Week 3 MTC

Hello! This week has flown by oh my goodness! It's true when they say after the first week everything starts going faster. Lots has happened this week. We are really starting to get into the groove of things and it's nice. On Tuesday we had Elder Schwitzer of the seventy come and speak with us and it was such a cool devotional. He taught us so many things about prayer and I really enjoyed it. He said that we need to align our will with God's before and after we pray. That really got me thinking and taught me a lot. He also talked about the "Nephi Principle" which is that God gives us challenges everyday that are meant to strengthen us up to accomplish more as we go on. For example God commanded Nephi to go gets the plates from Laban and a lot of times we look at that story and think of that as the most important story and greatest challenge Nephi faced, but Elder Schwitzer said that God was just preparing Nephi for what was to come. 

The other day I was able to give my first blessing. It was a great experience. I knew hardly anything about the sister who I was giving it to, but when i started giving it so many thoughts started coming to my head. The power of God is real. And that really strengthened my testimony about that. 

This week has also been really hard in a lot of ways. 2 of the elders in my zone had to go home. I was really close with both of them so it was really difficult to see them go. The night after both of them left we had a testimony meeting and the spirit was so strong. I felt such an assurance of the power of the atonement and I was 

super grateful for that. I know God has a plan for them and that they are being watched over. 

The language is coming pretty good actually. We had our first TRC last night which is when you teach some members from the area that speak fijian. This is different from our normal lessons because this isn't role playing. Its more like a home teaching lesson. That makes it more difficult because even though we can still teach basic doctrine it is hard to have the small talk in between. Its more of a discussion than a lesson so its a lot harder. It actually went super well though. We taught two lessons, both to return missionaries who are going to UVU right now. They were such cool guys and just kept telling us how jealous they were of us because we get to go serve the greatest people on earth. He also said after we were done that our fijian is better than his was when he left the MTC so that was comforting I guess.

I love you all so much and am always thankful for your support. 

Keep writing me because I love hearing from all of you!

  

Have a great week. 

Au lomani kemuni.

Elder Hess

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Week 2 MTC

Hello!

Lots happened this week. We are starting to get into the rhythm of things and it is very nice not to be the newest missionaries here anymore. To be honest it feels like I've been here for months! Its crazy it's only been a week and a half. Everyone talks about how if you get past Sunday then everything starts to go better, and wow can I testify of that! Sunday was such an amazing day. The spirit was so strong throughout the entire day. We had a devotional which was incredible and then we got to watch a video of one of elder Bednar's talks about how to have Christ like characteristics and it was amazing!! I don't know if it's just because I am ready to take it all in now or what but that was the most impactful talk I have ever heard in my life. I was very thankful for that boost.

The language is coming a lot better. We have been teaching lessons in all Fijian throughout the whole week and although they started very rough, they are slowly getting a little better! I am studying harder than I have every studied. I can see a little progress everyday and so that is really uplifting to see. 

OH YEAH and guess what? So on Tuesday we had another devotional and because we loved the one on Sunday so much we decided to go early to get good seats! When we got there there were a lot of people but we still got good seats. Then right before the meeting started one of the sisters from our zone came up to us and said it was an apostle that was coming! and that she has a couple seat up by her that were going to be opening up. Me and Elder Aisa hurried up there and we we were like 4 rows back in the dead center! ahhh i was pumped. We still didn't know who it was though. When the mystery Apostle walked in we all stood up. And it was Elder Ballard!! ahh i was so excited. I felt the spiriy so strong as he walked up. He gave a great talk about having a positive attitude and setting good goals. While he was talking i had the overwhelming assurance that he is an Apostle of God. His testimony was incredible. It was an amazing night. I don't have a lot of time this morning so I've got to go. I attached a bunch of pictures below. I can't remember which ones are which but ask me questions about them if you have any haha. I love you all. Thank you for all your love and support. Mom thanks for the cookies my district loved them. Especially Elder Scholle. haha he ate his and Elder Cox's haha.

Elder Samuel Jason Hess

MAR22  FIJ-SUV
2005 N 900 E Unit 103

Provo UT 84602

This is my info if any of you want it. Au lomani iko.

VAKANUINUIVINAKA

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Elder Hess​

First 3 days MTC

Hello guys,

First two days down. My P day is going to be Friday while here in the MTC! Everything is going really good. My companion is elder Aisa from Australia and he is a really good guy. He is Samoan and lived there for the first five years of his life. We are the only two elders going to Fiji here in the MTC. There are two other sisters who are also going to Fiji and who are in our class. One of the sisters is from Tonga and the other is from Papa New Guinea. Fijian is very different. I am trying really hard but it is really difficult to pronounce things. I am getting better though! It is also hard to remember because it doesn't really relate to English at all. I study a lot though and have noticed a lot of improvement in even the first two days. The other two elders in my district that I room with are elder Scholle from Orem who is the only elder going to the Marshall Islands speaking Kiribati! He is actually the one I went through the temple with for the first time. We got our endowment out the same day so we knew each other before we got here. And his companion is Elder  Cox going to Tonga! Brennan Cox! He was one of Whitney's friends so I knew him before also. The chance of that!! haha. He went to AF and graduated in 2015. He is the only elder going to Tonga. It's kinda crazy because just in our room we are learning 3 different languages and so we like practice our vocab and simple phrases to each other but no one understands what the others are saying. But what's funny is now I am actually starting to understand a couple things in Tongan and Kiribati. haha. I'm gonna be mad if i get out to Fiji and remember more Tongan than Fijian haha.

This is definitely a special place. The spirit is so strong everywhere you go and I know I am going to love it. I already do! Us four elders are already like best friends! I feel the spirit stronger than ever and its the greatest feeling! 

Our Zone is all the island and ASL(American Sign Language). We have 31 people and are learning the most languages out of all the zones here in the MTC. And one whole district in our zone is just sign language! We have another elder, elder Mywa from Papa New Guinea also going to the Marshall Islands but he is learning Marshallese or however it's spelled. And then we have another elder, elder Larrson who is learning Haitian going to Florida he is also the only one learning that language here.

Well while I'm in the MTC I will be emailing on Friday so look out for me! I love you all. Please pray for me to receive the gift of tongues because i am teaching a lesson tomorrow night in all Fijian... 

Au Lamoni Iko.

Elder Hess