Bula tale!
Plenty fun and
interesting things happened this week. But I'll start with the best story of
the week. Bed Bugs. Yep. They are real. And they really do bite. A lot. And I
really don't like them. I used to doubt too. I used to think they were fake,
but now I know for myself that they are REAL.
We went on exchanges this
week with some of the sisters in Suva. I put my pillow and blankets on
the bed and sat down and we started chatting. Then I saw a big black bug on my
sheets. So I casually squished it and remained calm. Then I felt bites. But
that's normal because, you know, I have syrup for blood or something. So I
asked her if they have mosquito problems. She casually said no. Then
added as an afterthought...."but we do have some bed bugs." I tried
to remain calm. No problem. I've done fleas. and lice. and mosquitos. Bed
bugs should be no big deal. After talked for a bit she fell off to sleep. Not
me. I was wide awake. I could feel the bugs all over me. New bites left
and right. So I went to the bathroom. And picked about 20 bugs off my pillow.
Then decided to try sleeping on the tile floor with just my own sheet and
pillow. No good. Still wide awake. Being eaten alive. Ugh. This time I
took my sheets and pillow and blanket in and picked bugs off for like half an
hour. So. Gross. But I lived. By then it was like 2 a.m. and sister was
passed out. So I decided to try to sleep in the opposite corner as far from the
bed as possible. With just my pillow. No luck. So I read the Ensign to distract
me. Every few minutes I discovered a new line of 20 or so bites up my legs or
neck or arms. Picked off more bugs. Tried to sleep again. No success. It felt
like a nightmare. Because you know everything is 10x worse when it's just you
in the middle of the night and you're dead tired. I finally slept a bit at like 4:30.
No fun sara ga. But now I'm a BED BUG SURVIVOR. So that's good. :)
We also had an awesome
MLC this week. I always love MLC. We had Elder Taylor, who is the area
psychiatrist, come and train us. It was fabulous! I wish I would have known
about this stuff at the beginning of my mission. He talked a lot about not
stressing about the things we can't do anything about right now. And just
focusing on the work. Good advice eh? I thought so too.
We also got to have
Sister Mauga and Sister Laru stay with us. They are the Sister Training
Leaders from Ba. And they rock. We all get along SO well. I was soooo
happy to see Sister Laru. I love that girl. And last time I saw
her, She was waving from the fence as I boarded the plane to leave
Taveuni.
So we've been real busy
this week. And guess what? We even gave the Relief Society lesson with like 10
minutes planning. And I wasn't even nervous. (My roommates would be real
proud.) The mission changes people. So I'm grateful for that.
I just want to end with
one line that hit me really hard this week. In MLC we were talking about how
the mission is worth it even if we feel like we are not having as much success
as we would like. And someone mentioned the line from the Joseph Smith movie
......."We're not just building a Temple, the Lord is building
us." True eh? I really like that. I really want to focus on
letting the mission change me and mold me into the person my Heavenly Father
wants me to be. This is truly the Lord's work. Not just in bringing people to
the truth, but also in strengthening His children. And that's exactly what
missions do. They strengthen us.
"We're not just
building [the church in Fiji], the Lord is building us."
:)
I feel so blessed to be a
missionary here in Fiji! :) The church is true!
Loloma Levu,
Sista Matheson :)
Lami! The area next door
to us! It's beautiful and I totally want to die here. :)
Lunch on our exchange! With Sister Bauro! She's the cutest!
"Luve ni ika" or "offspring of fish" so
you can imagine...... ha. It was pretty interesting. Basically fish eggs.
Straight from the fish and still in the tubes. Yum.
Sister Bauro and I again!
Their area is
gorgeous.
My Bedbug arms at 3
am. No good. Bed bugs like to bite in lines ish.
Dinner with the Petersons and all four STL's.
They are the sweetest!
On our way out of MLC we
happened to meet Sister Ranama! Small World. Her mom is like my mom in
Taveuni and she served in Temple Square! And Sister Laru was even there! :)
Face masks with the Ba Sisters! Sister Laru and Sister Mauga.
Exchanges with Sister Tuahiva! Last time we were on exchanges
together she was the Sister Training Leader! ha.
