Woah!!! - February 24, 2014

This week has been one of the most eventful weeks in a long time. So I will start now.

Monday, we did our emails early so we could go on a hike to these world war two cannons that look over two sides of the island. For Americans email take a long time and for Tahitians it goes by really quickly. So I played a little bit of basketball while waiting for Elder Bagley to finish his emails. Then at noonish we headed out and started our hike. The hike was only about ten or fifteen minutes, nothing like hiking to the top of Mount Timpanogas. We got to the cannons and took some photos, cooked some uru - which is Tahitian bread that grows on trees - and puaatoro, which is canned pork and cow meat. The food was good and we came down.

We arrived at a members house and decided to do a marathon of weight lifting. There were five of us who did 40 kilos as many reps as possible, while rotating, in fifteen minutes. I came in last but I was happy to have done 60 or so at that weight. The member did 167 reps and it seemed easy for him. We had our family night and we taught Rosine and her family. We have recently started teaching almost all of the family of Rosine, who is our recent convert. In the lesson we talked about how in life we need to pull out the weeds from our garden and after start planting the flowers.

Monday night we slept on the terrace. I can't wait to go somewhere with much fewer mosquitoes, but not yet. Tuesday we took our boat to the airport. The captain that day is a member and he let us hang out´in the captains room. It was pretty awesome. Then we got´to the airport and my companion forgot his id card. No! We almost weren't allowed on the plane that time. But we were able to get a fax from the mission office of his passport. We made the flight and had two stops, one on Huahine and the other on Moorea and then we made it to Tahiti.

The four Bora Elders went with some Elders from the zone right next to my old zone. I was with Elder Bakow who comes from Idaho as well. We went past my old apartment in Tavararo. That was weird to see that again. We talked with someone in Tahitian and I felt the words start to flow. Yay! We went to eat at a family's house, like most of the time. The food was so good and there was so much. The lasagna was four by six inches and about two inches thick.

Wednesday, we woke up and went to play basketball. I am not so good at basketball but I make a good screen or someone to block a pass. We had a training for all the missionaries in the islands. It was a good training. We talked about engaging people for baptism. We have to engage or they won't take that step.

Thursday wasn't too exciting.

Friday was okay. We had a training from Elder Russel M. Nelson. I think you have heard of him. He is pretty famous in Utah. That was cool. But after that the rain storm we had was so crazy! And that was Friday.

Haha! Yeah right. Friday was so incredible. That training waś so powerful! I got´to shake his [Elder Nelson's] hand as well as the hand of a member of the presidency of the 70, a member of the first quorum of the 70, a member of one of the other quorums of the 70, and the mission president. That was just the beginning. All of the talks were so powerful. I was very happy to be there. I learned a lot of great things. I love this church. I know it's true. It was pretty great.

Saturday we came home with no problems. I met a couple from Idaho. We found out our church had been hit by a land slide and we can't go in. I have pictures that I wilĺ send next week. So for the two baptisms we had to do them in no other spot than the ocean. Yup. I have now witnessed a baptism in the ocean. It was awesome! Then I got to do the tour of the island. One half on a bike. The other in a car. I liked the car part better for the view and the simplicity.

Sunday we had church in a sports center. I was able to do the confirmation for one of the new converts. I messed up a lot more than usual, ha. I was really embarrassed after. Ha.

And now today things are good. I went running with Elder Bagley. I really enjoy running and biking.

I love you family and friends! I hope that all is well, and if not keep moving with a firm assurance that things will work out. I know this church is true.

Love,

Elder Squires

Rain to Sun - February 17, 2014

This week has been interesting. A week ago I was in Fariipiti living in the center of the capital of Tahiti. And now today I am in the cool island of Bora Bora. And tomorrow I will be back in Tahiti for a conference.

So, Monday I was still with Elder Millett and Elder Rozmus. Elder Rozmus is from South Carolina and is a big wrestler. And when I say big I mean that he weighs 220 pounds. We did a FHE with some investigators. The lesson went well, they enjoyed the fact that there was three Americans to teach them.

On Tuesday it rained so much. Actually almost the whole time I was in Tahiti it rained. When it rains here it rains really hard, not like the light rain we get in Utah. When we found out it was just stress my problem I got to work on destressing my life. And so far things are going a lot better. So Tuesday night was my last night in Fariipiti and I took the occasion to wrestle for the first time in a while. Elder Rozmus and I had a good match. We did a few shots and it didn't work so well because of the weight difference. Then I started of bottom and got out, took him down, put my legs in for the leg ride and pinned him with a half. Ha! It was so much fun!

Wednesday was my day to go the airport and take my plane back here to Bora. We got to the airport at 3:20, normally the flight was for 4:20. But because of the rain we didn't leave until about 5:40. That was an unexpected delay. The rain was causing problems with timing and flights and what not. But I made it here safe and sound. It is so much better weather here.

Thursday was great. It rained so HARD! We went out in the rain to work. The rain was so thick that I got soaked in just a few minutes. There was a road that we went on and the water was so deep in spots that I couldn't fully pedal for fear of getting my feet all wet, which didn't work out anyway.

Friday and Saturday we worked hard and got a lot done. Sunday was chill and there wasn't a lot to do. But we did a lesson with Vanatea and her inactive boyfriend and the Spirit was so strong. We talked about the importance of praying and encouraged them to go for their objective to get married. I love this work!

I love you,

Elder Squires





Cloudy Tahiti

 



Sunny Raiatea (on the way to Bora Bora)



Elder Rozmus

Happy Valentine's - February 10, 2014

Well, I am sure you are all waiting to see what the doctor had to say about all the problems I have been having. So, to make things interesting I will tell you all at the end of the email what it is. But to give you a hint it is nothing new for me.

This week went well. Monday I was with Elder Bagley and we did a family night. The lesson went well and I felt pretty great after. I talked to an inactive member and he thought I was 25, and I thought about the same for him. Turns out we were born less than a week apart. Crazy. The lesson was on the plan of salvation and it went well.

Then Tuesday I was with my companion. We went to the other end of the island for a lesson and then had to come back to be able to pack up and go to the dock. My companion left me at the dock and I took the boat and the plane alone. I had several conversations with strangers and one of them told me about having a purpose in my life and that if we follow our hearts we will be happy. That helped me a lot.

Wednesday I spent with my old companion Elder Millett. I actually spent this whole time with him. Normally I will go home tomorrow or Wednesday. Home being Bora Bora!

Okay, so I saw the doctor Thursday and he did one more test. The results came in today and the answer is nothing. There is nothing medically wrong with me! What?!?!?!?! That was really shocking to me. I hope it's shocking to you all as well. It turns out I have too much stress. That's it. Stress. Blah! It is a rush of emotions but mostly just laughing at how crazy that is. That's all there is. I need to stress less. I can do that. I will do that. I love you all family. I know this church is true. Stress hardens our hearts and can do a lot more damage, but if we obey Christ can guide us away. Don't stress life. I love you again,

Love, Elder Squires

Laughs, Rain, and Bikes - February 3, 2014

This week has been a lot of fun. I love living with the other three elders in our house. There is Elder Lee Chip Sao from Tahiti, who is Phillipino, but was born in Hawaii. Elder Bagley from Arizona, and Elder Poheroa from Tahiti (my companion). Every night we have a lot of fun together. I will send a few pictures of our adventures.

My companion...no words.

Elder Lee Chip Sao preaching in his soap box. Oh, and I got my package from Dad! Thanks a lot Dad!

It has rained quite a bit as well this week. Every night it rains. During the day it doesn';t rain so much, except for today, today is has been raining off and on since last night.

Tuesday of this week we did two lessons and after we came home and took a nap because I was really tired. Then we did two more lessons, one of which was on the other side of the island. That lesson was with Myrta who wanted to be baptized this week. We went over the interview questions and had a good lesson on the beach! It is so cool to do lessons on the beach. The water is coming in, the sky is blue and clear, it's in the shade, and we are sharing the gospel.

Wednesday my companion got sick so we came home early. We think it was caused by the not so well cooked steak that we ate the day before. It was unfortunate to cancel our lessons but I was happy to be able to take some time to write in my journal.

Thursday I went to the other side of the island with Elder Lee Chip Sao. He doesn't like riding quickly and so I would speed up and almost leave him and he would threaten to call president, ha. We had a good time. He did the interview for Myrta, and.....she passed!!

Friday was fun, we ate with our ward mission leader and took some pictures with his gun. That is the first gun I have seen since I arrived here in Tahiti, except for the police.

Saturday I was with Elder Bagley and he didn't let me race this time. We had a couple of lessons cancelled but we had our baptism. Myrta was so happy that she started crying during her testimony. I love knowing that God really wants us to be happy, and that is a good example.

And Sunday we fixed the baptism for Victor. He has been following the lessons for a very long time. I really hope he gets baptized this time.

I see the doctor this week and I will let you know what happens next week, normally. I love you all!

Elder Squires

Keep Going! - January 27, 2014

This week was great. I got things figured out with my doctor and I will be seeing a specialist next Thursday, the 6th. I am excited and worried at the same time. But I know it will be the Lord's will whatever happens.

Monday night we had a family night with a some members, a new convert, and a couple of investigators. One of the investigators is a grandmother and after our lesson where we talked about Christ she was really touched and decided to take the lessons again. Again because just before I came here she, her name is Myrta, decided to stop the lessons because of some family problems. So we scheduled our next lesson with her and everyone was pretty happy about that. And her grandson who was the other investigator decided to accept us for the first time. That was a great moment.

Tuesday was good. We saw Rudolph who wants to be baptized in July. Things with him are good except that he has a hard time praying. Also, we had a lesson with an excommunicated member and we had planned to do a little reading in the Book of Mormon. But when we arrived there she told us that our lesson was supposed to be about the sacrament. My companion and I looked at each other and felt really embarrassed that she had planned to hear that and we had no idea that was supposed to be the lesson. I must have been else where when my old companion told her that. Ha.

Wednesday was a fairly normal day, except that it rained a lot! After our second lesson we called a member to take us to our next lesson because the rain was so heavy. And fortunately he was able to take us to see an investigator that we hadn't seen in a long time. Her name is Naomi and she really really wants to be baptized but her boyfriend doesn't want that to happen. It's hard to see her struggle through that. And I dropped off my companion so he could take a flight down to Tahiti for a leader's meeting and I got to spend some time with the other two elders in our house.

Thursday I went with ward members. One of them is preparing to go on a mission but he needs to lose 10 kilos and the other ward member is a recent convert. When they came to the house things were good and all was well until about an hour later when the rain started coming down super hard. We called for rides to get to almost all of our lessons because of the rain. It was a lot of fun. We were able to fix the baptism of Rachelle who is the daughter of the grandmother Rosine who got baptized last week. And we taught Rosine in Tahitian! That language is still hard for me but it's coming. Then the two other elders and I went to get my companion from the airport. We waited for the last boat that would take us out there to the outer island which has the airport. We took the boat  thinking that my companion was on the last flight of the night. But as we arrived at the airport we were suprised to see him already on the boat heading back to the island! Ha. So I had to call a member to go get him and save him from being all alone at the dock. We had a good laugh that day. 

Friday was calm and good. And Saturday was the craziest day of the week. I was on a split with Elder Bagley from Arizona. He is a great elder and he is very competitive. We started out on our bikes not having a lot of time to get to our lesson on the other side of the island. So we needed to hurry. He started going pretty fast and I kept up. He slowed down and I speeded up. And when I slowed down he sped up and passed me. We did that racing for 29 miles that day. It was so much fun! It felt so good to hit a rythm of breathing and peddling and I just didn't want to stop. I was so tired but so happy at the end of the day. And even better we were able to fix the baptism for Myrta for this Saturday! Yup, I was happy that day. 

Well, I know these things are true. Let's keep our hope burning brightly and allow our faith to guide our lives. I love you all!

Love, Elder Squires

Saying goodbye to Elder Millett

This is my package, I think tape, cardboard boxes, and damages are becoming friends with my things.

One of the Baptisms from Saturday

There are a lot of crabs out here, and I mean a lot!