October 25, 2015 (Third email)

Alright. I thought I was being clever when I put cute little tongan subject lines, but from now on I'll also provide a somewhat accurate translation. Tongan is very simple, yet very complicated, because it's so simple. If that makes any sense. Also, simple doesn't mean easy. 

I'm sorry you're not feeling well. That's no good. I hope you get better soon!

Mom, don't let your emotions hinder your messages. Of course, me saying that is rather hypocritical, considering I've hid plenty of my emotions in my emails, as well. Mostly I just convey the happy ones, which i feel like you do, too. So, if we promise to both be frank to each other, in both the happy and the sad, I feel like that will work out. Maybe? I don't want you to worry, though, about the sad things, as I'm sure you won't want me to worry, either. And I won't I'll just pray, because that's all I can do!

I never thought it was possible to feel physical pain from missing someone, until I left for my mission. My first taste of it was when I said goodbye to clytie. That was so hard. When I said goodbye to all of you, it wasn't quite as bad at first, because there was just so much going on at the moment. But driving to the MTC made me feel very carsick, from something other than the usual reason. The worst thing, I think, was after I'd hugged you, and dad, and luke, I was ok, but right before I took off with that other sister. I saw the looks on tate and cohen's faces, and it broke what was left of my courage! That look will haunt me until I return. 

But I also want you to know, I'm so so very happy here. I finally can see the changes this gospel has in the lives of others, and the blessings -eternal blessings- that they can receive just because me and my companion left our families for just a little while. but mostly because of the savior. I've seen now, more than ever, that everything I have is because of the savior. And i'm eternally grateful.

Ok, time is short, I have to go. I love you mom, with all my heart and soul.

love,

your daughter

October 25, 2015 (second email)

We have this investigator named "james" who we've been working with for a while. One lesson we sang a hymn for him and his wife, and they loved it so much they gave us candy leis and a whole watermelon. AMERICAN CANDY! yum! The Tongan on the right, her name is Ester, and she goes on vilohoa with us all the time. She loves participating in the work!

​THIS BABY is adorable.  I tried to get a good picture of her ADORABLE smile, but the picture kind of blurred. She's SO CUTE.​

October 25, 2015

Hey, what's happening at home? I haven't heard from you all in a while.

So, my companion runs for the BYU track team and her scholarship She also studied nutrition before she got here, which I think is extremely ironic on God's part. He sure has a sense of humor. But anyways, every morning I feel like I want to throw up. Running is my worst enemy. Ok. So, I have a little bit of time now, and half an hour later at about.... 11:00. So, for you, that means you have until... like, 4:00 pm. 

SO we have this AMAZING investigator that popped up out of absolutely nowhere. When I was with sister Vaa'i we got him as a referral, and we'd been trying to contact him for weeks and weeks, but he was either never home, or very obviously ignoring us when he was home. Finally, one day, while sister Piva is here, we were trying to come up with a plan, and I thought about him, and we decided just to stop by his house while we were on our way to another appointment. when the time came, we went to his house, and stood there for several minutes calling his name (in Tonga you don't really knock you just call the person's name outside their house) and we decided he probably wasn't interested and started to head off. A member drove up in her car and started to talk to us before we got very far from his house, and after about two minutes talking to this member, the man (we'll call him william) came out from his house. We asked him a few questions and then asked him if he had an opportunity to listen to a quick message. He said yes. Typically, we have a message prepared, but we always leave a window open for the spirit to direct us, and that's exactly what we did! We talked to him about eternal families, and he shared with us that when he was 15, his dad died of a heart attack and he'd been really mad at God for several years. We were able to share with him about God, and how he loves us all. At the end of the lesson, he was completely open, and when we left I knew we'd said just enough to leave him wanting more. We set up another appointment to come back.

Long story short, we've been meeting for a couple weeks, and he's getting baptized! Truly, he is one of those "Golden Investigators" everyone talks about. Every time we come over to his house, he tells us a new way he's changed his life based on the gospel standards, and he tells us the blessings he's received from it! Literally, his conversion has nothing to do with us. His conversion is strictly between him and God. It's amazing! It is truly inspiring to see what the gospel can do in someone else's life. Last lesson with him I got a glimpse at everything. Everything it would be his opportunity to have, to do, to enjoy. He will be able to get the priesthood, his young daughters their baby blessings, and eventually their baptism! Eventually, he and his wife can be sealed in the temple, and AH! I can just SEE the happiness! I want to explode for this one soul who has seen the truth! If Vaa'i and I had given up on him, this would not have happened. He shared with us that he came out that day because he always ignores us when we come over, but that day he wanted to see what would happen if he let us in.

God prepares people to receive this restored gospel! He lives and loves us!

AND I LOVE YOU!

love, Sister Wunderlich

October 18, 2015

Ok, so I don't need deoderant, but I do need one small thing. One metal fork, One metal knife, and one metal spoon. You'd be amazed at the things we've used as silverware around here. I feel like we're playing pretend half the time, because when I was a kid and we used to play house, we'd use strange objects for everyday uses. Except this is real life, and I just want a fork. That is all. sorry if I seem so needy! If anything is too expensive please don't send it.

We have been busy busy busy! I don't know how we even get everything done that we need to. (actually, sometimes we don't, but we try our very best.) I keep having these dreams that I've come home early from my mission for some reason, but I'm trying to return, and I have to get all my stuff together that I need here. It's always nuts! Even my dream life is busy.

So. One more year. It's strange to think I've been out for this long! I feel like I should know so much more than I do now. But you know, life keeps rolling. Every holiday from now on that I experience here will be my last one! They actually have quite a few holidays here in which people don't really work or do anything, for that matter. They seem to happen for no reason, but the people seem to enjoy them!

Alright, I love you all, but I have to go. Please, everyone stay happy and healthy!

Sister Wunderlich

October 11, 2015

Oh. My. Gosh, people. I feel like I haven't spoken to anyone in the outside world for the last year. This week was so very long. So. Hmmm. Yeah, I'm still here in Navutoka, which is fine by me, I will continue to search for new people to teach, and continue working with the old ones! Here's the catch though, I'm training! 

I'm training a brand new Palangi sister named Sister Bever, and she is from Oregon. Her Tongan is way good, especially for just getting here. It's been interesting to watch her as we go around, her reactions to everything and such. She reminds me of me when I first got here! The culture is way different here, so I'm trying to help her cope as best I can.

Because the Tongans can't really pronounce either of our names correctly, we have to sort of tongan-ize them so that people can understand them. My name is simply Sister Lisi-- which means 'list'. We were trying to decide on a good name for sister Bever, so we decided that 'sister Peva' was closest. For one day, we walked around telling everyone that her name was sister "Peva" until one time we said it and a bunch of teenagers started cracking up. We looked at each other, and when we got the chance, we looked it up in the dictionary. "Peva" in tongan means a small flat sea worm, kind of like a leech. So, we've changed her name to sister "Piva" which means "Skirt". Now we walk around as Sister Skirt and Sister List. 

I'm beginning to truly realize the extent of my Tongan, now. When we go out I see that I know a lot more than I thought I did, but sometimes it shows me a true representation of what I lack, as well. It's alright though. Things are tough, but we soldier on! 1 Nephi 3:7 is more relevant than ever before. There are so many days where we basically have to throw ourselves of the cliff and into the unknown, and have faith that loving arms will catch us as we do the best we can! It's truly been a humbling experience, thus far. 

Time is short today, so the email is short today. But take that as your spiritual thought for the day. When times get tough, trust. Trust that everything will be alright. If you struggle with something, anything, tell Him. Trust that everything will work out to his grand design, even if you don't see it yet. I promise that as you make it through the refiner's fire, you will come out better and more perfect than ever before. I love you all so very much.

Keep going!

Sister Wunderlich

Sister Bever and I

October 4, 2015

UE! Dad I didn't know you don't get my emails! I thought you were already on the list? Sorry About that, I'll be sure to add you next time I mass email.

HEY! No, I did not yet hear who the new apostles were, but I'm glad you told me otherwise I would've had to wait another week. The only one of those I recognize is Elder Rasband, because he came to the MTC and spoke while I was there. But that's good! I've been astonished each time I hear that another apostle has died, and it makes me sad, but I know the Lord's work always continues, and I'm sure these new ones will be great!

I had the opportunity to see the Womens general conference last night, (In Tongan, so it was much harder) But My companion and I both commented on how old the prophet looks. What, I leave utah, and everything goes to pot? I didn't know I was needed so much! Hahaha. 

that's super cool that you got tickets! Do you know what general authority it was, because that's super awesome! 

As far as transfers go, They have not yet happened? We think. We thought they were supposed to be yesterday, but we didn't hear anything, and we're supposed to get a call whether we get transferred or not. Then we heard they were today, but I guess we'll see. I could just be spending another six weeks here with sister Vaa'i! I can't decide whether I want to stay or go. Truly, I love the people here, but I also feel like I'm ready for something new. But, whatever the Lord wants! 

In tonga, we eat two meals a day, because the members have to provide them for us, But I'm actually not sure if the rest of Tonga eats breakfast, either. Usually lunch consists of sandwiches of some sort. Corned beef sandwiches, or spaghetti sandwiches, or just bread and butter. Usually when they bring it to our house, they just bring two loaves of bread and then butter and a can of corned beef or spaghetti. My comp and I don't really favor the corned beef or spaghetti, so we usually just eat the bread. BREAD. The bread is AMAZING here. WAY better than the normal bread in Utah, and a loaf from the china store is a dollar fifty. It is so good. For dinner, anything goes. Sanwiches, sausages, fish, rice, chicken, pork, (dog) anything, and usually with a plate of ufi or tapioka root on the side. Lots of it. Almost no fruits or veggies. I'm going to need to go on a diet when I get home. I have not yet eaten dog. I haven't had the opportunity, and somehow I feel like if I eat dog, I'll return home and Phin will never look at me the same. But we'll see what happens!

alrighty, I gotta go. Thank you for keeping me updated in the goings on in the world! I love you so much.

I'll talk to you next week! (maybe, transfers and stuff)

LOVE 

Sister Wunderlich

Sept 27,2015

Hello everyone! This week went by SO fast. I blinked and it's monday again. This upcoming week is going to be crazy, too! It's the last week in this transfer, so on sunday we will know whether we stay in navutoka or leave. 

guess what? Two more baptisms on tuesday! Monday for you. This is really exciting. The thing is, we weren't even looking for these two, the Lord simply dropped two precious souls into our hands. They are both eight years old, and both come from completely different circumstances. The first, who's name we'll call Paul, comes from a very devout weslyan family, but his parents have told all of their children they can go to whatever church they wish. The members have been bringing him to class and sacrament meeting in church for several months, and apparantly when you ask him at school he tells you he's mormon. When we started teaching him, he was so excited. We told him we'd come at a certain time and he sat on his front porch with his book of mormon waiting for us to come! He also invited many of his other non-member friends, who got to participate in the lesson, too.

The other's name we'll call Dot. Dot has had a very hard life. A couple years ago, her father got very angry and because of this, her mother ended up passing away. Her father now, is in prison, and she has been separated from all of her siblings, and now they all live in separate houses. Her aunt asked us if we wanted to teach her. We came over to her house, and the first lesson we taught was the plan of salvation. We talked about how if we follow the gospel, families are able to be together forever. She loved it! She gets so excited every time we come over. One evening we were late to a lesson and she was very concerned, and her aunt told us she was kneeling by the door, praying for us to come.

The love I have for both of these children kind of feels like it might rip me apart. I want to do everything I can to make sure they stay strong in this gospel! We've integrated them into the Primary, and they both now have many friends there, and we've assigned a member to pick Paul up for church every week because Sister Vaa'i and I may not be here for much longer. Their baptism tomorrow is going to be amazing, and we've invited all of their nonmember friends to come to the baptism so they can see for themselves what we've taught about, and hopefully they'll be able to feel the spirit there, too.

I have not yet had the chance to see anything from the General Women's session yesterday. I actually thought it was next week? But maybe that's because they have to translate everything into Tongan. So it looks like we'll watch each session a week late, but better late than never! Also, better in english than tongan. My companion and I will re-watch all of the sessions in english, when we get the chance to use a computer.

Which brings me to something else. If I end up getting transferred this week, I'm not sure when the next time Is I will have access to a computer, so If I don't email for a while again be patient.

My thoughts this week have been drawn time and time again to home, but it's not so much a bad thing. I keep having all these good memories floating back to me before I sleep. Memories of Family, hanging out at friend's houses, MANY memories of colorguard and all the fun I had there, Summers, winters, so on and so forth. But, they don't make me miss home so much, they just bring a warm feeling to my heart. Of course, I do long to see you all, but for now the phrase "Someday" keeps me satisfied. 

A mission is a mini version of life. You leave your family and friends and the people who love you so that you can fulfill God's purposes, and you know that all you have to do is be obedient and preach his gospel, so that "someday" you can return to your family, and be happy knowing you completed God's command. 

Same with this life. We've left our family, Our Eternal Father and Mother, so that his purposes might be fulfilled, and all we have to do is be obedient to his commandments, and "someday" we will get to return and live with him, forever.

It's amazing!

Thank you all so much for your love and support, and know that I miss you all dearly, and that I think about you all before I sleep! (Creepy much?) 

OFA LAHI ATU KIMOUTOLU! Oua te ke manavahe, ko e palani 'oe 'Otua 'oku haohaoa ia. Falala ki ai, 'oku ne osi 'ilo'i me'a katoa pe!

P.S. Have you ever gone through the temple in Tongan? Me neither. We're going on Saturday. This'll be interesting!

 This man was chopping down this tree with a machete!

 Tan lines.

This is the view when we go running every morning.