30 December 2013 Uturoa, Raiatea

We nearly went back to normal life after Christmas. The only problem is it’s considered Holiday until after the New Years. So no one still wants to do anything. [Cough cough] including a little bit my companion. He’s soooo Tahitian. I love it : ]

We hiked up a mountain today. I can’t remember the name, but it’s the mountain just next to Uturoa. You could see all the islands in Raromatai from the top, and the wind was super strong and nice.

Elder Twede (my MTC companion) got transferred to Faa’a (he’s not very happy with the move), and Elder Franco (he came out the same time as me) got transferred to Takaroa in the Tuamotus (he is super excited). I’m so jealous :]. I am happy to stay here. I love it here and there is still plenty for me to do before being transferred.

I’m pretty sunburned right now. After our hike up and down the mountain, we played volleyball for the rest of the day.

Some advice for new Tahitian missionaries:

1. Bring two sets of sheets so you can use one set while the other is drying.

2. Bring dark athletic socks (grey works) instead of dress socks. They absorb moisture and wick it away from your feet better than the dress socks.

3. Practice eating REALLY, REALLY slow.

4. Bringing a mini speaker is one of the best decisions I could have made.

5. Poplin pants are the best.

Sometimes on a mission you’re not a teacher, you’re a fisher. That’s where we are right now. The dangerous thing about fishing is you sit and eat too much! When you visit members’ houses to get references they always give you food! Not complaining. Just warning!

Alma 18, pay close attention to how Ammon teaches the king. It’s executed flawlessly. He also teaches all the missionary lessons in the same order we do. It’s interesting.

Well that’s about all I got for the blog.

Love you all

Elder Molinari

Note from the editor (the father):

We spoke with Elder Molinari on Christmas day. He looks good and sounds good. He converses quite fluidly with the natives in their version of French. We didn't hear much Tahitian other than a word or two now and then. He is quite proud of his “farmer’s tan”. Hi face was pretty red. He was easily distracted by a fresh mosquito bite on his arm and by anyone passing by who was speaking anything other than English.

He was able to “Skype” from a member’s home. It was great to hear and see him. He says he has to be okay, “How can you not be when you’re in paradise?”

There was a rooster cock-a-doodling in the background. More than once he excused himself from the screen to chase the rooster away. It would returned every time after he sat down again. He said there are a lot of roosters everywhere and they start sounding-off very early in the morning – like 3 AM! When he first got there they would wake him every morning, but now he sleeps right through it.

He seemed to be very relaxed and fully engaged in the “island way of life”. What is it about living on an island that allows one to be so laid-back and carefree? It seems to be the same in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and I am sure we can add many others. “No problem, mon.” “Don’t worry. Be happy.”

We seemed to spend a fair amount of time talking about the dogs on the island. Dogs are dogs there. They are tied up in the yard to keep an eye on things. They eat scraps from the table, don’t come in the house and are pretty dirty and mangy.

He continues to tell us that the fruit is AMAZING! Apparently, we don’t know what most fruit is supposed to taste like. Bananas are soft, moist and very sweet. Pineapples are sweeter than sugar and have no acid taste. Most people grow fruit trees in their yards and a lot grows “not in yards”. It grows everywhere. All you need is a good machete and it’s yours for the picking! He is amazed with pineapple plants and the way they grow. Mango season just ended. The fruit that we know the most about, apples are not readily available there and are highly sought after. People think they are so delicious, because they are different.

There are many French nationals on the islands. The nicest homes and properties all seem to belong to the French. They are vacation homes on the ocean. It is difficult to find many true islanders. There is a significant European and Chinese presence throughout the islands. It seems that the Chinese own most of the shops and store fronts, which seem to have funny, nonsensical English names.

He is currently on the island of Raiatea. There are three other missionary companionships on the island: a pair of sisters, another pair of elders and a couple. Uturoa is the most populated area on the island. Everyone lives around the shore line. The center of the island is mountainous and mostly uninhabitable. The southern part of the island is mostly rural. Elder Molinari is in the more "urban" portion, to the north. Everything being relative, the big city isn't very big at all. But it is the most densely populated part of the island.

The family where he spent Christmas has adopted him. They have a son on a mission now too. I said we were happy to loan Kristoffer out for a while. We are happy that someone is watching after him.

Christmas in Tahiti - Pictures

 My MTC District in Tahiti Christmas 2013

 Ward Christmas Party 2013

 Tahitian Nativity

Sunset from Uturoa with Bora Bora and Tahaa

Monday 22 December 2013 Uturoa, Raiatea

The only thing that’s really happened since I last emailed is a baptism!

We've been teaching 2 kids named Temahani and Mehani. They are cousins, and both age 11. They are totally awesome, and were totally ready for their baptism. Their family is inactive right now, but there baptism has sparked a new motivation in the family. The grandmother is coming to church again, and the grandfather even came to the baptism. It was really special.

Before the baptism they were both a little nervous, and didn’t really know what to expect. After I had baptized them both they said they started crying when they came up out of the water. I told them it was there spirit rejoicing with all the angels and Heavenly Father and Christ in heaven. After that they both went up to bear their testimonies. Even though their testimonies were written they both were overcome by the spirit as they bore their testimonies. It was really powerful and special. It’s really touching when the spirit overcomes children, because they don’t exactly know what’s going on, but they always push right through. Even the hard old Grandfather was tearing up. Of course I lost it, everyone was tearing up, the spirit was so powerful, and it felt like the chapel was full of angels.

It was great, and exactly what that family and I needed.

Afterwards an older member came up to me and whispered, "you were the door". That really hit me for some reason. It makes you realize how little a step baptism is in comparison to all the blessings that await after the baptism. It literally is just the door, but a very ornate door at that.

I was getting nervous about transfers coming up after this week, but after this baptism, I’m actually really calm. I feel like this is the family I was sent here for, to get them back on the path to full activity, they’ve all started attending chapel since I got here, except for the papi, but I hope the baptism will get some gears turning. I feel like I've accomplished what I need to, and if I need to move on it won’t bother me at all. Missionaries are kind of like the way Jesus describes those who are born of the spirit in John 3. The wind bloweth where it listeth or something like that.

This week was particularly hard; most of our amis are getting hit with trials, and stuff. The other side is really strong at the moment. Pray for us, I think they are aware that we could actually meet the mission goal of 1200 baptisms. Thank you for all you do. I think its second Nephi 9, which Nephi talks about Adam and Eve. It’s an absolutely flawless lesson, of the creation and fall. I’ve been studying it to know how to teach that better. If not its second Nephi 2, either way they are both REALLY good chapters. That’s all. Love you all!

Elder Molinari

9 December 2013 Uturoa

9  December 2013 Uturoa, Raiatea

Sorry ahead of time if this letter is a little all over the place, I didn’t have time to plan it today!

Well it’s been a wild week. We are approaching the end of the year and we haven’t quite met our goal. The goal for the mission is 1200 baptisms, We are currently near 800. With close to 200 others fixed for this month. The dirigents (leaders) left to Tahiti for training, and they were all committed to find 5 baptisms by the end of the year. The plan of action is to engage everyone. We have been visiting contacts like crazy teaching so many lessons, and its soooo great! As a result we have two baptisms fixed for the 21 of December, two kids, cousins, their names are Mehani and Temehani. They are so awesome. We also have another baptism coming up on the 15 this week :) 

Each investigator we have engaged this week has also said yes to baptism. We just have to fix dates, which is usually the hard part, however, we’ve been fasting and praying and planning for a miracle and I think the Lord will help us save an unprecedented amount of his children this week. However, the trials have been hard for our amis (friends) with fixed dates and we know that whenever you fix a date trials come. No baptism is an easy baptism...Elder Tumarae and I are prepping ourselves for an intense week this week. We know there is going to be lots of opposition because the other side knows we are about to accomplish a lot of work. In fact we are both coming down with something right now, not a coincidence, but whatever we going to push ahead just the same.

This week we were searching for a reference, and we tried this house but no one was there. We finally found the right house but no one was there again. Then we saw that there were people in the house we had tried earlier and for some reason we felt like we needed to go back. We got there, introduced ourselves, asked if they had time for a message, and the response was. <> It turns out there father is in the hospital having an operation and its been very hard. They have two little girls, and en fait he is a cousin of the Bishop, so the bishop is the member integratuer (integrator). We’ve had lots of little <> like that this week, lots of new families and old contacts. It’s been great, and i think the bishopric and some of the members in the ward are getting more motivated! Probably because they see we have nearly 20 investigators who attend church and we are out biking from 10 in the morning to usually 7 at night. Its been very tiring, but that’s missionary work! Its missionary work for a reason, and I love it.

I feel really at home here now that the language is settling in. Yesterday there were two tourists who came and visited the chapelle thinking it was the protestant church. Also a family of members came and visited the chapelle. I have to say, it felt really weird talking in English and I didn’t realize how difficult of a time I was having forming sentences. It was just really weird. French and Tahitian sounds more normal than English at the moment. The nonmembers were from San Antonio, so we talked a little about the temple there. And then they talked a little about Romney, they said the reason he didn’t win was because he was to <> it was funny. Then I told them to find the missionaries when they return home. Who knows maybe they will. The member family came into the class for the investigators, and one of the Tahitians asked if I could translate what was being taught for them. The Father was really nice though, he noticed I was with an investigator and he said <> he was really nice!

P day today was super fun. The old assistants who should have finished there missions several weeks ago are here acting as <>. There are going to help the Raiatea and Tahaa islands increase the speed of their work. They are awesome. We went with them and the zone leaders today to the beach and the old Temple site where they did human sacrifices and whatnot. We played rugby on the beach, then it was super hot, so I climbed a coconut tree got us all coconuts and we drank them and ate mangoes. Nothing like P day on Raiatea! After that we walked a little in the ocean, we are allowed in the ocean up to our knees :) Sadly I forgot my camera!!!!!! Oh well another time.

Ok that’s about all I can think of right now! Love you all Alma 7:11-13 are particularly enlightening Mummy. in v13 it states that Christ didn’t actually need to suffer for all the stuff because the holy ghost knows all, but he did anyways so he could succor us better.  Ether 12 is fantastic as well. 

Nana

bisou

Elder Molinari

I Don't Know What Week It Is Anymore

Hello. Well that was weird.

This week has been a lot of hard intense searching. Sometimes missionary work is mostly fishing instead of feeding but that's fine. We extended nearly 30 challenges to do missionary work and followed up on nearly 30 members missionary work this week. Elder superstar had given me an enormous list of names when he left and most of this week was spent searching out all the people who were on the list. Some of them for investigators that had just been put on hold for no reason!!!!!! WHAT!!!!!yeah I know, I was pretty furious when you hear yeah we had a lesson scheduled but so and so never showed up and we thought well maybe they are busy. Sp they waited and waited and a month and a half goes by and Elder Tumarae and I show up. Luckily the Lord kept there hearts soft and they all were very happy to recommence the lessons. So all in all we got 6 new investigators this week. and we fixed 2 baptisms woooooo! Both 11 year-olds who are part of part member families. They read the scriptures and do their prayers every night. And there influence is actually re integrating the inactive families in the ward again. A Mami who has been inactive for a while came to church this for the first time in who knows how long, because I think she has joined in saying prayers with them. Its amazing how Heavenly Father Works.

Well, now that my companionship troubles are over for a season Elder T. and I can turn our attention to the next problem: Missionary work in the ward. Elder T. and I are going to really hit it hard to jump start this zone. We want to show the members here that missionary work actually works. We are going to start with working hard with the bishop and the bishopric, and from there hopefully the success fasting and prayers will trickle down and infect the ward as well. All we can really do is work. 

Elder Tumarae is hilarious, he likes to sing in the shower and is always patting his belling and saying I had lots of blessings in my old secteur, he was on the Tuamotus. Like I said his favorite phrase is bien maigrir, but he doesnt have any problem clearing out the fridge! Which isnt too much of a problem because he like to buy most of the food, which is ok with me because between you and me he eats most of it! :) Its been really good though, he knows how to teach and speak and always has really good advice. Hes just coming off of a hard companion as well. Dont add this part: his companion was an american who had basically given up trying to learn french, he had been out for a year and spoke far far worrse french then I do according to Elder T. Elder T helped lift him back up again and they worked hard in there zone. So we are both very happy to be working the way we are right now. I hope ill get to be with him for a while but He will probably just finish out my training and Either I or he will be transfered, and ill probably train either in my zone or a new one.

Some wierd things have been happening lately. I dont know how to ex^plain it, maybe you can ask blaine about it when he gets back but you start to forget what you look like. Like, you forget that you are a white american surrounded by polynesians sometimes. Its rather bizarre and I dont know exactlt how to explain what it feels like. Also The people now all look so different and unique. When I first got here I had trouble telling sme poeple apart, but now its like every one looks completely different but the same still. And I think my steps towards becoming tahitian are progressing. The last two nights I was cold and went for an extra blanket!? It was about 2 oclack in the morning and my thoughts were jeez im cold, it cant be less than 70 degrees...I need another blanket! Yeah its pretty funny, but I dont mind really its almost nice! Also we were at a family home evening the other night in tahitian, and everyone was searching for a word, including the grandparents who were assisting with us. Then I found the word first: upootia! It means to overcome. It was great, everyone lost i because the american found the word first, and the bishop said well i guess he is more of a taata Tahiti (man tahitian) then us! It was pretty funny.

Kirstin sounds like she is having a good time. apart from the drama. Wo, massive deja vu just now. anyways, she should be fine. There are a lot of high school like tendencies at the MTC because of the age lowering but you just have to ignore them and not let poeple bother you. Your concern is you work for the Lord and that is all that matters, if other missionaries think they are better then you then that is unfortunate and their problem. Anyways I already sent a letter to her!

I've been reading the general conference talks, and I particularly like one where the story goes: there was a stake president and a 70, and the stake in question had lots of problems with unification. And the president asked the 70 what he should do. The 70 responded tell them to read the scriptures, and president asked which scriptures and he responded, its doesnt really matter. Ive been using that so much lately. If you read the scriptures you will invite a spirit into your life, and be able to overcome tons of obstacles sometimes without even realising it. Like elder Bednar said, sometimes we dont even realise all the subtle ways the lord is blessing us. totally true.

My matress is pretty much gone now, im going to have to ask for a new one. Oh and preach my gospel is amazing, I would suggest using it to teach the lessons to nicholas for family nights, and also invite other non members to family nights.

Love you all!

Alma Chapter 7

Elder Molinari

 Me and Elder "T"

This is a mountain.

 This is a grapefruit. They grow everywhere. This one was delicious. They are green inside and very sweet.

 The other end of Raiatea

 Sunset out the back of a sketchy pick up truck.

Same sunset.

Monday 25 November 2013 Uturoa

Editor's note: I left the French words in tact. We will expect more and more as time goes by.

Well this week has been great! I have a new companion, His name is Elder Tumarae. Hes from the island Tupai dans les australes. He is so awesome, we are getting so much work done already, yesterday we had 11 amis de meglise assist chapelle and 6 inactive members! He served in the Tuamotus in the Motu hau, that might be the spelling. I've got a picture of him attached, i think the lord is giving me a break, you made it through the first one, learned a lot, now its time to get to work. The only way I can describe him is like a Tahitian version of Fritz Jung. So its ben awsome.

 

I hit that mark with the language where i can say probably 90 percent of what i want to and understand pretty much what everyone is saying. I've had a LOT of help from the big man though, the gift of tongues is real. Elder Tumarae is shocked with how well I speak and understand French. The first few days I was kind of <> because I had to show him around and introduce him to everyone. He was like well you manage yourself pretty well, you'll probably be a trainer next. That made me a little nervous, but whatever I have the Lords help with everything I do so it cant be too bad. My new Tahitian companion actually speaks Tahitian, so now I can begin to actually learn how to speak Tahitian like a Tahitian!

 

I don't really know what else to say. Oh! We had a family night for our quartier, what they call a neighborhood, and it went...ok. The lesson was on the plan du salvation and we tried to get through the whole thing but there was a minister there, and other people that all they wanted to do was invite a spirit of contention. Elder Tumarae did a pretty good job though he took all the questions, and addressed them by continuing to teach the lesson. It took way too long though. In the end I bore a powerful testimony of the truth of the plan of salvation in Tahitian and french, and of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. Elder Tumarae did the same thing and challenged everyone there to pray for the truth of the message. Everyone was silent after that. I think they were just annoyed by the fact that we have the answers to the 3 deepest questions a man can ask. Where do we come from. What is our purpose on the Earth. And Where are we going after. I'm very grateful we have a prophet and modern day scripture that leads this Church so we aren't wandering around in the spiritual darkness of Lehi's dream!

 

Also whenever you are in a situation like that, just bear testimony and share a scripture in the Livre de Mormon. There's no point in arguing with someone that doesn't care to learn. Even if you look like a fool for not arguing back or trying to prove your point. You don't have to prove anything. The spirit does that for you, IF they have open hearts and willing spirits.

 

I don't have Kirstin's Email ask her to email me? Also she should be kind of settled in now. Japanese is a hard language, my advice is memorize an enormous amount of useful verbs first. Verbs are powerful, they let you say things, the rest of the vocab can come after the verbs. That's how I did french and Tahitian. Also, remind her the cinnamon granola by the food line in the corner near the drinks is excellent and I ate it for almost every meal for 7 weeks.

 

For you guys: Elder Chailloux got transferred on Wednesday i think? He wrote me a letter before he left. Thanking me for the things I said and my example. He said he learned a lot, and was going to turn over a new leaf. There was a lot of other really nice stuff in the letter too, Im pretty sure it was sincere. If so I accomplished my first Mission Trial woooooooooooo. Lots more to come, and if that was the first one, my goodness pray for me. He cant take away the eye twitch eye developed though...maybe it will go away with elder tumarae. Elder Tumarae is almost the opposite of elder Chailloix, I think the Lord is giving me a little break before it gets hard again!

we are approaching the hot point of the year here. Its starting to feel like the one year at pageant, and when there is no Wind it feels like we are in an oven! its alright though because its better than being freezing cold! It also is the rainy season, randomly we will get these super heavy rain storms, we can usually find shelter.

 

I cant believe Christmas is almost here. I was with elder Twede and elder Franco in Fareatai when we realized it was Thanksgiving. So we went out with a machete and went on a coconut/ fruit gathering spree and had a Thanksgiving feast! It was fun. I'm very thankful for my sectuer, it may be large, but there are no nearly as many hills and black flies as in elder Franco's zone!

 

Oh I want you to Watch a movie on Netflix i think. Its called Departures, its a Japanese film live action about a man who takes up a job as a Japanese undertaker. It really shows you some of the customs of japan, and a bit of the people, and the music is cello music and absolutely excellent! The music is by Joe Hisaishi, the composer that does the music for Hiao Miyazakis films. Watch it, it was a fabulous film. lots of good morals.

 

The little music player and that speaker along with prayer is what really got me through this month i don't know what i would have done without music. I got all the songs on my USB from the Zone leaders i now have close to 450 songs including tons of Phil Collins! Love his voice! Our mission president's Policy with music is if it makes you feel the spirit go ahead. So I now have lots of Disney and other songs. It's great!

November 4, 2013 Uturoa

Iaroana Outou (you all)

Things are going well here but slow. We gave a training meeting for the leaders of the auxiliaries this Sunday, and told them our goal. President Sinjoux - through revelation- received the number of baptisms for this year that we need, 1200! Currently we have 609. That’s a lot of baptisms to do in 2 months. However just like it says in 1 Nephi 3:7 the Lord doesn’t give commandments unless he prepares a way for them to be accomplished. For our sector we need 20 or more baptisms. Therefore we did some training and presented our plan to the members, they are to increase their efforts in finding so we can be receiving the highest number of new investigators that we can. Also these areas have been tracted so many times we usually find little to nothing. People generally accept us, but they are very content with where they are and what they are doing. They would prefer to stay in a church that doesn’t require anything except a body in the chapel on Sunday. Please don’t ever just be a body in the chapel on Sunday in our church! We will see what comes to fruition from all this though. There is still that nasty asterisk by the plan that reads <>.

I had a great experience this week that strengthened my faith. On Saturday night, really late, my wonderfully thoughtful companion turned to me and told me I was in charge of the lesson in Gospel essentials on Sunday (Through something that I read as a smirk, after which I had a <> discussion with him it wasn’t with anger though it was about communication in our companionship, later I swallowed my pride and apologized, and told him I needed faith and would teach the lesson) I was initially a little fearful to teach a lesson at church, for an hour, but through the night and that morning I decided I could do it. I added it to my fast, said several prayers and did a little planning during sacrament meeting. After which I went to class and started to teach the lesson. The topic was faith. The class miraculously was very involved, and I ended up teaching without help from my companion for the whole hour...and then went 20 minutes over because we were having such a good discussion.

I talked about how when we plant the seed of faith most of the stages of growth are the same at the beginning. I compared this to when you first start reading the book of Mormon and praying. That is probably the hardest thing to motivate people to do, read the book of Mormon. I don’t think people read very much here, Tahitian was an oral language, so when you give them something as foreign as the book of Mormon with all its names, people, bible lingo, and this funny place called Jerusalem; it doesn’t make much sense to them at first. But if they keep nourishing the seed it will eventually bear fruit, you can’t have fruit the second you plant a seed, and even after you do plant the seed, you don’t actually even see anything come from it for a few days. I think that made sense to a lot of the investigators who were there. I’ll just have to remember that one and use it in the future. Any ways to sum it all up I had a lot of divine help with the lesson in turns of questions discussions and insights.

The language is also improving a ton, the fact that I could teach for an hour and 20 minutes shows that I have some basic mastery of communication my thoughts efficiently now. Even if understanding still is iffy. Understanding takes a lot more time than being able to speak, but I have patience that in 1 to 2 more months I will understand pretty much everything. If I look at my progress from when I first got here to now, I’ve come a loooooooooooong way with lots of prayers and fasting. It will be 1 month in Polynesia in 3 days!

We moved last week! We now live behind the chapel! Elder Chailloux wanted to move and I didn’t really care either way so we did! It this little house just behind the chapel, and its actually really nice. There are almost no mosquitoes, and we have ceiling fans, and with the fans from the other house, I am always incredible comfortable and protected from mosquitoes. It has 2 rooms, a kitchen and the bedroom, ad this teeny bathroom. I like it though because it close enough to the coast that we always have a breeze blowing through the house, and we are never late to church are meetings. Its also closer to the town, the members, and the stores which is super handy. So all in all I think I prefer it. Ill include pictures next week, I forgot to charge my camera so i couldn’t take any!

D&C 88 is awesome. So is all of 1 Nephi 7. As well as Jesus with Nicodemus and the last supper in John. In fact the entire book of John is amazing. We should all desire the love that Enoch had for mankind, That you can read about in Moses.

Love Elder Molinari

This picture was sent by the mission office. It is their arrival in Tahiti on October 7 2013

Fafaru!

28 October 2013 Uturoa, Raiatea

I ate Fafaru for the first time last night. It was about as bad as you’d think it would be. For everyone that doesn't know its fish meat that has been sitting in ocean water for a week. Then you eat it. NO spices no seasoning. Just like it is, all mingy and whatnot. It was kind of like putting a slug in your mouth, that no matter how much you chew, it doesn't break apart. However the slug tastes something like dog poop, and swamp, mixed with an after kick of ammonia. I don’t really know how else to describe it. I ate it one time, then I decided to do it again for a photo. The second time they said to put it in lemon juice to make it better. So i did, little did I know that better meant increase the intensity of the flavor! I had to say a quick prayer in my head to get it down that time, cuz it was bad. As an after-thought I think it smells better coming out than going in!

Work is going slowly, but I’m pretty sure we are progressing with the investigators we have. An inactive couple we are working with are trying to quit smoking and we had our lesson set up to teach about faith. I asked a few questions at the beginning though and one of them was are you praying every day. the response was iffy. So instead of faith the spirit told me we needed to have a lesson on prayer. We talked a little Then I had everyone there share an experience they had had with prayer and when we were done there was a great spirit there. I then shared the passage from 3 Nephi 13 i think? about the lilies of the field and the birds that don’t sow, and how Heavenly Father already knows what we need and want, We just have to ask for it. I then committed them to pray every night, and they seemed more motivated!

The Language is coming along a lot better, I can understand probably 90 percent in lessons now, but normal talk is still difficult when i don’t know what the subject is. But I wasn’t called to do normal talk, so hopefully it’ll come within the next few weeks I’m just going to focus on my teaching skills and vocabulary for lessons right now. the rest will come with time.

We had Stake Conference on Saturday and Sunday, and the 2 70s of the area were here. There talks were excellent! and it was great to have an English straight to French Translator, I learned so many new words! During the priesthood session he called all the young men up to the stand. Then asked the steak president to go through name by name and ask them their age and priesthood office. Roughly 50 percent of the young men he called up weren't up to date in the church’s main system. Whenever he found one that wasn't up to date he would call the bishop of that boys ward up, and then the clerk, and make him promise all of us that he wouldn't forget about records. 

The General Authority then said; what if this young man went to another ward and wanted to bless the sacrament? To the other ward h. e is still a teacher, and that means to the church he is still a teacher. He then stated that until it is in the church system, the ordination/ any work that needs to be recorded is not recorded in heaven. It was pretty intense, but at the same time really funny. I kept looking over at elder Purdy (the zone leader) with a I can’t believe he just did that face! 

His talk on Sunday was also stupendous as well. He addressed cohabitation and same sex marriage directly. He said whenever we are confronted with these things teach the plan of salvation. Where in the plan of salvation is the plan of cohabitation, the plan of same sex marriage? It’s nowhere. To what end are these practices worth it? Nothing, nothing comes of them in eternity. Do you think that that is the condition that we are going to be living in heaven? It was pretty impressive. 

Several of our investigators were there that needed to hear that. I had also been wondering how exactly does the sacrament purify us each week like baptism? He answered my query in his talk by saying that when the priest blesses and SANCTIFIES the bread and water, he is also doing the same for the entire congregation, and we recommit ourselves to those baptismal covenants each week. It was interesting.

Kirstin’s departure is speedily coming up! I wish her luck! (his sister who reports to MTC in Provo 20 November to learn Japanese, before going to Tokyo) 

Love you all,

Orometua Molinari

Haere Mary Haere Papu (slowly but surely)

 Eating Fafaru

Farfaru

21 October 2013 Uturoa, Raiatea

I’ve decided on a new name for Raiatea

...land of the misfit Peugeots. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many Peugeots in my life. Actually, the most I have ever seen is two, in our driveway at home. It seems like anything that has 2-4 wheels that Peugeot has ever made has ended up here.

I am going to be brutally honest, things are difficult! My ear for the language is coming along, but it is still going to take time before I can fully understand what everyone is saying. Which makes things difficult because you want to serve them and find out their needs, what makes them tick, but it’s hard to pick up on those things.

I try to keep the conversation to the gospel, then I know what is being talked about. I can pretty much understand the conversation when I know the subject, otherwise my comprehension lowers. However, the Lord sometimes requires a slow Learning period, and that’s just where I am right now. It’ll come, but it will take time.

The food is good, except for when it’s Chinese food (shao ming or something like that) its these noodles with all sorts of stuff grilled and served on top. That’s getting harder and harder to stomach each time I have it, but everything else is delicious!

Last week was great! On Wednesday all the District and zone leaders went to Papeete for a meeting with the president. So guess what that meant? The rest of us- basically the only other elders on the island- stayed with Elder Franco on his side of Raiatea. So my MTC companion Elder Twede came over from Taha’a, and we stayed with Elder Franco for 2 days. It was great! It was nice to be able to discuss our experiences and vent a little to people that could understand. Elder Franco is one of Elder Twede and my good friends from the other district of new missionaries.

So it was just us in the mission house on the other side of Raiatea. Things are much slower and spread out over there. Far more rural than my area. We were all just kind of distraught over the fact that we really want to be aggressive with our missionary work, but it’s very difficult at the moment when all you can do is kind of teach lessons and bear testimony. Later that day heavenly Father gave us a little confidence booster. With the help of some members, we got Elder Franco 2 new investigators and started an inactive father on the path back towards activity. It was a really nice time.

I was feeling a little frustrated on Saturday with the language and everything, and we were stuck home because it was pouring outside. And Just as I was getting up, a thought came into my head, "read 1 Corinthians 14." By now I know to just do whatever my thoughts tell me to do. So I did, and I was pleasantly surprised to find out what it was about. You can read the chapter for the whole thing, but its Paul talking about receiving the gift of tongues and prophecy. What a coincidence right? Nope. There are no coincidences on missions. I couldn’t have told you what 1 Corinthians 14 was about even if my life depended on it before Saturday. I like one verse in particular that said if you talk in tongues, makes sure you speak simply so everyone that hears can be edified. It was nice to hear that from Paul. So another small miracle with the scriptures!

Well know that the lord lives and loves all of us! My favorite scripture is Paul’s testimony of God’s love (Romans 8:38,39)! Read it and ponder its implications!

Love you all. Don’t worry about me!

Elder Molinari

 Flying in to Raiatea

 My first P-day

 Our house

My 1st companion Elder Chailoux and me (sorry, it won't rotate)

 Up the road from our house

Picture of town with Elder C in the foreground

Taha'a across the lagoon as seen from our house 

14 October 2013 Uturoa, Raiatea

My First Week in Tahiti

Well, not really Tahiti I was only there for a few days. For my First Zone I was assigned to Uturoa, Raiatea. (I’m using a member’s compûter so I can’t take too much time). I want to write about; my first week here so I will summarize arrival. We flew in and stayed in temple housing then flew out on Wednesday, my companion elder Chailloux was with me as well. He is the district leader here, and he is from Bora Bora and doesn’t speak a lick of English, needless to say it’s been fun. We arrived at our house and there were mosquitoes everywhere! We live near the airport but on a road that takes out away from, the coast. Luckily, we found the source of the mosquitoes and took care of it, the previous elders had left a big thing of standing water Under the sink. Mosquitoes here aren’t like mosquitoes at home, after a few swats they give up and fly away!

if you want to know how I am feeling right now, Watch the other side of heaven when he gets off the boat and introduces himself to the "branch president" that face is how I’m doing. Who knew French could not sound like French? I mostly follow Elder C. around on my bike and smile and bear my testimony. Well... maybe its not that bad, I can understand probably 20% or less of what is being said to me. I swear they only use half of the entire word to speak. I can’t understand the bishop for the life of me. Imagine the godfather, but with two more ping pong balls in his cheeks- and then put it in French/Tahitian and your getting there.

We already had a baptism for an investigator named Bruno. Names are sooo hard to get in a conversation. They are all sorts of American/French/Tahitian combinations, and everyone says their names so fast I cant ever catch them!

I have a few names memorized but it is still hard!

We have mostly done lots of porte à porte (door to door). This involves biking up to someone's house yelling “iaorana”, and waiting to see if they come out. Then I introduce us, answer the obligatory where are you from and Elder Chailloux saves me before I get into trouble! We actually find a decent amount of investigators this way, probably because they are so confused as to why I speak Tahitian. We tracted into this ancient Tahitian man the other day, whose shirt only went down to the top of his belly, and he had a cloud of mosquitoes around him. We talked a while, gave an overview of the restoration, listened to him speak and then he agreed to let us come back. (didn’t find this out till after we had finished).

There’s lots of wind here, so it’s never too hot, and I am always comfortable at night, due to the fan, and a thin blanket that protects me from the nono's (mosquitoes). I actually don’t have very many bites, probably due to my frequent and fervent prayers.

So lots of biking, lots of swatting, and lots of trying to figure out what’s going on. Ward council meeting was extra tedious, but it gave me lots of good practice with listening.

There are chickens everywhere. I mean EVERYWHERE! Right now there are two roosters having a territory war over our yard, accompanied by their gang of hens. They are crazy; I go and yell at them to be quiet as well as Elder C. a lot.

The people’s houses are really cool. Pretty much everything is open, but the insides are tiled and kept really clean. People in the US would probably think its 3rd world living standards but that’s how you build houses here. Once you go inside, you see appliances like TV’s, game systems and nice furniture. So it’s rather odd. Some houses are nicer than others though. There are still some that are living at about 3rd world level.

We have meals called faatamaaraa's with members everynight. Last night I was feeling rather overwhelmed; as we biked to our diner appointment - I was almost dreading it. But it was with this wonderfully kind Mami (what you call all old Tahitian women). She talked nice and slow for me, corrected me French/Tahitian, and made sure I knew what was being discussed. I told her I felt a little trapped in my own head. She responded with "well of course, it’s not easy to learn 2 new languages, but you will, it just takes time" I love how Heavenly Father knows exactly what we need when we need it. That dinner appointment left me feeling a lot better.

Well that’s about all I have time for. Things are going well. Couldn’t be happier!

Elder Molinari

 Elder Molinari and MTC Teachers Frere Rony and Soeur Buswell

MTC District in Provo UT before departing for Tahiti