So i've been in Bau, my first area for 5 months which is usually when you get transferred, so Saturday night i got a call from the District leader and he said there is a small transfer, Elder Spackman is going to Bau and
Elder Cashen you are going to..................TUVALU!!
Tuvalu is this super small island way north of everything else and they speak tuvaluan there. Its so small you can see ocean on all sides of you and because you have to learn another language, you're there for like 6-8 months haha, so i'll spend Christmas and probably hit my year mark in Tuvalu, i'm not sure how the whole email and letter thing works out there so we'll see haha. I'm super stoked, it kinda sucks to have to learn another language because i'm getting good at fijian, but from what i hear Tuvalu is one of the coolest most beautiful places in the mission. After the District Leader called me, my Zone Leader, Elder Tremea called and was super excited for me and told me they usually have an islander and a white kid out there and the white kid is always someone obedient who the president trusts haha because you're so far away and never come in and no one goes to see you so its easy to be disobedient like going swimming haha. My comp is a Samoan from Australia who seems like a cool guy. I fly out on Thursday in a really small plane, its gonna be awesome.
I'm gonna miss my area, a lot of the older women came up to me and kissed me on the cheek haha, and our recent convert who i baptized and was confirmed yesterday, came up to me and said "i'll never forget you, Elder Cashen." Sister Wainiqolo, the grandma to three grandsons i baptized and also gave her a few blessings came up to me and said "thank you for the blessing you have been to me and my family." and started crying. Sister Vesikula who i baptized said, "our family is gonna miss you so much" because i baptized one of her sons and taught the rest of her sons who were also baptized. President Tagicakibau asked me to give a parting testimony and after sacrament meeting, they sang to me God Be With You Till We Meet Again. It was so awesome, these people have become like family and because of the Lord preparing people in our area we were able have a lot of success and help a lot of people. I'm really gonna miss them. Missionary work is the the hardest but most fulfilling joyful work in the world.
I love you all! wish me luck for Tuvalu.
Elder Cashen
