June 27, 2011

There isn't really that much to report this week. Just a bunch of lessons and a ton of looking for new investigators. It's the summer vacation meaning pretty much everyone is gone. A good amount of our investigators have already left on vacation and it's only the beginning. So the work is harder than normal. It's moving along though. Our lessons are as powerful as ever. Our investigators can always feel the spirit and they make changes in their lives. The guy who was mad at us last week was also mad at us this week because we got to his house early. But once again we totally blew him away with the spirit and he accepts the Book of Mormon. Also finally the little girl we teach named Rahei got an answer to her prayer about Joseph Smith. She has always wanted to get baptised but she would never ask by prayer if it was true. Well she did it, dangit, and she said the words I'll never get tired of hearing "I got and answer to my prayer......it was a warm feeling." Way to go, spirit. She will be getting baptised next Saturday. Saturday we fasted and went with the ward to reactivate inactive members. It was sweet. Although with one I came a little bit behind the others cause I had to pee and they had already started. So when we first got there they were only talking to her in Tahitian. When I got there they told me to give the message. So I shared a scripture and gave this whole lesson in Tahitian but she was real quiet. I asked her like three times what she thought and she didn't respond. Finally I asked in French and she looked up and me and says "I like this scripture but.. I don't understand a word of Tahitian." Dang it all! So we had to re-explain everything. Well that's about it. Except for I finally found the identical twin of my companion. Wario from Mario Cart. He looks, acts, and grunts like him. Gotta love the mission.

June 20, 2011

This morning I wanted to shoot myself in the face because we taught an Adventist couple. For the first 45 minutes she just talked and told us stories about how evil Mormons are. Then my companion tried to bear testimony and she came back with about 50 false-doctrinal comments and questions. It's not the first time but it was DEATH hearing all that false doctrine.Life here is pretty much the same. Tuesday we had our final zone conference with President Smith. It was sweet, he talked a lot about finding new people to teach and encouraged us to take the "low hanging fruit". It's true, there are tons of people already prepared in our areas. When go looking for people that have no interest whatsoever in what we say? So we had a lot of success this week in our efforts to find people. Saturday me, my companion and a ward missionary from the other side of the island got called to do a funeral service. The bishop and his counselors were no where to be found so it was up to us. We had no idea what we were doing. We got to this little house with like 40 people in it all crying because there was a dead baby in a little coffin in the middle of the house. Uhhhhh okay. So we went in and sat down on three prepared seats before everyone. Then we did what is called pataha noa, meaning we just winged it. It was incredible. We bore testimony to this large group of non-members about the plan of salvation and the restored church. They stopped crying, even the father and mother kind of looked at us like "Really? The baby is saved? We'll see him again?" Everyone in that room saw very clearly that what we taught was the truth and what the other faiths had taught them was completely false. They even told us after. So we totally comforted them and they even managed to smile. Then I blessed the grave, that was a first. The spirit totally knocked the socks off of everyone. The next day we saw the family at church and the Dad told the bishop he wants to be baptised. He has no doubt. So yeah, the work moves on. Also I went to my first sector on a split Friday. It was way weird to be back there. We had some serious success while I was there. Finally this wee we were able to participate in two baptisms and one marriage this week for the other Elders in our zone. Cool stuff. So things are good here. Despite all the crappy stuff that happens that I don't write the mission is awesome. It's DEFINITELY worth it. I have no doubt of that.

June 13, 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfDlycsPGBg

Elder Oldroyd SINGS!

Well this week was just about the same as any other week. We taught a bunch of lessons; 19 actually. So basically every week has more lessons and new investigators than the one before. Success! Also I got a call from the Ariiotimas (who love you) and they said that at least two of the people we taught in Rurutu are getting baptised soon. The prophet Hearii is having his baptismal interview today. So basically nothing changes, all the fruits come after I leave sectors. I'm way happy about that cause at least there's fruit. We got a lot of potential new investigators this week by working with ward members. Saturday was like the MTC all over again. Me, my companion and our ward mission leader all sat in a room and had different non-member couples come and sit down in front of us. We had to quickly get to know them and think of an appropriate lesson. Soooo sick. I loved it because this time I was ready and this time it was real. So yeah, total success here in Vairao.

June 6, 2011

This week was moderately awesome. Monday we had a way powerful blessing for an old 99 percent dead grandma; I dunno why but the spirit was way super strong. We also played tennis therefore breaking mission history for me. I thought of mom. Also we totally killed two kids in a pick-up game. Wednesday we had our last  Zone Leader meeting dealy with President Smith. Bummer. My whole district was there except Ferrin. Thursday I taught a bunch of Protestant people how to sing with better accents. What an experience that was. They're singing songs from Glee. Do you guys still what that? Saturday we had our Stake Conference and the coolest thing ever happened. I ran into William. My first ever contact. Since we started the lessons he got baptised and Sunday he was getting the Melchizedek Priesthood. It was legit. He told me that before with the other missionaries he could never accept the lessons but that day it was different. He said and I quote "it was because of you... It was because of the spirit and you." And at that moment I realised, along with my current studies in Preach My Gospel, that that is exactly what we're supposed to do. In fact that is what we do all day everyday. We work according to the spirit. It's both Him and us that make the difference in every investigator's life.