Record Church Attendance and the Light Speed Translator

Ia orana!

Hi everybody!

This week has been a good one, and it went by really fast!

 

We started this week, with a Tuesday that was filled with lessons. We were able to teach about 17 lessons with investigators, and 13 or 14 with new or non active members. Teaching the less active members and the new converts has been really fun. I love the people here!

This week, we had 58 people at church! Woohoo! New record for us! We had five investigators, and some of their children. We were super happy about that yesterday. At the chapel, we watched the broadcast from elder Cook, about the sabbath day. It was all in Tahitian (when it was in Papeete, and I saw it live, it was in English :D). The translators speak SO FAST! They say all of the phrases in Tahitian, as the speaker says the untranslated phrase in English. BUT big and complex thoughts in English take a lot less time to clearly state than in Tahitian. That means that in order to keep the same time limit as an English speaker, the Tahitian speaker must either dumb down or simplify all the comments, or speak at WARP SPEED! I think that the translator did a bit of both. The talks aren't simplified too much, so the speaker has to speak VERY VERY fast. It was cool to hear. He spoke CLEAR and crisp Tahitian, but spoke faster than you will ever hear it spoken in french Polynesia. I was blown away.

This week, Elder Bakow and I ate some weird crab thing. It's fermented crushed crabs and little crustaceans in some sort of white paste that we ate on coconut bread. Its like island sauerkraut. The coconut bread was made not with the normal white flesh of the coconut, but it was made with what they call nou-nou (you let the coconut sprout, and then cut it open and cultivate the heart of the sprout, it is white and spongy and sugary!). In the Tuamotus they make bread using it and they call it feraua nou-nou. Anyways, it was way good. I thought I'd tell you about it. The crab gunk was alright, but the bread was amazing, and together, it was good.

This week, one of our few precious investigators took the plane with her husband to go to Tahiti, and they wont be back for another week. They left to Papeete to get married!!! WOOHOO!! Our investigator will likely be baptized here when they get back. We fixed her baptism for the fourth or July! We called it Independence day (not American Independence, but independence and liberty from sin! :D ) We are super stoked for them. The cool thing is, that I know their family very well. The husband of our investigator, he is from my old sector. I did Skye at his sister's family's house on Christmas and Mothers Day. SO anyway, it has been cool to teach this family, and I just hope and pray that all goes well for their marriage, and that she will be ready to be baptized on the fourth!

This week we should have two baptisms. We are having some interesting challenges coming up with the family of one of our investigators though. I hope and pray that all goes well, and that our ami will be alright.  Our other investigator is a seventy eight year old angel! She is so nice, and teaching her has been so fun! She speaks ONLY Tahitian, and we have been teaching with her member son-in-law with us. He helps us when we mess up or don't clearly teach a principle, and he is a way good translator. He calls us Kolipoki! It has been fun teaching with him. His mother in law is sooo cool! We are just praying that the lagoon is nice and calm, and warm for her Saturday baptism! :D

This week I am studying the atonement.  I have started by studying several words like LAW. I was interested by it in Alma 42, and I have been looking at its use in passages all over the scriptures. When prophets use the word law, they often speak of redemption or intercession too. The plan of redemption. I had a cool insight about what intercession means, and why Jesus gave the intercessory prayer. I'm still studying that. Last night we had a great lesson with a less active family. We talked about the atonement, and I felt the Spirit really strongly. I KNOW that Jesus loves me, and all of us, and that is what makes this whole thing real, and right! I know that He is our Savior, and that we can have joy through Him.

I read about fifteen chapters in the book of Mormon this last weekend, and my goal is to get through all of Helaman in the next week or so. I love the book of Mormon! When you read the war chapters in one sitting, it is AWESOME! The story is easy to follow, and you realize what a looooozer Amalickiah was. WICKED dude. Moroni is the coolest guy ever! I love the Book of Mormon. Elder Pearson promised us that if we read it everyday, we will never feel doubt, and we will be protected. He said if we read it everyday, we will never fall! I was impressed by that promise, about a year and a half ago, and I want to put it to the test!

These are my thoughts for this week!  Thanks for all your love, and for writing to me! I loved all the emails that I got this week and last week. Thanks for everything! I am doing well here, and I am doing my best. I know that the Church is true, and I am so thankful to be a missionary.

Have a good week!

-Brigham

What You've Chosen is At Hand

Hi all!

This has been a good week. Elder Bakow and I taught many lessons, and we fixed a couple of baptisms. One elderly lady accepted to be baptized, she is 78. She is excited about the baptism and she gave up her coffee. :D She was really touched by a priesthood blessing that we gave her, and now she wants to join the church. Her Children are mostly members. It would be awesome if they make it to the temple! 

This week, I had some good studies. We have so much more time to study here  than I did in Papeete. We have all of the past several general conferences as mp3s on the phone and it is great being able to listen to them every morning.  Today I'm listening to the talk "Which way do you face?" Lynn G Robbins is such a cool guy. Yesterday I listened to Elder Oaks talk from the April conference. All of the talks are good, and the more you study them the better they get. During my studies I read Alma 40 - 42 . I never realized how much deep doctrine is in the book of Mormon. 

This P-day isn't the most exciting one, but Elder Bakow and I are having a good time. He is such a good friend. The most exciting part of P-day is seeing your emails! 

This morning we did some laundry and we ate with a nice member family here. The member lady who fed us is so kind. We are starting to work with and teach some of the members of her family. I really hope that they will become an eternal family. We are so lucky to have an eternal family. Actually I think that we are blessed too (not just  lucky) because both of you, Mom and Dad, used your agency well. This week I thought a lot about the Spock quote  "What you want is irrelevant. What you have chosen is at hand." A lot of people want to have an eternal family BUT what they presently want has little influence on the developing consequences of their past choices. What they have already chosen can stop them from getting the blessings they deserve or desire . But because Heavenly Father is a good and merciful God, he can make miracles happen. I love seeing those miracles. God is good. We can't change the past but we can change our future! 

To answer your question, the electricity for the island is generated by one big diesel generator.  It gets a monthly load of fuel from the the boat. If it fails.... camping woo-hoo!  The Internet at church is non existent so we found a way to use our phone at the post office.  Kinda spendy to use their Wi-Fi.

Have a good week! 

 

I don't think that I'll be able to reply to all my mails today,  but just know that I am happy and doing well, and I love you all!

- Brigham

Oh and I forgot!  Dad, I have a fishing report for you, but it's not my own. My friend and his wife just caught what could be a record wahoo. It weighs like 66 kilos. Because they know that I'm into fishing they called us and we saw them with it at the docks. I  have pics of it. I'll show you in a month or two. Crazy cool fish. It's about my height. They are verifying the fish for the record. Pretty cool. I still think that Csilla's fish was cooler.

Improved Tahitian and Laundry Semi-Automatique

Hi all!

This was a great week!

Things are going by really fast. I thought that things would be a bit slower, or would go by slower, at least; now that I am out of Papeete and the Office. Dang, I was wrong. Time is going by so fast.

This P-day was fun! We went with a member family to a motu (a little piece of the atoll). While we were there, we explored, drank coconuts, and took lots of pictures! Again, I have not succeeded yet in sending pictures, but that might just have to wait for two months. It was a good way to spend the P-day, and a good way to get to know this family. Once we got back, Elder Bakow and I spent like two hours washing laundry. We are lucky to have a laundry machine! The machine is kinda semi-automatique. It is a big drum that you put the clothes into, and pour the soap and water in with buckets. We just use some of the precious water from the cisterns. When the drum is full, you turn the machine on and the drum just spins and spins, until you call it good. Then you can take it out and rinse it by hand, or scrub it again, or  you can put it in the spinner (another drum, really small and made of plastic). The spinner gets the clothes drier , before they go on the line. Washing a full load takes a long time and is a full team effort. Lots of water to get from the cistern, lots of drying in little batches, and lots of hanging. It makes me really appreciate having the fancy machines at home.

This week, we had some ups and downs with our investigators. We managed to find a few new people to teach, but one of our amis is having a rough time with the word of wisdom. They all are actually. That is probably the hardest commandment for people to keep here. I am so blessed to not have a problem with that. Thanks Mom and Dad. We fasted with a wonderful family this week, and I am just so lucky and pleased to know these people. We fasted to help our friend be able to overcome some of his dependences. I love these people.

This week, we taught many many lessons to less active members of the church, and then Sunday was like payday! We had three or four families come to sacrement meeting as well as two of our investigators! Wooohoo! I think we were at forty five! New record (for Elder Bakow and I). I think the normal here is about thirty or so. Yeah. It is really small. We even got to teach our gospel doctrines class! WOOO HOOO! Best Sunday ever!

This week, we were also able to give a blessing to an elderly woman on the island. I think she is a little older than 80, and she was really sick. We gave her a blessing, and she was really touched. She's a life long Catholic, but her daughter is a member of the branch. After we gave her the blessing, she regained her health and she was really touched! We were super stoked, and she's accepted us to come back to talk about the Gospel! :D Giving blessings has been a special, and unique experience on my mission. My Tahitian is getting a lot better, between elder Bakow and I; we do alright. We've taught SO much in Tahitian. I just feel blessed to be understood, and to understand.

In short, I am doing well, and I am happy to be here. I'm not sure how long we will be here, or what the plans are (its kind of nice not being in the loop :D ) but I just feel lucky to be here with these nice people.

Dad, I got your picture [of a large trout Mom caught -ed]. WOW! DUDE NO WAY! That is awesome. I am going to find a way to show that to our amis. They always ask about fish at home :D SEVEN POUNDS! SO COOL!

The guy we fasted with gave us a filet of tuna that is probably about the same size of mom's fish. :D
Tuna steaks for breakfast!
hehehe

Thanks for all your love, prayers, and support!

Have a good week

-Elder Larsen

E-mail Sent from Weak Post Office Wi-Fi :P

Hi all!

This week has been a good one. Elder Bakow and I had about twenty five lessons this week ( 10 With less active members ). We were stoked. We fixed a baptismal date with one of our amis, and we even found some new people. We've talked with like everyone on the whole island. And almost everyone has let us come share a message.  Yesterday we met the pastor of the local Catholic church, and we got to know him. Nice dude. He told us about the island back in the day, when pearl and mother of pearl were Huge here. He worked with lots of people who came from all over the world.  Even Japan.  Apparently a huge storm came and killed the industry here, when it wiped out the lagoon. Sad stuff.

This week, we had THE boat come. Only one boat came this month . A mid-sized cargo ship. Because of the boat's late arrival,  (it came Sunday,  but was supposed to come Saturday ) the whole island was at the docks instead of being at church. Our branch's sacrament meeting was held at six PM after the boat had gone. If you miss the boat, there's no red meat and you can't get your stuff from Papeete. So we spent all of Sunday morning at the dock with the whole branch. On the bright side, we got our bikes and laundry soap! :)

Today's P-day was relaxed. We took some food photos that I'll have to show you later. We found some cool crabs, and we helped a friend understand the instructions for his appliance which came on the boat. I don't have much time to write, but thank you all for the e-mails and for the prayers. I love you all!!! I was happy to hear from you all, about graduation and fishing, and about all the adventures in your lives. Know that I love you, and I look forward to seeing you all again. It is getting closer and closer but I don't know if I can be excited for that day or not. I just want to do my best as a missionary and though I don't want to finish it will be so nice to be with you!

Have a good week!

-Brigham

Hello All From Hikueru

Dear Mom and Dad,

Woohoo!
I am in Hikueru and the Internet is like NON existent. You would be surprised. Ive been waiting for about ten minutes just to get the myldsmail page loaded, and so I typed this letter first on notepad, as the page came up, then I copied and pasted it. I wish I could show you it.

Things are so awesome here! We got here on Thursday, as Eulalia was graduating! I really enjoyed being in the plane, and looking out the window like a little boy :D We went direct from Papeete to Hikueru. It is a flight of about 90 minutes, and includes a complimentary Moorea Pineapple juice drink :D I will have to show you the pictures when I get home. I don't think that we will be able to send any pictures from the Hikueru chapel. We shall see though.

You would not believe how beautiful it is here! We got off the plane, and we had to take a boat from the airport to the main island (the airport is situated on what is called a MOTU, or little island next to the main island) The atoll (Hikueru) is actually a partially submerged doughnut. The 'city' or village, is situated on the biggest piece of the 'doughnut' which is above water; and the airport motu is across the lagoon from the village island. As of today, there are actually about one hundred and twenty people, and they all live on the piece with the village on it. I think Elder Bakow and I have talked to like all of them. (almost)

The branch has 90 or so members on paper (but only like thirty people came to church, and I think that there are a lot less than the full ninety here). Everyone here is either 'Mormon' Or Catholic. There is one very old Catholic church, it is the only church building besides our chapel. EVERYONE here has accepted to talk to us, and EVERYONE here is so nice. I am really just blown away by the nice Tuamotu (Puamotu is how they say it) people.

Sunday was an adventure, and we were able to see the branch in action. The branch has a lot of potential, and lots of part member families. I hope we will get some baptisms!

To answer your questions, yes we have a functioning cell phone (I don't know if there are any land lines here), yes we take bucket showers (wooohooo! Its like hiking!), and we do have a working toilet (not like hiking :D ). The water is not very potable, but we have fresh water that comes in on a boat, one every three weeks or so. We also have a water filter (woohoo! still like hiking! :D ) and we do the laundry with the non potable cistern water.

I am having a blast, and I am soooo happy to be here. Yes, we eat, and we eat well! The members of the branch take turns feeding us. They are soo nice to us, and they were stoked to have missionaries. The last time that they had young elders (the only other time) was like in the nineties, and they really really are happy to have us. There are about fourteen families, and so one each family feeds us twice a month. We eat fish (fried, or boiled) as the main course, rice, and raw fish (as the 'salad' or desert :D) I am in heaven!

Really though, I LOVE IT HERE!

Today, we went fishing with the man who brought us from the airport to the village, and we got to know him and his wife. VERY nice people. Lesson fixed for tomorrow. :D
And we got to go fishing :D
This is an adventure,
AND I LOVE IT!!

I am happy to be a 'real missionary' again. We have already had some super teaching moments, and I have felt the Holy Ghost guide us in teaching several times. I just want to do the best that I can, and I know that Elder Bakow and I will be able to do good things here. He is such a good guy.

Thanks for all of your love, and for all that you do! I feel like time is flying. I still can't wait to see you again, and to tell you all about the mission adventures.

Have a good week everyone! and thank you for the prayers. Know that I am doing well, and that I love you!

-Brigham

Transferred to Hikueru

OK, so it is officially transfer week, and I AM TRANSFERED!! wooo hooo!

It is good news.  Elder Bakow and I will be going to Hikueru (in the far end of the Tuamotus) ON THURSDAY!! Woooo hooo! I have my ticket and everything

Hikueru is an itty bitty island. Its an atol.

AND yes mom, there is internet. We're making sure that we'll be able to e-mail you!

A missionary couple just finished there, and we will be going to wrap up their work, and hopefully to have some baptisms, and help the small branch. There are about forty members there, and one hundred and fifty inhabitants. This will be way way different than anywhere else I have ever gone.... wow.  This is gonna be awesome!

This has been a hectic week, but I am soooo soooo sooo happy. Like really. This has been the best P-day in like 9 months. I am sooo sooo sooo stoked to serve with Elder Bakow. He is a very consacrated good guy, and I know that we can do awesome together.

Boooyah.

So, This week, I was able to get some study time in, despite all the preparations for the transfers. I read about the power of the priesthood, and I have reviewed the book of Hebrews. Unfortunately, I find that Heb 5:4 isn't' like 1000% clear for use in lessons; especially when in verse 1 the French guys use the word souverain sacrificateur, all "powerful sacrificer", which is not the same as the phrasing 'High Priest' in English. Its harder to make the connection: High Priest --> Priesthood

I'd like to know more about the etymology of the word Pretrise in French. Pret means preist, but Im not sure what the origin of the word pretrise is. Its not really found in the bible. But the English word, priesthood is. Neh 13:29 French says sacerdoce.... Interesting. We no longer use the word sacerdoce in french, at church. We always say pretrise.

Anyways, so Heb 5:4 is like the best scripture mastery about the priesthood, and I have always been a bit reluctant to use it, because the verses next to it talk of sacrifice for sins and are not quick and clear to share (the french version reads less simply than the English version too).

So as I studied the rest of the book of Hebrews, I realized that it is really like a big essay, written by Paul, about the order of the priesthood. I have been mulling it over for a while, and the more I study, the more it makes sense, and the more I am thankful for the Latter day Saint explication. Understanding the order of the priesthood, (Aaron and Melchizedek; and worthiness, and faith, and service) thanks to the teachings of this dispensations prophets, makes reading the book of Hebrews much much clearer. Paul talked a lot about Levites, and Melchizedek, and I really want to devote more time to better catch what there is to share in this book. It has been a good study. And I enjoy seeing the bible support true doctrine :D

This week I was also able to study many conference talks. We are blessed to have a phone which can support the LDS library application, and reading by subject is SO FAST. I  can find Liahona articles and General Conference talks soooooo fast, and it is like the TG and BD on steroids. We had a special broadcast this Sunday, about the sabbath day. It was a regional stake conference, with Elder Hamula, sister Barton, and Elder Cook! As Elder Cook talked, he mentioned French Polynesia several times, and as Sister Barton talked, I was able to find, annotate, and bookmark the prophetic quotes and Liahona articles she was sharing in her talk. It was sooo cool. I can re study her talk about Sabbath day observance over again, and keep learning. I am happy to be a member of the church today. Today is a day of light.

So this is becoming a big letter... Oops. We are at the Caldwell's apartment doing our emails. They are such a nice couple, from Montana/Midway Utah. They were at BYU-I. Anyway, they have English keyboards!!! :D

I love you all my family! Congratulations Eulalia for graduating!!! I will be in the air, and on a litte island Thursday. I would love to be in the the Holt Arena with you, but I will take the Tuamotus instead.

I will write next week, and if there is any problems with internet, just know that I love you.  I am happy to be your son, and I know that things will work out. I am soo happy to serve, and I am excited to be able to participate in this little project at the branch of Hikueru. I am doing well.

Have a good week!!

-Brigham

A good investigator friend. We ate with him last night, and Heavenly Father gave us the tender mercy of being able to have Elder White fly in just before hand. Elder White and I (who had taught him) got to go have a goodbye with him. His baptism and marriage is this weekend. so cool!

Last night's call in report.The LAST ONE for me!!! Whooooohooo! Elder Tematahotoa (from FAAA) is replacing me.  We were three APs yesterday, and it was fun. He and Lee Chip Sao will be a good team, and I am happy for them.

I Want to Finish Strong and Be the Best That I Can Be

Hi all!

This has been a good, but FAST week. We finished our Zone Conferences! Wooohooo! And we had some great proselyting experiences this weekend. It was nice to spend ALL day Sunday in the sector (after church that is). It seems like yesterday that I wrote e-mails. Things are really really going fast.

This week, Elder Lee Chip Sao's brother came home from his mission, and President gave us permission to go see him arrive at the airport. It was neat to see him get off the plane in his suit and tag, and it was kinda weird to imagine that one day I might get off a plane in SLC...Naw, that will never happen. 

This week, we were able to see many mission friends in other zones, because of the conferences. I will send a pic or two. I did a lot of driving this week, and I am happy that the conferences are over. Its kind of funny though, all the driving here is nothing next to driving back home. The island is not that big, and doing the tour of the island takes less than two hours. It's like taking a trip to Grandma's house (except that we go at 60 kph, instead of 75 mph) 

Yesterday, we were able to teach six lessons. After church got out, we were still fasting, and during our fast, we had some cool miracles happen. We found several new investigators, and we were able to fix two baptisms! We taught a lesson in Tahitian with an elderly man. It went really well, and I was thrilled to be able to talk about the restoration in Tahitian. There are some hard concepts to clearly express, but our Ward Mission Leader was with us, and he really helped us too. He is from Rurutu (in the Australles). His Tahitian is the best.

It's been officially 8 months that I have been here in Papeete. I just can not believe how fast things are going. I am blown away. My mission has been the most rewarding and challenging thing that I have ever done. I just want to finish strong and be the best that I can be!!

Sorry my thoughts are kind of scattered. I am a little tired, and I think I might to take a nap after e-mails. I got my hair cut, and did some laundry today, and I found TONS of ants in my closet..... The ants are sooooo fast here. Having all the shirts and towels covered in ants makes for an itchy day. "They're everywhere!!!" Hehehehe. I got them all I think. I just have a few bites on my arms. My laundry should be done soon.

These are my thoughts for today. I love you all! Thanks for all the e-mails and for all your love and support.

Have a good week, and I will see you on Sunday!!!!

-Brigham

PS  Oh and mom, Elder Bednar is my HERO! He is soo cool :D  I'm glad that you got to go to Women's Conference!

Zone conference in Paea

My companion and his brother!