This has been a good week. My new companion and I were able to get a lot done. The ward lately has really picked up on the meal roster, it has been good! We usually just have food dropped off to us but we still have a sit down meal often enough. Most of the families in our ward are from one of the islands of the pacific so most of my sit down feeds consist of island food. I have been eating a lot of taro, otai, chicken and pig. Most large feasts or events have a few whole pigs to feed everyone. It kinda feels like what some of you may imagine a luau is. But there's no apple in the pigs mouth like in the movies and such. It is quite a bit different to what I'm used to. Most of the food here is a bit more bland then food in America. American food is very rich and flavorful while the food here has a bit less flavor. Either way, food is food and its really good!
And yes it was really lame not to do anything for the 4th! It has always been one of my favorites. We had district meeting on that day and I tried to do a few American themed things but I was kind of drowned out by the overwhelming amount of Aussies in our district. So basically all we did was go to this mega expensive pizza place that sell NY style pizzas in celebration. But that was it.
I have a short little story that I would like to share this week. One of the few people I had the privilege to help baptize, Jasmine, came to church for all three hours (which isn't a regular thing). She is just a young girl, only nine years old, and she isn't very tall at all. She looks much younger than she actually is and she is a very kind-hearted and bright girl. Anyway, when I got into the area, previous missionaries kept trying to set them for baptism only to be pushed back because Jasmine's older brother did not fully understand what he was committing to and needed to be retaught many times. Jasmine understood but would not be baptized unless her older brother was being baptized too. The first lesson Elder Borders and I taught them was to explain baptism and confirmation and we used a simple object lesson to try and get the older brother to understand more clearly. It was a success and we were able to set them for the middle of June. In that moment, Jasmine was very happy and wanted to be baptized literally the next day. We ended up getting everything figured out and they were baptized on the 16th and confirmed on the 17th in sacrament. After her baptism, this little 9 year old girl bore one of the most powerful testimonies I have ever had the privilege to hear and had nearly the whole room in tears, I was on the verge myself. Anyway, yesterday at church, I was playing the piano in the primary room while we waited to attend ward council and Jasmine peaked her head in the door, gave me a surprised look like she didn't know I could play the piano and then without saying a word, she ran over to me and gave me a very short hug. Now it seems insignificant and actually, its not allowed because I'm a missionary. She ran out afterwards and didn't say a thing the entire time. But when she hugged me, I got that warm feeling of thanks. I was reminded of the powerful testimony she bore. I felt like she was saying thank you for helping her get to where she was. But I also realized in that moment that it is for that very reason that I came on a mission. To help people get to a good point in their lives. The spirit was very strong in that moment and I am ever so grateful for the opportunity I have had to be a part of Jasmine's confirmation. But anyway. That's my latest story.
I hope everyone is having a good week!
Arohanui,
Elder Green
