Moce Viti

Well it happened very quickly, but most of the missionaries in Fiji have returned home. On March 24th, at district council President Higgins created a group call with the whole mission included. He told us that the area presidency informed him that all the missionaries in Fiji would return home due to COVID-19. He said it could be as soon as a week.

The Assistants called us about a week later and told us that we would be traveling to Rakiraki and stay with the Elders there for a few more days and then on Thursday we would go in to Suva. They were our ride. It was fun to visit some of the people that I knew when I was there with my old companion Elder Hibbert. We did a baptismal interview for one of their people and he chose me to baptize him, so that was fun!

Then on Thursday morning we packed up the truck and started to head down to Suva via the Eastern side because the Lautoka blockade was still in place. Upon arriving in Suva we took all of our items to the biosecurity stand, got some lunch from Flagstaff and while we were washing the truck we got a call from the Assistants that there was 2 confirmed cases in Suva and that the peninsula would be on lockdown by the evening, so all American missionaries would have to immediately leave for Nadi to catch the chartered flight on Saturday. We hurried and out everything away and proceeded to meet with other Elders around the Temple and pick up as much luggage as we could.

There were plenty of missionaries in the parking lot all loading as much luggage into the trucks as we could and Hilux after Hilux was heading down to Nadi to beat the blockade and the curfew.

We all arrived in Nadi and I stayed in a room with Elder Burge and Elder Hibbert. We had a day and a half at the Gateway Resort waiting for our flight and then went over to the airport. Through a bit of finesse Elder Burge and I went with all of the Sisters and were the first to check in. We got the exit rows and more leg space than we would ever need, and just like that we were landing in Salt Lake City.

I'm grateful for the many things I learned on my mission, the people I've come to know and the beautiful places i've visited. I'm grateful for this gospel and the joy and happiness it has brought me and those that I was able to visit.

Vinaka Vakalevu vei kemuni kece na kai Viti! Loloma tiko ga yani!

Elda Gwilliam

Quarantine

Hello all, Pretty much we just got the notice that we aren't allowed to leave the flat. We can come out only for essentials. We are waiting now for any news about when a return flight will be arriving.

That means plenty of scripture reading and trying to find fun.

Stay safe everyone!

Elda Gwilliam

Tu ga i vale

Not much news. Fiji has coronavirus but it's contained (So they say) we've stocked up on food and are doing okay. Panic shopping has set in but only sugar and flour are out. Plenty of Toilet paper here everyone! La Mai volia na nomudou!

My new area is Tavua. Back to Rakiraki district. It's supposed to be really hot here but there has been nonstop rain for the last 2 weeks.

There were lots of goodbyes but i'm excited to start working in the burning West!

Loloma yani!

Elda Gwilliam

Tamavua Farewells

Elder Christie Farewell

What I thought bush houses would look like (Nobody has a house like this)

Normal Houses

Elder Johnson Bus-Stand Farewells

Brother Nawaqasema Kalavata

Qereya Clan Farewell

Food storage

Korovirus

Nothing has changed for us except for church. We had a good week but I'll let the pictures explain.

Koro means village in Fijian. So all the elders in the bush have had Korovirus for a while now.

Yeah Pretty normal week. Everyone stay safe and healthy.

Exchanges with Elder McKay from NZ

Exchanges with Elder Strange from Nevada

The Qereya family made it to the temple before it closed! 

Weird Shellfish food. Supposedly a very nice expensive treat. 

Fijians like colored houses

"Zone Conference day is always Chest Day"

It was a good week!

Amelia was baptized! It was awesome for her and for the ward. We also had Zone Conference this week.

The Subject was just a quote from an Elder in our zone. Funny stuff.

Sorry for the shorter email.

Have a Good week!

Amelia's Baptism

Suva North Zone

Semi, the newest deacon repping that John Cena merch

Feelin' Hot, Hot, Hot

It's been a VERY hot week recently. Probably the hottest time my entire mission.

We have had a pretty good week teaching wise. Lots of people coming to church which is awesome! Lots of less-actives are returning as well. We have focused more on finding through members instead of finding through our own efforts and it's been awesome. We've gotten 3 referrals that are all looking really nice. One of them is getting baptized this Saturday!

Amelia was a referral from a member family and is very excited for her baptismal date this Saturday.

Have an awesome week!

Elder Gwilliam

Brother Nawaqasema and Amelia with some Fijian style donuts

Hillside

Fijian Ice-Cream treats. There is an ongoing debate about best flavor. I say Strawberry

Set tu na bula

It was a good week. Not very eventful but still good. We met with a lady who told us she didn't want to waste her time reading the Book of Mormon so that wasn't fun. But We also met a man who almost done with 2nd Nephi after a few days of reading, and another lady just finished Alma so that was nice.

We have been trying to involve the members more in the work. We have been seeing tons of blessings from it. People being referred to us and other members expressing interest in coming with us to visits.

We teach a lady named Amelia who we recently put on date. She really likes the Book of Mormon and she was a referral from a family. Awesome stuff! Overall a great week.

Elda Gwilliam

Temple

Exchanges with Elder Ethridge

Brother Nawaqasema in Tacirua

Bell Bottom Baptismal Pants

The Pictures explain the week.

Cool Teaching Experience: Teaching the Qereya Family about Baptisms for the Dead and they shed some tears as they said that this was the way that they could repay their debts to their parents and ancestors!

Sorry for the short email

loloma yani

Found the old Angel Moroni for the temple

Qereya Family

Post Ward Conference chow with the Eldas

Leone Lailai and Semi

Moce Jisu

Well It was transfer week but we still had some fun.

My new companion is Elder Johnson from Texas. He's a great guy.

Well we had a funny experience a few weeks ago teaching this lady. I met her son with Elder Sewell on exchanges, and Elder Tautu and I went back to their house the next week. We went in and she invited us to sit down. We did some introductions and then she quickly told us that she was a Christian to which we replied that's awesome. She proceeded to list some of her beliefs:
I'm a Christian
I believe in the resurrection
I believe that only through Christ we can be saved
I believe in Eternal Life
And she listed a few more things and proceeded to tell us, "I'm sorry but our beliefs are totally different. I just wanted to let you know that I'm a Christian. So sorry to waste your time but I believe in... (And then proceeded to list off the same beliefs. I felt like Nacho Libre, "Everything you just said, is my favorite thing to [Share] Every. Day.) But she didn't believe that we believe in the same stuff.

Also we were leaving this house and a small boy was there and didn't say a single word, and then as we were leaving their house he got up and yelled, "Moce Jisu!" (Bye Jesus).

But yeah those are some of the highlights.

Semi took my cam

Us with David a YSA from the ward who left for Ghana on his Mission!

Church College Rugby Field

American Products at a dinner appt.

I ♡ Beqa

Well we made it to Beqa. The Navua elders needed us to go out there so we got to go there!
We left in the morning and drove to Navua. We hopped on a motorboat from there and just boated across the channel to the island and then did a little service. Beqa is very traditional (you're not allowed to carry bags on your shoulders, etc.) and so we had to stay in the unit leader's house all day. We aren't allowed to proselyte there they just wait until someone wants to get baptized and then the elders go out there.

Then we went to a little hotel resort on the island and watched the fire dancers. Legend has it that if you're born in Beqa you get immunity to fire and can heal burns on people. (The kids that got burned in Savusavu got massaged in the hospital by a woman from Beqa) They do fire-walking as well but we just saw the fire dance. Then we slept overnight in the unit leader's house and went back the next morning. It was an awesome day. I'll let the pictures do the rest of the explaining though

Also Lai got baptized which was awesome. We had a big combined service with the elders from Samabula and had a few ward baptisms mixed in so it was a good day with lots of support. Lai's husband came and wants to move forward as a family and is looking at baptism as well! It's awesome.

loloma yani

Elda Gwilliam

Fire Dancers

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Fijian style

Buna

Resort Sign

On the boat view

Mosi ni Kete

Well it was a good week. Elder Tautu and I had wonderful companionship unity when we were both struck with stomach problems due to some bad Fijian pizza. It was all good though

We saw a miracle with Lai. She told us that her husband also didn't like us at all and was really worried to tell him but we suggested a fast and promised her that he would give permission and then what do you know he did! Miracles are real. It's crazy to see how much of a change can happen to someone so quick with a little bit of fasting. Went from guaranteed rejection to, "it's up to you."

Overall a good week. Thanks for the love and support!

Elda Gwilliam

We got Powdered again

Suva North Zone

Chow

After 3 trips to the airport and stomach problems

Us with President Vakalala and his wife. He is the Branch President in the place back in Savusavu with the 7 hour drive