Tahiti - Week 17

"I'm doing SO, SO Good!"

^^ "I don't have words to describe this photo of myself" ^^

Mickey borrowed this hat from some guy. She says she loves it!

Mickey had an interview with the President this week.

"He said my French has improved a LOT since the last interview 6 weeks ago."

"He's so sweet. Really, like one of the kindest people I know.

They are doing a great job. I can really feel of their love."

^^ "The Beautiful view" ^^

...

"This week, I've decided to go back to school! 

(Dixie!)

I was reading the Ensign and really gained an appreciation for learning. 

One that I seem to have lost. 

I am truly excited to go back to get an education! 

One thing I have noticed is that I set goals for myself to learn a certain amount without taking into consideration all of the outlining factors. Then, when I don't accomplish my "goal" I get frustrated and lose all desire to continue. 

But, I'm FINALLY realizing that it doesn't matter how much you learn in one day, what matters is that we are always learning. 

If I learned everything by the end of the week, then I wouldn't have any way to progress next week. 

I just need to be patient with myself and give myself more credit."

^^ Maeva with us at Church. She's practically a Tahitian Queen. ^^

...

"When Tahitians invite you to eat - you eat."

^^ Poisson cru (raw fish salad) ^^

"I've grown to appreciate it.

I eat raw fish at least 5 times a week. It's super chewy.

I hated it when I first got here...but it's growing on me.

It also used to WRECK my stomach, but I'm fine now."

^^ Other raw fish ^^

"We eat a lot of rice. We have rice with every meal. and baguettes with every meal too.

Maa tahiti is prepared over a fire and in the ground, and a lot of people smoke their food.

We eat a lot of things raw."

^^ "We made over 600 cookies this week!! ^^

 They told us they wanted us to make some more cookies, and to double the recipe from last week! WHAT?!? - It's been voted that we have the best cookies!"

...

I asked Mickey if she could choose one favorite memory so far in Tahiti what would it be?

In true Mickey style, she answered, 

"Laughing and loving these people."

It's Mickey's heart to a "T". 

^^ Sr. Dumouchel and Mickey bought matching shirts! (: ^^

"OHHHHHH WE HAVE A BAPTISM THIS WEEK!

His name is Edwin! He is 23 years old.

He came up to us at the beginning of the transfer and told us that he wanted to take the missionary lessons. "He had taken them before so we didn't k now how serious he was about it.) So we planned his baptism for the 23rd about three weeks ago and this last weekend we had his Baptismal interview!

WHAHOOOOO!

Pictures to come!

We even got him to stop wearing his HUGE earrings that he always wears.

YAY

Also, we fixed another baptism for Margureite!

Her boyfriend is inactive but wants them to get sealed in the temple one day, so we started doing lessons with her! This last week they decided to get married ans she is getting baptized on the 27th of October!

YAY (: 

Unfortunetly, Mata Flores cancelled her baptism this week. ):

She cannot commit to the law of chastity."

^^ Mickey said this (^^) was a typical tired Tuesday. I think they look beautiful! ^^

...

Transfers are Monday so Mickey may be sending emails from another sector with a different companion. Sr. Dumouchel has been such an amazing companion for Mickey so she hopes she doesn't get transferred. 

"I don't want to leave her. I love it here with her.

I feel like we have a party everyday.

But, I'm the next to be transferred."

I asked Mickey how many sectors there were on Tahiti and she said,

"I have no idea but there are like 8 stakes, 

with 3-4 chapels in every stake 

and 3 wards in every chapel.

Sr. Dumouchel and I have the biggest sector in all of the mission. 

There are approx. 500 members.

But only 100 or so are active.

There are a lot of members here - many are just inactive."

Mickey sent the above picture for Brad. She said:

"Of all of the pet peeves I have,this one bothered me the most this week.

(It's a nail that isn't in the wood all the way)

Where's the nail sync?"

(She learned all about that when she was working with Brad in his shop the past two years.)

haha - she said this would make Brad laugh - and since she has uncles in the same profession - I thought it would be fun to share.

Personally, I look forward to hearing from Mickey again already! I can't wait to hear how Edwin's baptism went and where her new transfer sends her. 

I hope she doesn't get separated from Sr. Dumoucel - but, really - at this point - it's probably inevitable. They have been SO good together and I love them to pieces! 

Keep praying for them!

Until next time...

♥Hugs!♥

Tahiti - Week 16

FAST AND HOT!

Sœur Wright had another great week! YAY!

"The whole week was awesome and it some how managed to slip right by.

The hardest part is that I'm so tired! ...and it was HOT all week long!"

"This was Sr. Dumouchel and me right after we biked up a huge hill and were dying

...no worries. We lived.

"There are chapels like this all over Tahiti. This one is just right down the street from our neighborhood. It is Protestant.

"A sister in our ward has a gaurd duck! no joke...

instead of dogs (because everyone has dogs) she has a duck,

because no one sees him coming.

He only tried to attack Sr. Dumouchel and me twice this week..."

"These are the most beautiful and perfect flowers I have ever seen!!"

"Party at Sr. Maeva's ♥

"The Elders ended up finding a crab on their front porch, so they put it in this glass bowl. ha

We technically can't have pets....but this one is outside."

"The neighbors we made cookies with."

"...this is how many we ended up having! ha."

^^^These are the cutest girls in Tahiti, if you ask me!!

Mickey is doing SO good right now and I love that it is very apparent in her face.

Also, Sr. Dumouchel is the sweetest girl! She loves Sr. Wright so much! She sent us a letter this past week and said the following:

"...She's so awesome and SO hardworking!

 Everyday is a party with her, we laugh so much it's what keeps us both sane. :)

I'm so grateful for her, she's got such a bright and inspiring light that just beams out of her heart and everyone can see it. I'm trying to pick some of that up.

Thanks for raising one of the raddest people I know - I love her tons!"

They are seriously the best companionship!

 They are practically the same person and could almost pass as sisters!

I love them both so much! 

...until next week!

Tahiti - Week 15

DILIGENCE

"ye shall reap the rewards of your faith and your diligence and your patience."

Alma 32:43

Mickey said she was doing well and that unfortunately nothing exciting happened this week. She was a bit discouraged because she and Sr. Dumouchel tried to be extra hard to be diligent this week and nearly 80% of their appointments fell through and they learned that it's hard to be diligent when you have to rely on so many others.  

Mickey's best part of the week was that she was happy. She and her companion laugh a lot.

She advised us to "enjoy the moment. Oliver Cowdery said, 

'These are the days never to be forgotten.'

 ---live them to the fullest."

Mickey has really been trying to "chill" and enjoy the moments that she has. 

"The more I 'chill', the faster time flies and before I know it, 

I'll be going home and I'm not ready for that yet." 

^^This is Mickey's new Ami! Her boyfriend is inactive, but asked if the missionaries could start teaching her so that he can be sealed with her in the temple one day. haha. I can't help but wonder why he is inactive. 

Mickey thought a lot about obedience this week and she was reminded of a past experience of being asked to clean the fridge and doing things with a good attitude. She said it is also important that when someone asks you to do something, you shouldn't wait - you just do it when you're asked. 

^^Above is Rio and his wife. He was baptized this past weekend! 

He was excited to take the sacrament as a baptized member of the Church!

This week, Mickey was asked to play the piano for a Zone Conference. She said nobody plays piano in Tahiti. Because she is limited in the songs she can play, she was only able to play twice, but she said it was pretty good. 

A language lesson:

"ehh ehh" is an expression in Tahiti. It's used for everything. To say: cute, or sad, or thank you, or pretty much everything.

Funny story:

Mickey asked if anyone in the family was pregnant. haha. Just so everyone is aware, Mickey said nobody was allowed to even think about getting pregnant for at least 3 1/2 more months. She said if she has been out for 5 1/2 months, we can all wait another 3 1/2. 

She said, "It's selfish, but it's the goal." She clearly doesn't want to miss any of the big events!

Well, that's it folks! Keep supporting Sr. Wright, she appreciates it!

Tahiti - Week 14

TO LIE OR NOT TO LIE?

...it's really not a question.

^^I can't help but wonder what Mickey is pointing at.^^

Funny story. 

Elder Gary Stevenson came to visit the missionaries this week!

We got up early, and planned to go into town to get breakfast at McDonalds before going to the conference, but then Sr. Larsen ended up taking us an hour later than we had planned on. (she is our driver) ... we thought we still had enough time to go through the drive thru, but then when the exit came for McDonalds, she quickly blurted out to see if anyone wanted to go without giving enough time to see what we'd say. 

We didn't stop - I ended up going hungry most of the day.

when we got to the conference, an elder asked me what my name was, so I went to show him my tag, and realized I had forgotten it. Woopsies.  ...another elder gave me one of his extras (Elder Blater) hah 

We went to take pictures with Gary Stevenson right before the meeting when we were told that we'd be shaking his hand, and I knew I had to get a sisters name tag! -I went to Sr. Mendenhall and of course she had an extra. (I normally do too, but I had already forgotten my name tag another time earlier in the week, and had used it)

When we went to shake hands with Elder Stevenson, Sr. Mendenhall was only about 4 people ahead of me, so when he got to me and read the tag he said "Another Mendenhall? You HAVE to be related.." -You can't lie to an apostle, so I explained that I had forgotten it, and he just laughed a little and said that it happens. 

Once the conference started, I found myself in the very front row, directly center with the podium... Elder Stevenson was very interactive and asked us a lot of questions. I responded to one question, just under my breath when he came over to me and looked at my tag and said "Now, are you Sr. Mendenhall?" and I explained to him that I was the borrower and that my name was Sr. Wright. He told everyone that "Even Sister Wright knows that when we forget our name tags, we still wear one.." he asked me for the answer to my question, and when I responded, he had me stand up so everyone could see me and repeat the answer.. he laughed a little bit and said it was okay, because an elder did the same thing. 

I was so embarrassed.  ...of all the days I could forget my plaque, it had to be that day... My oh my..

Elder Stevenson talked about extending commitments to people and missionary work.  

The most important part of missionary work is inviting people to act on their testimony

Last night we got a call from our AP (assistant to the president) 

asking if I could come in and learn how to drive Manual car.

We went in and I took a driving test and what not (I already know how to drive Manual) - that just means I'll probably be put into a car sector.

  It was the first time in 5 1/2 months that I've driven. ...It was strange.

^^Sr. Dumouchel Selfie.. (My companion is awesome)^^

Another companion who loves selfies - no wonder Mickey gets along well with her. 

A match made in Heaven. Literally! haha

Mickey said the hardest part of the week was that Marie-ange cancelled her baptism. Sad! Mickey said that she ended up getting back together with her boyfriend and is drinking alcohol all the time and smokes 50 or more cigarettes a day. It breaks my heart. I have high hopes for her.  

Mickey said it is very common for people to smoke in Tahiti and that a lot of people there start smoking at about age 6. In Hitimahahna, most 14 years olds smoke together just for fun. Are you kidding me??!!  So sad!

^^This is the strangest food Mickey at this week. It looks like a cross between a cricket and a cockroach. NASTY! She said, "It's better than lobster. I guess.

Everyone in our sector knows that I don't like seafood now, so I get away with not eating a lot of things."  

...this is the alternative to seafood? I think I'd take the seafood, personally. 

^^This is just a house down our street.. haha I think it's the funniest thing.^^

^^MICKEY!!^^

Mickey said it was a typical mission week. Her favorite part was Elder Stevenson visiting.

She is doing SOO GOOD this week.

Bless her heart!

Keep praying for her and the work.

♥♥

Tahiti - Week 13

PERSPECTIVE

"Perspective is the way we see things when we look at them from a certain distance and it allows us to appreciate their true value."

"Na Na to Sr. Garbutt this week. She's being transferred to another island and opening a new sector! I hope one day we will get to be companions! She's so fun and I'm really going to miss her!"

  "I literally have the best companion in the world! Seriously, we get along great!
She's pretty much like me. She's from Canada. She's so lax. Hardly anything aggravates her and she's just always calm. She loves to laugh and we stayed up many nights this week talking about the most random moments of our lives. She likes to look pretty all the time, which isn't a thing here, so I just laugh and continue looking like a bum."

(Ummmm...if you ask me, the above^picture does NOT proves Mickey doesn't look like a bum!)

"This transfer, President Fox tried something new. Because all of the Americans that had Tahitian companions were struggling, he changed everything! It turns out that nearly everyone right now has a companion that has the same native language. Tahitians with Tahitians and Americans with Americans."

^^The new Sisters Mickey lives with.^^
Sr. Damtp from France
Sr. Larsen from Utah
Sr. Dumouchel from Canada
and of course our beautiful Mickey!

^^Mickey's favorite little boy in Tahiti. His name is Fatohei.^^
He wanted Mickey to take a picture of him with this fish. haha

Maman Gobrait and her daughter Euliette.
On rough days, Mickey will go visit with them. 
Eurliette served a mission in Washington, so Mickey likes to speak English with her! 

This week Sr. Dumouchel celebrated her birthday, so this was their "party crew".

...and since it was Sr. Dumouchel's birthday, Mickey asked Teiki if they could do a carving activity with him and of course he said he'd love to! ...so Mickey carved this little turtle! 
She said, "I'm pretty much a professional!"  haha! 
It's SO cute!

Anyone knows Mickey, knows she loves music! Sr. Dumouchel came with an instrument it makes Mickey's life complete when she plays and sings for her!
 

With a new companion, this week, Mickey was able to have a new perspective of her mission. 

Things with Sr. Teahu were hard, but Mickey loved her and they got along. The language barrier was difficult also, but now Mickey can communicate a whole lot easier.

"We learn and grow and become stronger as we face and survive the trials through which we must pass." 

- President Thomas S. Monson

"Seriously, every day this week, I realized how hard my first few months were." 

"It was the busiest week I've had on my mission and I literally feel dead tired, but I wouldn't change it for anything. I'm already so sad that this transfer is eventually end. However, I realize our sector has so much potential, and we are PUMPED to get some work done!"

"...really, this week was the best week of my mission. Work wise."

"We have so much work to do though, it was funny...one night I was talking with Sr. Dumouchel about it and she said 'It's okay...I don't ever have to sleep! If I don't sleep then I don't ever have to wake up, and waking up is my least favorite part of the day!" 

"We found out that our area book is AWFUL!! It hasn't been cleaned out for years, so we decided to hit the books and clean it out. We found this sticky note on one of them that says the missionaries stopped having lessons with him because he was always stoned...I about died.  - Clearly the missionary was from America, because they were good about doing French until it got to the slang words. (: "

Mickey has now received her second package! The first one came from us,
and this second one came from Tina and Daniel (Step mom and brother).

Stories about the ami's!

Marie-ange ended up having a lot of trouble with the word of wisdom this last week, so she cancelled her baptism, but at the next visit with her, she chose the 20th of September to work for her. Please pray for her to have the strength to overcome  her smoking habits.

Also, Mickey has been teaching Mata Flores ever since she arrived in Tahiti. She first started taking the missionary lessons in 2002 but has lived with her concubine (who is inactive). They aren't married (obviously) but something happened with the contract of their house and they were pretty much kicked out. On the bright side, she's now living with a Mami in Mickey's ward (her and her kids) but the Mami wouldn't let Matas boyfriend live with her, so they aren't living together anymore!!! That was Mata's only obsticle. haha. Mickey said she's practically a member, except she's not. BUT, she picked a baptism date of September 23rd! Wahoo!

Miracles happen and the work is starting to come together for Mickey.
Please continue your prayers for her and her ami's!

Mickey and Sr. Dumouchel are hitting the ground running and have made a lofty goal 
to have three baptisms throughout this transfer! 

 "I'm just here to invite others to come unto Christ
...and be an example."

And with that ^ Mickey can do all things through Christ.
I'm excited to see what great things she can accomplish this transfer.
I'm proud of her and her willingness to serve with her whole heart!
We are so proud of her!

♥♥

Tahiti - Week 12

NEW HELLO'S

aka: Transfers

On Wednesday, the mission received 30 new incoming missionaries which meant Thursday was transfer calls. Luckily, Mickey was able to stay in her sector like she wanted to, but she had to say goodbye to Sr. Teahu today. Only Mickey and Sr. Larsen stayed.

"I got a new companion today. Literally, like an hour ago. Her name is Sr. Dumouchel. (:

She's from Canada. I think we'll be great friends.  

She grew up speaking English but she speaks pretty good French. 

She's been out 10 months.

I really like her."

"On a positive note, I haven't gained any more weight since the MTC. I was weighed last week."

 ^^Mickey's ward building^^

 ^^Ahh...apparently Mickey misses Abbie^^

 ^^Mickey and Sr. Mendenhall^^

^^With Sr. Teahu transferring out, Mickey was able to switch beds. This side has more room for pictures and letters on her wall which she is excited about!^^

"I had an allergic reaction to the coconut I ate last week

...which explained why my skin was so bad last week. I also got food poisoning. 

WAHOO 

..but, I'm great!  Life is good. 

I went to the Doctor and I feel great today!"

 ^^Purple ice cream? Yes!! ^^

"I LOVE Taro Ice Cream! It's probably my favorite treat."

^^This is the Brother and Sister who have been teaching Mickey how to carve wood. 

She loves them so much!^^ 

 ^^Mickey received her first package in the mail from us this week!!^^  
Haha - just a heads up - in case you want to send her anything. It's a process so send early! 
We've sent two others before the above package that she hasn't even received yet. 

Mickey has been studying SO much and has really been trying to learn FROM the Lord. I love that she is not afraid to ask for trials because she knows it will make her a stronger person! She continually amazes me and growth is always happening with her. 

I can honestly say that the biggest thing I learned this week is the importance of loving me. It's such a blessing that I am serving in an area where I don't really have people comparing others.

It's nice that I don't get to wear tons of make-up, or have to dress nice.

--I'm learning to be comfortable with me."

"I'm trying to read the Book of Mormon by the 1st of September. (that is Sr. Garbutt's birthday and she set a goal to read it by then, so I'm doing it with her) but the time is coming fast so we'll see."

 ^^Mickey thought all the guys in the family would appreciate this pic. She said literally like everytime they use the microwave, they have to go "flip the switch" because the power is tripped. haha ^^

 ^^"Heiva"^^

Funniest moment of the week:
"We were at Heiva  (dance concert thingy) and started to smell a really stinky something or other (like poop) and the girl next to me asked what it was, so I told her it was probably the little boy next to us...she waited for a minute then responded by saying it was probably the mami (old woman) behind us! I about died.

When I asked Mickey who helped her the most this week, she responded with:
"God helped me the most this week.
If not, it was Sr. Maeva. She's in our ward and literally does anything for anyone. It makes me feel bad sometimes to ask her for things because I know she'll do it...but she was so helpful this week and took me to the doctor. I'm the closest with her and Maman Gobrait."

Best moment of the week:

"I got my first Tahitian pearl from a member in our ward. ♥ She is so sweet!"

Best moment of the week:

"I got my first Tahitian pearl from a member in our ward. ♥ She is so sweet!
It's special to get a pearls from people because it's Tahitian...they're Tahitian, giving you a piece of their lives.  It's on a bracelet. So simple...but it's sweet and special."