I love Faaripo

Hey Everybody!! Bonjour tout  le monde!!!

Everythings awesome here in Faaripo! Elder Warren and I had an awesome
week! We taught a lot of lessons and we have two fixed baptisms which
are this sectors first fixed baptisms in a long time!
The first one is with a young adult named Teahi. He came to us because
a friend of his talked to him and he became interested in the church.
He especially wanted to stop smoking. He was smoking, at minimum, 20
cigarettes a day. After two lessons and about a week he's down to  5-7 a
day!! Its amazing! He knows this church is true and we are planning
his baptism for the 30 of March.
The other baptism is for an 11 yr old named Moeata. Her mom is
excommunicated and on her way to return to the church. She has a lot of 
difficulty learning and paying attention. So It's been a challenge. Funny
story...everyone in her family
but her came to church today. We asked her mom where she was and
get this....she said...." Moeata talked back alot this week and she
wouldn't do her chores so she's grounded from church, lessons, and her
baptism......" thats a new one!!! We had to explain that even though
talking back was not good...sacrificing eternal salvation was not an
appropriate punishment. Luckily we were able to explain and
everythings good now! Her baptism will be April 4!

Also, my worst nightmare happened last sunday. The ward pianist didn't 
show up so I was asked to play. I didn't know the first song so that
was terrible. Luckily I was able to play the sacrament hymn....but
then....disaster struck...I was sitting at the piano thinking I was in
the clear....when someone in the relief society presidency handed me a
piece of paper and asked me to play 4 songs. Apparently it was the
relief society program and I became the pianist. Needless to say that
I messed up a lot because they were all hard songs that I didn't know very well. And I haven't been able to really practice piano since my mission started. It
was so bad...I'm still scarred...but I did figure out that I should
have learned "As Sisters in Zion" before my mission.

We also got a new DMP ( ward mission leader)! His name is Eddy
Colombel and he's the ideal polynesian man. He's big, strong,
charitable, and hardworking! We are so excited to work with him!!

This week Elder Warren and I studied obedience. I learned a lot about
it but the most important aspect is our desire, our will to serve the
Lord. If we obey just because we don't want to disobey we won't recieve
the greatest amount of blessings. We need to obey because our will
reflects the will of the Savior.
In this way, we will be changed and we will put off the natural man.

Well thats about it...we're hoping for an awesome week! We want two or
three more fixed baptisms. Im really excited!!

I love you all! Thanks for all your support!! See you all next week!

Elder Cole Porter

Pictures of what a primary activity day looks like in Tahiti...