Le Pieu de Bora Bora!!

Iaorana! 

This week was wonderful!  We had some fun, worked, biked, loved, lived, studied, taught, and life is good :)

So this week the stake of bora bora was created! So awesome! Its combined from three islands.  Maupiti, bora, and Tahaa- where I served a year ago!! Its cool cause back in Tahaa they were telling us to work hard so the stake could be created.  And now its finally happened!  

There was an awesome dance/ talent show friday, a fireside saturday and the stake creation sunday. And since our chapel is too small it all happened under a giant tent in downtown bora!

Our ami Veena got to bare testimony at the fireside and it was so awesome! I feel like I'm her parent and am just so proud seeing her up on the stand for the first time!  

Spiritual thought!  God's work is moving and we are all invited to be a part of it.  The GA who came down from SL explained that even if we live in paradise, we still need to work.  I know that Jesus Christ lives and that he is accomplishing miracles through humble people every day.  If we pray and ask to be a part of His work He will make us into what He needs us to be.  

We hiked up into the mountain to see if anyone lived up some creepy dark trail and at the top we found some ancient sacrificing grounds and our buddy Teiva showed us their "taro" farm.  Taro is super yummy.  Its like a purple or green potato that is sweet.

I'm sorry I don't take more pictures! 

red blue orange team - bora bora

This week was great! 

There is a ton of politics going on.  We got stuck in the road cause there was a line of literally over 200 cars and lots of scooters doing a tour of the island and we had to ride down the road with them cause there was no way out.  They were all honking and playing music from the giant speakers and subwoofers they had attached to their cars haha! 

Our ami Veena was baptized! So awesome.  I was so so proud because she had so much opposition and she was almost going to call it off the day of but she did it!!!  It's incredible the sacrifices people make to have the gospel in their lives.  It makes me feel silly for ever ditching seminary haha!

I'm staying in Bora!! YAYYYYYYY!! I'm very happy.

All the loves!!

Elder Jenkins

Another week in Bora

This week was gr8!  Wow aren’t I clever.  

We had a marriage this week for some of our amis! So fun. Marriage is such a great thing.  Helping families be happy forever since forever ago. 

We went on a hike to see cannons today! Neat!

I had a cool experience during a split this week. We saw a canadian tourist couple while walking to our faatamaaraa (dinner) and we introduced ourselves and the wife started getting mad. She went off a little bit about polygamy and asked us why that's acceptable and how many wives we were planning on having hahaha! But we were able to answer her questions, teaching a little about the restoration and she ended up apologizing and it was nice. But I kept thinking about them for some reason cause I didn't give them any engagement haha so I prayed to run into them again. Then the next day we were at the marriage of our amis and lo and behold we see the couple in a nearby shop!  And so I gave them a pass along card and explained a little more and I hope they'll find the missionaries one day in canada! @jopetejp

Transfers are next week, we'll see if I stay in bora.  

ALL THE LOVES!

Moses supposes his toeses are roses

We were sad to hear the news that we couldn't wear flip flops anymore, especially when I have an injured toe (that refuses to heal) but were then pleased to hear that Jesus sandals are still okay hahaha.  Apparently it's because our mission presidents wife just loves how missionaries look in Jesus sandals hahaha!  The Fox's are great people.

This week was cool, not a whole ton of news.  I'm starting to feel the reality of going home in a few months but I won't let it get to me!  I am going to miss Polynesia so much. 

I really just want to help our investigators make a change in their lives.  They've already made so much progress but sometimes life is difficult.  PRAY FOR THESE PEOPLE I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!

Things at Bora are great.  It's pretty strange to be living with only Americans, in fact all 6 of the elders on Bora are from the US.  In some ways it's fun but I do miss the french/ tahitian/ mauri etc influences. 

I know I say it like every week, but man am I grateful for the Savior and His Gospel.  It just makes everyone so happy.  I wish I was a better person/ missionary, and I still have so so many faults and things I need to work on but I know that thanks to repentance and faith I can keep getting better.  That's the beauty of the Gospel.  We can leave behind us ALL of our stupid mistakes and bad qualities and life just gets better and better.  And if we mess up, WE CAN TRY AGAIN!!  God will never give up on us.  Just keep trying and I promise things work out.  It's usually after our biggest trials that the biggest blessings come rushing around the corner.

I love all you guys so much and I can't wait to see you all.  Sometimes I think about how great it will be to see you and give you all a big hug.  And then I remember I need to get back to work haha.

ALL THE LOVES!!

Elder Jenkins

HAPPY EASTER AND CONFERENCE

This week was so so great.

The work is amazing out here in bora bora and everyone is so cool! Seriously such good friends everywhere you go.

Conference was crazy!!!! So many changes happening. I am in favor of all.  This just shows even more that Christ really is running this church and He isn't sleeping! He's working day and night to help us find joy!

I loved so many talks from conference.  Uchtdorfs might be my favorite.  The prophet talked a lot about how we NEED to learn how to receive personal revelation from the holy ghost or the world will take us where we dont want to go.  I am so grateful for the spirit and the gospel principals which help me make the best decisions. 

Something that really touched me was the phrase "there is no one more on our side than Jesus Christ"  It is true that He will judge us at the last day but He is rooting for us even more than we are to make it!! Its hard to understand the Saviors love, but He sure loves us.  And I love and am grateful for Him. 

Everyone go watch the because of Him video

Easter is such a wonderful time to remember why we are here and what God needs us to do.  LOVE OTHERS!!! There is nothing more important than loving others like Christ did.  "Judge not, that ye be not judged"  "love thy neighbor as thyself"  "love those who hate you".  the teachings of Jesus are truly unparalleled.

ALL THE LOVES

Elder Jenkins