02/25/2013

            The way it works here is that all the mail and packages are sent to the mission home, and then every Wednesday during district meeting, the zone leaders bring the mail to each district. So we kind of have our own little mail service within the missionaries here. So ya, all the mail is sent to the Mission home first, then distributed by hand to the missionaries by the zone leaders. Here’s the address where you can send both letters and packages...

Elder Christian Fyffe

Mission de Papeete Tahiti

Eglise de Jesus-Christ des SDJ BP-93

Cours de l'Union Sacree

Papeete Tahiti 98714
French Polynesia

            As for the adventures this week, Elder Joly and I fasted this last Sunday for 3 of our investigators, this week they all accepted to be baptized! It was amazing to see the miracles that can come from fasting!

            Each night the members continue to feed us like crazy, their favorite words to say are "Bien Manger Elder" and "Tamaa Maitai!" which both mean the same thing...Eat more....the direct translation though is eat well. They all tell me that it is necessary to eat a lot to work hard here! It’s really phuni to me. The people here are ridiculously giving, it’s scary sometimes.  At night we go and visit the member families to just say hi and to also see if they have any references for us, and this last time with a family, they had us sit down and then they brought us two oranges each, water and a whole bowl or rombuton, that sea urchin looking thing, It’s a delicious fruit that is practically just a lychee. Yum.

            Anyway, after we shared a short message, and stood up to leave, they told us to sit down and then brought us some cookies! Then more fruit! When we were done eating that, they finally let us leave....but before we could walk out the door, they gave us a whole sack of canned fruit, fresh fruit and lots of drinks. Holy cow. I was laughing from amazement. Then on our way out, the two youngest children in the family offered to walk our bikes to the street for us!! The People here are so nice!

            Not much other than that has happened this week. We’ve got a long week ahead of us so hopefully I will have more to talk about later! Also Pa, how long did it take for my letter to get to you? I don’t think it took 6 weeks like I thought. So if you could let me know that would be great. I’m sending another letter for you guys and Austin and Dennis this week so keep an eye out for that. give trace my email so I can Talk to him more! I love you all so much, stay safe and keep moving forward!

Elder Fyffe

Elder Joly and Elder Fyffe Posing with

Remember these missionaries from the MTC? Here they are in Tahiti together again.

Rombuton fruit

Rombuton fruit  - similar to a lychee

A tropical vine formation.

02/18/2013

02/18/2013     

            This week has been pretty great actually, Hotter than...something hot...but I’m still living! A few miracles happened this week, for one Elder Joly said that I talked in my sleep last night, in French! I laughed pretty hard about that, this language is my life now! I guess I said something like, "Tout les autre choses," Which means all the other things... so I have no idea what I was dreaming about! But it’s still worth a chortle.

            We fixed two baptisms this week!! One for a boy named Taroa who is about 11 years old. The only issue he has is his mother doesn’t accept the thought yet. YET! But with a lot of prayer and fasting, I know the lord will soften her heart. The other one was for a massive Tahitian named Nicola. His whole family is active and all are members except for him, so yesterday Elder Joly and I went over to his house, taught a quick lesson then I engaged him to baptism! The best part about that is, the last lesson we had with him, he told us that he had an issue with the word of wisdom. He drank coffee and a tad bit of alcohol. But at the end of that lesson we engaged him to stop; he sat there for a few minutes where his final thoughts were "that sounds really hard..." But when we engaged him to baptism this last time, (yesterday) he told us that he stopped drinking coffee and beer right after we left his house that last lesson (last week)! Through faith in the lord, we really can accomplish the things which seem impossible!

            Every time we ask people to pray and read the scriptures to obtain strength, we know that the lord will help them as long as they have the desire to change! He chose the date for the baptism; it’s going to be the 23rd of next month, after he told us why he chose that date, which was a touching moment for Elder Joly and I. He chose the 23rd because that’s his birthday. The day he was born will be the day he is re-born, being washed clean of all his sins! It’s amazing to witness the change in people! It’s an actual Physical change! There is a light in his eyes that was never there before, he smiles a lot more than he used to! I never imagined this is what a mission was really like. Yes it is the hardest thing I have ever done.          I’m always feeling like my head is going to explode from the language. Yet it is the most rewarding thing I have ever done!

            We got a referral from the bishop of an ami who already has her baptism date chosen for the end of this month, the day after she gets married! All she needed was to receive the lessons from us! It’s so true that the lord has people prepared to receive the gospel. I can see a huge difference from the people who have been prepared from the people who haven’t. I’m so grateful each time I get to bear my testimony, because it grows each time I do! I’m so blessed to be serving the lord at this time of my life! I know this church is true, that every word in the Book of Mormon was inspired. And through that inspiration, we can receive personal revelation! I love this mission! Everyone stay safe so I can have one less thing to worry about! I love you all so much!

Orometua Fyffe

Mango Trees everywhere

 

 

Huge mango

The first sunset able to see since being here.

02/11/2013

            02/11/2013

            Well here are my adventures for this week! It’s been crazy, not a lot of success, but still a lot of hard work! The language is coming little by little, I can comprehend most everything, but when it comes to the speaking, that’s the hard part! I love every second of this though. These trials are definitely making me stronger. And the food here is definitely making my stomach stronger!

            I committed my first investigator to baptism this week! It was an amazing experience! To see the effect that this gospel can have on people is such a testimony builder. I gave away my first tie too, for Lewis, the one I committed to baptism. I saw him at church the next day and he was wearing it! I’m working on reading the entire Book of Mormon in French now, it’s pretty phuni some of the translations they have. French is a really phun but hard language. Tahitian... that’s another story; it’s incredibly difficult to understand right now! And a bit of the stuff that I learned in the MTC is different from what they use here. Mes ca va venir! I just continue to have faith and trust in the lord! Continually marching forward and grabbing people along the way to march with me on the righteous path to eternal life! It’s a long and difficult road, but that’s why god gave us families. So we don’t have to do it alone!

            I love the people here, I make sure to tell them that at the end of every lesson! It’s just one big family over here. My trainer Elder Joly is awesome. He has helped me so much with my French and for a Frenchy, he is pretty nice! Kidding, but not really... French people can be mean... I hope that you are all doing well and staying safe! I will try to send a small package home containing some flowers and leaves but I think that in 6 weeks they will look a lot different... also they might not even let me send vegetation through mail. I will try though. Oh and also, I get to Skype home and have a video chat for mother’s day. You guys are 4 hours ahead in time and not really sure when mother’s day is this year, so if you could tell me that would be great. Oh and if you don’t have a Skype account, get one! So I can say hi! I love you all so much! Thank you for staying in touch each week! Stay safe and continue to walk on the right path which leads to eternal life! Ua here au ia outou roa!

Orometua Fyffe

The local missionaries

The apartment & Elder Joly

Forbidden waters (Down the street)

Marcelle the shell

02/04/2013

Well i am here in tahiti and i dont really have much time to type right now so i will be really quick. Its really hot here and very hard to understand the language right now, but like it says in section 122 of the D&C i think... all of these trials will only make me better! My companions name is Elder Joly and he is from France! So as you can imagine, i havent really spoken any english at all for the past few days. Its been crazy, lots of lessons, LOTS of miracles too, I love it here and i know that i will have such a good time! Ive already commited a person to baptism, although he is not in our ward, yet there is still a chance that we could be the ones to baptise him and his cousin. Anyways, the package still hasnt come, they take a long time to get here, 6 weeks i think, sane with the letters. Yes mondays are my new pday, so any important stuff you need to tell me, send through email. I will be writing letters today so wait for them in the mail! I love youall so much and hope that you get these pictures! Stay safe!

Oh and one more thing. That calender shows all of the meals we have with the members this month...yep...every night we are fed!

Arrival to Tahiti airport - bottom row left is mission parents

Taken from his apartment - Tahiti temple in background.

Tahiti temple is literally in their back yard!

The apartment

The welcoming ceremony to welcome the Elders.

Mosquito bites

Elder Fyffe and Elder Joly (His first companion)

The calendar of appointments (Dinner appointments that is)