Ono: "2 Years Ill Never Get Back"

We finally meet Ethan Key, the third member of the Third Watch Podcast team In this episode, we share lessons from our LDS mission experiences, discuss the challenges of bridging cultural gaps, and explore how missionaries can find greater joy and purpose in the work.

Whether you're preparing to serve, currently serving, or reflecting on your mission, this conversation offers personal experiences and encouragement for building meaningful connections across cultures while staying centered on Christ.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Malalile. Talfa. And welcome to the third one's podcast.

SPEAKER_01 0:08

Another week. Another week. We're excited. We're excited. We finally have a special guest tonight. A long lost friends. Yes, yes. Remember.

SPEAKER_00 0:19

Don't worry.

SPEAKER_01 0:22

I know you guys have been hearing a lot about who the third person is. And so we're finally able to come together and finally record something. So yeah, we want to get straight into it. You already know who we are, but I want to pass the time over to Key to introduce himself himself. Key.

SPEAKER_02 0:40

Alright, guys, nice to meet you. My name is Ethan. I'm all the way in Brisbane. In case you're wondering, that's why we're we're trying to suss out this uh international uh call. But uh we're here, it might not be the best, but we're here.

SPEAKER_01 0:55

That's right. We we are here, man. So it's taken us a while. We're trying to fit our schedule together and uh with school as well as Key Key does work full-time, so Key, what do you do for work, man?

SPEAKER_02 1:06

Um I have two jobs. I work at the airport, and then on the side, I uh run a videography photography business. So I try to. Come on, shut your business out.

SPEAKER_00 1:16

What's your videography business?

SPEAKER_02 1:17

Uh shout out to Key Collectives for providing all this equipment and all that you see here. No, thanks, take it. Um that's what I've been doing for the last two and a half years ever since I've been off my mission. Off the mission, and the Lord has definitely taken care of me very well.

SPEAKER_01 1:33

Yeah, so we're just waiting for him to bring his talent over to the podcast. Uh he isn't edit. If you see any edits right now, yeah, it's all near.

SPEAKER_02 1:42

My lovely cap cup edit. Or the forbidts.

SPEAKER_00 1:46

The forb edits from him, man. Yeah, but anyway, all of us three, the way we link, if you don't know, it's because of the mission. We all served in the best mission in the world, Australia Melbourne mission. Yes, sir. Um, so that is why we wanted to cultivate a beautiful podcast that links our experiences from the mission and applying it to everyone else. So today's episode is going to focus on that missionary work and how why we should go on a mission, how it was for us, and things like that.

SPEAKER_01 2:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:12

So let's start off with uh with our mission. Yeah?

SPEAKER_01 2:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:15

So our mission was nice in the Australian Melbourne mission, but I want you guys to come one by one and see what was your favorite memory from the mission.

SPEAKER_01 2:23

Favourite memory from the mission. I think one of my favorite memories um from the mission would have to be meeting and and making uh forming relationships with not only people um from Melbourne, but as well as the missionaries I was around. When we first started, was only the Australian mission uh Australian New Zealand missionaries, and and then halfway we had a lot of international missionaries that came through. Enemies. But yeah, so that's one of my favorite things about the mission uh was meeting people and making relationships. So Key, what about you?

SPEAKER_02 2:58

Uh I think for me just growing obviously another perspective um specifically for leaders. I think before the mission, um I didn't really look at the leaders that way, but you know, when you when you go on the mission, especially when you connect with your mission president, um I think you grow a different type of respect for them. And then coming off the mission, you you have that respect for you know your bishop and even just missionaries and just anyone really. Um, and so yeah, that that'd be me personally.

SPEAKER_00 3:28

Man, that's great memories. My one is the food. We can tell, we can tell. We know man, the way that members would feed you on the mission, you know. I was chiseled man. I had a six-pack when I started. Mm-hmm. Yeah, stop the county. Family pack. Now I besides the food, I love the environment that we were in. Yeah. As missionaries, you know, we have a schedule and we have to stick to it, and we are heavily invested in the doctrine of Jesus Christ. We study every day for many hours, we go and teach the gospel, and so I loved that environment. We felt very safe because we were doing something that meant a lot to us. We were representing our Savior Jesus Christ. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:11

That's what I love. Yeah, and and and that's so true. And I think living a life of a missionary, the full-time life, it's um it's amazing. Very it teaches you discipline, uh, teaches you how to live with another person, and solved a lot of like the interpersonal conflicts that you would have with your companion. So talking about interpersonal conflict, what was one of the issues you had to deal with on the mission as a missionary? Would it be your companion? Like, what's the one of the funniest experience or like issues that you had to come through as a missionary?

SPEAKER_00 4:45

Jeesh, I guess I can start then. Uh it was definitely al Hard thing for me was some companions. Yeah, I'm not gonna name names, but out of my companion system.

SPEAKER_02 5:01

So what mission are you serving, bro?

SPEAKER_00 5:05

Yeah, I was starting with this outer outer key, and he was so fiapo, bro.

SPEAKER_02 5:10

But I uh it was just to your perspective.

SPEAKER_00 5:16

But I think some with some companions because there's cultural differences um as well as difference in expectations of what missionary work looks like, that's where conflict came. And I think a big thing that was in the way of us gelling together was pride. You know, um, thinking that you might know better than someone else or you judge someone unrighteously. That's what I had to face. Um, and then I learned that you can't defeat pride with more pride. You have to have an excess of love. And it's funny, you know, these uh companions of mine, whether I like them or disagreed with uh some things, I always, after I left that companionship, felt a deep love for them and still wanted to c care for them because they still love me, you know what I mean? And so one of my profound lessons was you know, always answering with love is the best antidote to any harmful situation. Wow. You know, so when you know you make me angry, you know, which is almost every day being my room. I answered three times a day.

SPEAKER_01 6:16

Wow, how do you I don't I don't feel like it's love. Like I wash your dishes. Give us an example.

SPEAKER_02 6:23

Why don't you give us an example now?

SPEAKER_01 6:26

Well you're saying food, you know, he said he he does my washing. I don't even know if that's true.

SPEAKER_00 6:32

I mean, I haven't I know because there's a few stains left, so I don't think I did that one. So but anyway, what about you, Key? What about you?

SPEAKER_02 6:39

Um what was the question again?

SPEAKER_01 6:42

Oh what's some of the interpersonal like issues that you had to deal with as a companion or funny stories that you did deal with with other people?

SPEAKER_02 6:51

So I don't know if I got a funny one, but um I'll just just uh I think personally just yeah, uh going off what um Leo was saying, just you know, you meet different people and people that that were brought up differently, and so just because they do one thing, um like just because oh sorry, let me say that again. Just because um they would do something in your perspective, like it's the wrong way, doesn't mean it's it's the wrong way. And so I think um just trying to find that that common ground uh is is definitely the hardest, especially with if you get a companion that's older than you, like um like Lena, he was he was the oldest on the mission. So he just he just he just thought his way. Experience, experience, he just thought his way or no way. So um it was hard to try and try and you know deal with that, but um nah, but yeah, I think I think just um what what Leo was saying, just you know, responding with love is is definitely the best way. That's the that's the way the Lord is taught, and so um I can remember the times I've done that and it's ended very well, and I can say that uh some of the companions um till this day that I'm close with are because of that, and then I can also remember that's other times where I haven't done that, and there's a reason why I don't talk to those others. Nah, Drex Drax, Drax.

SPEAKER_00 8:09

So one of my companions I was talking about pride. But we found a common ground, you know. We both are pretty good at basketball.

SPEAKER_01 8:22

Yeah, pretty good in your Yeah, sure, sure. Is that where you got your uh BCR from? What about you? Let's do a funny one for me. What's a funny memory you can remember for the mission then? Um funny memory I could think of is um it was pretty funny, but like upon reflecting on it, it's I don't know why I did this at the time. I was pressing on the missionary, you know, the issue came through and obviously had to sort of investigate it and um so I just I was pressing this outer, like hey Outer, if you don't tell me, I would have just literally uh being in like leadership position, yes. Specifically you're in the AP at the time, it's just important to perspective.

SPEAKER_02 9:06

It was about the highway.

SPEAKER_01 9:12

Come on, I don't give up in my A. No, no, no, yeah, 25. I mean 2020 20 um but yeah, so that was like one of the things that I had to sort of dealt with on the mission. It was really cool, but I think at times I found myself um over stepping. I mean overs overstepping like I definitely felt that it wasn't um by the spirit, it wasn't motivated by the spirit. I think I took my I guess um professional experience and having dealt with a lot of people and took it in the in the spirit trying to apply it in the spiritual way. And for me, I did it really helped with the way that my relationship with this elder um with this elder, right? So and I I'd have acknowledged then and I did speak to him about it personally and I was able to make amends like you said, like it's about love, right? It's about acknowledging the love and um and what where you you've gone wrong. So I would dip that and that was like one of one of the funniest things. Even to this day, we we I also laugh about it. Still laugh about it. So but yeah, there if you're out there as an AP or whatever position as a missionary, don't press anyone on anything. Um let the spirit you know uh guide you through that, and if it's um only correct when needed, you know, when when pressed upon by the spirit.

SPEAKER_00 10:36

So wow, such a scriptural answer. You still got it, man.

SPEAKER_02 10:41

Um did you set that up on ChatGPT?

SPEAKER_00 10:45

Don't worry, I don't have a that's what Neil's computers did. But we also served in a unique time, we did uh Lenny or GP was more so into COVID. Key and I came a little bit later, but we all kind of served at the end of COVID. Yeah, and so missionary work for us was a lot different, like you mentioned before. You know, it was a lot more on social media, there wasn't much face-to-face contact. In fact, we weren't allowed to knock doors for my first six months, you know, because people were still had that fear. Um, and then once COVID kind of went over, everyone that was assigned to our mission finally came, right? And then we had this influx of uh the American missionaries, yeah. Which came with its own thought from the factory, yeah. From the factory, and I know, you know, and I know Key had one of these fresh batch missionaries come in. Yeah, and I want you Key, what was your experience like? What were you expecting and what was it actually like?

SPEAKER_02 11:46

Well, my expectations were exceeded. I don't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

SPEAKER_01 11:54

What do you mean by like what what what has uh exceeded? Like your expectation of him was a good like what was your impression?

SPEAKER_02 12:02

Well, I don't know, pr pre-mission, you know, I I never really was around that, you know, other side of the world kind of culture. And so I didn't know what to expect other than you know what you kind of see and what you hear like on social media and hear from other people, which is like you know, they can be or I should also I don't want to say they, but very straight to the point, and I say this with love guys, obviously this is pre-mission you know thoughts, you know. I thought they were very straight to the point, very strict, and uh didn't you know didn't really know how to have a good science. Um but but the Lord knew me and so he gave me an American and honestly till this day he is one of my my best companions out of Tenny. Shout out to Tenny. Yeah he he was actually born here um but and so he had a good mix of the American culture and the Polynesian culture or slash Australian culture, and uh so when he came he was a good mix of having fun and being you know strict and and uh you know knowing when to you know teach and to be led by the spirit, but then also knowing to when to relax and you know have a good time because you know there's only a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing with the mission, and so I had I really enjoyed my time with him, and so it helped me break you know those those sorts of damn, it's not too bad. But then uh first forward a couple months later, um for some reason, I don't know if it was the Lord or someone else, but for some reason I was just put into this house where another guy had a companion, American companion, and I don't know if it was his companion or if I was his companion, I don't know what was going on. Little inside joke there, but um yeah honestly my my thoughts before the mission were a bit like a bit iffy, but now Americans are top tier, top tier, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:04

I think for me it was a little bit different. Um I obviously had similar um feelings of uh of as uh key, but for me it was I I didn't expect anything, I didn't know what to expect from the American. I just knew that we were in such a good position as a mission. We had good missionaries in terms of like the relationships that we had, we were on point and and the culture was perfect, like for me anyways, at least at the time. Uh and then I I feel like having all these missionaries coming into our mission was kind of felt like it was disturbing the peace a little bit in terms of like them.

SPEAKER_02 14:41

Bringing the peace of disturbing your peace.

SPEAKER_01 14:46

Like bringing their own um their own culture of their mission where they served. Because a lot of these missionaries that came, they got reassigned to other mission before they came to our mission. So I felt a little bit um disturbed that like what is this gonna be it felt like an invasion in a way um of like my missionary experience. So for me, I s I went straight to the uh uh to defend side. Like I wanted to defend my mission, I wanted to so because of that, it had led me to the different decision that I would make that oh I don't know how I feel about being with an American and that all these kind of stuff, but being with an American and being with a missionary from America has changed my perspective as well because it I had these prior uh thought about them and then after being with them, man, love them, love them, I appreciate them and uh the lessons that they've taught, not only just on the mission, but the little things that have helped me be a better missionaries and just being a better person. So, because of that has carried me through after the mission or beyond the mission as well. So, but I'm grateful for my companions, my American companions. I only had two, I believe. Yeah, yeah, two. Um, shout out to Elder Jurgis and Elder uh Whitmarsh. So American companions.

SPEAKER_00 16:02

So what about you need you two invaders according to uh colonizers that old, he's been through the colonization back in the 1700s. Okay, so he just went through it again, he has that mindset anyway. But I love I love that question because it kind of points out, you know, because you know our podcast is about culture and how we blend, right? And a lot of Polynesians that will be watching are going to face this, right? We're gonna have these expectations um of American companions or whoever. Um but I think from what we've heard today, you can realize that we're all at the end of the day, we're all human, right? We all have our different backgrounds. But if we are humble enough to find that common ground to you know help complement each other, then the work progresses. But I think what changes, right? I think all three of us were leaders, is how we approach dealing with issues that affect the Polynesian elders versus the American elders. Yeah. I think I can speak from my experience, right? Polynesians, when they tend to gather, they either follow good or they follow the bad, right? I don't know, we're very uh communal people. We love uh being with each other and working with each other. So whatever way the leader takes us, we will follow. But I feel like uh Americans are are a bit more uh uh stern you know with their integrity. Even if everyone else around them is doing something bad, they'll choose to do good. And I think that goes uh in the way that we approach these certain missionaries to help them, you know, to get this mindset away from it. And so I think with prospective missionaries, you know, you're gonna have to deal with these things, especially if you're a leader, to help people get out of those mindsets. And not saying that one is better than the other, but both you just have to approach it a little bit differently.

SPEAKER_01 18:06

Yeah, yeah, I I like that. And I think that's that was something that was lacking on our mission. I think we just we both didn't know how to navigate that space, and yeah, and for us, so we then sort of you know other issue came about as well. Um we had one that didn't want to be with the American companion and vice versa as well, or we were seen as the um disobedient missionary the missionaries, yeah. So I think for me, but uh for us as Polynesian, we're we're so tight-needed to be with our own people that we forget to get to know the other and include them and include them as well. So I think as a missionary, I just wish a little bit that I I wish I knew how to navigate that. But at the same time, the only way that I was kind of knew how is just being with your companion and just learning and being with them and and just finding the purpose um of the mission and having that as a core part of your companionship and getting to know each other and and on the way as well.

SPEAKER_00 19:07

So now that we're coming up to the little bit of the end, we've all successfully become return missionaries, return with honor somehow. And so post-mission life for a little bit. What is life like after the mission for everyone? Key, what go with you, Key?

SPEAKER_02 19:25

Uh, life for me is superb. It's I'm beyond blessed. Um, Heavenly Father is definitely uh doing his part and looking after me. Um but I will say it it's it hasn't been easy, you know. I think we all can probably um agree on that. There there are some areas where you know it's it is really tough no matter what uh experiences you go through on the mission, can't really prepare you for you know the experiences that you go um post-mission. Um but I think just you know sticking to the like the principles and the fundamental um principles that you you learn on the mission, you know, daily prayer, you know, trying your best to read your scriptures. In all honesty, I'm not the best at that. But I think just as long as the Lord is you know seeing that you know you're trying and you're giving your best, um I think that's where He He makes up for the rest. And so uh post-mission life, honestly, I wouldn't want it any other way. Um but you know it is it is hard at times, but yeah, that's why we we have this podcast. So Lennox can give you all his experiences on what to go through because he's lived this life five everything but marriage.

SPEAKER_00 20:35

So shout out to his wife, he is married and happy too, yeah. So that's another blessing of post-mission life. What about you?

SPEAKER_01 20:44

Yeah, uh post-mission. Um obviously came to Bioi Hawaii, um, but about the podcast as well. I think it was something that I wanted to sort of have a sort of a discussion about mission, about culture, and just any sort of topic that would help not only share the gospel but share who we are as well. So right now I'm studying political science and I'm enjoying my time um as a uh political scientist, and and it's been awesome to see the different uh perspective of not only being in America but as a Polynesian island as well, as a scholar. And so I'm enjoying my time. I love it, I'm loving it, I'm enjoying it. Um get to be roommate with Neil and having to sort of be in a different uh sphere than um I don't know how they got that.

SPEAKER_02 21:27

I don't know how they got that done, but when I heard they were together.

SPEAKER_01 21:34

But yeah, I'm enjoying life so far. Um hoping to graduate soon and then probably carry on with education after this. So probably going into a master's program or something like that. Hoping to find a wife, if you're still out there, please stop using.

SPEAKER_02 21:47

Ladies, in five years' time, he's gonna be a millionaire.

SPEAKER_01 21:51

Yeah, he's got the main fist in it. Yeah, but yeah, so that's pretty much me.

SPEAKER_00 21:56

Neil? Yes, personal mission life is a blessing too. I'm still here at the Brigham University. Of Hawaii as well. I moved back to my mission for a year and met my uh future wife. Yeah, you went back and fished where you went now.

SPEAKER_02 22:08

We know what he was doing on the west side.

SPEAKER_00 22:11

Exactly, exactly, exactly. I did not meet you on my mission, just to clarify. Anyway, so I've been blessed with I think a strong testimony, a stronger testimony of the reality of our Saviour Jesus Christ. I think that's what I got. Is that I can utilize the atonement more earnestly and daily because I know its power and how it's influenced other people's lives when I need to teach them. So post-mission life for me is still a struggle. There's a lot of times when I feel like I don't make the mark, but it's alright because now I know that the savior makes the difference. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:47

Um to close us off, uh, what's your what's your message or what would you advise a uh potential missionary or a missionary that's going on the mission? Well, it's like one piece of advice that you would give them. Key?

SPEAKER_02 23:01

Uh I think just going back to you know uh that cultural um topic that we were saying, and you know, you you you will meet people with different backgrounds and different upbringings. Um I think for me personally, I I learned this late on the late end of my mission was just to um like not take everything by a grain of salt and just um or is it take everything by a grain of salt? Which one?

SPEAKER_01 23:25

What's the same? Don't ever try to be profound and then you bound out mate anyways, you know what I mean.

SPEAKER_00 23:36

Salt and pepper interfere, the same thing, man.

SPEAKER_02 23:40

Nah, um I think oh frick, I think um the gift of understanding, that was the main thing that I learned on my mission, just understanding that um you know what I'm trying to preach. Nah. Um yeah, just just if you if you have the gift of understanding or if you try your best to to learn um that um that uh I don't know what the word is, but he doesn't understand Let me start again, let me start again. I think for me personally um was the gift of understanding, just understanding that um you know people are trying, even though it may not seem or it may not be to your level of trying. Um, you know, they're those missionaries are there for a reason. Whether it's you know for a good reason or a bad reason, they could have not come out at all, but I think you know, they're there and they're showing up every day, they're waking up every day, and um I think just cutting some slack, you know, doing your best to meet them in the middle, you know, if if they're the the ones um uh holding back the the work, uh which you will you will face, you will face a lot of missionaries that are like that. Um or you might even be like that too yourself. And so um, yeah, I think just um with the gift of understanding, that's definitely something that helped me uh with my mission, you know, with the cultural differences and the different upbringings, um that's helped me to change my perspective.

SPEAKER_00 25:12

Cool, yeah, I think uh I would say enjoy the relationships that you make with the members, with uh non-members, the investigators that are coming to the church, enjoy those relationships and make them meaningful. Yeah, but especially with you know your fellow missionaries as well as your mission president and wife. They are all there to help you, you know. And sometimes we're too prideful and we try to keep our problems to ourselves. I say be humble and let them help you. Share with them your deepest desires. And if you become a leader yourself, stay humble, okay? Because you're higher in position doesn't mean you are any better than anyone else. Keep that humble word, be happy, and enjoy your relationships.

SPEAKER_01 25:53

Yeah. For me, I would say be obedient, uh, regardless of what's around you. Just stay gr um stay grounded to the stand of the of the as a missionary as well as the church standard and be obedient. Have fun. You do have you you will you will and you can have fun within the bounds of um of obedience as well. So if anything, just stay obedient to um to every mission standard, little rules that are on the mission, those will definitely help you after mission as well. Um and just have fun, have fun. Don't worry too much about the little thing if you do get stressed and if you do struggle, that's all part of the work, and and you will go through experiences that you will need in order for you to testify of the gospel and testify to the people that you'll be helping you as well. So stay at it, um, just keep going and just return home with honor, you know. Just uh not only um for your family, but for for people that are supporting you as well. So yeah, just come home and and enjoy enjoy life. So yeah, boys, that's the end of it. That's us. Um any final any final words?

SPEAKER_00 27:02

Yes, uh, Australia Mama Mission on Top. Yes, but enjoy your mission, rip it hard, be proud of your culture, your god, and your mission.

SPEAKER_01 27:11

Yeah, but yeah, that's us, man. If you uh follow us again on Instagram, we're on um on Instagram, Facebook, as well as TikTok. Um if you do want to watch the podcast, it will be on uh it will be on YouTube, but also we will be uh posting this through Apple Podcast as well as Spotify. So family, come on through. Uh we are excited to have you here, part of our journey. Apart from that, from us here Fasoy4.