I'll Answer, Dear Lord, With My Hand In Thine

The elder's cousin Elder Richard Gautavai is currently serving in the Wisconsin Milwaukee mission. His weekly letter to the family shows just how transformative the mission can be and has been in his life. Here is an excerpt from our other Elder Gautavai in Wisconsin.

Good Morning,

Man, sounds like a tough outing for the Braves this past week. It should help them to make adjustments again, as they were probably flying pretty high after a 2-0 start. It will be one of those games that can impact them for good, if they choose to use it that way.

Bummer about Mekelee's team as well. It sounds like Stansbury's little league program could dominate their high school program. But maybe Stansbury is an up and coming team. Tell Mekelee to keep his head up, and to continue to work hard.

The past week was really frustrating for Elder Gautavai here in Sun Prairie. Man, we worked hard this week, and we just couldn't seem to have anything fall into place. But I can tell you how much I have loved serving the Lord.  Struggling to find people to teach, long and hot days, running out of ideas, not knowing where to go, it has all been a part of my mission, but man have I enjoyed it.

This week was a great week for myself to strive to make changes in my character to fit to whom the Lord wants me to BECOME. I'll BE what He wants me to BE. It was a week full of questions, and even some set backs, but it was a week for me to commit myself to surrendering myself to the Lord. It was a week for me to really box away the memories from home, and refocus my attention on the work here in Sun Prairie. Mentally it has been very draining, but I have seen glimpses of the potential that the Lord has in store for me if I continue to come unto him.

Thank you for yor examples, and your continued love and support. I'm very thankful to have been blessed w/such a great family. I would just like to re-iterate what I said in my email to Agi, and that is, I want you guys to know that I'm working hard here in Wisconsin. I'm doing my best to do my best. It has been a time for me to really stretch and grow, and really rely on the Lord more than ever. I'm thankful for our Savior, and especially for His love. Thanks for all you guys do, and continue to stay ROOTED in Christ.

Elder Gautavai

Your Future Is As Bright As Your Faith

An exerpt from the elder's letter to his maternal grandparents, grandpa and grandma Alip. Photo was taken the evening the elder was set apart in his home. Elder Gautavai entered the MTC the next day.

Hello Grandma and Grandpa!!

Wow thank you for these thoughts on faith and the Lord's love and care for each and every one of us. I add my witness to each of these thoughts and know that through FAITH miracles can happen. It is amazing how simple the Gospel really is and the safety and protection it can provide us. If only we swallow our pride and seek to do the will of the father rather then our own will.  As I have sought to reevaluate myself on a constant basis I have found that it is through the Gospel of Jesus Christ that I can make myself better and progress in this life and in the life to come.

Hope ya'll are doing well it's good to hear from you. I did receive your card. Thank your for the card and the birthday wishes.

Hoorah for Israel!!

Love Elder Gautavai

Safety For The Soul

(Elder Ferron Fruean successfully completed his mission call to serve on August 22, 2012. Elder Fruean like the elder is of Samoan descent. Elder Fruean was one of two Zone Leader trainers who helped in the training of Elder Gautavai upon his arrival to the mission field. At both elders request, our family traveled to and attended Elder Fruean's homecoming missionary report in his home ward August 26, 2012. Elder Fruean is a great priesthood man, latter-day saint and example of noble service and Christlike love. He bears a powerful witness of the Savior and His Atonement as well as the Book of Mormon. We were blessed to feel the spirit and hear his report on the works of righteousness during his mission to the beautiful people of the Georgia Atlanta Mission. As parents we feel humbled and grateful yet again for the countless, tender mercies in the lives of our children and family.)

Hey Family!!!

SOOO COOL!!! Elder Fruean is an amazing priesthood holder! I'm glad to see you were able to meet him and feel of his love for the gospel and the Savior.  The Lord definitely put us together for a special reason and helping me CHANGE my view of all of God's children.  

The photos are so awesome! I'm also glad to see everyone is doing great!! Big one this week with Logan aye work hard Ry and Jr. I have all the confidence in the world yall will continue to be leaders and MAKE IT HAPPEN!! Kelee-boi picking up right where we left off. I'm excited for you as well and remember stay strong, stay positive and MAKE IT HAPPEN!!

I received the two packages from the mission office, THANK YOU. It has everything I need. Shampoo is running kinda low though and the stores here don't sell the all-in-one kind. The mission office staff passed it on to the Zone Leaders. At that point it just depends on when they see us? You can send it straight to the apartment and I will get it 2-3 days after you send it. Faaagi's letters usually get here every Wednesday. I don't know when she sends it but I imagine it gets here faster.

My new companion Elder Martinez loves to talk. haha I've never been around someone who loves to talk as much as he does. He is a great missionary who loves to WORK HARD as do I--so it's the best! We are both excited about our companionship and serving together. 

This has been a good week! There is something special the Lord has in store for the Sharpsburg area. Elder Martinez and I can definitely feel it! I think the ward is interested to see what happens here as well as Elder Martinez and I are considered to be fairly young missionaries (sounds like stripling warriors and we all know how that ended...haha).

The fireside will be in October. This will give us enough time to advertise it really really well. The Ward activity went great! We are currently putting together a free car wash/church tour for all. While Friday Night Lights are on across the land, Elder Martinez and I will be teaching a new investigator who we feel the Lord has prepared in so many different ways so you could say we have our own battle Friday night.

It excites me to hear the boys are all doing well in Football and pray for their success in all they do. I'm also grateful for the chance yall had to meet Elder Fruean. He helped so many people here in the Georgia ATL Mission and impacted alot of lives. 

The joke here is that even though SLC is the hub for mormons, everyone is going to be flying DELTA to the celestial kingdom through Atlanta. We are working tirelessly to make the ATL the spiritual hub of the South.

I leave my witness with you that I know that the Book Of Mormon is TRUE! The Book of Mormon stands as another testament of Jesus Christ and His divinity; and that through the Book of Mormon questions of the Soul WILL be answered. I have seen the blessings of the Book of Mormon in my own life as well as those who have sought with real intent to read it, ponder it in their hearts and then asked God the eternal Father if these things are true...and that by the Holy Ghost we can and WILL receive the confirmation that these things are TRUE. 

Love Yall,

Elder Gautavai

Go Forth With Hope and Courage Strong

The elder was informed in a letter of his brother's team victory in their first game of the season Friday (Bountiful 31-Lone Peak 21) as well as his aunt's passing Sunday Rochelle's first cousin Momi Loo Heimuli.

Well Hello Yall!!

That is some awesome news!!! Friday around 9 o'clock was definitely tough for me haha mostly that I knew football had just gotten underway and I knew where yall were. Congrats to Ry and Jr!! Keep level minded and take it one game at a time and yall will do great. Kelee-boi remember to Stay Positive and Stay Strong and I know you'll do great too! I'm starting to lose proper pronounciation of words so I apologize if it's hard to understand. haha

Anyways the work here in the Sharpsburg area is starting to pick-up. We have some new potential investigators in our pool which is always good. Transfers are Wednesday and I will remain in Sharpsburg. However my companion Elder Casper will be leaving. Coming in will be Elder Martinez from Mexico, a spanish-speaking missionary who is changing over to english. I am excited for this.  We'll Make It Happen!! I know it will be a great oppurtunity to do some really, really good things. We are getting ready for our big fireside. It looks like I will be taking the lead with it now as well as our Ward activity on Saturday. Seminary has been awesome!! The youth in Sharpsburg really love seminary and the missionaries. haha Kinda wish I didn't cut-up (messing around) in seminary when I was in it. Also Mom and Dad, you were *right (da da da duh!) stopping the piano lessons at the end was probably the WORST thing. I wish I could play it more now. haha Eh, We Learn...

Some of the ward members found out it was my b-day this past Saturday. They fixed up a little party and suprised me with it. It made my day! Can you believe it? 20 years-old, 2 decades. sheesh!! Yesterday I taught the Gospel Principles class and it went very well, no complaints here.  

My thought for the week comes from a quote President Gordon B. Hinckley made during his wife's funeral..

“It isn’t as bad as you may sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don’t worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers.”

I know this to be true that no matter how bad we think we have it or no matter how difficult life is, maybe we haven't received the answer to something we need.  But IT ALL WORKS OUT...DONT WORRY. "Go forth with HOPE and COURAGE strong!" (Go Forward With Faith, LDS Hymn)

I will pray for Momi's family. Let them know of my love for them. I testify that through the Plan of Salvation we can be togther in the Glory of the Celestial Kingdom with our families if we endure to the end.

Love Yall, GO BRAVES!

Love Elder Gautavai

Sacrifice Brings Forth The Blessings of Heaven

Hello Family!!

Wow it's exciting to see Ry and Jr getting ready for football!! Brings back memories of this time last year getting ready for the season. Work hard on Friday fellas. Ry you've put in all the hard work and now it's time to have fun and get the job done. Haha you can imagine being down in SEC country' right now they are getting fired up for football season as well. People everywhere are painting their mailboxes and decorating to root on the UGA, or Auburn. I'll have to send some pictures of the area it's quite funny. Tell Kelee nobody over here likes 'Bama. haha

The work here is a bit slow at the moment..but with that said by no means are we down on ourselves..we have gone to our Heavenly Father constantly throughout the day counseling with Him on what we need to do and SACRIFICE to help us move the work forward here in Sharpsburg. In fact on Wednesday we left our car at our apartment complex and WALKED ALL DAY 12 -7:30 covering approximately 15 miles, just talking to people and knocking on doors. At the end of the day we felt our FAITH LIFTED; we know the Lord will provide a way for us to accomplish what He has entrusted us to do. Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of Heaven!

Teaming With The Ward Council and Turning Priesthood Keys For the Work

We have been meeting with the different auxillaries in the ward and with the Bishop. These member-missionary meetings are resulting in some very good opportunities ahead to move the work foward and in finding more contacts and investigators. We are fixin' to teach Seminary on Friday; every Sunday we have a bbq scheduled with the priest' quorum and their non member friends as a means of fellowship, contact and opportunity to teach all in attendance the discussions. We also have a ward activity coming up that we are going to take full advantage of so we'll have even more teaching and testifying moments. We talked to our Bishop on Sunday and along with the "Im A Mormon" campaign we are going to hold a Fireside open to everyone where we will talk about our beliefs and answer any questions people, members of other faiths have. We are gearin' up for these up coming activities and teaching, testifying moments!

Just a little thought.  I studied a talk by President Ezra Taft Benson entitled "Beware of Pride" with the question in mind of "why people in Book of Mormon fell? President Benson simply explained "the pride of this nation," speaking of the Nephites, "...hath proven their destruction." (Moroni 8:27) When we put our own will against God we direct our pride towards Him. It is at these times and moments we fall victim to man's judgement and the Adversary's power. It is through the simplicity and plainness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Holy Ghost and enduring to the end) that we can break free from the enmity of pride.

As of right now I don't need anything, ALL IS WELL!

Love Elder Gautavai

Wonderful Blessings Ahead In Sharpsburg

Hello Family!!

Well let me first start off by saying that Sharpsburg is a complete 180 degree change from East Point/Midtown. It is definitely different compared to my first area. Sharpsburg is more affluent and a lot more spread out then East Point. My new companion is Elder Casper who has been out for about 9 months and is from West Jordan. He knows elder Adam Talbot as they played basketball together as well as elder Jeff Peterson, it's a small world indeed!! Lol We live in an apartment by ourselves. I still have a car but with how spread out it is, I'm guessing we will be walking here a bit as well.

We attended church yesterday and wow is the Sharpsburg Ward fired up about missionary work!!! The members are anxiously engaged in bringing their friends to the gospel. We are going through and teaching the members and ward council to not only strengthen and increase our teaching opportunities but to strengthen their homes as well. Sharpsburg was up until a couple transfers ago a sister missionary area so they are adjusting to elders being here but they love having us in their homes. The biggest difference for me moving from East Point would have to be how prideful some are due to their wealth and religious traditions. But I know in time they will come to know we cannot do it alone and on human wisdom but have to rely on revelation and the only way we can do this is through our Heavenly Father. 

Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial (tomb) Atlanta, Georgia

Freedom Hall Atlanta, Georgia

My testimony of the Restoration is growing everyday. We are literally spirit children of our Heavenly Father. His love for us goes beyond our mortal comprehension. I know through prayer we can communicate with Him and receive His guidance. He knew we would need to come to earth in order for us to return to Him. Because of His love He put us with our families to strengthen one another and learn of the gospel while on this earth; yet it doesn't  stop there. He loved us so much He gave His only Begotten Son to suffer for the sins, inequalities and weaknesses of each and everyone of us so that we could return to His presence. I know He has revealed this through His prophets in ancient days and has called a prophet for our day today, even Thomas S. Monson to lead and guide us in this last dispensation. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. He loved us so much He prepared for the return of the Gospel to the Earth. The Book of Mormon is evidence of God's Love for us.  We will feel His love as we ask Him in Faith with real intent; He will answer us as Moroni promised through the Holy Ghost with feelings of love, joy, long suffering, meekness etc. (Gal 8).

It is great to hear you are all doing well. Tell A'gi I am excited for her and know the Lord will continue to bless our family as we come closer and closer to Him. Send everyone my love!!

Here are a few pictures. I will send the complete card home today. haha Ry I found the bridge used on Tyler Perry's House of Payne. I thought I'd send you some photos of it.

Love Elder Gautavai

2 of BTOWN's Best In The ATL

Forever BRAVE Class of 2010...Elders Heimuli and Gautavai