Goin on 4 weeks already!

Bonjour mes amis!

I wouldn't believe it at first, but now I can actually admit that time really does fly by here! They say that the days are long but the weeks are short MTC, and somehow it's completely true. Time just flies by when you're having fun!

So this past week is really hard to remember, I'm not going to lie. Our lessons are going great, and the French is ever more improving. We committed Manuarii to baptism, which feels so good! We extended the committment several times before and he just didn't accept it, and in addition to that he hasn't been keeping his other committments, so I figured out that I actually had to figure out how to give him that last little push. I prayed about it, knowing I would get the right answer, and sure enough the next day I just decided to memorize Moroni 10:4-5 and it popped into my head, "Duh! Use this scripture!" So I did, and I testified that if he prayed to know that what we were teaching was true, Heavenly Father would give him his answer through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. I committed him to continue to pray about it, and Elder Lovelock extended the baptismal commitment and he decided to take it! He's still got some things to go with some drinking and smoking problems, but we'll help him out, somehow! And our other investigator Marc is doing good too, he's been keeping his commitments and exercising repentance. I know that these investigators aren't real or anything, but it helps so much to pretend that they are.

Our unity in the district has been going great! I'm starting to become even better friends with Elder Lovelock. I can actually make him crack a smile every now and then, him being the super serious Aussie and whatnot! And his French has been getting so much better as well. We've been starting to teach equal amounts in our lessons, because before he was only able to say a few lines and I was able to kind of carry a conversation and talk more. But it's definitely improving between both of us! Teaching equal amounts really develops a sense of unity between us, which I discovered is much needed to teach effectively.

This past week we had a really good devotional. On Tuesday our district got to usher, so we got really good seats right up at the front! We heard Elder Marcus Nash of the Seventy speak, and he gave a great talk on how we were foreordained to be missionaries even before this life, and how we've been training for years to be here. He also talked about how important our calling is, and how the salvation of men and women everywhere depend on us. A little scary, but it really impressed upon me the importance of my calling! I couldn't feel luckier now to be representing the Savior who I love so much, and bringing others unto Him so that they can know the same happiness that I have felt my whole life. It's just plain awesome!

I also found out last week that this upcoming week, on Wednesday, is the day we go to San Francisco to get our visas! I'm absolutely stoked to go back home for a day and spend time in the city I love. I'm also stoked to proselyte and place my first Book of Mormon/pass along card!. I'm pretty set on doing it, and I know I just gotta talk to everybody and do my best! It'll be good practice, and I'm just guessing from experience but the people of Tahiti seem much nicer than the people in San Francisco. It'll be tough, in the best way possible!

So I have a few more pictures, and they're actually good ones. Haha.

Elder Herring and me! I'm so blessed to have this guy in my zone. We're meant to be buddies, for sure.

Me, Elder White, Elder Lovelock (my companion) and Elder Hanson! We're the four elders in our district.

My work station for the day! I got my French Book of Mormon side by side with my English one. Fun stuff.

Elder Tago and I. He's a Samoan from Sydney, Australia. He's one righteous dude,
and I go on splits with him on Sundays because both our companions are district leaders and have meetings in the mornings.

I'm still having tons of fun here, and am working hard! We have about a week and a half left of French, and then we start getting to the fun stuff and learning Tahitian! I really can't wait, it's such a sick, manly language. It's a nice contrast to the femininity of French.

Anyway, thanks to you all for your letters, and I love you! This work is glorious, and is the best decision I have made in my life so far.

Avec l'amour,

Elder Ball

http://mormon.org

Write Casey at:
Elder Casey David Ball
MTC Mailbox # 174
TAHI-PAP 0715
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793