Family!
I miss you guys so much. The MTC is going well. Every day we have about six hours of language classes/doctrine classes taught in Korean, and about four hours of personal/companion/ and additional study time. The food here still sucks. In the words of Kamana'o Arakaki it tastes like "Sausage A La Crap". If you send anything, I'd appreciate more soda and noodles.
Spencer, I miss you so much, man. If you send me that iPod please stuff it full of good music. And the song you were talking about is Always Gold by Radical Face. Don't listen to it. You will cry. Also, please write me when you go do your endowments. I'd like to hear your thoughts on the matter. Speaking of which, I was able to go through the temple again last Thursday and am going today. Everything made so much more sense and I walked away with a better understanding of the power of women and the role that they play. If you allow it to be, the temple can be a great teacher.
Lilly, keep tumbling. Also, I read your comic about the Polar Bear missionary. It was excellent, please send some more. I miss you so much.
Katie, keep up the uke. I don't think you understand how much I miss playing instruments. I write raps down in my notebook daily, but it's not quite the same. I miss you a ton and thank you so much for all of your sweet words of encouragement.
Eliza, I think you're such an excellent person. I've always been so impressed with the high standard you hold yourself to. Keep studying and enjoy volleyball and your friends while you can.
Tanika, thank you for being there for my family. You came to my brother when he needed you most and I really appreciate the role that you've played in his life. If you get married while I'm gone, please send pictures. lol jk. Just wait till I'm home.
I'm sure I've said it before, but being here just feels so right. My entire life I've felt the need to help others. It dawned on me that as a missionary, I really am a catcher in the rye. We've got all of these people rushing towards the edge of a cliff and I get to be the one to keep them from hurting themselves. I get to present this life saving gospel to them. I know we can be together throughout the eternities, and I take comfort in that. It also serves as a motivation for me to share the gospel. There are people out there who live their lives with uncertainty. Uncertain of whether they'll see their family ever again. It's now my responsibility to help them understand that through the atonement, they will see everyone they care about in the life to come.
I miss you guys so much. The MTC is going well. Every day we have about six hours of language classes/doctrine classes taught in Korean, and about four hours of personal/companion/ and additional study time. The food here still sucks. In the words of Kamana'o Arakaki it tastes like "Sausage A La Crap". If you send anything, I'd appreciate more soda and noodles.
For my exercise I've been doing my breakdance warm up, and then doing freeze stacks and dancing for about forty minutes. It's not as much time as I'd like, but honestly it's such a blessing to be able to do what I love daily. I've also become a better dancer since being here and training my fundamentals. I actually just hit my first barrel windmill to shoulder spin combo yesterday morning *sunglasses emoji*
I'm currently in Alma 15 in the BOM and I study PMG daily. It's so cool to see the Lord answering my prayers so directly as I put in the necessary work. My Companion Elder Harkness and I work really well together. We've taught mock investigators in Korean a few times already. Harkness knows his scriptures incredibly well and I've been blessed with the gift of tongues, so with our combined efforts, plus the spirit, we've been able to teach really well. I love my district a ton, and there's never a minute of down time here. It's like going to Hogwarts, except without the magic, or Emma Watson, or Cho Chang, or magic, or adventure. The only thing similar is the boarding school studying and attire and I have a ginger friend who never leaves my side.
That's so cool that you had the chance to hear Elder Scott and Elder Nelsen. I was actually sitting front row at the Elder Scott talk. He carries such a powerful spirit with him when he speaks.
I've met plenty more enjoyable people here as well. The Lord blesses us with friends if we're willing to be friendly. Elder Evans is a well dressed hipster from Chicago who produces and loves rap music and movies. I've become friends with a lot of guys in our branch and our district has grown a lot closer together.
I've been finding alright sleep. To help myself pass out, I imagine the plot lines of a childrens chapter book series that I'd like to write titled PK Brown and The Terrible Time Machine. The series begins with Sawyer and his dad working on a time machine in their garage. Being the forgetful people that they are, they don't put the device that allows the user to choose which year he travels to on the machine. PK Brown mans the machine and sends himself flying through time. The first book would be about PK landing in the early American colonies where he meets Jebediah Jensen (Matt Jensen's great-great-grandfather) who is deathly afraid of Indians. Of course I'm working on a story in which PK finds himself defending the Alamo.
I'm glad to hear that my friends are staying close to home. I hope Sawyer really follows through with his decision to serve. Two weeks out and I can already feel myself becoming a more loving and effective individual.
Quite often I find myself having to bite my tongue. There's a lot of weird things that certain elders do that I'd love to turn around and vent about, but I've made it a priority to not speak ill of other missionaries. It's sooooooo hard though. Elder Willis and I have had to sacrifice many a joke by filling the potential comedic moment with the phrase "Quiet dignity, Elder."
Brooke, that's so cool that you got to meet Stewart Edge. And I'm glad to hear that you're being a good example to Hunter.
I'm currently in Alma 15 in the BOM and I study PMG daily. It's so cool to see the Lord answering my prayers so directly as I put in the necessary work. My Companion Elder Harkness and I work really well together. We've taught mock investigators in Korean a few times already. Harkness knows his scriptures incredibly well and I've been blessed with the gift of tongues, so with our combined efforts, plus the spirit, we've been able to teach really well. I love my district a ton, and there's never a minute of down time here. It's like going to Hogwarts, except without the magic, or Emma Watson, or Cho Chang, or magic, or adventure. The only thing similar is the boarding school studying and attire and I have a ginger friend who never leaves my side.
That's so cool that you had the chance to hear Elder Scott and Elder Nelsen. I was actually sitting front row at the Elder Scott talk. He carries such a powerful spirit with him when he speaks.
I've met plenty more enjoyable people here as well. The Lord blesses us with friends if we're willing to be friendly. Elder Evans is a well dressed hipster from Chicago who produces and loves rap music and movies. I've become friends with a lot of guys in our branch and our district has grown a lot closer together.
I've been finding alright sleep. To help myself pass out, I imagine the plot lines of a childrens chapter book series that I'd like to write titled PK Brown and The Terrible Time Machine. The series begins with Sawyer and his dad working on a time machine in their garage. Being the forgetful people that they are, they don't put the device that allows the user to choose which year he travels to on the machine. PK Brown mans the machine and sends himself flying through time. The first book would be about PK landing in the early American colonies where he meets Jebediah Jensen (Matt Jensen's great-great-grandfather) who is deathly afraid of Indians. Of course I'm working on a story in which PK finds himself defending the Alamo.
I'm glad to hear that my friends are staying close to home. I hope Sawyer really follows through with his decision to serve. Two weeks out and I can already feel myself becoming a more loving and effective individual.
Quite often I find myself having to bite my tongue. There's a lot of weird things that certain elders do that I'd love to turn around and vent about, but I've made it a priority to not speak ill of other missionaries. It's sooooooo hard though. Elder Willis and I have had to sacrifice many a joke by filling the potential comedic moment with the phrase "Quiet dignity, Elder."
Brooke, that's so cool that you got to meet Stewart Edge. And I'm glad to hear that you're being a good example to Hunter.
Spencer, I miss you so much, man. If you send me that iPod please stuff it full of good music. And the song you were talking about is Always Gold by Radical Face. Don't listen to it. You will cry. Also, please write me when you go do your endowments. I'd like to hear your thoughts on the matter. Speaking of which, I was able to go through the temple again last Thursday and am going today. Everything made so much more sense and I walked away with a better understanding of the power of women and the role that they play. If you allow it to be, the temple can be a great teacher.
Lilly, keep tumbling. Also, I read your comic about the Polar Bear missionary. It was excellent, please send some more. I miss you so much.
Katie, keep up the uke. I don't think you understand how much I miss playing instruments. I write raps down in my notebook daily, but it's not quite the same. I miss you a ton and thank you so much for all of your sweet words of encouragement.
Eliza, I think you're such an excellent person. I've always been so impressed with the high standard you hold yourself to. Keep studying and enjoy volleyball and your friends while you can.
Tanika, thank you for being there for my family. You came to my brother when he needed you most and I really appreciate the role that you've played in his life. If you get married while I'm gone, please send pictures. lol jk. Just wait till I'm home.
I'm sure I've said it before, but being here just feels so right. My entire life I've felt the need to help others. It dawned on me that as a missionary, I really am a catcher in the rye. We've got all of these people rushing towards the edge of a cliff and I get to be the one to keep them from hurting themselves. I get to present this life saving gospel to them. I know we can be together throughout the eternities, and I take comfort in that. It also serves as a motivation for me to share the gospel. There are people out there who live their lives with uncertainty. Uncertain of whether they'll see their family ever again. It's now my responsibility to help them understand that through the atonement, they will see everyone they care about in the life to come.
I love you so much, Mom, but I've gotta run. The church is true! Stay strong, Tuinei Clan! "STRENGTH AND HONOR!". Also, tell your sisters thank you so much for writing. And tell Aunty thank you as well. If I could get a list of email adresses I'd love to send stuff out to them. Anyway. Really have to go this time. I LOVE YOUUUUUU!
I love you all so much and miss you dearly.
From,
Elder Samuel Loa Tuinei
I love you all so much and miss you dearly.
From,
Elder Samuel Loa Tuinei
I'm hoping my post was published but it looks like it perhaps was not. So if this is a repeat you know why------Sam,you are certainly 'The Man'!!!! Every time I listen to you I'm impressed!!! It's hard for me to even say I know you are growing so much because you have started out such a spiritual and intelligent young man!!!! So with that in mind I can hardly imagine how much more 'Awesome' you are going to be after this Wonderful Experience of a Mission!!!!! I look forward to watching you advance through life and seeing all that you do and accomplish----I know it will be 'something to behold'!!!! I Love YOU so very much and you know how entertained I have always been by you---I love your 'wit',haha----you're the BEST!!!!! Love,Grams.
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