One of the Last

Bonjour and Iaorana everybody.

 There aren't very many of these emails home left for me on a mission. I am going to try to make this one good. hehe. 

  This week was incredible. I got teach the branch how to  play the piano. We started by playing by numbers and have been working our way up to playing with the grand staff (the line in music).

The first day of the music lessons was Tuesday and there were so many people that we decided to make two classes, one for the adults and one for the youth. Everyone was so excited to try playing on a real piano. For many of the students, it was their first time ever in their life touching the piano. Everyone left the first class having played a little song on the piano!

Wednesday we met again for a lesson. I have been using the keyboard course book that the church puts out. It is perfect for the situation that I am in, to teach in a classroom setting the piano and it is in French. Thursday and Friday we continued with the course. Everyone is progressing and getting the base of piano down really well. 

Friday Sr. Xowi fell on her bike because there were like 7 dogs in the middle of the road barking like crazy. She tried to avoid hitting them and ended up falling on her foot. The weekend we took care of her foot at the house by putting some frozen water bottles around it. I found some medicine that is good for muscle aches in my companion's suitcase. (We had to pack up her stuff to put on the boat, that will be here tomorrow, Tuesday) The clinic is only open on weekdays. Today we finally made it to the clinic. Sr. Tina, one of the members, drove us there and they took an x-ray of her foot. Her big toe might be fractured. In the mean time, we have been making good memories together. 

The assistants called Friday too and told us the area was going to be closing for a little bit, maybe like two weeks until the next real transfer. The day I come home isn't a real transfer, Pres. Bize made that up especially for me and Sr. Kofford and Sr. Arbuckle (who were in the MTC with us), because we all have obligations to get home for. 

This coming week in the last week of my mission we are going to be sure to leave the house clean for the next missionaries and make some good records in the area book for the next missionaries. I am really just concerned about leaving the area in a good spot for the next missionaries who are going to white wash. 

One of our amis, Hervue, prayed about what we had taught him and felt good about it. He wants to get baptized and go on a mission. The trouble is that he is still a minor and needs the permission from his parents who live on another island to get baptized. The district president here has been mentoring him. Hervue goes to middle school here and lives with a host family. When the middle schoolers go to school here they either live in the dorms or with a host family. Hervue is lucky at least he lives with a host family and can be in a functioning family. It is a small world because I actually taught Hervue's brother when I was in Tahiti. The island that Hervue's family is from, Rikitea, though doesn't have the church on it. 

Well, I really don't know how to feel only having a week left. I got up and bore my testimony yesterday at church and just felt so surreal and then a whole wave of emotion hit me, like "your finishing your mission,"  "your area is closing," "this is your last time bearing your testimony in sacrament meeting as a missionary."  Yeah after church we went home, well the church is at our house. I rubbed my companion's hurt foot and just like cried. Ohhh.. It sounds so sad but it was really like that. Then thankfully we have cell phone service here because I called some of my old companions and missionaries I love and Sister Jones (one of the couple missionaries) and we talked and it felt better. She told me the story of the sons of Mosiah and how they got thrown in prison, while Alma in another city was converting many. The scriptures say for the sons of Mosiah that "it was their lot." Not something they did wrong, but that that was just the way it was. bon. We'll take what we get and roll with it.

So in the week to come I am just going to do my best. I always thought I would finish sprinting to the finish line, but I guess the Lord doesn't have that in mind for me. I want to talk more with the branch Pres. and teach lots of piano, and since we can't really leave the church courtyard and we will set up some splits with the members and clean our house really really good and make a nice little set up for the next missionaries. 

Next Sunday the 13th Sr. Arbuckle, Sr. Xowi and I fly to Papeete Tahiti (the flight is about 3 hours long). Then Monday Sr. Arbuckle, Sr. Kofford and I have our last interview with President and Tuesday night around 11pm we fly out to the states. I'll probably email again next Monday, but IDK how much time I will have.

We took the plane for Tahiti yesterday with Sr. Xowi. We made a stop on another island and picked up Sr. Arbuckle.

Saturday we went fishing on The motus with members. We killed little crabs with our bare hands for fish bait. We saw a ton of sharks in The lagoon. It was really like paradise.

Things are happening fast! 

I love you all. I am truly  grateful for The past 18 months I have had to Serve The people here in Polynesia. My attitude has changed and my faith has grown.  I love these islands and love my Savior.

For one last Time 

Love,

Tuahine or sœur Campbell 

How to Take Down a Shark (based on a true story) and Other Things That Happened This Week

Iaorana Tou utuafare.

You all are never going to believe the stories that Pres. Chong and his son told me last night. It was wonderful and they were all about sharks.

In the tuamotus, many of the islanders here go spear fishing with sharks and Pres. Chong is one of them. The sharks are attracted to spear fishing, because when the arrow wounds the fish it creates a scent and the sharks come. 

Apparently, the lagoon sharks aren't that bad, they just tap then and they swim away, but if you are scared they can sense it. 

Here is the story of how Pres. Chong took down a shark bigger than him. He was spear fishing with a friend and while in the water he saw his friend swim quickly to the shore, then saw the reason why. There was a shark on the attack because his friend had a little boat full of dead fish that they caught and it had tipped over. When sharks attack they close their eyes and just follow their instincts and so that is how the shark attacked.

Well, the friend made it safely to shore and then the shark turned back around to attack Pres. Then this is the part that is super duper crazy. Pres. took his spear gun and shoot the arrow into the shark's gills to get a hold of it. Then took the shark attached to his arrow and dragged the shark to shore, where his friend was waiting and beat the shark up. 

Both survived and the shark was conquered. 

There you go a good story for you. I was also thoroughly briefed all about the sharks in the lagoon and ocean and many other stories were told. They talk about it like it is nothing here. I am just still in awe.

The work here in Hao is still in the process. We are starting the 21-day prayer with the branch to get references of people we can teach, as that is what the mission is focusing on right now. We have been working hard with branch counsel to move the work forward here.

It seems like a good part of the people we teach aren't very serious. We were mocked quite a few times this week.

The people here are so kind, though. Natalie, one of the inactives we work with, took us to one of the restaurants here this week. It was quite the event and we felt honored to have been invited. As people don't go to the restaurant often here. We ate raw fish and steak and fries. The meat here on the island is super expensive, so it was quite the treat. 

Thursday I put my suitcase on the NUKU HAU, a cargo ship. to get to Tahiti before I do. It will arrive in Tahiti March 5. 

I really just want to cry thinking about this mission being over. It has been the best thing I have done in my whole life. I have felt closer to the Lord than ever before. The people here have stolen my heart and even though it has been really really hard sometimes, I have seen how much God really loves these people and my family and me. He is always there to bless us and give us comfort and to move His work forward. 

The NUKU HAU also brought a huge blessing for HAO. The first ever piano for the atoll came on it. You can guess it was the branch's piano and I got to play piano in sacrament meeting!!!!!! YES YES YES. What a huge miracle. I have missed playing the piano and everyone agreed that having the piano as prelude music on Sunday gave the whole meeting a different and more reverent atmosphere. 

So Pres. Ine (the branch president) and I talked and made the arrangement for me to teach piano every day before I leave for the members. 

That was a miracle for me, because it helps me feel like I am contributing something. What a blessing!!

Well, my family and friends. I love you all  so much. Have a fantastic week!

Love,

Sr. Campbell

This Week and a Trip to Amanu (an island with only 200 inhabitants)

Last week I received a total of three emails with my travel itinerary to go home, one from mom (she beat the church in sending me my travel plans), one from the church as my official travel plans, and one from my dad. 

I talked to Pres. Bize Monday night and he gave me my ecclesiastical endorsement for BYU!! I just thought to myself how crazy that was, we talked for like 20 seconds on the phone because I am a three-hour flight away from the mission home and then he endorsed me. 

Friday afternoon, Sr. Xowi, Pres. Chong (the district president here), his family, 6 other members here in HAO, and I got in a motor boat to go to the neighboring island of Amanu to have a little district conference there.

     The boat ride was an hour long. It was Sr. Xowi's first and she did a good job, as the ocean was little rough and the boat bounced a little,. We took our seats in the back of the boat sitting on the ground with the kids who also came with us because the back of the boat bounces less. It was really really fun. I LOVEEE boat rides. As soon as the boat started bouncing I felt like it was going to be a fun hour and started laughing. That boat ride had to have been one of the most fun moments of my mission. No one got sick going there. We had 6 adults in the boat and 3 kids. I felt super Tahitian.

There is a little group of members that meet in Amanu, about 10 members on average who attend sacrament meeting each week. They meet in a house that the church rents.

On the island of Amanu, there are about 200 people who live there. They just recently built a road and are in the process of building a hurricane shelter for the community. There are two little concession stand stores there and everyone gets around on foot or bike if you really want to get somewhere fast. Sr. Xowi and I walked through the village in about 20 mins taking our time.   

  For the spiritual side of the trip, we went there and had a fireside Saturday afternoon and a conference Sunday morning. We sang for both of the meetings and I spoke and bore testimony for both of the meetings.

   

Sr. Xowi and I prayed and fasted that we would be able to do the work we needed to do there in the short amount of time we had. Well, we were busy going with the members from HAO and did splits to go see the people and teach the gospel.

We were the first sister missionaries ever to go there. I know why. Hehe. We totally took bucket showers. It was a great experience.

The people were so kind and receptive to us. They killed the pig for us and we had a big Tahitian feast, with food they had cooked in the ground. We ate coconut bread, coconuts, chicken, pig, and cooked banana. They also had a little fareireiraa (party) for us, where they showered us with shell necklaces. It was just perfect and we were really touched by their kindness.

I spoke a lot in Tahitian being there and core testimony about The Book of Mormon and eternal families. It was just a dream to be able to do that. I really felt the spirit as I did so.

We also helped an inactive lady who had forgotten most of the teachings in the church as it has been 30 years. We only had an hour with her and she wanted us to teach her the base of the gospel. There was no way we could do that in an hour!! I felt prompted though to just encourage her to read the Book of Mormon, as all the doctrine and plan of salvation can be found in it. My companion and I passed the hour sharing testimony and experiences of that wonderful book.

The weekend trip to Amanu was super tiring. At night we were just whipped but it was weird to not be in our little house all alone. We shared a house with 14 other members including kids. There was 1 bathroom and no running water. I just felt like we were a part of a nice ward camping trip. It went really well though and a great experience to bond with the members from here in Hao. How do missionaries get to have an experience like that??

Sunday we came back from Amanu and the boat ride was a lot less calm, but one of the little girls sitting next to me did get sea sick.  I stayed clean, though.  

Needless to say last night, Sunday, I had one of the best night's sleep of my mission. It felt so good to be back in my bed and clean.  

Well, love you all so much. I almost want to cry every day knowing that this is coming quickly to an end. Have a great week and I'll see you in a few of those!

Love.

Tuahine Campbell

Our Arrival in amanu. The people were at the boat dock with leis. Here is Pres chong and Sr xowi and me

Here is me and louana, one of the members in amanu, We taught her boyfriend. The yellow building behind in the meeting house there

About to leave amanu, me and sr tamatatoa. she made the necklace I am wearing

that little lagoon has the houses around it and that is pretty much the whole habitation on the island. 

Back on the boat!

 taking a selfie with the pig head

Short and Sweet

Hi

Oh my goodness! The church has sent me travel plans to travel home in an email. WHAT!!???? How is that time already here?!!

This week was a nice humbling week. Sr. Xowi and I worked a lot in the Tuamotu sun talking to people. We talked to them and they would tell us it is hot, and we would just keep talking anyway. I never thought I would become this adapted to heat and humidity. We sweat all the time and it isn't a problem. I even wake up sweaty!!

Oh yeah, so the week was humbling because last week we had miracles and our amis came to church and stayed for the 2nd hour and we taught a beautiful lesson. Then this week there was no one. I think it is because school is out, so many have left on their boats to go to the sector. The sector is another part of the island where there isn't any habitation, but people have little cabins and land there, so they go to collect shells and coconuts to sell. 

Heavenly Father was good to us though because He literally sent people to help us. Saturday, Sr. Xowi and I walked into the church courtyard sweating and there was Sr. Ine, the branch President's wife, waiting to greet us. Then she continued to tell us inspirational stories. Afterward, I was just really really grateful for her time and thoughts to come visit us. 

We had branch council and it went really really well. The branch President was super supportive of missionary work and the members too! We all committed to being more serious about the work here. 

This coming Friday we leave for the littler island of AMANU. There are about 12 members there, and Pres. Chong, the district president, told us that there are amis who want to be baptized there. I am so excited. We are going to go scout it out, AND so I ask for your prayers that we can do the work we need to do there because we are only going for 3 days. 

Well, my dear friends and family. I don't know what else to write. I know it was short, but I still love you all!!  Have a wonderful week!!

Love,

TUAHINE CAMPBELL

Life on Hao

Hello everybody!!

COCONUTS

This week we didn't have much food in the fridge, because we needed to go to the post office to get money. Well, Heavenly Father provided for us. Our amis brought us coconuts!! I was so happy. So we drank and I ate coconut for breakfast almost every morning. yummmm. I have learned the thinner the meat the better, because it is sweeter.

SINGING FOR SERVICE

The oldest man on the island is sick and has been for weeks now. The family is of another faith, but every time we have ridden our bikes past the house I have felt we needed to do something nice for them. I didn't really know how to approach it though, because some had previously warned us not to bother going there. Yesterday, Sr. Xowi and I brought our hymnbooks and just sang for the family in tahitian and for the old Papi. We were outside and Papi was lying on his bed. He looked so weak. I really felt the spirit though as we sang how families can be together forever and that God sent us here to earth with parents kind and dear. The service was so powerful, as we combined with those of another faith during a time of need. Afterwards this family invited my companion and I to eat with them. We ate rice and meat and cabbage and a fried bread. It was so kind of them. I was so grateful for the time we had to share a kind moment.

WHAT I HAVE SEEN IN 5 WEEKS

 I have been here in Hao 5 weeks, and there has been many subtle changes happening with the work here. We have one ami, who used to not like it when we talked about prayer or any gospel subject, but now she calls us to confirm her lessons. It was a miracle, as she said her first prayer out loud with us this week. She was touched and we were touched. It took a lot of courage for her, but she did it. For Sr. Xowi and I, we were super happy for her.

AFTER 17 MONTHS

I started reading Te Buka A Mormon (the Book of Mormon) at the beginning of my mission and wanted to finish it. Well this week I finished it. The entire book in Tahitian.
I cannot even begin to  write how many awesome, quite moments of revelation I had. BUT I spent a lot of time in that book and some of the greatest things I learned on a mission came from reading the Book of Mormon in the mother language of the people.
So yesterday, I bore my testimony in church about it in French and Tahitian and it went well. Public speaking in another language isn't really my thing, but I know that the spirit carried the message into people's hearts.
I know the Book of Mormon is true, because of all the little times I read it, it has helped me, even if I have read it many times, there is always something that applies to me. I have also seen how The Book of Mormon has helped the people here. I just can't even begin to write, but since the beginning of my mission the Book of Mormon has always has a key role in helping our amis.
There is my letter for this week. I hope you all have a wonderful week and turn to Him who knows all when you have something you need to know.

I love you all soo soo much!!

Love, 

TUAHINE CAMPBELL

eating our sandwiches at the lagoon today.... yummm

The boat Kura Ora came on Sunday. We had a package on it. Anyways we saw this image from our house and asked our ami, poekiva, what was up. Then she told us the captain of the boat was drunk at her house and the kids were ceasing the moment to jump off the back of the cargo ship into the lagoon.. hehehe. how fun!!

Here is our friend maimiti and her little pig!!! haha.. I tried to hold it but it tried to bite me and i got really scared!!! They keep the little pig in the backyard and when it grows up they are going to eat it. 

Hello HELLOOO

HELLO HELLOOO

BLUE EYES

Word has gotten around the atoll. Apparently, we have some amis taking lessons because of my blue eyes. Holy cow. So this week we challenged all our amis with challenges. One challenge was to keep the Word of Wisdom and other commandments for a week. Sr. Xowi and I wanted to see how serious our amis were. Well. It worked. We are getting to be pretty direct here. I love the amis anyways. Oh, I just laugh sometimes about these situations. 

ENGLISH CLASS

Thursday we had our first English class for the community. It was super fun, We laughed a lot and our amis came. Having people actually come was a miracle for me, a huge blessing and we had a lot of fun. We learned, "I am a Child of God," and some pronunciation stuff. 

COMING TOGETHER

This week we had branch council. It was wonderful because working with the local leaders is so key in missionary work. We discussed our action plans with the leaders and felt supported. 

Then we have many members who are really starting to help us have lessons with amis. The following story is thanks to one of the members who is trying to work with us. 

PRAYER ANSWERED

This week I prayed to really feel the spirit in a lesson. It happened as we taught in Tatiana's home (a member who is a school teacher here). I was teaching and testifying of a prophet and I felt it. The amis did too as we read in the Bible and Book of Mormon. 

THE BIGGEST THING

Serving on a little island has it's way of missionary work and the biggest thing I am grateful for this week is just the trust of the members that is starting to be there. We are really being blessed with members who want to go out with us or have a family home evening. Last week I was worried about that and prayed to know how we could better work with the members and this week I can see that prayer being answered and things are just changing. 

BLESSING

Last blessing of the week. Our running water in the house changed from salty lagoon water to normal this week. I think one of the members came and did something with it. Boy, I am grateful for that. It is so much easier to clean and to get clean with regular water!!!!!!

LAST BIT

My companion and I admired the ocean today. It is sad we see it all the time, but don't give it enough for how pretty it is. Life is like that a lot we don't see what is really before our eyes. The water here is literally the best in the world, but we are so preoccupied with another thing we set it aside. Voila some food for a thought. 

LOVE YOU LOTTSS AND LOTTSSSS

TUAHINE CAMPBELL

The first green building on the left is the church (its the one before the pink house). I think it's safe to say we go to church on the beach...our house is the other building with the rusty tin roof.

Better picture of the church

Loving my daily fish and riceee..... yuummmm!  I love it when we eat this.... living off the island.  got to love this maa (food)

Voila our flower crowns we made and gave away 

j'ai fait moi même ma couronne de fleurs.J'ai appris a faire avec une jeune fille membre...JOLIE n'est ce pas???? lol 

Today at the boat dock... this is a 2 min walk from our house....... got to love it!

Coconut Bread and Conferences

Hello dear friends and family,

CONFERENCES

This week we had three conferences, one for all the missionaries in the entire world that the church broadcasted, another one video broadcasted from Tahiti with our mission president, and the last with the locals here in HAO and a member from the temple president, Elder Sinjoux (our area 70), and Pres. Sun (from the mission presidency). 

Wednesday, we didn't get to see the missionary conference from the church, because our internet was not good enough.  As for the other two conferences they were wonderful and I took a bunch of notes. I particularly loved when Elder Senejoux spoke because it was super direct and clear. He spoke about keeping the commandments and the sabbath day holy and also how important family relations are. 

For the district conference here in HAO, a family from AMANU came in on the boat. The ride was one hour. They stayed at the church from Friday until Sunday. They are the only members on that island. It was super awesome to be a part of the conference. Who would imagine that people would make a sacrifice like going to another island just to hear the words of leaders? 

COUPLES

I am pretty sure everyone we teach is a couple. It is incredible. It is a lot better that way because then the couple is on the same page with the gospel. 

This week we had a miracle with one of the couples we teach. We have been encouraging them to read the Book of Mormon together and we gave them a reading assignment. My companion and I prayed that they would read together, as we know it will be something that will invite the spirit for them. The day came and we followed up and they read!!!! I call that a miracle. Even the husband who is inactive called it a miracle. I am so grateful they did. 

Teaching couples, I feel like Heavenly Father is really trying to teach me the importance of marriage and family before I leave. We have taught the importance to have God in the relationship multiple times this week. There is power as we explain as the husband and wife grow closer to God individually the couple will grow together too. So I would like to thank all my young women's leaders and others who have taught me an example of a covenant marriage. I cannot express how much that vision is what I want for every family I have taught, or met on a mission. 

COCONUT BREAD

One of the days this week as I was doing personal study, I looked out of the window into the church courtyard to find a lady selling her coconut bread. She was going door to door. This approach is common here as that is how most the population buys and sells fish too. For four dollars I bought like a 9 by 11 piece of homemade coconut bread. It was wonderful. Such a great experience to buy coconut bread at my doorstep. I was thinking in that moment what I was going to eat too. Only In the Tuamotusm can you have that experience. 

LETS PRAY

Recently Sr. Xowi and I have been teaching an inactive, Natalie. She is the nicest ever to us. She has given us so many coconuts to drink. (I love drinking coconuts). Well, this week was a miracle because when we go to her house, even for just say hi, she has told us ''Let's pray." We didn't even have to suggest it. She has also started to read the Book of Mormon and is loving it. We give her a couple verses and then she immerses herself.

HEIRANI MIRACLE

We have been teaching Heirani since I have got here. She is eight months pregnant and her man is just getting active. She took the challenge to pray and read the Book of Mormon and knows it is true. We had a lesson with her and her man (Brice) and I asked them, "What do you want for your daughter?" They were touched as they replied. It is wonderful because the members are right behind this couple to support this couple. One of the sisters in the branch will be flying to Tahiti, which is an expensive plane ticket, to help Heirani have the baby. 

That is how it is here. Mothers go to Tahiti to have their children and for Heirani because Brice works she is going alone. Thankfully one of the members, Sr. Pikon, is going to help her. Please pray for that couple. 

THE MISSION OFFICE CALLED

They wanted to know my final airport destination when I go home. I don't know how I feel about all this. It is ending too quickly. I am now in my last transfer. 

MY COMPANION

Sr. Xowi is wonderful. She is teaching me a lot about patience, love, and service. She is always quick to help out and give quiet service. I might have been out longer than she has, but she reminds me daily of what a mission really is. 

Love you all soo much!! Have a great week. 

Love,

Soeur Campbell

I made a flower crown this week it was my first one all by myself.. one of our investigators collected the flowers for us, and one of the members taught me how to make it.

I

I gave the crown to Mami Tekava. She took the plane for Tahiti to go to her checkup at the doctor's.  

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