Wednesday, September 11, 2013

MTC 8-26-2013

Ia ora na.

     This week was great.  Also family back home are you even actually reading these emails?  I have no idea, but it sounds like you had a lot of fun in Idaho.  I had no idea school even started.  If the world became at war and there were terrorist attacks I would probably still have no idea what was happening. I tell you it is another world here in the MTC, but it is a pretty great world, full of blessings and the love of God.

     We were informed this week that we are actually moving to Wyview (make up your mind), so I was kind of sad, but its all good because we start Tahitian this week!  Also, I bought some air freshener for my closet because my shoes smell so bad.  Seriously, my feet already smell bad, but in Tahiti, it will be disguisting.  Also everyone in my District keeps getting sick with a cold and cough and I don't want to be sick so today I bought some vitamin C.  But please mom, if you love me, send me some chewable airborne.  Today I also took a nap because I did my laundry at 5 am so I could get it over with.

     This last week 2 of our lessons got canceled with our progressing investigators, but we still had to teach in the TRC.  In the TRC, you basically go into a random room with your companion and teach a real French person ( or just someone who speaks French), a 20 minute lesson.  Our lessons are pretty good, except that they are so awkward, because I don't know how to small talk in French.  Whenever somebody says something ( and my French comprehension is like 20%), I just say "bien", and keep talking and nodding my head.  So this week, I am really working on actually conversing in French.
Sometimes our teachers (Frere Roney and Soeur Buswell), eat with us during lunch or dinner, and we just ask them questions about Tahiti for a straight 45 minutes.  We found out that 95% of our investigators and people we will teach will be between the ages of 14-20.  The old Tahitians are too stubborn and set in their ways to listen to our message.  Also we found out that 90% of the people we will teach will need to be married before they can get baptized.  Basically how they explained it was that Tahitians pair off at 14-16, and by the time they are 18/19 they already have two kids with someone they are not married to.  It is actually really sad, because the French government gives them incentives to not get married.  Their taxes actually increase if they do get married, so no one gets married.  I'm going to have to give the chastity lesson all of the time. What fun.

     Frere Roney told us stories this week about dog attacks and bike crashes.  He said one time on Bora Bora he had to cut through a jungle for P day (I don't know why), and he accidentally cut his leg and infected it with a machete  ( i don't know how to spell that).  But don't worry, I won't ever be using a machete.  He also got bit by a diseased dog.

     There are actually lots of Tahitian elders and sisters here (from Tahiti) as I have already told you, and they come to talk to our class and our teachers all of the time.  They are quite funny, and they are super friendly.  But sometimes, they like to scare our class.  Last night they told us all of the Tahitian elders serving in Tahiti are looking through the pictures of the list of girls going to serve in Tahiti from America.  Super creepy.  Our teacher wasn't very happy to hear that one.  Also they told us there are a lot of transgenders in Tahiti?  um what?  I hope they were joking but I am not really sure.

     As to spiritual things, I still have a testimony and I still love the scriptures.  Our district made a goal to get through the Book of Mormon once before we go to Tahiti, so I am reading about 15 pages each day.  As I read each day, I learn so many new insights I never noticed before.  The Book of Mormon is seriously stuffed full with the Doctrine of Christ (Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Holy Ghost), and I cry almost every day I read it because it is just so good.  We learned this week that the Book of Mormon is they key to the conversion of our investigators because of its power.  If the Book of Mormon is true, then the church is true, and Joseph Smith did see God and did restore the true church of Christ.  And anybody can gain a knowledge of its truth if they just ask God.  It is so simple, and that is why I love the church.  The way is so simple.

     Anyway, I hope school is going well for everyone, and I hope you check the mail.  I hope mom had a good birthday and I wrote her a card.  I love you all, and thank you thank you Karey and family for the Rice krispie treats.  Oh yum.  I almost forgot what real desserts tasted like.  I basically cried eating them because they tasted so good. And thanks Marisa for the Dear Elder!

I guess that is all.  I have to go but I love you as always.
-Soeur Kimball

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