6/25/18 Pirae 2 Week 21 - Teaching Miracle, Puppy Hiking

Iaorana Tatou!

So this week was AWESOME! We had a lot of crazy things happen that made it interesting and a lot of good things happen too! 

1st of all: Our Soirée familial was very interesting. They had invited the Zone Leaders to come and the ZL's planned a game and lesson. Little did we know that this game had to do with the golden rule and would result in me crawling around on the floor barking like a dog, and Soeur Fowers dancing while singing "Alouette." Good times.

This week I had my split with the STL's (sister training leaders) and we had a miracle happen! We had planned to drop this family because they weren't really progressing and they had been taking the lessons a long time, but because an STL was going to be there instead of Soeur Fowers, we decided it would be better to wait until the next lesson. So we did our weekly planning and it was really good, but I think God wanted us to teach another lesson. Anyway, after we did our Personal Study and both HAPPENED to study the SAME chapter in the Livre de Mormon and both thought of this family when we read the SAME VERSES. Needless to say, during Companionship Study we changed our plan. That night it wasn't us teaching, but the spirit. I've never had any enlightenment from the spirit come like that, but it was so unmistakable that we could not deny it. It was incredible and I'm happy to say they have started taking steps to progress!

Ok, a lot of weird things happened this week. We saved so many stray chicks who have lost their mom, saved a dog who was caught on a baited fishhook a man had left to lure animals, got really scared after a woman in our apartment complex started screaming and making sounds like she was being attacked (turns out she was only drunk), and this P-day we hiked a 5 hour hike while carrying puppies. Crazy stuff. 

About the hike, yesterday at church we asked some members if they could drop us off at the hike because we can't use the cars for p-day activities, and they not only dropped us off, but picked us up after, AND got us food. They are beautiful humans and I will forever be grateful for their sacrifice. We're totally going to make them cookies this week. 

So this hike was to go and see the "heart of Tahiti," not like in Moana, but like the center of the island. It was really long and at the beginning we saw three puppies. Foolishly we pet them, gave them water, and continued on our way. To our surprise they started following us! "No!" we cried as we tried everything to get them to stay while we sprinted away, but they were relentless. By this time they were too far away for us to leave them and they started to get tired, so we CARRIED THEM. For the rest of our 4ish hour hike. I hurt so bad all over my body and have vowed that no matter how cute I will never take pity on a puppy again. If anyone ever asks why I am so coldhearted, you may all share this story.  

Anyway, I think that's about it for this week... I love you all! Have a great week! 

Elder Raveneau with his hat from Rurutu. He spent 9 months in the Australes Islands. (from Soeur Bready's fb page)