E-mail (Dated: 8/31/2014)

Hey Everyone!!!!!:::)))

So it has been an Incredible week for me!!!! My first week that I have been full steam ahead with all of my responsibilities as a district leader!!!!!! I have written a really detailed letter about all this stuff, but I will try and explain everything without taking emphasis out of my letters!!!!!

So this week was my first week being able to have my fist District meeting!!!! It was Definitely difficult for me at first, but it has been an awesome learning experience for me all the way around!!!!!!

I was able to hold my first companionship exchange with the elders in Hihifo, the island south of us, its confusing, because Hihifo usually means east!!!!! We had an amazing exchange with everyone!!!!!! I had some incredible experiences that changed my perspective on everything in my mission!!!!!! I went into big details in my letter so I don't want to take away, but ill just say I was able to teach a man that lifted my spirits higher than I could ever have imagine.......something way cool is that I will be able to do companion ship exchanges with Berry and Freer next week. We have a speed boat with two 150cc v6 motors on the back, so I'm excited to take the amazing trip to their islands, we will then do splits and go around the island groups of about 8 little islands!!!! I'm excited to be able to be companions with elder Berry for a short time period!!!!!!!! I love how he told me that he will come together from someone from Ephraim and bring others unto the gospel, I have always told him that, that is me hahaha, even Freer is from Manasseh..... anyway just somethings that means a lot to me!!!

I was able to do my first baptism interview and it was one of my favorite experiences as a missionary, just because I was able to see her change of heart and her sacrifices to follow her savior..Very special experience to me!!!

We are working so so hard with our members right now and helping them with family history work and trying to get them to share all the family history stuff with all there friends, we are setting up firesides to bust and bring the work up.......

Ha'apai is so so slow, but we are doing so so much to try and boost our area. There is an elder in Hihifo that I did a companion ship exchange with and he change my perspective and he taught me a lot on how I need to go about strengthening a ward, so I'm excited!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway the islands are good and I'm loving the challenge for as every missionary is called, and every missionary is given an assignment, it comes from one place and one place only and that is from god!!!!!!  I love you all. You are all in my prayers and my heart!!!!

I love you

Mom"dude"

Brooklin"syst"

Hand Written Letter (Dated: 8/25/2014) [#49 from Tonga]

Family!

I'm actually really excited to write this letter and give you some of the detail so my week and some of the fun stuff and adventures coming up! So I guess I will start with the adventures and end with the spiritual stuff. So, since I am the district leader, I get to do companionship exchanges with all of the missionaries in my district. So, we have a boat for us to use. It has two big 150CC V6 motors :) So we are excited! We also quite often go out with the zone leaders and interview their investigators on little islands. I actually gave my first baptism interview today! It was an amazing experience. The girl I interviewed gave up coffee and tea and she bore her testimony to me about the importance of dong what God asks of us. What an incredible opportunity I have been given to have the opportunity to see these changed hearts that are ready to come unto our Savior and make their first covenant with Him!

This Tuesday, I was able to hold my first district meeting. Not going to lie, it wasn't the easiest thing for me & I really don't like being known as the district leader. Out here, people put leaders on a pedestal and I really don't like it. In fact, it is really hard on me. So, I am just trying to fulfill my duty the best I can, for I am told in my Patriarical blessing that if I accept callings I will be blessed for the things I learn from my experience.I truly believe all the things I have been blessed with come through obedience to our Heavenly Father and I can feel the loss of control and direction in my life when I am not obedient. It has been a lot of pressure for me to be a district leader. A lot of that is because in our entire zone, there is only one district :) So, my duties include interviewing all of the investigators preparing for baptism and going on companionship exchanges. I also have the duty of collecting all of our numbers and reporting them to the zone leaders, So, for me this has been a lot of pressure! But, it's a good pressure that helps me progress mau ai pe (always)

I would really like to share some of my experiences this week. I know I will end up sharing a little on e-mail just so you will not have to wait until you receive this letter to hear anything but I will always try to go into more detail in my letters. So, I had the chance to go on a companionship exchange in Hihifo, the southern village of our island. I paired up with Elder Hofoka from Tonga, but yet again he was in the liahona presidence with Elder Talanoa, so his English is fluent! It's actually frun talking Tonglish! But, sometimes we just speak in Tongan, especially if we are near other Tongans - haha. But, we had an incredible experience of teaching a guy (age 52). He grew up in the Methodist church and is actually a preacher. His kids all grew up LDS. His wife went with her husband, but her heart has always been in the LDS church. Get this, their son, is on a mission in California Oakland. His name is Elder Vaivela.

Anyway, it was the Dad Teuita (David) that asked us to come teach him. His heart had been changed since his son has been serving his mission. He has a desire to know why his son left him and everything to go preach the word of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We began teaching him and I could feel the presence of the spirit, but mostly I could feel the light of Christ radiating from this 52 year old man. I could feel the desire he had to be with his family for eternity. AS we taught, he had questions, but as we answered, you could see the spirit working on him. The lesson came to an end and I was super sad because I knew that I would not be the one continuing to teach him. But, as we rescheduled with him, he wanted to do it early in the morning....so, I would still be there! As we came the next day, he bore testimony of how the Book of Mormon is another testimony of Jesus Christ. He told us he has felt it. He also has been praying  . . . . We taught him the first half of lesson #2 and we began to close....I then thanked him for the spirit that I  had been able to feel as we taught him. I told him that I would be returning to my own area the next day. As I concluded, he said that he wanted to say a few words. He thanked me from the bottom of his heart for making the sacrifice to come all the way from America to bring him the gospel. He said that he knows that I came to touch his heart specifically! Definitely one of the most tender and rewarding feelings I have had on my mission.  I have had the chance to bring a family together through the gospel. He also stated that he knows personally of the sacrifice I have made to come on a mission and to leave my family....because his son is on the other side of the world and he misses his son so very much and NOW he knows why the sacrifice is so important!  By the way, he is getting baptized next Saturday!!!!

I am so grateful for my opportunity to be here in Tonga (Ha'apai) and be sharing the gospel with the beautiful people of Tonga! I know the spirit is the most important thing in this work. Just think about it. This companionship exchange was setup by our AP's the night before. I know they were guided by the spirit! It's so important that we listen to and follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit!

As I have been here in Ha'apai for 3 week now, I have figured out that our ward really struggles. There are a lot of problems, especially what I would call lots of "drama". It has affected a lot of the members and contributed to them becoming less active. I have pondered this a lot lately. My companion and I have come up with some good plans, programs, ideas that should strengthen us as a ward.......We both know that his is where we are supposed to be. The lord has already shown us through many tender experiences. This is where we are needed and we CAN make a difference! It may not be bringing back every family, but we will plant seeds and we will make the difference that the Lord sent us here to make.

I love you family! I am so proud to wear the Harmon name tag every day! I were it with pride!
Your Son/Brother
Elder Blake Daniel Harmon
Ofa Lahi Atu

E-mail (Dated: 8/24/2014)

Life in Kolipoki’s Shoes

Hey Family and my loved ones!!!!

Life in Kolipoki’s shoes has been much different that I imagined it to be.... Ha'apai is very beautiful and the people are incredible.  I already feel like family. In other areas it took me a while to get used to the area and the people, but I already feel like part of the family here in Pangai. Yesterday after our meetings we went and sat on the beach and watched the sunset. I was able to take it all in. Brooklin can attest that I said this a lot back at home (Take it all in and enjoy it, because you never get that moment back!), but as a missionary it sometimes is hard to just sit and take it all in, the moments and the trials and the feelings of it all. But as I sat on the beach I was able to take in my blessings, my tender mercies and this “Once in a Life-Time” opportunity. I am serving in the area Kolipoki served in for the last 2 years of his mission, in the exact area and with a lot of the same people. I am so blessed to serve with the beautiful people of Tonga and in their sacred islands. There is a spirit here that cannot be felt anywhere else in the world, for this is a Land Dedicated to God.

Some cool things that have happened here is that we have been able to give a lot of amazing blessings to a lot of people, everyone has been sick.... it’s crazy no one was at church because so many are sick, but we have seen a lot of miracles!!!!!

So this week we were able to start teaching a family - Palee's Family. They are a young family, but they are very strong in the church of Tonga. The father is a future preacher for the church. But, we knocked on their door and they accepted us in and we were able to share with them the first lesson. The spirit was so strong. Palee told us that we have been an answer to his and his family’s prayers. We are continuing to teach them later this week when he gets back from Kavai a tiny motu(island). When we taught about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, it was powerful! I just love reciting the first vision, it’s so powerful!!!!! But, their family filled with tears as we were able to testify that there is a true prophet here on the earth today!!!! So incredible!!!! We continue to search and to share, for I have felt that this is why I am here on the earth, to spread and share this message to everyone and let everyone feel the light of this gospel!!!!!!

I can’t remember if I wrote this in a letter or not, but just the other day I was on the beach with Berry and Freer and my companion, waiting for the boat to come take them, when a guy from Czech Republic came up and started asking us questions about where the nearest scuba diving area was but we didn't know. However, we got talking, and I pulled out an English pass along card that I have been saving for an experience like this, and I was able to bear testimony to him about the Book of Mormon and that there is a prophet and apostles on the earth today. He got excited and asked if the Book of Mormon could be sent to him in New Zealand to his new house. We gave him the email address and told him he could even get it in his native tongue and he was so so excited. Just a powerful experience in following the spirit and inviting others to follow Christ!

Love you all ,
Mom :dude"
Brooklin SYST

P.S.
My companion is awesome, he is from West Jordan and went to Copper Hills. He is about 6'5" and is an artist, plays sports.....he is a really cool guy. He is actually from the same ward as Lavaka and Laos back in Utah, so it's cool!!!!

Hand Written Letter (Dated: 8/19/2014) [#48 from Tonga]

Family!

Wow, so it's only been a couple of days since I last wrote you. I don't want to fall behind in writing you letters, but when I was on email with you, I wasn't able to respond to any of your emails. So, I just want to take the time to do so now. I'll start with mom. I remember that you told me about Paige's reception/shower and you talked about her mission. I think its cool to see that you and Brooke were able to go have the last encounter with her. I find it crazy that the first girl I ever kissed is now getting married - hahaha. That's when I know I am starting to get old! Wow, I just barely noticed that she isn't 20 until the 21st of September. I never thought she would have gotten married that early! But, she is very similar to Cassidy McCallister in that they are both very mature for their ages and I know that they are both "battlers" and they will both have successful marriages!

Dad, I was very touched by your email and the tender mercies of the Lord you were able to feel. How incredible that you were able to meet someone from the same place where I had been serving for the last 6 months. Especially in how it is on the other side of the world! The Lord really is looking out for my beautiful family. Before the mission, everyone talks about the beautiful blessings of our Heavenly Father and how he will bless our families if we serve him! But, you never understand how much until you actually get out in the mission field and witness it first hand. There is no better feeling in the world than to see blessings being poured down on my family! I can truly feel how it will be for me as a father one day and just thriving as I see my family blessed in the gospel!

Okay Brandon, your car is so so so sick! That was so hard for me not to just go off on e-mail about it! Awe, it was awesome that you and Dad got a good one. What size are the subs in the back? What size is the amp? I bet it just pounds with it being a hatch back! So, it's the GT version. Does it have the v6 or is it a 4 cylinder? It looks fun Bro! Make smart choices in it!!:) I would love to hear all the details! I think I saw that it was an automatic. That will be better for the snow! Is it front wheel or rear wheel drive? How many seats does it have? How fast is it? Does it have an exhaust on it? Do you want me to get you neon for it? Aw, it's way cool you got it right before your senior year! Crazy to see that school is already starting up & then when it's over, I will be about a month and a half from being back. Time is just flying!!!

Oh, so Ha'apai is kinda like Vava'u. I have to put all my letters on the boat. Then they get sent to the mission office and then they get sent to all of you :) So, I imagine it will be a month long process! I only send them to the office every month or so which means that all 4 letters will come an once each month. I know that it is not as convenient as it was for us when I was in Tonga, but hopefully, all the letters will eventually make it! In fact, I know they will, it's just a mater of 'time'!

Nothing is really new over the last three days. We just had our first Zone meeting in Ha'apai. I was actually really good! I got to teach and it just happened to be a topic that I have been studying a lot lately! Dad, when you sent me the talk about "Hope", I got really into it and studied it like crazy! I then got asked to teach it! So it was pretty good to be able to share what I had learned with everything! My comprehension of hope has been so broadened and strengthened!

So, on email, I remember dad telling me that I was supposed to followup with a story from letter #46, but honestly, I can't remember. I have been so busy switching to a new area! Haha, Tonga is really hard to switch, especially when switching islands! Read the Koilipoki book. He describes it really well as he is on the boat back from Niua!

I am excited to see what I can do to change this area! Did I tell you this is the exact area Kolipoki spent the last 2 years of his mission as the Branch President? So, I am living it! The Koilipoki Life!

I love you all. Sorry things are busy here. I just wanted you all to know that I appreciated the emails!

Mom, I had a really strong impression I needed to let  you know that I love you so much and appreciate you so much. I know our moms need to hear it more than anyone, but out of all the emails and letters, sometimes it's hard for the love to be felt directly or the care and gratefulness,  Just know momma that I love you and you are my momma forever and no one could replace the love I have for you! No one could take that feeling I have for you. For, when I am in your arms I feel home, and for when I hear your voice I feel comfort, for that is why you were always my greatest cheerleader! Thank you for your support and care and for your thrill in my passions and in my successes! I wish I just could sit on email for hours and respond to all your e-mails and tell you thank you and sincerely  respond to all your kind thoughts and stories, but it's just impossible. So, just know they mean the world to me. This goes for Dad too! Thank you for the e-mails. Your efforts and thoughts have not gone unnoticed! They build me up incredibly and give me courage and strength to be the missionary I need to be!

Your Son/Brother
Elder Harmon

P.S. Did I ever tell you I stepped on a nail and it went through my foot about a month ago? .... Well, it finally healed! :)

E-mail (Dated: 8/17/2014)

Ok so so so sorry this is going to be so short, but I just barely found email on this little island. I just wanted to send a little email and let you all know I love you so so much!!!!!! The Island has the most beautiful beaches here, but the houses are still all destroyed.  Everyone lives in tents.  I have also been sick for the last 3 days, its has been aweful..... They say it's normal when you switch islands to get sick for a while!!!! 

We have one invistigator. It has been really hard to get to know all the members well because of me being sick, but I have gone to all their houses and tried to get to know them!!!!! So sorry I have to go, I wrote a letter today,
because I thought I wasn't going to find internet, so it has all the details!!!! 

Mom and Dad, I got your emails and I loved them so so much!!!! So so sorry I can't respond, it kills me.  I loved your tender mercies dad. Brandon congrats on the car, it looks sick!!!!! Love you
so so much!!!!!!!

Hand Written Letter (Dated: 8/16/2014) [#47 from Tonga]

Family,

I have been trying to find time this whole week to write this letter - haha. It has been pretty intense moving from an area where I have been for 6 months and moving from Tonga to Ha'apai. Also, going from a missionary with no responsibility to a district leader. I guess this is a good letter for me to describe to you Ha'apai and what life is like on this island and about the whole experience getting here.

So, on Tuesday I was taken to the airport by President Tupou. When we got there, we met up with Elder Burger (he is like our grandpa in the mission). So, I stayed there with him. He was supposed to have come with my luggage, but he forgot it. So, he decided to send me to Ha'apai by myself withoutt my luggage! While I was waiting to get on the plane, a plane came back from Vava'u. It has Elder Lotulelei on it! It was so so fun seeing him and catching up for a short minute. Then, I was able to have a really tender experience.Another missionary walked off the plane. I looked at his face, and it was identical to Foi Kuliha'apai's face (my dad in the mission that passed away). It was his son. He had been on a mission and had been serving in Vava'u when Foi passed away. I was able to send his family's love to him and share everything about the funeral that he had missed. It was very cool for me and for him!

So, I finally got on the plane. It was a jet plane. I thing my first one I have ever been on. It was super fast! I have never seen so much of Tonga as when we flew away. It is smaller than I thought! As we started getting close to Ha'apai, I started seeing all the gorgeous islands. It is cool! I have seen them from a boat view, and now from an aerial view! Once I landed, I got off the plan, and nobody was there to pick me up... So, I just sat and waited. I eventually just got a ride with a member family to my missionary quarters. Along the way, we saw the Zone Leaders. So, we waved them down and they pulled over and I finally got with my companion! AS we drove back our missionary quarters (MQ), it did not take long for me to realize that all of Ha'apai is completely destroyed. Everyone is still living in tents. It's the saddest thing. The only buildings that didn't get touched were our churches! It has been a really really humbling coming to this place, especially as it becomes my new home! I would love to hear about the senior couple that is coming out here because they are right by my house when they get here!

Oh, so Ha'apai's beaches definitely did not disappoint. They are the most beaches thing! I am living in paradise! I have never seen more beautiful beaches in pictures! It is like our own private beach and literally untouched. Nobody goes to the beach and when they do, they just go play at the boat dock in the front of the island!

Berry and Free arrived on Thursday and they brought my suitcase, FINALLY - HAHA!!! We sent them to their small island on Friday evening! We actually had a really cool experience with Berry this weekend! He got a call from his biological mother that lives on Ha'apai. She wanted to meet him, so we went out and we met her at the boat. It was cool to be part of a big moment in his life! To be able to see her love for her son. I can't imagine having enough courage to give away your son to a family in America so that he can have a better life and not struggle on the little  island where he was born. She knew that she could not raise him with the amount of food and the things that she had, so she loved him so much that she gave him away. It was tender to see them reunite.

SO! Ha'apai is going to be an experience that will change my life forever. I can already feel it. Things are a lot slower and a lot harder, but I know I have been sent out here for a reason and now it's time to start figuring out what those reasons are.

Oh, just some facts . . .
1) We have one ward.
2) We cover one village.
3) We have only 4 missionaries in my district right now that can actually come to meetings.
4) You can see one side of the island to the other when you stand in the middle and the is no hill.
5) My place is called Pongai.
6) There is a volcano in the ocean in front of Ha'apai and I guess it is really active.
7) Most beautiful sunsets happen here!
8) We have the most beautiful beaches in the world!:)

Sorry the letter was more like a journal entry than a letter, but I hoped it made you understand a little bit about where I am! Oh, by the way, I have ELECTRICITY and my ROOF DOES NOT LEAK!!! :)

I love you all so much. I am excited to write to you on Monday and let you know what is going on here on the islands of Ha'apai!

Elder Harmon
Your Son/Brother
But always remember we are and Eternal FAMILY
Ofa lahi ato

E-mail (Dated: 8/10/2014)

Wow what a week!

I have had some pretty incredible experiences this week. I wish they were captured on camera so that you could see and experience them all. I will just take you all back in time to show you, for I know you would all feel the spirit burning in you chest testifying of the truthfulness of this gospel!!!! I know that through doing the Savior's work, He truly strengthens us in spiritually and physically.

This week started with me getting the opportunity to have family night with my first counselor and three people from America. I wrote a big letter all about it, but lets just say the experience was incredible! I had a strong feeling that I was going to get moved this transfer, even though I wanted to stay for a lot of reasons. So, I was determined to make sure we went knocking on all the doors:) We actually got into a few family's homes, some were interested, some we found out were baptized but they changed churches when they got married. It opened a lot of doors for us to bring the spirit into their lives!!!!! I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to plant those seeds of growth. We have two new families now that we are teaching and will continue to be taught:)

I also said goodbye to my favorite Tongan missionary from Australia. He has been my zone leader in Sopu, his name is Elder Nuku, he finished this week!!!! But we got a new zone leader. You'll never guess who it is!!!!! ELDER HARRIS! We came in together and we were companions while I waited to go to Vava'u last year!!!! It was an awesome reunion!!!! I remember how we were so close before I went to Vava'u and it was hard to separate. He was also the one that I sat on the plane with to Tonga!!!! But just on Sunday, we got asked by the people from America, to hold a fireside for them. Me and Harris gave talks and told about our mission experience. I felt like it was my home coming talk, giving it in English and seeing a bunch of 18-19 year old boys and girls!!!! It was amazing! The spirit was so strong and me and Harris really compliment each other! I would love to serve by his side in the future. Anyway, Harris gave me a call last night, and I will be serving in HA'APAI in PONGAI.....

(Dad Comment: This is a video I found that shows some of the life on Ha'apai. Don't know how real it is to today, but Blake can tell us when he gets home.)

There are about 8 missionaries in Pangai. I have been called as the District Leader. I have to admit that I'm really nervous. But, like my patriarchal blessing says, I can only grow through accepting callings and learning from them! I'm excited for this opportunity. I fly on a small plane there tomorrow! My companion is Elder Tuitavuki from Salt lake. He went to school at Copper Hills and came in with Elder Arcos. He also lives in Elder Lao's ward. I'm excited and we will have a blast together. Also, Elder Berry and Elder Freer are companions on Ha'apai in my district!!!! Elder Lotulelei and Elder Lao are companions here in Tonga together. How funny is that! MTC companions back together!!!! Anyway,  love you guys and please pray for me hahaha....

Mom"dude"
Brooklin "SYST"

So, I am very tight with this guy at the pizza place. When I told him I was moving, he made me a pizza for free!!

Pictures of Pangai in Ha'apai

Hand Written Letter (Dated: 8/4/2014) [#46 from Tonga]

FAMILY:) You know what they say, 11:11 are the numbers to make a wish on! I have 11 months and 11 days until we are reunited again as a family. I have one wish and one wish only, and that is that we take advantage of the time that we have before us! Not tomorrow, but TODAY! As I was in High School, I had a tendency to always be thinking of days and dates ahead..in the future, instead of focusing on the present! I remember counting the hours and minutes until Friday night, instead of enjoying the day in front of me! I look back wishing I would have enjoyed every moment and not just those Friday nights, but every night, for if we start waiting and counting on the Friday nights, they will all soon be in over in our High School lives! Just like they are now done for me! I want us to enjoy this time right here, right now:) Brandon, it is already your junior year. You are about to hit half way in your High School experience! Brooke, you are in 8th grade. Believe it or not, it feels like yesterday that I was walking through those halls... Take it all in! I already know that mom and dad understand this reality already...this truth about time.

I cannot believe that I only have one year left to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ as FULL-TIME missionary. One year left to be here among the Tonga people....I'm freaking out seeing Christmas start to creep up. I'm still listening to Christmas music....

Telu just wrote me, and said a line that stuck out to me. He said sorry I was only there for half of your experience so far....Can you believe that? It's been six months since he has been here! It has been eight months since I have been on my little island! Haha, so I recently talked to Elder Swan and he died when he found out that we send letters once a week to each other! I think I might have talked him into actually doing it! I told him how close it has brought us as a family and the joy we are able to feel.

So, I had a really cool experience today. I was able to go to a family night with our 1st counselor in one of our wards and he had three white people there from the states. They were from California, Provo, and Nevada! It was a blast! I got to translate for them and for the Tongans. It was my first time, so it was a little different. The kids in the group were so excited to see me. They all yelled, "The Missionaries!!!" They ran up shaking my hand! There are 27 of them! They are here building a house for someone whose house burnt down a couple of years back. They are here with "HEFY". Pretty cool little organization. But back to the family night, it was filled with the spirit! This boy from Nevada is a recent convert this year and his desire to share the gospel and be involved is truly incredible! He shared his testimony several times, and it was very touching.

I was able to give a little shore lesson to them. I did every other sentence in a different language so they knew what was going on. I talked about missionary work and temple work and how it's the same work and not separate work. I was able to bear my strong testimony to them. The boy from Nevada, right after, told us a story that just happened to him with family history work, then he bore testimony, it was very powerful. I'm glad I could be in tune with the spirit to share something that could relate to them. It was amazing for me to look at these 16-18 year-olds and feel so old and mature.... Even crazier is that I felt so so out of place with the white people. I found myself just going to an all Tongan group and talking with them. Hearing English everywhere freaked me out. I found myself trying to speak Tongan to the Americans, haha! I guess this next coming Sunday, I will be giving a big talk to all of them. My topic is missionary work. A lot of them are missionary age, but don't really want to go on a mission. So, I'm supposed to give experiences and things that are suppose to drive them to go on a mission. I'm actually really, really excited for the opportunity that I have to try and make a difference in their lives. I truly know how much a mission was needed in my life. I love the quote, "The mission doesn't need you, you need the mission!" The mission is the best two years for your life, and I feel like I am already a living testimony of that. I know that my testimony and foundation is permanently set because of my choice to come on a mission! It truly sets up your path on the road to eternal happiness. It gives you the chance of a lifetime. Invite others to come unto Christ FULL TIME!
Elder Riddle gave me a quote that he made up after being here for a year. It has become my saying, and I truly believe it's what the Tonga mission is all about. "The mission makes boys into men and men into men dedicated to God." President Monson is a book he wrote said that the Tongan mission is one of the best in the world, and I believe it! If you do it right, you receive a special gift of becoming a man dedicated to God! Read in the August Ensign, "Tonga, a Land Dedicated to God"

Today was a lot more random than normal, but I just wanted you to hear some of my week, along with some of my thoughts! Remember to take in the time right here, right now! Enjoy each other, enjoy school, work, even just those Sunday nights you sit down as a family, because trust me, you're gonna wish you had when your not able to be there any more!

Love one another and feel my love!
Your Missionary in the Islands of Tonga!
Ha, I still think that's incredible that I am able to say that :) ("Your Missionary")

Homo Faifekau Elder Blake Daniel Harmon
Son/Brother, but remember we are together for the eternities, so take in this time, for it is only a short time that we are separated!

- Elder Harmoni

God lets me feel your love every day.....mom, you need to know that I feel your comfort.... "Dude"

E-mail (Dated: 8/3/2014)

Hey Family and My Beautiful Friends!

Wow so this week started really well! Teachings all worked out and we were on a roll. Our lessons were awesome and our Investigators are progressing amazingly! They all have an amazing drive to listen and feel the spirit and to follow our Saviors example!!!

Taine, still doesn't have his birth certificate, but he continues to listen to our message and to come to church. His situation makes me want to cry every time we see him! We actually went around and collected clothes for him at the members houses to give to him because every day this week he wore the same old t-shirt to our lessons. We are doing our best to help out, along with helping him come unto Christ!

This week we taught one of our investigators whose name is Vili. During our first lesson we invited him to be baptized, but he just told us he needs to ponder it. At the end of the lesson we gave him a pamphlet about the plan of salvation and told him that we would be teaching him next time about where he came from, his purpose on earth, and where he is going!!!! He took it very seriously. The next lesson, he knew the answers by heart and was very involved in the lesson. He felt the spirit! At the end of the lesson we invited him to be baptized and he told us he thought about it and he wants to be baptized! He is 22 this year. I can't explain the happiness and joy that I know that this will bring him for the rest of his life and the path that he will now take. It will change his life from now on into the eternities!

Moses...he is incredible! It brings tears to my eyes to think about his devotion and love for his Heavenly Father. His testimony is so so strong and his obedience with exactness is inspirational. He was baptized on Saturday and given the Gift of the Holy Ghost yesterday, He told me his goals are to go to the temple and do baptisms for the dead. I want to be here to do that with him, but I know everything is the Lord's timing and the Lord's way. He will take care of things. I have been here since February, so I think this transfer there is a good chance I am leaving. We will see.

Now I want to share an experience close to my heart. The experience that made being away from you all worth it.

On Saturday, we took Sioeli, Siupeli and Vaka to the temple and did baptisms for the dead. I have never had such a tender experience in my life. As I stood in the baptismal font watching my BROTHERSs walk down into the font, AND having the picture of Jesus (salvation pic) behind them. The power was undeniable. I know families are FOREVER. I put every single one of your names in the temple. I want you to know I love you!

Family, We Are Eternal

P.S. By the way there are 27 Americans here from Utah and New York and they are having a family evening tonight at our church and I'm teaching because I'm the only white person. They are here building houses for people!!

Elder Harmon and Moses

Elder Harmon, Elder Noa, and the Uncle of Elder Noa at the Tongan Temple

Hand Written Letter (Dated: 7/28/2014) [#45 from Tonga]

Family :)

I'm so grateful every week to have this beautiful opportunity to write you and share with you my love and to share with you about the beautiful islands of Tonga and to be able to share my experiences and things I have been able to learn. It's amazing as I write to you. I feel like you are all right by my side! Mom always says that our love is strengthened through letters and it is so so true! Our testimonies are only strengthened when we nurture and feed them through study and prayer and experiences, just like how when we write letters, our love continues to strengthen! Just how we can never stop learning, we can never have a limited amount of love, no matter how full your love can feel for someone, you can always make the cup bigger, and I think it is amazing to see how our family has recognized this so well!

These past couple of weeks, my testimony has grown so much! I have had a blast looking up scriptures for our lessons and for our investigators. Before my mission, I never realized that most religions only believed in one God and that most don't understand the concept of Him having a body. The Godhead is one of the biggest things that we emphasize when teaching the people in Tonga! It has strengthened so incredibly my testimony that our Savior is the Son of God. (1 John 5:11-12)

I love the testimony of these two scriptures together (John 1:14) and then the testimony in (1 John 5:7). I know we have a Heavenly Father who loves us all and that he gave His only begotten Son! (John 3:16) For they are as flesh and bone for what you see all of us have! (Luke 24:36-39) And there is the Holy Ghost that is give to us all when we enter into the first covenant. Just like when Christ was baptized (Matthew 3:16-17) for he said "follow thou me"! 2 Nephi 31:10

Awe, I love the scriptures! Since I am not great at the language, I decided that who says it better than God's prophets or the Savior himself. So, I have really gotten into the scriptures more than ever on my mission and life! There is a power in the scriptures especially when you use the two books given to us from our Heavenly Father! For, like it says in the beginning of the Book of Mormon! With the Bile and Book of Mormon put together, it is the everlasting gospel (complete)!

I just wanted you all to know that I know we have a loving, caring Heavenly Father. His Son came to the earth to die for everyone and we will all be resurrected like he was resurrected, and we can make it back to our Father's kingdom because of the price our Savior paid for all of us in the Garden of Gethsemane. I want to bear my testimony that we all have the Holy Ghost with us. We have all been baptized in the name of our Savior and Father! (Matthew 28:19) We can all have his guidance if we will only listen and constantly seek his voice and heedings!

I think the thing I'm most excited about when I get back home is to help Brandon prepare for his mission! I can guarantee Brandon that you'll be 100% more prepared than I was! But, that's about a year away, so I want to sen out and invitation/challenge, to read a chapter at day. That way, you can finish the Book of Mormon in about 3-4 weeks from where you are now. Then you will know what you are doing for 2 years! Haha, my first time reading the Book of Mormon was on Noapapu. Can you imagine how incredibly prepared you will be by reading and pondering it sooner?! There is a Mormon message video clip called "Missionary Work, a Priesthood Duty" by President Monson. GO WATCH IT! I just only wish I would have taken 10 minutes out of each day to prepare for my mission. Instead, I watched movies or sat on the couch and did nothing. JUST !) MINUTES! Your knowledge, testimony, and spirit will grow and be strengthened! Remember how you felt at EFY? That can be EVERY DAY of your live, EVERY DAY! It's just a matter of if you will want to give yourself that opportunity! Pay attention in seminary. PARTICIPATE! Answer questions and be involved for it will prepare you for the rest of your life! Don't just listen to my emphasizing these words, for they are words from a living prophet. Heed his call and prepare, for I do now wish that I  would have! Please, please, please make this promise to me and to yourself! For, as a representative of Jesus Christ, I promise you that there will be power in your learning and knowledge given to you that will help you become the missionary that Heavenly Father NEEDS you to be!

I know a lot of this letter seemed very directed at Brandon, but this is for everyone! For, we are all part of the Harmon Missionaries! For we are told "every member a missionary!" Brooke, I know you would love to serve, and you would be an incredible missionary! As we read the purpose in the first chapter Preach My Gospel, we see that our purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ. I believe that is the purpose for each of us. We need to be an example to others!

Mom and Dad have been incredible examples of missionaries! I constantly have talked to mom and dad about all their missionary opportunities with their friends at work or friends that have fallen away. This is the most beautiful work, the work of the Lord!

I love you all! May God be with you always!

I thought I would send you this picture & the quote that I sent before. This is the picture that inspired me to write it. Just thought you would think it was cool!

Family, you are so so loved! AND you are so missed! For I love you more than words can explain! I was chocking on my own tears when I read this quote from mom . . . . about the definition of courage and leaving the family . . . .

Just know you are all in my prayers, fasts, my thoughts, and my heart!

Love, your son/brother
Elder Blake Daniel Harmon

Your Eternal Family :)
Families are Forever!!

OFA ATU

E-mail (Dated: 7/27/2014)

Ngaahi Kau Fiefanongo Foou!!!!!

Awe!!!! LOTS OF NEW INVESTIGATORS!!! This has been a good week and fun to see a lot of our hard work pay off!!! Haha, lots of people say the payday is seeing your investigators walk into the water of baptism, which is true, but today I feel like we hit payday in that we finally are being able to teach so so many current progressing investigators! We have been working with member families to invite their friends and family members to listen, and finally after lots of work, we have 4 new progressing investigators!!!!! 

Moses and Tapua are our first two investigators.... Moses is 17 almost 18 and Tapua is 15. They are in a pretty rough and hard situation in their homes.  Parents are divorced and both of them don't go to school and they pretty much don't have a support group. Teaching them has been humbling. I love teaching them about their Heavenly Father's love for them. You could tell they felt the spirit when we taught them. We asked them to prepare for baptism next Saturday. They said yes. It's amazing that both the brothers are reading the Book of Mormon together because the little brother cannot read. We are so blessed to have the opportunity to teach them! 

Vili is a best friend to one of our preparing missionaries. They both struggle with the word of wisdom, but Maka (preparing missionary) knows it will be easier if his best friend is by his side in the fight! Vili is awesome to teach, he is 21, and is studying in school to find a job. Church is something that hasn't really been a part of his life, but he wants change!!!! He is loving the lessons and wants to hear more!!! 

Taine is a boy that was adopted from the second counselor of our ward, we don't know how old he is and neither does he.  He has had a really hard life.  At this time, no school will accept him because he doesnt even know his own age and doesn't know his father. His mother is living somewhere on the east side of the island. So, right now they are trying to figure out his papers.... he is probably around 12-13 years old. He loves coming to church and wants to be baptized, we will figure out how to do all of that after we find out his age!!!! 

Family it has been a powerful week for me in my personal study, I just want you all to know that I know we have a living prophet here on the earth today and he guides and directs us in all we do. I know that if we follow his words, we shall not be harmed. I love Elder Anderson's talk in April 2014 conferennce! 

Mom"dude" 

Brooklin SYST!!! 

Hand Written Letter (Dated: 7/21/2014) [#44 from Tonga]

FAMILY!:)

I always loved our American Fork Football logo sign and the saying that was underneath it--"Like A Rock". As I was in the American Fork Football Program, I was taught so much by my coaches and built up by them in so many different ways! Coach Behm would always love to focus on the saying "being like a rock". Today I would like to talk about the same thing!  I have thought a lot about the saying "being built upon a rock", but what is your foundation going to do for you if your house is built out of straw!! So today I want to talk about how we all need to be like a ROCK. At the same time, I don't want to take away the emphasis and the importance of being built upon the Rock of our Redeemer, because without a foundation, we are nothing and are unable to stand.  So first we NEED that foundation!  But why is it so important for us personally to be rocks, and what does it mean to be a rock.  As Coach Behm came into the AF Football program, he had one really big goal in mind, and it didn't involve football cleats and a helmet. It was to make teenage boys into "men built for others." I will never forget my first summer day with Coach Lehman.  Partner challenge Thursdays.  These days we grabbed a partner and we committed to each other that we would battle to the end together!  I remember many times Coach Behm would tell us to look into our partners eyes and promise him we would give it our everything!  I imagine that I said  those same words to those people I have baptized and those that I will teach.

As we battled in pain together on the field, we weren't thinking about ourselves, but we were thinking of the guy next to us.  As I have tried to strive to continue being a "man built for others", I strive here in Tonga to help everyone. At times I feel like I'm back on the field and I'm about to give up, but then I look up and remember those faces I know that I promised in the pre-mortal existence, that I would never give up on them. I don't know if you have ever seen Brian Dawkins try to give a pump up speech to his team in the huddle before he runs out onto the field with them, but I imagine it to be a lot like that!!!

The first important step I would like us all to focus on, is being someone built for others, for God said "love thy neighbor as thy self".  With this comes service.  Often times I feel like Gordon B. Hinckley, when he wrote home to his dad and told him that he feels like he is wasting time!  Sometimes I think about how it's summer back at home, and instead of tracting in pouring rain or living with hardly having someting to eat, I could be home and enjoying the summer and eating my mom's cooking!  BUT, the words of President Hinckley's father come to me as if they are my own Dad's voice, for he said "Forget YOURSELF and go to work!" Service is essential to the gospel; therefore, it is essential for us all to serve others!  As we exercise service we gain Christ like attributes such as: desire, gratitude, patience and love. For who could be a better example of being like A ROCK than our Savior!!!

In Matthew 5:38-48 we read how the Savior he would act and how we should act.  If we develop Christlike attributes, we shall wear the title of "Like a Rock".

I believe it is ever so important that we liken the scripture 1 Timothy 4:12 unto us, and for this reason, we all need to be rocks. Everyone is looking for an example, so we need to be that example of righteousness! Be that unto the Nations!

Family, as I share some of my scattered thoughts, I want you all to know that this gospel is a gospel of everlasting happiness. What is beautiful about it is that it's not for just us, it's for us to share unto the Nations!  For it should be opened and shared unto everyone that families can be eternal through Christ our Redeemer and his plan and his way. We have the restored and true gospel on the earth. Just like times of old, God loves us equally and has given us a Prophet to guide us all back to him.

I think one of the most important lines in the Book of Mormon is in the Introduction. It states, "We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts, the message it contains, and then to ASK GOD the Eternal Father, in the name of Jesus Christ if the book is true.  Those who pursue this course and ask in FAITH, will gain a testimony of it's truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost (see Moroni 10:3-5)

This is the most beautiful promise!!  I always tell our investigators that we can tell them the book is true all we want, but it means nothing until they receive an answer from God. For we are all invited to READ and to ASK.  Then we shall know!  Joseph Smith asked God with real intent and with faith and he was given an answer. James 1:5 applies to all of us!  For if we know that the Book of Mormon is true then we know Joseph Smith saw God the Father and his Son, and he was guided and directed to translate the Book of Mormon! Therefore we know "Thomas S. Monson is called of God."

Family this gospel is Heavenly Father's work for it is Heavenly!

I love you all so so very much, I pray for you all everyday, I consistently pray that you will have missionary opportunities!  For I remember those times of sharing the gospel with my friends and that it was the greatest time of my life.  Just compare it to how awesome it is to do your own family's names in the temple, it's really similar to that :)
Anyway you are all incredible!  I love you!

Your Brother/Son
But Remember we are an Eternal Family
Elder Blake Daniel Harmon

E-mail (Dated: 7/20/2014)

This week has just gone by without me even realizing it!!!!! When you are busy, time seems to slip by without you even realizing it hahaha!!!!

On Monday and Tuesday, we were able to continue teaching our investigators from New Zealand. Awe its such a joy for me to teach in my native tongue, even though half the time I can't remember the English words for things. Still, the lessons were beautful! Our investigators are both back in New Zealand now, but the girl thats getting married says that she's going back to New Zealand to be baptized! They actually said that there is a possibility they could come back next month so that I could do it! But it was a pretty cool experience. It was a pretty cool expierence with her sister, because she is a pretty big partier and loves to drink and stuff, but I feel like we might have had an eternal impact on her. I can see her accepting the gospel down the line. We are just so blessed to have gotten the chance to plant a little seed!

We were able to have our Monthly Musical Fireside in Ward 12, it was awesome!!!! We had some people that have been very inactive come and speak. It was awesome for their testimonies! I am so so excited to see them get so engaged with the activities!!!! It's been awesome!!! Eni and Eva both came to it, and they absulutly loved it, so we are hoping it opens up some good wide doors with them!!!!! We had a companion exchange this week, and we were able to do some fun servce projects, and I have some fun pictures, but maybe I will send them later because my memory card reader is not working (all rusted).

I was sick on saturday night all day, but I am good now. I think it was just the hourly flu!!!!!!! Despite that, things are going really well. I am healthy, but nothing too much has really changed!!!!! We have continued this week to teach Emeline. I just don't know what we are missing... so please continue to pray for her.  Also, continue to pray for us to have the spirit to teach her.

This week is the 24th of July.  Can't believe it has been a year since we went down to the Spanish Fork party. Can't  wait to join you all next year, crazy to think I only will miss one 24th of July heehee. I always knew that was a special day!!!

Hand Written Letter (Dated: 7/14/2014) [#43 from Tonga]

Family :) !!!

Wow, my year mark letter :) I feel a lot of pressure thinking about writing this letter haha:) It's a big and important date to always remember for me. However, today I really just want to reflect on the last year :) Haha, I laugh and I think about dad writing the family Christmas letter as he reflected on all of our challenges and achievements that we were able to overcome or accomplish! I think that is a good guideline that I am going to try and follow in my life! Just like many stories I have read, I want to start at the beginning. At the beginning of my mission, I started to write in a book that I bought from town. I call it the book of lists. It started off as a bucket list and a list of other stuff like my companions, favorite scriptures and has now has eventually turned into a bunch of different lists of things I have done on my mission! There is one list I think about more than any other list. It is the list of "Who I Want to Be as a Missionary". I would like to start with the first item in this list and work my way down. I want to talk about how God has made it possible for me to work at my goals to not only accomplish them, but also to make them habits in my life!

My first goal is to be obedient. I was blessed in the beginning of my mission to have Elder Price as my trainer. He set the standard high as we walked in obedience. It's incredible to see how the Lord truly sets you up for the rest of your mission! He knows your strengths and he knows your weaknesses! I know that he is going to do and give you what is going to be best for you!

As I look back to a year ago when I entered the MTC on the 31st of July, I was given a companion that was hard for me...really hard...to the point that I thought I was going to walk home every night. Every day I thought was going to end up being my last day in the mission. But look at where I am standing a year later! I'm in Tonga! That brings up another goal I wrote down. "Someone who endures to the End" I have learned since I have been out here that there is a definite difference between "enduring to the end" and "just trying to survive"! Haha, I'm not going to lie, this was a very big struggle for me at the beginning of my mission and every so often, it is something that I have to BATTLE! I think it might be easy for you to imagine after seeing "The Other Side of Heaven"! Haha, I remember sitting down with Brooklin's family and I told them that Tonga is 100% different now than then. But, as I went to Noapapu, it was 100% the same as the movie, haha! I remember going weeks living off crackers and some days with no food at all. The first month, we had no light except for candles. When we finally got a solar panel light, it wasn't even bright enough to see the pages on my Book of Mormon! The mosquitoes, the spiders, the culture shock....and the fact that the only person I could communicate with was my companion. I remember nights waking up and being soaking wet because our house leaked so bad!

But, as you can see, all of those thoughts and complaints are all self-absorbed. It was when I started to learn to endure that I started to love the people and care for them. I realized then that it was the reason for me to be there. I realized that these circumstances are the reality of their lives and I am only here for two short years. I would give anything just to take my friends to my house and let them experience a warm shower, or just show them a drinking fountain or let them experience air conditioning! Awe, heck, these kids would be in tears if they had something as simple as carpet in their homes!

I believe that enduring to the end is taking every goal we have and every Christ-like attribute and trying to obtain them. I am not talking about perfectionism, but that we TRY...for that is all God asks is for us to give him our best effort!

"Being Responsible" is one of my biggest goals and one of the most important in my opinion. If we are responsible, so many things follow. With responsibility, obedience comes naturally. Also, dedication, efficiency, and preparation! Once we learn this concept, we are able to be trusted in life! The biggest opportunity for me is to be trusted to become a father. As a father, you have the big responsibility of teaching God's children and raising them in righteousness! Fathers and mothers share this responsibility. A mission is truly the best place to help a boy learn how to become a man and learn how to take responsibility! For I have learned things about accountability and responsibility that I never could have learned anywhere else but on my mission in Tonga!

I think hard working is a goal I focus on every day. I'm always evaluating myself to determine if I am moving at a good pace! For I have had such hard working examples all my life. I only want to end up being known as someone that works hard!

Everyone I know would say that my parents are some of the hardest working people they know! Haha! I remember in 5th grade, we were making Father's Day cards, and on mine, I wrote that my dad is a workaholic! Haha, my teacher came over to me and told me that it was not a compliment...but the point is, I have heard it my whole life. My mom and dad work their tails off! You both have been my heroes!

Dad, I am inspired at how hard you work. I have always told my companions here in the field that you should be one of the richest men on earth because of how hard you work! (Even though I already see us as one of the richest families because we have each other!)

These are just some of my quick thoughts, very scattered and a little messy with my hand writing. But, I want you ll to know that I am so grateful for all the opportunities and obstacles that God has put me through for I know that I have grown because of what I have been through, even if it's just a centimeter! I know it's a centimeter I could have only gained this last year here in Tonga!

You all are so loved!

P.S. Mom, I got your letter about Heather and Nathan, and I just fell into tears! Awe, the timing of everything is beautiful! God's timing is Beautiful :)

Your Brother/Son - Elder Blake Daniel Harmon
But remember, oh remember, we are an Eternal Family :) !!

E-mail (Dated: 7/13/2014)

So many great things happened for me and my companion this week!!!!! As we planned for the week, we decided to focus on some families that we didn't know to too well. So one of the families was the Molisi Family!!!!

We were able to go to there house this week. We showed up and they were roasting a couple pigs. We asked what the occasion was for and they responded that they were having a family come from New Zealand in just a few hours. They explained to us that their son went to New Zealand about 5 years ago to play rugby and he found his future wife!!!! So, she and her family came to see Tonga! They already planned to find the missionaries to teach her, but we had already been guided by the spirit to show up!!! So a couple hours later, we showed back up to come join the feast and meet the family!!!! The whole family is so so nice, they were excited to see a white guy that speaks English!!! After getting to know them for a while, we were able to set up an appointment with the girl and her sister.  The girl's family wasn't too interested, but the whole family showed up to church on Sunday!!!!!!

We were able to teach all of lesson 1 and lesson 2 to the girls after church.  It was hilarious, after the first lesson they said they hadn't had enough, and they wanted to hear more, so we taught the whole next lesson!!! It was a joy for me to feel their love for hearing about the gospel.  What brought complete joy to my heart, was their acceptance to the gospel message. I could already see their testimonies starting to grow!!!!!!!

We are teaching them again tomorrow, and hopefully we can finish teaching before they leave on Thursday back to New Zealand!!!! ( oh p.s the girl grew up in England, the one that's getting married) but I love to see their desires and their hearts opening to this beautiful message!!!!!!

Emeline is doing well. She says that she wants to be baptized and she is calling her dad to tell him that she wants to set up a date for the baptism. So, we keep praying and we having hope that will actually commit!!!!!!

This has been a great week, with lots of little miracles!!!!!! I love you all so much!!! looks like I hit the 1/2 way mark.  I can't believe that I will be with you next summer!!! love you all so much!!!

Blake and Elder Arcos decided to give away Books of Mormon for Blake's brother Brandon's birthday!

Hand Written Letter (Dated: 7/7/14) [#42 from Tonga]

This letter from Blake was too fun, so we decided to 

display it as he wrote it rather than typing it into his blog.

E-mail (Dated: 7/6/2014)

Hey Family,

Wow it’s a crazy feeling knowing that next year at this time I will be pretty much home!!!! I hope that you all had an incredible 4th of July, I had a pretty bad blonde moment this week when I was asking my companion if they celebrate the 4th of July, not remembering that it’s all about the USA gaining its Independence, hahaha!!! But it’s actually the forth king’s birthday here on the 4th of July so they do celebrate, just a little different reason hahaha!

I would like to start off with the announcement of our beautiful investigator Aloisia Lanumata!!!!! She is such a sweet little girl!!!! You should have seen her on the day of her baptism!!!!! She was the happiest little girl I have ever seen!!!! It’s amazing to see a difference we were able to help make in her life.  Now she has the opportunity to grow up with the gospel in her life!!!!! Honestly the best gift anyone could ever ask for!!!!

Second I want to tell you of a very special experience that I was able to have!!!! My companion and I woke up one morning and we got a text from someone that told us we needed to give someone a blessing.  As I starting getting ready, I realized we didn’t have oil, we had just ran out the last week. I called our zone leaders and they came and gave us oil.  As we walked to the house, we went inside, and they told us that no one needed a blessing and everyone was healthy.  We suppose that it was just a prank phone call or something.... so as we left. As we walked, we came upon our bishop’s house so we decided to go talk to him.  He was down in bed sick and literally couldn’t walk because he was so sick.... He asked us to give him a blessing.  Right then I knew we had been prepared by the Lord.  I was able to give him a blessing guided by the spirit. I gave the blessing in my own native tongue (English).  As I opened my eyes the bishop’s eyes were filled with tears, and he thanked us.  My bishop does not know English, but he could understand through the language of the spirit. An hour later we walked by again and he was outside working with the pigs in his back yard.  He said that he was healed!  The spirit is the teacher and God expects us to listen.

Lastly, I wanted to end with a funny story that happened to me this week as I was walking down the road. I came upon a mom that was about your age mom, and her son that was about my age.  They looked very lost, as I soon realized after trying to talk to them that they didn’t understand me in Tongan, so I switched to English and they were like, “Do you know where the beach is?” Haha.... I laughed then directed them. As we started to talk a little, she started expressing how hard of a time she was having here in Tonga. She started to tear up and then looked at her son and she said that it was there first time to Tonga, but that their entire family lived here. She was having a hard time with how poor it is.  She had no clue how bad the poverty really is here. She soon asked me how long I have been here.  When I told here about a year she screamed and grabbed my arm and she said, “You poor, poor, thing!  Are you okay!!!”  I laughed at the experience.  I realize how time is such a healer of all things, because Tonga has really become my home and everything has become so normal. Just thought it was something you could all get a laugh out of!!!

Baptism of Aloisia Lanumata (Happy as Ever!)

Selfy that Blake took while writing us on 7/6/14 - Looks Healthy!!!

 Sioeli - Such an Awesome Young Man!