An Instrument in His Hands: Bed Bugs are for REAL.

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! :)