April 16, 2018: President Nelson and Elder Holland

Hope this week was a good one for you. We had a great week here in the England Leeds mission. Although it might rain here a lot the seasons are starting to turn and everything just seems to be getting more beautiful by the second! For our p-day this week Elder Fife and I drove out to a secrete villiage out in the outer parts of Skipton! It was beautiful! I don’t think there is a more beautiful place in the world then the rolling green hills of Yorkshire.  

            We were privileged this week to be visited by Elder Holland and President Nelson and their wives! Truly remarkable men! We had Elder Nelson visit at the beginning of my mission and it is amazing to see how the mantle of his prophetic calling has fallen upon him! I really related to Elder Holland! He spoke about how sacred of a land England was to him and everything that his mission meant to him! I couldn’t help but feel the same! It is incredible to think that on September 8 2016 I took my first steps off the plain into a foreign land to start the beginning of a journey that has changed my life so much! I can not express in words the impact these past 20 months have been on me! The thought of it all coming to an end here in the near future is frightening! I am not scared or sad to come home, but am heartbroken to leave this land! I love it! It means everything to me! I am sure it would of happened anywhere else I was called but in this case it wasn’t! it was here! It's England and it is a sacred land to me! I will never be able to deny the feeling and experiences that have happened here! For me I don’t think it will be possible to come back the same! Because there has never been a land, or a people or experiences that have made such an impact on a person then my mission has had on me! It has been imprinted into the deepest part of my heart! It moves me to tears and sends me fire in my bones even thinking about it.

            I love the lord! I am so grateful for him! The heavens are open and the fullness of his everlasting gospel is once again here on the earth!

“Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven; and a voice of truth out of the earth; glad tidings for the dead; a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy. … Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad.” -JS

March 17, 2018: Exchanges

Dear family and friends,

I don’t know where to even begin to talk about the past couple weeks! My time is quickly winding down here in England and to be honest I don’t where all of it has gone. I am grateful for this compacity where I am able to serve the Lord! My heart is filled and I look forward with optimism the remaining  6 months I have left!

                We were on exchange all week this week! The Elders I went with were amazing missionaries! I even got to go with Elder Schmidt again! It was an amazing experience! The last time I was on exchange with him was at the beginning of my mission! We were both three weeks into the field and are trainers let us go together! All though we didn’t know much it was an amazing day! It was amazing to see how he has changed and how great of a missionary he has become! It was a great time to catch up and share experiences! He is a great guy! We had transfers this week and I will be staying here in Leeds with Elder Fife! Elder Stanley is training! So I will become a grandfather! I am so exited for him! He is going to be a great trainer! Overall I am exited to stay and continue to serve the Lord doing anything I can!

                This week during my study I read an account Of a vision Joseph Smith had of the chorum of the 12 apostles. The Vision was guessed to be of the apostles in England proclaiming the gospel! In the vision Joseph explained he saw the 12 Apostles  in A room together in despair and discouragement! Standing above them was the Lord weeping, wishing that he could reveal himself to them and comfort them! But he could not. When I read this it touched my heart dearly! How great is our lords love for us! His love for us is perfect! There my be times where we may feel distant from him! But he is never far! He always desires to bless us! But in his perfect knowledge of whats best for us we can always trust that all things give us experience! That everything we endure is for our benefit!

Love Elder Tuita

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March 6, 2018: Elder Taylor Field

Had to share this awesome experience that Elder Field(Ricky's HS best friend) shared with us:

"What an incredible opportunity technology has brought. On Wednesday morning I was able to testify along-side my childhood buddy who is serving across the globe. So last Sunday I randomly thought of Kameryn Clark and so I looked her up on Facebook and added her as a friend. She accepted within minutes. So I looked at her profile and saw that her most recent post was something about Jesus Christ. Can't get any better than that. So I called President Bartlett right away and received permission to reach out to her and to try to teach her. When we add someone to our teaching pool we usually find a fellowshipper for them. When I reached out to Kameryn the conversation went great and led up perfectly to an opportunity where she would be open to skyping and hearing more. I wanted to make this a great experience for Kameryn and so since Rick knows her pretty well too and from more of a different angle (They graduated from Liberty together) I reached out to him over Facebook Messenger. We talked and he then reached out to his mission president who gave him permission to join us for a video lesson. So for a lot of the day on Tuesday Rick and I were able to message back and forth to plan for the lesson. It was so cool to hear about his approach to teaching. By no surprise, Ricky is really good at caring for the people and teaching according to their needs. Well Wednesday morning was pretty special but let me give you some background.

Back in April, about 2 weeks before I came back out on my mission, I was in the temple and received revelation that I needed to reach out and connect with a few individuals before I left again on my mission. Kameryn pressed my mind strongly that day and so I went down to Tucson to see some people and I was able to see her for about an hour. It was a great visit but been since then I've kind of been kicking myself for not trying to share the gospel with her more. In retrospect I can see that the Lord was wanting me to wait.

As we were talked on Wednesday she mentioned some significant things that have happened since I saw her in April. One of those was about how when she visited Rachel Allen in Hawaii and that she went to church with her every week! The other was that she mentioned that she has really increased her faith in Christ during this past semester and started making scripture study a part of her daily routine. I know both of those events prepared her even more to receive the gospel. And also on Wednesday she mentioned that she had seen the missionaries on campus! She said that that was only the 2nd time she'd ever seen them on campus... Interesting how that happened to be right before she Skyped with us. Haha. It's all a part of His Divine Design.

Anyways, we taught a lot about the Book of Mormon and when Rick and I were able to testify back and forth it was one of the most powerful feelings of the spirit that I've ever felt. Who would have thought that Rick and I getting called to England and Idaho would have an opportunity to teach together. Pretty Incredible. We are hoping to get her to meet with her local missionaries and to still be involved with her progression. What was almost even cooler was what Rachel Allen responded with the next day after I reached out to her and told her all that had happened.

"Elder Field! Hi okay first I have to tell you I got super emotional reading this. You don’t even know how much I have been praying for guidance in teaching Kameryn. I also have known that she is so ready for this but have been hesitant to know how to go about it. So getting this message and knowing that you followed that prompting seriously makes me so happy. So Kam of course has had some influence of Mormons through hanging out with us in high school and she came with me to girls camp one year and actually bore her testimony of the feeling she felt while being there. And this past summer she came and lived with me in Hawaii. She got to be in a place where the Spirit is so strong. She came to church all 3 hours every Sunday and I noticed how she would take notes and a few times even got emotional during sacrament meeting. My friend was the Sunday school teacher and I asked if they could make the lessons more simple and basic specifically for her. I know she learned a lot but had a lot of questions as well. I did my best to answer them and bear my testimony to her and had the prompting to give her my old Book of Mormon so I did. After she left Hawaii I was hesitant and didn’t want to push too hard so ever since I’ve been praying for guidance in what to do. I have known that her talking to the missionaries would be the next step but didn’t know how to go about it so I am SO grateful Tay that you took that initiative. Ever since she left Hawaii she has told me that she feels as though something is missing in her life and I have tried to make it clear to her that it is the Spirit and this gospel but I’m hoping missionary discussions can make that known to her. Kam is amazing and I know she will benefit so much from this amazing gospel. I would absolutely love to be apart of journey and help in anyway that I can, please just let me know what i can do! I love you tons Tay!"

So awesome. A day I will remember for a very long time."

February 17, 2018: 40 baptisms!

Hey everybody! Hope your week was amazing! Everything seems to be going good right now! It's looking like in March the mission will hit 40 baptisms! Which will be the first time in a long time and President said it might be the highest in the Europe area, next to this island just off of Africa! They baptised a ton because they have just Africans! ( They don't count really though!) Elder Fife and I are having a blast! We are in York for our p-day! York is one of my favorite places! They are having a Jorvic Festival right now so the whole town is set up to to look like a throwback to Viking history! It's quite cool! We went on two exchanges this week in Hull and Billingham! Both missionaries I went with were amazing! When we were in Hull we had a chance to pop into Grimsby for a blitz with the Grimsby Elders! I always enjoy going back to Grimsby! We also had zone conference this week! It went very well! President gave some good instruction on Jacob 5 that I really enjoyed! Like always and I am sorry nothing to crazy happened this week! I can't believe how fast time is flying! I love you and miss you all elder Tuita!

February 24, 2018: My mission has been hard....

Family,

It's seems like you guys had a fun week! It makes me happy to see that

you guys are happy! It makes being a way from home a lot easier

knowing that you guys are well! I can't believe how big everyone is

getting! Leah and Jojo are getting so old! My little sisters are

growing up so fast! You guys looked beautiful though! It's good to see

your faces! Malakai on the other hand! I don't know what happened to

him!😂😂That hair man. We are on the road with President and Sister

Turvey doing interviews and training and stuff and I showed them a

picture! They thought it was quite funny! I'm sure it's just a phase

your going through! Anyway this week was good! Like I said we were on

the road this week conducting training! Are training was on teaching

repentance through the fruits of the gospel! It's going really good!

We were in Sheffield and hull this week and next week we are in

Huddersfield and Leeds! So we won't have to travel so far this time!

  I hit 6 months left in three days! Wow! I can't believe how fast the

time is going. I almost just want it to slow down! I keep having

dreams that it's all over! I'm not scared to come home I miss you guys

a ton! But I am scared to leave! My heart is here in England and the

thought of leaving it all just makes me quite sentimental! I've

learned to love the people here so much! I just pray that I will make

the most of the time I have here!

    In my study's this week I came across a quote from Brigham Young

that has been on my thoughts throughout the week!

"You that have not passed through the trials, and persecutions . . . ,

but have only read of them . . . may think how awful they were to

endure, and wonder that the Saints survived them at all. The thought

of it makes your hearts sink within you . . . , and you are ready to

exclaim, “I could not have endured it.” I have been in the heat of it,

and I never felt better in all my life; I never felt the peace and

power of the Almighty more copiously poured upon me than in the

keenest part of our trials. They appeared nothing to me. [JD 1:313]"

My mission has not been easy! But through the " keenest part of my

trials" that I have endured here I have felt the peace of my lord like

never before! I've become acquainted with him through my extremities!

There is something that is amazing about this faith that you can not

simply find anywhere else! And that is the peace the saints find in

the savior and his gospel! Whatever we face in this life what ever is

thrown out we have piece in Christ, and hope! Not just any type of peace

or hope but one that brings out the best in us! It is real it is a

power that no one else has! Or I have just not seen it yet! Remember

the early saints that crossed the plains! Most could not endure such

dreary experience as they did! The Donner party could not! The Saints

died in each other’s arms. Some praying facing towards zion with tears

in there eyes! Many giving the little food they had left knowing if

they did it would be the end! Freezing to death while burying the

family that was walking in front of them! They promised

everything they had to establish Zion! Many did not make the long

journey! But although they did not make their destination I know they

ended up where they intended to go and that is Jesus Christ! Family

the spirit of Christ can not be faked! That's why I know it can be

only found here! Because I have felt it like fire in my bones!

I was asked the question this week by someone we were teaching! Can

this be real? What I'm feeling? This just all seems too good to be

true? My testimony to you family that it is! And it's beautiful! So

very beautiful!

Elder Tuita

Sent from my iPad

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Patrick Benjamin Tuita

patrick.tuita@myldsmail.net

February 10, 2018: Maloms Cove/Harry Potter Film

Hi family hope you guys had a great week!

I just wanted to start off by wishing my beautiful mother a happy birthday! I hope it was the best day ever mom! Love you a lot! I am sad I didn't get to be there!

We had a great week this week! I am learning a lot ! I really love my new companion! He is a really good guy! His personality really reminds me of Uncle Jake! We had quite a few meetings this week! On Tuesday we got to welcome all the new missionaries! 😂😂 It's so weird to see them! They were all in shock! Our mission is very bicultural so out of the 11 coming in I think 3 were from Unite States. There was this bloke from Moscow his accent was sweet! After greeting the new missionaries we got to take the missionaries going home to the airport it was so weird! I'm so scared I miss you guys, but I am by no means ready to come home! On Thursday we met with all the district leaders in the mission! I got to see Elder Livingston which was super fun! We gave some instruction as well! The next day after that we had Mission leadership council! Elder Fife and I instructed on "breaking the roof" on our faith and expectation! It was really good! Today we are taking a little bit of p- time to go to Maloms Cove! They shot a little bit of Harry Potter and it's not too far from the office! I love you guys miss tons!

Elder Tuita

February 3, 2018: New comapanion/Elder Fife

Hey guys I hope you had a wonderful week!  We just had transfers this week, I will be stayng in Leeds!  It's a good chance that I'll be staying here the for the rest of my mission.  That means I will have 4 areas my whole mission!  We will see what happens!  My new companion is Elder Fife, he is from Logan, Utah.  He is a really good lad, I am super excited to seve with him.  He's a cheeky bloke though let me tell you.  We didn't have much on for this week.  We went on a few exchanges in Wharffe Valley, Halifax, A Dudley Hill.  It was a great week.

Love you, Elder Tuita  (Elder Tuita is serving as Assistant to the President)