170th Anniversary

26 May 2014 Tiapa Paea

This is the stadium where we held the celebration.

We had the 170th anniversaire of the arrival of missionaries in French Polynesia; it was pretty big and exciting. Every stake on Tahiti put together a dance performance representing one of the groups of islands here. Our stake did Tupuai in the Australes. It was pretty incredible. The stadium was completely filled with people. That was Friday night, we didn't get home till REALLY late.

This is our stake's dance. It was pretty cool.
We were pretty far away, but I tried to capture it.

Then Saturday night there was a devotional in the stadium, which was pretty long and we marched out onto the field With President Sinjoux surveying us in the upper stadium. I felt a little like the storm troopers with the emperor looking over us while we were doing that. Then we walked around the track and waved to everyone, all in all it was a really weird night. My camera died shortly before so I couldn't sneak any photos. Elder Hamula is getting released as the pacific area 70, I think Elder Pearson is taking his spot. I liked his testimony, it was very simple but you could feel the power, as he cited his authority as one of the 70 of JESUS CHRIST, it was powerful.

Dancers representing the Tuomotus

More of the same.

This week we had to give a blessing with an oil substitute. I couldn't find where I placed my oil bottle, but we were already about to give the blessing. So I put a few drops of Terra Shield in the little gold vile, consecrated it and then gave probably one of the nicest smelling blessings I have ever done. I think it works because it’s pure oil. At least let’s hope so. Before the other missionaries used coconut oil to bless people, and that’s basically what terra shield is, so I guess it was a throwback blessing in honor of the CN 170.

We had a lot of baptismal interviews to do this week, which means I got to drive the car a lot. I’ve got stick down now; I’ll probably try to buy only manuals when I get back now I’m converted. I got to drive the car deep into our valley, needless to say it was pretty bumpy but she made it up to Vetearai's house. The sketchiest part is when you have to let someone pass, because the roads are just -just-wide enough to let 2 cars through, it’s pretty fun.

Looking back I’m actually really grateful to be put in Tiapa. I really like it here. The people are awesome, there are lots of Tahitians, and you don’t have to travel really far for anything. We are in Week 10 out of 12 of training now, coming down to the end of it, so we'll see what happens.

I was reading Alma CH 1 and was pretty interested by the teachings of Nehor. In Verses 3 and 4 there are 3 things he teaches that the world actually teaches today. It’s pretty interesting that the Devil is always the same and works through the same false ideas and vain beliefs.

It also hit me that the righteous people had to go to war because of the bad choices of the wicked. People may not be aware, but their bad choices will usually end up affecting others as well and there poor decision will take the free agency of others, which will in turn implicate the demands of justice onto that person who made the poor choice, making them responsible for ALL the bad that happened as a result of their choice. So, we need to try our hardest to make good choices, keep the commandments, and stay away from others that are making poor choices, or else we will inevitably get involved.

Nava'i tera (Well that’s enough)

Faaitoito

Love you all

Elder Molinari