Working and Serving around Tahiti

Ia Orana!

I am now companions with Soeur Pehrson and we just got back from doing a split in Mahina. Mahina is GORGEOUS, we walked along the beach at one point to go sing hymns with a family and I was overwhelmed all over again with the natural beauty of Tahiti.


1. Baptism for the Teiho twins. Caption for the one on the left- "I made my family disappear." and caption for the one on the right- "Uhh I can't tell you that. (Why?) Because you're a stranger."

 

 

2. Just a slice of Tahitian countryside.

3. The ever-effortlessly-adorable Soeur Wahl when we were offered coconuts on account of my departure from Taravao after a fulfilling 3 weeks.

4. That coconut water was super delicious.

 

 

5. Our late night goodbye with some of the people who changed my life in Mahina, Frere Hitirere and Soeur Cathy.

6. One "ami de l'Eglise" named Steve ADAMS and our dear DMP Lucas. You can't tell, but ADAMS has a long ponytail that goes all the way down his back and everyone thinks he is Native American.

7. Our friends from Papara came to our missionary concert! That is Nuihau on the left, the recent convert who is going to serve a mission next year!!! So proud.

 

 

8. We worked with the Temple Sisters (outside, not inside) and I just love the temple at night. I just love temples, I have a dream to visit and serve a session in every temple in the world.

 

 

9. Soeur D'Agnillo expressing love and appreciation for our skater helmets.

 

I feel the need to better explain the "SA" role that I have been given. So, it is an assignment that is given by the Mission President to facilitate missionary work in several areas of the mission. I do not have a fixed sector. I travel around the sectors of other Soeurs with different needs (a sick companion, finding investigators, etc.) and work anywhere from 1 day to 3 weeks (Taravao).

 

Yep, it's difficult but I am SO grateful for the opportunity to serve with so many different sister missionaries. I do a lot of observing and supporting, a little guiding, and a lot of learning and appreciating. Right now I am in Papeete and we will stay around here until Wednesday.

 

I cannot wait to Skype on Sunday for Mother's Day!!! I am pretty sure that I will be here in Papeete because we have a missionary fireside that night and we invited everyone and their dog. (And everybody's got a dog.) After that, 3 months until Real Life Skping at the airport. :)
 

I am in the continuing process of disciplining my mind by simplifying everything I think into the bare basics.  In "Prechez Mon Evangile" (Preach My Gospel) there is a quote that I love in Chapter 10 by John Taylor, 'C'est faire preuve d'une intelligence que de prendre un sujet qui est mysterieux et grand en lui-meme puis de l'exposer et de le simplifier de telle maniere qu'un enfant puisse le comprendre."

Basically, explain everything as simply as possible. I remember that there was a plaque in the P's house in Virginia that was in their kitchen with the word "SIMPLIFY" and that has become the motto of my mission. Preach the gospel of Jesus Christ by the Spirit and that's it.
 

Person Highlight: Soeur Pehrson
 

My companion! She will finish her mission in about a month and a half. Including me, she has served with 18 companions in 18 months. She is from South Dakota, plays the violin and the piano, and has bright blue eyes. She is such a good listener. She listens and listens and listens. I appreciate enormously her example of forgiveness. She was serving in Moorea right before becoming SA. She was actually with me in Papara for a few days right at the very beginning of my mission, one year ago (to show me and Soeur Chapman the sector). She is very humble. 

I love you all so much!! Words are insufficient to explain myself so another big virtual hug for all of you.

xoxoxo love, Soeur Carter