New Companion

Hey everyone!!! I won't have a large email today. This week has been kind of slow. Elder Warren arrived monday night. He's awesome!! He's from Dallas Texas. We've gotten along nicely! We didn't have alot of lessons this week. We did have one with our investigator Tumata. We're hoping she's decided to get married soon. We'll find out tomorrow. We have a lot of referrals to contact and sort through this week, 65 to be exact. We're hoping to find at least 5 new investigators this week!! We also have a clean house now. We did a lot of cleaning this week and now its clean!!! We also might be going to the temple this saturday as a trip for our investigators but that depends on if our investigators can get there. 

This week was awesome and I feel as if my french is improving each day! 

I love being in a lesson and feeling the Holy Ghost testify of the Gospel to people. I also love seeing the happiness the gospel brings to peoples lives. I love you all and I know this is the most important work!!! Thanks for all you do.

Still using the computers at the church building to send our emails, so we can't send pictures. Sorry mom.

Transfers

So transfers were this week. My companion, Elder Langlois, got sent to Punaauia to be companions with Elder Brunet (my buddy from the MTC). My new comp will be Elder Warren!! He's from Texas and he's been at this tiny island in the middle of nowhere called Hao. I'm pretty sure he's fluent in Tahitian! I hope he's ready to get to work because we are going to be really busy this week! There's already 9 lessons planned for tomorrow and our goal is 30 overall for this week! We also want 3 new investigators. We have a few people who are very willing to work with us!

We didn't have too many lessons this week. A lot of this week was spent planning and preparing to work really hard this week! A lot of contacting and calling and engaging.

Saturday was Valentines Day and the Papeno'o  ward threw a big party! They played some really funny games. There was also really good food and awesome music!

Yesterday we did a tour of Papeno'o and Faaripo so that Elder Langlois and Elder Tama could say goodbye to all of the investigators and members. They were given so many necklaces!! I also ate so much fish yesterday. Poisson Crue (Tahitian salad) is the best!!! It's raw fish marinated in citrus juice and coconut milk.

One thing I learned this week was the immensity of the sacrifice Christ made for us. His sacrifice was so grand and so difficult. He paid for everything and he's willing to forgive us of all our debts. All He asks is that we keep His commandments. What he asks in return is infinitely small compared what He went through. 

I love you all!!! Thanks for all you do!!!!

Elder Cole Porter

Faaripo Ward party pictures....

Feed my sheep

Hey Everybody!!! Hows it goin!!? All's well here in Faaripo!

 

This week has been awesome!! We were pretty busy and we did a lot of service! We teach this really young couple. The boyfriend is inactive and his girlfriend is not a member. Our goal this week was to invite them soon to get married because they have a young son. They're planning on next year but this week we're going to invite them to get married in March!

 

I went to the Tahiti temple for the first time too! I could pretty much understand all that was said. I only messed up a couple times! It's so beautiful in there! And then on the way back I ate Mcdonalds. It's the only fast food in Tahiti and its so expensive!

 

We did a lot of service on Saturday. We built a brick wall and placed wood pièces on their house. It was so hot! but it was a good experience!

 

I gave a 15 minute talk yesterday in Church. I was actually able to say pretty much all that I wanted to say. It was a miracle. Then I played the piano for a special musical number. I guess my mom was right about knowing how to play the piano coming in handy on my mission.

 

While preparing for my talk I learned a lot about the importance of member missionary work. When we were baptized we covenanted to follow all of Christs commandments and in Matthew we learn that the first and great commandment is to love the Lord thy God! And as Christ asked Peter " Simon, do you love me?" to which peter and all of us respond "YES" To which Christ directs "Then Feed My Sheep"...that is our task as members, to teach all nations. 

 

​i Love you all!!! Have a prodigious week!!!

​

"Try"

Hey everybody!!! So this week has been pretty good. This week has been a lot of planning. We didn't have a lot of lessons but we did a lot of planning. We decided to start doing a bunch of missionary activities and involve everyone in the Area. We also worked with the Young Men and Young Women Presidencies to start mutual up again here. They haven't had mutual in like 3 months. So we worked with them to plan mutual activities that investigators and inactives would go to. We also worked with bishop to plan how we're going to involve members to teach inactives and new converts. This week is going to be awesome! We have so many lessons planned. I also get to go to the Tahiti temple tomorrow!

So last Monday elder Sorensen and I were bored so we watched Ephraims Rescue in French! and the main character said something I really liked. He was giving a blessing and he was talking about how he isn't perfect and how he makes a lot of mistakes. Then someone asked him how he can perform so many miracles and his reply was that he "tried". I really like that. We're not expected to be perfect but we are expected to try. Christ will make up the difference if we try!

Anyways love you all. Thank you for your prayers! talk to you all next week!

Picture of me contemplating the world. All those pictures behind me are from my sisters and nieces! I miss them!