Travel Plans

Ia Ora Na to'u utuafare!

Carson told me a little about grandma's funeral and it sounded like the Spirit was super strong!  I'm sure grandma loved it!  I talked about this last week, so sorry ha, but I was reminded of it again this week.  Last night, I watched a Joseph Smith movie, and his relationship with his brother, Alvin, really stood out to me.  I can't imagine how hard it was for Joseph Smith to lose his brother and have everyone telling him that his brother was lost because he wasn't baptized.  But, I also imagined how much joy he must have received when he received the revelation about baptisms for the dead!  It's different with grandma, because she was obviously baptized, but it's all about the plan of salvation.  I can't imagine being like Joseph and wondering if I would ever see my family again.  We're so blessed to have the knowledge that we will see her again!  It's such a comfort and joy!  

Anyway, what have you been up to?  This week was pretty normal, except for we got our travel plans this week!  I was so excited haha!  I sprinted to the class when I found out ha!  We leave the MTC at 7:30 a.m. a week from today (Monday) and our flight to L.A. is at 10:30.  Then, we have like a 4 hour lay-over before we fly to Tahiti.  So, that's when I will call.  I don't have the times with me right now (I forgot the paper at my residence), so I will email you specific times later today.  But, I will try to do it around 3 so that the triplets can be there.  Does that work for you?  I will probably send home a package this week of things that I don't need/can't take to Tahiti, just FYI ha.  Also, the "bike guy" talked to us this week.  I guess if we don't have our bikes by Thursday, he takes us to get them.  I'm sure you're on top of it, I'm just passing on the word ha.  Oh, also, I think I'll be able to e-mail you again before I leave, but our branch presidency hasn't said when...sorry ha.  I would say either Friday or Saturday probably.  

Sorry, I don't have very much time, but I wanted to leave with a little quote by one of my teachers, Soeur Buswell, that I really liked.  When she was giving us advice about our missions, she said, "Come a step closer to Christ every day."  I loved this!  And, it's not just with missions, it's a forever thing.  Every day/night, we should have a "devotional" with our Heavenly Father.  We should tell Him about our day: what went good, what went bad, what we're thankful for, and what we need help with and find out what we can do to come closer to him the next day.  I liked it because it's simple.  God doesn't expect us to change dramatically every day.  But, if we take a little step closer to Him every day, we can get SO close to Him and be SO happy!  Also, I taught a Tahitian named Tamatoa in TRC again this week.  Every week they give us a card with feedback.  But, this week on the back of it, he wrote his phone number and e-mail haha.  We're pretty much Tahitian brothers now haha.  Anyways, I love you so much!  And thanks for all you do!

Ua here au ia outou!

Elder Jessop

Just some Tahitian fun-facts: Tahiti was the first international mission.  So, there are some people that are like 8th generation Latter-Day Saints.  Also, scientists think that people from Hawaii, Mauri, Rapanai, and Tahiti all stemmed back to people living on Tahiti (the island Raaitea just north of the Tahitian island).  They think that Hagoth and his people sailed and split into two groups.  One group went to Tahiti and the other went to Samoa.  Also, some people can trace their lineage back to this trip to a man named Tiki and a woman named Hina. One last thing for today, Tahiti means to be taken up into heaven.  Preeeetttttty sweet haha!

Upootia- Keep Your Head Up

Ia Ora Na to'u utuafare!

Me and another French elder, Elder Gouttin.
He dropped a cake on the floor, started eating it on the floor, and then
wiped frosting all over my face (some got washed off)!  He's so funny!

Thanks for the email!  I loved hearing about a kid getting thrown out of a window haha...okay, that sounds super bad, but you know what I mean ha.  Thanks for all you are doing for me!  You're the best!  Also, thanks for the dear elders!  I love reading them!  And, thanks again for the package the other week.  We're still eating stuff out of it haha!  We love it!  Thank you so much, again!  You're amazing!  We've talked a little about administering and ministering, in our zone/district leader meetings, and I thought a lot about you, Mom.  There are a lot of important administering aspects of relief society.  You have to prepare lessons, you have to plan activities, and do a TON of stuff for the ward.  But, even more important than these administering aspects are the ministering aspects.  And, I feel like you demonstrate this perfectly!  I feel like you truly leave the 99 to find the 1 and help them/carry them to safety.  Thank you so much for your example!  Also, thanks Matt for the letter.  I loved reading your letter!  The camp sounds super fun ha!  And thanks for the scripture!  It was super great!  You are all really such great examples for me!  This week, it started getting real that I'm going to Tahiti haha!  We should get our travel plans this Friday and leave on the 7th!  So crazy ha!  Also, I think I told you about my "temple moms" haha.  They said that they are bringing candy for us next week because it will be our last temple visit ha!  They're so cute!

We definitely had to have a mini celebration for the 21st of September!

Anyways, my Tahitian word this week is "upootia."  Tahitian combines words a lot to make new words, and "upootia" is like raised head and it means to overcome.  I like this word for a couple reasons.  I like it because it reminds me of "keeping your head above water," and as long as your head is above the water, you're good.  However, sometimes I feel like we can't keep our head up alone.  Sometimes, our head should be underwater, but God is keeping us afloat.  He loves us and He wants to help us through all of our trials.  I also like it because it reminds me to stay positive.  During trials, it is important to keep a "raised head" and have faith that God will help us endure it well.  Your testimonies are so strong!  And, I'm so grateful that we have the wonderful gift of the gospel in our lives!  I watched one of Elder Holland's recorded talks last night and he briefly mentioned how blessed we are to have the gospel.  He explained how there was only one temple in the "Old World" in Jerusalem and it was in and out of use.  Now, (at the time of the talk), there are like 139 temples, but there are still so many people who don't have this wonderful gift.  They're lost, whether they know it or not ha.  I don't know if my explanation of it made sense, but I really am just so thankful that we have this wonderful gift of the gospel!  I can't imagine losing a loved one without the knowledge that I would see them again and that I could live with them forever!  I'm so excited to help people with these same trials and help them find comfort and joy in the gospel and in the plan of salvation/happiness!  

One of the French elders in the other Tahitian district gets really bad
migraines and can't get the medicine in Tahiti, so he has been meeting
with the District President.  This week, he got reassigned to Lyon, France.
I don't know all the reasons of why he got called to Tahiti, but I think a lot
of it was to be an example to us.  He is an amazing elder!  He is always so
happy and makes everyone around him more happy, as well!
I'm going to miss Elder Ganne-Soulary!

An emeritus 70 (I can't remember his first name, but his last name was Bateman) came and spoke yesterday.  In his talk, he told a story of a sister missionary that was in the MTC about 5 months ago.  I think after like 2 months of her mission, her companion was sick, and she had to take her to the hospital.  While there, she watched a man in the waiting room fall down and die (he described it a lot, but I felt like that's unnecessary).  The missionary watched the man's wife rush to him and cry.  The sister missionary was heartbroken and wanted to tell the lady about the plan of salvation, and that she would be able to see her husband again.  However, she didn't.  She wrote about the experience in her journal and began praying and seeking to find this woman.  A month later, the sister missionary and her companion were asked to visit an inactive member.  As they got talking, the missionaries found out that the lady next door's husband died about a month ago.  After their visit with the nonmember, the missionaries went to the house.  And, they came to find out that it was the lady from the hospital.  The sister missionary had her journal with her and asked the woman to read her entry on the day that her husband died.  This woman is currently being taught by these sister missionaries and has found great comfort and joy in the knowledge of the plan of salvation and the greatness of our Savior.  I don't need a crazy story like this on my mission.  But, I'm so excited to do this exact same thing.  I'm here to help people come unto Christ.  And, in doing so, they can receive comfort and joy in the place of doubt, guilt, and sorrow.  I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and He suffered and atoned for us because He loves us so much!  I know that families can be together forever through Jesus Christ.  I'm so grateful, again, for this gospel!  And for you, my family!  I love you so much!  

Ua here au ia outou!

Elder Jessop

P.S.  I just found out that I need crocs.  If you can send them with ties, that would be great.  If not, I'm sure they have some in Tahiti.  Thanks!  You're the best!  Ua here au ia outou!

Word of the Week:  Upootia- "to overcome"

Faaherehere- Protection is Love in Action

Ia Ora Na to'u utuafare!

Thanks for the email, the card, my license, and the treats!  My district leader ended up not giving me the mail slip until the mail was closed on Saturday, so I just barely picked it up and my district was super excited!  Thanks so much for the package!  My district and I loved it ha!  The cinnamon rolls were amazing and we're still making our way through everything else.  Thanks so much!  You're the best!  That's so crazy about the slackline!  If I was home, I could have been there!  Or, it could have been my slackline!  That's so crazy!  I don't even know what to say.  I can't remember if I've told you or not, but I leave the MTC on October 7th.  I can't believe it's only three weeks away!  But, at the same time, sometimes I feel like I've lived here my whole life haha.  The district that came in when I was first made zone leader just barely left.  That was weird haha.

The MTC is an amazing place!  I'm here for the longer than any other mission, and I'm truly blessed because the Spirit here is amazing!  Some things I like are listening to speakers twice a week plus a recorded talk once a week as well.  There is ice cream in the cafeteria twice a week and, I mean, who doesn't like ice cream?  I love talking to people about the gospel and helping people get a better relationship with our Heavenly Father!  I love going to the temple every week and serving in the laundry room after ha!  Now, when the elders in my district and I walk in, the sisters say, "Bonjour mes enfants (Hello my kids)!" and "You came!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!"  haha!  I also love the opportunity that I have here to study the gospel and constantly feel the Holy Ghost strongly!  My testimony has been strengthened so much in the short time I've been here! 

Like a week or a week and a half ago, we had a crazy storm and it took a few trees out of the ground here    

I got Jake, Nick, and Sami's emails and tried to send emails back.  Did they not get them?  If not, I'm sorry.  Nick, that's so cool with the long board and COD!  You'll have to tell me how amazingly awesome they are ha!  All the Elders in my district played Battlefield before they came to the MTC haha.  You'll have to tell me how you like the new COD.  When do you actually get it?  And that long board sounds so sweet!  I've never seen a ping pong paddle one ha!  Where'd you find it?  And backflips?!  What?!  That's WAY COOL!  They're the funnest things ever huh ha?!  Can't wait to see you throwing backflips on your snowboard when I come home ha ;).  Jake, I asked you to tell me how school was going, but it sounds like you don't like it that much ha.  School can be rough sometimes ha.  Coach Line is...Coach Line.  That's all I can say ha.  And Mrs. Palmer had a weird class, but I think I did really good in it with extra credit or something ha.  And I never had Fillmore, but I have heard stories....  But, there are a lot of good things about the middle school that you can focus on!  Like, you get more electives, they have huge breadsticks that are way good, and you can take language classes.  Aren't you taking a language...like Spanish?  And my favorite part about the MTC is definitely the temple.  I love going to the session and feeling the Spirit super strong.  And, I love helping in the laundry room after haha.  The sisters are all like super cute grandmas!  And, like I said up above, they love us ha.  They call us their kids haha!  And, I get to speak French there, too, because one of the sisters is from Haiti.  Sami, I loved you're story with the kid and his DS haha.  I laughed SOOOOO hard!  That's way cool about Shandee, but I leave two days before she comes, so I won't see her.  And, I haven't drank the Orange Juice yet haha, but I think it's just the MTC food in general can mess with some people haha.  I've been fine though ha.  And the only new missionaries we've gotten in our zone were the ones I told you about forever ago haha.  But, we get 29-ish new elders/sisters this week!  So excited!  I have hosted the last 3 weeks which is, when missionaries come to the MTC, I pick them up at their car and show them around.  It's really fun!  Last week, there was a huge truck filled with Tongans (in the bed of the truck and inside) singing and screaming haha!  I loved it!  I felt like they were my island brothers ha!  And nice French ma soeur!  Are you in French right now?  If yes, how do you like it?  Talk to me in as much French as you can, and I'll reply, even if it is about a ruler haha.  Oh and this is for all three, Jake, Nick, and Sami, one of the biggest things I wish I would have done before the MTC is play the piano better.  Stick with it!  It can be super hard and kinda boring at first, but once you can start playing fun things, it becomes the coolest thing ever!  So, you don't have to, but, if I were you, I would play as much as possible!  I love you!

Question: Will you find out who Kacey's friend is that owns the pearl thing in Tahiti?  My teacher wanted to know who he was.  Also, I found that my bike has to be in a box and I need the receipt to be able to pick it up at the airport.  Apparently, everyone had found this out before the MTC but me ha.    Sorry, I have to go, but I will tell you one way cool thing I learned from Tahitian this week.  In first Nephi chapter 1, it talks about something like I, Nephi, being highly favored of the Lord, or something pretty close to that I think ha.  Anyways, in Tahitian it uses the verb "faaherehere," which means to protect, instead of favored.  So, it says that the Lord protected him in all his days or something like that.  I love this because it's so true!  The Lord loves each of us and tries to help us and protect us from harm.  Also, "faaherehere" is my favorite tahitian word right now ha.  The word "here" means love and "faa" makes something a verb.  So, "faaherehere" is verbed love, or love in action, which is to protect.  I love this because we show our love by sacrificing and protecting those things that we love!  Sorry, I have to go, but I love you so much!  Thanks for the e-mails and all you do!  Ua here au ia outou!

Je vous aime,

Elder Jessop

Word of the Week:  Faaherehere- "to protect"

Tahiti 101

Ia Ora Na to'u utuafare!  (to'u utuafare is my family)

Thanks so much for your emails and letters!  I love reading them!  And thanks so much for the sugar cookies!  They were amazing ha!  Also, thanks for the pictures!  I love them!  Looks like you are having a blast!  And good job at cleaning the sink!  So good ha!  What toppings did you get ha?    

Yeah, it's really weird starting Tahitian, but I love it!  I feel like I'm going back before day one of French even ha because I knew a little French, but obviously no Tahitian, so it's different ha. But, like I said, I love Tahitian!  In English, you know how there are like 10+ words that all mean the same thing?  Well, in Tahitian, it's the opposite.  Every word in Tahitian can mean like 20 different things and there are words that in the dictionary it says, "Can be used to replace any part of speech."  They can mean any verb, noun, adjective, anything haha.  I've tried to translate some scriptures from Tahitian to English for practice, and I have to skip words and come back to them so much just because it could mean almost anything haha.  And, it takes at least twice as much time to say something in Tahitian than French (and French is a little longer than English for the most part).  My companion has been sticking to French prayers for lunch and, when I get done saying my Tahitian prayers, sometimes, he's done with his food ha.  Elder Molinari (an Elder in my district from Rush, New York) and I joke about it all the time and say, "I'm going to say a prayer.  See you in like 20 minutes." ha.

I saw a rainbow this week!

I loved learning French, but I love Tahitian even more.  As soon as we started it, I really felt like this is my language.  Even though I can't say hardly anything in Tahitian, the Spirit is so strong when I'm speaking it!  On Thursday, I had to do splits with another missionary because our companions went to San Francisco for their visas.  So, we were companions in the TRC and taught a Tahitian.  He lived right by the airport in Tahiti, but him and his wife just barely came here for school.  It was SO COOL!  I LOVE TAHITIANS haha!  We had the best time laughing about our terrible Tahitian and joking around, then it would 180 and the Spirit would be super strong!  Also, when I said my first Tahitian prayer in class, I felt the Spirit SO strong! I had a really hard time praying, not because I didn't know the words, but because I really was, like it says in the scriptures, "Overwhelmed with the Spirit."  I'm so excited to help the people in my mission receive the joy and happiness that this gospel brings!  I love the gospel so much!  And I love the people in my mission so much!  

We've been talking about the Tahitian culture a lot when our teachers come to lunch, but I haven't had time to put it in a letter yet.  So, here is some of the stuff I learned about my mission.  First, my mission is huge!  It's the size of Australia.  We talked about the different sets of islands in my mission, and, in a lot of them, you learn new dialects of Tahitian and, in the Marquees, you learn Marqeesian.  One funny thing I learned is that all Tahitians LOVE Brazillian soap operas ha.  There are a ton of bugs and lizards in Tahiti, but no snakes. Tahitians love it when you learn Tahitian, not just French.  Some Tahitians cry when they see foreigners that speak their language better than a lot of Tahitians do.  It really shows them how much you love them and their culture.  The island Huahine is similar to Bora Bora (which is also in my mission) but apparently way prettier and not touristy.  The island Raiatea (not sure if this is how you spell it ha sorry) has a flower that can only grow there.  They've tried to move it other places, but it can't live anywhere else.   I can't think of very many things right now, sorry, but I'll try to tell you more later.  

Sorry, my letter is like all about Tahiti, but I love it already ha.  David F. Evans of the 70 came to talk this week.  I think he used to be mission president of the Nagoya, Japan mission.  But, he talked about revelation and how many things happen line upon line after the initial revelation.  He talked about the revelation to lower the missionary age and all of the things that have happened since that have hastened the work.  One of the things he didn't mention relates directly to me and my mission.  Last year, Americans were only allowed 50 visas for Tahiti at a time (I think only like 2 could be sisters, but I can't remember).  Then, at the same time that they announced the age change, the restriction on visas was taken away.  If it wasn't for this revelation, I probably wouldn't have been able to come to Tahiti.  But, I am so grateful for this opportunity!  I know that this is the mission I'm supposed to serve!  I know God loves me, and I know He loves everyone in my mission!  I love you so much!  Thanks for all your support!  

Ua here au ia outou! (I love you!)

Elder Jessop

P.S. Funny story.  You know my stitches that got taken out right before I went to the MTC and "temporary" ones got put in that would just "fall out?"  Well, like two weeks ago, I looked at my back in the mirror, and I saw something on my scar.  I tried to wipe it off, but I couldn't get it.  So, I asked Elder Rose (from Georgia) to see what it was.  A couple minutes later he had two stitches pulled out of my back that were still in there haha.  Then, this week, I got out of the shower after gym one day, and my district asked why my back was bleeding.  That shower curtain is like permanently red now ha.  Super gross!  But, it hasn't bled since ha?  The MTC is full of crazy experiences haha!  I love it!   

Word of the week:  Ua here au ia outou- I love you

Sacrifice Because of Love

Ia Ora Na to'u Utuafare!  (to'u utuafare=my family)

Eaha to'oe huru (How are you?)?  Thank you so much for the fruit this week!  It was AAAMMMAAAZZZIIINNNGGG!!!  I shared it with my district and the other Tahitian district and everyone LOVED it!  The girls loved how cute it was and said that you are the best family (which you are) and it was so refreshing and so much better than the MTC fruit ha!  Someone took a picture for me, but I don't know where the sisters are right now ha.  So, I'll try to send it either later today or next week.  Also, the chocolate covered fruit...Holy Cow!!!  Too good!  The chocolate covered bananas were the BEST things EVER haha!!!  So, thanks!  I love you!  You're the best!  Also, thanks for the card, e-mails, and pictures.  I loved the pictures!  Jake, Nick, and Sami: so stylin on your first day of middle school!  How was it?  What classes/teachers do you have?  Also, the picture with all of us kids, I didn't remember that one at all ha.  But, I loved it!  C'était totes presh ha!  

Anyways, we finished up French this week and started Tahitian on Thursday...so crazy! ha  The French elders that came in with us leave tomorrow.  It's going to be so weird not to see them ha.  I feel like they're almost in our district because we spend so much time with them and are way good friends!  But, I'm so excited for them!  Also, Elder Peterson (I think you know his dad maybe?  He lives close to the middle school) is in the other French zone and he came last week.  We have gym times together and see each other a lot!  Also, Sister Bowcutt came in this week as well.

Elder Jessop loves him some fruit!

Elder Andersen talked for a devotional on Tuesday night!  It was so good!  I sat on the third row, and, after he was done, there was a rain/thunderstrom; so, he started shaking hands with some people and I just so happened to be blesssed enough to shake his hand ha.  His talk though was really phenomenal!  I feel like all of the MTC talks from apostles that I have seen and watched (we watch old ones every Sunday from apostles) have been the most powerful talks I've ever heard.  They speak so direct and with such a massive Spirit...It's incredible!  Anyways, he talked on love and sacrifice.  These two concepts are inseparably connected.  When you love someone/something, you sacrifice for them.  Also, we only sacrifice something because we love something else more.  The Savior sacrificed SOOOOOO much when He atoned for Our sins and Our bad feelings.  And why did He sacrifice SO much?  Because He loves us even more!  The same is true for me and my mission.  I didn't really understand why I love the people of Tahiti already and I haven't even met them.  But, it's because I've sacrificed for them.  I am sacrificing my time, my education, and time with you, my family, for them.  But, any and all of my sacrifices are more than worth it because I love the Lord and I love the people in my mission.  

I don't think there is a literal translation for "May you live with the angels" (a request from Judy).  But, one could say "Je voudrais que tu vivrais avec les anges."

Thanks so much (Maururu roa!)  Je vous aime!

Je t'aime,

Elder Jessop

Fun Fact:  Tahiti has different electrical outlets, so, if you ever find yourself traveling there, you may want to find an adapter!

Word of the Week:  Tahitian word of the day, will actually be a lot of words ha.  I would like to bare my small testimony to you in Tahitian

Ua ite au e, e ekalesia mau te ekalesia a Iesu Metia.  Ua ite au e, e buka mau te buka a mormona.  Ua ite au e,e peropheta mau O Iosepha Semita.  Ua ite au e,e peropheta ora O Thomas S. Monson.  Ua ite au e, O Iesu Metia i ta tatou faaora.  Ua ite au e,e te Atua ta tatou Metua i te ao ra.  Ua ite au e, pahono te Atua to tatou mau pure.  Na roto i te i'oa O Iesu Metia, Amene.  

I know that this church is true.  I know that the Book of Mormon is true.  I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet.  I know that Thomas S. Monson is our living prophet.  I know that Christ is our Savior.  I know that God is our Heavenly Father.  I know that God answers our prayers.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.