Feilaulau (Sacrifice)

Wellll, this week was kinda crazy because I FELT MY FIRST EARTHQUAKE! haha it happened at like 4am Tuesday Morning and it woke me up cause the bed was shaking. It was pretty short and nothing fell over or anything so it was kind of cool! And there was also a cyclone that night so it rained a lot and the wind was strong but thankfully it passed our island before it got huge..it hit Vava'u (the outer island of Tonga) and there's some destruction there but it moved on to Fiji and was pretty bad. Welcome to Cyclone season...haha but nothing to worry about, all is welll :)

So one night while we were planning this week, my companion and I were talking about our teachings that day and I expressed to her how I feel inadequate at times and I want to become a better teacher and gain more skills so I can explain things more clearly, etc. and allow the Spirit (the REAL teacher) to better touch the heart of our investigators, but I know it will come in time and I just need to trust the Lord and the Spirit. My companion looked at me and said, "Sister Reid, if you truly want to be a great teacher you need to sacrifice more". It surprised me at first a little because of how blunt she was and for a second I felt a little bugged and thought,"I've sacrificed so much. I'm giving everything to the Lord. It's just hard sometimes, but I'm doing my best" But then right after that, that thought left, and I just felt this feeling of peace and love, and I realized that what she said was a message from God to me. There is some pride that I hang on to sometimes and hadn't recognized some of that pride had come back, and God has been trying to tell me to let it go...but I maybe haven't been listening as well as I should. It was God telling me, through my companion, what is holding me back from truly becoming the missionary and instrument in God's hands I'm capable of becoming. 

Are we willing to put all our pride, ambition, and will on the alter of sacrifice before God and trust him? My question this week is a self-reflection question: What do I need to give up and let go to become the person God envisions me becoming? 

I love reading the Book of Mormon in Tongan! It's beautiful and simple. I read about the Anti-Lehi-Nephi's this past week and how they buried their weapons of war and entered into a covenant with God, and they never broke that covenant even though many of them died. What are we willing to sacrifice?

Today, my companion taught me how to laundry with a pole in a bucket and then "nusi" the clothes to make them perfectly clean (the washing machine of the house we're at broke...but the spinner still worked, to dry the clothes mostly, so that was good). It took forever, but it's a good skill to have! haha 

Love you all!!!! Have a great week and remember to smile :)

Sister Reid