Tongan Faith

Meet Lopeti and Lusiana.   

Lopeti was introduced to the Church as a young man by a friend.  His father was a drunk and very abusive.  He did not want Lopeti to investigate the Church.  Lopeti would go to Church and Mutual and each time he would come home his father would beat him.  Finally, one time after coming home from a Church activity his father started after him again.  Lopeti went to the Kitchen and grabbed a knife and handed it to his father and said, “You can kill me if you want, but I am going to join the Church.”  The father realized that Lopeti was fully committed to the gospel and left him alone after that night. 

Lopeti was baptized and after being a member of the Church for just a little over a year he accepted a mission call.  His father had died a few months before he entered the MTC in Provo.  While in the MTC he had a dream.  He saw his father dressed in black tormented and in sorrow.  His father asked him to help him.  Lopeti went to the MTC President and related the dream.  They came to the same conclusion that his father wanted to have his work done in the temple.  Lopeti received permission to go to the temple and perform the ordinances for his father which he did.  The next night He had another dream.  This time his father was dressed in white and very happy, thanking his son for doing the work.

Lopeti is one of our Returned Missionary Grant recipients, working part time and going to school full time after filling a very successful mission.  He is married to Lusiana.  They do not have any children of their own, but have taken in 7 young men who would have just been on the streets.  They have all joined the Church and 5 have gone on missions, one physically unable to and another preparing to go next year after being a member for a year.  They recently took in a 6 year old.  

Lopeti serves in the Bishopric of his Ward and has taught the Stake mission preparation class for 8 years, continuously.  The class is taught every Sunday morning starting at 6 am.  Kids from other Stakes also attend as well.  Over the 8 years he has seen over 1,000 young men and women go into the mission field.  If someone says they don’t want to go to the class anymore, he simply says, “Be there, I know where you live.  I’ll come and get you.”  They love him and the class.  Talk about making a difference. 

Meet Siope and Liu.

Siope and Liu are both teachers at Liahona High School.  They have five children of their own in a small house on the Liahona campus.  In addition to their children they have taken in 4 young women, who are the only members of the Church in their families, so there are 11 in the house.  They have cared for and nurtured these young women and helped them in every way.  All of them are doing well.  Toa will be going to BYU Hawaii in January; Siu is waiting for her mission call, while the others continue their studies at Liahona. Siope serves as the Young Men’s President in the Ward and does an outstanding job.  

I was teaching our Gospel Doctrine class a couple of weeks ago.  I was using a story to illustrate the need to build our foundation in life on the rock of our Redeemer.  I was in the Nisqually earthquake some years ago.  I was on the 36^th floor of the 5^th Avenue Plaza Building when the earthquake hit.  After I told the class about my experience that day I asked them why the building did not collapse.  I was expecting the response that it was built on a firm foundation, when Knowlton Itaehau said, “Elder Bean, the building did not collapse because you are supposed to be here in Tonga now.”  I just said to myself,”Wow!”  I love these people.

You’ve heard of the double cross, cross your heart and hot cross buns.  Have you heard of the Southern Cross?  When you look up into the night sky down here, it looks a lot different in this hemisphere.  No North Star or dippers.  The most famous constellation down here is the Southern Cross.  It appears on both the New Zealand and Australian flags.  Right next to the Southern Cross is the constellation Scorpio with its big stinger.  By the way, the sunsets are spectacular especially when the clouds are above the setting sun.  Unbelievable. If a Tsunami hits Tonga, it’s been nice knowing you.  The highest point on Tongatapu, the main island, is 90 meters high.  Most of the island is at 25-30 meters high.

Brother Finau.

Mom and I were just ending one of our walks one evening when Sione Finau, one of our Ward members, happened by.  He loves sports and knew that I do too.  We were talking football as he raised his family in the United States and his last son Teki is a very good football player.  He turned down a scholarship to play football at USC to go on his mission.  He is currently serving in Sierra Leone, Africa.  Sione happened to mention he had a nephew in the United States who is a pretty good basketball player.  His sister’s son lives in Chicago and is starting his senior year coming up, is 6’ 9” and is being recruited by about everyone in the country.  His name is Jay.  I asked if his name was Jabari, and he said yes, Jabari Parker.  Yep, the one who was on the cover of Sports Illustrated.  Jabari is still talking about a mission and at least has BYU on his final 10 list.  Sione is going to the States in November for a few weeks to stay with his sister.  He says he is going to try to talk him into going on a mission like his older brother.  His dad is not a member but would be fine with that decision.  According to Sione the dad is getting closer to joining the Church too.  How’s that for some athletes in the family?  By the way, the Finaus are a great family.