5 months already

Ya that's right, tomorrow will be 5 months on a mission and it has flown by like 5 weeks. It really doesn't seem like  that long ago that I was wearing my orange newbee sticker on the first day of the MTC. Almost a quarter of my mission is done already...weird. I actually might be getting transferred this week so I'll keep y'all updated. I finally finish training this week although I still feel like I'm not ready to be done. Hopefully I'll just stay with Elder Millerberg for another transfer so I can catch up.

     This week we had another super spiritual experience that I only thought existed in the MTC and Preach My Gospel. Heiata, one of our investigators who reminds me a lot of Grandma, read the BOM for the first time. We had given her a bunch of stuff to read like MNI 10:3-5, J.S. testimony, MNI 8, and she explained that she had read all that...twice and much much more, and marked it all up!! She said she read for like three hours because she just got lost in it. She said she felt absolutely no pain while reading it and that she just felt really at peace (sounds like a classical conversion story huh?). All the while I was just shocked and enthralled. She said she absolutely knew it was true and we commited her to be baptised on the 7th of Novembre. She still has a lot of things she needs to do to be ready, like quitting smoking and such but we're all (including her) going to fast this saturday/sunday for her so I've got the faith in it. So ya that gave me an immensely larger testimony of the BOM and how true it is and how necessary it is even for members because if it can change people like that when they're investigators, it's gotta be really important for members like us. WOW!

      But ya, other than that it was kind of a slow week because it was voting week and every body was busy in the rallies and such. But I did begin building a Teore (big wooden drum thing) this morning with a chainsaw, sander and this other tool but mostly the chainsaw. It was so legit and I have no idea how I'm going to get it back to America because it's so heavy but I'll figure it out. It's not done yet but I'll finish it next week. It was so cool to see a dirty old log turn into an instrument that actually sounds cool before your eyes in just a couple hours. After that we just went shopping and came back.

     OH I Forgot! Gongrats to Mom for becoming the new relief society president! That's a big job but there's not a soul out there more ready for it! We work a lot with la présidente du societé du secour (just in french)  here in the work so get ready to be involved with missionary work. Cool, right? They work lots of miracles in every ward, I'm glad for you.

      To answer Padre's questions (because they were ready good), the mousquitoes are a bit better because I'm figuring out how to get rid of them, I have lost about ten pounds but have gained a bunch of muscle as well because I work out every day. health is fine. attitude is roller coaster some times because I'm not quite as dilligent or obedient as I'd like and I beat myself up over it but I'm getting better. I'm actually pretty obedient and dilligent but I have my weak points that I'm working on. I really am getting a lot better so maybe that's why It's been better lately. Also my companion is great. He's had some rough sectors and companions that we like to call "babylon companions" and he is pretty worn out now but he's also getting better. Overall things are going really well here. I'm not a babylon companion, I really work hard to work hard, I see success, progress, miracles, grow my testimony, learn, and see and do some pretty legit steriotypical island stuff too. I have started wearing shorts more when I can and also my cheapo crocs to lessons. good stuff. Actually I gotta go. until next week! ~Elder Clements

Good Stuff

 

                                     This guy is so stoned

 

I think this is week 11 here on the island of Tahiti in the town of Papara. Actually I'm in Papeete today. We just got done playing beach/normal soccer with a bunch of the other missionaries this side of the island. I'm fairly drained from that but it was really fun too. We had to carry around the Soeurs (sisters) with us today and they decided they wanted to email here. I'm also fairly sure we are going to be at carrefoure (the equivalent of a gaint french walmart) for longer than us Elders would like but oh well. I will have the chance to go camera shopping though so that's good. I haven't looked at them yet so I'm not sure if I just want one shipped out here or what. I'll keep you updated.

      Anyway! So Mareto who I told you last week still hadn't made any progress last week has stopped smoking........right!?!? After a réunion with DMP on tuesday we were wondering what we should do because we had an hour till dinner, then all of the sudden I had Mareto pop in to my head. #wasntme I honestly didn't want to go because we never make any progress with him but my companion then said exactly what I was thinking so that amped me up and I knew those signs from all the classic missionary stories I've heard. We went over and he was glad to see us but not more than usual. We shared some scriptures with him and gave him some encouragement but nothing out of the ordinary happened so we just decided to go. just before saying the prayer, Elder Millerberg told him about the music class we were going to be teaching on friday (oh ya we're doing that) and he was actually interested which surprised me. He then said he plays the piano and has one inside. !!!!!!! What?! Mareto plays piano!?!?!? I was visibly shocked and pumped at the same time and he just fed on that and practicaly shouting for joy invited us in to see it. It was an extremely nice yamaha electric piano. Like I didn't think they made electric pianos that nice. Then he started playing it and he knew very well how to play it but he couldnt read notes and he was so excited to learn them. After we listened to him wail on the piano for a while he decided to bear his testimony which was very unexpected but he basically just told us he is proud to have us there and that he knows what we're doing is good. We left shortly after and we didnt exactly know why we were there still until we came back friday and he said he hadn't smoked since the last time we'd seen him.......... so ya wow! I don't exactly know why us knowing about his interest in music was the key but hey, God works in mesterious ways so I won't argue with it. So that was a fire hose from the spigget of heaven this week. We also had the classic first-lesson-where-the-lady-starts-crying-because-she-found-the-truth lesson this week too.

 

     We also baptized Stephen this week which was awesome and both of his parents came and loved it. I gave him the Holy Ghost yesterday and that was my first time but it was awesome! He's just gonna be a super powerful member and I hope even bring his family back.

 

     Oh ya, and I guess there really is supposed to be a hurricane still. They announced it in zone meeting that it's 90% chance I guess. We'll see.

      I think I have to go soon so I'm going to end it here. See y'all       
 -Elder Clements

 

I finally have time

Well another quick week has rolled arround again and it's P-day! We just got back from shopping in Papeete and earlier we went on yet another hike and also learned just how much our little toyota avanza can take. whudda trooper. I have a lot more time this week for emailing which is pretty cool so I can actually tell what is going on with our investigators. Infact I'll just start right into it.

     Steven: T minus 2 days till his baptizm and I am so stoked! I can't believe how much he already understands and how ready he is. We had his baptizmal interview this week and he may as well have been teaching us! After that he was talking to me and he pulls out this picture of one of the temples that we gave him and says "wow! that is really really really really really beautiful. I'd like to go there some day." Ya this kids power. The spirit was deffinately strong when he said that.

     Thomas: This guy is proof that God prepares! We met him just a couple weeks ago but in the lessons this week with him we planned to ask him to be baptized. His girlfriend is mormon and we thought "heck, why not?" so we taught the retablissement...restoration in english is think, and he kind of looked bored throughout the lesson and I started having my doubts until we asked him if he had ever heard of the Book of Mormon and he told us that he had already read most of first nephi....ok alright then. So after that Elder Millerberg asked "will you get baptized?" (a little more casual than usual) and instantly he says "Oui" and kind of looked annoyed that we'd taken so long to ask him. Turns out he already has a testimony and everything and even does the ponderizing thing on his own from conference. We're just there to...Cover it all deeper I guess. POWER! Our heavenly father knows what He's doing. Also Steven's inactive parents have started coming to church again!!!! President Monson's talk was true stuff. (ya I finally read it)

     Ruben: This guy. I have found the tahitian Earnest T Bass. He was the source of many a chuckle this week. We have been teaching him for a little while and I think that we are going to baptize him but ya just never know with this guy. This week whilst teaching him the word of wisdom and talking about how he smokes pot we asked him "Ruben, do you have any paka (marijuana) with you right now?" "Oui." he says proudly. "can we throw that away right now?" "sure, here" (as he hands us his stash) uhhh....alright then. I didn't exactly expect that but that's progress so we just went with it and threw it away after the lesson. Also ever since we taught him how to say "In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen" he has looked for every opportunity to say it. (maybe a little too much) like being late to our lesson and saying "Pardon! Pardon! Name of Jesus Christ, Amen." That's Ruben for ya. But he seems to be super excited to get baptized and agrees with everything we say so I guess he is doing well. He is even really trying to stop smoking paka.

     That's just the best of the moments we had this week and our other investigators are doing well too. We have Heiata who says she prays everyday for an answer and says she feels a light that is right next to her but it is dim and she feels like she's not ready to commit to be baptized quite yet. I feel the same way. I think it's soon though, so keep her in your prayers. Also Mareto who hasn't been moving much lately with the smoking, and all of them in general.

     Well I gotta go and send some pictures now. I really am doing well still, especially spiritually. Never really cared about stuff like that before but now it's just my favorite thing. Oh and I get to go to the temple this week!! Even better!! Well have a good week! Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

- Elder Clements

Conference Weekend

 

 

 

     Well that was good stuff this weekend!!! This was the first general conference that I was genuinely excited for and that I actually payed attention to. Missions do those sort of things for you. I'm totally going to do the ponderizing thing now, that was just legit. Also I was really late both mornings because it was so early and unfortunately I missed the prophet speaking...well I walked in right as he said amen. That didn't make me very happy but I did learn some great stuff from the other talks. I really liked D. Todd Christofferson's talk, Devin J durrant (because of the ponderizing thing), Robert D. Hales, and my favorite was Jefferey R Holland. It was SOOO powerful!!! Moms are just the greatest. Love you Mom. Anyway the new apostles are absolutely awesome!!! I am surprised how much I like them already!

     As far as the work, it is going so well. We have 5 baptizms fixed and I'm sure more soon as well. Steven is going to be baptized next wednesday and he asked me to give him the Holy Ghost. That's slightly daunting because I've never done that and it's in french but I'm also really excited for it too.

 

 

     I got the package and the letters this week!! That was just the coolest thing. I loved getting letters again and hearing from everybody.  I might also send voice recordings soon because our new elder, Elder Peel, has a voice recorder.

     Well I actually have to go. Elder Purau was much more efficient at the whole computer finding thing...and many other things but oh well. Have a good week, everyone. I really liked the quote I heard this conference that Joseph B Worthlin's mother told him, and that is "Come what may and love it". I know that If we truly center our lifes on the gospel and try to improve daily and live with real intent, there is absolutely nothing to fear. And if we don't fear it, we should find the good in it and love it.

--Elder Clements

 

 

New Companion

     Well today I pretty much just walked around in the jungle all day with the zone. It was supposed to be a little hike but our guide decided to go offroading.That was pretty fun but it was a bit long.

     I have my new compangon now, Elder Millerberg. Take a wild guess at where he's from. Oddly enough he's from Utah. He's pretty cool. He teaches really well and really smoothly AND he has a guitar!!!! I play it all the time and I'm learning hymns on it. 

 

     Anyway it was a week full of miracles this week for our investigators, and inactives, and members. Heck it was just a good week. We have 5 people with baptizm dates right now. Mareto that I think I told you all about is trying to stop smoking which is going to be tough but it's really possible. Other miracles that I'll try and tell you all about later but we did that dang hike so we don't hae much time before we have to be at Tatie Lilines house for a family home evening with a bunch of invetigators. shoot that's in a half hour, alright well good luck everyone. Maybe next time for more of a letter.

     -Elder Clements