I'm Living On An Island In The Middle of Nowhere .....

Mon, Jul 29, 2013 5:02 pm

..... and I love every second of it!!!

I am Elder Squires. I am a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ. I know this church is true. It is the only way to return to live with Heavenly Father. I'm grateful to be a member.

I am serving in the Tavararo ward in the Faaa stake. The only international airport in Tahiti is in my area. I love it here!

I have to back up to the flight here. Two weeks ago 15 teenagers left the MTC and headed for Tahiti. We had to leave two elders behind in SLC because the plane couldn't hold the weight (they caught a later flight to LAX). I think I'm not going to use periods, it's too much effort on these French keyboards, The flight to Tahiti was long but it was good. We arrived and the first thing I smelled was hickory smoke, I think that's just how it smells around here.

My companion is Elder Tau, he has a strong desire to serve the Lord and to do his best. We bike 6ish kilometers everyday, we had a baptism my first Saturday here. The people here are incredible. Everyone is so nice and loving. Our investigators are incredible. The view of Moorea is stunning. The langauges are coming.

Quick story: we were in a Tahitian lesson and I prayed to understand what was being said. All of a sudden the investigator started speaking French! No one knew he could speak French!!!!!

I love this gospel. I love the Lord. I know He leads this church. I again don't have a ton of time but I love you all!

And yes, the food is incredible.

Elder Squires

I Have NO Time! - July 22, 2013

Mon, Jul 22, 2013 7:30 pm

Haha, I really have no time to email.

Things are going so well that we don't have time to do anything really. I love you ALL! I love this work! Keep smiling!

A great scripture Heleman 5:12

love, Elder Squires

Arriving in Tahiti - July 18, 2013

No e-mail from Brandon on Monday, July 15th since he was traveling to Tahiti.

The following e-mail and photos came from the Tahiti Papeete Mission.

July 18, 2013, 9:00 pm

Dear Families,

Your Missionaries have arrived in Tahiti.  They will be able to e-mail on Monday.  Attached are a few photos I have taken.  They will tell you about their new companions and areas on Monday.

Have a great Day

Sister Hemming

Mission Office

 

At the Faa'a, Tahiti Airport - Good Luck Finding Brandon!

Picking Up Their Luggage - The Big Boxes Contain Bikes

Missionaries Doing What They Do Best - Eating!!!

In the Mission Home with President and Sister Sinjeoux (sp?)

One More Week!

Tuesday, July 9, 2013, 4:51 pm

Hello Family and Friends! 

I don't know where the time goes but this week flew by.

Here is the update. I leave next Monday morning at 3:30 in the morning. My flight leaves from SLC to LAX. I have a 6 hour lay-over in LAX and then an 8 hour flight to Tahiti. I've heard that flights aren't that bad because they have movies and you can fall asleep. But in my case I'll have my scriptures, the people around me, and whatever else I can think of to study.

I'm excited and I'm finally starting to feel ready to leave the MTC. But at the same time I'm so not ready. I continue to see people I know everyday. It seems like every week more people that I know come in and leave. I love it! As of Wednesday I will have been here 7 weeks (maybe). I don't even know. Ha. I've loved every moment and I'm sad to leave such a great place.

This week was great! I fasted on Sunday and it was great. I am amazed by the power of fasting. I found more pieces of the puzzle of my life. Pieces that showed me the mercy of the Lord. He has truly been so merciful to me for the past 18 years. I will always be grateful for the testimony He has blessed me with, the power of the scriptures, for in the scriptures we find Christ, the power of the Atonement.

That's really what this week was about for me. Applying the healing power of the Atonement to my life. I promise you that the Atonement can heal any scar, can take down any wall, and can bring us closer to Christ. I testify to you all with all of my heart that I know that this Church is true. I know that Christ lives. I know that He and Heavenly Father love me so much! I hope you all can find a way to better apply the Atonement in your life. The Atonement is the ultimate healer. It is the Ultimate Gift.

This gospel brings me more joy than all the worldly knowledge I can, have, and could ever gain. I know that there is a purpose for our lives on the earth. There is a purpose for the trials we go through. I hope to never forget that. And during the darkest of all trials I want to be able to say that I still trust in Christ, I know the sun will shine again, because the Lord brings us down before He can raise us up.

I love you all! I feel your love!

Love, Elder Squires

Yesterday was such a pretty day!

This is when we got our travel plans. I'm officially going to Tahiti!!!!

I have a thing for shining my shoes, it makes me really happy.

All the Tahitian missionaries and a sister from Tahiti.

Tahi, Piti, Toru!

Jul 1, 2013 10:41 am

Hello world! 

I don't have a lot of time but I want to say hello to you all. I love you all so very much and I want to share a quick thought.

I was pondering very deeply my testimony this week and I realized something incredible. Those who don't have testimonies are living in darkness but the gospel brings them light.

What is that light? Think about hearing these things for the first time. 

• You have a Father in Heaven. 
• You lived with Him before you came to this earth. 
• You are here to be tested and tried. 
• You can live forever with your family in happiness.
• In this life you can be blessed for being righteous. 
• One of those blessings is a guide who is the Holy Ghost. He can give you a taste of eternal happiness, He can lead and direct you, He can speak the words of the Lord to your heart.
• Then there is the Atonement. The Ultimate Sacrifice. The Atonement allows you to be washed away from the burdens that come from sinning. The Atonement allows you to become like Christ.

I love this gospel! 

My week was really great! I was able to host and the first person I hosted was a friend from high school. 

This is the best thing ever! I love the MTC. I love my mission. I couldn't be more happy.

I love you all,

Elder Squires

Brandon's companion got lost in a box! 

The Mouse in Brandon's shoe!

Let Us All Press On

June 24, 2013

Bonjour, Ia ora na, hola, talofa, kiora, bula, malo lelei, salut, (and any other salutation you can find in a different language)

I hope all is going well. Things in Provo are good. Our investigators are doing well. Our Tahitian one is struggling because we don't understand what he is saying and I'm pretty sure he prays like a Protestant, considering he is a Protestant that would make sense. I am loving it here. We are trying to do much more speaking of French and Tahitian. I want to speak more Tahitian but I feel like I need to get my companions on the same page as me with French so it's a weird situation. I love speaking these two languages. Unfortunately I can only bear my testimony and pray, and count in Tahitian. Ha, but give me some time. I'll get both of them!

This week was kind of crazy. So on Monday of last week all the Tahitian missionaries got emails that had instructions on what to do when we arrive to Tahiti. Every one, except me, got that email. That was a little concern because I thought maybe the mission office in Tahiti thought I had gone to the place I was reassigned to go to. Oh yeah, I got reassigned. After my two weeks in the advanced language district the MTC was freaking out thinking that I was supposed to leave for Tahiti but I hadn't even applied for my visa, so they reassigned me to the Pocatello, ID mission. I'm not kidding. When I got the reassignment notice I told the office what was going on and they fixed it, or so I thought. It turns out the mission office in Tahiti didn't get that my reassignment was cancelled. So when I told them that I was still in the MTC and planning to go to Tahiti they said, "There is a lot of work to be done and we'd love to have you." Haha. I was so freaked out but we got it fixed!

I was praying the other night in Tahitian and the words were just coming to my mind. They were coming so easily and well. It gave me so much hope and confidence that I will be able to do this language thing. I am very happy and grateful. I know the church is true. Je sais que Jesus-Christ vit, and ua ite au e, e Iesu Mesia to tatou faaora.

I love you all!!

Elder Squires

Tahitian sister and all the other Tahiti missionaries