Good bye Niue!!!!

Hey everybody!! :) Well like it says there turns out I'm leaving...

Just like that!! One of the shortest any Palangi has come and stayed here!! So earlier this week we heard from the immigration center because a member works there.  She tells us the new missionary is coming in! So i think it's my new companion! But we find out he's from the states! So we go look him up back home and it's a guy from Nevada! We're like what the?! So we start thinking what's going on! Maybe I leave or now two white missionaries! We didn't know but we wanted to know! Got our answer that night because President Porter called and said he needed to talk to me.. Freaks me out as always! haha so I give him a ring and he tells me I'm going home.. Haha jk! Back to New Zealand not home!! :) He says alright Elder Devey I'm expecting you to move fast and to come back and give it all you've got.  I'm sending you back as a District Leader.  I was like oh no you don't! Haha I've forgotten how to  preach by the way here! Now I have to be a district leader?! My trainer was one and I remember all the stuff he had to do! I'm far from that!! Haha but of course I acted excited to President! Well of course I’m excited just a little nervous! haha The funny thing is I don't even know if I'm leaving this Friday or the next to the bitter cold New Zealand.  We get transfer calls today so I'll be able to find out for sure. I thought I was getting lucky and skipping two winters in a row!! Prez said that it's supposed to be this Friday unless they don't get the new missionary ready in time so we'll see!! Next time you hear from me I could be in NZ or still on the Rock!! ha-ha But can you believe it I'm already leaving!! I'm pumped! I mean I love it here but I miss going hard out in NZ!! I just look forward to the growth that I'll be able to experience and the journey that lies ahead!! So I'm excited!! That was the crazy news this week!! "I'm leaving on a jet plane don't know when I'll be back again!!! "  Haha some people have already made me some and given me some gifts to take!

This Wednesday they're having a fia fia for me! So hopefully i leave this Friday or people are gonna think I messed with em’ to get gifts! haha :) So this may be my last week on Savage Island..  What a wonderful experience it has been to come all the way out here and see this walk of life and the faith among these island people. I'll definitely miss it here and in the end wish I could have stayed longer!! But time to look forward and prepare myself for what's coming up!! Kinda scared!!  So there's the news! Something else I don't feel worthy for!! But I know the Lord will take care of me and lift me upto accomplish the tasks that he has laid before me.  He's done it before and he'll do it again!! WOOO!!!! I'm excited!!!  Looks like I'm escaping the island!! I made my own raft out of sea turtles and the hair off of my back and I'm outta here!! Lata Niue!! :)  For my last P-day Elder Losalu did a pig Tongan style called the Velo!! I killed my last one!! Sad moment for me!! haha na just nasty again!! A velo isold school style where you put a stick through the pig and cook it over an open fire while twisting it!! More good memories!! haha So I'm gonnna make the most of this or maybe next last week that I can because I'm not sure if it'd be possible to ever come back here.. I sure hope so!! Well I love you everybody and hope you have a good week!!!! :) I miss and love you all!!! :)

Love Elder Devey

May 23, 2011

Hey everybody!! Aloha!! :) How is everyone?! That's great to hear! I hope you are all just doing awesome!

This week was a good week! It can just be hard here because the people and the island is so laid back! Throws ya off as a missionary! Used to working nonstop and being super busy.  Now it's like we just visit and do service, to laid back I don't like it! It'd be cool to come here on vacation or honey moon or something! haha But not as a missionary! Na I love it here it's great to be serving out here in the littlest country in the world. It's quite a trial but it's good! I'll learn new things and just continue to progress and move forward.  So things are going good here! We had quite what President calls "creative proselyting" this week! The island has their own version of cricket here they call Niue cricket. haha It's hilarious if you saw it!  Anyways I don't even know anything about the normal, palangi cricket anyways! But we hopped on with the team a lot of the members are on.  They heard I played baseball growing up so they wanted us to come play. haha So we had a game last weekend man it was funny.  I'm the only white kid there so they all think it's really funny.  The whole island basically comes because there's nothing else to do on the island.  It's good though because we are getting to know lots of non-members through it so hopefully we get an opportunity to share the gospel.  I made this play which was a total fluke and was lucky but they say it won the game haha I had no clue!  While the runners are going if you hit the wickets with the ball while a runners going their out.  It was their last hitter and he was dominating.  I was in the outfield and he hit a grounder my way.  I scooped it and threw it in as fast as I can.  I think this is where being God's servant helps, it was a far throw and somehow a miracle occurred and it hit the wicket! Man it was so funny!!

So while we're doing other daily things people will come up and talk to us about it because I guess that was the last play and it stopped them.  I tell them I meant to! :) haha but i didn't even know that's how you get them out! Total luck! haha so that was really funny!!  We did lots of service again this week! Just work work work! More blessings! On sunday I taught the lesson and blessed the sacrament and gave a long talk to take up sacrament! haha Not enough members in that north branch.  Usually about 15 to 20 each week.  It was our priesthood commemorative program.  Sunday night the branch down here watched the last session of conference so we watched that.  I can't beleive conference happened 3 weeks before easter and we're finally finishing them up now!! We truly are cast away here! Things have been fun! Just doing the best we can with what we got! You think it would sound or be easier being somewhere like this.  But it's so much harder because you know this is the Lord's time and you wanna do all you can, but here you feel restricted and like you can't be sharing your testimony all the time which is hard.  But I know I'm here for a reason so I'll just keep doing the best I can! We've been with a couple of the guys who are thinking of going on missions a lot, so that's been good.  Trying to help them and give them the boot to get them going. 

Today for pday we're gonna go play golf.  There actually is a little golf course how cool is that?! So we're going golfing today! Sorry dad golfin in paradise!! :) Besides that it's such a small place, just little villages and tiny shops in the market.  So beautiful though.. One of my favorites here on Saturday nights the family just drops off the dinner so we always take it to the sea warf at night and just eat and watch the waves hitting the reef and the rocks and look at the absolute stunning pacific star constellations. There's beauty all around here it's just insane! Someday you'll all get to see the pictures! I'm trying to think of what else! Not much to update on! We haven't heard yet if Losalu's going which makes me kinda nervous! haha it's hard to get along with this guy.  I try my best but sometimes his pride gets in the way of our work and relationship. But maybe I need to be compelled to be more humble! 

"God comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable."-

Jeffrey R. Holland in conference! :) So it can be tough! Another six weeks would be a very hard trial! But we'll see!!  Well everybody just don't forget of me on this puny rock out here! I never forget you all and I love and miss you all very much!!

Love Elder Devey

May 16th 2011

Hey everybody!!

The day’s just keep flying by it is crazy! It really is insane how fast time goes when you're out on the mission! I hope everyone had an awesome week this last week and that everyone is doing just great! I pray and think of you all often! :) This week was another good one! Nothing really to new or exciting happening! One of the days we went to the sea and walked all around on the reef with some of the Hekau family hunting for Octopus!! So that was really cool!! We caught lots of fish and snails to and ate it all right there as raw as you can get it! I used to hate seafood before as a lot of you know but now I love it!! Everything I've eating here has been really good! And we've eaten some gross things! So that's been a miracle from the Lord! :) 

 It rained a lot this week! We did heaps of service as always!! Work, work, work!! We visited the High Commissioner of the island his name is Mike and he's interested in taking lessons! So hopefully miracles happen there and then we can find more teaching opportunities!  Things have been fun here! Feel like things are picking up but it's still hard being stuck on this little island! haha But it's very, very beautiful here so it's all good! Such wonderful loving people!  We gave some blessings this week; we've given quite a lot here.  The people love the missionaries and if they need anything they let us know!  Gave a blessing to Heileen last night who is in jeopardy of losing her child.. They find out this week and are probably going to New Zealand.  That was a humbling experience as are most of the experiences here in Niue!!  Man I don't know what else to update you guys on! Nothing really crazy or anything this week! Just doing the best we can with what we've got!  It feels like I've been on this island forever!! And it's only been about 3 months!! I got 3 most likely!! Ai a Wei!!!  I'll make the most of my time and continue to strive to be an instrument in the Lord's hands.  I know one day I'll miss this crazy experience very much and that I'll learn many valuable life-long lessons from this journey here on the Savage Island!! So I'm excited!! What else could I be?! I gotta be excited!! :)  I hope you all have a wonderful week!! And again thank you so much for the prayers and the support!! I miss and love you all very, very much!!!!

:)

Love Elder Devey

May 10, 2011

Hey everyone!!! :) How's everyone doing?! I hope just fantastic!

Sounds like everyone had a great week last week! Thank you everyone again so much for your support, love, and prayers towards me.  I don't deserve it but thank you so much!! And again happy mother's day to those momma's out there!! But most especially my momma! :) I'm sorry but she is the best and you all know it! This week was a good week!! Just living it up here in Paradise! Haha just kidding! We're working hard! I'm trying to remember what happened this last week! Well good news is that there are a few people that I think look promising for baptisms! A couple of part-member families that we're focusing on so hopefully miracles will start happening!  We still do everything to help these little branches out here.  We clean and look after them. All sorts of stuff! 

Last Saturday we cleaned one of the chapels and there were literally thousands i mean thousands of massive bees in the chapel.  Not ordinary bees, huge!! So we spent all night killing them all with coconut brooms! haha that was fun!  Ate octopus the other night in a oomoo.  It's their season I guess! So this Wednesday we're probably going to go help Fasa hunting for octopus on the reef! Cool huh?! The only thing I haven't eaten yet that they eat here that's pretty crazy is the bat.  It's not their season yet, but they'll take shotguns and hunt for bat and eat em! That's one I got to have before I leave! Anyways what else!?

We're still waiting to hear from the immigration on the new missionary coming in because usually we get to hear early because of that.  And if it is Losalu leaving here at his six months and me staying than hopefully we find out soon on the next Tongan I'll live with for 3 months.  That sounds scary.. There's only so much to do and so many people to see on this island.  I don't know what in the world we would do for 3 months! Oh well the Lord definitely will provide because he always does!! :) Let’s see other news I'm now 220lbs... ha-ha just kidding!! Lies!! Just thought I'd freak you out!! :) But it is dangerous here! Too much food and they expect you to eat til you physically can't!! It's a rough game! But I got that whole year in NZ when I get back so I'll take away those "blessings" in physical form! Unless when the new president comes in they forget about us two missionaries exiled here in Niue and I stay here the rest of the mission! Who knows?! I hope not!! I can't wait to feel the fire of NZ again. 

It honestly is the best mission in the world! I know everyone says that about their mission but it really is!! It's a mission of miracles! If you work hard you can just see miracles and have success like crazy! It's so much fun!! I can't wait to go back! But I'm here now so I need to serve NOW with "no regrets" but it's hard here! We probably have 1 or 2 lessons a week, either a less active or one nonmember.  It's all just service and visiting the people and building those relationships so we can find someone prepared for the gospel!  So it just feels different here because since the island life here is "laidback" you're kinda forced to live that way too and it drives me nuts sometimes!! Cause I just wanna run around knocking doors or yelling at people!! haha oh well I am grateful with the experience.. It just worries me because I can't tell if I'm serving with regrets you know.. It just feels so different!! It's hard but I know in the end it'll all be worth it. I'm not complaining I'm grateful for this experience but oh what I would give to be back in NZ!! ha-ha this place is wonderful and fantastic for maybe a vacation! But for missionary work it's a different story! It makes you feel restricted! Whereas NZ there's no stopping ya!! Oh well sorry for going off a bit! I do love it here and I know I will miss this experience and the people greatly when I'm away. So I'll give it all now and be happy with what the Lord has allotted unto me for I know this is from the Lord! :) So it's all good than of course!! Well not much else to report! It was a normal week this week on the island! The highlight of the island experience so far did happen this week!! Got to talk to my Mom!! :) Now that was the BEST!! Well everyone I miss and love you all very much!! Wish and pray you all have a wonderful week this week!! :) Manuina E Aho!!! :) I love you!!!

Love Elder Devey

The Mission President's Coverage of Niue Island Visit

The airstrip of Niue! The "rock of polynesia"--Niue!

"As a family we have been mystified by this man who wanders a certain portion of the street always eating coconuts and appears and disappears in the bush! Come to find out from the Elders, they too have enjoyed this man who is actually a member of the church and whom they have nicknamed "Moses!" He kindly agreed to take a photo with Elders Devey and Losalu with our son, David."

Happy Mother's Day

Hey everybody!!! :) How is everyone?! I hope you're all doing awesome!! I'm doing good as always! The gospel is the plan of happiness! So why not?! :) Hope you all had a wonderful week!! This week was just more fun stuff with the festival! haha And with the Porter family's farewell! So I'll begin from the beginning! I think I told you last week about the two times that we danced with the people in the show! haha Good stuff! But our shows didn't end there! haha One night we had some time so we stopped by at all the festival stuff again.  We saw Tapu, an old lady who is one of the original stalwarts of the church here on Niue.  We started talking to her and I guess she was about to go up on stage! They were doing a fashion show, and the theme at that point RIGHT when we got there was missionary work!!! The church is true! haha So she's like come up with me! Losalu didn't want to but I was like Oh ya let's do it!! So we did the walkway! One of the members here, Robyn (Mufasa) always does all the announcing and all that showbiz stuff.  He knows all the history on the LDS missionaries here so when we went up with Tapu in front of all the people he did a great intro and background of LDS missionaries!

Awesome huh?! So that was good exposure with the people! Felt like a model up there! haha So more fun! We did a lot of service again and took the Porter's with us to cut grass at a home! And that's when my new camera broke!! I'm horrible with cameras I guess! The last picture I took was of President holding the weed whacker at us and than it was done for! So I blamed it on President! He broke my camera! Anyways we played basketball with David a lot, spent time with the Porter's.  One day we bought lots of coconut bread from Mama Rosa, another original in the church.  And visited all the single old ladies with Sister Porter and David and gave them little goodies! That felt really good!

We had our interviews with President.  Poor Losalu though because the President and I went for a long time because it was going to be our last one. It was like an hour and a half!  It was an awesome interview.. Got emotional a bit! Another one that got me a little scared of what's to come! haha he's got to high of expectations for me it kind of freaks me out! haha His plan is to keep me here a little longer, maybe the normal 6 months or shorter.  But he wants me to come back straight into leadership roles and he again wants me to shoot up quick.  He reemphasized like before, he knows I'm going to be a 'superstar' in the mission field.  So he's trying to accelerate my growth like crazy he says.  That's why he had those callings for me before Niue as well. He wanted me here in Niue because he knows how valuable the lessons are here and the trials I'll face will shape me into a powerful leader he says.  So that's why he has me here.  Those were some of the thoughts from the interview.  It was really good. I got a lot of work to do that's for sure!!! :) So let's do it!! Besides that we saw the Porter's quite a bit, gave them gifts and letters.  Also gave them some addresses of family and others back home! So they're going to visit you guys!! :) We had a MASSIVE fiafia(dinner and dances) for them the last night they were here. I've never seen so much food!! It was a joke!! and never ever in my life seen food go that fast!! Kinda scary!!  We gave a very good plate which we did Thursday morning! Filmed it all to so hopefully I can send home the footage one time!!

We bought a pig from a member and with some of our mates I did the honor!! haha I got in the pig pen caught the pig brought it out and killed the poor guy!! Man they're strong!! I felt like Rambo that's for sure because the scene was disgusting! And I didn't do it right at first so it wasn't a quick death for the guy!! haha I felt horrible!! :) The way I killed it was by stabbing it's throat and opening a big enough hole to get my hand in to grab the umbilical cord and tear it out to kill the pig!! Pretty nasty huh!! I felt so unworthy!! Haha But I made sure to eat some of him that night so it wasn't just murder!! :) Savage island I'm telling ya!!

Anyways at the fia fia we all ate and had fun with the Porter's people gave really nice beautiful gifts that they made for them.  They had us missionaries go up and give a chant.  I did a solo!! haha oh man! The people were laughing they loved it!! I was getting into it but pretty sure I looked like a fool! haha Than airplane day we took them back got last pic’s and last words with my first beloved mission president and my mission mom.. It was very sad! And no fair! Because out of all the missionaries in our mission besides the ones that go home of course I was the first one to have to say goodbye early!! Oh well!! Can't wait to see them again!!  So the last couple of weeks were probably the funniest of my mission so far!! Just a lot of unique cultural things and being privileged to be with such faithful servants of God. It was a wonderful week!! :) We also finally got the general conference DVDs so we've started watching those! haha That's a big enough email for ya'll! So hope you enjoy!! And you all best make sure that your Mother's or your wives have a WONDERFUL Mother's Day!!

Especially my mommy!! I love you Mom have a happy Mother's Day!! You deserve it more than anyone else!!! I LOVE YOU!!! :) I love you all so much have a spectacular week!!! :)