Sister Wright's Adventures in Pape'ete Tahiti

Sunday, June 10, 2018

MAY 21, 2018

WEEK 51

A wedding and a baptism: all in one day!

This week, Mickey didn't talk much of her week other than that she and Sr. Cordon were doing well together in their companionship.

They had a wedding!! ...and a baptism!!! ...on the same day!

Brad and I were in Alaska so we talked mostly of our trip and set up a time to Skype the next week. Since we knew we would be in Alaska, President gave us permission ahead of time to Skype when we returned - which was pretty cool - we chose to skype on what would be the French Mother's Day, so that's pretty special for us! :)

Mickey sent us lots of photos - Enjoy!

MAY 14, 2018

Week 50

Food poisoning and Skype

FOOD POISIONING # who knows how many times now.. I just think it's becoming normal. Anywho, it was a slower week and the limited amount of photos I took were of my bruises after I tripped running up our TILE stairs. I am an adult (sometimes) and I bruised my knee! WHAT?! anyway, I'm still alive and kicking and have no other reason to complain! (;

I skyped my parents for Mother's day!

Honestly, this week was really slow. We've been doing a lot of contacting and working with the area book.

GOOD NEWS: Tahia is getting Baptized the 15th of MAY! I am a little worried about her though. She was still smoking the morning of her baptismal interview. She knows she can't and doesn't want to, but she picked the day of her baptism and wanted to do it the same day as her wedding. (she will also be getting married the 15th!) I ask for your prayers!

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

MAY 7, 2018

WEEK 49
Smiles, Sunburns and Exhaustion

"This has been an amazing week! I feel like Sr Cordon and I have been productive in using our time and planning more specifically for our days. This week, I will be honest- I'm EXHAUSTED!

I've never been this tired in my life.
Which I know is a good thing!
I have tried my hardest to be an example for Sr Cordon and to help her learn all that I can about missionary work. I do feel as though I may have fallen short this week (I tend to over-think things). I know I am doing my best to be the best missionary I can be, but I still have my faults and every night I find myself apologizing to her and God for it.
Sr Cordon really is a wonderful missonary who has a desire to be here! As you know, she's hard on herself and this last week has really put a damper on her self-esteem, but I can testify that she is improving."

"I SAW SR TEAHU at Carrefour! (She's my trainer!)

-Tender mercy!
My companion, Sr Cordon, doesn't believe that I struggled at the beginning of my mission. She thinks I'm far in advance and that she'll never be able to be at my level in the language.
But today she got to meet MY traniner.
She testified that I cried every day, and I didn't understand a thing. I've made a lot of progress since that time."

"D&C 10:4 has become my new theme!! I am going until the end, but I can't run faster than I have strength!"

"--I definitely got home and fell asleep instantly. I woke up to an alarm I had set for 30 minutes later and said "Yeah right" and went back to bed. Another hour later I woke up and felt SO guilty that I had napped so long that I tried walking around the house! I went upstairs and like plopped onto the floor and fell asleep for another hour.
-Heat exhaustion?! -MAYBE!
But the fast was worth it! (Just maybe not the sunburn..)"

"A new bishopric was called this week, and we no longer have a DMP. We we assured one would be called shortly. I think it will be good to have a fresh start for Manotahi. Politics seemed to be the main focus for our ward leaders for the last several weeks.
Now that that is over, and with a new Bishop in charge,
I feel a lot of success coming to this sector!
We saw a change of heart in 3 of our amis this week! It was a miracle! For our fast, Sr Cordon and I asked to see the fruits of our labors and I can testify that we already are. I KNOW we are trying and giving our all! We are here! Ready, and willing! God is blessing us, even if it is simply by giving us the energy needed for the day and something to smile about!"

"Célina! She's just a super cute member we saw a lot this week, so I thought: Why not take a picture?!"

"Welp, I still don't love coconut.. But I DO live in Tahiti and people still give them to me!"

Mickey summed up her mission with the following statement:

"I have had MANY experiences on my mission! I think the greatest one is knowing that I've grown. I am training for the second time, a brand new missionary who doesn't speak French yet. She reminds me a little bit of me when I started my mission (except I was worse.. by far). I can see the difference between the two of us now, and clearly see that I have come so far! However, I know that there is still so much to learn and I am excited to see what more God has instore for me! This has been HARD! Missions tend to be that way, but it's also been far more rewarding. I wouldn't trade it for the world."

"Sr O'Hara.. BOY Do I LOVE that girl?!! Did I ever mention that she's "pretty dope?!" (; Also, I think she's kind of funny, so I'll keep her around."

"We used Public transportation to go en ville today!

I thought it was a riot!"

"Au Marché aujourd'hui! I mean, Tahiti is pretty legit."

APRIL 30, 2018

WEEK 48
JOY IN THE WORK!

"I LOVE my new companion!!
It wasnt the easiest transition for Sr. Cordon coming to Tahiti, it's hard for everyone. I honestly think she is going to be a wonderful missionary. She has a love for her Saviour, her scriptures, the people. She's so sweet and excited to work! (: She's so willing to do what we plan for the day, and she goes about it with the most positive outlook."

"I am learning just how good of a leader I CAN be, if I do it with confidence... (not to be bratty).
--I am always just scared of the way people will respond when I ask them to do things and they don't want to. But with Sr Cordon, she has that desire to be obedient and to do it with a good attitude. (:
I asked her to find one miracle every day while I am with her, and I hope she continues to do that the rest of her mission!
- The miracle of my week:
that I remembered the simplicity of being a missionary!
Simple, yet powerful! Sometimes I overcomplicate things and stress more than I should, but this week I did my best not to."

"Sr. Cordon and I have also read one chapter a day in the
Simplified Livre de Mormon and I have her translate it.
Already, the 2nd day, I found myself in tears because the amount of progress she'd already made! She's growing like a weed! Literally, I could not be more proud of her or more excited for what is to come!"

"I want to teach her 1 thing! JOY in the WORK! ♥
She has such a great desire to be here, and I know she will do whatever it takes to stick it out. No matter how hard it gets.
--HEY she's already doing a whole lot better than I was at the beginning of my mission. (: It's been cool that she's made so much progress! (:
It's a little different training someone who doesn't speak the language already. I didn't realize just how much of an obstacle it is.. I also feel really bad for my trainer! haha I had it even worse than Sr. Cordon does.
At least I speak English. (:
My goal is to keep her here until the end of the transfer. (:
I think God and I will succeed in that goal." (:

"anywho.. I love her. I love training. I love being a missionary."

"Our sector is short on Ami's. We have plans this week to visit inactives and to ask for more references from people. We're at about 12 ami's that we try to see every week, if not more. Sr. Cordon and I hope to improve that in the days and weeks to come. I have also made personal goals along with our companionship goals to help improve the sector.
I DO NOT want to leave this place feeling like I could have done more! These people mean more to me than that."

Elder T (I can't pronounce OR spell his name properly..) Always fixes our (I mean MY) bikes! (: hahah he's a great guy! *ElderTetuaearo*

"Because why not?"

"Sr Wright, Sr Hoparau, Sr Cordon, et Sr Siri! ♥
(These are the sisters that I live with!)"

"Who would have thought that mudding would be a thing,
even in Tahiti?!?!"

"My sweet new companion! Sr Savanna Cordon from North Carolina!"

"Also, Shrimp look a whole lot more alive here in Tahiti.. (:
HA! But I LOVE those things!! (:"

APRIL 23, 2018

Week 47

A Trainer!

HEY!! ANNOUNCEMENT!

I guess I must have done something [W]RIGHT
because I'm TRAINING.. again!!

Nana Sr O'Hara!
*FUN FACT*
She's going to my Tahitian home in MATAVAI! ♥♥♥

Jess, Didn't you hear?! -President thinks I'm patient.

.... Obviously I've learned something on my mission.

President wanted to tell me that he felt very inspired putting us [Mickey and Sr. Cordon] together. He is impressed with the amount of patience I've had the last transfer and he said he knows I will be a great formatrice.

But really, yesterday, when I talked to President, he mentioned that it's been good for me to be with Sr O'hara, I was really happy.. I also knew that she's helped me to acquire patience.. maybe just the amount of patience I'll need to have this companion that is coming. Who knows.

I look forward to learning and progressing this transfer as well as finding the little miracles that I KNOW God gives me daily!

Becoming a trainer has been the "confidence booster" I've needed! I know I am giving my all to this work, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to help another sweet sister realize that she can do the same!

I honestly feel [this last transfer] was one of the hardest transfers of my mission. I don't feel like I accomplished all that I could have this last six weeks, but I really learned patience! I did try my hardest to keep going, to have a positive attitude, and to accept the Lord's will while I was with Sr. O'Hara. Luckily, I LOVE her, and I'd consider her to be one of my closest friends. We get along so well as friends, which seems to be what I needed. I know without a doubt that we were meant to be companions at this exact time and she was the perfect person to help me with the passing of my Grandfather. She's so stress free! I know I needed her calm, supportive love and comfort.

The best part of my week: Was probably visiting an inactive family with Sr O'Hara. She wanted to pass by and tell them she was being transferd. I didn't really know them. We passed by one other time for like 5 minutes, but other than that, nothing. They're super cute, young family with 5 kids and the mom is pregnant. The father asked me to say the opening prayer and when I started I burst out crying. my heart was so FULL of love! I couldn't believe just how much I knew about them (even though we know it wasn't me, it was the spirit) but in the prayer, it felt SO personalized and had so much passion. I finished and saw the mom and dad both crying. ♥ it really touched my heart to know that this calling as a Missionary really is POWER! WOW! It was also another testimony to me that God knows his children and he cares for their needs. ♥

OH!! I hit 13 months yesterday... WEIRD!