12/30/2013

                Christmas passed pretty calmly this year, coconut trees being thrown around in the rain storms. Didn’t feel much like Christmas because there wasn’t snow, but I can say that it was one of my favorites! I loved passing the night with a few families that I had the glorious opportunity of baptizing this past year. It’s a huge testimony to me that we are all the children of our Heavenly Father, when I feel the joy that comes from the people here. Actually as we speak, one of the investigators that I baptized named Poehere is doing her visiting teaching at the member’s house that I’m in right now! What a blessing to see how much she has progressed spiritually ever since the Lord crossed our paths! I love that girl like a sister.

            Well today has been pretty crazy for me, a lot of things have been going through my head, what kind of things you ask? Well, all of the progress and blessings that I have seen in my life up to this point. All of these thoughts came into my head this morning, when we went to the airport to pick up 10 new missionaries, fresh out of the MTC. Holy moley did I feel sorry for those kids, they are so lost, most can get by with the French they learned, but others remind me exactly of myself. All they could say was bonjour and bien! And they didn’t understand anything that I was saying to them! I remember being in their shoes, that feeling of "what the heck did I get myself into," little do they know how much they will be blessed in the upcoming months. The lord really is at all sides, he really brings miracles to pass through the weak things of the world. He chose one of his weakest children (me) to serve a mission on a tiny island in the South pacific, and told him to learn 2 languages. Then I look at all of the things that have happened up to this point and I tell myself, I should never have doubted my potential.

            It’s pretty funny to see these new missionaries, with high spirits and sweat dripping down their faces, it made me smile to know that I’ve gone through the things they’re going through, and to know that they will all be alright. The beginning of my mission was a completely humbling experience for me, the fact that I couldn’t speak forced me to listen to the spirit, because I had no chance helping these people with my own proper force and efforts. I completely relied on the spirit and the faith that my horrible French would touch their hearts. Guess what? It did! Just goes to show you that it really doesn’t matter what we as missionaries say, all that matters is the conduit we make with the spirit to transmit the message directly in their hearts. Even if French really isn’t a problem now, I never rest on the words and phrases that I’ve learned. I go off of the words and phrases that come from my heart. Which for the most part is "I love you and the Savior loves you, I don’t see why we wouldn’t be able to succeed," As a representative of Jesus Christ, I need to show my love for them, as the Savior would.

            The work here is starting to build up again; we had to open the back curtains of the chapel last week because all of the churches benches are full! The lord really is hastening his work, and im doing the best I can to live up to the standards that he has set for me. It’s hard, that’s for sure, but I know that it was never easy for the Savior. I love my mission so much, I love my family, what more could I ask for? I love you all and hope you have great new year’s! My new year’s resolution, stay alive for one more year.

Elder Fyffe

 

12/23/2013

                Okay, I don’t really have that much to say this week; it’s been quite a busy and hectic week, I’m missing my family a lot because usually around this time, were eating popcorn around the dinner table playing scrabble or bananagram. I love this time of year, but the thing I am most grateful for is the Savior and how he takes care of me and my family at this time of year. I can say this will be one of the best Christmas’s ever because I’m doing the Lords work and feeling a joy that i never knew existed. It stinks that i forgot my camera again haha, but i will try my best to send the pictures another time today.

                 This morning I went on an awesome hike up to a place that reminded me a lot of horsetail falls, tomorrow we will be spending Christmas Eve with three families that i baptized, I can’t wait, they are some of my favorite people on earth. I’m so happy to see and hear that you are all doing well; it’s what i pray for all the time. I’m not going to say much this week in the letter because i will be Skyping you all in 2 days and will need some things to talk about. I hope that you all have a Christ Centered Christmas, I know I sure will! Love you all!

Elder Fyffe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12/17/2013

            One of my companions Elder Bates is finishing his mission today, so for the past few weeks, I’ve been helping him get everything that he needs to done, in the least stressful way possible. I’ve learned a lot these past few weeks with him, the mission is pretty surreal. While you serve, it seems like the mission will never end because you do actually get lost in the work. The Lord has been keeping me really busy lately. This past month has flown by like none other. But being with elder bates has made me realize that one day, all of this will come to an end. And it truly will be a bitter sweet moment. Going and visiting all of the families he has taught and gotten to know these past few years really helped me see what kind of a difference one person can make in the world. Our potential is absolutely huge! Being a child of our Heavenly Father is the biggest advantage I have in this life. I can depend on myself to a certain extent but in order to obtain the miracles and in order to explain the miracles I have already seen on my mission, the only answer is my Royal heritage that comes from the Heavens.

             I look back at all the things the lord has accomplished through me in this sector since I’ve been here. 25 baptisms, 4 weddings, countless blessings by the laying on of hands. Thousands of prayers, a few dozen watery eyes, seeing investigators cry because they feel the love of their savior. This sector has been absolutely amazing. I was definitely put in the right place at the right time. I hope that I will be able to stay here a while longer, the transfers are in 2 weeks, so I’m a tad anxious to see what will happen. The Lord has blessed this ward, this past Sunday we gave 7 of our recent investigators the Priesthood. It was amazing to see them all stand and be sustained, knowing that I had something to do with all of that. We even had to open the back curtains of the chapel because we’ve been bringing so many people to church.

            I love my mission so much. I can’t wait to see Trace and Cameron and Dennis and Isaac and Sascha go on their missions. They have no idea how absolutely amazing all of this is and how much potential they actually do have. We really don’t give ourselves enough credit; especially MY SISTER. I don’t think she realizes how special she really is, and how big of a difference she can make in the lives of others. Even if God is the priority in our lives, we are always the priority in His. Sometimes it’s hard to see the path that God wants us to be on, because we are blinded by past experiences and self-doubt. I remember being in situations like that, not having a single clue of my own self-worth. Thank goodness I have the gospel in my life now; it really has helped me see the person I will one day become. I can’t wait! I can’t wait to put all of these lessons I’ve been teaching to work in my own family. I’ve seen the difference it can make in others and I know that it will definitely do the trick in my family too. Something else that I’ve learned on my mission is that you can never force people. As a missionary, we are only here to invite. I love inviting people to change their lives, to be blessed, because I know Heavenly Father will help anyone obtain these two things. I have many goals in life, but one of the biggest ones on my list, is to go to the temple with my whole family again. It truly is one of my deepest desires that I know can easily be accomplished with acceptance from a simple invitation, to just open ones heart and let the Savior in. I pray for that day, I hope for that day, and I work for that day. So I know, one day, it will happen! I love my sister and my Parents more than anything; I really hope they know that! I think that’s about it for this week, I forgot my camera cord again, so I will just be sending a whole ton next week! I love you all, stay safe and see you on Christmas!!

Elder Fyffe

12/09/2013

                Well, another week came and gone in the blink of an eye, crazy how fast time has been going. We accomplished 6 baptisms this weekend, but sadly I have left my memory card at the house. Stink! I will definitely send them next week. I was able to give a talk during sacrament meeting yesterday, and also give the gift of the Holy Ghost to 6 people, so it was a very busy, yet spirit filled day. For my talk I shared how grateful I was to be a part of the changes that took place in all of our newly converted members. I got to see that they were all born again spiritually. Then I made a connection from how a baby is born, and the first thing it does after being born is cry. I always thought to myself that the babies are probably crying because they leave the presence of our heavenly father. Then I made the connection to all the baptisms I have seen up to this point, and I have to say that about 90 percent of these people come out of the water crying after being "reborn" spiritually. Then with that I realized, they are probably crying because they were given again, the chance to return into the presence of Heavenly Father. So they cry tears of joy. I love my family here in Tahiti. I Love my Heavenly Father and the plan that He created for each and every one of us individually. I love being able to tell people I love them in 4 languages, (English, French, Tahitian, and Paumotu) I actually worry that the ability I have to speak these 3 other languages that I learned will go away after my mission, because it truly is a gift that I was given.

            I hope that you all have a great week this week, not really much other things have happened. I’ve really just been helping my companion get ready to go home, he leaves next Tuesday. So I’ve been running him around and doing last minute preparations with him. It’s sad to see him go; he really is a great Elder and a great friend! The Lord needs me here for another 10 months, so I will do my best in order to receive a whole bunch of blessings for my future family, and the family I have right now. I love you all and pray for you constantly. Please stay safe! Sorry this letter was a little short!

Elder Fyffe -French English

Orometua Fyffe -Tahitian

Korometua Fyffe -Paumotu

12/02/2013

                Well, this week has flown by, not too much happened, but next week should be crazy. We have 6 baptisms this weekend! I can’t wait; they are my favorite moments in my mission. The spirit is always so strong! As some of you might have seen already on Facebook, I did a service project this week, and it was really phun for me, because I love doing artsy fartsy things, especially when it’s for others! Need not worry though, I wasn’t the one who went on Facebook, we as missionaries here in Tahiti, don’t have the right yet. So it was one of the members who went on so he could put the pictures on. They were very happy because I did it for free; all I asked for was cotton candy in exchange! It was well worth it!

            I love my mission right now; it’s filled with so much joy as I see how positive of an affect this gospel has on the lives of these amazing people. One of my favorite memories thus far is expressed in the picture with me and my companions teaching our lesson in our van, which happened to be down by a river haha. I really hope someone has done the ordinances of Chris Farley... heaven wouldn’t be the same without him. Anyway, I love each and every one of my investigators because they have all taught me so much, and helped my testimony grow in amazing ways. I will never forget these people. I can’t wait to come back after my mission.

            Other than that, I ate a fish that had lips like a human, and teeth like a rabbit. It was delicious. Also, we went hiking to the 3 waterfalls again because we have some new elders who haven’t seen it yet. It was quite nice. I miss being able to come home from work and just go hiking with my cousin Austin. As for thanksgiving, it passed without me even noticing, seriously, I just realized that last Thursday was thanksgiving, and when I think about it, I didn’t even eat anything cool haha. I guess it’s Christmas when we eat a bucket of seafood, for that, I can’t wait. That’s pretty much all for this week, I’m sorry this letter was short, I love you all!

Elder Fyffe