Leadership Council and Car Adventure

To'u mau utuafare herehia,

   E here vau ia outou. Aita vau ite eaha ia papai i roto i teie rata. 

  This week was full of fun and adventure and spirituality.

  For the fun and adventure, I started to learn how to drive a manual car. It had been a while since I have driven (like 2 years), but the experience went well. Elder Cadwell, one of the couple missionaries, is teaching me how to. 

  This week we spent a lot of time working with our ward mission leader, Bro. ROOMATOROA. He pretty much just speaks Tahitian, and fast. That means I got to do a lot of Tahitian practice this week. I love our DMP and the members here. They work hard with us and have a lot of respect for the missionaries. 

  This week was the primary program in church and it was a wonderful experience to all the amis who came.  I know they were touched by the children's simple testimony of eternal families and the example of our Savoir. It was the first time at church for Anita, one of our amis who is a mother. When she found out church was three hours long, she doubted if she could make it through. After the wonderful primary program and the other 2 classes, she was surprised that it ended so quickly. 

  We started teaching Anita, because we were teaching her daughter and invited her to join in on a lesson. She was hesitant that day to join in on a lesson. As the spirit has been in the lessons she has come to love them more and more. She is starting to understand the gospel in a new way and loves it. 

   This week we had leadership counsel at the president's house. We talked a lot about obedience for the missionaries and how the missionary morning schedule makes a huge difference for the missionaries throughout the day. I was all for it, as being obedient brings blessings. 

  President Bize also told us how we need to make the sacrifices so we can call down the miracles from heaven. I was really touched as he spoke about that.

  At the end of the reunion, we all knelt in prayer. The spirit was super strong as we did that. We also sang "Abide With Me," and as we sang the 2nd verse about how quickly time goes by, I couldn't help but start to cry. 

   This mission is just like a dream. There are still people to find though and teach and bring to the Lord. 

  I live you all. Take care. and HAPPY THANKSGIVING (we don't celebrate that here, so have fun eating for me). They feed us really well, though, we could say Thanksgiving is like every day for missionaries in TAHITI!!

  Love 

Soeur Campbell

Hi!

Hi awesome people,

 What can I say, this week was a huge learning week for me.

   I have loved serving with my new companion, Sr. Bluker. She is from New Caledonia and finishes is 2 transfers. She loves to talk so we have been finding potentials like crazy. It is awesome. I have a lot to learn from her.    Yesterday, we ate coconut tree crab. It comes from the TUAMOTUS (like TAKAPOTO, where I was). It is luxury food here and even in TAKAPOTO, only the rich can afford it. It is a really pretty blue color and then when you cook it turns a really pretty red. The Jacquet family bought it just for us wanting us to try this dish. The meat in the arms was good. Then in the stomach of it, the crab eats the coconut tree and has enough food stored in his stomach to survive for a month without eating. To get that out of the stomach you squeeze it. 

The Jaquects told us that was the best part of the crab. So they squeezed it out into bread for us. It was brown looking but didn't  taste bad. Yup. I can now say I have eaten coconut crab insides.

  

The work here is Fautaua is incredible. There is so much to do. The more we work the more I realize that. 

  Recently we have been working with two youth, Ariirata and Manutea. They both have been taking the missionary lessons and want to go on missions. It is incredible, because as they have read the Book of Mormon and gone to church they have had a change of heart. Manutea is even going to sing in the Christmas concert. We have planned their baptisms. 

  We work with a lot of youth in this area. They have a lot of faith. 

  I was really touched this week because I prayed to have a good day. Then as I was doing my personal study, Sr. Reyelts dropped off a huge bag of groceries for us with  a homemade salad. It was a direct answer to a prayer, evidence that God exists and knows us. I am so grateful for that experience. Really I cannot tell you how many times people have taken care of us here as missionaries. It is incredible. The members here have so much faith. 

    I gave a talk in sacrament meeting Sunday. I really prayed for it to go well and for my French to be ok. I got up there and it was a huge struggle for me. I felt like no one understood me. Then I also was speaking and just started to cry because this mission is almost over and looking out at the ward and the people I love so much I just can't believe how fast it has gone. 

  After the talk, I ask Sr. Bluker why was it that it was so hard for me to speak there. She told me that maybe it was because I needed to learn patience with myself. Then I remembered this week I had been praying to have patience with myself particularly (see PMG chap 6 attributes assessment #39). There is another prayer that God answered for me this week. 

  Today we spent a little time playing volleyball on one of the black sand beaches with the missionaries. It was so relaxing to be there and some of the smoothest sand I have felt in my life. Tahiti has black sand beaches because before the island was a volcano and all the volcanic rock sanded down makes a black sand beach. It was incredible and so relaxing to be there. 

   There are so many blessings to serving a mission. I am so grateful for it all. I love you all so much and hope you have a great week!

Love,

Soeur Campbell

PS: HUGE SHOUT OUT to my mom who's birthday was yesterday!! I love you so much. You are the best! I couldn't be out here without you!!

The Hardest Week YET

Hey hey!

  So Saturday and Sunday we had stake conference for the Papeete stake. Elder Nielson of the 70 came and spoke. The conference reminded me of why I came on a mission. 

  During the  Saturday night session of conference we watched the "Hark all Ye Nations" music video from the church's June 2013 missionary fireside. As I watched a flood of memories came back to me. I watched that June 2013 fireside when I was at BYU, staying at Wyview, which at the time was a part of the MTC. I was 17 and being so close to missionaries, all I wanted to do was go on a mission but I couldn't, because I was too young. 

  Then here I am 13 months into that dream. "Is it really what I have expected it to be? Am I doing what God needs me to be doing?" Those were some of my thoughts as I watched that music video. 

  I don't know why I am sharing that, but I think this time is just going by way to quickly. And to be honest this week was one of the hardest weeks I have encountered yet on this mission. 

  BUT, as always we saw some miracles. 

  I have been praying for God to led us to the people He needs us to meet, or that He has prepared. Heirani was the epitome of that. 

  She was a reference from one of our ward missionaries, because I was talking to Teanau, our ward missionary, and she was asking me about a ton of old amis and I had no idea who they were, because I am new here. I asked Teanau to make a list of all these old amis she was talking about. 

  So we got the list and went out to see Heirani Thursday. We were about not to go out, because my companion was feeling sick, but we decided to go anyways. 

   We didn't know exactly where Heirani lived, but we asked a teenager who was selling mangoes next to the road and she led us right to Heirani's apartment. It was incredible how effective this finding was.

  Then we got to Heirani's house and the door was already open and she invited us in. It was like magic. Come to find out Heirani knows the church is true, but her contact with the missionaries was cut off of like 4 months, because we forgot. During those 4 months she has been wondering how she can really put God first in her life, because she isn't married yet. 

  Then we got to talk about putting our trust in God by keeping His commandments and Deut 31:8 for a motivation verse. It was great. The Spirit was strong. I knew God wanted us to meet Heirani, because she hadn't stopped praying, even thought the missionaries stopped coming. 

   Another miracle we had this week was with Ariirata. He is 16 and preparing to get baptized, to make a covenant with God. He started reading the Book of Mormon everyday before going to school. He loves praying to in like every lesson. 

   I am so touched, because people are still progressing, even if I don't feel "in form." That was one of the biggest tender mercies I have felt and seen this week. Because since I have left Takapoto, I feel like my heart has just been ripped out, but now it has to be put together somehow. And that can't stop me from doing what God needs me to do here in Papeete. 

  The other huge tender mercy I personally saw this week was getting a note from my mom. I had an extra journal I gave to one of the sister who was emergency transferred this week and the note was in the journal. In short I got the note right when I needed it. It was unexpected and wonderful, evidence for me of Heavenly Father's love. 

  That it all I want to say. It isn't easy, but it will work out. This is His work, and nothing is going to stop it. 

  I love you all. Heavenly Father loves you too. 

  Love,

Soeur Campbell

Raiatea and My Companion's House

Bonjour!

  Today I said goodbye to my companion, Sr. Terooatea and hello to my new companion, Sr. Bluker from New Caledonia. Sr. Bluker has 2 transfers left!! It is scary because I finish the transfer after her. Yeah, there is no way we are going to let each other get trunky. That is our goal. 

   Tuesday I was blown away by a miracle. Our ami, Manutea had told us last week he didn't want to get baptized, but we watched Meet the Mormons last Sunday with him and the next day at a family home evening, he told everybody he actually did want to get baptized. Wow. Talk about a change of heart. I was just so happy to hear that Manutea wants to really change and let the gospel shape him. As a missionary, it is incredible for me to see how God worked that miracle for Manutea and the other members who are supporting him. 

  Wednesday morning, Sr. Terooatea and I took the plane to go to RAIATEA. My companion is from Raiatea and was related to like everyone on the island. It was great. We really went there to do a split with the two companionships of sisters who serve there. They are both training new missionaries. 

  We were there until Friday night and taught, study, and checked out their records, to make sure they were keeping them. It was a great experience. We also had a little fun with them, going out to ice cream.

  This is going to sound weird but we actually ended up moving with the sisters on Raiatea into my companion's house. Her family is renting the house out to the church. So I spent the night in my companion's house, but it is missionary housing now. It was a good thing we did because the first night on Raiatea we had 7 people (me, my companion, 4 other sisters, and a Mami  who has been authorized to live with the missionaries) in like a little beach hut. It was right next to the beach, but it was small. The sisters were sleeping on the roofed deck.  The first night we were there, I slept on a mat on the wooden deck. The house was just full of beds and mats. Yeah, it was a one room house, but now that the sisters live in my companion's old house they have a ton of space. The downside is though the house isn't right on the beach. 

  Flying back from Raiatea was wonderful because we made a stop on Huahine and the whole plane got off except me,and my companion. So our flight from Huahine to Papeete was just us and another lady. It was probably one of the most calming feelings to be on an empty plane flying at night like that. It reminded me of my BYU days taking the red eye home to go see my family. 

     Saturday we went to the temple. It was a miracle, because Sr. Reyelts,  like my mission mom from Tipaerui, was in the same session. Wow. It was just totally inspired for that to happen. It was evidence to me that God is really looking out for me and putting people in my path. I was happy to see her. She also spoiled me and my companion by taking us out to eat afterward. 

  Well. that is about it for this week. I love you all!!

This is the link to watch Meet the Mormons. It's an awesome movie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS6PZh6tCC0

Love,

Soeur Campbell

Fruit stand in Raiatea. bought a coconut here but it didn't even compare with the ones in Takapoto

The island in the background in Bora Bora at sunset, I took this in Raiatea

The hut house in Raiatea. 7 people and 1 shower.... it was like girls camp. got to love mission island life 

Lots of Splits

Dear family and friends,

  These weeks are going by soo fast. I have gotten to the point where I just love being a missionary and following the missionary schedule. It makes me uneasy though because time is starting to run out. 

  This week was full of splits with missionaries and with members. Splits intimidated me at the beginning of my mission, but now I LOVE them because they are always filled with adventure. 

  Wednesday we did a split with the srs in Pire 2. They live with us. I got to work with Sr. Tidjine. I stayed in our area, but was worried, because I don't know our area that well. She is still in the first 12 weeks of her mission, so she has training we got to do. It was a new experience for me, because I have never trained, but we had a fun time sharing our experiences about principles of missionary work. 

   We started doing weekly splits with our members on Thursday night. This is one of the most effective ways I have found to work with the members and find new amis at the same time. 

  This split was awesome because the members, Bro and Sister TAUMATA, took me to meet a mother and daughter who want to change their lives by following Jesus Christ. The meeting went really well. We did most of it in Tahitian for the mother, and then a good part of it in French for the daughter. They told us they wanted to be baptized and the inactive brother committed to come to church Sunday, because he hadn't been in a long time. Then Sunday he came and loved it. 

   I have learned here that it is important to speak and teach the gospel in Tahitian because for so many it is the language of their hearts. I can't remember which leader talked about this in the 2014 October conference, but these people need the gospel in the language they can learn in. That is why I have learned Tahitian. Now though missionaries will not be called to serve in Tahitian only French. They can still learn the language when they get to Tahiti. 

   Friday we did a split with the sisters in Papeete 1. I stayed in our sector again with Sr. Moutet. Normally she will serve in the Kennewick, WA mission and she is waiting for her visa. 

  Thursday night I was doing planning for the split the next day, because my companion was in bed sick and had no idea who to go see, because I don't know the area that well. I pretty much just ended up on my knees asking God to prepare someone for Sr. Moutet and I to go see.  

  Friday on the split we ended up tracting all day. We did a lot of it in Tahitian. We found a guy reading the bible and talked to him about Job and faith and then he started to ask us about Joseph Smith. We left him with a brochure and continued on our way. We met another lady who used to take the lessons, and was having a family struggle. She was the one God prepared for us, a direct answer to my Thursday night plead. She told us God may have sent us to her house. Talked together of the gospel is a blessing for families and testified of the power of the Book of Mormon to help her in her trails. It was amazing. 

  Sr. Moutet and I were so grateful for that experience we and together on split. 

  We also did a service project Friday, for some members who live right on the ocean. Their house is made out of concrete and they wanted to take their wooden roof off, so they took it off with a chain saw. It was an awesome site to see. We helped clean up their land, because people are saying there is going to be a huge hurricane season this year. Everybody is getting ready for the hurricane. It is a great time for people to prepare spiritually too. 

   One of the missionaries here, Sr. Shariamadari (from Draper, UT) had her appendix taken out and has been staying in the missionary house 3 houses down from us. We have had fun getting to know her and Sr. Cromar (her companion). That has been a huge blessing for me, because we have pretty much laughed together every night this week. They have been stuck home as Sr. Shariamadari is trying to recover from her surgery. They leave today to go to their real area. 

   My companion, Sr. Terooatea and I have started teaching two young men who have dropped out of school but want to be airplane mechanics and pilots. That was something I enjoyed doing, because I love that the things we teach (the gospel) can even help them with that aspect of their life. Plus it is airplanes and that was like a huge part of my life before the mission. There has to be some kind of reason we have started doing lessons with Itiaea and Hiro. 

  Other then that my companion and I will leave next Monday for the split in HUAHINE and then REATEA. We will probably do our email time in the morning or at night when we get to HUAHINE. It will be a fun work trip. I am going to be exhausted. I can feel it now. This mission is so so ironic. haha. 

   OH YEAH I almost forgot, Tuesday Elder Halec of the 70 came and spoke to our mission and gave the mission pep talk of my life. He talked about using time wisely and how we were called on mission for specific people and reasons. It was wonderful. Then Tuesday night we had a leadership conference with him and pretty much did a report on the missionary work over the respective missionaries we are over. It was a good learning experience. It was laid out like a business meeting. 

  Well. People I love you all. The church is true. Keep going. You all can do it. Life is good!!

  Love,

TUAHINE Campbell 

We Are Going To Raromaitai

Iaorana to'u utuafare e mau hoa!

 We are going to start this letter with an inspiring miracle story.

 While I was in Takapoto, one of the branch presidency members, Pres. MAA, told me on multiple occasions that I was going to go to Tahiti and then go out to some other islands called RAROMATAI. I kind of laughed at him, because then is unheard of for sisters to serve on 2 different outer islands, but he insisted that I was going to go there and told me to tell him when I do. 

  Here is the other half of the story. Part of the sisters we take care of as a Sister training leader in Papeete is the sisters in RAROMATI. 

  Tuesday, all the missionaries in leadership positions had a meeting and there President Bize told me and my companion we need to go on a split out to the RAROMATAI islands. 

  So Sr. Terooatea and I planned our trip and are going on a 5 day split to REATEA and HUAHINE. We are going to take plane 26 oct. 

  Of course, Pres. MAA happened to be on Tahiti, and I saw him and told him that we were going to RAROMATAI. Well, I don't know how more inspired this whole 5-day split can get, but it is definitely something that Heavenly Father wants me to do. Even if it is only five days, I am so excited to go out to the islands again and teach the gospel. It is really a miracle because the sister training leaders only go like once a year to go on splits to the other islands. 

   Another huge miracle this week is that I go my package from my family. I LOVED it and we already celebrated and made brownies (keep reading to know more). THANK YOU family and Sister and Bishop Moore for helping me out with that! 

  So being out on Takapoto I had no clue what was going on with other missionaries, but now being in Papeete you know everything. Missions aren't easy. I will just leave it at that. My companion and I decided we could go make the brownies and share them with the other missionaries in our zone. 

  We did that Sunday and it went really well. It was amazing to see the joy in the missionaries as we delivered the brownies. 

  We also made some for Pres. and Sr. Bize and dropped them off. I was really touched because we just wanted to do that little act of service for them, but Sr. Bize insisted on feeding and serving us. It was wonderful to be with them. I am grateful for a great mission president and his wife. They work so hard. 

   We also did a survey to find new investigators, by asking them questions about the gospel and if they are interested in learning more. The ward did it with us. It was incredible how much  support we had from them. The members here are motivated. Which is a miracle because my companion goes home in three weeks and one of those weeks we won't even be in our area. 

   I love you all so much!! Have a great week!!

  Love,

 Soeur Campbell

Saying goodbye to the kids in Takapoto 

In the plane... this is how an atoll looks

Takapoto transfer...those necklaces were so heavy

MTC Reunion!

Brownies we made for our zone and president Bize. Thanks mom for the supplies!

Returned to Civilization and Missed a Baptism

Hello everybody,

  Saturday I returned to civilization. It is the weirdest thing ever after living on Takapoto with only 400 other people. 

  Saturday night I took my first hot shower in 4.5 months! It was so exciting. That will never get old. It is just the strangest thing ever to be back on Tahiti.

  I have been with Sr. Wilson, from Ogden,UT since I arrived in Tahiti on Saturday. Today or tomorrow I will go with my real companion who is from the island REATEA.

  This morning we ran in downtown Papeete. That was a  fun feeling. There were so many buildings and people. We also saw the cruise boats which were super pretty.

  Sunday afternoon in (TAHITI) Papeete, Sr. Wilson and I had a miracle. We had the first appointment with a man named Marama. He was in the army has a little boy, who he doesn't get to see very often, but he wants to. Sr. Wilson and I just started talking about the gospel with him and how the message we share with people can help him overcome the trials in his life. Then, he brought up that he wants to be baptized. We were happy that we were on the same page. 

  It went great and he even fed us too! People here are awesome. It was his first lesson and he fed us.

   Ok, that is the update for my arrival in Tahiti. I have been getting to work here already. It feels good to change things up, but I miss Takapoto sooooooo much already.

  I am going to rewind to Takapoto.

  Friday night was my surprise night. All the members came together and gave me shell necklaces. It gave my thank you speech to everyone. I couldn't help but just cry as I realized how much me and God love those people of TAKAPOTO. I was so sad to leave them. I am not even sure if they could understand my French/Tahitian because I just cried through it all. 

  They had me sit on a chair after I gave my farewell speech and one by one my neck became laden with shell necklaces. 

  Mami Gloria gave me hers and gave me like ten kisses on the cheek. I love her so much. I just kept crying as everyone continued to do that. 

  My neck had like 40 lbs of shells on it. It was super duper heavy. It felt really good once I took them all off. Somehow I managed to eat with them all on.

  It was good I cried Friday night because Saturday at the airport I didn't cry at all. Poor Mami Gloria though, she was so sad at the airport. She kept crying and crying. She made me so many shell necklaces.

  At the airport, there were many people I said "see you later" to. They gave me like another 50 lbs of shell necklaces and huge leis. I should have been giving them the necklaces because I have just learned so much from them. 

  Getting on the airplane was just surreal. Takapoto has changed my life. I learned how to really pray with all my heart. I learned to speak Tahitian and French there. I learned to be grateful for all that I have, namely running water and electricity and dryers and just everything. Living in scarcity teaches you a lot. I learned how to listen and love the one who no one has ever valued before. I have seen God work miracles in my life and the life of others there. I have seen people with major addictions overcome their habits, through the gospel. God really does change hearts and loves His children. He can even work miracles overnight. I lived that in TAKAPOTO. 

  I know God has answered mine and many others prayers as I served on that little piece of paradise. After serving there 4.5 months I see just a little reason why God really sent me there. 

   Saturday right after I left on the plane. Jean Paul got baptized in the lagoon. I wasn't there because his sister arrived on the same plane I parted on and she wants to learn more about the church and it was  more important for her to see the product of the miracle God has done in Jean-Paul's life. 

  Sr. Stosich called me Saturday night and told me the baptism was great and Jean Paul bore his testimony and the spirit was so strong. It was amazing to hear that. I remember three months ago when we went to contact him and he told us he had denied all kinds of religion for the last 40 years. He was mad at God. Heavenly Father worked a miracle in Jean-Paul's heart and now all he wants to do is serve God. 

  Well, that was my week in a nutshell. Many blessings and miracles. 

  OH yeah. I went to Carrefour today (the Tahitian Wal-Mart) and was just overwhelmed by all the products. After being in such a routine with what I bought for groceries in Takapoto, I went all out on buying fruits and veggies today. Yay  for variety!!

  Well, I hope you all have a great week. AND for those of you who don't know General Conference is next week and there will be three new apostles called. It is a great occasion for everyone to hear inspiring messages for their life. You can watch it this Saturday and Sunday on lds.org. Even if you miss it, the messages from living apostles and the prophet will be on lds.org. I am excited about it. Are you ready?? 

   I love you all lots...and Takapoto :(. 

  Love,
  Soeur Campbell 



The Takapoto Sisters with Jean Paul

The baptism of Jean Paul that Sr. Campbell missed

Sr. Campbell says her goodbyes