Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Fruits of our Labor

 
Well, another great week preaching the gospel in Tahiti! I guess I'll start off with why I gave this email such a title. On Thursday, we went and taught Georges. I had never met him before and it actually turns out he's Elder Purau's uncle. #smallworld Anyway we had an interesting lesson with him about obedience to God's commandments and some other side topics because he talks a lot. He's a very interesting man. I think he really wants to know this church is true, and I think he's even felt that it is before but he just needs to...realize that I guess. He's very interested in our testimonies and how we know this church is true. After that lesson, we were about to leave when he asked us if we wanted some fruit. Naturally we accepted because you would have to be raving mad to decline fruit here. He gave us a pineapple and a Corosol (coroselle maybe? I don't know how to write it) and I thought that was all. He led us to his garden/orchard and let us pick all the citreons(limes basically) and oranges that we wanted. It was awesome. We walked into the  garden and instantly I was fairly sure that this was the real Garden of Eden. It was the most beautiful place I have ever seen. about a hundred fruit trees with all different types of fruit that you forget grows in real life. Lemons, limes, oranges, hairy leechy (?), bananas, coconuts, grapefruit, mango, mangosteen, corosol, and bunches of others. It was far up one of the canyons too so it was just beautiful. Actually all week long, people just gave us loads and loads of fruit, it was great. So I figured for us we were literally tasting the fruits of our labors.
     Another different experience this week was when we went to an activity at the Maraa ward. We showed up and it sounded like someone was having a big old party next door because of the heavy muffled music we heard. We open the doors to the chapel and to my surprise I just got louder. We went up stairs and opened the doors to the chapel to the priests quarum and bishopric dancing to YMCA for the rest of the ward! What in the world?! I learned shortly after that they were having an 80's themed ward talent show. They went all out too. They had all the seats in the chapel turned around and were using the over flow as the stage, They had the lights all different colors, everything was all decorated, they had this giant speaker system out, the works. The rest of the show was every group in the church (young women, young men, relief society, and other) doing a dance to an American 80's song. It was a hoot. The best part is they did it all and invited tons of nonmembers to come too to build up unity around the ward. I've got pics. It made me think we need to do stuff like that back home. It really surprises me that literally everyone is nice here. Even the sketchiest of people smile and shake your hand when they see you...usually.
 
     As far as how everything's going here, It's going pretty well. Our investigators are progressing really well and we're getting more and more. In fact this week we'll be baptizing Poerani and possibly Heitini and Steven in the next couple weeks too.
     I've been a bit sick in the guts lately but I hear that's normal because of the newness of the food and water and such and that it'll pass. The mosquitoes are still devouring me but it's getting better. Our power went out last night and my fan that keeps the mosquitoes away died so I woke up with a bunch this morning. We got whipped with rain like I've never seen it last night. I guess there's a big hurricane that hit some of the other islands and we got a little bit of it but not as much as the other islands. 
     All goes well here, and I'm starting to get used to being a missionary. The French is getting a lot better but still has some work. The Tahitian goes a lot slower but I'm trying to use it more.
     Well I've got to go. We're going to go eat some more fish and rice under a coconut tree or something. #islandlife I miss you all and pray for you every day! Infact that's one thing that I've been pondering on lately is the importance of family and God's purpose for them on this earth. I think of you all when I testify of the power of families. Without my family, there's no way I would be out here teaching the gospel, so thank you all and God bless.

-Elder Clements