The Isles of the Sea

We have had some very busy weeks lately. In fact, we just had our first P-day (preparation day...meaning a day to do things outside of missionary work) last week. The first one in a month. The last one was when we were on an island called Makemo in the Tuamotus. You kind of have to take a p-day when you go to these small islands, because there are only one or two flights on and off the island each week...which means you are there for four days. We attended a District Conference...which consisted of some visits with members and amis (people learning about the church)...and a leadership meeting and a general meeting. So, the extra time was spent doing some relaxing...which is about all there is to do on these small islands 😊.

We arrived on Makemo and took an hour speed boat ride to Taenga (both these islands are in the Tuamotu archipelago). Taenga is an island of not quite 100 people, no cars, and no way of getting there except by boat. There are approximately 80 members of the church who live there, so we went to do a district conference. It was a darling little chapel...between the ocean and the lagoon.

An atoll in the Tuamotus.

The Taenga branch

The Taenga branch and chapel

Looking to the ocean side from the chapel

The Taenga Chapel

Looking down the main street on Taenga toward the dock.

The Taenga dock

Looking from the dock to a motu. We were going to be heading that direction for an hour to get to Makemo

The speedboat we took to Taenga from Makemo.

We returned to Makemo and stayed four nights there. Makemo has approximately 800 people. They do copra (coconuts) and fishing there. There is one store. We drove a half hour over a dirt road from the village to reach our pension. Beautiful views...but cold showers, lots of mosquitos, no A/C...a lot like girls camp, Polynesian style,... 😉

The road to the pension on Makemo.

Our pension on Makemo. 

Looking at the Lagoon from our pension.

Our pension.

And the sunsets and stars were amazing.

What you don't see are the hermit crabs that stand between you and the bathroom in the middle of the night😂.

Life on an atoll like Makemo is so different from anything I have ever experienced, having been raised in the suburbs of Los Angeles, and having raised our children in the suburbs of Seattle. It is hard to get across what it is really like there. It is so small and everyone knows each other. They live so humbly. To go anywhere you have to take a plane or a boat. And there is so little to do. But the people were gracious and warmly welcomed us. And there are many who, having been raised in the Tuamotus and moving away to Tahiti,  want to return there after awhile. They miss the slow pace of life.

Back in Papeete, Tahiti, the mission life goes on with its 6 week transfer cycle. Because the weather is so much the same everyday/season...a little wetter during December/January/February...we sometimes say we feel like we are in "Groundhogs Day". We wake up and have the same weather and pretty much do the same things every day (training missionaries, talking with missionaries, emails, speak at meetings, conferences and councils, etc). But then we see the fruits of our labors with a missionary who finally understands why he/she is out here...to serve the Lord and help the people in French Polynesia return to Him one day; We see how much a missionary has grown by the end of their mission; We receive a message from a recently returned missionary thanking us for helping him/her so much; we see those returned missionaries moving forward with their lives in wonderful ways (education, marriages, church callings, and now even some babies arriving).

One wonderful thing we did recently was attend the Tahiti Temple with a newly arrived sister missionary from Guadeloupe who had not been able to attend the temple yet. While in the temple with this sister and five other sister missionaries I realized that each one was from a different country: Guadeloupe, Madagascar, Cape Verde, France, Tahiti and USA. The experience of meeting so many wonderful young people from so many areas of the world is a true blessing. The gospel has truly been spread throughout the world.

Our beautiful Soeur missionaries in front of the Tahiti temple! Along with Soeur Liz Hardy from home.😊 

Missionary life can be very hard. But it is rewarding as well. We know we are helping the Lord find His children and bring them home to Him.

Love you all!