And we were like ya, so then he drove off haha. Just in case we got shot he wanted to make sure that he warned us first! haha, 

jokes mom! i know you’re probably freakin right now, but it’s really not bad at all. I haven't felt weird at all, but like I said all the crazy comes out at night and during the day they are just resting from the night before.

But really is cool here, the Fijians in the new ward are super awesome and just like most I served where they grew up in Suva so we’ve gotta lot to talk about. We have quite a bit of work to do here which is good because there is a lot of poverty so there are in turn a lot of people looking for help, so there is plenty to do, plenty of lives to bless so I’m pretty excited about being here, I realized last week that we really only learn if we are out of our comfort zone putting ourselves to the test. Haha I must have a lot to learn because I am way, way, way out of my comfort zone. My last area was like Utah, really safe and chill, but here it can get pretty hairy in some places, so I will definitely learn.

Hope all is good.

Peace and blessings

ofa atu

Elder Tavoi

Lots of updates....

Yet another sweet email from Mary Tagilala… with the below pictures!  I think she is coming to General Conference in April… so I cannot wait to meet her!

I got this email first thing on Monday morning… wasn’t sure what she really meant by “I’ll wait for Elder Tavoi to email you first”, but you’ll get the gist after reading Garrett’s letter that came later.

Bula Vinaka Nova -

I'll wait for Elder Tavoi to email you first before I send you an email. I always want to hear news first from my Missionaries and I know you'd probably want that as well. Yes its P-Day today :). Mail, mail mail!! Yayyyy!. I can't wait for my 2 missionaries to email me as well :)

We love both Elder Chapman and Elder Hanke (Tavoi). They've been such a wonderful blessing to our Fijian Branch :). Thank you for sending your angels to us :).

Lolomas,,

Mary Tagilala

Redwood City, California. (SF 2nd Fijian Branch)

Missionary Mom to Elder Tagilala - NVLV Mission - 6/2011 to 6/2013

Missionary Mom to Sister Tagilala - SLC West Mission - 10/2012 to 4/2014

Soon to be Missionary Mom to Sister Oli Tagilala :)

Garrett's letter: 

So here is the dealio, haha,

Chips (Elder Chapman) and I got a call on Saturday night from the office saying that we are being transferred. Elder Chapman is going to Concord, and I’m headed again to the ghetto of Richmond (on the Oakland side again).  It’s the same place where the movie Coach Carter is based off so maybe that gives all of you an idea of what it’s like, haha.

It was super crappy saying goodbye yesterday to the branch members but on the good side there are a lot of Fijians in the Richmond area that go to the ward there so it’s not all bad. I'll be focused on tryin to find the reason for me to go there.  Hopefully there are some Fijians that we can help, it will be pretty interesting. My comp I heard is 5 foot tall, haha so that’s crazy. Our investigators are great though, when they get baptized we will be able to come back here for that.

And also Nova, Mary Tagilala is going to be bringing our investigator to General Conference with her in April, so that will be a good chance to see her and I know you will really like the other lady as well and she really reminds me of you in so many ways haha so it will be good for sure. No better way to start off my life back home.

I definitely was fortunate to serve here for as long as I did, 9 months is way longer than anyone else, haha. And our branch pres. wanted to call Pres. Meredith (the mission president) to ask him what the heck he is doing, haha. But the good thing is that I will still be able to be around them a lot and come see them often for branch parties and stuff.

Hope all is well at home.

Peace and blessings/kalougata tiko

Elda Tavoi

So I believe that the pictures were all taken on Sunday after church meetings… when Garrett and his companion were able to say goodbye to everyone. L  I know he is sad to leave them (which explains the pouty look on his face I guess), but it sounds like he’ll have lots of opportunities over the next month to see everyone. 

So – here’s the scoop:

·         Garrett flies into SLC on Wednesday, March 27^th at 1:15 p.m. on Delta.

·         Homecoming date will be Sunday, April 14^th at 11:00 a.m. at our church house in Logan, 1155 North 600 East.

I can’t believe it’s almost over – five weeks from today he will be home… 35 days… but who’s counting? 

Can’t wait to see everyone and have our Gar Bear back, at least for a little while.  Right now his plans are to leave around May 1^st to go to Washington, DC for his summer job.

Life goes on… all is good… we are very blessed.

This must be most of the Fijian Branch members

Elder Hanke and Elder Chapman

 I think that this is the Tagilala family.

 The Elders with the Ladies, of course!  :)

No letter from Elder Hanke last week.  We did chat a bit, still no resolution on when the Homecoming will be.  I’ll keep you all posted though.

In the meantime, enjoy this week’s letter… along with a sweet bonus (see letter #2, and hopefully I can get the pictures to work out!).

2/11/13

Bula Vinaka,

Such a good week, it’s also good because for the next little bit at least until mid March  t he weeks should be getting better and better. We were able to teach our investigators this week and some seriously good lessons with them super stoked to see them progress to baptism. 

First off one of them was a referral from another ward in the stake and she is awesome. We set a date with her for the 16th of march and she is really looking forward to it, her son was recently baptized and got married to a girl from Utah they have since moved to salt lake, but he said that he will come back for the baptism and he will perform the ordinance so awesome to see how it all is coming together for her she does have to overcome smoking but she really wants to so we promised her that she will focus on the Lord she will be able to accomplish her goal to quit.

Second is a lady named  Myriam she has been taught long before I came here and we have been trying to help her for the however many months I have been here with no real progress, but just recently we shared with her about forgiveness both being forgiven and forgiving others and she really took it to heart and said that because of it she realizes that she needs to make a change in her life and move on because she has had a really rough past, but the direction she wants to move is towards baptism so we set a date with her for the 2nd of march. We are really surprised about it but really feeling super blessed.

we also met with Bill and a couple other investigators and they are all doing good and we are enjoying working with them. 

other than that we had zone conf. this past week and thats always really good and then just a bunch of other jus normal stuff so overall a really good week.

loloma yani

peace and blessings,

Elder  Hanke

We received this email  from sweet, sweet Mary Tagilala who is a member of the Fijian Branch.  This is the lady that will send emails and pictures every couple of months – I call her our Fijian Angel!  She obviously watches out for our Elder Hanke, which this mama really appreciates! J

2/2/13

Bula Nova,
 
 We had a wonderful time at Dinner last night with Elder Hanke and his companion Elder Chapman. They brought along Elder Allphin and Elder Ah Mu to dinner and it was just so much fun being with them. What wonderful young men these Elders are and we are grateful for them. Elder Hanke is doing really great out here. It's a countdown for him aye :). Next month is just so much closer - I know you must be super excited :). We're going to be so so sad to see him go because he's just been so much a part of us out here. He is Elder Tavoi  to us out here :). That's his Fijian name :). Everyones used to that even our Bishop. He's got a good grasp of the language and the we text him, talk to him and greet him in the Fijian Language - totally great!. What an awesome and sweet young man he is!!Thank you so much for raising such a wonderful wonderful Missionary.
 
 Best,
 
 Mary :)

A big shout out to Diana – YEA!!!!  Treatments are a thing of the past… only direction to look is ahead!

Love to everyone.... have a Happy Valentine’s Day!