Converted Unto The Lord

A family Christmas eve tradition from as far back as I can remember is celebrating the season with dinner at a favorite local establishment, Kyoto's Japanese restaurant in Salt Lake City. Last year I reflected on how our family dynamics would soon be changing with nephew, Richard and son, Camree at that time preparing to serve missions leaving home for the next two years. One year later, Christmas eve 2012 a familiar sense as yet another son, Rylee a senior at Bountiful high school now prepares to leave home in 6 months on his mission at the age of 18. Our family Christmas gatherings are again going to take on different look and feel next year, and the year after that.

Christmas day 2012 was our first of three Christmas' where like thousands of other missionary families throughout the world await the much anticipated "call" -- elders and sisters calling home to speak with family and loved ones. Rochelle and I remember these calls well from the fields of labor having served missions many years ago. Yesterday however was our first on this end of the call as eager parents and family. Missionaries are given special permission to call home twice a year, Mother's day and Christmas day. As you can imagine there is a lot of excitement surrounding this call.

This year we decided to host a family dinner in our home awaiting the elder's call. We invited our Gautavai, Alip and Tavita 'aiga' (samoan word for family) which includes the elder's Grandpa's and Grandma Alip. In a previous email the elder indicated much to his delight he would be proselyting Christmas day as counseled by President Harding and would then end his day at the home of Bishop Roner of the Sharpsburg ward (Sharpsburg, GA) for a Christmas meal. The elder also noted in his email he would be calling from the bishop's residence.

Being new to this experience as parents we weren't quite sure how the call would take place. Unlike our day and with the advancement of technology a new form of communication video conferencing over the internet seems to be the rage with programs like Skype. A wonderful use of technology giving this call experience an added dimension with live video. A nephew, currently serving in the Brazil Sao Paulo North mission, elder Spencer Mahe was able to Skype with his family in Sacramento earlier in the day. Another nephew who lives next door, currently serving in the Wisconsin Milwaukee mission, elder Richard Gautavai would also be Skype-ing later in the evening. We weren't sure if elder Gautavai would or could Skype as we understand it is at the discretion of the mission president. Eager as we were with all the possibilities, just to be able to converse real-time with elder Gautavai was our simple hope. The last direct communication and hearing his voice was a disjointed call from a pay-phone at the Salt Lake City International Airport the morning he left the MTC for Atlanta (July 10th).

The day started very early with meal preparations for the gathering. Mekelee was the first of the two boys at home to awaken. Rylee would follow not long afterwards. Mekelee was eager to open Christmas gifts under the tree. Both boys have been really good about seeing the real meaning of Christmas throughout the season. We have noticed the two brothers becoming even closer which from our view as parents is noteworthy and very gratifying. Perhaps it's a mutual realization of Rylee's not too distant departure with the new mission age announcement/option, and working on his mission papers (just down to a dental visit and final interviews). Having the elder on the mission has brought countless tender mercies and blessings to our family and home not the least of which is the brothers drawing closer to each other even as they leave home.

Our menu consisted of family favorites and polynesian comfort foods including ribs, sapasui (samoan chop suey), baked taro, korean chicken (one of the elder's favorite dishes of his grandma Alip), beef tomato stew, sweet potato casserole, musubi, ahi poke, poi, lupulu, haupia, pagipopo, chocolate caramel cake, red velvet cake, grandma Alip's tropical punch drink, and rice. We had the pleasure of doing a test run with the Skype app as we were able to connect with the family (Mahe's) in Sacramento, Vanessa and Jarvis and their kids Jazlee, Blaze, Hunter and Ty. It was fun to be able to see and speak with them. We were especially happy for grandpa and grandma Alip to see and talk with the grandkids in California. We also utilized technology as we watched nephew Jace Tavita a senior at the University of Hawaii and member of the UH Warrior basketball team play in their final tournament game against Ole Miss in Honolulu. Having Ginger and Gilbert (Jace's parents) here along with the Alip's made watching the game via internet stream really enjoyable.

My cell phone rang at 5:25 PM, the telephone number on my display was not a number I recognized other than "404" which I know to be the area code for the general Atlanta area. As I answered the caller said "hello", in turn I responded, "hello?" It was the elder!!! He didn't recognize my voice at first as he asked who I was haha. I wasn't too sure myself although it became evident as we passed this initial greeting. We spoke briefly the first time to ensure we could get everyone in. He said he wasn't in a position to Skype at least for this call (we'll shoot for the Mother's day call in May). We were just so thrilled to be able to talk with him again! He said he and elder Price (zone leaders in the Fayettville Zone) were busy with 9 appointments they had for the day. He said as a result of the Lord's help along with their effort they were able to add more investigators to their teaching group. Some news he mentioned to us is that he and elder Price are training a new missionary from Provo, Utah who just arrived in the mission. He said their days are extremely busy. The Fayetteville zone is one of the larger zones in the mission and they have been working extremely hard to bring souls to Christ. He said with the Lord's help they have seen many miracles in their zone and also in their personal area. The elder has a baptism this coming Saturday and a family in January they have been working with and committed. Quick observation: the southern culture has taken hold on the elder as he speaks with a lot of "Yes Sir", "Yes Mam." haha

The elder made the rounds as the phone was passed from one family member to the next (Rochelle, uncle Pati, Aunty G, Grandpa Gautavai, Grandpa Alip, Grandma Alip, Mekelee, Rylee, Faaagi, Gil). As a parent it is humbling to see the hand of God in your children's lives. We see this in each of their personal lives. We see and feel this in the elder's life. We are grateful and blessed. After speaking with each family member, the elder asked if he could be put on "speaker" so he could address the entire gathering/family. After testifying of Jesus Christ and His atonement, the elder encouraged us all to personally read and study the 7th chapter of Alma in the Book of Mormon. He said chapter is his focus in bringing the doctrine of Christ to the people he loves and serves. The elder then asked if he could leave a blessing upon us and requested we join him in prayer. He invited us to join him in on bended knee for this blessing. The elder inquired if there was anyone we knew of who could use a blessing at this time in their lives. He asked me directly, I told him his grandparents "all three of them." I told him we are always mindful of their well-being. He began his prayer to our Heavenly Father through and in the name of His son Jesus Christ, expressing sincere appreciation for His mercy and love, for the opportunity he has to serve on the mission, and for all of us here at home, his family. The elder than plead with the our Father in Heaven to be with his grandparents at this time of their lives. I was impressed to tell the elder during the prayer to please pray for his cousin Jace in Hawaii. The elder then proceeded to pronounce a blessing on his cousin to strengthen Jace and help him throughout his basketball season. He closed by thanking Heavenly Father for His son and the Atonement and gospel. He noted leaving this blessing as part of his sacred calling as a missionary. Needless to say there wasn't a dry eye in the home at the conclusion of the blessing and prayer. I told the elder how proud I was to be his dad and how much I love him, and that I have been impressed to tell him his Father in Heaven and Lord and Savior Jesus Christ love him. I encouraged him to continue to be "True at All Times in Whatsoever the Lord Entrusts Him." We then ended the call after saying talk to you in May. It was now 6:33 PM (the call lasted 1 hr 8 min).

We made a mad dash next door to experience elder Richard Gautavai's call via Skype. It was good to hear and now see elder Gautavai in Wisconsin. He sounded and looked wonderful. Faaagi setup a projector so the Skype session could be viewed on the wall (pretty cool setup). Although elder Richard Gautavai has been out longer (next month will be his year mark), this is his first Christmas in the mission. It is amazing to see the growth in him and his excitement for his mission and the opportunity to serve and bless the lives of those he comes into contact with. So thankful!

Although our family dynamics are changing, this Christmas season has brought more hope, more joy, and more charity and love to our family and home. Again, it is so humbling to see our children becoming more gospel-centered and  converted unto the Lord. It is a great blessing in our family and home to have our nephews and son bringing people to Christ. Can't wait for Mother's day!

Elder Gautavai's dad