Stay on the True Course

Iaorana i teie poipoi to'u mau hoa!!!

It's been an eventful week, last weekend we had general conference and were able to hear from so many amazing
people and hear so many amazing talks. One of my favorite talks from conference came from Sister J. Anette Dennis. She said, "Let us remember that each person on this earth is a child of God and He loves each one". We are often quick to judge people by their outward appearance and experiences. At the same time we must think to ourselves, who am I to judge someone else while I myself don't walk perfectly. Paul says that, "You can speak with tongues, have the gift of prophecy, understand all mysteries, and possess all knowledge, even if you have the faith to move mountains, without charity it won't profit you at all." For charity is according to Moroni 7:47, "The pure love of Christ". The savior doesn't condone sin but offers us His love and extends forgiveness when we repent, and if we go unto Him and take upon His yoke and learn of him He will give us rest. By learning of him we embody and practice the characteristics of Christ in our daily lives. He is the embodiment of charity and pure love and by seeking to do as he would we will fill His love flow through us and make things not only possible but easier and lighter.

Talks aren't always super serious, some of the talks provide us with a nice little laugh amidst the seriousness most commonly found. In a talk by Elder Isaac. K Morrison, he gave some life advice that he always follows or at least tries to follow all the time. He said, " Rule 1: Listen to and heed the promptings of your wife. Rule 2: If you are not sure for any reason, refer to rule number 1." 

Learning Tahitian has been a blast and it's crazy to think that in a little over a week we are all going to be in Tahiti (hopefully if everyone's visas come in time). Our days are still packed with studying both French and Tahitian and our teachers are super helpful and always make sure that we understand even if it means repeating things in English for me rather than just saying it in French and hoping I get the overall theme. Ua ite au e te atua here ia tatou e no ta mea no to'na here e haere tatou e ora i pihi iho to'na faahou i te ao ra. (I know that God loves us and because of His love we can live with Him again in Heaven).

Spiritual thought from my studies:

As I was doing some personal studies this past week I came across a talk by Carlos E. Asay. He talks about staying true to the course. Once we have reaffirmed our goal and focused our eyes and hearts upon it, we must make an assessment of our current position. At a critical time in United States history, when a famed debate raged in Congress, Daniel Webster said: “Mr. President, when the mariner has been tossed about for many days in thick weather on an unknown sea, he naturally avails himself of the first pause in the storm, the earliest glance of the sun to take his latitude and ascertain how far the elements have driven him from his true course. Let us imitate this prudence and before we float on the waves of this debate refer to the point from which we departed, that we may at least be able to conjecture where we now are” 

Mariners obtain (or at least used to) their bearings by using a sextant. This instrument enables them to measure the angular distance of the sun or the stars from the horizon, allow them to find the position of their ship. Those who failed to look up and make needed course corrections often perished in deep waters, whereas, the wise seaman who used the sextant in fixing position according to the light from celestial sources usually reached safe harbors.

The storms of life beat consistently against our “hulls.” Therefore, from time to time we, too, must take our latitude and ascertain how far the elements have driven us off the true course.

I roto o piti nephi pene piti ahuru ma ono irava toru ahuru ma toru te reira parau, "E ’ere roa teie nei mau ’ohipa ’ī’ino nō ’ō mai i te Fatu ra, e rave rā ’oia i te ’ohipa maita’i i rotopū i te mau tamari’i a te ta’ata nei ; ’e ’aore roa ho’i te hō’ē mea tāna e rave nei tei ’ore i fa’a’ite-maita’i-hia i te mau tamari’i a te ta’ata nei ; ’e ’ua ani ’oia ia rātou ato’a ’ia haere mai iāna ra ’e ’ia fāri’i i tōna maita’i ; ’e ’aita roa ’oia e pāto’i i te hō’ē ’ia haere mai iāna ra, te ’ere’ere ’e te ’uo’uo, te tītī ’e te ti’amā, te tāne ’e te vahine ; ’e ’ua ha’amana’o ato’a ’oia i te feiā ’ētene ; e hō’ē ana’e rātou ato’a i mua i te Atua, te ’āti Iuda ’e te ’Ētene ato’a ho’i." A faaea parau-ti'a noa i ni'a i te e'a to'u mau hoa.

In 2 Nephi Chapter 26 verse 33 it says, "For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile." Stay true to the course my friends.

"Vents favorables et mer suivante"

"Fair winds and following seas"

Standing by,

Elder Ellis

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Side note:

Go watch this video from conference of us singing, the last minute is holy.

https://youtu.be/v7b4Qfpx7QA