December 31, 2012

My Darling Mama!

 

Happy Birthday and bonne annee! That is so cool about Cali Burningham! she will love it. Things are going good here! we finally did some door to door and we found two new investigators at the first house! Raita and Violet. they are cousins. it turns out that Raita's mom is a member and we asked her what she thought of our church. she is protestant and she flat out said, I know that your church is the true church, I have always felt it ever since I was little. so we challenged her and Violet to be baptized and to set up a day for our next lesson, we are meeting with them on thursday OUR BIRTHDAY!! When we were testifying to them, the biggest rainstorm that I had ever seen hit, it was so loud, Satan did not want them to hear our testimonies. we had to get right up next to them so they could hear us. and as soon as we finished, the rain just stopped. and the sun came out. the message had been delivered and the seed had been planted. there was nothing Satan could do about it.

 

Christmas night was difficult, I listened to the Hallmark book and I cried for the first time on my mission. I miss you all so much. The time is flying though. and soon I will be training!

 

Be sure to call Alec, I heard from a friend that he was down that he didn't get to talk to me on Christmas. give him a hug for me when you see him please! It is always so beautiful here. I thought I knew what green looked like, but after all the rain here, wow.

Give everyone hugs for me and make lots of noise at midnight!

 

I love you all so much!

 

Elder Fitzsimmons

December 24, 2012

Mama!

 

Oaoa oe no te Noela!

 

How are you all? so for the skype, we are doing them Christmas day, most likely in the morning (almost noon for you all) I will be able to call you real fast and just say that I'm ready and then I'll go ahead and Skype you. 

 

what a cool way to end the week, my first baptism and a wedding! his nameis Mauri Helman Tetauru. Yesterday was they wedding feast and they invited us at church. we told them that we would stop by after our lessons this evening and right as we said that all of our appointments called and cancelled. wow. so we went to the wedding feast and they made us guests of honor! Ha! We got to sit up at the big table at the front and there was SO much food! I'm still full. There was Taro, fish, Poisson Cru, Steak, Potatoes, Chicken. And A whole bunch of food that I had never seen or heard of before. The Mami was in tears and came up to Elder Bluker and I and kept thanking us and thanking us. I'll send pictures of the wedding and the baptism.

 

So Friday was the supposed "End of the world" it is kind of cool to say that I've lived through three ends of the world and two "Blizzards of the century" Ha. Finally one of the members told us that he isn't worried about the end of the world. He said that he will know it is here when the missionaries don't pass his house. I'm not sure how doctrinally correct that is but Finally! some faith! ha ha.

 

I've been reading the Bible in Tahitian lately, and I have to say, the stories are so much cooler!

 

An investigator couple that we have been struggling with,  like many others  live together and have kids but aren't married. and we have talked and talked with them about being married and taught them lessons about the blessings they would receive and eternal families. but the only thing that was holding them back was parents, they think that they are too young" which they aren't, she is like 26 and he is almost 30. So Gave them some advice and told them that if they would talk with her parents again. and tell them that they have a family now and want to teach their children what is right and set a good example. that her parents would give them the permission to get married, I don't know why I said it, I have never once met their parents and I don't know what their situation is, but I just opened my mouth and words came out. we will see what happens.

 

Also, Jean Paul and Heipua. Heipua is an inactive member and Jean Paul is her boyfriend. We were teaching them about the gift of the Holy Ghost and I told a story about how I received a prompting to leave a party and I asked him if he would like the gift of the holy ghost. he said yes so I asked him if he would be baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints and receive the Holy Ghost. and his Girlfriend looked at me with complete shock. Jean Paul was Baptized Protestant and was going to stay protestant and nothing was going to change that. after about five minutes he said yes. SO cool!

 

So today is P day and what do we decide to do for fun? Bike the Island of Bora Bora! at 5:30 in the morning! haha it was so much fun!

 

What is new in the states? there has to be something.

 

 

I love you all and am excited to talk with you tomorrow!!

 

Oaoa oe no te Noela!

 

Love Elder Fitzsimmons

Oh also, President told me that after my training I will be staying on Bora Bora and will be training a new missionary! Yikes! so I will be on Bora Bora until about May.

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