Before the wedding we spent time with the families both having fun (shopping at the Marché, eating at the food trucks, a little beach time) and preparing for the festivities. Many hands went into helping Rachel make the gorgeous cake (hard to do with a lame hand mixer as your only mixing tool.)
The day of the wedding was wonderful. We walked down to the Temple for the ceremony. We took pictures outside the Temple afterwards. Then we had a little reception for some of our Tahitian friends at the church behind the Temple. We walked up to our house for a luncheon with the family after that. (Notice how we walked to everything? where else could you do that?) We were able to share stories and thoughts about the newlyweds during the luncheon. We then went to a beautiful hotel for some Tahitian looking photos (our neighborhood isn't very picturesque). It was a truly beautiful day in all ways.
We were able to spend a few more days doing family activities...hiking, shopping, pool activities.
We have since had to say goodbye to all of our family...the last to leave was my mom and Hans, who stayed three weeks! 😍 What a boost to us here in Tahiti, to have so much of our family come and visit. It often feels very far away down here. Now all of our children know where we live and what it looks like.
We are back to doing our regular mission schedule. It seems easier, though, because of that time with the family. Truly, our reason for being here on a mission is to help people find joy in coming to Christ and thus being together as families for eternity. The most important thing, really the only thing that truly matters in this life, is our relationships. Our relationship with God and with our families and with our other loved ones. Everything else is temporary... our stuff, our positions, our worldly pleasures.
I am so grateful for my family. I am so grateful for Christ and His atonement for all of our sins, sorrows, and pains. I can't thank Him enough for giving me the chance to be together again with my family after this life. Life would be unbearable if I thought this would be the end of family relationships. Thanks be to God that it isn't...and thankfully I can testify of that truth.
I love you all!
