Hey guys!
So this week was killer!
After we finished our emails on Monday we went and played basketball with a few priests from our ward. They are a good group of kids and it's fun that they like to hang with us. It reminds of the good ole days with my buddies in the Moyle Park ward!
On Tuesday Paxman and I went to check on Nicolas and we were freaking out just a little because Nikolas went over to Moorea with his mom for the week. We really wanted to stay close to him the week before his baptism but we were told he wouldn't be back until Thursday. So yeah, we were a little stressed out because we wanted to be there if anything got in his way. We prayed so hard during the entire week for him and asked the spirit to protect and watch over him. The rest of the day was great. We did a ton of lessons, haha!
I dropped Paxman off at the boats on Wednesday morning because it was the day that we do splits with some missionaries on Moorea. I picked up Elder Frazer, and the split was so funny because he is just a crazy Vanuatu kid!! He is honestly a blast! Since I have been here in Tahiti I have had the chance to meet many different kinds of Polynesians. I've met Fijians, Vanuatus, Tongans, Wallisiens, Futunas, Caledonians, New Zealanders, etc. and they all have very different things about them since they come from different cultures. Vanuatu's are just super crazy! They remind me of my little brother B but even a little bit more crazy haha! It was a super fun day and we got a lot done.I gotta say I love the Fijians too. Every person I have meet that is from Fiji is awesome. They are so funny, down to earth and so nice.
Thursday came and Nicolas came back! So we hurried over to check on him and did his interview and made sure we was ready. He was good to go!! Then we did a bunch of lessons to finish out the day.
We couldn't wait for Friday. It was time for Nicolas' baptism. I love baptism days. It just feels so good, waking up in the morning and going to the church to fill up the baptismal font and setting up the room for the baptismal program! The ward came out to support Nicolas with all sorts of food to eat after the baptism. Brother Momo, who is from fiji, makes brownies; like the brownies you eat in America sooooooo I died and went to heaven! Nicolas showed up and was super happy and his grandma (Meme is what we like to call her) was so happy. Meme his is the grandma that I told you guys about. She is the perfect grandma that feeds you everything and is just a classic grandma all the way around!
Nicolas was baptised by his uncle and as soon as he was baptised it started pouring rain. It was really beautiful and pretty cool. Then Nicolas shared his testimony and it honestly changed me. He stood up and started talking about his childhood and how his childhood was focused around surfing, skating, kitesurfing and just trying to have fun at every turn. Then he talked about when his parents were separated (he was crying during his whole testimony btw) and how he couldn't find any happiness in his life. His family had problems and his mom moved to New Zealand with his brother. He said that there were multiple times that he tried to commit suicide because there was no happiness in his life! While he was a child he never learned about God, because his dad is very inactive and didn't discuss things like that with him. He thought that God didn't exist. Then about a year ago he moved to Arue next to his grandma, who raised her kids in the gospel. Even though Nicolas' dad was raised in the church he was the one child who was not active.
Grandma Meme invited Nicolas to church one day and he loved it! Then he met Paxman and me and he decided to start taking the lessons. We taught him how to pray, taught him the commandments, and he developed a belief in God because he could feel Him when he went to church and prayed.
He told us that while he was in Moorea that week, he could feel God's presence with him and he knew that what he was about to do was right! There it was again, God watching over his children. Nicolas' testimony was so powerful! Paxman and I had no idea what he had gone through before we met him. When we met him he seemed like a happy kid, that loved life, who had never had the opportunity to learn about the truth of the gospel. We just knew we needed to teach him!! And while Paxman and I were freaking that Nicolas had gone to Moorea earlier that week, God surely answered our prayers by comforting Nicolas and preparing him for his baptism. God is amazing, Nicolas in going to be a great missionary and leader in this church!
On Sunday Nicolas was confirmed. I remember when he sat down in the chair before the blessing started he looked up at me and gave me a smile. After he was confirmed I saw him open his eyes, and his eyes were completely different, there was a certain light in his eyes! It honestly took me back. I know now that it was the Holy Ghost that is now with him. The gospel changes people and changes their lives.
This week was awesome, I learned that if we but trust in God he will help us! He is mindful of all of his children. We just need to let him do His part of the work and be a tool in his hands here on earth.
Have a great week!
Connor
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