A Service of Love: I am NOT on AN ISLAND anymore!!!

Hi Everybody!

So the huge surprise of the week is that transfers are May 18. That is normally when all the changes happen in a mission. This week on Tuesday, May 4, my companion, Sr. Marrett told me the assistants called, I needed to call them back that it was concerning the transfer, and since they are calling early, that means I would be getting transferred off the main island of Tahiti. I told her to stop messing around with me because transfers weren't until another week, but I called the assistants anyway to find out if what Sr. Marrett was saying was true. Well, it was. They told me I was going to be going to Takapoto. I was suppppppeeerrrr surprised because there are only like 5 islands other than Tahiti sisters serve on and it was my first transfer. The night after I received that call I didn't sleep like at all.

So Takapoto is a pretty new sector for sister missionaries. I'll be the 6th one to go over there. My MTC companion Sr. Arbuckle was trained there and our good family friend Sr. Kimball opened the sector.

It isn't even an island. It is an atoll, meaning its land mass is like a cheerio and there is a lagoon in the middle. There are about 500 people who live here and a branch of about 30.

It is a huge change compared to Tipaerui, which is in Papeete (the capital of Tahiti). I would compare getting that transfer call to receiving a whole new mission call. There were going to be a lot of changes.

So Thursday morning I called and asked what I needed to do about my luggage because the plane I would take over to Takapoto only allows people to have a 20-pound suitcase and a little carry on that is supposed to be 6 pounds. I made that call at like 7:30 am and found out that the boat that all my other 2 big suitcases needs to go on leaves that morning. Meaning if I didn't get my stuff to the boat asap, my stuff wouldn't be going to Takapoto to meet me. So I dropped what I was doing and me the three other sisters in the house packed all my stuff from the last 6 months into 3 suitcases in 45 mins. By 8:15 we were on our way to the mission office to drop the bags off. That was soo stressful, a transfer horror story. Good thing my stuff made it to the boat and that was Thursday. Today is Monday and my stuff should arrive here in Takapoto on Thursday. Until then I am surviving off of a couple of books and 2 skirts.

After Thursday the rest of the week in Tipaerui was spent having a bunch of lessons and saying goodbye. That is never fun.

I had to break the news to Elvina, Yves, and Leila that I wasn't going to be there for their baptisms. That hurt, because we have been working hard with them since December (when I came to Tahiti) and they have progressed so much. It is really a miracle.

Those last couple days in Tipaerui were so busy. That last week in Tipaerui was the busiest of my mission so far.

Saturday I left for the airport. Sr. Paulette, Elvina, Yves, and the other sisters in the house were there to see me off. That is a big tradition here. It was weird because all my life I have been used to just being dropped off on the curb of the airport to fend for myself.

The flight had like 60 seats, a little twin engine jet. Who would ever think that being transferred meant going to the airport?? The flight was an hour long to Takaroa (a little atoll just next to Takapoto), then another 15 mins to Takapoto.

I got off the plane and all the sudden there was a little kid hugging me. Then a bunch of little kids and then everyone welcoming me with leis and everything. These people are so loving. I really felt welcomed.

Then I had been on the islands less than an hour and I had told the kids my name at the airport and we were riding bikes and could just hear all the kids saying, "Soeur Campbell, Soeur Campbell."

Then we live like at the basketball court for the church and the branch pres is just across the street. We didn't have a fixed dinner appointment, but they came knocking at our door telling us to come out for dinner. Things are really slower here like a small town feel. I like it a lot.

Sunday I was asked to speak in church. That was ok. I ended up playing the piano too. No one knows how to, so later this week we are going to start music lessons.

Then Sunday dinner we had right on the lagoon, which is super pretty.

We also get all our water from the rain, The gutter on our roof leads to a huge black cylinder and it collects water. There isn't a water heater.

Today we went to go get groceries and went to all 5 stores on the island in like 30 mins. I came back with some cereal, yogurt, a little thing of nuts, 3 packages of crackers, milk, and chips and spent $30. The stores here are comparable of the Whitewater High School concession stand, except the concession stand is bigger and nicer. Some of the stores you just pick what you want like a concession stand.

So things are pretty good. It is weird to be in a new sector but I like the feel of things. We are going to be doing a lot of service with the coconut business of cophra, English class, activities, and music lessons and working with members. Totally different then what I was doing before, but I am excited.

There you go. The update. Love you all. Have a fantastic week. AND HAPPY LATE MOTHERS DAY!!

Love,

Tuahine Campbell