Grateful for all of YOU!

Dear Family and Friends,

Well i hope everyone enjoyed last week.. this week there isn't really much i have to share or say... but i just want to give my love and gratitude to all those that support me.. and also to Courtney for doing this blog and for her letters and support.. There is something really interesting and i hope my mom will be okay with me doing this.. but i just want to share the testimony that she has.. I know and can see the growth in my mom as well as for me in reading and i am just grateful for it..." I'm so grateful to our heavenly father for all that he has giving me.  Especially my family and our children we were blessed with.  I'm grateful for having Grandma Julie around to be with her grandchildren and great grand babies.  I'm grateful for having the Gospel in our lives that set standards and principals for us.  I'm grateful for having a living prophet that receives revelation, serves his people, and gives us guidance.  I'm grateful for the Missionary Program that the church has to serve the people throughout the world and gives everyone a opportunity to hear about our Savior Jesus Christ and his gospel.  I'm grateful for you and Josiah for choosing to go on a Mission.  What a blessing to be able to learn your own native tongue and to teach the people in a foreign country. 

I know that all these things are through our Heavenly Father and I'm truly grateful;)

I am also really grateful for Courtney.. and i know how much she loves and serves the Lord in helping all those that she can.. and here is her testimony of Service and Love "So this week was Thanksgiving. I can’t explain how thankful I am to know that this Church is True. How was I so blessed to be born into a family that believed in this beautiful gospel? As I look around at our family I am so thankful for each and every one of them.  So being that it is Thanksgiving week I just wanted to share my testimony of Service and Love. My two favorite things. I have loved giving service since I was a little girl. I watched my dad get so excited to help anybody he could find. He always told me that service is doing something for someone else and receiving blessings in return for what you did. My mom also reaches out to families secretly and does special acts of kindness. I have a huge testimony of how service is a sacred part of the gospel. I see how not only service changes the person who gave it but it also humbles the person who receives it. I am so thankful for all the opportunities that I am able to serve others.  Love in the gospel to me is not judging other people, letting go of little things, and becoming like a little child.  Where we live I feel like this is overlooked. There are so many members around us that we forget that even people in our own wards need love. Love changes people. Love is that person holding the door , the one hug from a member at church,  a simple hello or a sincere how are you doing. I wish everyone could just love each other and always be reminded that everyone is a child of God. Love is the most powerful gift we can give and so many people are yearning for it. I have a testimony of the love our Savior has for us. He knows us. As you know Elder Holland came and spoke last week to us. At the end of his talk he blessed the people. With my health the way it has been I have been really discouraged. Tired and hurting all the time and confused. He gave me a blessing of health. I felt  his words seep into me and hands placed on my head as if he was standing behind me. My anxiety lifted and I knew that everything was going to be fine. Our Heavenly Father loves us and hears our prayers. I am so thankful for the love of our savior. I hope that this week you will give extra care and love for those you are teaching and talking to. Every moment is a moment we can use to be examples of the gospel and show our love. I am so proud of you that you are serving a mission and giving Full-Time service and love to the people of New Zealand. They are so extremely lucky!... "  I know that she is a daughter of God sent to help me and support me.. thank you so much to her also.. 

Something about the mission right now.. the area is going good.. my companion and I just found and set a girl for baptism.. they were a referral from members.. .and we went over and the mom said, "oh hey my daughter wants to be baptized". then found out the family was less-active.. so we went back the next day.. had a great lesson with them.. and invited them to church... what a great blessing it was to sit in sacrament meeting and to see this family sitting there and giving there love and showing there faith to the Lord... this week we have heaps of work in for us.. as we get ready for this week.. we have heaps of new investigators and it is time to share and set them for baptism.. well as the New Zealand Auckland Mission does it....

"WE SAVE SOULS WEEKLY"

-Elder Tiatia

Giving Thanks

Dear Family and Friends,

 

Alofa atu! Well I hope that everyone likes the blogs.. a special thanks to Courtney who designed and keeps my blog going.  I am very thankful for you. So this week has been very special and with the holiday of Thanksgiving,  I was thinking maybe we can take it to the next level. For those that can, please watch this clip.. http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?lang=eng&query=thanksgiving+mormon+messages#in-the-spirit-of-thanksgiving

On your Facebook status name a few things you are grateful for in this life, both spiritually and also temporally. Well I love and am grateful for the things that I receive in this life to help me learn and to grow. I am also grateful for family, courtney, and my parents and their wonderful examples.  I am grateful for my Savior and all the he did to take my sins.. (alma 7: 11-12).. Iam grateful for the Plan of Salvation and for temples.. that my family is able to be sealed for time and all eternity!

Another thing that I have been thinking about lately and a lesson that we had this sunday is about parents.. here is a clip to answer and help parents with their children...http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?lang=eng&query=thanksgiving+mormon+messages#parenting-touching-the-hearts-of-our-youth

I am grateful for my parents that have taken the time to support and love me. Yesterday in our priesthood class a man shared his testimony of what he learned the night before. He shed a tear saying how he went to hangout with his friends saturday night to play billiards. He came home at midnight and to his astonishment his 3 year old son was crying for him and was waiting up for him. He wanted the love of his father. What a great example his son was to him and helping him learn the importance of family...

Alofa atu i tatou aiga.. ma mo le atu i le agaga faafetai mo le lagolago ma le alofa i lou aiga.. ou te iloa ma mautinoa o le Faaola e soifua.. ma avatu i lou agasala ma lou filifili sese i aso uma.. ma faafetai lava mo le avanoa e salamo.. ma le fiafia sili e lagona i taime uma.. ou te molimau atu ia te outou o le aiga e sili lava i le taime nei.. ma malosia lou sootaga i lou aiga... e tusa e malosia le sootaga ma Lo matou Tama o i le Lagi.. alofa atu! manuia lava le fuafuaga i lenei vaiaso!

 

-Elder Tiatia

 

Be Prepared.

Dear Family and Friends,

This week there is a lot to be mentioned as well as a lot of things i want to share.. and seeing that i am horrible in typing and writing in Samoan... its going to be in English... so faamolemole tatou aiga ma tagata e fiafia lava e vaai le blog... faamalie atu... alright so this week has been crazy busy... and i know that the Lord is helping us find and not only that he is with us.. in an conference talk by Elder Dieter Uctdorf he quoted Elder Joseph B Wirthland, "Oh it is wonderful to know that our Heavenly Father loves us--even with all our flaws! His love is such that even should we give up on ourselves, HE NEVER WILL.. we might see ourselves in terms of yesterday and today. Our Heavenly Father sees us in terms of forever.... The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of TRANSFORMATION. it takes us as men and women of the earth and refines us into men and women for the eternities."   this is so true... i have seen it in my missionary work.. and i know it cause i have applied it... its my challenge and goal for my family and friends to take a step back and apply this and ask the question... "Am I ready for the eternities?"... i know and promise that we can all be ready if we prepare... how do we prepare?... well here is something that my mission president handed out that i know and think it can help us all out...

"choose ye this day whom ye will serve"   -Joshua 24: 15

Satan                                                  Savior
Fear                                                     Faith

Doubt                                                   Desire

Worry                                                   Work

Complain                                              Commit

Oppose                                                Obey

Rebel                                                   Repent

Sensual                                               Spiritual

Depressed                                           Determined

Death                                                  Life

Telestial                                              Celestial

 

I know that this has helped me make better choices in my mission and definitely will help me later on in life.. i know that it will be awesome if the whole world will understand... and thanks to all the missionary applications that have gone in... a little statistic for those who love numbers.. Salt Lake Headquarters have been getting in 700 missionary applications weekly... since President Monson changed the age... there has been a jump.. to about 4000 missionary applications weekly..  crazy crazy! "The Standard of Truth has been erected.. no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing... persecutions may rage, mobs may combine armies may assemble calumny may defame... but the truth of God shall go forth nobly, boldly and independently till it has penetrated every continent swept every clime visited every country and sounded in every ear till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the great Jehovah shall say, The Work is done.." 

well everything is going all good in Papakura.. loving it down here.. the weather is like utah... bipolar weather... rain or shine... gotta do what you gotta do... well alofa atu friends and family~

 

-Elder Tiatia

 

His eyes are open, I promise. :)

 

Congrats Siah!

 

Uo ma Uso ma Tuafafine,

Talofa Lava... seki ma pusi a le vaiaso... o au ma lau soa sa maua se seti fou... ou te faafetai tele lava o le Alii ma matou Tama o i le Lagi mo lona faamanuiaga ia ma'ua.... o au ma lau soa ua taumafai e sue ma saili se tagata fou e aoao... te iloa le aso tofi lana te'a... sa ana pogi ma;ua... ou te iloa ma mautinoa o le Atua e fesoasoani ma'ua aso uma... ma le taime ua tatala le ana pogi... ua alu le aso atoa e saili se seti fou... te iloa, ua maua.... ou te iloa ia au o le Atua e vaai ia ma'ua ma silafia o mea uma lava e manaomia o ma'ua... ou te faafetai mo le avanoa matagofie e ana pogi ma sue le fesoasoani o matou Tama o i le Lagi... ou te molimau atu ia te outou e moni ma faamaoni le talalelei... ma lo matou Tama o i le Lagi e silafia mea uma e moomia fesoasoani i le olaga nei... alofa atu... ma faamolemole... taumafai e ana pogi... iloa ia au e tatalo ma ole atu i le Alii mo lona fesoasoani e foai mai ia matou soo se mea e silafia e faaaoga ia matou... alofa atu!

Friends and Family,

Kiora! What a great opportunity I had to experience the love of the Lord and a testimony building experience. I know that this church is true because it helps us to live the doctrine we learn day after day. This last week me and my companion decided to fast. We needed help from our Father in heaven in finding a family and someone who will accept the baptism invitation. Well we opened our fast and started our day and after the second appointment and being rejected a couple times, we had a lesson with a former investigator who was ready for baptism.  We talked with her and set her for the end of this month. I know and testify of the power of fasting and what it can do for us not only in the mission field but for us at home. I always and everyday feel the love of friends and family who pray for missionaries and as well as for me. Thank YOU! I am also well pleased to announce the calling of my little brother, Elder Josiah Tiatia! He will be laboring and serving in Oaxaca, Mexico Spanish Speaking Mission! I know that this work is the Lords work and I am happy to hear the great and wonderful twin of mine will be serving his mission! God Bless you  Siah as you search and learn and know how simple the doctrine of Christ can be. You will know how the Saviour works. So for the new missionary here is a scripture. It is revelation given to Joseph Smith when missionaries were being called.

Doctrine and Covenants 39:5-10, " And verily, verily, I say unto you, he that receiveth my gospel receiveth me; and he that receiveth not my gospel receiveth not me.

   And this is my gospel—repentance and baptism by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which showeth all things, and teacheth the peaceable things of the kingdom.

  And now, behold, I say unto you, my servant James, I have looked upon thy works and I know thee.

   And verily I say unto thee, thine heart is now right before me at this time; and, behold, I have bestowed great blessings upon thy head;

  Nevertheless, thou hast seen great sorrow, for thou hast rejected me many times because of pride and the cares of the world.

  But, behold, the days of thy deliverance are come, if thou wilt hearken to my voice, which saith unto thee: Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on my name, and you shall receive my Spirit, and a blessing so great as you never have known.

  And if thou do this, I have prepared thee for a greater work. Thou shalt preach the fullness of my gospel, which I have sent forth in these last days, the covenant which I have sent forth to recover my people, which are of the house of Israel.

   And it shall come to pass that power shall rest upon thee; thou shalt have great faith, and I will be with thee and go before thy face." 

 

I know that this is so true and that if we listen and heed the counsel of the Lord we will receive the blessings that he has in store as well as the power that comes when we testify! This counsel was given in a General Conference talk…I’m not sure how long ago but I remember it and ran across it during my studies. In verse 7... take out James name... and put your name... and the in verse 10... for those that have already been baptized... put the sacrament... to remember the covenant we entered into... I know i have made mistakes and I know that mistakes is what helps us grow and we have to learn humility before we can do anything. I love you all and know and testify that this is true... in the name of Jesus Christ Amen...

-Elder Tiatia