Tahiti - Week 6

Week Six!!

I really can't believe how fast the time is going by (on our end anyway!) 

This week, Mickey had a lot on her mind. 

I won't say much about that because it was quite personal, 

but I do want to touch on one thing Sister Wright didn't talk about in her letter: 

She got a new MP (Mission President) this week. 

President and Sister Bize have come to the end of their three year service

^^Saying goodbye to President and Sr. Bize

so President and Sister Fox are taking over the mission. 

They are very sweet and I am excited to hear more about them. 

Sister Fox wrote me and said that she met Sister Wright and she was "bubbly and full of hugs."

Haha! Anyone who really knows Mickey knows that is a PERFECT description of her! 

They look forward to working with her more.  

Bonjour tout le monde!

I want to start by saying thank you to all of the people who have been

supporting me on my mission, but especially all of the people who have

been sending prayers my way. Just a quick update- I'm feeling much

better this week! We've learned that American stomachs just don't do

well with all the meats here, so I try to stay away from them, and

especially any raw fish (which is eaten a lot).

^^This is called Pamplumousse - it's like a grapefruit - but sweet.

Many of you have been asking me some very personal questions that I

definitely "surface answer" and today I'm going to try something a

little different. I want to apologize that this isn't a "personal email" but 

it's personal to me, and hopefully it will answer some questions.

^^Mickey's first Pareo - Laina made it for her.

-My house: I live with 5 other Sisters, 3 who come from America, and 2

who are native Tahitians. I get along well with all of them most of

the time, however, I'm not perfect and there are times when our

relationships aren't as strong as they should be. -one, being my

companion. Because we don't speak the same language (yet) it is hard

for us to communicate, but I haven't ever really been good at

communicating anyways. -For this reason, we don't really talk, and I

have noticed a disconnection between us. We teach well, and we have

good times together, but we aren't truly happy. During our weekly

planning session and companionship inventory we both brought up the same

concerns. -- So my fast this week was to find a way to fix this

problem. I am very much the kind of person that looks for the things I

am doing wrong if I notice a problem between myself someone else,

without actually talking about it. I just try to fix it, and tell

myself that it will be okay when I change. But communication is the

key. You have to talk about things some times, I have to talk about

things sometimes. -I love Sr. Teahu, and I am grateful she is my

companion. ♥

^^Mickey says it's always a party in the car!

I gave my first official formation this week. I talked about the

importance of becoming the person you want to be by the end of your

mission and setting goals. An elder shared an interesting perspective

that I had never thought of before. He finishes his mission in 3

weeks, and shared that before his mission, he just wanted to change

during his mission, and he did. He acquired many good habits, but also

bad ones, until one day he realized that he only wants to improve..

-"Don't change, just improve!" Everyone has the ability to change..

good or bad, but improvement only includes becoming better. -My goal

for my mission is to improve, not to change.

I have discovered why teaching has been so hard for me these last few

months, and I won't say it's because I don't know French! -Anyone who

has learned a new language on their mission knows how hard it is to

feel the spirit their first few months of teaching, and then you reach

a point where you feel the spirit in your new language and it changes

the out look of EVERYTHING! well, this week I did it. I felt the

spirit in French. -We had a FHE with a neighborhood in our sector and

I felt so welcome and loved, and happy. I was able to share jokes, and

love those around me while sharing the message of the gospel, and I

actually felt the spirit.

I was invited to participate in our Ward's talent show! I planned to

sing in Spanish and French while Sr Mendenhall accompanied me on

Violin. When we began, the microphones ended up falling over, so we

laughed it off and finished with one verse of "If the Savior Stood

Beside me," and somehow they heard I could beat box.. So they invited

me to come share my talents and I beat boxed. HAH (I can't actually

beat box but they thought it was SO cool).

^^at the talent show. Don't you just LOVE this photo?! I do!!

I started doing genealogy this week! - I printed off my very first

name from my family and I was able to take it to the Tahiti Temple!

(The other ordinances were done in Houston, so I thought of Robb and

Ginny) - SO cool that I can do work for my own family! - I even did

the temple work in French! - No worries, I had people there to help

me, who were very patient and loving. One thing I love about going to

the temple, no matter where you are, the temples all have the same

feeling. ♥

^^Yay! Mickey's first ever family name to take to the temple. 

She actually got 24 additional names as well!

^^Papeete Tahiti Temple. Mickey said it was very simple looking, 

but the Spirit was the same as in any other temple....which is one thing that is so great about the church - no matter where we go - the Spirit is the same!

^^At the Genealogy Center

autres chose-

I told Elder Davis he was "Blesse" for having such an awesome

trainer.. turns out "blesse" actually means "to hurt.."

Cold showers will never be something I enjoy, no matter how many times

I try it.

We have lizards living with us... maybe like 13 or so, and a few pet

cockroaches.. maybe even a few hundred spiders. (We choose not to look

in our cupboards anymore.)

I really LOVE these people. -My favorite time this week was seeing

everyone in our ward have a great time together, and they didn't need

a lot of "things." The people here are very poor, and because of that,

they appreciate what they have, and they are SO giving. They literally

give all they can. This is a very special culture, and I am honored to

be a part of it. ♥

^^Before Mickey left, Cameron used to pop her back, 

but since he's not there, she asked Sr. Garbutt to walk on her back. 

They don't do that in Tahiti. Sr. Garbutt thought Mickey was crazy for asking her to do it and she was so afraid of breaking Mickey the whole time, so Mickey had to get a picture of it. haha.

^^Mickey's yard flooded when it rained this week.

If you're still reading this, know that you were cool enough to hear

the weekly joke - "What did the spider do with his new car? - Took it

for a spin!" - Jaylie

I LOVE YOU ♥

Happy 4th of July! Remember your freedoms as Americans, and don't

forget to thank all those who fought, and are still fighting for you!

THANK YOU!

^^Mickey's new Tahitian Pearl Necklace she bought. 

Before she left, she said it was the one thing she was going to buy while in Tahiti! 

I'm so glad she did - isn't it beautiful?!

^^Are those tan lines??!! 

Wow! This has got to be a first! haha 

Yay for no red burns!!

Well, that's all for this week -  until next week!

Love, 

Aunt Jess ♥