ua ma'ihia to'u hoa misionare te hebedoma i ma'iri a'enei

my comp was sick this last week)

As you can imagine, not much was accomplished this week, because he had the new flu that's going around, and about half of our zone was sick so we had a real effective district meeting too... 

We also had zone conference. Super fun stuff. I learned a lot too. There was the Graham couple that came and they talked about keeping a good mental health on the mission. It was really helplful and they talked a lot about stress and how to manage and control stress. 

We almost had to push back Gervais' baptism, again. But we worked it all out and it's all good for this Saturday.:) I love him. 

I also am loving the  #lighttheworld program. It's really cool to be able to go to members' houses and see that they are already using the program for  Christmas. I invite you all to go online and check it out on mormon.org 

I love you all!! I'll send pictures next week I promise. 

-- 

Elder Christensen

Ua haere matou i te hiero e ua itea ia'u te hoê melo no Hikueru i reira!!

(we went to the temple and I found a member from Hikueru there!!)

A good week. We saw Gervais a lot too. He's such a great guy. Normally his baptism is still good for the 13th. 

 Yeah we went to the temple and it was great. I got to see a member there named Aberahama. (abraham in Tahitian). He's so awesome and we did lessons with him on Hikueru to prepare him for the Melchizedek Priesthood. And seeing him there brought me so much joy. The Lord really placed us there that day because it wasn't the day we were normally supposed to go to the temple. seeing him in all white was the best thing ever. He also gave me the update on Hikueru. Things aren't going so hot to be honest. Lots of prayers please for the saints of Hikueru. 

Nothing much else to report. Me and my comp. are going to soon put a new ward mission plan to get the members super excited for missionary work. I love em lots. Anyway. Love you all. HAve a great week!

--

Elder Christensen

Ua tupu te hoê bapetizoraa e faaipoiporaa i te hebedoma i ma'iri a'enei

translation: a baptism and a mariage happened last week!!!!

Our Investigator Liliokalani got married and then baptized!!! we're so happy for her:) I'll attach some photos too. 

Our investigator J dissapeared the other day from his appartement and then was found in Arue( a city pretty far from Faa'a when you go on foot...He's like 70 as well. Apparently he was really fiu(fed up/annoyed/done/bored in tahitian) with the members he was living with. So he left. He ended up calling them(one of them is his son-in-law) saying that he didn't want to come back. we found this out because we had a lesson fixed and he wasn't there and then the members that he lived with explained us the whole story. I love J so much. I was sad to hear that he left. They also don't have any contact info. for him. all they know is that he is in pamata'i(another area in Faa'a) and he's with his daughter.

G is doing great too!! he decided that he's going to live in a different place than his girlfriend until their mariage so that he can get baptized. He's so great!!! he'll probably get baptized next week or the week after because he's super ready haha. 

The weather here is really interesting haha. When it gets really hot, we all know that it's going to rain, then it rains not long after, then it clears up, then it comes back. In tahitian to say"it's raining" you say "E ua" but it's really funny when they say it. It's probably my favorite phrase in tahitian. 

Also I ate raclette(delicious cheese melted on potatoes) and coconut flan for Thanksgiving with our dinner appointment. They didn't even know it was Thanksgiving haha. 

Other than that, all is well. I love it here. 

I love you all!!

-Elder Christensen

E mea hakata roa te Noela!!!

Christmas is soon!!)

Today in Carrefour(the biggest grocery store in French Polynesia) I heard piano guys christmas music haha. We were with other missionaries in the store and we were all dying haha. 

This week was really great. A lot happened. One of our investigators yelled at us saying he doesn't want to talk to us anymore because he doesn't believe in Joseph Smith. (this is all in tahitian btw and that makes it 500 times more intense) I just asked him calmly if he read the Book of Mormon and if he prayed about it). he said no he didn't read and yes he did pray and doesn't want to hear our false teachings anymore. I was sad but at the end he shook our hands and thanked us for what we had done. (that's not uncommon here) at the end of moments like that, you're likely to get a handshake or a mauruuru. I love these people. Even in anger they love the missionaries haha. 

On saturday we went to the temple(which is right next to our zone) with our Investigator John(this really old papi) and we walked around the temple and talked about the different things that are done inside. Really cool experience because my french companion talked and asked me to translate what he said for him into to tahitian because John doesn't understand the gospel in french. It was great. That same day one of our district leaders called us and said that him and his comp had fixed a baptism that morning for 2 o clock in the afternoon. It was 11 o clock when he called. So we sped back to the zone and I left my comp to do the interview and I took the district leader(Elder Jenkins) and we did a lesson with Gervais and the chapelle and after that we sped back to another chapelle for the baptism. It was crazy and a great experience. Super stressful but the spirit was strong that day. I love this Gospel!!!

Our investigator Liliokalani is getting married on Friday and baptized just after. Her boyfriend is an inactive(soon active) member and I love them so much:)

Spiritual thought

I just read 2 Néphi 24 in the Book of Mormon and it basically bashes on Satan and how much we shouldn't even give him the time of day haha and that after this life we will see him and be shocked at how much power he doesn't have compared to our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ. Yes there are temptations in this life but everything is surmontable with our Savior. I love him and I'm learning to rely on him every day in order to overcome my weaknesses. It's a slow process but it's moving haha. I love you all!!

-Elder Christensen

: Te Buka a Mormona. O te tahi ïa faahou ite no Iesu Mesia ta tatou i hinaaro no te haere i mua i roto i teie oraraa

translation: The Book of Mormon. Another Testament of Jesus Christ that we need to advance in this life.

Ia ora na tatou

THis week was great!!!

We had conseil de dirigeants on wednesday. (I think its mission leadership counsel in English) All the Zone leaders and sister training leaders get together and we talk about things that we can do better and things that we're doing well. It was great. Kinda stressed me out a bit because there is so much to do! But I loved it. 

I'd like to just share an experience with you all. 

We have an investigator whose name is Gervais. He's at university and he's just great. All this week he wanted to see us and we were supposed to see him saturday but his in laws came so he had to go to the other end of the island. But he came to church yesterday and he seemed so happy. We had alesson fixed with him for yesterday at 4 in the afternoon but we showed up and he told us that he was still busy and asked us if we could come back later in the night. So we fixed to come back at 8. First time that I've ever done a lesson that late to be honest. We show up and he showed up at the same time as us. Anyway he then started asking questions about what he read. I'm telling you. Gervais feasts upon the words of Christ. He has so many sticky notes and papers in the Book of Mormon with his questions on it. He uses all the references and is just so awesome. He then started telling us that he had a really hard week and al lhe wanted to do was see us and was afraid that we would no longer want to see him because he kept pushing back the lessons. We assured him that everything was okay. 

Then he started to tear up in explaining that he felt like he couldn't handle it anymore that week and he took his Book of Mormon everywhere and when he opened it, he just felt so touched and looked at a reference that gave him the definition of temptation which is,"A test of a person’s ability to choose good instead of evil; an enticement to sin and follow Satan instead of God. 

He told us that he was ready to just let out his anger on everyone but then he read that and was really touched. When he shared that I felt so much love for him. The spirit was really strong to be honest. It felt like a big hug. I love the BOok of Mormon and our investigators. This gospel is true!!!

Love you all

-Elder Christensen
​my comp is fourth from the right on top. 

Ua tupu faahou i te mau tauiraa e ua riro to'u hoa misionare ei tauturu no te Peresideni !

Translation: There were transfers that happened and my comp became assistant! Currently both of the assistants have been my companions. The other assistant is still Elder Crandall my MTC comp. He's so great haha. It was good to see him today. HE's been assistant for 7 and half months. That poor elder haha.

Anyway. A great week. Not too much to report. My new companion is Elder Alfred from France. He's from the same stake as my other French companion Elder Sylvestre who I was with in Bora. I'm stoked to serve with him. 

Nothing much. The zone is changing a bit with the transfers. But it's all good. A little sad to say goodbye to some missionaries that are going home as well. But that's life I guess.

Our investigators are doing well. Roméo and Tini are just the best. they read the Book of Mormon almost 3 times a day sometimes.  They have changed so much. They help me to have an even stronger testimony of the Book of Mormon. I know that book is true. IT has changed my life and I'm seeing it change the lives of others. I invite you all to read it and pray to God to know if it's true. In doing so you can receive an answer and knowing that that book is true means that the Gospel was restored upon this earth! I love it! 

Time for pictures

Soeur Durrant(I was in the MTC with her)

Elder Donadier

saw Manarua and his family the other day(from Tefana)

​

Soeur Luka (ONe of our Sister Training Leaders who is going out to the islands and Soeur Hemsley -she whitewashed Tefana when I went out to Bora and she's going to Huahine)

​

Elder Dieutre

Elder Langomazino
​

E tai'o te misioni taato'a i te Buka A Mormona na roto i te na ava'e e toru!

Translation:

The whole mission is going to read the Book of Mormon in a span 3 months!!

Ia ora na tatou!!

This week was really short considering the fact that our pday was on wednesday. 

Anyway. During our mission conference President Fox and Soeur Fox challenged us to read the Book of Mormon in 3 months. We're going to do it as a mission starting on the 1 of November. We get to read something like 7 pages a day. We are all soooo stoked!!

I was sick on friday and saturday so saturday We did a split so I could sleep all day. My comp went with Elder Jenkins and they fixed a baptism with our ami Gervais. Our secteur is starting to explode and it's aweeessommmee. We are seeing lots of miracles. 

We have two new amis names Tini and Roméo. Tini was a reference from another ami called Moetu. Anyway. We did a lesson with Tini and she said the prayer at the end and was in tears and said that she felt so great and a burning in her heart. It was awesome. Turns out her boyfriend knows our church and all of the sudden he wants to get married to her cause they live together but he ended up reading one of the chapters that we gave her. and he felt the spirit. They're awesome. Also we had 8 amis at church yesterday. Soooo great. 

I also received a call the other day from a member in Bora Bora. Her husband Etau and her son Etau are getting baptized next weekend. I'm so happy for them. It's sad that I'll miss the baptism. But I'm still super happy all the same.

Sorry no pictures this week. I love you all!!

-Elder Christensen

Ua tae mai te hoê Hitu Ahuru. O Elder Ardern to'na i'oa

(A member of the 70 came to our mission. His name is Elder Ardern. 

It was great. Next week I'll explain more cause we really don't have time. But he came with my comp and I to visit some investigators. And he gave me a hug when we had our mission conference. He's awesome. 

Nothing huge to report other than my comp is a stud. He's seriously so great. I have so much respect for him. I love the mission. i love what I'm doing. Couldn't be happier:)

I love you all!!

-Elder Christensen

Ua tamaa maua i te hoê maa opanihia a na pô ra

translation: we ate forbidden food last night. 

Ia ora na tatou!!

It was a great week. Not much to report. My comp is awesome(see pic attached) and his english is really good too. I love serving with him and I'm learning so much. I love the way that he teaches and he has so much purpose too.!!

things are going great!!

We saw all of our progressing investigators this week and most of them came to church yesterday too!! IT was soooo awesome. We also just made a plan for the ward to be more involved with missionary work and Elder Donadier and I feel like things are going to skyrocket soon. This ward is great. I love the Bishopric as well. Our Bishop has so much love and charity. He's so smiley and really brightens my day when I see him. 

Not much else to report. I love you all!!

-Orometua Christensen

E mea puai roa te Varua Maita'i a hi'o ai au i te Amuiraa Rahi!

Translation( the spirit was strong while I was watching General conference!!)

So this week was great. A little slow to start because all of tuesday I had to wait at the parking lot outside of the mission home to pick up the new of the 30 missionnaires in the mission. Our zone is now 20 missionaries. 5 are being trained which is not too bad actually. the zone next to us, every missionary is training there. There are even missionaries that did 6 weeks of training and they got a new missionary. It's nuts BUT awesome!!!

Got my comp Elder Donadier Wednesday. He's so awesome and French. My accent will be so great by the end of our companionship because we told him to correct us in even the littlest things. 

Anyway. We saw our investigators Jeanne, Moetu, Liliokalani, Tarome, Rava and Tivini this week. they all had some hard moments this week and I just felt sad. Keep them in  your prayers please.

Conference was great as well. I loved the first talk by Dieter F. Uchtdorf and the talk y Russell M. Nelson. After his talk my comp and I just looked at each other and asked ,"did you feel what I just felt" It was so powerful and heartwarming. Wow the spirit was seriously there. Won't ever forget those moments. I know that our apostles are called of God and that they lead us and guide us through revelation. I also know that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet living today. We need him. I know that God loves us and I love you all too!!

-Orometua Christensen

ua tupu te hoê tauiraa rahi i teie po'ipo'i

translation

(a huge change happened this morning)

Yes that is making reference to the transfers!!!

I'm staying(seen that my companion finishes his mission tonight, it was logical that I stay haha)

I will be serving with Elder Donadier from France starting from Wednesday. I pick him up from the airport in the truck😎. Our zone now has 20 missionnaires. I'm stoked to stay as well.

I just dropped off Elder Robinson this morning. It's all over for him. I'm going to miss him. No I didn't cry. 

Also little spirit miracle thing. 

Thursday we did a family home evening with an inactive member and her husband and Elder Robinson and I both decided to do an activity having to do with the Atonement. But we both just kinda sat there for 5 minutes and then we both told each other that we needed to change the activity a little bit. We both had like the same idea too. We followed that and the night of we did the activity and the spirit was powerful. Everyone was in tears and it was awesome!! I loved it haha. Really a special moment. Nothing is cooler than following a prompting from the spirit and being able to see the fruits of it as well. 

This is the best work. I love it. I love you all.

Elder Christensen

Ua hinaaro vau i te taoto i te mau mahana ato'a

Ia ora na tatou paato'a

This week was awesome. Lots of good things happened. It's the 20th birthday of the stake of Faa'a. I'm one day older than the stake!!!!!!!

It was awesome. Lots of activities and service and we finished it all off with a fireside at the stake center(our church building). 

Our investigators are doing well. We've got soooo much potential in our secteur we just need to get the members more involved with the work. We love them though:)

Mauruuru i te mau taata paato'a tei hapono mai ia'u i to ratou here no to'u mahana fanauraa

(thanks to everyone who sent me their love for my birthday)

I love you all. 

At the activity I got to see lots of old investigators that are now members in the ward of Tefana. That made my day for sure. 

Anyway. I love the work. I love the people. I couldn't be happier. My comp Elder Robinson leaves next week so this is prime time for him. I'm going to miss him. 

Love

Elder Christensen

                                 

My birthday painpapo 

                                 

           painting the sisters' apartment 

                                                  

ua himene maua o to'u hoa misionare no te paroita no ahurai

Translation: my comp and i sang for the ward of Ahurai) I'll explain a little later. 

Ia ora na tatou. 

good week. We had mission leadership counsel with all the zone leaders and STL's of Tahiti and with Président Fox and his wife. I learned a lot. It was awesome!! 

Also we had a really fun faatamaaraa(dinner appointment) with a member. He forgets things a lot so we had to call him three times during the day to remind him. Right before we showed up we called him to remind him again and he had forgotten. We love him. He's kinda old and loves telling the best grandpa jokes ever. All in all, he's awesome. 

Part of our secteur is the university. We can't go there unless we have a lesson fixed. Well we had some and the students there are so awesome!! They speak such good french. Most middle aged poeple in this country don't speak french or tahitian very well and we can't use complicated words at all with them haha. But all in all it was a great lesson. All four of them said that they would read and pray. One of them is an inactif member from an island in the tuamotus next to the island of Rangiroa her island is Tikehau. There are no missionaires there.....yet haha.

We sang in a program for a ward in the Stake called Ahurai. It was a fireside type thing about missionary work. There are sisters in that ward and we sang the EFY medley and I played ukulele and sang How Can I Be with my comp and other members of that ward. It was lots of fun. I didn't think I could ever do anything like that but I guess on the mission we have lots of opportunities to change. 

Anyway. Being here is awesome. I love the mission. Our investigators are doing well. Pray for them please. They need all the support they can get! 

Love you all

Elder Christensen

Ua tupu te mau semeio e rave rahi i teie hebedoma!!! E e fare api to matou. E mea nehenehe roa ïa

translation: lots of miracles happened this week and we have a new house and it's beautiful

Ia ora na tatou pau roa!!!

This week was awesome!!!!!!!!

Record for the worst english mistake I've made yet. 

Last night I said "when that mormon message gets naked..." then I just kind of stood there in disappointment and sadness for my awful phrase. But you know aita e rave'a (nothing to be done)

First off during this week there were lots of manumanu (little bugs that love light) but there were literally thousands!! people were smacking them right and left when we were driving at night. Hilarious. 

Also first miracle. 

our investigator told her mom that she wants to get married and she accepted!! but she didn't tell her mom that she will get baptized too on the 25 novembre. But her mom ended up finding out and she wanted to reject her and deny her as her daughter. So she went to her catholic priest and the priest told her not to reject her but to let her make her choice because it's her daughter. When Liliokalini told us that we were suuuper shocked. And just so happy. It was truly a miracle. 

then we did a family night with another couple Rava and Tivini and the spirit was soooooo strong. We felt so good. We invited him to come to church. And then yesterday Tivini came to the chapel and his gf said that it's the first time that he has ever come. They stayed all the 3 hours! 

 The member integrateurs for that couple is the family Cheung-Wong. they are dynamite for missionary work. also Soeur Cheung-Wong talks to me in pa'umotu(a dialect of tahitian that exists in the tuamotus) and it's so much fun. I don't speak it but I'm starting to understand it. 

I love this sector and my companion and the other elders in my house. I love the mission.

I love you all.

A faaitoito

-Orometua Christensen

Wait for it..... Elder Gary E. STEVENSON!!

Ia ora na tatou pau roa.

Yeah I think the subject explains it all. Elder Stevenson came to Tahiti and we had a special conference with him. I shook his hand. I might never wash my right hand again... Jk that's nasty and weird. But it was still awesome to say a few words to him. His wife is from Cali and told me that Bakersfield is a little hotter than what I'm living in at the moment. I agreed haha. He talked a lot about teaching techniques. How to help investigators keep their commitments. Teach repentance and baptize converts. He talked a lot about promising blessings too. Elder Robinson and I tried that and we changed our way of planning as well. That was really cool to try and we like it too. We try to focus on what our investigator needs to do to receive a testimony and we base the teaching off of that commitment.

Being in charge of a zone of 18 missionaries is tiring haha. We have to do lots of trainings and talks and answer lots of questions. It's really fun to be able to serve everyone though. I love our missionaries. #bestzoneintahiti #faa'a

Currently we are teaching a Sanito gentleman. Sanitos are members of the reorganized LDS Church. How they got here is complicated and I'll explain another time haha, but he's great. We invited him to pray about the Book of Mormon and our message. He reads the BoM but never really got an answer about it. He said he would get baptized if he gets an answer. I love him so much. He's such a kind and loving old man. And he's bald. Talking to him is so much fun.

Know that I love you and that I know that this gospel brings true joy to whoever wants it. Heavenly Father wants to bless us, sometimes we just need to show a little humility and put him first. Actually we need to do that all the time, but it's 100 percent WORTH IT.

~Elder Christensen

E ho'i atu vau i Faa'a, o to'u ai'a ïa

translation: I am returning back to faa'a, my homeland. 

So yeah got transfer calls thursday night. I'm being transfered back to Tahiti in Faa'a as zone leader( in a truck as well) at Vaira'i. I'll be serving with Elder Robinson(American). It's Elder Pedron's home ward actually(he's here in Bora with us). Elder Sylvestre is going to the other side of Bora(Faanui ward) but he doesn't have a companion so he's going to do Faanui and Vaitape with Elder Donadier(Vaitape) and a new missionary. Elder Pedron is going to come to Anau and train too. Super super weird transfers that's for sure haha. I'm pretty sad to leave but stoked to go back to Faa'a. 

I was super shocked to get that as a transfer call but I'm willing to go where the Lord wants me. 

Lately in Bora there has been a wind called the Maraamu. It's a really fresh and "chilly" wind. All the tahitians keep saying, "it's so cold here!!" I just chuckle and tell them they don't know what cold is haha. But apparently in the Austral islands its about 45 degrees. Pretty weird for polynesia. But they are really south too. So it's understandable I guess. 

Funny story. 

It's been raining a lot here lately because of the maraamu and there were lots of tourists here this past week. We were eating with a member that works at one of the hotels and informed me that he met some tourists from Seattle, Washington. Those. Poor. People. They left the rain and clouds to come to more rain and clouds. I felt so bad for them. 

I bought 6 dollar lindt mint chocolate and didn't regret it even one bit haha. 

I got to do a last lesson with Etau yesterday and took lots of pictures with him and his family. I'm going to miss them a lot. I'll put the pictures in next week. His goal is to go to the temple with his family. I know that it will happen. He's a great man. 

I restarted the Book of Mormon in Tahitian and I keep finding things that I had never seen in French or English. It's awesome. No matter what language you read it in, it's the word of God. I know that the book is true. 

this week I was reading in 1 Nephi 15 I think and it talks about Laman and Lemuel were fighting because they hadn't understood the vision that their father Lehi had. Then Nephi asked his brothers this  

8 And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord?

9 And they said unto me: We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us.

It's really interesting the response of Laman and Lemuel. They sort of just expected the Lord to make it know to them. They didn't really make an effort to know those things by prayer. That's why they didn't get an answer. I know that The Lord can answer us if we ask him with faith, with a sincere heart and with real intent. Once we do that, he will answer. I know it. I love you all!

-Elder Christensen

Ta'u fâ api no te toeraa i ta'u misioni

(translated):my new goal for the rest of my mission

Ia ora na tatou paato'a. Ua here au ia outou. 

SO this week was definitely a good one. Not a whole lot of changes to be honest haha. But there was a dog in the chapelle. That was a first. 

Also during the third hour at church, the elders quorum started getting into the 144,000. It was definitely one of the most interesting sacrament meetings as well. As we walk in, instead of the regular hymns that are played, someone plugged in their iphone and played a youtube version of if you could hie to kolob. It's three girls singing I think. It's really a pretty arrangement but I was just kind of confused as I walked in. 

But you know to be honest. I absolutely love this place. wouldn't want to be elsewhere. 

I keep seeing spiders the size of my hand either in or near the house. Good thing we bought some sweet insect/arachnid killer. 

Did another baptismal interview....In tahitian. I'm really glad that I keep the baptismal interview questions in french and tahitian on me haha. 

Also I finished the Book of Mormon in Tahitian. My new goal for the rest of my mission is to read only in tahitian. (except during lessons of course) but to do all my studies in only tahitian. I figure that I only have 7 months left to use this language and I really want to master it. so I started the doctrine and covenants in Tahitian and restarted the Book of Mormon in Tahitian as well. 

Our investigators are doing well. We lost a few this week and we're running out of things to do. But we keep praying for new people and keep trying to fortify the ward. Other than that. Transfers are next week and we get calls this Friday. We're pretty sure that Elder Sylvestre is peacing out. But who knows. Also in one week my first three companions go home. Elder Sovereign(trainer), Elder Barfuss(Hikueru companion) and Elder Murdock(Outumaoro companion). I'm going to miss them. It stinks that I won't get to see them before they go. 

Know that I love you all. I know that this church is true and the Book of Mormon is true. Read it. It will change your life. It has changed mine and it's the reason why I'm here. A faaitoitod noa. Ua here au ia outou pau roa. 

-Orometua Christensen

Heiva is Finally Over!

Ia ora na tatou. 

Ua fiu vau i te heiva. 

this was a normal week. I'm sad to say that nothing really super special happened. except one of our investigators gave me and Elder Bayart a pen from the hotel that he works at when we were doing a split. I want to send photos but I don't know why but this computer is being problematic. ah well. 

-I learned that when a caramel candy box label says this here "caution, over consumption of this product may cause laxative effects", you probably shouldn't down the box in 5 minutes. I learned my lesson...

Anyway we've been engaging a lot of our members to pray for missionary opportunities because we're lacking some investigators. We love our members a lot. they're great. 

We had a mission conference on Wednesday, but we watched from the computers at the clerks office at the chapel. The missionaries that are going home gave their testimonies. I won't get to see my first three companions before they go home.  I'm kinda sad about that. But that's what happens when you're in the islands:/ I can't really complain too much though. I am in Bora Bora after all haha. But yeah. I love you all. Hope you're doing well. 

-Elder Christensen

President and Soeur Fox visit Bora

So president came to Bora Bora on Wednesday morning so all 6 of us took the boat to the airport to welcome him and Soeur Fox. It was great!

Then we went to the chapelle to do interviews and while President was doing interviews we just chilled in the air conditioning with Soeur Fox and talked about our families and she showed us a list of all the new missionaries that are showing up to replace the 30+ missionaires that are going home in August. She told us to get ready to train haha. Then we all got food and Ia ora na gelato which is italien gelato made by italiens that now live in Bora and use the fruits from bora to make their gelato(so I've been told) but I don't ask too many questions cause it's so dang good. then Président and Soeur Fox did a lesson with me and Elder Sylvestre. That was really fun too. 

Other than that, the week was not the best haha. really slow once Président ma(way to say president and company in tahitian) left. but we got to do some "porte à porte" and it was actually really fun. Talking with people is really something that I've gotten a lot better at now haha. 

Also our investigator came to church all by himself yesterday! I mean it's not good for his family because they didn't come either BUT we were all shocked that he came anyway. He really understands the importance of the chapelle and I think he can feel the spirit that dwells there too. 

Basically the Heiva is still killin us but we're not giving up!!

Quote of the week "what are you two doing out at this hour?" while doing "door to door" contacting. it was 6 'o clock..... I hope that illustrates the mentality of tahitians. When it's 6 o clock, it's eating time. And then it's sleep time. But we were able to talk with some people all the same. 

Been reading in Revelation this week. Very...uh...different type of scripture. Especially in French haha. also in french it's called apocalypse. But it's still interesting all the same. 

Love you lots!!!

-Orometua Christensen

July is hard for missionary work

Ia ora na tatou. 

So sorry last week for not sending a group email. I was just not feeling it to be honest. 

This week was great! Our investigator is doing great. teaching him is one of the hardest things I've done on the mission because he doesn't understand my tahitian which is real humbling...but that's okay because we don't do the lessons without our 2nd counsellor in the bishopric. Luckily for us his tahitian is crazy good. But anyway we talk to his wife a lot and she tells us that she's seeing so much change in him. All those that live near their house have been saying the same thing apparently. He's just great. His wife told us that he almost never smokes weed now which is a miracle. That plant is killer for missionaries in Tahiti. Unfortunately the ground is so fertile that you can literally plant marijuana wherever you want(pakalolo is the street word for weed or just "paka" as they would call it here. I'm pretty sure it's a hawaiian word). anyway. I was really shocked that he's smoking less because we haven't even mentioned that word of wisdom with him. He's such a great guy. 

we also teach a new family. A dad, mom and daughter and they're awesome. We invited them to be baptized and the mom said that she can't because she doesn't know yet, but she said that her and her family will keep reading so that they can know if it's true. We're going to do a family night with them and another family in the ward who live just next to them tonight. 

The Heiva is killing us as usual but we won't lose courage. 

Also President is coming with his wife on thursday and we're all super excited to meet him. He'll pretty much just be chilling with me and Elder Sylvestre in the car all day while we drive around Bora so he can meet the Bishops of the three wards. I've heard only awesome things about him. 

But yeah I'm doing well. It feels soooooo good to read english things and write to people in English. I'm also stoked to talk to another american when President gets here. But other than that. Life is good. 

I'm in Ether right now in the Book of Mormon in Tahitian and Ether is so awesome. I sorta love how the Lord totally chastises the brother of Jared for forgetting to invoke him in prayer. Makes me wonder how the Lord must feel when we forget him. Probably pretty sad. I know it's so important to talk to our Heavenly Father every day and if we do so, he can bless us. I know he loves us and wants us to be happy too. 

Love you all. 

-Elder Christensen

Une Semaine Merveilleuse

Ia ora na outou paato'a

Sooooo this was a great week! We were so busy. We had our last conference with Président Bize. We watched it by internet. That was real fun to watch Président Bize and Soeur Bize say goodbye and we didn't even get to really see them. But I took photos of the computer screen. But also our new Président arrived. Président Fox! We got our first email from him. I'm sure he's just overloaded with things to do. Poor Président. But hopefully i'll get to see him soon. Apparently he started learning tahitian with old missionnaries that served here before he left and at the end of his weekly letter, he said, "Presideni Fox" Président in tahitian. I was pretty stoked haha. Maybe we'll do interviews in tahitian too. But anyway i'm excited to work with him. 

This week we went and did a lesson with our DMP(ward mission leader) to teach one of our investigators. He's the dad of our new convert and he speaks only Tahitian and understands only Tahitian but he's handicapped and can't really enunciate in Tahitian either. Also we can talk with his wife who is a member in only french and he can be right next to us and he doesn't understand a thing. So needless to say, i'm grateful that I was sent to Hikueru. I'm also grateful for a DMP who speaks tahitian better than anyone on this island haha. But otherwise, our recent covert is doing great. He comes to church every Sunday with his family. 

I can't send pictures today unfortunately because it's not working on this computer but next week I will send stuff. 

Also Happy almost Fourth of July. I have the National Anthem on one of the CDs. Shout out to Haley and Mike for giving me all that patriotic music by Motab. I already warned my companion that I will be blasting that stuff tomorrow in the car haha. 

Also Happy late Canada Day. It was the First of July.  

This week I was reading in 3 Nephi in the tahitian Book of Mormon and I read 3 Nephi 27 which is one of the best chapters ever. I love how clear it is. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I invite you all to read it and ask God if it's true. I know that he will answer. 

Things are going great here in Bora Bora. I love you all!!

Have a great week 

-Elder Christensen

President Bize's last week

Ia ora na tatou!!

I'm going to do bullet points today because I don't have lots of time and this computer is having problems. 

-Did my first baptismal interview. I show up and it's a papi. he asked me if I speak tahitian. Luckily I got sent to Hikueru and that's where my tahitian journey began. It was cool being able to talk to this man in tahitian. 

-IT was actually sort of cold this week. Lots of wind and not lots of sun

- Our investigator Régis got baptized. I'll attach some pictures.

- Président Bize goes home this week and Président Fox arrives with his wife Friday I think

-Being the only American on Bora Bora has so far been an experience. It's pretty hard actually haha. Very humbling being the district leader of 5 others missionaries that have spoken this language since birth haha...

Basically this week was great. Not much to report. But I love you all. Keep in touch.

Spiritual thought. Been reading in 3 Néphi lately and in chapter 19 the people that are being instructed by the apostles and by Jesus pray a whole lot. I counted and there are 5 different times when either the apostles or Jesus or the multitude start to pray. At the end of the chapter, Jesus blesses his apostles because they pray with sincerity. I know that prayer is super important and that it works. We just have to be sincere.

​ 

Chickens and Lizards

SOOOOOO Ia ora na outou. I wrote my last email to president Bize today. He leaves next week. i won't get to meet the new president when he gets here because I'll be on Bora Bora. But I'm excited. 

This week was great. The dad of our investigator Regis signed the paper for his son to get baptized and he came to a ward activity on the motu. Also he came to church too!! I've never seen him smile that much. It was awesome. We're going to do a family home evening with them next monday. We're stoked!!

This week two funny things happened. A lizard hopped on my plate and touched ALL of my food then jumped off the table. He did that just to touch all my food. Ugh. Then we went to a members house and i looked to the right and saw a chicken sitting in the front seat of the car outside of his house. This place is awesome. 

So next week we're having a party thing for President Bize because he leaves and it's for all the missionaries on Tahiti. we were instructed to watch it by internet. apparently they're going to eat too. I hope it's not going to be us watching everyone on Tahiti eat with president. that would be pretty sad. 

I'm doing great. I love the work. I love you all. I wish you all the best. 

-Elder Christensen

Johnny Depp is here

So someone told me that Johnny Depp is on Bora. He was on Tahiti and he went to the hospital all dressed up in his pirates costume and gave gifts to the sick kids. There are good people in this world. 

Anyway. Ia ora na outou. 

This week was a great one. We received the transfer calls. We were supposed to get them friday night, but then something happened so we got them on saturday towards noon. I'm staying. My comp is staying, but two other french elders are coming to replace Elder Rolls(australian) and Elder Dalton(american). I got a call from one of the assistants telling me that I'm now the district leader. All that means honestly is that I interview the people that want to get baptized and I decide if they're ready or not. yeah...no pressure. Haha. But I'm actually pretty excited. I will be the only American here. So basically we can say goodbye to english for the next few months because the next transfer is in 9 weeks. I'm sad because I won't get to see President Bize right before he leaves and I won't get to welcome the new President either (President Fox). But i'm happy that I'm staying here. 

Yesterday at church our Bishop's wife's family came and they're from America so I translated sunday school and Elder's quorum for them. Sunday school was in french and priesthood was in tahitian. Needless to say I had a headache after church. Also the fact that people mix french and tahitian here makes it difficult too. But it was an awesome experience all the same. 

The stake president flew down to do temple recommend interviews. It's great to see people prepare themselves to go to the temple. 

On wednesday we had a multi zone conference. We were in the clerk's office all morning because we watched the conference by internet. It was really good. 

Our investigators are doing well. we're waiting for one of our investigator's dad to say yes to his baptism. (our investigator of 10 years old named Regis). Other than that our other investigators are progressing. Slowly but surely. We do our best to give them the best spiritual experience possible. 

Basically I'm learning how imperfect I am and it's helping me to have patience with others too actually. The Lord doesn't expect us to be perfect all the time. He expects us to recognize our faults and do better next time. If we do our best to improve, he's happy. If we do nothing, we don't progress. It's simple. 

Love you all

-Elder Christensen

I Love our Ward

ia ora na outou!!

First off this week was great. We went around and saw a lot of less
active members and even just active members. We left a little message
and then asked for references. We're lacking a little in terms of
progressing investigators but we're not discouraged. We can't really
complain either because apparently this secteur is a hard one but my
comp and I see a lot of potential. And on top of that the members are
awesome. The ward right now is looking for a terrain to build a new
chapelle here on our side of the island because it would be more
convenient for pretty much everyone in our ward. right now everyone
goes to the other side of the island in a bus driven by one of the
members. We rent the bus from the local seventh day adventists
neighbourhood. Yes that exists. Its a neighbourhood built around their
chapelle. Everyone is adventist there. But anyway.

This last week I finished Jesus the Christ. Best Book Ever. Read it.

Our Président goes home in four weeks and it's pretty weird/sad.
there's a pretty good chance that I won't see him before he goes home,
seen that I'm on Bora and probably won't get transfered next
week(there's a transfer next week). It's weird/cool how this mission
works.

Anyway. I'm loving it here. I hope you all are doing great in the USA.
Love you all. Thanks for all of your support
-Elder Christensn