Fiji is so cool December 3, 2017

This week was really good! A couple cool things that happened are...

We got to go down to Suva town and be a part of the Light the World initiative! It was really cool! There was a function and a choir and stuff like that! We as missionaries got to talk to so many people! Elder Johansson of the area presidency was there and spoke! It was so cool. We stayed there all day and it was awesome. As missionaries 6 of us gave out 2000 pass along cards, 600 light the world calendars, and over 150 Book of Mormons! It was a great day!

This week we also met a guy named Rafa! He is Brazilian which is way random in Fiji, but from back home I have a couple connections to Brazil, so it was cool! He is a fire guys and will stay here for a long time! He is really interested! 

We also had a super sad thing happen though... Shiel is moving:( She was really excited with her newly set baptismal date, but she is leaving next week to the west! But the other elders will finish the lessons for her and I am also praying I get send out there next transfer!

We also had a huge blessing this week!! Learning Fiji Hindi there is only one book in existence that is actually in Fiji Hindi! It is the New Testament translated by the Bible Society of the South Pacific! The thing is there are almost none of them in existence. I've only seen one in the whole year we've been here! Well me and Elder Shin thought it would be a good day to stop by the Bible Society headquarters and we walk in and the main man over the whole bible distributions of Fiji is there and lets up know that in a couple hours the 2nd EVER shipment of the hindi bibles was coming in!! He said that he could get us 20 of them!!! We called President Higgins right away and let him know! It was the best day ever! It was not a coincidence! God put us right in the path so that we could receive more resources as missionaries of Him. 

Life is really good! The church is true. Christ lives! Have a good Christmas season! Love you all!

Pictures:

1. Light the world sign right in Suva!

2. Selfie with the most hindi bibles in one place at one time! 

3. Light the World with Elder Johansson speaking

4. Had the light the world video playing all day in the middle of the shopping mall!

5. Passing out Book of Mormons in Hindi, Fijian, and English:)

Fiji November 26, 2017

Helllo this week was really good! I don't have much time but I'll hurry and write some for you guys! 

Ashley got baptized on Saturday and then confirmed yesterday!! She was so excited that she was at church an hour and a half early for the confirmation! She is so awesome! Love her heaps! 

Cho and Makalesi now both have baptismal dates for next month on the 23 they are really progressing well and it's special to watch as their faith grows! 

This week we are going to go into town with Mark to help him get a things worked out in the court with his previous marriage so that is going to be great! Him and his wife have been waiting 30 years for this and so it's awesome to see huge progress starting to be made through their faith and diligence. 

We are seeing so many blessing and it's special to see how God's hand is working in the lives of the people of Fiji. I love it out here. 

This week is transfer week. I can't believe me and elder shin are already half way through our time together! Time is going too fast! 

I love you all! Have a great week! 

Elda Hess

Hello November 20, 2017

Hello sorry it has been so long! Everything has been really busy lately! It is a good thing though!

Kala got baptized last week! It has been so amazing to be able to be along side her and watch her progress from starting the lessons to now being baptized and confirmed! I'm not sure how much I have talked about Kala in the past and all she has gone through, but she has shown her faith so strong and we have seen so many miracles! She is one of the strongest people I have ever met and I love and respect her with my whole heart! Now the focus switches to the temple for her and and Kumar her husband! 

We have 7 baptismal dates right now! We are working hard with them! One man is named Cho! He is half Chinese and half Fijian, but he speaks hindi!! Super random but way cool! He is the only non Indian investigator we have right now! 

We have another baptism this Saturday for a girl named Ashely! She is sooo awesome!! Such a good kid! 

Elder Shin is the man! He has adjusted super well and is such a hard worker! 

We we able to go to the temple this morning as a zone and it was so awesome! We are the first zone to ever be able to go to the temple and we feel so blessed!! I forgot how much I LOVE the temple and miss it!!

Okay got to go! Love you guys! BYE! 

Elda Hess

No letter this week just a couple of pictures November 12, 2017

Hello from Fiji October 29, 2017

Hey sorry it's been 3 weeks! I bet most of you didn't even notice though until now! 

Things have been crazy here! In a really good way though, well mostly! 

Elder Hariprasad finished and went back to India! I miss him lots but I'm just thankful I got to be with him for a transfer! 

As of two weeks ago I am with Elder Shin from West Jordan! He is the man! He has only been in Fiji now for a week and a half but he is killing it! We have had tons of fun together already and have seen lots of success! 

Raj's baptism was on Saturday and so that was really awesome! He is 9 years old and just a stellar kid! He lives near the chapel and is already super involved in primary and so it's been a good transition! 

Also we saw another miracle this past week! Kala the aunti who cannot walk showed her faith and came to church by being carried on a chair. It was so powerful! Well exactly 2 days after that act of faith we stopped by a recent converts house and he told us he had received a wheelchair for Kala!!! Like it was so random and an absolute miracle! I believe that it was only possible because Kala showed so much faith just 2 days before. We have been looking for a wheelchair for her for 4 months now and I know it wasn't a coincidence that it was right after the act of faith! Her baptism is coming up in 2 short weeks! It has been a long time coming but will be so worth it!

One heartbreak was with Domonik. He is a boy from Kiribati who is staying here in Suva. Well we heard news from Christmas Island that his family would not support him in the baptism and so for now we are going to have to wait until the Lord provides another way! 

Just yesterday we showed up to our Suva 1st ward and you won't believe who was there!! Well it was the whole Pacific Area Presidency(President O. Vincent Haleck, Elder Ian S. Ardern, and Elder Craig A. Cardon) AND every single Mission President and their wives from the whole pacific!! 17 of them! So that was a little crazy, but also really, really cool! I'm just glad we were there early!! Not everyday that you have 3 General Authorities and the 17 Mission Presidents in your sacrament meeting! 

Saturday night was one of the best finding nights of my mission so far. We found 10 new investigators from 5 different houses in just 2 hours!! I think that's got to be a new record for the hindi program in Fiji! 

Things are really good! Elder Shin is the man! He's already picked up some hindi it's awesome! We are working hard and just living it up! Love you all! Sorry it's been a long time!! 

I know there has been heaps more that has happened I just can't write it all right now! 

Isa Hum aaplog se pyar karta hei. Ii zinagi bohut acha hei. Hum kushi lage jaab hum cam kare bhagvan ke liye. BYE!

No letter from Elda Hess this week, just LOSTS of AWESOME of pictures October 22, 2017

October 15, 2017

Love you all sorry i dont have time today to do anything except let you all know that i am alive and well! We are doing a big celebration this week as a zone! Things are good! I got to see some of the things you all sent! Love you guys! Have a great week! So sorry for this!

--

Elda Hess

8 Months!! October 8, 2017

This week has been fantastic!

I have enjoyed so many things, but probably the best part was conference! I loved general conference! I feel so uplifted because of the words of the prophets! I really wish I had appreciated it more fully my entire life up to this point! It is amazing how true the church is. Like wow it is so true it's crazy! 

I loved what my grandpa shared with me:

One of my favorite scriptures is "Look unto me in every thought doubt not fear not.” That is a commandment which may take a lifetime to  achieve but I think me meant what he said.  D&C 6:36   In verse 34 He said, therefore fear not, little flock; do good;  let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail. The great question we need to ask ourselves when confronted with decisions in life is, "what would Jesus do.”

I love this what my grandpa sent me because Christ is the way. It is so special to know of his true church on the earth today! I also really loved Elder Holland's talk. It gives us hope that we are not expected to be perfect. We are in a fallen state right now, but that is what the atonement of Jesus Christ is for. It makes it possible for us to overcome that spiritual death that comes from our sins. I know that it is not easy but because of Jesus Christ we have hope. Don't get discouraged just keep working. It will all be worth it!  

We are leaving soon to do a hike as a zone which is going to be really fun! 

Love you all! Sorry not many details! 

-- 

Elda Hess

October 1, 2017

This week has been really good!! 

Me and Elder Hariprasad have been doing lots of walking as usual! It is starting to really get hot during the days so usually we are pretty dehydrated by the end of the day, but what's new ay!

This week we have put in lots of effort to find a wheelchair for Kala. You couldn't imagine how hard it is to find a wheelchair here. We see them everywhere, but it is nearly impossible to find one for cheap. Satan is just working hard to try and stop us, but Kala is so awesome and nothing is going to stop her! We have narrowed down the search though and we should be able to get her her very own wheelchair soon! But if any of you by chance have a connection to someone with a wheelchair in Fiji just let us know!

This week we met James! Well actually James came up and met us! He stopped us on the road and let us know that he wants to be married in the temple!! Well that doesn't happen everyday!! We met with him on Friday and he is awesome! Baptismal date for next month! 

We were walking home from a dinner appointment the other night and we saw a sasa(broom) on the side of the road! And this thing looked just like the Nimbus 2000 from Harry Potter and so we took some pics and then brought it home with us! 

We got invited to come to dinner with some members at Tiko's Sea Food and Steak House!! It was so good! The restaurant is right in the middle next to the ocean and is actually on a boat!! I felt more like a tourist than I did a missionary because it was a fun experience!!

Well things are going good here! I really love Suva! The members are so awesome! I love the work! 

I have been reading in the book 'Our Search for Happiness' by Elder Ballard and it really is eye opening. It has helped me look at things through the perspective of an investigator or nonmember and that is cool! You all should definitely read it! 

Okay love you all! Sorry not a very detailed email, but I'm always running low on time! 

Hum aaplog se pyar kare hei!

Aagle haafta na! Namaste! 

Pictures:

1. Nimbus 2000

2. Almost took this with me home

3. Suvaaaa

4. Tiko's 

5. Skux district with Aunti Gina

6. Eta's baptism

7. Pt 2