Letter to Dad from Fort Walton Beach-April 14, 2014

It's crazy to think that another companion is going home after being with me. I found out today that Elder Misi is going home early. So that was kind of a blow to the brain, just keep him in your prayers alright? That's good Riley is doing well. Ethan and Noah are going to be some amazing athletes next year! I can just see Penrod waiting for Ethan to pick Elora up haha. Sounds like y'all have been busy with your missionary efforts great job!

We are trying to call the military members up and get them to come out with us or to find new people to teach. We try to tell them to find people at work, but I don't know if they are allowed to share much about their religion in the military. The Ranger from basketball does a pretty consistent job at the Ranger camp. He is an instructor there so I think he is doing a good job.

The goofiest thing that happened this week was watching Elder Schwartz pack his bike haha.

We had an awesome musical thing called the Lamb of God and the music was fantastic. It was an awesome experience and i really enjoyed it.

This week we were talking to these girls and their mom about the Plan of Salvation and just really showing them why God is there for us all the time. It really helped me know that this is what I’m here for.

The smile is fighting to stay up but it has been pretty hard to keep up lately. I am trying really hard to give my all and i think this transfer will allow me to do that.

I think this area has a lot of potential and I think that it will be exciting with a new comp in Elder Kimball. He actually came out with me so that is pretty exciting. I think that we will be able to use Family history to find a lot of people.

Thank you Dad for your testimony. I think more and more everyday about the example that you have been to me and in large part my whole purpose of being a missionary is to fulfill your Legacy out here.

I had 1 question though. How can I find out more about our Family History? Like on the Polynesian side? Do we have any books or records of it?

Alofa Atu Oi

Elder Wilson Atagi

 

Letter from Fort Walton Beach-April 7, 2014

My week was really good! My spirits are great right now! Life is good. Ethan and Noah, those suckers are getting too big haha. I bet Ethan will get a scholarship somewhere. Pappies will be alright. Mom said Josh gave him a blessing so he'll be fine. Thank goodness for the Priesthood and the blessing of modern medicine. I wrote them a letter last week so I hope they got it. I will keep him and Riley in my prayers though. Everything happens for a reason which is something that I have come to learn quite a bit on my mission. That's awesome about the bros and all the sports haha. I bet they had fun with the jackhammer in Gransie’s bathroom.

Conference was great huh? I loved it!

I did get the Dillard’s package and the pants fit great! I think that my waist hasn't really gotten much bigger mostly just my thighs have haha all the biking and stuff. I put the bike back in the shop last week haha the spokes came lose in the back wheel so it worked for a while haha.

We have been going through the potentials and asking for referrals and seeing people on the streets mostly for it all. Thank you so much for all that you guys do for me! I can really feel the prayers and everything. We do talk to a ton of military and most of the ward is, so it's hard for them to come out with us.

The sisters in our area are Sister McKenzie and Obray. Sis M. is from Jordan and Obray is from Riverton and they are pretty chill.

We write our emails from the Northwest College over here and we don't have any ward missionaries to work with right now haha

The basketball is fun. There is this huge Army ranger dude that plays super cheap and pushes with 2 hands to play and I beat him in the post all day. It’s a lot of fun.

That sucks that Riley has to come home but the Lord will help him and maybe he is supposed to go home and help out his dad for a while. The blessing of an Eternal Father in Heaven that is constantly watching over us all and knowing what we need in our lives.

We do cook the best food. For the tennis team, I think something easy would be like Costa Vida pork and rice might be the best thing.

Love you!

Elder Wilson Atagi

Letter to Dad from Fort Walton Beach-March 31, 2014

Hey Dad!

Nothing much dad.

It was only about elder Misi and why I didn't tell him that I was having a hard time with him. Apparently he did like a survey and President was just asking why I never said anything to him about it. I am working on it dad. It is hard to be motivated in the morning but I am trying.

I am so ready for conference! The ward is full of air force people because it is between 2 air force bases. We have a pretty small ward. There are like 450 members and like 125 active. We live about a mile away from the sisters. There is a bike shop in our area. He is the DL. We have 2 sets of Spanish in our district then us. There are 2 zones in between us and Mississippi.  

1. Your comp basically has 18 days left how’s that going for you? It's not an issue at all.

2. Is your comp still willing to work? We work hard out here.

3. Tell me about some of your investigators? We don't have any as of now.

4. So have you had an interview with President Smith lately? How did that go? No I haven't lately.

5. Funny story about the week? We talked to a crazy drunk dude on the phone today haha and he was freaking out about our family history website. Not much really happened this week that is worth talking about. I am working on becoming a better missionary.

6. Most spiritual experience this week? Just bearing testimony to someone about the Book of Mormon and feeling and using a prompting to talk to someone in the store today

7. So the Leadership sisters do you have one in your area? No we don't they are an area above us.

8. How are you doing physically? Spiritually? Emotionally? And mentally? I am working on getting better physically and I still am trying to get better at sleeping. Emotionally I am fine. Mentally I will live I am trying to get less stressed out about baptisms and crap.

That's awesome about the setting apart. I'm sorry that I wasn't always the most proactive in trying to be better and I think you are the one that made us look good Dad. Thanks for the quote Dad!

Alofa Atu Oi

Elder Wilson Atagi

Letter to Mom from Fort Walton Beach-March 31, 2014

Hey Mom!

My week was pretty good! I'm glad Mama B (Sister Blanchard) could talk to you for a little while! Basketball is working great!

President Smith did call me about Elder Misi and a survey that he had to do for President. He asked why I never told him about why he had such a hard time with Misi, but nothing too big. I am glad that he likes me! haha I know Heavenly Father knows what we need all the time. Honestly I haven't written anyone a letter in the past like month or so. I just haven't been good at writing anyone really. Mostly just emailing everyone on Mondays.

That's awesome about your calling! I heard that the conference was pretty good! Sad to hear that it's snowing up there during spring break though!

My spirits are doing great! Life is good! Something good this week was probably a crazy rainstorm that we had this week. It was on Friday and we were taking the car to the sisters and we stopped at this stop sign and out of nowhere this huge wave of rain covered the road in front of us and then we got stuck at the sisters’ apartment. They said that a tornado touched down somewhere far away from our area. It was crazy!

I've been missing you a lot lately too Mom, but there is a reason that I am out here. I just have to find the one person that needs me to be the one to talk to them.

Thanks for the scripture mom!

Love you so!

Elder Wilson Atagi

Letter to Dad from Fort Walton Beach-March 24, 2014

Hey Dad!

Missed you too dad! He leaves in April on the 18th. We do have a car but we share with the sisters so technically we don't really have a car haha.

 

It's going really good dad! Life is good! I am constantly trying to stay happy because it makes everything a lot easier. He is working hard for sure. The new area is awesome but the ward is so-so.

1. Tell me about your apartment? The apartment is really little and small but not too bad. We have the kitchen, laundry and study room downstairs then bathroom and bedroom upstairs. We only have one study table instead of 2 so that kind of sucks, not too much space.

2. How is the new area? The area is good but the membership is kind blah. There are a lot of members that want to work with us but they can't because they are in the military and work a ton.

3. So do you like the beach? Have you accidentally fallen into the water? The beach is nice but I don't think I will be "falling" in the water any time soon haha.

4. Is there a rule about how close you can be to the water? No there isn't, at least none that i have seen.

5. Are you having fun? What happened this week that was fun? I am having fun out here dad! We have been making up songs on the guitar so that has been a ton of fun.

6. Sounds like there are some people that like you with all the attention that you got from your birthday. Tell me the goods and bads about your birthday. My birthday was great we got cake/food from like 5 people so that was fantastic.

7. Tell me a spiritual experience you had this week in detail please and how it affected you? I have been memorizing a scripture in 2 Nephi 4:17-28 and I keep just feeling how true the Book of Mormon is. The scripture talks about how sometimes we feel that we aren't worthy because of all the mistakes we make, but really God is always with us. That is something that hit me really hard this week.

8. How are you getting along? I am getting a long great dad! Thanks for worrying about me.

Thanks for the message Dad! I missed y'all a lot this week but I know I'm doing something good here.

Alofa Atu Oi

Elder Wilson Atagi

Pictures from Fort Walton Beach-March 17, 2014

Birthday Cake



View from Fort Walton Beach Shore

Beach Volleyball at Fort Walton Beach

Letter to Mom from Fort Walton Beach-March 17, 2014

Hey Mom!

I did get the package so thank you so much! It was a great day! The sister missionaries in our area baked me a cake. Some members made cupcakes and also another member fed us dinner and a cake.

That's awesome that y'all are safe and sound! The work is going great and I am having a lot of fun in the new area. My comp and I are getting along really well. He is an awesome missionary and knows how to work! I am back on schedule and it is good to be back.

How close does auntie Sa and auntie Lin live to the mission? Dang dad was cutting it close huh? haha why did you get released so quickly?

The mission this week was a lot of fun! We had a tradeoff with the zone leaders and they are really cool. We met a man at the church and he just wanted to learn about what are church was like. I think he really showed up to try and become the preacher at the church haha. He wanted to argue a lot and we matched every scripture and concern he had and eventually he started trying to tell us that the church isn't true and our parents didn't raise us right and that was when I got fired up and filled with the Spirit like a lot. So I pulled out the Book of Mormon and bore my testimony about how I had found out it was true and he didn't say a single word and agreed to read and to pray about it. I think that may be one of the most powerful moments on my mission when my testimony just lit somebody up like that haha. So that was super cool!

I love you guys and y'all made me cry with the testimony book so thanks for that haha

Alofa atu oi!

Elder Wilson Atagi

Letter to Dad from Fort Walton Beach-March 10, 2014

Hey Dad!

The new area is sick! I'm doing really good! I'm doing great here in the new area! I am kinda area sick, but not too bad. My new comp is pretty cool. His name Elder Schwartz. He goes home next transfer so this will be the second missionary I have killed off so far on my mission. He is pretty sweet. He's from Idaho and is kinda goofy, but a really good missionary. Yeah I missed out on Elder Ballard. That was super stupid haha. If I had stayed in Bonifay I would have been fine. There is a beach and we went and played beach volleyball today so that was dope. We aren't in a threesome so it's weird that we are both senior comps. That's awesome that they are both doing good! Sounds like the other kids haven't quite reached their level huh? That's funny.

1. Address? 44 Wright Parkway NW #A2. Ft. Walton Beach, FL 32548

2. Near the Beach? We are probably like 4 miles from like a real beach.

3. Was it hard to leave Bonifay? It was super hard leaving Bonifay. I literally knew the town better than most of the people that lived there. Cool story, I helped a 24 year old decide to go on a mission from getting him to come out with us all the time!

4. How was your first transfer? How much did you collect in 7 months in one area? I have seemed to collect quite a lot according to my bags haha, but I didn't really place everything in that well. I think I have just collected a lot of paper and stuff like that. The shoes probably take up the most room.

5. What is your new apartment like? It is really small compared to the old one so i don't like it that much, but I can't really control anything like that so.

6. Who moves you from place to place? They have like a caravan of some vans and trailers and one truck and trailer that carries everybody.

7. Is your comp big like you? tall? He is like 6 ft. not too big though.he isn't very athletic, he is still pretty cool.

8. Have you learned anything from him yet? He knows how to do this thing called personology. Which is reading peoples traits on like their face and hands to predict how the person acts or thinks in life. It's really weird but I will try to explain more when I actually figure it out.

Spiritual moments this week would be when we were praying as we left transfer spots. I said my own prayer asking if I was going to get better as a missionary in my new area and if I was really supposed to be going there. This overwhelming feeling of peace and the answer yes came to my mind so that was pretty cool.

I think that statement is true for sure. I think it would be because the situation with my last comp gave me the opportunity to either rise above it or shy away and I got stronger from it. Heavenly Father always gives us opportunities to make the right choice in life.

We are all constantly practicing on being obedient. Just like a coach puts the player in the first team to see if he can trust him in the big game. The small promptings that we get to go and check if the kids are alright after hearing a call or for missionaries the prompting to knock on the door. Often we find that nothing was wrong or that the person was not interested, but now Heavenly Father sees that he can trust us in a bigger situation when a lot of people are on the line or someone really is hurt or in need. He is waiting to see if we will be obedient always.

Love you Dad!

 

Letter to Dad from Fort Walton Beach-March 3, 2014

Hey Dad! 

What's up? How's it going? I am being transferred to Ft Walton! I think I am training in a trio with an Elder Ethan Shwartz. I'm pretty excited about that. Elder Misi is staying in Bonifay and will be with a former zone leader.

It's pretty interesting to see how life prepares you for things. Crazy to think that life is still like a football game and sometimes we just need to focus on the practice and little things. Maybe that's something you can talk about, that as we go to the temple we are preparing ourselves and others for the big game of judgment. Everything we do is just practice for eternal life. 

1.What happened with transfers? Yes I did get transferred.

2. Do you like what happened? Why? Yeah I have no issues with it.

3. So how are the Burpies? Consistent Burpies will get you in shape it works for prisoners. I'm working on getting better at them.

4. How is the eating going? Becky Heaton said that what I told you was correct. To eat you fruits rather than drink it. She also said V8s are good. As long as it does not make starve. She said don't starve yourself. Just eat healthy and with the members try to fill up with the good stuff first (salad, and fruit then the heavy stuff). It's going pretty good. I have eaten a lot of carrots haha.

5. Tell me something funny that happened? We hit a deer with a member! Haha

6. Tell me about spiritual happening this week? I had an awesome experience of blessing two kids and giving them names. A member that i have been able to get to know well asked me to bless his kids.

7. How have you become the bike fixer? I just know how now. We haven't had a lot of need for it lately.

8. In your pictures there is this skinny elder what’s he like? He is awesome and super funny. At first he was really quiet, but as we got to know each other he opened up.

9. What are your thoughts about being a missionary now? There is nothing like it in the world and I don't think there is anything more rewarding for the emotional work. Does that make sense? It really is a life changing experience that is teaching me how to be a better person and be a better human being in general. Like I’m more understanding and patient and I don't judge as quickly as I used to and I am just changing totally.

10. If you could tell people ready to leave on their missions, something to help them prepare what would that be? Be ready to talk to people and open your mouth about the gospel and be ready for people to be jerks.

That’s it from me Dad. I will send that letter sometime either this week or next. It’s crazy to almost be done and I can't really control it. I am sort of happy it goes by fast. I think the thing I have learned most would be to put in 100% all the time and never look back.

Don’t worry about mistakes but learn from them.

Love you Dad I’ll send a letter this week!

Elder Wilson Atagi

 

Letter to Dad from Bonifay-February 24, 2014

Hey Dad!

It's going pretty good over here. Elder Misi wants to go home really bad and we didn't do hardly anything at the end of this week so that is a bit of a rough patch. I did have a ton of fun at the zone conference. I definitely am just working hard to be a good missionary not really thinking of being a ZL or AP. Just wanting to help out the mission.

1. What did you learn at Zone Conference? We learned about family history and church tours. That is how president has received revelation for the mission so that is what will really start up all the work here in this area of the south.

2. Did president reschedule you training? Not yet he said he is planning on it.

3. So are you investigators getting close to baptism? Sort of. All the investigators we have that are going towards baptism aren't married and they are taking forever to do that.

4. Did find out about transfers? Not yet next week.

5. How are you and Elder Misi doing? Not too great he is really struggling. And wants to go home really bad and I don't know what else to tell him.

6. Great pictures and your brothers liked the picks. Can you tell me something funny this week? Misi almost drove away in the car a few times. That's kinda funny but not really.

7. Can you tell me about a spiritual moment this Week? Zone conference was pretty spiritual. Lots of stuff about missionaries being led by the ancestors of the people we start teaching. That's how we really are led to the people that are "those willing to receive us" That was pretty awesome. I will send the recording of president talking sometime this week!

8. Why are you the only one in a suit coat in the pictures? I didn't take my suit coat off. I like looking cool haha.

9. So I was thinking about your work outs? You running suicides in the parking lot sounds good? But how is your eating? You cannot starve yourself in the morning. Hit the fruits and vegies and slow down on the heavy sauces. Consistency on the exercise is the key with the better eating. I am eating well a lot of juice and tuna a cottage cheese and v8 and veggies and fruit. And a bagel every once in a while. I do need to get better at consistent workouts. It's kind of hard when misi won't wake up to work out with me.

10. How are you exercise shoes? They are still going strong.

Thanks for the quote. I needed that one this week.

I will send the recording of president's teaching next week!

Love you dad

Alofa Atu Oi

Elder Wilson Atagi

Letter to Dad from Bonifay-February 17, 2014

Hey Dad!

The weather has been pretty weird down here. That sucks that the team is struggling. I know how that feels haha. That's crazy Will is going to Peru like Mason! That's ridiculous that Ryan is back already! That’s awesome he had a good mission.

1. So the meeting via broadcast I heard you guys had several GAs? We had quite a few like 5 or 6.

2. When I read other missionaries blogs I see that some parents send articles from home would you like that? That would be cool like what kind of articles?

3. So how is that recorder? It’s pretty sweet and i am trying to do like a recording every other day to record like a journal.

4. Are you struggling with anything right now? I’m good Dad thanks for worrying about me though.

5. Tell me about a cool experience this past week? We didn't really have any this week... I did have a crazy dream though. In the dream the APs called me and told me I have 5 transfers left to become the missionary that the Lord wants me to be so I can be an AP or a zone leader I can't remember the exact detail on that part. So that was pretty cool i guess.

That's good to see all those guys. Something that one of the zone leaders I talked to on Sunday said that to describe in one word the church's goals right now is urgency. We need to understand that our time is short and the work is kicking up fast.

I love you too dad!

Alofa Atu Oi

Elder Wilson Atagi

 

 

Letter to Mom from Bonifay-February 17, 2014

Hi Mom!

Yeah we are pretty excited for it (zone conference)! President actually cancelled on us so that kind of sucks but oh well. We have zone conference this Thursday so we are stoked! I'm sorry if didn't get you anything for valentines! My brothers did good though haha. Sounds like if taught them well haha. That’s good that Ethan had fun with Nikki and it's crazy that Ryan is back already! Holy cow I can't believe that!

1. Did you get our box and do the shoes fit? I did thanks mom for doing that and the shoes fit perfect! I think if have grown a little so that's exciting!

2. Anything happen new with investigators or less active members? Nothing this week. Pretty slow to be honest.

 3. Have you been doing any service? I know you have but I wondered what things you’ve done. We go scoop ice cream for crazy old people in a nursing home here in town

 4. Hardest things this week? Drag Elder Misi anywhere else? Just slow and boring mostly. On Sunday all the leadership in the mission like zone leaders and sister training leaders and APs and President were in Bonifay for sacrament meeting because they had a meeting before that. That was cool

5. Best thing that happened this week? We didn't die! haha And we set up a lesson with Paige and Will finally!

6. Anything you need? Nope I am good!

Okay mom Love you and I will send a letter this week!

Love you so!

Elder Wilson Atagi