TALOFA!

 Sorry about how large my mouth is. haha. I don't know if you can tell in the picture but this was from last P day. My hand was killing after all the letters and I had a huge ink smudge all across my finger from writing. 

 This is Seka and Karen from the ward. I love them tons! Seka is one of the sweetest people I've ever met in my life. 

 Me and my companion, Sister McBride. She's the greatest! I love her tons. So happy to be with her. (Excuse the flying balloons. Seka was trying to have balloons in the air in the background. It didn't work too well. This was at a song practice/setting up for their YSA dance.)

 Um, what?? I thought I was going to Seattle on my mission. It's been so hot and muggy here. No me gusta. 

 My planner--the most important word for us to know serving in a Samoan ward--fia'ai. It means hungry. I was told that about a hundred times my first few days. hahaha. 

Sister McBride and I yesterday on her camera. Yesterday was a long, busy, hot day. But so good!

Talofa Family!

How are all of you? Hope Joe's basketball camp was fun. I'm really sorry to hear Bruce is still sick. I've been including him in my prayers. I hope he gets better soon. 

To answer your questions: I'm not formally learning the Samoan language. I can be transferred within six weeks so we don't have language study or anything. I just try and pick up a few words or phrases each day. Tomorrow we're having our first language study. We're just going to learn to bear a simple testimony in Samoan. We have a Samoan/English dictionary in our apartment. 

This week was good. It went by so fast. I can't believe it's already P-Day again. Crazy. We were supposed to have a baptism this Friday. Sina, one of our investigators was supposed to be baptized. She's amazing. I love her so much. I haven't worked with her from the beginning but even in just the time that I've been here I've seen a huge change in her. She's so much happier. We fasted with her on Tuesday for her husband to allow her to be baptized. He's working on the boat so she hasn't seen him in a couple months but she was very worried he would say no. So we fasted for that and she said she also wanted to fast that he would break some of the bad habits he had and that the Lord would bless her family. (She has an adorable little three year old girl). Since fasting on Tuesday she's had a light. I think she really loved it. We found out on Thursday though that her husband got really angry when she asked permission. He told her no. She was so disappointed. She even told us that she fasted another day by herself. She's amazing. We're just moving forward though. We have to trust in the Lord. He wants Sina to be baptized as well. We just have to have faith. 

I feel bad for her that it didn't happen on Friday, but I still feel really positive. Sister McBride and I decided that we'll just try and teach the husband the lessons. Maybe they can be baptized together. I had this thought when we were weekly planning. It's a huge act of faith. We are going to have to overcome some negative feelings, that's for sure. I'm shocked at some of the things she's told us about him. I didn't like him. I think Heavenly Father is testing us--to see how Christlike we can be. Ever since Friday we've been praying to see him how our Father in Heaven sees him. Because Heavenly Father loves him so much, even though he has had made some poor decisions. we just have to help him feel that love. The gospel really is for everyone. It changes people's lives. When we told Sina we wanted to teach him the lessons she just kind of snickered and said good luck, but behind that there was so much hope. The gospel changes lives. It's already changed hers and it can change Amwuch's too. (That's his name.) 

Siona, another one of our investigators, was supposed to be married this Friday. After he's married he's good to be baptized. He wasn't married though and he didn't come to church yesterday. He's been really hard to get ahold of. We called him yesterday and found out he overslept. Really pray for him. He's ready to be baptized but he doesn't have support from his wife. She said he could if he wanted to, but she's not happy about the church. 

We had dinner with Tao yesterday. She's so great. Tao is married to Nepo. He's a less active member. Their son, Trey, is really strong in the gospel and he wants to serve a mission. We've been teaching her. We had a really great lesson with her about faith. We met with her again on Saturday. She hadn't done the reading we asked her to do so we read together. Nepo and Trey were both there as well. We read Alma 32:21-28. (I think it was 32??) It was so great. The Spirit was strong. Nepo bore his testimony about how much happier he has been lately because he's started going back to church. It was a great lesson, but Tao's stomach was bothering her so she was kinda quiet. They come to Sacrament Meeting but then leave after that. I wish she would stay. Nepo is Samoan but she is Vietnamese so she doesn't understand Sacrament Meeting since it's all in Samoan. They offer Sunday School and Relief Society in English. I think it would really help her to learn more about the gospel and gain a testimony if she'd stay for the English classes. She's wonderful, though. I love her so much. She fed us terriyaki chicken yesterday. It was the best thing I've eaten so far in the field. So good. I felt so bad though. We went to visit a member before our dinner appointment with her and we got out of there way too late so we were late to meet her. Plus they fed us there so we had to eat two dinners. I was unable to fully enjoy the terriyaki chicken because I was so full. But Tao isn't Samoan so she didn't force us to eat seconds. I couldn't even finish my first plate so there's no way I would have been able to eat more. I just wish we wouldn't have been late. I hate being late. 

And we had forgotten our phone too. The elders had actually just left when we got there to come look for us. Everyone was worried. Oops. Last time we ever forget our phone. We were supposed to help her make doughnuts for the fireside but she was pretty much done when we got there. Oh, I felt so bad. She offered to make a bunch of doughnuts for the fireside we had last night. It was a YSA fireside but we had to sing in the choir because Elder Keung was playing the piano for it. I don't really like singing in choirs. But it turned out pretty good. Sina came to it and I think she liked it. There was a really poor turnout though. I felt so bad for Nicole. She's the YSA rep and she's been planning it for a long time. And we had lots of practices. And there was only a little over twenty people who came. She was crying. Poor girl. It turned out good though. 

We really need new people to work with. The work has been slow. We're running out of Samoans. haha. We've been praying lots. Please pray for us. No one seems to be interested in the gospel. It's ok, though. We'll find those Samoans who are. I'm not discouraged at all, so don't worry. Seriously, being on a mission I just feel happy all the time. I love this gospel so much. Heavenly Father is so aware of all of His children and He loves them so much. Never doubt that. He performs miracles everyday. We just have to open our eyes and see them.
I love this Samoan ward. Except for them feeding us ALL the time, it's the greatest. The members are so loving and ready to help us out. I love it.

 I've already started flattening my food and spreading it out. The other day Elder Keung told me I was on round .5. haha. But I still got away with it. The last few days the elders have been helping us out too. They'll eat some of the food on our plates if they can sneak it. Sister McBride said they don't usually do that, but man I am grateful for it. I'm trying to eat smaller servings. They don't really have fruits and vegetables... so, yeah. I'm eating fruit in my apartment though. Most of the food is pretty good, just way too big of servings. For dessert they'll give you a huge piece of cake and a huge amount of ice cream. ugh. 

Oh funny story, Dad. We were at a nasty Chinese buffet the other night. It's by far the worst one but with the new mission president switch we're unable to travel outside the Seattle Zone until President Choi approves it. This has been difficult since we cover a huge area. They're supposed to get it approved today so that'll be good. Anyway, nasty Chinese Buffet. even the members who took us there said they didn't like it. Last time my companion went there she got a fortune that said now was the time for her to pursue that love interest. She had just gotten to the field. This time it said something about how she was going to befriend a small stranger. Weird fortunes. But I told them about your tub and rub fortune that will change our day. They all died laughing. They thought it was so funny. Hope you still have the fortune in your wallet. hahaha. 

Was O Say What is Truth your mission song, Mom? They said it's been the mission song for many years. Just curious. We sing that at meetings and stuff.

Well, I love you all so much! The gospel is so true! Read the scriptures. They're amazing. Choose the right.

Love,
Sister Veronica White

Sorry if this is really long.