I Know Where I Am

Bula Vinaka!

    So remember how you were supposed to see me in the choir and the silly camera man didn't show a close up of me? Yeah, oh well. I'm right behind some Elder's big head in one of the shots, but that doesn't help you. When I get back, I'll point out where I was in the choir from the big group shots. I'm easy to identify because I'm near the stairs, next to one of maybe 5 dark skinned individuals in all the MTC choir, and I'm twice his height (or so it seems) so I'll point myself out some day. It was still great to sings in the choir. Also, another flub, the excitement was to sing for the prophet, and funnily enough, he wasn't there, just a video. The choir missionaries acted like six year olds to get a good seat or to be in the best position to see the prophet, and he didn't show up. I just laughed at them for being so childish.

    On the other hand, I have much more confirmed official news. I have my flight plan! I leave July 6th and land
on July 8th. For those who think it's a 48 hour flight, it is only ten, but we fly over the international day line and skip the 7th entirely. That'll be a weird feeling. I'm down to a week and couple days, then I'm out of here. Having the travel plans makes it so real. On that note, I will be in the Los Angelos airport from 4 PM to 11:30 PM, so whenever in that time period (that is the same as Oregon remember) I will be free to call home. Let me know when best works for the family because I will have nothing else to do besides read for that entire time.

     Something else exciting happened, though less so than the others. We got another teacher, or at least he came back. He was in Fiji on an internship for the last little bit. So he is fresh back and we know that his Fijian is spot on. He told us that, if we serve in the English wards (Wards with both Fijian and Indo-Fijians) it is important to learn at least some Hindi. To give us a jump start he taught us everything he knew, which didn't take long, about Hindi. (I hope people got what I was referencing, if not, my Father should be able to clarify). It was kind of a fun language to speak. It's a pidgin language of Hindi-Fijian-English everything is rather discombobulated. How are you doing is Kaise (Kai-say) and the proper response is Right hain (Right hay). Yes they stole the word Right from English. Speaking of stealing words, I knew that no word in Fijian ended in a consonant. It is basically impossible in their tongue. I realized this week that the very first word my teachers taught me isn't actually a Fijian word, but a stolen one. For awesome, cool, you good?, and all other uses of that nature they use the word "set." Set as in ready, set, go. It's just funny to me that of all the words to steal they liked the word set and decided to keep it.

     Last thing because I have no clue what else to say, now that I know a fair amount of Fijian, it's begun; I am translating songs into Fijian. I was inspired by my teaching bursting out into Meri ko Kila (Mary did you know?) last week. Of course, I have to choose the most ridiculous songs to start with, so I'm translating Do You Hear the People Sing? from Les Mis. I hope it'll be good. Oh, last last thing. Yesterday I hosted new missionaries to show them where to go and what not. It was crazy. 890 new missionaries arrived. The work is hastening on. God loves His children so he is filling the Earth with His gospel. If you don't know God loves you, get down on your knees and pray to know. He always delivers.

     Lots of Love,

               Elder Morgan