The Long Awaited Sequel- Week 21

January 12, 2016

Ka oha nui from the Marquesas! The land where everybody's Catholic, and people ask me if I'm Arabic when they see/hear my last name.

In terms of work, things are definitely an uphill battle out here, but I'd say it's going well. We had 14 lessons this week instead of the traditional 5, and 14 is the number of lessons for the Standard of Excellence in a branch, so that's a least a start. We've still got so much work to do though. We have no baptisms fixed right now, one progressing investigator, and one brand new little branch. Everybody there is really still just trying to learn how to be a church. Elder Poirier is the first counselor in the branch, and sometimes it really feels like we're really teaching these guys how to do things. I'm not terribly frustrated, rest assured (that paragraph kind of makes it sound like I am), I'm just stating how it is.

Honestly, I think part of the reason why I'm not frustrated is because of how theraputic it is out here. Everything's so tranquil. And photogenic. Thusly, lots of pictures.

I had a really great experience supporting something my companion said and testifying like crazy in the face of scrutiny during this one lesson, and that was really cool. The Spirit was uber strong, and the guy didn't really have anything else to say after that, so I vote it was a success.

I still can't speak Marquisian, but my French is moving along pretty quickly (that's what happens when you don't speak English all day). Speaking of which, Elder Poirier is from the Caribbean. No lies man. He was born in Guadalupe, but lived in France before the mission. He speaks French very well. We have some seriously good laughs. He likes movies and anime and stuff, so we get along pretty well.

Other than that, it's life and business as usual out here. Until next time, remember that perfect and infinite peace, love, and atonement is there and real and for literally everybody. Isaiah 55:6-7. The Lord's never gonna be like, "Ugh, you again?" Frankly he delights in our trying to be better, and loves us like crazy and wants to help us. The only thing ever holding us back is ourselves.

May everybody have the strength to overcome, and the humility to turn to the Lord this week.

Until next time,

Elder Harrasch (y'know, because that last "h" should make a sound. Because I'm Arab)

-dude, that's one heavy lourd

-fighting off the women

-no lie it's a sacrificial altar (not making that up)
-a good-looking street

-another good-looking street (not the same street)

-dude look at the colors of this duck
-also nature

-I put my stick of bamboo with string on the end of it for literally 5 seconds and I caught my first fish
-man look at all them colors

-the biggest fish of the day - caught by me