Stronger, Better, Happier

Iaorana to'u utuafare!

A week ago, a 70 came and talked in our stake conference, Elder Pearson.  I got to listen to him Saturday night and then twice Sunday and his talks were great!  He brought a strong spirit with him! Then, this Friday and Saturday, we celebrated the 170th anniversary of the church in French Polynesia.  We got to go watch all the stakes do dances to represent the different islands and cultures on Friday and then we like marched and sang for a little bit during a fireside Saturday.  It was super cool to be able to see some people from my old sector!  And it made me think about how happy I will be to see them after my mission, and even more after this life.  Anyways, I just wanted to share something that Elder Pearson talked about.  During the priesthood meeting, he asked someone to come up that had been baptized, but wasn't a deacon yet, a deacon, a teacher, a priest, his son (just got back from a mission in Spain, but hadn't been released yet, so, he represented missionaries), the translator, and then the stake president.  He talked about how God has given us a pattern to become like Him and as we "lift where we stand" God will help us become something greater and greater, until we become like Him.  He said that we need to help every young person to serve a mission.  He explained that, even though our purpose as a missionnary is to help others, God's purpose for us is to become someone greater so that we can build strong families.  I know that to be true.  I see it every day!  I know that, as we serve the Lord and try our best to do His will, He will build us up and make us stronger, make us better, make us happier for now and for eternity.  Like I said in my last e-mail, I've fallen in love with my ensign haha.  And I really liked a quote in it that Elder Neil L. Andersen said.  He said, "The way you feel in the temple is a pattern for how you want to feel in your life."  I feel like how we feel in the temple with our family is a pattern for how we want to feel in our home.  Like it says in Doctrine and Convenants, God gives us a model for everything.  Sorry this e-mail was really scatter-brained and all over the place ha, but I want you to know that I love our Heavenly Father and I know He loves us.  I know that He gave us His son, Jesus Christ, so that we can become like HIm.  I know that Thomas S. Monson is his prophet today and, if we follow him, we can build an eternal family.  I love you so much!  Thank you so much for giving me the chance to serve a mission and to serve my Heavenly Father!  I know He will help us become an eternal family!  

Ua here au ia outou!

Elder Jessop

From Sacrifice To Blessings

Iaorana to'u utuafare!

Sorry I couldn't email Monday, the internet was down.  But président gave us a little time to e-mail today.  Thanks so much for the e-mail and skype!  I loved seeing you all and talking to you!  It sounds like everyone is doing great!  I love the emergency e-mail, too ha!  EMERGENCY!!!!  I need a sandwich haha!  In Tahiti, it's more like, EMERGENCY!!!!!  We just got done eating and someone else asked us to eat haha!  

My companions favorite scripture is in Ether and talks about weaknesses and I love them both so much!  I like in Corinthians how it talks about not just weaknessess, but all trials and persecutions.  It reminded me of the conference talk by Elder Holland in conference.  I just got my ensign this week and have been loving reading it haha!  It's soooo good!  Elder Holland talked about standing up for our standards and our beliefs and even suffering for Christ.  (He shared a story about the missionaries that got food thrown at them.)  On my mission, I haven't had to suffer a lot physically like those sisters because the people here honor our choice to serve God.  But, we are always "sacrificing" things because of our love for God and our desires to serve Him.  Each of those "sacrifices" turn into huge blessings.  Tt's like the magnet that you sent me haha.  Some blessings come immediately, some come later, and some don't come until heaven, but they always come.  (Something kind of like that haha.)  Anyways, that was kind of a wierd rant, but I also like 1 Peter 2:20-21 that talks about suffering for Christ and Mark 10:28-30.  So, I don't have a lot of time, but as I said I have been loving my ensign and I wanted to share something short and sweet with you.  Elder Neil L. Andersen said in his talk, "Family is the treasure of heaven."  I loved that quote a lot!  I always tell my investigators how much I love you all and it's true!  I love you all so much!  I am so grateful for the amazing plan of our Heavenly Father that allows us to have an eternal family!  I really liked what the 2nd counselor in the Relief Society said (I think it was in the relief society ha): the three things that will prepare us to be an eternal family is family prayer every day, family book of mormon study every day, and family home evening every week.  I'm so grateful for conference and for the opportunity we have to be guided by a living prophet who is guided by our living and loving God.  I know that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet of God on earth right now and that, if we follow his counsel and the apostles and other leaders, we will have an eternal family!  I love you so much!  Have a great week!

Ua here au ia outou!

Elder Jessop

Poor in Heart

Iaorana to'u utuafare!

Thanks so much for skype yesterday!  I loved seeing you all and talking to you!  I really can't believe how much Jake, Nick, and Sami have grown!  You're too tall!  Stop haha!  Thanks so much for your support and love!  You are the best!  

So, for this week, Saturday we had a lesson in the morning and then all of our other lessons fell through.  We weren't worried at all because we had a lot of extra people to visit as back up plans, but nobody was home.  Nobody ha.  So, we ended up getting a couple hours free to go do some door to door (sorry I don't know if that's how you say it in English, I just translated it haha).  We wanted to try and find some investigators in that huge area where we don't have investigators or members so that we can kind of open up that area.  But, then we found out that they are almost all rich, French catholics who are not at all interested or accepting ha.  Nobody has door bells, you just yell IAORANA!!! at the gate.  Half the time there would be people there, but they would ignore us and the other half of the time they would come just to tell us to go away ha.  The whole time I just thought of the sermon on the mount in Matthew 5:3.  I'll try to rough translate it in English.  It might say something like: Blessed are the poor in heart, for the kindom of heaven is theirs.  It can be really hard for rich people to accept the gospel because money can harden our hearts and make us think that we don't need God.  It's really hard for them to be poor in heart.  But, the poor in heart are accepting of God and his gospel.  So, it's them who will accept eternal life.  I'm so grateful for all the many blessings that God has given us!  It's absolutely incredible!  I've seen every day on my mission that, without Him, we can do nothing, but, with Him, we can do everything!  I know that God is our Heavenly Father.  I know that Jesus is our Savior!  He lives and He loves us!  I'm thankful for the gospel He has given us, the path that leads to eternal life.  I know that through His gospel we can be an eternal familly!  Thank you so much for all you do!  I love you so much!

Ua here au ia orua!

Elder Jessop

Skype Times

Iaorana to'u utuafare!

Thanks so much for the e-mail!  Sorry I don't have time this week to do a long e-mail, but about the times, is it possible to do the 4 o'clock one?  I think that is like 8 o'clock your time.  My companion's family couldn't do the 11 o'clock one?  I am super excited to talk with you on Sunday!  Have a great week!  I love you!  

Ua here au ia orua!

Elder Jessop