The Water is Evil !!!!
Highlights:
- We drove around the island last p-day stopping at a few different places and tried to get access to some beaches but every beach ended up being private which was sad and we didn't feel like trespassing so we just bypassed the beaches and continued on with our tour. We might go back and contact those places so we can check out there beaches...
- We were driving back in the pitch black and then the horses eating grass on either sides of the road looked at the truck and moved right in the middle of the road blocking us. I honked the horn thinking they would move to the side and then they just started running in front of the car along the road and kept going off half a mile before they moved off to the side again.
- Made fried noodles and ate with our neighbor and then we made some chichidango (mochi) after and it was sooo good. Our neighbors sister liked it so much she took the recipe I had and ended up making more later on in the week.
- We washed the car three times this past week because one of the Papis in the branch kept saying how dirty the truck looked. It doesn't help that it rains for like half the day leaving huge puddles of water on the side of the road or big things of mud in the mountains. One minute the truck is clean and an hour later it's all muddy.
- Our branch presidents father in law was out walking and saw us. He called us over and was like, "Hey Elders here's a new friend". He had just been walked and decided to open his mouth and start talking about the gospel to this guy on the side of the road and the guy ended up wanting to here more so we set up another time to meet with him again. Luiaaaaa the miracles.
- Found a knife sharpener and then started sharpening a machete that I found on the side of the road. Pretty sick and still debating if I'm going to take the machete back with me.
- Told my companion our room looked like a prison cell and that we needed to put some things up and then I remembered I had a Hawaiian flag. Quickly put that bad boy up and I can honestly say that seeing that this throughout the day brings me so much joy and strength.
- Had burritos with my "uncle Kevin"... the only American guy that lives on the island and also has the last name Ellis. The burritos were amazing and we were the taste testers for different things they're going to do for their Mexican restaurant. We also got to make a few burritos to take home which made for amazing lunches the following two days.
- Had interviews with our mission president and we started talking about the members. I started saying how we've been working hard not only to build the branch but to be a blessing to the members in the branch through service. We can't expect the members to help us if we don't help them first so filling up bottles is the go to. It helps them free up some time in their busy schedules to spend more quality time with their children and this past Sunday one of the Sisters in our branch expressed her gratitude for our little action in front of the branch and it touched me and Elder Hagens hearts.
- Also in our interview with our mission president, he gave us the approval to fly/boat over to another island. We just need to let him know our plans before hand and we can go and spend a few days to a week doing missionary work on this island with a handful of active members. We wouldn't be going there to find a whole lot of new friends but mostly to fortify the little group and help the members there feel the spirit and follow the Church Directives.
Lowlights:
- No low lights for me but just for my companion.
- Elder Hagen has still been adjusting to the "clean water" on Nuku Hiva. The water is fine at our house but when we eat with the members and drink water that comes from good spots his stomach gets absolutely destroyed. It's funny because I remember how it happened for me for a little bit when I first got here but now I'm chilling. President even asked us how we were holding up with the water over here and then was like, "good luck Elders, keep up the work and try not to get sick".
Spiritual Thought:
This past week I actually had some pretty powerful personal studies every single time and at the end of the hour I wanted to keep studying but had to stop. One of the things that I really enjoyed this past week came from a talk called "Reflections on a Consecrated Life" in the talk the speaker tells about how life offers two precious gifts.
The first gift is the gift of time. The second gift is the freedom of choice. We can buy with our time what we will. We are only given so much time on this earth and we need to know how to use our time, and the things that we should prioritize in our lives.
"Vents favorables et mer suivants"
"Mata'i haumaru e moana mania"
"Fair winds and following seas"
Ua Here au ia 'oe,
Elder Ellis
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