Malo e Lelei!
Well I hope you all will be watching conference tomorrow! They
are having a group of missionaries sing for the Saturday Afternoon Session and
if you look really hard, you will be able to see me in there!
This week has been the longest week so far. The anticipation
of getting on a plane and flying to Tonga on Monday has made everything go by
slowly! I am so excited to finally leave! I feel very ready to go and I am very
excited to just become immersed in the Tongan culture! Last night our teacher
showed us all his mission pictures in Tonga! They were super cool! It is about
time to pack up all my pants and start wearing all my skirts! Haha
Yesterday we had a nine hour meeting called In-field
Orientation. In-field Orientation in the MTC, Haha, it is an oxymoron if you
ask me! It had a lot of good parts! One of the most interesting parts was about
working with members. It really opened my eyes on to how influential members
can be in inviting their neighbors and friends to come closer unto Christ. Definitely
something to think about in our daily lives!
I was so excited to get a package a few days ago that had about 92 notes from all my friends and family! I couldn't believe it, I was speechless! I feel so blessed and grateful to have so much support behind me! I have truly felt the power of having so many people believe in me and encouraging me!
Being District Leader has been a little stressful this week. A lot of the elders have been being more disobedient just because they are ready to leave! But they are a really good group of guys! I am super glad I was able to get close with all of them! I know they will all do great things in all the missions they are going to!
One cool miracle I had this week was that I was able to memorize the First Vision in Tongan in less than an hour! I have never been able to memorize things super well, but when I had accomplished memorizing the first vision, I knew I was receiving a lot of help from on high! My brain is starting to think in Tongan! Haha I’m sure you will be able to tell from my spelling! Tongan words are super easy to spell because it is spelled the way it sounds! The sentence structure is really different too: If I wanted to say "Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith," it would really say "In the past appeared to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to Joseph Smith" It is kind of different. Haha But I love Tongan! The only way I was able to learn so quickly is because of how much I try speaking and pray for help. I think that is the key to learning any language!
A quick scripture thought I had for all of you is in 2 Nephi Chapter 32:4. The verse talks about how if you cannot understand these things or the gospel, it is because you asked not and you knocked not. I think everyone might be familiar with the scripture that talks about ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you, but what does knocking really mean? We all have knocked on doors before. We knock on a door to see if someone is inside obviously. We only do this, however, because we have faith that there is someone inside. No one knocks on a door if they don’t believe anyone is on the other side. That is a big key when it comes to the gospel, having faith, and specifically, faith in Jesus Christ. If we ask sincere questions, with real intent to learn, and knock or having faith in Jesus Christ and that you will receive an answer, I promise the Holy Ghost will testify to you all things that you should know! (Moroni 10:5).
I want you all to know that I know this Church is true. I know that everyone faces trials, challenges, hardships, or just bad days, but we are never alone! There is one who knows exactly how each of us feels individually to a perfect degree. That person is Jesus Christ, and I know he lives. It is his work, and his glory, to save all of his children which he loves more than we can comprehend. He has always been there for me when I have reached out to him and I promise he will always be there to anyone who does the same! I love you all; I am so excited to share this adventure with you! I will go where he wants me to go and I will be what he wants me to be. I will say what he wants me to say and I will do his will with a heart sincere! Off to Tongan I Go!
Ofa Atu,
Eleta Bingham
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