December 17, 2012

Mama!

 

Hello! this has been a great week, we had Louis baptism and wedding which was so cool! I'm glad that the ward Christmas party was good. It for sure doesn't feel like Christmas here because it is so hot all of the time. and no Music. so this week we are all going Caroling. should be a blast. no more passing out. there isn't much that is new right now, Just trying to learn Tahitian. I can Understand everything that people say in french, now I need to speak it ha ha. we only taught 13 lessons again this week.

 

So for Christmas, it sounds like we will be using skype and I will be calling you. no idea about times yet. so go ahead and set up a skype with your email .

 

A big topic at church and with our investigators this week was le fin du monde or the end of the world. it is sad that that is what the members are thinking about instead of being with their families for Christmas. especially since prophets have said that the righteous will not have to fear when that time comes.

 

It is STILL raining here. all day every day. Also, all of the grandparents here are called Mami's and Papi's. so when we meet them, we never know there actual names. we know about 50 mami's haha.

 

I absolutely love it here. I do miss my classical and Jazz Music though. we are allowed to have a usb with music on it and a little speaker that we can plug it in to.

 

this week is the marriage and baptism for Mauri Tetauru. on the 22nd, the day after the end of the world HA this is going to be cool.

 

Also for Louis Wedding, he shaved his awesome beard and cut his hair, I Had no idea who he was until he started talking to me! ha ha.

 

well that about sums up this week, oh, things are great with my companion.

 

Love you all!

 

Elder Fitzsimmons

December 10, 2012

ia ora na tout la monde!  Joyeaux Noël!

 

 

That is crazy that so many of my buds are going on missions! (drys little manly tear) Tell Sydney Congrats for me and I give her a firm missionary handshake. Things are going well this week although they didn't start out well. So we  have a baptism and a wedding on the 15th of december! Also, I am performing the baptism for our other investigator, Maui, on the 22nd of december!

 

 

So I had an interesting experience this week, the AP's visited for like three days and one came with us to our lessons and helped us. his name is Elder Honey. so we were at a lesson with Mautauarii and were reading in Te Buka A Moromana and I wasn't feeling good.  As I was reading, I started to notice that everything was starting to slow down like when you turn off an old radio and the words get dragged out. I was also having a very difficult time pronouncing the words. The last thing I remember was asking If I could use the restroom and everything went white. Yup, I passed out. now for the cool part, Elder Bluker was sitting on my right and Elder Honey on my left during the lesson. as soon as I passed out Elder Bluker caught my head and Elder Honey caught me just before I hit my head on the very sharp corner of a big metal box. I probably would of been sent home from the injury. If you think about it, this was A huge miracle, not only because I didn't hit my head but because they caught me, I'm a big guy and have at least 80 pounds on both of these Elders. Elder Honey had said there was no way that he should of been able to hold me because of the way he had caught me. Heavenly Father Takes care of his missionaries. the doctors ran tests and said that everything was normal and the only reason they could think of why I passed out is because it was hot. which is weird because I was hydrated and there was a cool breeze that day.  That Night I was praying and I was worried for the next day because it was supposed to be very hot the next day and I was asking Heavenly Father to keep me safe so that I could do his work and Bring his Children to him. So it rained for a week straight. HA! how COOL is that?! in fact it is still raining.

 

So there are two seasons here. Mosquito season and Fly season. The locals say that right now it is Fly season. Also one day a member asked if I had played any sports before the mission and I told him that I had played Rugby, Now everyone in the ward calls me Rugby man. except for Raymond, he calls me Starsky and Hutch, I'm not sure why yet. I miss the really cold weather so enjoy it for me!

 

Oh, attached also is a picture of my ride until I can fix the tire for my bike, there is a hole in the side of it and we are trying to get ahold of some glue so we can patch it up.

 

 

Tonight we are going to take out the money for secret santa, in francs, it is almost 10,000 francs. we are going to give it to the tiori family, they have two young boys and a baby daughter who is 1 and 2 months. they live in a one room house. and are a wonderful family.

 

Also, this week, a leader from the Anglican church of Britan stopped us because not many people wear shirts and ties in Tahiti, and he thought that we were on a buisness trip. when he saw our nametags, he knew that he had been mistaken. he then started to tell us that he had just built 40 churches in Great Britan and asked us why we were out here in the crazy rain when he was having so much success. I remembered the story of Alma and Amulek when they were in the prison being beaten and abused by the judges and the king. then very calmly, I said, "Sir, do you mind if I share my testimony with you?" he said "Yeah, what is your testimony" in a criticizing voice I then bore him my testimony that we are all children of our Heavenly fFather and He wants us all back. and a little rain isn't going to stop his work. and how the prophet Joseph Smith as a young boy offered a humble prayer and recieved revelation from the lord and was given the authority to restore Gods church on the earth so that all of His Children could return to Him." He was speechless. his friend came over and asked who we were and the first man said these are missionaries for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. and he got really wide eyed and ran. Ha The Lord said that his servants will not be counfounded before men. How true is that?!

 

 

well, I love you all and Can't wait to hear from everyone.

 

Love Elder Fitzsimmons

 

Monday, December 3rd, 2012

MAMA!

Woof what a crazy week.  Tell Justus congrats with cross country and I'm excited for him to do Squaw Peak!  Tell Tristan good luck in drumline.

My French is a ton better now.  I'm starting to pick up more and more of what people are saying.  I'm reading Te Buka A Moromona and understanding a little of it.  Frere Patu is now the First counselor for the Young Men, how cool is that?!

Guess what?  It snowed!  Not.  It is still 90+ degrees all the time.  The members here are always asking me about snow because they have never seen it.  Oh, I set up my mini tree and have my Nativity scent out now. This last week was really rough.  Out of 30 planned lessons, we taught 14.  Everyone else cancelled or wasn't there.  So we did porte a porte (door to door) with no  avail.  There are so many kids in our ward, and they love the missionaries.  The people are so kind here.  All day all we hear is IA ORA NA ELDER MA! (Hello Elders!).  There is a guy in our ward who says his mission companion was and Elder Heaps from Lehi.

I sent a letter to Alec and Whitney about two or three weeks ago so it should be there soon.

I have been having marching band and music withdrawals lately, you know it is bad when you are whistling your marching band show from your sophomore year.

Well I must be going.  I love you all and am excited to hear from everyone!

Faaitoito! Ua here au ia otou!

Elder Fitzsimmons

November 26, 2012

 Mama!  I am a little jealous of the cold weather you are having.  It is always 90+ with 100% humidity, so at the end of the day we smell rank.  Our shower is an old garden hose outside; I love it!  I missed everyone at Thanksgiving, that was the day of our zone conference so for lunch we had chow mien, salad , and ice cream.  I'll attach a picture of my Thanksgiving dinner which consisted of pear from Raiatea.  haha.  So it is official, we have a wedding and baptism for Louis on the 15th of December and the same for Jean on the 22nd!  CRAZY!  It has been difficult because we are supposed to be teaching about 30 lessons a week and this week we only taught 16.  What a bummer.  We do at least one blessing for the sick or for comfort a day, and sometimes we do ten a day.  We are for sure busy.  Every night we either eat fish from the lagoon or chicken with rice and fruit.  SO much food!  The raw fish is o.k., it will take a little while to get used to.  The first thing I'm doing when I get back is drinking water from the tap and mowing the lawn! hahaha. But, that will have to wait, we've got souls to save.
So I hear Colby is getting married in March?  Don't ask mow I know, I have my sources haha!  Be sure to tell him and Danaca congrats for me.  Oh, last week we were going door to door trying to find where someone lived (there aren't addresses here) and we found a man who, get this, looks EXACTLY like Freddie Mercury!  Mustache, teeth and all!  Woot!  I was going to ask for a pic with him but I had left my camera at the house that day.  What is new in the good ol' town of Lehi?  How are brothers?  Dad?  How is the ward?  We wear our pants here, and sandals with socks.
Well, I must be going.  Have to build the Lord's kingdom!  I can't wait to hear from everyone!  Faaitoito!
Love,
Elder Fitzsimmons

November 19, 2003

Mama,
Eaha parau api?  What is new?  I miss you all so much and I am jealous that you are all going to Phoenix without me!  Have fun and give everyone a hug from me.
After this week we should have eight investigators with baptism dates and a whole bunch of wedding dates!  Woot!  We started teaching a young girl named Marania.  She is the daughter of one of our investigators and wanted to be baptized.  We also have a baptism scheduled for the 22nd of December.  My French is still improving and I can read and comprehend everything.  I'm starting to pick up more of what people are saying as well.
I placed two Books of Mormon this week!  On Saturday there was a baptism meeting for the two other elders on the island - two new members of the Church!  On Sunday Elder Bluker, the Bishop and I conferred the Melchizedek priesthood to Frere Patu.  He is such an awesome man and is very kind.  His kids love us so much and always yell out the window of their house when we pass by on our bikes.  We teach almost all of our lessons on the beaches because the people's houses are right there.
Every night we have a faatamaaraa (dinner appt.) with a member family.  SO much food all the time.  We were eating with our DMP (ward mission leader) and his family and I had eaten four plates of food and he asked me if I was paia (full)?  I said yes and they said not a problem, EAT! hahahahaha.  Even with all of this food I've lost a bunch of weight.  My shirts are all big on me especially my t-shirts.  I would definitely love some socks and shirts and a hat in a package.
I spend so much time on my bike, so I get to think alot and I miss my brothers and friends; so I peddle harder!  We have our first zone conference this Thursday on Raiatea.  I'm super stoked.  Oh, tell Jeni Bodine that I found her Tahitian twin!  If she will write me I'll tell her all about her.
Well, that is about it for this week I do believe.  I love you all very much.  It is crazy that I'm almost four months into my mission!  Hug Mary Jane for me.

Love,
Elder Fitzsimmons

November 12, 2013

Mama and Family!

Woof.  What a crazy week.  Every day we bike around the cost from Vaitape over to I think it is called Anau. 

Our house is pretty much a large house made of plywood with a tin like roof, but compared to the other houses, it is a castle.  I love it here on Bora Bora.  We have running water but can't drink it because we will get sick from it, so we buy bottled water.  

Two of our investigators have wedding and baptism dates set for December and January.  We help with weddings.

We have a church building, it is an open air building which means that the walls are pretty much windows that open and there are a bunch of fans.  We don't drink a lot of Coke, mostly water and something that is like Kool Aid.  It is a liquid syrup that you mix with water.  The people here have the most and the strongest faith I've ever seen.  That is why we are able to work miracles here.  In one of our lessons three neighbors were blasting Tahitian dubstep and the wind was out of control.  It was impossible to feel the Spirit, let alone hear the investigator.  I said a silent prayer while Elder Bluker was trying to teach and instantly all of the music and the wind stopped.  The investigator's name is Ernest and he and his family committed to have family prayer and come to church.  I know that if we humble ourselves and ask God, if it is in His will we can achieve all things.

I love you all and can't wait to hear back from you all.

Love,

Elder Fitzsimmons

Monday, November 6, 2012

Hello Mama!!

Ia ora na from BORA BORA!  It is so so so beautiful here!  My first dinner here was with a recent convert family who is so kind and funny, the Patu family.  We had rice, chicken and a whole bunch of pineapple and mangos!  My companion's name is Elder Bluker.  He is such a kind guy and he is an amazing missionary.  We placed our first Book of Mormon together next to one of the beaches here, and my first lesson was with Louis.  He is Tahitian and lives in the sticks.  We hiked up to his house and taught him overlooking the lagoon.  We read Mosiah 24 in Tahitian with him and I told him about why I love the Book of Mormon in Tahitian.  The gift of tongues is real.  Today, we went with the Patu family on a hike since it is our p day.  We went up the mountain here.  On the top there are two cannons that the U.S. put here during WW2.  The Patu family brought a permanent marker so we could all sign our names and dates in them so when we come back with our families, they can see them.  My area is the whole southern half of the island.  It is very hot, about 90 degrees and 100% humidity.  I absolutely love it here.  The water here is bad for our health so we have to buy bottled water every day.  Please put up the address for the mission home here so I can get letters from everyone!  I love you all and I can't wait to here from all of you!  Oh,and I have officially had fresh coconut.  We have a coconut tree.