An Instrument in His Hands: Happy Mother's Day!

Bula!

First of all.... Happy Mother's Day! I hope everyone's Mother's day was as wonderful as mine! :) Elder Walker said it best when he said..."I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be today. Except with my mom....... but I know she would want me here! So here is the best place to be!" But it was a nice relaxing Sunday afternoon with all the missionaries on Taveuni at the McFadden's! We skyped and had dinner and chatted all night. And watched the Gorgeous sunset between the palm trees. :)

As for the rest of the week..... we had 5 investigators at church! Yay! All of which are progressing really well! So that's exciting. And we helped with the YW Activity of making cookies for Mother's Day. And we had an awesome service day scraping coconuts for coconut oil with Sister Bose's family.

One of the principles that I really gained a testimony of this week was Sacrifice. I'm so grateful for the stalwart examples of sacrifice here in Somosomo. One of which is Sister Bua. She is probably almost 80 and walks way down from a far away village every Sunday and every activity. Most of the time she doesn't have the 70 cents for bus fare but she doesn't let that stop her. Or the rain. Or the heat. Or the fact that she doesn't have shoes. She's always at church and she always has a great attitude. This week we gave her our extra flip flops so she didn't have to walk back barefoot and she was so excited. She's adorable. We love her. :) I've realized that many times we are too comfortable with just taking, taking, taking. But when we learn to sacrifice and press forward with faith and humility.... miracles happen.

This week I'm so grateful for MOMS. Moms make the world go round. Don't you think? I think so. Mom's have so much power and influence it's unreal. I know that as a missionary force we are a modern day "Army of Helaman." We're not experts at teaching, just as they were not experts at fighting. Yet we can press forward with a firm faith in Christ. With a knowledge that He will make up the difference as long as we obey with exactness. Just as Helaman's young army did so many years ago. And we can do that because "we have been taught by our mothers, that if we do not doubt, God will deliver us." We do not doubt that our mothers knew it and still know it. I am so grateful to have a mom who has always put the Lord first. Even when it was hard. And has paved the path of righteousness for all of her children to follow. She is the perfect example of selflessness and righteousness. And I am so grateful for her in my life.

Loloma Levu!

Sister Matheson :)

With our moms for the day! (L to R: Sister Walker, Sister McFadden, Sister Laru, Sister Matheson)

Sister Bua and her new flip flops!

Dinner at the Driver's! :)

The YW Activity

These Elders.... doesn't our district leader look like Sunshine? (Tyler Roberts?)

The natural water slide right next to Sister Bose's house. We stopped by on our way back from service and it's awesome! Can't wait to try it out after the mission!