FIRST HINDI WARD IN FIJI!! January 28, 2018

This week was really good! I was sick most of it and so it was a little slow which was really rough, but there were some cool things that happened and so I'll quickly write about those!

Well this Tuesday we got a call from President Higgins inviting us to go to a meeting with the stake presidency to talk about the "hindi speaking unit" we are trying to start up! Well this meeting was so cool!! Instead of being a unit we found out that it is going to be a hindi ward! It has already been approved by Elder Johannson our area 70 now we just need to finish all the paperwork and it should be able to start next month! I am so excited!! I have been talking about this so much because it is so exciting for us and for all the Indian people here in Fiji! First ever hindi speaking ward in Fiji! 

We also have a baptism coming up this Saturday for Roshni!! She is so great!! Her testimony has grown so strong over the past couple weeks and it is so special to be a part of! She has given up coffee and tea recently which was such a big step for her but she isn't looking back!

I feel like time is moving so fast! I have been in this area now for 5 transfers and so I have had a lot of time to grow a love for the people here in Suva!! It is so excited to see so many people show their faith by joining the church, but it is also so amazing to see all of the recent converts continue down this path towards the temple. We have 10 or more recent converts that we hopefully will be able to go to the temple to do baptisms with before I leave the area! 

I love this work so much! I am so happy! I am excited for Whitney's wedding coming up! So crazy that she is getting married!! Really excited to see all the pictures! 

Love you all! Have a good week!

Pictures:

1. Hindi class at church

2. Our dog which smiles

3. All the hindi elders from around the area

4. With Kala after giving her a CTR ring:)

Birthday in Fiji January 21, 2018

This week was really good! Bobby and Sharmila both got baptized and confirmed this week and it was so awesome! I don't have a lot of time today, but one cool little story I'll share! After the baptism there was a Korean pastor from another church down in the area near Bobby's house. Well Bobby was just sitting around and this guys comes by and starts telling him his negative thoughts of of the church and how they have made a huge mistake! Well we stopped by a couple minutes after this all went down and Bobby shared such a strong testimony with us. One of the highlights of my mission!! "He thinks this is a man's church. I feel sad he doesn't know like I know that this is Christ's church on the earth today!! He should come to church with us so he can see for himself" Ahh he is so great! 

Hindi class this week was great! We have another 12 or more there! Unfortunately some left before I took the picture! But I'll send you the picture from this week too like last week! Birthday in Fiji

Fiji is the one January 14, 2018

This week has been so amazing!! First off I am staying in Suva and I am so excited because this transfer is going to be so special! We are really excited about all those we have been working with, but also a couple new investigators which are so awesome! 

Yesterday was a really good day! It was probably the busiest day of my whole mission! Saturday night me and Elder Shin planned for like 1 hour straight just writing down everything we needed to do! We said a couple prayers that night because we were so stressed, but God really came through for us like like he will if we are prepared and do our part! 

In Suva 3rd ward we saw so much success! We had the most people we have ever had to the hindi class! We had like 12 people there by the end, and we were missing another 8 or more that are almost always there, but were missing for either health problems, work, a funeral, or the weather! I was so excited that I hurried and took a picture or two before the class! As we were in ward counsel it was brought up multiple times that there are women in Relief Society and also men in Priesthood are frustrated because they are not able to understand, thus giving them not as much of a reason to stay for all 3 blocks and become more involved into the ward. I just was thinking to myself how these are things that can be solved one day when we have a hindi speaking unit, branch, or even a ward in Suva! It is so exciting to be a part of the work moving here in fiji with the hindi language.There is a good chance I will be leaving Suva sometime soon, and I want to leave it all out there before I go! There are too many investigators, recent converts, and members that I have grown to love with my whole heart that would benefit so much from it.

Sadly we found out this week that Cho and Ma moved to Lami which is out of our area:( The good thing is Elder Gygi is over there and he is going to help them pick up where we left off! 

Bobby had his baptismal interview yesterday! When people say "golden investigator" they are talking about someone that is way ons. Well Bobby is more than a golden investigator. He has the most faith I have ever seen out of anyone in my entire life. I really mean that! He has changed his entire life because of his faith in Jesus Christ. He has quit drinking, smoking, and instead has started good habits like reading the Book of Mormon, praying everyday and coming to church. I know he is going to do so much good in the church along with his wife Sharmila who will also be baptized this Saturday!

Maverick is also planned to be baptized this Saturday as well! We are super excited that the time is almost here, because it's been a long time coming! 

We are so excited about everything happening here in Suva! Life is really good! I am so happy to be able to help do the Lord's work here in Fiji! 

Love you all! Have a great week!! 

-- 

Elda Hess

Pictures:

1. Last day with Elder Larsen and Elder Worden

2. Funny one haha

3. Boys

4. My indian family in hindi class

5. Hindi class pt 2

6. New Zone Leader Elder Gaba from PNG

7. Isa Elder Larsen and Elder Bowen... legends haha

Living the Life in Fiji January 7, 2018

This week has been so good! Sorry I didn't send an email last week! We just got back from a zone trip to an island for p day so that is why we are getting on a lot later today! The island was super fun though! It's called mosquito island and we got to go as a whole zone! I'll send some pics below!

Sairoj got baptized on Saturday and it was so awesome! I'll send some pics below if it will work! She was so happy and so were we! It has been a long time waiting for her, but it was so worth it! 

Last week we met one of the coolest families in all of Fiji!! Bobby is the father and we met him down in Nanuku. We hit it off right of the bat because he said he recognized me from up in Labasa although we don't think we ever officially met! Well this is how prepared Bobby and his family are! After getting through part of our first lesson together they asked us,"How can we be baptized into your church?" Well that caught us a little off guard, but we were happy to explain how they can! We set baptismal dates with him, his wife Shivnil, his father in law Brother Sami, his son Justin, and his niece and nephew Sahil and Supria! They came to church 2 days after and stayed all 3 hours and loved it. Bobby said after church,"I felt something in my heart that I have never felt before. I feel so happy. I feel like I am home!" AND GET THIS!! He was looking for a job and we had promised God would help him find a job through his faith and diligence. Well the very next day he found the best job he has ever had in his life!! It is much much better than minimum wage and he was so, so grateful! He said that he knows that it was because he came to church and that even though it is a 7 day working job he told his job,"The only reason I got this job is because of God and so I can't work on Sunday." His boss was super cool and he now has every Sunday off from work! Bobby and his wife came to church again yesterday and they are so excited for their baptism on the 20th! 

So many other miracles happened, but because we were super busy today we don't have a lot of time! 

Love you guys! Hope all is well! 

Elder Hess

Pictures:

1. Suva district picture

2. Nice boat ride this morning

3. Pose

4. Me getting a coconut

5. Gotta love Fiji

6. With the coolest little kids up on Gittu

7. Saroj's baptismal picture

8. First group

9. Lusi's baptism