Taravao 1

So.

Go on a mission. Normally I say that at the end, but I wanted to make sure that everyone read that part at least today.

 

Missions are a challenge and if it isn't a challenge, you're not working hard enough. Missions should push you spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically (in some cases). As an SA, I worked in two different sectors this past week: Mahina and Taravao 1 and I've realized that the only thing better than working with a fantastic missionary is working with multiple fantastic missionaries within a shorter space of time.

 

Short and sweet today because I just spent a short eternity planning for fall semester classes at BYU Provo. I felt inadequate and mentally unprepared for a moment as I did battle with MyMap website, considered dropping out of BYU, and finally decided I would continue my education after realizing that I can take a French and Italian Film class as an elective course. Crisis adverted.

 

"Il y a un temps pour tout, un temps pour toute chose sous les cieux." Ecclesiaste 3:1 3

French and English aren't too different, but feel free to translate that. In bref, now is the time for serving a mission but after August 5th, it will be a time for cookies and family, and at the end of August will be a time for learning. I love my mission and I am unspeakably excited to see my family in real life.

 

Person Highlight: Soeur Wahl

 

She is adorable in absolutely everything. She has black, tiny curly hair, adorable glasses, and the smile of a cat. She is an organized, loving, spectacular missionary and I have been doing working with her in the sector of Taravao 1 for 3 days now. I started talking to myself when I was trying to figure out the controlled chaos that is BYU website and she swivelled her chair around and simply said, "Sometimes it helps to talk it out." :)

 

No pictures today because my camera wasn't packed in my GO-bag (never know when we have to go into the other sectors, I also forgot shampoo), so pictures next week. Maybe. Things are a little dicey right now.

 

Always bike with a helmet!

xoxo Soeur Carter

Mahina

Hello Dearest people,

I'm officially performing SA duties and I was transferred this morning to Mahina! I drove again today and it is so weird not being on bikes...

It was super hard to leave Soeur Sommers this afternoon but it's been really great getting to know other Soeurs in the mission! My companion Soeur Li is working in another sector right now but we live in the same house. That's all I have to say about that.

I have really loved my mission up until this point. I highly encourage all of you who are able, to GO. Nike a mission: just do it. You cannot err by going on a mission, that much I know for sure.

Ok not much time so the weather report, it's hot. I know you all were dying to know. :)

I have very little time (paying by the minute here) so I love you all and have a stellar week!!

love, Soeur Carter

1. My (now former, sniff) companion Soeur SOMmers (emphasis on the first syllable, how she always introduced herself), a picture of us two to remember the good times sharing the gospel together in the pouring rain.

2. A hint of The Surprise. I was filmed by the Church for a few days of my mission. That's all I can say for now! :)

 

 

3. The Marché (Market) where they sell local dresses, it's a festival of colors. I currently have 3 local dresses that I got for free.

 

Still going Strong

Ia Orana! (kiss on each cheek and a flower necklace around your neck)

Sooo I hope everyone's week was fantastic. That is actually my number one priority so thank you x17557 for the emails, letters, and love. I love knowing how everyone's life is progressing and thank you also for sharing with me your struggles and worries as well. I can pray for you and that makes me feel connected with all of your lives.

Mission News: I was recently called as the new SA of the Tahiti, Papeete Mission. There is one other SA and her name is Soeur Li. I was an STL before and loved it because I was able to talk through with their challenges of the Soeurs in the Paea, and then later here in Fa'aa Zone, but now I have the blessing of being responsible for all 50+ Soeurs in the Mission. Prayers, prayers, prayers.

 

Missionary Highlight: My Hillarious Companion Soeur Sommers

I started laughing just thinking about what I could say and she asked my why I was laughing ("Pourquoi tu regoles?") and when I told her I was going to write about her, she immediately added "I love you Sommers?" and that's basically our relationship. The fact that "so much" and her last name are similar means that every night for the first week that's how she said goodnight to everyone. I don't know why that is so funny but it really is. She is paranoid that I'm going to forget that her birthday is the 15 of November so she manages to use that number in pretty much every conversation we have. She says "Merry Christmas" every time people ask her if she speaks English, and that's all she says. She has a powerful testimony and whenever she starts crying in lessons, she interrupts herself with a loud "NICE" and then keeps going with her deep spiritual thought.

 

1. Teeny MTC reunion of the Greatest MTC Group There Ever Was. Elder Taylor is one of the APs, he is called a "voyageur" because he travels around in the different sectors.

 

 

2. Old photo from when Soeur Derrick had to leave us and we wrote a bunch of nices notes (that you can't read because of flash, but insert nice things on the pieces of paper).

 

3. The gorgeous Sisters who stole my camera yesterday, looking forward to their reaction when I tell them that I sent it to my public blog. :)

 

 

4. Last night we started a series of Musical Concerts as part of a missionary program and because it was in the Zone of Paea, I got to see a TON of people from my old sector in Papara. Kids wanted PHOTOS and got really excited when I told them I would put a couple of them on my blog. Heipoe!

 

5. Cutie Cammi who is reading the Book of Mormon we gave her and she wants to be baptized!

 

6. Just look at how cute these kids are! We walked around with our arms around each other the whole night. Such a great catch up with so many people.

 

Ok, we've got to quickly go bike to the grocery store and rush back before our soirée familialle so everybody I love you and I will try and reply more next week!!

love, Soeur Carter

Update from the Hill

And I said "Hey!" ("Hey!"), what a wonderful kind of day... (name that show and you win a hug when I get off my mission)

Unless my vision is failing me, it's starting to rain a little bit. We are going to eat pizza tonight with Mami Parker and her friends (family home evening!). They really want to know more about the Plan of Salvation ("Plan du Salut") and Soeur Sommers has a really organized box of pictures so we're pretty excited.

Today is my 22 and 1/3 birthday and 5 months before I go home. I feel really good about this mission business. I highly encourage all of you to serve if you have the desire and are worthy. You have to live it to understand.

1. One of our "favorite" hills! One could say that we receive the health benefits of about a week's worth of P90X every time we do this little hike.

2. Our zone right before the transfers!

 

 

3. Best Bishop in Tahiti (quote from our Stake President) carrying fafaru. "Maa Tahiti" is a Tahitian feast. All three of us ate fafaru and it was an experience.

 

 

Rain, Elder Nelson, and Bikes

Well, hi there!

It has been raining buckets over the last few weeks. It alternates between flood status and hair dryer air status. Sometimes when we walk along the side of the roads, holding our skirts, cars splash us and I feel like a peasant from the Middle Ages, making way for the royal coaches. 

Elder Russell M. Nelson spoke to our mission last Friday in a special conference with Elder Callister and Elder Pearson. It was an incredibly powerful spiritual experience. All the General Authorities and their wives had meaningful insight into the importance to not get swept away by the smell of flowers and ukulele music (amen) and to better understand how to heed the Spirit. When he entered we all had the opportunity to line up (orderly fashion) to shake his hand and I may or may not have been a little nervous about speaking to him... While I was in line I was thinking about the missionary lessons and when it came my turn to shake his hand, he asked me where I was from and I quote Soeur Carter, "The presence of God." He asked me again, I quickly said "Virginia", thanked him for his presence and quickly moved on down the line. Of all the things. 

1. McDonald's for dinner, it's been over a year.

2. My newbie- Soeur Sommers. She is a pretty funny kid. I was crying tears of laughter the other night when we were going to sleep and she called a few people to repentance. 

 

 

 

3. I'll just let this photo settle any concerns about whether or not I'm still cool after being out on a mission for a year.

 

 

 

I also want to take a moment and share how eternally grateful I am for this life-changing experience of a mission. I am in an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, yes people do wear flowers in their hair, and yes I have drunk out of a coconut several times, but I am not here to have a tourist experience. It is so much more than that. I am able to communicate in French and Tahitian the powerful truths of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and I will have these experiences to fortify me throughout the rest of my life. I know that the only true church on the earth today is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You don't have to believe me, pray and ask Heavenly Father and he will let you know. He knows if this is the true church or not. I have been placed in a very different environment and that has changed me. I take myself less seriously, I listen more carefully, and I love more powerfully. My love for my family has grown EXPONENTIALLY. That includes my extended family, you all are constantly in my prayers. I am still myself but a lot more spiritually-aware. Let the Gospel of Jesus Christ change you, talk to the LDS missionaries in your area. Go to www.lds.org and www.mormon.org to learn a little bit more. After that, experience the changes for yourself. I'm not selling anything and I'm not trying to convince you, all I want is that people can have the opportunity to know how much more there is to life than what we see in the media. We can do a lot by ourselves, but with Heavenly Father we can do SO much more. My life is proof of that. I LOVE this Church and the Godhead.

Local News: Soeur Johnson and I do this new thing on our running route where we stop (all sweaty and red-faced) to talk to at least one person every time we run. I highly recommend it for all of you missionaries. We have a few new ADLE (amis de l'eglise) and you know for sure that they're not just taking the lessons because they thought we were cute. 

 

4. Our "ami de l'Eglise" Frere Salomon got baptized last Saturday!! We had 10 other missionaries come to support him. :)

 

 

5. Welcome to the Bike Shop aka the garage of 6 Sister Missionaries. 

 

 

 

6. We celebrated Valentine's Day, single. We are married to our missions, actually, so we ended up being ok. :)

 

   

7. Mom, some pearls that I bought for you at a pearl market. I hand-chose the pearls myself, coordinated with the salespeople and after buying the studs at the craft store next-door, I ended up being a whopping 12 dollars for real pearl earrings! :) Everybody, place your orders. 

 

 

8. Sleepover at The Castle (our huge house), the night after the Conference with Elder Russell M. Nelson. 

 

 

Tip of the week: buy yourself a planner. You'll be amazed at how much more you can do in a single day. Ok, ua here roa au ia outou!!

 

love, Soeur Carter

Rainy Season

Hola!! 

We're now fully into the rainy season and we're loving it! 

This will be a super short-worded email because I'm officially addicted to watching "I'm A Mormon" videos on www.mormon.org. One thing I am looking forward to after my mission is having time to watch more stuff like that. 

1. The adorable Sr A got her VISA so she had to go. :( While she was out, Sr D and I decorated the wall with things we love about her.

2. This cute little kitten that I literally swiped from the jaws of black dogs. His favorite spot is between my feet. After cleaning and feeding him, we gave him to an investigator!

 

 

3. A few hours ago, my comp and I biked over to try a Patisserie. Success.

 

  

4. Some fantastic missionaries right there, so much love. Soeur Green is the tallest blonde and she's finishing her mission tomorrow! :(

 

News: I will be training again!! I get my newbie tomorrow and the rumor is that her name is Soeur Sommer... That is unconfirmed but it comes from a few reliable sources. :) 

Keep calm and carry on.

love, Soeur Carter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

www.mormon.org

Bonjour, My name is Sister Carter, I am a missionary serving in French Polynesia, I love watching People Movies on www.mormon.org, and I'm a Mormon.

SO, super short this week on account of the fact that I am addicted to mormon.org clips. Desolée.

I am with Soeur Derrick right now who is going to be an elementary school teacher after the mission and she has bright blue eyes! We love to discuss educational things and the Gospel.

Person highlight: Mami Grace

 

We're at her house right now because we use her computers every P-day for our emails. She's fantastic! She cut up mangoes for us, she has a really good-smelling incense stick burning right now, and she loves missionaries. She has a bookshelf FULL of cookbooks and she speaks English! She's a really good Mami to us. We love you, Mami Grace. 

Outer Island News: Sr N is in Raiatea and ate fafaru and she has to maneuver her bike around crushed crabs on the road. 

Everybody, lots of fraternal love for all of you. I hope all of you take the time to check out the "I'm a Mormon" videos, theyre seriously so great.

Study hard and don't forget about Valentine's Day that is coming up, I expect a hand-made card from everybody. Just kidding, your call. 

love, 

Soeur Carter

 

1. Map of the sector that my cute former-comp Sr. N drew for me!! Thank goodness, I need it.

2. Sr N and I found a ton of multi-colored Tahitian mumus and thats all I sleep in now.