Hello, Everyone!
So for thanksgiving at the MTC we will get a thanksgiving lunch, a devotional, and watch a movie (think it is Meet The Mormons). We also will put together like 3000 hygiene kits. I think that will be in the news, or so I have heard. After we do all of that, we get to go to our residence, and I think it pretty much means we get to go take a nap. That never happens at the MTC. Also, I kind of counted eating at the temple cafeteria today (Tuesday) as my thanksgiving because they have way better-mashed potatoes and rolls than the MTC. Who knows, I may just PB&J it up for that thanksgiving meal.
This was probably like the busiest week I had here at the MTC. The week started with some uncertainty. Soeur Stevens and I made a couple of trips to the clinic. We were particularly worried because she was spitting up blood and in a ton of pain. Thankfully, though, the doctor assured us that is was just because of the dryness in the air. That all pretty much happened on Wednesday. That day we also came to the conclusion, that we had done everything we could possibly do medically for Soeur Stevens and beyond it, and there was a possibility she might not be able to make it to Tahiti. I don't think she really understood the seriousness of the situation, but Tuahine Arbuckle and I felt the responsibility of that this whole week because we were the people on the front lines handling the situation. Right now, she is doing pretty well so I was optimistic that she is coming with us, but earlier this week it was stressful.
I ended up at TRC twice this week. TRC is when you teach a lesson and practice French with a member of the church. I went once with Soeur Stevens and we had nothing prepared because we went on splits after lunch and it stayed like that for a while. The lesson ended up going alright. We talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ. I think Soeur Stevens liked teaching with a sister because she is a solo missionary and doesn't get that too often. The other TRC was with Tuahine Arbuckle. We taught a man over skype who was in Bora Bora. That was super fun. It got us both super excited for Tahiti.
After waiting ten and a half weeks We got our travel plans on Friday. Oh boy, was the whole district excited!!! I woke up thinking about them. We all went down to the mail room together before lunch. Tuahine Arbuckle is our travel leader. We are leaving the MTC on Dec 01. We are flying American Airlines to LAX and then from LAX to Tahiti on Ait Tahiti Nui. It is so crazy!! It will be my first flight on an American Airlines operated plane in the US. My heart died a little when it wasn't Delta. Another piece of good news is we have less than 30 meals in the cafeteria here!!! YAYA. No more scavenging!!
Class time has been more filled with Tahiti stories. Apparently, there are poisonous centipedes and you go to church and bize (the two cheek thing) with like every lady in the congregation before sacrament meeting starts.
Sunday I gave a "talk" in French. Talks here at the MTC are different. Everyone prepares a talk and then you find out who is speaking in the meeting. It was a struggle finding time on Saturday to write a talk because Saturday is the last day of the week and that means it is the last study time I have to make the weekly goals I set. We spent a lot of our study time at medical appointments and meet with the Branch President previously during the week, but I quickly came up with something on the Holy Ghost. Sunday, we were in meetings and Brother Markham gave me a real good heads-up that it was going to be me. Boy was I grateful I made that talk! I had it proofread by one of the elders from France in our zone and even practiced it with him. That was above and beyond what I normally prepare for the talk. After all of that President Barker pulled me aside and gave me an out to the talk because he knows it had been a long a busy week. That never ever happens. It was super kind of him. I decided just to get it done with, and I wasn't too worried because I prepared. Moral of the story is- Be prepared. It pays off.
By Saturday, Tuahine Arbuckle and I were super stretched. What I mean by that is this week was a growing week, with much we had to get done and take care of. Of course, that was the night we started back teaching lessons in Tahitian when we haven't done that for 6 weeks. We went into that lesson and just going into a lesson at this point was pushing me. I literally went blank. I couldn't think of Tahitian words. I didn't understand what was being said and pretty much was in shock. Yeah, I was offering up some silent prayers. It was the worst thing in the world and didn't help my head was spinning all day. I couldn't think of the words for I don't know, I don't understand, and repeat. Thankfully I did something to help. Half way through the lesson I realized we didn't say a prayer and said "pure tatou" or pray for us. Tuahine Arbuckle did a great job of carrying on the lesson. Good thing she remembered things.
Overall, I learned a bunch this week. Mostly that when things get challenging it is an opportunity to grow, so just take it a go with it and rely on God to help you. I have been working on memorizing this scripture for the week. "Confie-toi en l'Elternal dans tout ton coeur, t'appuie pas sur ton sagesse. Reconais-lui en tout tes voies, et il planifa tes sentiers" or "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and he shall direct thy paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Happy Thanksgiving! ~Sœur Campbell
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