No Prison in Papeari

Hello you beautiful souls,

So I am just overwhelmed this week with how much love a missionary gets. So much. Giving the world a hug in my mind right now. Trying my darnedest to reply to your lovely letters as fast as a Tahitian keyboard can type. 

1. I just find this sign funny. It's a sign saying "No Prison in Papeari" and the first time I saw it I thought it was stating the obvious, or a sign of Papeari pride, but now I realize it's a protest sign to not build a prison there. #signstories

 

 

 

2. Beautiful view from the front porch of the Taravao house! Technically that papaya tree is in the neighbor's yard but if that fruit falls on our side of the fence, finders keepers.

 

 

 

3. I find dogs wherever I go. This is Richard, our unofficial guard dog who has a severe limp and is deaf.

 

 

I made a serious faux-pas and forgot to gush in my last email about GENERAL CONFERENCE. Was it not incredible? I received so many answers and "mmhmm" moments. Someone even coincidentally gave me a tiny Twizzler candy thing which pretty much brought the experience full-circle for me. I seriously will never stop being impressed with the perfection that is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Te Ekalesia a Iesu Mesia i te Feia Mo'a i te Mau Mahana Hopea Nei) I guess that's what the complete truth looks like: perfection. Pray to find out more. 

I'm staying in Taravao this week because Soeur L and Soeur Colombel finished their missions suddenly this past week. When we lost our companions, we clung together. It's been fun driving around the base of Tahiti, so much green. 16 weeks left of my mission, feeling strong in every aspect of my life. There is nothing like being involved with the most important work in this existence: salvation. I will never stop being grateful for this calling as a missionary. 

4. The adorable Soeur Wahl, I'm a little obsessed with her glasses at this point in my life.

 

 

 

5. This morning during House Cleaning (Menage) the Sisters built a snowman out of the ice chunks in our freezer! The only time we will ever see a snowman in Tahiti.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. The computer screen today when I started up the church computer, it's a miracle it's still functioning enough to use the internet. Appreciating every second of computer life I'm being given.

 

 

That's all, folks! My life is full and yours can be also. Enjoy this slice of life: http://www.mormon.org/vanessa

Eat carrots, they're good for your vision. 

XOXO, Soeur Carter

 

 

Pare

Right now I am performing SA (Special Assignment for the Sœurs) duties and I've been working with the Sœurs in Pare since thursday so Ive been teaching and helping fix the minor problems in their sector. I really love it, it is so fun to spend time getting to know the other Sœurs in the mission. My companion is Sœur "L" but she's been working with the Sœurs at the temple.

Normally I'll work at the temple (outside for garden tours or leading them to exhibits that explain geneology, etc.) later this week once the sector is good. I really like living out of a suitcase and going where I'm needed, the flexibility of my time is appealing. This is another confirmation actually that I have been prepared my entire life for this mission. Sometimes people ask me if it's hard to have so many changes but it really is no big deal because I've moved several times in my life and I always learned to love wherever I was.

Hau Mau

Hello to all!

I am typing from the Sommers's house because I'm currently serving in the sector of Pare with Sœur D'Agnillo and Sœur Daejaghere. I actually trained Sœur Sommers so it's fun seeing where she lives. :)

So in the past 2 weeks as a new SA, I have served in roughly 5 sectors. It's quite an adventure and a test of my ability to live simply. I change houses every time so I live out of a little GO bag that is meant to be used for 3-4 days but I'm going on 10 days without a fuel stop. It's fun except for I don't have my camera with me so... everyone close your eyes and imagine a palm tree. Imagine me under it holding a Book of Mormon and talking to a Polynesian family. That's a pretty close representation of my daily life.

Person highlight: Sœur Dejaghere

So she trained me first of all on how to say her name. It's like the translation of "already war" so "déjà guerre" for the French-speakers. One day we had a few minutes to discuss lessons and she taught me how to origami-fold a morning glory flower while we talked. She is truly French and just started her mission. I am doing everything in my power to acquire her adorable accent. I ask her super deep questions so I can better understand her hopes and dreams and also to get her to speak a lot so I can start speaking like her. Story: One time in the MTC she read the package of a bag of popcorn and read to put it in the microwave for 3 minutes. She thought to herself, "Americans are very specific with the labelling of food products, I'll do exactly what it says." She set the timer and left to talk to a friend. When she returned, the microwave was smoking and a few seconds later the smoke alarm went off. Sister missionaries started evacuating the building in great haste, some directly from the showers. Her English was limited but she finally managed to communicate "Popcorn! No worries!" to everybody but since then she has some stress when she makes popcorn. :) Wish you all could have heard it with her cute accent.

There are two twin girls next to me playing a clapping handgame that I used to play with my sister Hales but of course they're singing in French and it's an explosion of nostalgia and mission love.

Matt 5:40 "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your father in heaven is perfect." Did you all know that it is a commandment to be perfect? Now you do. Helpful hint: Take a beat before responding to criticism. Find the value in what they said and thank them for it.

Pip pip, cheerio, and all that sort of tosh!

Take vitamins every day or eat Honey Nut Cheerios,

love, Sœur Carter