The Importance of Family

Iaorana I teie poipoi ia tatou,

Anotha week anotha dollah... We've had a whole bunch of miracles and experiences happen this past week and it's crazy to think that so much can be packed into such a short amount of time.

We started off the week having a family home evening with a family in our ward. We extended an invitation for the husband to get baptized and he said YES!!!

My companion has been really sick this past week and has spent most of his study times sleeping...I mean really pondering the gospel while letting his eyes rest. Well while he was in deep thought both physically and spiritually I was just in deep thought spiritually. Thinking about the love our Heavenly Father has for each of us and how incredible it is that he knows each of us individually.

We had a third lesson with a friend we just started teaching the other week. During the first lesson the spirit was jumping off the walls and we invited her to think about a date for baptism. During our second lesson she asked "How do I know if I'm ready?" To which we responded "Pray!" She was ready from the start she has a sincere desire to change and at the end of the third lesson she said she wanted to be baptized and chose the date as her birthday or the 26th of March which is less than a week away. She's been a great example to me that if you have a will, there's a way. 

Hit my seven month mark on the fifteenth and I was like woah, I'm almost a third of my way through. Where'd all the time go. The day before we got a call to lead a funeral service. It was my companion and I'm first time doing such a thing and we relied Heavenly on the spirit to lead us because the funeral was for a baby. We had interviews with President that same day which were great.

Went on splits with the Zone Leaders and because the other zone leader doesn't have his license they gave me the keys to their brand new Suzuki. It was pretty sick but also kinda looked like a mini mini-van. Wished I would've stanced up next to the mini van for you guys. Splits went grade it rained almost the entire day which was crazy. We got to our dinner appointment and ate like crazy because they didn't really have any food in their house for lunch. The lemon chicken, rice and Maa Tinto went so hard that night. We were talking and joking around and then Elder Tia starts talking about how he's learning the guitar. They bring out a guitar and then look at me and bring out their Ukulele and the guy brings out his traditional drum. The other lady starts singing. The Mami who was sleeping on the couch even wakes up and starts singing too, it was just one big party and good time. Even learned how to play the song Te Varua Maitai which has been stuck in my head for the past week which was sweet.

Bulking??? We got McDonald's for lunch had some lessons did some studies and contacting and then had another lesson with a family. We're teaching the little boy in the family because the rest of the family is already members. At the end of our game/lesson they were just like do you guys have a dinner appointment this evening? We were like no and they were like well let's head to McDonald's Elders what a blessing. We got their and they ordered this huge family pack. We got stuffed and then they ordered sundaes. Good thing it was the end of the day because I got back to the house and was out for the night.

Luiaaaa Le Quartier!!! Had this whole quartier hating us on Saturday eveningish time. We had a little break in our schedule and it so happened it was from 5pm to 7pm or prime dinner hour. We headed up into this predominantly French neighborhood and start going door to door. We hit this dead end and there were like four dogs following us barking and making so much noise. Most of the houses ignored us until they heard the dogs and then they came out to quiet the dogs.

Funeral Round 2... Got back from Church on Sunday went to our Bishops house to eat lunch and then we get a call from a lady asking if we can lead another funeral. We made a few calls and got our entire district to go to the funeral as well. We gave talks and sang five or six songs. The difference was this time the funeral was for someone that lived their entire life and passed away from old age. The spirit was strong in that funeral as well, and it was nice to see the love all the family members had for their grandma.

Spiritual Thought:

This past week was filled with life. Celebrating life and being grateful for the opportunity to live here with our families. This gospel gives me the comfort and knowledge that this isn't the end and that we can see our families again some day and live with them for eternity. I'm truly grateful for that knowledge and the knowledge that their's a living prophet on the earth who guides us.

In Mosiah Chapter 4 Verses 6 and 8 it says, "I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his life, I mean the life of the mortal body." 

And 9, "Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend."

This life, our life doesn't end here when we die but if we are patient and suffereth long we can receive blessings in this life and the life to come.

"Vents favorables et mer suivants"

"Mata'i haumaru e moana mania"

"Fair winds and following seas"

Standing by,

Orometua Ellis

Link to my Google Photo's album. Go check um, go check um, go!:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qErFS2eWV3pJGVEV7