Wait what?!?! I'm getting transferred???

Aloha ko'u ohana e mau hoa,

Queue Braddah Iz siging Margherita "On a hill top on Tahiti as I gaze across the bay at the island of Moorea..." Sikeeeee that was me a couple weeks ago standing on a hill top in Tahiti staring at Moorea, transfers happened and I'M ON MOOREA. Moorea is lit, takes me back to Bora Bora because it's not quite like Tahiti, most of the people speak Tahitian and there's no A/C in our church building. Not quite as much tourist as Bora Bora or at least not that much in my area.

This past week was absolutely a blast. Started off the week by going to an American store and being in absolute heaven seeing Costco and Sam's club products. One thing I've been missing from the start of my mission has been Hamburger Steak and seeing brown gravy in the store literally brought tears to my eyes. I quickly bought that along with some dried mangoes and we made some Hamburger Steak for dinner that night. 

We thought we were gonna have a nice normal week until we were heading to one of our lessons and we got a call from one of the ladies that works in the mission office and she was just like, "Elder Grangers getting dropped off in 30 minutes" Me and Elder Dussault were both confused and just kept asking, "Wait, do you have the right number?" Turns out she did and we got Transfer news that night that I was headed off to MOOREA. It was low-key sad especially since the work started to pickup as well as our relationship with the members.

Caught the boat over to Moorea with Elder Rodriguez and our welcome was a nice rain shower that soaked all of our luggage. We didn't melt because of rain and we quickly started putting things away when we got back to the house, we did some weekly plannig and set goals for the transfer both as a companionship and some personal goals. We then had a couple lessons and the spirit was insanely strong at one of the lessons and the lady started crying and told us about a dream she had where she was getting baptized then told us she already picked out a date Feburary 21st her birthday. Booom, miracle #1. Miracle #2 was going to another lesson and then asking the boy were teaching if "It was his desire to be baptized and follow the example of Jesus Christ" he said yes and asked if we could do it next week! Like whaaaaaat, my companion thought he was going to get baptized in November, we all agreed that next week was a little too soon and that a few weeks should give him ample time to prepare, so he chose another date also in Feburary.

Highlights:

- Worked hard in Outumaoro 

- We've been completely drenched every day since I've been here on Moorea but it has been an absolute blast

- We set two baptism dates here on Moorea and there are more coming up sooo stand by for that.

- The new district is pretty sick and there's some pretty legendary missionaries in it.

- I left a white shirt for one of our friends Matai over in Outumaoro. I'd been meaning to give him the shirt for a few weeks so he could also join us at church looking the same but kept forgetting. I left it with the other Elders who in turn got it to him and I recieved a nice message that evening. I never realized how much joy could be found by a simple act. Goes back to the saying in Hawaii, "If can can, if no can no can". If you're able to help or give something you should, if you can't, we'll no worries life continues.

- The new ward is absolutely amazing and I love it. The members are stoked on mission work and we are receiving so much support from all the leaders. We've been able to find connections to every member or friend that we've been teaching. From knowing and serving in their families wards on Tahiti or in Bora Bora, to surfing, paddling and connections to Hokulea/Hikianalia and traditional Polynesian wayfinding. The connections are all there I've learned that it is just up to us as individuals to search out these connections and foster them. Making connections, building/fostering connections and letting people know how much you love and care for them has been bringing tears to my eyes.

- We found three new friends this past Sunday. It took a little bit of motivation to get my comp out of the house especially since it was raining and we had just received a text saying our dinner appointment canceled on us. I expressed a desire to go contacting and my comp expressed his desire to stay in the house in his bed. It was pretty funny, then I shared how it's never about what we want but what the Lord wants. We're on his time, not our time. We can always chill after the mission but for right now it's go time... ENVOYÉ (SEND IT). We ended up biking 40ish minutes to the farthest part in our sector and ended up finding a few new friends that all live relatively close to each other. #Luiaaaaaaaa 

Lowlights:

- No more district more sport, low-key kills because now it's back to just doing normal workouts in the morning. The trap raises and dips have started back up again so the stamina will be back for surfing.

- No more eating as a district after district council. It was low-key funny, after our district council me and Elder Rodriguez both were just like "So where we eating?" We got the response "Ummm we don't normally eat as a district" Mmmmm is it even a district council if you don't go "kaikai ensemble" (eat with each other ). 

Spiritual Thought:

2 Nephi 33:10 "Believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good."

A belief in Christ can benefit everyone no matter how big or how small because it is through faith that we can move mountains.

"Vents favorables et mer suivants"

"Mata'i haumaru e moana mania"

"Fair winds and following seas"

Ua Here au ia 'oe,

Elder Ellis

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

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