These past two weeks have been pretty dissapointing. People that really seemed interested in hearing our message decided to not continue or acted like they didn't feel the spirit when I know they did. But I wasn't discouraged, because I know the Lord doesn't work miracles until after a trial of faith.
Something I have really learned this week is to be optimistic even when everything falls through, so that is what I did. I was super happy and worked really hard. It was great. I love my companion and I really, really prayed last night to be able to stay in the same sector with my companion, because the transfer is next week and I don't want to live. I have so much unfinished business.
This weekend we fasted with my favorite couple Toimato and Kulani. It was really good. Toimatos brother is a new convert in our ward and he decided to share the gospel with his family. Kulani is amazing. She is having a baby in three months and so we fasted for her to not have any problems. They want to get baptized in June but they haven't chosen a date yet because they have to get married.
Kulani has really felt the spirit in coming to church and has read the Book of Mormon and felt of its truth. She has so much integrity because she told her family of strict protestants that she wanted to be baptized and her dad wasn't too happy, but she stuck firm to her decision because of her faith. It was so incredible to see that no matter what trials she faces with her family she is willing to follow the Lord and the things she has felt by the spirit.
Also, yesterday was so so amazing because we had Elvina come to church. She is the lady that complains a lot and is super bitter but I really love her. Normally we can't get her to come because she is super scarred everyone will judge her, but she came! I think she was sick of us coming and bugging her and calling her, and she felt the spirit. In relief society we talked about the talk from Elder Uchdorf inviting people to join the church and sharing that this church is for imperfect people. She was touched and after we asked her how she felt and she said it felt really good to come. She feels like it is the true church. She wants to come next week too.
Oh yah and this week I got to be in a film. I pretended like I was teaching Tahitian children how to do math, and then I walked on the beach with the other missionaries and pretended to say goodbye to the Tahitian people. It was kind of fun but not really because the whole time I was just super stressed out worrying about my sector and my amis. I thought school was stressful but when you are playing with peoples happiness and salvation that is another story.
Yesterday we finished also a huge round of concerts we have been doing. The spirit was so strong when we sang "The spirit of God". Our mission president said we need to remember that moment for the rest of our lives.
Well I love you and I challenge you all to do missionary work this week. This is the Lords work and He will help you and inspire your thoughts to know the people you need to visit or just say a kind word.
Love Soeur Kimball
Sunday, May 4, 2014
April 21, 2014 - The Real Tahiti
This week was good but things are getting slow again, but it is ok because it just means I am going to work even harder this week with my companion. Sometimes here in Tahiti with all the music, the heat, the humidity, the flowers and the fruit it feels so easy to get sucked into the lazy life. We are surrounded by it and so sometimes it is hard to work, work, work, but I love it here. I can't stop thinking of how grateful I am that the Lord sent me here in Tahiti. Whatever you guys imagine of Tahiti it is not what it is like. I guess it is actually kind of ghetto but I don't realize it anymore because I am just used to it.
This week I have not been bold enough. I don't know what happened but suddenly everything started scaring me this week. It got to the point where I was scared to talk during lessons and scared to talk to people on the street. Sometimes I have days where everything seems to get harder. I guess it is just Satan working on me but he is never going to win, but seriously no one likes admiting it but we are all stopped by fear sometimes. It is better now. I know that with lots and lots of prayers and fasting and studying the scriptures the Lord can strengthen all of our weaknessess.
We ate dinner at an American's house and it is seriously on the top of the mountain and we could see half of Tahiti. All of our investigators are doing well but I feel like they have come to the moment where they really need to decide. It is all or nothing.
One afternoon three weeks ago we found a street behind the chapel and we followed it and there were a whole bunch of old scary looking apartements, and a lot of teenagers. Not a good mix, but we started talking to these teenage girls Moerani and Karina and they were open to take the lessons, so this week we continued to visit them and they are super shy. They don't like to answer questions and they don't like to share experiences, so it is hard to help them because we don't really know them. It was amazing because we found a cousin of Moerani who had already taken the lessons in the Marquies who invited us to her house to talk with her. She told us about Moerani and how her mom just barely died unexpectedly and right now Moerani has started to drink. She is 15 years old and so that just breaks my heart. I know that we were lead to talk to her cousin so that we would be able to better help Moerani. Because there is no way Moerani wouldhave told us those things her self. Heavenly Father Loves His children. That is the only thing I have to say. Now this week we will be better able to help Moerani understand that she can see her mom again and drinking will never help her situation. It is seriously sad how many kids are wasting their lives here drinking...same for parents. Many people smoke and drink their lives away here and it destroys their family and the future of their kids.
Sorry for the lecture but decisions determine destiny, and if I can just be an instrument in the Lords hand for helping one girl understand who she is so she can make the right decisions now I would be grateful. I love you all and I am so grateful for parents who made good decisions in their youth so that I could be where I am today.
Love Soeur Kimball
April 7, 2014 - General conference
Wow wasn't conference so great? I warned my companion that after conference was over I would be completely depressed and I was. Holy cow, I was just so impressed with how inspired the messages were. I can't wait for the conference talks to come out in the Ensign so I can read them. I really loved all the talks that invited us to be stronger and more faithful members. I feel like it was something so needed to be adressed. I loved what Elder Holland said about how one day or another we will all be forced to defend our faith. We cannot be passive members of the church, it is not enough in this time of age. We live in such a great time.
This week we saw miracles, so I don't know if I told you about Maina. She is about 22 years old and lives with her boyfriend in these apartement complexes. She just so happens to live next door to members in our ward and one day she was having a really hard time with her family. The member next door, Elizabeth, told Maina about a book that could help her to feel the peace even in trials. She then gave her a Book of Mormon and invited her to read it, so of course we started teaching the lessons with Maina and she is so so ready.
This week we had the opportunity to start the lessons also with her boyfriend and he is way more skeptical and isn't as believing but I know his heart will be softened. We talked about the Plan of Salvation and scheduled another appointment, but that is not all. Maina told us she feels really at peace with the Book of Mormon and she has already read up to 2 Nephi 25 in just a few weeks. She has prayed and felt for herself the testimony of the power of the Book of Mormon and wants to be baptized. Please pray for her boyfriend so his heart can be softened so he can wan't the same things. I know things will continue only to get better. The Lord truly prepares people.
We found another semi-member couple to teach in our ward thanks to a reference. I have never seen two people who want to change so badly. Moroni is an inactive member that left the church at 16. He got into drug dealing and trafficing. Can I just tell you guys how I am going to promise now to never ever let drugs destroy me or my family like it has destroyed his life. I know him and his girlfriend can change but they are going to have to be healed by the Savior. It is only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that they are going to be able to progress and leave the other things behind. I am so grateful for the hope that the Atonement brings in our lives and the lives of others.
Somehow I got roped into being in a film for the church. Not really sure how. We have to act out scenes from the missionaries in Tahiti in the early 1900s. Don't know how that is going to go but we have to wear costumes and everything.
And just know that I have to go but I know this Church is true. No one and no force can stop the stone from rolling to fill the earth. I love you with everything.
Soeur Kimball
This week we saw miracles, so I don't know if I told you about Maina. She is about 22 years old and lives with her boyfriend in these apartement complexes. She just so happens to live next door to members in our ward and one day she was having a really hard time with her family. The member next door, Elizabeth, told Maina about a book that could help her to feel the peace even in trials. She then gave her a Book of Mormon and invited her to read it, so of course we started teaching the lessons with Maina and she is so so ready.
This week we had the opportunity to start the lessons also with her boyfriend and he is way more skeptical and isn't as believing but I know his heart will be softened. We talked about the Plan of Salvation and scheduled another appointment, but that is not all. Maina told us she feels really at peace with the Book of Mormon and she has already read up to 2 Nephi 25 in just a few weeks. She has prayed and felt for herself the testimony of the power of the Book of Mormon and wants to be baptized. Please pray for her boyfriend so his heart can be softened so he can wan't the same things. I know things will continue only to get better. The Lord truly prepares people.
We found another semi-member couple to teach in our ward thanks to a reference. I have never seen two people who want to change so badly. Moroni is an inactive member that left the church at 16. He got into drug dealing and trafficing. Can I just tell you guys how I am going to promise now to never ever let drugs destroy me or my family like it has destroyed his life. I know him and his girlfriend can change but they are going to have to be healed by the Savior. It is only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that they are going to be able to progress and leave the other things behind. I am so grateful for the hope that the Atonement brings in our lives and the lives of others.
Somehow I got roped into being in a film for the church. Not really sure how. We have to act out scenes from the missionaries in Tahiti in the early 1900s. Don't know how that is going to go but we have to wear costumes and everything.
And just know that I have to go but I know this Church is true. No one and no force can stop the stone from rolling to fill the earth. I love you with everything.
Soeur Kimball
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