Iaorana tatou!

Long story short: Tuesday we had He-'s baptismal interview and we did some tracting. We ended up playing soccer with some kids. Wednesday we had lessons with some investigators and in actives (M- A-'s husband bought and is going to fix up a broken down car- she'll be able to come back to church! Her excuses for not coming were that her husband wouldn't let her borrow his car or be dependent on someone else for a ride. Voila her solution! It a downright miracle to be honest.) and we had English class. Thursday we had mission leadership council, we played soccer with a different group of kids, and visited one of my favorite less actives, Fr-. He is an amazing cook, makes the best poison cru ever, his nonmember wife is hilarious, and while she may be a Farani (French) she can totally back him up when he plays and sings Paumotu songs on his guitar.

Well Friday I woke up stressed because I had a stressful dream about He-'s baptism being cancelled. But I shook it off and we had a great district meeting. Then we had a lesson with He- and the first thing he said was that he wanted to push back his baptism -.- My companion had also felt it coming because that week he had seemed stressed when we saw him. So we were disappointed but not crushed because we had been prepared. We had a good talk with him and he was sure so we agreed it was for the best. We don't want to force him. And he knows how important and serious this is and decided that if he were to be baptized now he wouldn't be fully committed until he can put certain things aside, like rowing competitions on Sundays. So he will still be baptized soon but he wants to take more time... Again.

Saturday we visited Papi Je- and we helped Ma- with her genealogy! It was also the birthday of Soeur Te-, our roommate, so we surprised her with a cake made by Soeur Me-. Who is feeling much better. Sunday we had church, lunch and a meeting with our ward mission leader, weekly planning and dinner again with our ward mission leader!

Yeah, that's pretty much my week!

Recently I've arrived at 3 Nephi in my Book of Mormon reading, and during my mission I've especially come to love these chapters where Christ visits His people and repeats several times "returning unto me" and "come unto me." This morning I read the 10th chapter, which reads, "how oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have nourished you... how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not...how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart." We are constantly calling on everyone to come, repent, return unto Him. He has been there to receive you in the past, He would have been there every time that you looked, He is still and will always be there. This verse also underlines our personal free agency - He would have gathered them, but they would not. But He still waits anyway. I know He is there for everyone of us but we have to make the effort to go unto Him. He will receive us one by one.

Reminds me of the lost chicks we occasionally save from gutters and canals. Gotta love them Tahitian chickens and roosters. More chickens than Morocco has cats. And they don't respect the missionary sleeping schedule.

Lots of love,
Soeur Ladd