7/10/17 Huahine Week 4 - Sam's, Andre's, and Paul's Baptisms, Coconut Cake & Ninja Skills

Iorana!!! 

Breakfast at the House

Picture with Papi Rodger

Sister Wissocq and Food
This week has been amazing, so buckle up! For starters Soeur Wissocq is a super good cook and I count my blessings everyday for that because I have no idea what to do with most of this foreign food. ;) They have AMAZING coconut bread here that I'm determined to learn how to make before I come home. It's to die for. They call white people "Popa", only my companion has called me popa so far though. :) Soeur Wissocq is from Venezuela, but moved to France when she was 17 so she's fluent in French and Spanish. I love having so much time to study in the mornings! This next week will not be like that at all. ;) My nose isn't stuffy anymore, but I have a cough still. :)

Cow Horn Bestowal

Another thing I'm really grateful for is how kind the people are here. Andre gave us some cow horns he had lying around because he knew that Soeur Wissocq loves cows. It's just little things like that that make my day! Like when members make your favorite dish just because they know you love it.

Ninja Skills Needed on a Mission

So we definitely got locked out of the house this week. Little did my companion know I was a ninja, and have a talent for breaking into houses. ;) It actually concerns me how easy it was to break in... good thing we live in a really safe area. This week we had a missionary activity with the ward where we projected "Meet the Mormons" on the side of the church and sat in the parking lot. Not a lot of people came because of Heiva, but I'm sure we'll have more attendance after July is over.

Huahine District

Eating on the Water and Wrestling Matches

To begin with, in order to keep missionaries safe from false accusations, they are not allowed to hold children while on a mission. Knowing how universal kid behavior is, we can imagine just what is going on here.

We had a lot of really great dinner appointments this week! One family lived right by the water so we ate outside and it was sooo beautiful! I need to stop being so nice to really little kids because twice this week I've had really persistent children try to sit on my lap. I don't know how to say, "I can't hold you" so it pretty much turns into a wrestling match that the parents think is really funny. 

Understand Soeur Sellers Better

My French is really improving! I'm talking a lot more with the members and you can tell they're really grateful. Apparently they thought I didn't like them at first because I didn't talk, but now that I can kind of communicate they see that I love them, I just couldn't understand anything. ;)

Sending Letters

Mom, I thought you were crazy when you said they would want to see pictures of my family, but I get asked if I have a picture at every dinner I go to. IT'S $32 TO SEND AN ENVELOPE??? What the heck! Pictures and candy are always good, I don't know what will fit in a large  envelope though. I have not learned any dancing yet. Soeur Wissocq talks about taking lessons from some people in the ward, but I don't know if we'll actually end up doing it.

Sam, Andre and Paul's Baptism

Sweet is the Work

WE HAD THREE BAPTISMS THIS WEEK! It was so beautiful. Everyone pitched in to clean the church, make amazing flower arrangements, and set up the chairs. It was so cool seeing the reverence in Sam, Andre, and Paul's eyes as they received the Holy Ghost. You could tell that they really understood the promises they were making!

French Spelling Improves

Flowers for the Baptism

So other than the baptism something else amazing happened... I WROTE A PERFECT NOTE. I was writing a note for Sam to congratulate him on his baptism and when Soeur Wissocq proofread it she didn't have to correct anything!!! Watch out world, I'm coming for you!

Testimony of Jesus Christ and His Power

In personal study this week I was learning about the Enabling Power of Jesus Christ's Atonement, or the power we receive to change and become more than we thought we could. In an article by Elder Bednar I read this week he said that whenever he sees the word "grace" in the scriptures he replaces it with the word power. So in the Book of Mormon, in Ether Chapter 12:27 it would read: "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto them weakness that they may be humble; and my grace (power) is sufficient for all men who humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." Sorry if that's not a perfect translation, I only have my French scriptures with me. ;)

Of course, a Feast after the Baptisms

I love this scripture so much because Christ didn't just suffer and die for our sins. He also Suffered so that we can have power to fulfill all that he requires us to do! I was feeling really inadequate this week because I feel like I just can't be the missionary these people deserve, but I know that if I humble myself before God and accept my weakness he can help me accomplish things I wouldn't be able to without him. God loves us so much! He wants to help us become perfect and through his amazing power we can! I'm so grateful for my Savior and all that he suffered so that I can return to live with him forever! My testimony in Christ has been strengthened a lot over my entire 4 weeks here as I've read Jesus the Christ. I'm about halfway through and I can't wait to finish and restart because it's so good! Christ really did amazing things and he loves us sooo much! 

Anyway, I love you all! Remember that God loves you and no matter what you're going through he is right there beside you!

Love you!


http://ldsellerstahiti.blogspot.com