Week 81: The story of Ua Huka

Hey guys, this trip to Ua Huka was an amazing adventure!! We head back to Nuku Hiva tomorrow afternoon, and I really don't wanna go back haha! So the story of Ua Huka: 

Stock photo of the mountains of Ua Huka

There is a woman named Yolinda here. About a year ago her husband died in a car accident and they were both members, so she was left alone with two kids, but she has testified that this gospel has helped her through her trials! At the funeral her father in law came and there was another inactive member here named Yvonne (she is great and she is related to the Orbeck family in Pape'ete). No one knew that she was a member except Yolinda (they were the only 2 members on the island), and at the funeral Yvonne sang "I Know That My Redeemer Lives", and then everyone knew that she was a member, and apparently it was such a powerful moment!

So Yolindas best friend, Marie Christine, was interested in this gospel that helped Yolinda so much, so Yolinda shared all that she knew, then had the idea to contact the missionaries in Nuku Hiva. They started doing lessons by Skype and Marie Christine was baptized the 19th of November 2016. She invited her friend, Marie Chantal, to her baptism and she was super touched and wanted to learn more so she started taking the lessons and then was baptized in January.

But, there are a few problems in Ua Huka -- it's ALL Catholic, so when Marie Christine and then Marie Chantal were baptized, the persecution started, and its like major persecution, such as the Catholic church leaders are teaching lessons on how evil the Mormons are and how to criticize them. It's super ridiculous!

So now there are four members, Yolinda, Yvonne (she is active now), Marie Christine, and Marie Chantal, and they are all sooo amazing and have sooo much faith. Because of their example there is so much work here and a lot of people who are super interested and ready. We really need missionaries here!! It is amazing to see these four sisters and how happy they are in spite of the local negativity! 

There are a lot of investigators here that I love too that I really don't want to leave the island! We have found so many people who are ready, and we set 3 baptismal dates in the 9 days we have been here!! So yeah, there's the story of Ua Huka.

Stock photo

I have had so many testimony building experiences on the priesthood during my mission, and that continued here on Ua Huka. Yesterday we gave so many blessings, and have already seen the effects of it. It can make a grown man cry, and not know why, haha. No one who has with faith received a priesthood blessing and felt its power can deny the reality of it!

I know that it's true and real and that every young man needs to be ready and worthy to use it at all times.

We have been so busy since we got here, I haven't taken the time to capture how beautiful this place is. I'll take some more pics today and send them next week. 

Love you all 

Elder Connor Boyd