Matt

Maui!
I really didn't want to leave Kailua but I wasn't disappointed when I found out I was going to a Tongan Ward in Maui and getting a Tongan companion! Booyah! Oiaue, masi! I wish I was going to be on Oahu for Micholo and Rich's baptisms on the 17th (this weekend) but the lord has more work for me to do over here on Maui. Maui is the island just west of Big Island (Hawaii) that kind of looks like two islands squished together. It's very different here, no big buildings, no beautiful mountains like the east shore of Oahu. To be perfectly honest it looks a lot like Vegas minus the strip. It’s very laid back here, there’s not any big towns. The beaches are beautiful and the sunsets are amazing. It is very hot and dry compared to Oahu, I started wearing lotion for the first time in 7 months. I only have one ward (something I haven't been able to say since my 1st transfer), a huge Tongan ward, about four times the size of the branch I just came from. I went to our new ward for the first time yesterday and they were having a fast Sunday the week after conference (the ward I just came from did it the week before). So I bore my testimony in Tongan again, it was just scarier because there was so many people (there are so many people they use the whole chapel and half the gym). When you have a Tongan companion it’s so much easier to learn the language. If I'm with Elder Kau for two transfers, I should be pretty competent with their language. The Tongan people LOVE to hear a Palongi kid speaking their language. We have choke investigators here (heaps) but none of them are progressing so were trying to find new ones and we've been pretty successful at teaching some first lessons and setting up return appointments. Elder Kau is hilarious, he's from the island of Va'va'u in Tonga, in Hawaii they would use the expression FOB to describe him (fresh off the boat). He used to be comp's with my old companion Elder Stewart so I'd already heard a lot about him. We're in a four man pad that’s pretty nice. No bugs,that’s the best part, opposed to our pad in Kailua where we would kill about ten roaches everyday and couldn't leave food out for 2 seconds with out a colony of ants getting to it. So everything is just groovey here on Maui. It’s different because I've never been in JUST a Tongan ward, and especially with a Tongan companion I am completely submerged in the culture and in the language. I've already made some good friends and was reunited with my buddy Elder Simnitt who used to serve around me in Kailua. One of the other Elders name is Elder Larsen he reminds me so much of Lincoln Selk! He's way into sports, he likes all the same kinds of music and movies (red hot Chili peppers and Orange County), and his dad's an electrician. So everything is just great here on Maui. I can't believe the Aldous' were just here! What the heck were they doing on Maui? Ok that’s a dumb question, they were playing on the beach I'm sure. If there’s anyway you could get Chantale to forward me Travis' emails I would really appreciate it. I haven't heard from him FOREVER.
Oh, and no mom the earth quake/tsunamis didn't effect us directly but many of my Tongan members had family over there in Samoa so it was kind of scary.
Sounds like its getting cold fast, any snow in the valleys yet? It's so weird, this will be the first year of my life that I won’t experience Fall or Winter. I really will miss it. Perfect weather just gets so boring after a while.

Its good to hear the Cougs are doing good, I heard Harvey did a good job in Saturday’s win over UNLV. It’s good to hear you guys have plenty of work Mom and Dad, work is really slow here in Hawaii. Most of the Tongans just do construction/manual labor and there is no work to do right now. They say it’s better than Tonga though. Thank you guys so much for the letters and the pictures you send, I know it doesn't seem like your kids are growing because you see them everyday but when I see the pictures you send me of Kyler and Sydney and Emily and Easton and Jill (gotta make sure I don't leave anyone out) its amazing how much they've grown since I last saw them. I miss them so much.
I make friends quick with the Tongan kids because they speak English with me while Elder Kau is talking to all the older people in Tongan. They love my laser pen and they always ask me to draw stuff for them. I'm sorry if I've missed anyone’s birthday it’s so hard to keep track of. When is Travis', oct. 7 or oct.21 or something like that????

I told you guys, when I went into the MTC I kinda lost my mind and never got it back. I can't even remember the lyrics to my favorite songs. How is Elliah doing (did I spell it right)? Ofa atu,

Elder Prina