Iaorana tatou,

A tahi ra j'étais piqué par un cent pied. I was bitten by a centipede for the first time yesterday. Centipedes are the most fearsome monster in Tahiti. We were visiting a member and I felt something on my foot. I thought it was just their new puppy but when I looked down it was definitely not a puppy. So I startled my companion by randomly freaking out in the middle of the message to get him off me. The member grabbed her machete to chop him up (centipedes are also much much harder to kill than cockroaches). Fortunately he didn't have time to properly bite me, only just a teeny tiny bite, so instead of the gunshot wound that most people describe, it was hardly worse than an ant bite and I can't even feel it anymore. Like a flu shot but without even the bruise afterward. But I still get to brag to the other missionaries that I survived being bitten by a centipede. I think Heavenly Father sent it to wake me up because it was right after lunch and with the heat and gentle breeze I was having a very hard time keeping my eyes open.

On Monday night we had family home evening with L- and R-. R- is inactive and L- used to take the lessons in another secteur. A member couple talked to us about them when we ate dinner with them on the Friday night before and said they were thinking about inviting them to church, maybe after they got back from their vacation (this week). But finally they invited them to church last week and they came! They're a cute little family, and I'm jealous of the Matavai sisters, who we passed them on to because L- and R- actually live in their secteur. I'm just so proud of our members taking the opportunity to invite them to church instead of waiting! Don't procrastinate an opportunity to share the gospel.

Tuesday Soeur J- was feeling under the weather. I played the piano for the funeral of a woman in our ward, the mami of a less active family. It was a beautiful service. Wednesday I was on exchanges with Soeur T-, an awesome new missionary serving in the zone next door which I am also sister training leader for. We had a great time! She got to do some door to door contacting for the first time, and even though hardly anyone answered us, she kept a great attitude and I was proud of her for that.

Thursday was Missionary Leadership Council. President Bize talked a lot about what it means to be a leader. We also fixed some great goals for the mission, such as finding more member references this month. According to his math, 4 out of 5 baptisms come from member references, so... give your local missionaris some references! One funny moment I remember from the meeting was as we prepared to sing the opening song, "Le temps est très court" which translates too "the time is very short." President said it was the fourth time he'd sung it in two or three days and he thinks the people that choose it are trying to tell him something. (President and Soeur Bize finish their mission the same time as me, this summer!)

Friday I think all we did was eat. After district meeting and a district activity to find new investigators, we went to our first lesson. It was about at this time that I looked at our schedule and realized that all our lessons that day were the people that like to feed us. At the end of the lesson they fed us lunch. We went to another lesson and they gave us ice cream and chips. Another lesson, avocado-pickle-toast thing and juice. By that time it was time for dinner at a members house. Could've been worse, but honestly I don't know how Tahitians do it. This week I had the chance to study more about grace. I think I've read this definition plenty of times but I finally understood it: "divine means of help or strength... to do good works that [we] otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to [our] own means." Grace doesn't just mean that God will forgive us if we aren't perfect, it means that He will (and wants to) empower us to do good things and be better people. As Peter had the power to walk on water when he exercised faith in the Saviour, we can receive help to "make weak things become strong" and "be perfected in Christ" as we exercise faith, repent, are humble and are diligent to do our best.

Je vous aime!
Soeur Ladd