Muno got baptized!

G'day Everyone!

So I told my mum that I wouldnt be emailing you this week but I got it confused with next week because next week is ANZAC Day. Everything will probably be closed so we'll see when I get to email home. Well this past week Elder Bills and I had a pretty darn good week. I mean it was a Fair DINKUM good week lol by the way thats not the proper way to use that word but thats how I use it. But first before I tell you about it I just want to say that today we went to the Taronga Zoo! It was SO FUN! I went to a Zoo in Sydney! and I could see the opera house and harbour bridge too! We went with Elder Dana and Elder Hill. They proselyte in the Manly Area so the beach right next to ours. You should look up pictures. Manly beach is gorgeous. Anyways we had a great time and we took plenty of pictures. We saw heaps of cool animals, a lot of the same animals in the states, but we saw some kangaroos, koalas, wombats, and other australian animals. We also went to the bird show and it was SWEET AS! They had the birds flying over our heads and everything. Totally worth it. Oh and the best thing about it....IT WAS FREE!! A family in the Manly ward gets passes for free so we got really lucky. But yeah back to my week. So I know you're just dying to know...the suspense is killing you...Did Muno get baptized?...I dont know did he? Aw c'mon!!........MUNO GOT BAPTIZED!!!! It was SO AWESOME! It was pretty much the highlight of my mission so far. It just seemed like a perfect day. The Baptism started at 4...pssh well actually it was supposed to start at 4 but since we were on Tongan time it didnt start till 5. Mum you might want to do a gene check on dad and see if you find any traces of Tongan in him. So we got to the chapel at about 2 and got the font all filled up because it takes about an hour and a half. We got the chapel all ready and then Muno showed up and we took pictures and Elder Modlik and his companion Elder Fox showed up! It was really cool having them there and it meant a lot to Muno that Elder Modlik was able to be there. The spirit was so strong at the baptism. My heart was so full on saturday. I think Muno is one of the first investigators besides Akenisi and Kingi that I've taught from the very beginning. But with Muno it was really special becuase I got to see the change in him and see his coutenance change. We also did everything and anything to help him progress too like bake him cookies, help him move and other little things. It really made the whole experience that much sweeter though. Its been such a blessing being apart of his journey. Elder modlik bore his testimony, Elder Bills gave a talk on Baptism and I gave a talk on the Holy Ghost. To end my talk I bore my testimony in Raro Tongan. I wrote my testimony down and then gave it to Bishop Wolfgramm's friend that he works with that speaks Raro and then he translated it and gave it back. I was practicing all last week and Genevieve gave me some pointers. I gave it my best shot and even though I didnt exactly know what I was saying I could feel the same spirit as if I was bearing my testimony in english. Muno said it went straight to his heart. Man, It was a pretty emotional day but definitely a day to remember becuase all the tears that were shed that day were tears of happiness. The kind of happiness you can only feel from our Heavenly Father. Of course we had a massive tongan feed afterwards and then we went and played Uno with M-Uno (lol) at Genevieve's sisters house. We had such a great time and we prepared him for his confirmation. I'm so grateful for the gospel and how it blesses peoples lives. I know that the gospel is for EVERYONE too. Muno has come a long way. He has done a complete 180. Before we taught Muno he was what we usually classify as a "Gangsta." He's had a really rough life and he has been in a lot of dark places. He's had alot of bad friends, he would get in fights all the time and he used to drink and smoke. He's a rough tough Cook Islander dude. But now Muno doesnt have those friends anymore, he doesnt drink or smoke, he even Breaks up fights! He's someone that I have truly seen for myself have a "change of heart" and I know that this gospel is real. It is the most beautiful thing in this world. I wish you could all see how happy he is compared to what he was like when we first met him. I'll send pictures dont you worry. I'm so grateful to be a missonary and to have these amazing spiritual experiences. I'd just like to remind you all that you can have experiences just like this too and all it takes is for us to see our friends and those around us as children of our heavenly father and share the one thing that means the most to us, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that God lives and loves each and everyone of us. Jesus is the christ, our Savior and Redeemer. The Holy Ghost is real and can help each and everyone of us if we will listen for that still small voice and those promptings that each of us can feel if we are listening and expecting it. I love you all heaps as! Cheers!



Elder Nelson