Week 6

Hi everybody!!! 

So first some great news. My trainer is staying! I get to finish my training with him and I can't be more excited. 

Okay for those who have the time, I want you all to look up the island of Makemo on google or something. I have a friend who is getting transferred there with one of the assistants. the assisstant is finishing his mission out there and they're white washing that area. All those islands above Tahiti are called the Tuamotus. There are only ever two missionaries on there at one time. It's pretty crazy. This mission is just nuts:) and I love it. 

A few hours ago we dropped off Elder Zundel at the mission home. He leaves today to go back to Orem, Utah. He was a great friend and missionary. He will definitely be missed in our house.

We taught a lot of lessons this week but unfortunately in three weeks our ward will be split and we will lose almost all of our progressing investigators. That will be super hard for Elder Sovereign and me, but we will work hard all the same. 

A bird pooped on my shirt today in Carrefour which is the french equivalent of super target. That was lovely. It's interesting because there are a total of maybe three ceiling type window things in Carrefour and I happened to be under it when a bird wanted to do its business. It's strange how Satan works sometimes...haha

So during one of our lessons this week, our investigator pointed out that we get baptized the same way Jesus did. She had watched a film somewhere and saw that. It was a Catholic film too. Anyway she remarked that it makes sense to be baptized the same way he was. Needless to say she said she would get baptized but she's afraid her family won't accept her anymore because they are all catholic. 

But the point I'm trying to make is that Jesus was the perfect example and if we follow in his footsteps and always try to be like him and always remember him, we will be blessed in more ways than we can imagine. It's amazing how faithful these Tahitians are. It really humbles me each day. I love it here and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world. I love you all! 

-Elder Christensen

 

Week 4 in Tahiti

Sorry I didn't send an email last week. I was skyping my family and didn't have time to send an email.

This week not much happened honestly. We contacted a looooot of people in our sector because most of our lessons that were scheduled fell through. That was pretty hard. However, the area we did get to contact is interesting because on the 15th of June they are separating the stake and our ward will be split and we will be put into the next stake over. The really hard part about that is that all of our current or very potential amis live in the area that will be taken away from us. So basically we will have to work extra hard with those people for the next month.  Oh i forgot to say that I got super sick and couldn't really work half of one day. I think it was some raw fish that I ate haha. They eat a lot of that here...but at the end of the day i think it was wednesday, i got a blessing from Elder Sovereign and the Zone leaders and immediately after the blessing, i ran outside and needless to say, I felt better haha. Won't go in to details with that. 

Welp thats about it from me for this week. Can't believe its going by this fast!! Love you all!

-Elder Christensen

Week 5 in Tahiti

Ia orana tatou!

So another great week!!!

We had another baptism this last saturday. That's the end of the baptisms that were already fixed before I got here. haha. Okay so first I might get a new companion after this first transfer because he hurt his knee and he's not supposed to ride a bike. there are a few things that could happen with that.

1. I might get an adopted father (new trainer)

2. Our sector might get a car(that would be seriously so nice)

3. who knows I might finish my training 6 Weeks early and just receive a regular companion rather than a new trainer. (this mission is sometimes known for missionaries not finishing their training)

Whatever happens I'm excited and eager to face it. It's been a great 5 weeks so far. I do love it here:)

So for those who would like to know. I hardly ever speak tahitian because I'm on (the island)
​Tahiti which is a lot more French than Tahitian. They do speak frahitian a lot though. If it's easier to say the Tahitian word in the sentence they do it. 

for example:

maa-food

tamaa-eat

faatamaaraa-dinner appointment

ia orana-hello

there are a few others but you get the idea.

even though I don't speak Tahitian very much, my french is seriously so much better than I thought It would be. I can understand mostly everything. That's super cool. Also not having to translate into English in my head is nice. It's at a point where I just know what the word means. Its hard to explain. those who can speak another language will understand.  Also we live in one of the nicest houses in our sector and one of the nicest mission houses too. We live with the zone leaders. The house is pretty nice but definitely nothing like any house in America. People live pretty humble lives here. They have tin roof houses and the houses are made out of mostly concrete brick things. No one really has doors. just curtains really.  Sometimes I think I'm not in Tahiti because there aren't a lot of people with very nice stuff. I really have a lot of respect for these people. The way we eat is by the members every single night. We only really have to prepare lunch. Sometimes. Because sometimes after lessons people will want to feed us. It's awesome! The way we find people is usually by members honestly. Every single person in our sector has been contacted at least 10 times because this is an old mission and the sectors are small. I really can witness that the power of members is real and is so important to missionary work. I'll tell a story and they let you all go.

We were tracting in a cartier (dirt road with lots of houses in it) everyone in this cartier told us to leave. That was hard. The next day we had a member reference and they took us to the same cartier and lo and behold the reference was happy to see us and welcomed us in even though they sent us away the day before. I love this work so much. It is so hard sometimes but I feel real joy when I teach others the truths of the gospel.

Love you all!!

-Elder Christensen

 

Love, 

Renée

"I remember those who are on the isles of the sea....

 and I bring forth my work unto the children of men, yea, even upon all nations of the earth."  2 Nephi 29:7