Bonjour tout le monde! 

 So this week was CRAZY. 

It started out not the greatest because EVERYBODY cancelled on us and we couldn't find anybody to teach . Over the span of 4 days, we only taught 4 lessons which has NEVER happened on my mission. We were a little frustrated with Mahina soooo we took off to Moorea! 

 

 

 

 

Haha no, thats a joke- we went to do a split and work with the sisters at Moorea. They're in our zone and that is one super great perk of being an STL. Moorea is the island just above Tahiti so we took the ferry and headed over there to work with 2 companionships of Sisters. I got to work in Haapiti with Soeur Pomeroy ( from the MTC!) and Soeur Afasene ( she's from Samoa). It was super great to work with them and I got to see a little bit of a different experience with working with a branch. It's a lot smaller member wise but their sector is HUGE. We were on bikes and I was dying. Haha I've gotten too chubby in our nice little car in Mahina (and Papara). I always love working in other sectors because it warms my heart to see that missionary work is constantly happening and so many people are accepting to follow Christ. 

 

 

 

 

 

We left Thursday morning and came back early Friday morning where we did another split with the Sisters of Tuauru. That was exhausting and I ended up getting really sick so it wasn't a very long split.. 

 

After our split mania, Saturday and Sunday we fixed 2 baptisms! Remember Hina and Hélaman Teaurai?? Well Hina FINALLY committed to be baptized! We committed her for the 20th of September but she wanted sooner than that- the 6th! I was so, so, so, so, so happy. We contacted the sister of Hélaman too who is living with a non-member and I hope that we will start the lessons soon with them. 

Our other miracle was an old investigator, Moemoea (which means dream in Tahitian) who we recontacted and told us that she had already fixed her baptismal date! The 25th of October. I probably won't be there but we were excited for this little miracle. She is getting married in September and we restarted the lessons yesterday. 

Mihirangi's baptism ( which was supposed to be this coming Saturday) got cancelled because her mom said they're too busy getting ready for their big move to France in December. We were devastated but we hope to refix with her before they move...

We continue to see Ashley and Fleur Kavera and Fleur is really progressing! She got her answer and wants to be baptized but she lives with her boyfriend and they aren't married. #storyofourlives Out of 18 investigators that we teach- 12 live in concubinage and aren't married. Most of these 12 investigators want to be baptized but their boyfriend or girlfriend doesn't want to get married. It's too bad, but we do a lot of praying and fasting so that their hearts can be changed. 

On Saturday we did a "Couples Night" with different talks and then a bunch of activities and it went really, really well. We put a lot of work into this activity and even though not a whole lot of couples showed up, we had a great time. We contacted and recontacted 2 couples so that was really great for us. 

 

I'm doing really well and I am hoping that this week will be better than the last :) 

 

 

 

My little buddy Teano. He hung out with me on our "Couples Night" activity. He took my camera for a while and took a ton of pictures but everybody's head is cut off in the pictures, ha, ha, ha.

Love y'all!

Soeur Taylor

 

Bonjour Ma Famille!

 

Je vais toujours bien à Mahina! (I'm still doing well in Mahina!)

 

This past week we had the great blessing of having Elder Pearson with us! He's in the 70 and is the President of the Pacific Area. We had our Leader Meeting on Thursday and then a Mission Conference on Friday and they were both SO incredible because Elder Pearson really is a powerful speaker. He speaks right to the soul.

Leader meeting with Elder Pearson

 

Thursday, when he came for our Leaders Meeting, he came and shook my hand and said that he remembered me! I was like, "oh really??" He's got a good memory because the last time he came was in February (but that feels like yesterday honestly).

Elder Pearson, myself and President Bize

 

Our meeting was super great and we got so many good ideas going around for the mission and for our plans of action for our areas and zones. We talked a lot about the importance of serving the members and that is something that Soeur Teauroa and I have been trying to focus on as well. In Tahiti, it's almost impossible as a missionary to do physical labor as a service project because NOBODY wants to impose "their work" on the missionaries. That's something cultural so Soeur Teauroa and I have been thinking of creative ways to serve. We've taught English to a couple of members but something that everybody loves in the ward is my "Cookies Americain"- Chocolate chip and double chocolate chip cookies that I make all the time. We started bribing the members a little bit by telling them that if they come to the activities- there will be cookies! Ha ha ha, IT WORKS! They love, love, love them and they all have the recipe too. I have to keep thinking of other ideas of how we can serve the members and if y'all have ideas, PLEASE send them :)

 

Friday, Elder Pearson talked a lot about being a disciple of Christ and talking about what we need to do in order to serve with all of our heart, mind, might and strength. It was incredible and he really helped me realize how to be a better missionary.

 

Saturday, we did a split with the Sisters at Erima and I worked in Erima with Soeur Ntsiete! She's from Toulouse, France and it was such a fun split! She works incredibly hard and is very attentive to the spirit. I loved learning from her and we really had a good time doing lots of contacting and talking with EVERYBODY. Their sector mostly consists of one big neighborhood in the mountains so we had fun walking up and down and everywhere on that mountain to find new investigators.

My split with Soeur Ntsiete in Erima

 

 

Other than that- our investigators are doing well! It was still a little bit difficult to see everyone this week but today is the first day back at school for everyone so hopefully that will help with everyone who went on vacation or who were always busy. I'll give a good update of our investigators the next time.

It cracks me up every time we see the dogs stick their heads through the fence when we are out contacting. 

Life is still super great in Mahina and I still love my ward and sector. Soeur Teauroa only has 3 weeks left- so crazy how time flies! I know that January will be here before I know it and that is a little scary.

I ran into Willy at our mission conference. He got taller and I got wider. Funny how that works.

 

 

Love y'all and I hope y'all have a good week!

 

Soeur Taylor

 

Hello my family and friends! 

I hope y'all had a good week. Ours was good! The work has still been a little slow but it’s been really nice working with my new companion, Soeur Teauroa. It was really nice as well to see how welcoming our ward was when she came! We've been working really hard to improve member relationships since I’ve been here in Mahina so I was really, really happy to see the improvements with our ward and new missionaries. It was really hard for me when I first got here so I’m so happy to see how that has improved. We have a lot of support from the Bishop and the leaders in our ward so working with them is SUCH a joy. I never want to leave Mahina! 

On Wednesday we had our activity where we did door-to-door contacting with an auxiliary. This past week it was with the priesthood and I had the COOLEST contacting experience on my whole mission. We came to a house and a young adult came out and started talking with us. It turns out that she lives in France for her studies and that she's only here to visit her family during the vacation. She has never met the missionaries but she knows really well a couple that just came back from France who are members in our ward! They were there during our activity so she got to see her and she actually lives in MONTPELLIER. I was like NO WAY, my best friend is serving there right now!!! We introduced her to the Book of Mormon and she was really interested. She accepted to read it and we took her name and number because now, I have a reference for my best friend serving in France!!! 

I NEVER thought that would happen in my life. I showed her a picture and everything and told her to look out for Soeur Jones and that she was way cool. Hopefully Soeur Jones doesn't get transferred before she gets to meet her but still, it was the coolest experience ever. 

We did a lot of contacting this past week, especially with our DMP. He's the best. 

At one house, this lady came out and was yelling lots of not nice things in Tahitian at our DMP but that didn't bother him at all, he just kept going. We both felt bad but he really didn't care at all. That’s why our DMP is the best. 

Family Teaurai came to church yesterday AND Hélaman got his priesthood back! (Aaronic) I was so, so, so happy yesterday because this family continues to progress. On Saturday, we did a split with the sisters of Pare and Soeur Tefaaite came and worked with me in Mahina. It was really great, especially because we both came into the mission at the same time. 

I don’t have much to say today other than that life is going well!! I am one happy missionary here in Mahina. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a great week! 

Love y'all! 

Soeur Taylor 

 

Ia Ora Na Ma Famille!!

So the transfers have happened and Im staying in Mahina!! I was a little surprised but Im really happy to be staying! Right now, Im going to serve with Soeur Teauroa! She finishes her mission in like 5 weeks so Im excited to learn from her and her expérience right before she finishes! My first companion that I won't be training (or who didnt train me haha) Speaking of my trainer- she finishes tomorrow!!! SO weird!!! Everybody that are the oldies here in the mission are going to start leaving and soon it will be my group the oldies! So weird. 

Soeur Terooatea got transfered to Pirae ( a little bit closer to Papeete) and Soeur Faana is coming back to Matavai! Its right next to our sector so we were all laughing that she's coming back to Mahina. The organization in the mission changed too so now there are less STLs and President put all of the STLs together as companions. So Soeur Teauroa and I will stay STLs and we are the STLs for Mahina and Arue. We will actually be doing splits now that Im excited to work with more sisters! 

Other than that- the work is going well in Mahina! We only have 1 baptism fixed for the end of August but we do have potential among our amis so Im excited for them to continue progressing. 

On Wednesday, we had our activity of going door to door with different auxilliarys and this past week we were with the Relief Society. I was with 2 sisters and we came to this house that we had already tried to contact but there was never anyone there. So we went up, saw the car, and yelled- Ia Ora Na!! A woman came out of the house and we started talking to her. She wasnt really interested but I asked her if she had ever met the missionaries. She said that her brother was about to be a missionary! I was like oh really, what's his name? She said- Nuihau! I was like hey! Nuihau Taurere?? She was like yeah!!! After that- I kind of freaked out a little bit and I was like, hey I know him!!! I taught him!! I was there when he got baptised!!!! 

She wasnt as excited as I was but she accepted a little brochure and with our number and I told her to call us when she had a moment so that she could see why her brother converted and was baptised in the Church of Jesus Christ. 

It was a really cool experience that made me realize how important families are in the eyes of our Heavenly Father. 

Another family that we've been working with is the Teaurai family. The husband is inactive and his wife is not a member. She's taken the lessons for a long time and she's already had her baptism fixer a lot of different times. For some reason or another- she's never followed through. Its a lack of support with her husband in the church and some motivation too. She's been nervous for the changes that will happen after her baptism so thats why she hasnt followed through.

Well anyways, we've never given up on them because they've always shown potential- they just need support. So we've been working with them and they FINALLY came to church this past sunday and Hélaman- the husband talked to bishop and is coming back. They've got two little kids who are adorable! (I know that Ive already sent home pictures of them) 

I hope that they keep progressing because their family really is a special family as well; 

Our Heavenly Father dosent just want us to return to him- he wants us to return to him with our family. Thats why this gospel is centered on the family and that is why everything revolves around it. 

I know that as a missionary, Im preparing myself to be a mother of my future family and a better daughter and sister for my family that I have right now. 

Its pretty cool- I love it. 

I hope y'all are doing well- I think about y'all often and pray for y'all!!

Lots of love, 

Tuahine Taylor 

I dont have any pictures this week but next week I will!