People! I am in Tahiti!!!!
Oh, there are SO, so, so many things I want to say right now! Unfortunately the keyboards here are not the same, so its taking forever to do this. So if you see errors, just keep reading and pay no heed.
OKAY. The first thing I need to say about Tahiti: the people are incredible. I know that missionaries say that in every single mission, but this is really amazing. I've really never seen anything like it. They really are just like Id heard, all one big family. I think I will just start from the beginning.
I'll start with a question: Have you ever been trying to make a connection flight to Tahiti, realized you left your passport on the last plane, run back to find it, had your companion taken away from you, actually done the movie thing where you say to the people in the security line "Excuse me, everyone! I'm in an emergency!" and cut every single person in line, sprinted to and fro by yourself in LAX airport, carrying a heavy bag, for 45 minutes straight, while getting all sorts of directions from all sorts of strangers, been absolutely totally lost on the very first day in the field, finally found your passport, said a deeply sincere prayer, miraculously found your companion and received a ride out to the actual tarmac where the jumbo plane to your mission is waiting?
I have.
So that's that story! True adventures already!
I wish so bad that I could just send you a live stream of everything that is happening in my life and that I had the time to explain everything! I guess I'll just have to tell you the main things:
My companion is wonderful. I will always, always be grateful to Heavenly Father for giving me Soeur Ruaroo as my trainer. She is so kind, so patient. She's from Bora Bora, and she actually finished her mission, but she extended to stay and train. I love her so much. We are reopening an area called Papenoo. Can you imagine how she felt when we got to our house and she has a brand new American girl to train and she has never been here, neither of know a soul? Well let me tell you a miracle that happened. Five minutes after we arrive at our home, we walk across the street to see the ocean. (Yes. Across the street.) We run into a sweet old lady who is walking down the street for some reason and happens to be a member. Mami Opou. Our first friend! (Every old person here is called Mami, its so sweet.) She immediately took us to meet our dear friends, the...somethings. Viahio or something. I still cant tell what they're saying. The second we entered their tiny wooden home, they gave us hugs, food, and real pearl earrings. That's the kind of thing I'm talking about: There is no "Who are you, we have to get to know each other before we're friends" business. Instant family. They live right by us, they park their car in the church lot, so we can see if they are home, which is great: Oh yes, I didn't say yet that our home is practically attached to the church. Just a little apartment. Frere Viahio is extremely kind, he talks slow so I can understand. They are probably 30 years old or something. I told you they have a car, but its weird that they do because they are very poor. They have a baby who is adorable.
I have no idea what anyone is saying! If they talk slow I can usually follow, but most of the time not really. And there is tons of Tahitian going on! I understand 0% of that: I bore my testimony yesterday in both our wards, so that was good. Everyone understood, they say. Who knows.
The chicken thing is real! The cockroach thing is real! The homeless dogs are real! But none of that has bugged me at all. Heavenly Father has blessed me with a lot of calm. Its so different here, but I feel totally fine.
It takes a long time to attach photos, so here are just a couple. More next week!
Photo 1: Our home on the left, church on the right, jungle in the back, horribly sick dog named Pluto on the side.
Photo 2: First arrived in Tahiti! At the Temple! They let us take a shower and a nap at the apartments there. I'm thinking it was the last warm shower of my mission! We then ate at the Presidents house and got assignments and stuff. I don't really know what we ate. I never quite know what I'm eating: I think there was fish? But I'm just taking an " up for whatever" attitude. Its working so far.
I miss you a lot. A lot. I'm definitely feeling those beginning of the mission feelings that everyone talks about: Its alright though, all will be well. I love you, I love you, I love you!
