Rugby or Missionary?

G'day Family


It was so great to talk to the family last week. You all sound so

good! Thanks Mom for making it so clear how much time I have left.

Haha. Its funny because everyone is telling me that I'm going home

soon but I just dont feel like I am. Theres just so much work to do

and Elder Vaivela and I are trying so hard to baptize someone! The

work is good. We had to drop some investigators because they werent

progressing but we're searching high and low for the investigator that

we will be able to baptize. Dave Reilly came to church this week but

he still needs to get married to his partner and he needs to stop

drinking. We committed him to stop and he said he is trying. Its not

easy for him since he has been an alcoholic for most of his life.



The most exciting news here is that Will Hopoate, one of our ward

missionaries, is a professional Rugby player (we got to see him play

last week) and he decided he is going on a mission! He turned down an

offer of 1.5 million dollars to play for another team. How crazy is

that? He's an amazing man and he will be a hectic missionary. The cool

part for us is that now everyone in our area is recognizing us as

missionaries! They say "Doesnt Hoppa go to your church?" Is he going

to be doing what your doing? He's had a massive impact on everyone in

this area. It was all over the news and newspapers. Its such a good

example to the other young men of the church in Australia that are

also great Rugby players. He will be so blessed for his sacrafice.

More than he's probably tried to imagine. It just goes to show how

making one right choice can make such a difference in many peoples

lives around you.



Elder Vaivela and I are great. We're having lots of fun and making the

most of the time we have. I know that this is the Lord's work and that

Heavenly Father loves his children. People ask us all the time why

does God allow suffering to occur if he's so loving. I know that if

there was no suffering and sorrow we would not know compassion and

joy. God will hold the evil accountable and reward the righteous. Our

losses will be made up. Death is not the end. I have FAith in Jesus

Christ. With that Faith I have a bright hope that we will live after

this life. We will be with our loved ones again and if we are obedient

we will have Eternal life. I love this gospel. In the name of Jesus

Christ, amen.



Quick Funny Story: We were driving to our flat with our zone leaders

and we noticed that some lady was getting filmed in front of the

chapel! We were like what the heck? So we turned around and pulled

into the parking lot like we were getting something and then I walked

up to them and asked them if they needed help. The lady was like high

I'm Tracy from Channel 10 (she was way snobby) and we're doing a story

on Will Hopoate going on a mission. We were like great! We're

missionaries! She was like oh! (I thought: this is my chance....I'm

going to be on TV!) NOPE! She hogged the whole thing and her story was

lame and she was like can you hold this styrafoam thing and shine it

on me so I look better! PSSSH! Yeah I helped but man they were lame.

Another newspaper said "WIll hopoate is going to SALT LAKE CITY!" Man

these people have no idea what they are talking about.

Love ya heaps as. Catch ya next week.

Elder Maikolo Viliami Nalesoni