Iaorana tatou! So this week wasn't as action packed as we had hoped because we decided against going to Tahaa, but never fear fabulous things happened instead! I feel like this whole week was just us me and Soeur Nicholls trying our best and nothing really worked out, but we did get some cool stories.  Our Healthy Life Choices - Cake and Baguettes Out of Miles/Out of Money First of all we are already over our amount of kilometers we are allowed to go (a big no-no), so we decided to take some food with us into our sector and just eat lunch in the back of our car. Turns out we are also broke because we get paid after today, so all we really had in the house was a cake members made us on a whim (thank heavens) and a baguette. Ah, mission life. Anyway, we got a couple weird looks from people driving by to just see two sister missionaries eating chocolate cake in the trunk of their car, but I mean, if you don't get weird looks every once in a while are you even living? ...

Iaorana Tatou!!!  Contacting - "The Tahitian Way" I had another fantastic week here so buckle up! So this week we did a lot of contacting, and boy, it was a joyride. People here are too nice to chase you away or like send their dogs after you, but we did have a couple interesting experiences. Sidenote: Contacting here is unlike anywhere else I'm pretty sure. You just walk up to their gate and yell "Iaorana" or "coucou" at them until someone comes out. Normally we just get the usual "I don't have time," response which kinda ticks me off. I might have muttered under my breath "You don't have time for Jesus?" and then realized that wasn't very Christlike. Anyway, we were contacting this week and I kid you not some lady came outside, but she came out holding her broom like a weapon. I thought she was going to come after us for a minute, but she stayed in her doorway. I'm glad because I don't think we could hav...

In researching the Haka, I found that it is a dance originally from the Maori people in New Zealand performed before battle. It has spread to all the Maori islands, including French Polynesia. The words differ, depending on the what message is being expressed. For example, The All Black Rugby Team in New Zealand performs the Haka before every game. The Haka is performed at weddings, homecomings at airports and many other important events. with the sticking out of the tongue portrayed as an act of defiance. Here are a few interesting videos about the Haka. The first is about heritage and being a part of the land. The second is a Haka done at a Mormon wedding reception. The words are different, but feeling is the same-- one of pride and heritage. The words to the Mormon Haka are listed below. The Haka - We Belong Here Mormon Wedding Reception Haka Words Below: Tika Tonu! (What is right is always right!)  U-e! (In-deed!) Tika Tonu! (What is right is always right!) ...

From  www.telegraph.co.uk/films/moana/tiare-flower-symbol-of-polynesia/ The tiare flower: the true symbol of Polynesia 25 NOVEMBER 2016 • 11:00AM Hugo McEwen T he tiare apetahi flower is one of the rarest and loveliest plants in the world. A member of the tropical “campanulaceae” family, the tiare apetahi only grows on one island on the planet, the French Polynesian Leeward Island of Raiatea, and only grows there in one place, on the extinct volcano, Mount Temehani. With distinctive white, five-petalled flowers shaped like a splayed hand, and a magical, heady scent, this flower has never been successfully cultivated anywhere else than on the slopes of Mount Temehani, to the continued bafflement of botanists.   The island of Raiatea was the ancient spiritual heart of Polynesia, which stretches across the wide expanse of the Pacific Ocean to include Hawaii, Easter Island, Tahiti and even New Zealand. Raiatea translates as “faraw...

IAORANA TATOU!  Sorry that the email came a little late this week, we had a conference  on Monday  so our P-day got moved.  Recreating snapchat filters with our gigantic flower crowns Our Super Cute District Miracles Finding People & Driving is Better How y'all doing? Everything is going fantabulous here in Raiatea! We actually have seen a lot of miracles this week! Like we've tried to go contacting a couple different times and each time we find less-active members who need a little reminder of what the spirit feels like. Two of them even came to church last week! Another big miracle is that I can kind of drive stick now. I am for sure feeling all those prayers on my behalf. ;) Shoutout to my siblings who now start their prayers "Please help Lindsay learn how to drive stick." Also huge shoutout to Ben who sent me stickers in the MTC. Turns out kids here will love you forever if you give them stickers. Who knew?  Stake Women's Activity...

Iaorana Tatou!  So this week was super exciting and interesting. Soeur Nicholls was sick so we stayed at home a lot when we didn't have lessons, so I ended up studying a lot of Tahitian. I feel like I don't remember any of it, though. Help.  Taaha Island From Our Hike Neighboring Islands P-day was super awesome! We ended up doing a pretty easy hike that had an amazing view! It's so cool being able to see Bora and Tahaa just next door! Pretty soon we'll have the Hawaiki Nui which is the biggest Va'a race ever. They go from Huahine to Raiatea and then to Bora or something like that which is super crazy long. Anyway, people get super pumped about it so I can't wait to see it!  Us at our finest... (aka when half of my face is gone) Car Troubles Continue STORYTIME!!! Once upon a time there was a sister from America and because she was from America she didn't have to drive manual and her life was perfect up until the day she suddenly ha...

Iaorana Tatou!!! Ancient Sacrificial Rock Lindsay doesn't get creeped out easily. Perhaps that is why she can handle the bugs and crazy food, too Last Preparation Day in Huahine For my last P-day in Huahine we finally were able to go on the hike to see the Marae. I'm not sure how you spell that, but it's the place where they used to sacrifice people. Super cool stuff, and I got to lay on the sacrificial rock so that's awesome. We also saw a couple human skulls. And swung from a vine (no pictures of that special moment, sorry), so now I've had a true jungle adventure. You can just call me tarzan from now on. ;) I was super sad to say goodbye to everyone in Huahine (Pictures in earlier post) , but the worst was saying goodbye to Souer Miller even though I will probably see her again soon.  Living with a Tahitian Mami So if you read my email last week you are all aware that I am now on the beautiful island of Raiatea, doing a whitewash (two new miss...

Taken from Wikipedia : Ra'iātea , is the second largest of the   Society Islands , after   Tahiti , in   French Polynesia . The island is widely regarded as the 'centre' of the eastern islands in ancient Polynesia and it is likely that the organised migrations to   Hawai'i ,   Aotearoa   and other parts of East Polynesia started at Ra'iātea. A traditional name for the island is  Havai'i , homeland of the  Māori people . [3] Situated on the south east coast is the historical  Taputapuātea  which was established by 1000AD. The main township on Ra'iātea is  'Uturoa , the administrative centre for the  Leeward Islands  ( French   Îles Sous-le-vent ). There are also colleges which serve as the main educational location for  secondary schools  for students from the regional islands of  Pora Pora ,  Taha'a ,  Huahine  and  Maupiti . Below taken directly from   https://www.ta...