Tyler In Tahiti

Hi everyone, Something I forgot to mention last week: Elders Bradshaw and Lo'Amanu are now living in our house. They're back from Amanu, a crazy island of 80 people, 12 members, 1 car, and lots of rei reis. They have been living with us as we've been sorting out where to put them as well as the creation of a new ward in our stake. Sunday we had a big sacrament meeting with all 3 wards (Papeete 1 and 2 and Fariipiti), and we created the new ward of Orovini; in which Bradshaw and Lo'Amanu will be serving. My craziest stories for the week were when I was on a split (as usual) with Bradshaw. Taught the most ridiculous temple lesson of my life. Wasn't even a lesson; the investigator would "pose a question" that would turn into an entire story and then the member would answer it with an entire story, and then then another member would spoil the subjects of the presentation, and then I'd be like, "... Well here's this video we want to sh...

A bunch of missionaries went home last Monday. Elledge is officially gone. Lloyd as well. I really hope he gets better soon. We still don't know what he's got. Elder Darguence (zone leader from my first zone) is gone now too. So weird. We've been pretty busy. Had lots of lessons this week, and met some seriously weird people. Last week there was this 80+ year old Italian dude that spoke a lot of languages and had run away from home at 15, and this week was this wife-beater-wearing less active that wanted to take a picture with us after we shared Alma 32:42 with him. It was quite a nice and odd experience. Had another string of new missionaries come in, so we've had multiple nights of sleeping after 10:30. We be breaking all the rules. Our ward had a party to sendoff the old stake president, which PRESIDENT and SOEUR BIZE decided to show up to just randomly. It was rather intimidating. And then don't worry, it was Elder Heckmann's birthday, and he li...

This week has been the hugest blur. The highlight was definitely our zone's family home evening. It's transfer season again (a little early because the batch of newbies is coming in early), and we had some people peacing out in our zone, so we decided to eat together, and Elder Tekurio (being the stud that he is) had like a nice spiritual thought that had us all sentimental about our zone and the time that we'd spent together. It's one of the perks of being a missionary on Tahiti. You just get to see more of your "family". Also Mexican food. Lots of Mexican food. Elder Lloyd is getting sent home (we still don't know what's wrong with him and he is just not getting better). I'm really sad to see him go. It's been so fun having him around the house. The people in our house right now (that is to say Elders Hanson, Ford, Heckmann, and Lloyd) are a really great group, and it's honestly what's helped me to get through some days this ...

(I swear this is the last title that's a Kanye reference. Most inappropriate mission-joke ever) This week was an adventure. Elder Lloyd (who was one of the people we shipped off for transfers a couple weeks ago and one of Elder Davis's bros) has fallen desperately ill. We're still not 100% sure what's wrong with him.  He was in the hospital and had to go through 4 spinal taps!  FOUR!  I felt so bad for the guy.  They were not able to get it in the first 2 times.   Anyhow, he's not doing to well, and they were kind of keeping him in the hospital as a prisoner, so we got him out of there as soon as possible ("we" meaning President and Soeur Bize (who were absolutely livid)), and this last week he's been living at our house (as Elder Hanson is basically already a doctor (thanks college) and because he knew Lloyd super well. Also we're here in the city, so yeah). My companion fell ill for a couple days too, so I went with Ford and Hanson for...

  This week was really busy. It was a good week, but it was long. That being said, I couldn't tell you what I did. I just forget. I need to get back up to date on my journal, honestly. I think that would help. We lost M and E as fixed baptisms, I would say. They found this random, no-religion dude who had a bunch of conspiracy theories about the Bible and they apparently thought that was just too true; even after all the months and months of missionaries visiting them, growing up with parents in the church, the Lord blessing them in so many ways since they've started retaking the missionary lessons, and the likes. It honestly made me think of a bunch of conference talks, but above all one line; "Cast not away therefore your confidence." Why on Earth would you leave the joy of this gospel for the dragon on the flag of the country of Wales being the dragon in the book of Revelation? *shakes head* We did fix a brand new baptism though, and that guy is golden! He...

From Ty's mom:  I woke up the other day to a surprise in my inbox.  All of the pictures we have been missing for several weeks showed up in my mailbox.  Enjoy! Never thought we'd be teaching Spanish on my mission... From forever ago... Those glasses, that keyboard; it was all a win. When we won president's challenge...