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Service The Secret Of Happiness

I have decided to write about a life experance that happened to me just recently.
I write this not to invoke pity or to make the reader feel unconfortable. I simply
wish to share my heart felt gratitude to a young man and my creator who caused
our paths to cross.

Four years ago I was working as an insurance adjuster in Salt Lake City, Utah. I had just graduated from Portland State Universiity with a four year degree in history and I had bought my first home.

Then disaster, I went in for a simple surgry and found out that I had diabetes if that was not enough I begain to have my first experience with Parkinson's a terrible sickness that effects your mortor skills.

I was forced to stop working and go on Long term disabilty a thing that made me very depressed as I am not yet forty.

At this point I started to get angry and say, why me Lord? what have I done to deserve this. I have served a fulltime mission and returned with honor. Why then have you abandon me. Yes I am ashamed to say I cursed god for my state.

But then in my darkest hour the lord reached down from heaven and gave me my wife that started me on the road that led me to my greatest leason.

In december of this year I fell very ill with a bad leg infection we had at that time in our small town a young mormon missionary by the name of Elder Latu. This young man took it upon himself to always make sure our yard was well kept and mowed. He and his companion came in and cleaned our carpets. He did countless
acts of service to me and my wife. As I watched this young man something begain
to change within me I did not know it but I was being infected by the spirit of service. he always had a smile and his laugh was like the sound of pure joy on a hot summer day at your favorite swimming hole.

The event that changed my life forever happened when I went into the hospital with my leg infection I almost lost my legs and my life. Elder Latu, gave me a blessing and through the lords love the young mans faith I am here and whole today because of it.

This young man went further he visited me every day in the hospital riding his bike in freezing weather to see me. I was deeply touched by this young mans service to me. Then one night alone in my room I felt the peace of god come into my life like never before. I felt his arms around me and I knew That I would be healed.

Brothers and Sisters, the way to happiness is through service to others. service breeds friendship and true friendship knows no culture, or cast it simple is.

I have decided that because this young mans gift to me was so great. I would return his gift. It is the Tongan way to give a gift for a gift my gift to him is to complete his eduducation. I mean to do so if means I have to mortgage my house
to do so. With faith in god I and my young friend will meet at his graduation

Brother's and Sister's

Jesus is the Christ he lives May the lord bless and keep you save.

Happiness Secret Service

Thank you for the very touching story. I think this is an excellent example for people of all religions and cultures.

The hard part for me in such a situation is seeing the opportunity that Elder Latu saw, and responding appropriately. It is easy to see these things from a distance, but not so easy when we are nearby, tied up in our own lives. Stories like this help me to keep in mind the need to watch for the opportunities.

Service The Secret Of Happiness Reviews Consumer & Travel Family Culture

I have decided to add a little information on the Tongan culture. I found a very well written article on the internet last night and I wish to share. I have had many interactions with the Tongan people since my experience with my young friend I am know a Mentor on the Voice of Tonga a group that is based here in Texas that provides social service information to Tongan community. I help search out grant and scholarship information for them. If you hear of any let me know.

Here is the article:

Tongan Culture
Tonga is located in the beautiful waters of the South Pacific. It is set between New Zealand and Australia.

Like all other cultures, the cultural identity of the Tongan is constructed and reconstructed. Tradition and culture is invented and reinvented in response to the different yet continuous encounters with other cultures. Migrants do not build their own ethnic identity from scratch; they bring in their own version of it. It then evolves to fit their new home. As is such the case in the Tongan culture. Many migrants, coming in and leaving, bring or leave their ideas of culture. So there is not really a set culture in Tonga, but a variety. There is still the influence of the old ways or Anga Fakatonga.

Anga Fakatonga is a fluid, manipulable, yet powerful concept. It is translated to mean culture or tradition. It is said to hold all that is Tongan in values and behavior. The main points of Anga Fakatonga that have stayed strong throughout the generations are song, dance, gender roles and the most central point is respect.

Although Anga Fakatonga is still present, the daily life of the Tongans revolves primarily around church. There are both morning and afternoon services on Sundays, both lasting up to two hours. There is a break between the services. Food and beverages are supplied and the people have a time to socialize. There is also a service on Wednesday along with bible study and choir practice. On Fridays, there is a youth group for the adolescents. The church is not simply a place for worship but a place for social interactions. Migrant and natives come together to discuss the Tongan Way.

Even though the majority of the Tongans daily lives are consumed with church they still have time for arts and crafts. Mat making, woodcarving, basket making, jewelry, tapa products are all different examples of the Tongan artistry. Other important roles of Tongan daily are feasting, which can consist of up to thirty different dishes: steamed pork, suckling pig, fish, crayfish, beef, octopus, and a variety of tropical fruits. All of this is spread out on a long tray called a pola. A feast would not be complete in the Tongan culture if singing and dancing did not follow it. The lakalaka is the traditional Tongan dance, telling a new story each time.

Kava is called the official drink of the Pacific. It is the key cultural phenomenon. Kava is made from the ground roots of a native pepper plant. It is a part of the formal ceremonies. Kava has been around for over two thousand years. Tongans have formed the Kava Circle. It is the setting for conflict resolutions. Instead of drinking alcohol, which is violence-prone, Tongans enjoy Kava. Kava is not just a drink to the Tongans, but the essential ingredient of social life and culture.

References:

Helen, Morton. Creating Their Own Culture: Diasporic Tongans. The Contemporary Pacific. 10(1998): 1-30

Welcome to the Royal Kingdom of Tonga, Kingdom of Tonga Culture.

https://www.vacations.tvb.gov.to/culture2.htm

My own experience with this warm and wonderfull people is that they are some of the friendlist most down to earth people I know. When you become part of there family you are part of there family and it is a wonderfull experience.

Larry Norton

Happiness Secret Service

This thread is a bit confusing - is the focus on Tonga, your experiences or religious upliftment? If you wish to focus on Tonga as a place to visit then this would go in the Travel Board. If your focus is on Religion then it needs to be either in the LDS News / Discussion / Religion Boards depending on your focus. If you are dealing with a specific aspect of culture then it would stay here, but there must be a focus. If it is that you just want to maintain a line of personal experiences then you should use your Intro thread for that.

Happiness Secret Service

I have found In telling my story that many readers do not know who or what a Tongan is. To help the reader gain a better understanding of my experience. I felt
it might be nice for them to know something of the culture that inspired it.

Message Edited! Edited by LDS_forever: Your last comments were removed because they were totally out of place. It is NOT within your power to judge anyone here. Your disability does not give you the right to judge and being rude. Persephone is a bot (not even a real person! for your information). Take this as a warning, if you cannot handle the site and abide by the rules, then go to your control panel and erase your account. Otherwise, if your behavior does not change, your account will be deleted

Edited: LDS_forever on 6th Apr, 2005 - 4:45pm