Monday, June 2, 2014

La vie est belle (Vairao - week #5)

Bonjour tout le monde!
A solid week finished! Elder Larsen and I looked at our numbers at the end of the week and were stoked to see how well we did. We're starting to progress more and more every week, as well as the whole zone. Life is absolutely beautiful here in Vairao and Teahupoo, with beautiful weather and beautiful people all learning a beautiful gospel.
First up, we had a baptism Saturday. Surprise! We had the privilege of witnessing the baptism of Heimiri, who started taking the lessons not long before I got here. She was one of those investigators who progressed like crazy. She started reading the Book of Mormon in the beginning of May, and now shes already at Alma. She understands super well, and after receiving a testimony of the Book of Mormon, she just flew by the lessons. Heimiri was actually someone who went through some pretty difficult trials concerning her health and certain family members during the lessons. The awesome thing was that she never gave up during her trials, it just gave her more of a desire to seek Jesus Christ and His atonement. It was amazing to pray and read with her and help her on her way to spiritual and emotional healing. The baptism itself was packed with the Spirit, and I got to perform the confirmation the next day. Such a blessing to see this change happen.

We also found some new investigators, A------- and her two sons, N------- and T----. They were invited to a neighborhood family night that Elder Larsen and I put on a couple weeks ago with some other members. We gave a lesson on the Plan of Salvation and showed some Mormon messages on the topic, and we gave the amis a little card that showed the diagram of the Plan of Salvation. It happened to be the right lesson for the right people, as A-------'s husband passed away not too long ago. They were touched by the family night because they basically found out where the papa is right now. When we taught them their first lesson this week, and it went super well. Its just another example of the Lord preparing people to receive the gospel at the right moment!
Before I forget too, we had a marriage as well Saturday for a couple amis, A---- and G-------! They've been taking the lessons for a while now, and since they live together and they agreed to be married. They haven't agreed on a date to be baptized yet, but they do want to. There isn't much in the way now that's keeping them from getting in the water!
Also Friday we did a split with the Elders of Tautira who are in the zone, and I went over to Tautira with Elder Warren. We had a good time, their house is right on the beach so you go to sleep and wake up with the sound of waves. So awesome. But since I presumably know how to drive, I was the one who drove us around in this Pugeot Partner, which is nothing like the Toyota pickup that we usually drive. We went over to Taravao for a district meeting where there's tons more traffic. So over there we pull up to this intersection where it kinda goes up hill, and I get ready to go, and of course I stall the car. I laugh and start up again, get ready to go, and it stalls again. I look in the rear view mirror and see some cars pull up behind, and all of a sudden I start to get a little nervous. After stalling for the third time, I look over to the side and see some dudes just cracking up. None of this was helping, let me tell ya. I couldn't figure out why I was stalling, neither Elder Warren, all I knew was that the pickup would never act like this! I pretty sure I stalled about 10 times and the whole time Elder Warren was praying and finally with probably 7 cars behind me I succeed and jerk off into the intersection. We celebrated our success with some churros. There's another example of how the mission is a learning experience.
That's about all I can think of this week. Its been nuts. But we never stop having a good time. I love you all and A faaitoito!

Elder Ball

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