8 Months!

   Holy cow can you guys believe that today is my 8 Month mark!?! That means I am already a third of the way done with the mission! It goes too fast! It feels like I just got here!

   But man, this week was pretty awesome, we were so busy. We have been working so hard at getting the branch hyped on missionary work, and it is working! We have members who come and knock doors with us, members who go and visit the investigators, and who come on splits with us! It is the best! The members here are so nice and humble, I am so inspired by them and by their service, it is incredible.

  I need to give a shout out to one of my favorite members, and to his truck. His name is Frère Tetuanui (Frère just means brother), and he is awesome. He is a big guy, no front teeth (super common), and he is missing an ear (less common). Anyway, two stories about him and his truck. So his truck is totally like something you would see in an Indiana Jones movie or something. It is greenish with a tan re-enforced back tarp cover, and that is where we always sit because the front only has room for him and his wife. I was doing a split with them, and I was sitting in the back and we were driving through the mountain and the sun was setting, it was super tropical, and I suddenly realized I had seen that before. You know those video games things at boondocks where you are in the back of a truck and all of a sudden dinosaurs or something jump out and you start shooting them? Well, being in the back of that truck was exactly like that (except the dinosaurs never came, but you better believe I was ready for them). I know, super random, but it made me laugh, so I felt like sharing it.

  Second story. We were doing a split with him without his wife, so we crammed into the front with him. My companion noticed something hanging from the rear view mirror and asked about it. It was one of his teeth! Oh man, he went off on some story about when he pulled it out and we were laughing so hard. Why on earth he put it up as a little decoration hanging from the rear view window is beyond me, but it was pretty awesome. But I need to say, Frère Tetuanui is the best. He is so humble, nice and just a great example of selfless service. I can't express how much he has taught me, the members here are really the best!

   I just want to end by saying I have really seen the hand of the Lord in our lives this week. Every time something fell through, something else was put in our path to do. We are out here not really knowing how to be perfect missionaries, but by working hard and trusting in the Lord, he is helping us every step of the way. This is the true church and by being obedient to the teachings of the prophets and the scriptures, we will find more joy that we would ever be able to find in living outside of the Gospel. Thanks for all the prayers, it really makes a difference. Love you all and have a fantastic week!