Thanksgiving Is Here - November 25, 2013

Hello Everyone,

I actually forgot that Thanksgiving was this time of year until I was talking with some American missionaries today. The fact that it is almost 90 degrees and I am sweating while sitting inside does not make me think that Thanksgiving is anywhere near. But that's the joy of changing seasons.

The work here is going well. We had two baptisms happen in our ward this week and three in another ward. The two in our ward were a couple that we started teaching the beginning of October. They had members that were really close friends and that is a testament to me that members move the work, not the missionaries. This couple was so ready for the gospel. They have been through a lot of trials and now they are being blessed. One of their coworkers said that they have been talking about the gospel with this couple for 15 years and they finally got baptized. Patience is a virtue.

I got sick this week and was not able to leave the house. After our lessons on Tuesday we came back to the house before going to our next lesson and my temperature was 103.1. It turned out I had a new disease called Zika. I slept for three days straight and now I just feel tired all the time. But it'll work out.

I really didn't feel like going to Church Sunday because I felt so sick, but I prayed for the strength and it worked out. I actually ended up having a rather good day.

That's all I've got the time for. I know it's not a lot but I don't know how I am going to pay for my computer time because I forgot to bring money, so I need to get off quickly.

I love you all, and have a great week!

Elder Squires

Really, really big bread that a member gave us!

We went ramming. (I don't know quite how to say it in English.)

Our baptism from Saturday.

Hello! - November 18, 2013

Hello world!

I am still alive. Don't worry.

I haven't told much about the food and the houses so I will quickly do that. We eat a lot of chicken, peas, and rice. A special thing is steak fries or fish fries or chicken fries. Always fries. They really like rice here. Rice is what we eat for almost every meal. The houses are so poor. They are such a humble people, full of love. It's normal to have way too many people in the same house and in the houses it's crowded and dirty. But I still love it.

We had a baptism Saturday. It went really well except that she showed up when it was supposed to start. We we're all stressed waiting for here to show up. We have five this baptisms Saturday. I'll send pictures.

I love you all. The Lord is there for us.

Elder Squires

Letting Go Is Trust - October 28, 2013

Dear Family,

Things went really well this week.

We had 4 baptisms planned. The thing is that the morning of the baptism the grandpa for two young girls who were getting baptized was very unhappy and didn't want the missionaries to baptize his granddaughters. Because he wanted to baptize them but it wasn't yet approved. So the mother of the two girls called and asked if we could push back the baptism for next week. AHH! I was so stressed. But I prayed and asked that it would be okay, and I called back in 20 minutes and all of a sudden it was okay. He totally changed his heart and decided to let us baptize them. The baptism went on without a problem after that. It was so wonderful.

I brought two souls into the kingdom of heaven by baptism. That was such a great experience.

I love you all,

Elder Squires

The first person I baptized was the little girl, Mandy,

The second person I baptized. Her name is Fryda,

And this is all of us before the baptism. I'm the only one with white "shoes."

And while I wait for the photos to upload I will tell another story. Once upon a time there was a mother who had to let her child go to his first day of school. She could choose to stop him from going and learning or she could let him go into the world of fear and doubt and face the challenges that would lie ahead of him. She let him go to school beside her fears and 19 years later he became a missionary for the Lord, our Savior. The biggest trust a person can have is the trust to let go. Let go of things, give things to the Lord, that is a sign of trust, and trust builds love. Thanks for letting me go Mom, here I am to serve the Lord.

Time Flies - October 21, 2013

Today is the five month [anniversary] of the beginning of my mission.   Things are getting so much better. We have 4 baptisms this week. I will send pictures next week. We have so many new amis and the number of baptisms fixed is about to get a lot higher. Our goal is to do 20 baptisms by the end of the year. We have done 2. Haha. We have a lot of work to do. But I know it's possible. All things are possible with prayer and the Atonement.   Keep fighting and working.   Taoto Maitai!   Je vous aime, Elder Squires

My Favorite Things - September 30, 2013

One of my favorite things is seeing people repent and helping them receive the baptism of Jesus Christ. We had two baptisms this week. The Spirit is so strong and afterwards you get to think about your own baptism. This gospel is really a gospel of eternal importance. People out there are missing their salvation if we don't share it.

 

Monday was good. It was super rainy and I slept with the window open and I woke up to rain falling all over me. Not exactly what I had planned to happen.

 

Tuesday we had 12 lessons scheduled and we had to split up to do them all. We ended up doing 10. Sometimes it's really hard to contact them all.

 

Wednesday I got thrown around with companions because we didn't have a companion for me and my companion was at a meeting. I have been on splits so many times in the past few months that it's weird to teach with my companion. It rarely happens.

 

Thursday was a bit more calm, we found out that one of our amis who didn't really want the lessons decided to be baptized in two weeks. That is the power of faith and action.

 

Friday we had to look for an ami who was supposed to be baptized but we couldn't find her, that was sad but we got some really cool photos at their house.

 

Saturday was the baptism and that was a powerful experience.

 

Sunday I bore my testimony and gave the closing prayer. I'm really falling in love with the people here.

 

Today has been calm, so far.

 

I love this work. I am happy. Follow Christ with all your heart. Keep up your good lives and the Lord will keep blessing you.

 

I love you all, I pray for you often,

 

Love, Elder Squires

 

 

Transfers - October 7, 2013

Hello everyone!

I got a new companion today. And his name is Elder Teniarahi (tay-knee-arr-rah-hee). Ha, yeah, the names are complicated around here.

Things are going so well. This week was good and bizarre. I learned so much.

Monday we had a family night planned and it got cancelled so we went out and taught another ami. I remember that it was super weird because no one seemed to be able to do a lesson that day.

On Tuesday we had a lesson with Claude, he is new. We taught the prayer. He already wanted to be a member but he never got the chance to be baptized. That was an awesome moment. And then we had a lesson with a member who was able to share his experiences about mariage to help a couple commit to marriage. Members are so important.

Wednesday was great, nothing too crazy happened.

Thursday we taught Jessica. She has problems with the word of wisdom. And Fryda, she prayed and accepted to be baptized the 26th.

Friday was good as well. We had a open house at the church and I spoke. It was one of the best talks I've given. I felt so guided during the talk and that talk strengthened my testimony on the power of sharing what you know.

Saturday and Sunday we had conference and the Spirit was so strong. I can't believe how much I learned in ten hours. It's like the biggest spiritual feast one could have. I loved it. 

Today will be great and so will everyday afterwards.

The Lord loves us and the Spirit of the Lord is strong. The work is hastening, friends and family don't wait. 

At conference with the Americans

 

 

Our Zone

Tahitian bread. It's called Uru and has to be cooked before being eaten. It grows on trees because there is no room for fields of wheat

The Man Who Gave It All - Sepember 23, 2013

The Lord asks us to give Him everything and He will provide. He gave us all that He had, can we not do the same?

Monday we went to do some lessons but no one could do it. That's okay. We had a family night with an ami (investigator) and it went really well.

Tuesday we had a bunch of lessons scheduled but a few got canceled and we forgot to go the one of them. Ha, we have very patient amis.

Wednesday we did a split and worked with the members.

Thursday was crazy, Friday was crazy as well and Saturday was crazy.

We have a lot of things that happen, lots and lots of lessons and running around and calling people. But I can tell you that the tender mercies are so sweet. We had to find two brothers to do a split in 15 minutes and we were able to. We had to teach a ton and we were able to. Everything works out.

The best moment of the week was when we were sitting on the ground teaching the first lesson and I felt the Spirit so strongly.

This work is so sacred. My family and friends, please share this gospel. I love you all. I am sorry for all wrongs I have done to you and I am so grateful for your patience.

I love you all so much! Keep praying, reading, and walk safely.

Love, a little sun burnned and a little wet,

Elder Squires