The "Firsts"

Iaorana to'u utuafare! 

Thanks so much for the emails this week! I love hearing from you! Jake, Sami, and Nick, I can't believe you're almost 14! You're all so old ha! Happy Birthday soon! 

I love training my new companion! Elder Moller is so fun ha! It's really weird to look back and think that I was in the same place because it doesn't seem like very long ago. I still feel like I just got here. It's really cool to watch his "firsts" like Carson said. He did really well with his first time eating heart. His first time eating a lot made me realize why I've gained weight haha. He had a really hard time eating it all (couldn't finish) and I could have had another plate and dessert haha. He also had his first lesson, first testimony, and first time inviting someone to be baptized. This opportunity to train has helped me look back on my first days and weeks here. 

Elder Irihau, Elder Moller, and me with our investigators, Noel and Noella

We're really blessed in our area right now. We started low in this sector, too, but now we have a lot of success here. I'm really excited to help the people here and to help my companion learn how to help them and love them! In Alma 37, it talks about how God uses small and simple things to do great things! For me, that's a new missionary. A new missionary doesn't speak the language very well and is a little lost in the new area, but does his best with what he knows. He knows God loves us all, he knows the church is true, and he knows the Book of Mormon changes lives and eternities.  Those small and simple things are powerful enough to move mountains. Always remember that God is our Father and He loves us! 

I love you so much! Thanks for all you do! I pray for you always!

Ua here au ia outou!

Elder Jessop

The Strength to Overcome

Iaorana To'u utuafare!

Thanks so much for the emails and again for the birthday wishes! I love you all so much!

This week we had transfers again. I'm staying and Tuesday I'll get my new companion. His name is Elder Moller. He is from Utah, I think, and he is still in the MTC, so this will be his first area. My companion now leaves in a week to another island, Hau. I'm really excited to form the new missionary and watch him learn to love this people that I love so much! 

Last week, we had a barbecue for the birthdays of me and another elder, Elder Faatau.

Last week, I started teaching a mom and her son, Marie and Henry. I was really touched during one of the lessons. Henry is handicapped, so Marie does everything for him. She does it always with love and patience and never requires anything in return. At the end of our last lesson, I told her that she and Henry are God's children and He loves them. He loves Henry, so He gave him an incredible  mom who would care for him and love him. I told her that God sees everything she does for Henry and He is thankful for all. After, I promised her blessings from God. With tear filled eyes, she looked up at me and said, "Elder, I'm tired. Can I have a blessing for strength?" She didn't wish away her problems, but prays for the strength to overcome them. I'm so thankful that God gave me you for my family to love me and help me. I love you so much! I'm so happy that we can be a family forever! I know that God knows you and loves you! He will help us every step of the way!

Ua here au ia outou!

Elder Jessop

Happy Birthday Elder Jessop! The Big 2-0!

Iaorana!

Thanks so much for the e-mails and birthday wishes!  I love you all so much!  I'm so happy to hear how well you are all doing!  Sorry, today I can't write a whole lot, but I just wanted to tell you thanks so much for all you do and that I love you all!  You have done so much for me!  I think, talk, and pray about you every day!  I an eternally grateful for you!  And, I'm so happy we can be an eternal family!  Love you!

Ua here au ia outou!

Elder Jessop

A Very Happy Baptism

Ia ora na to'u utuafare!

I tell myself every day I need to take more and I need to send more pictures haha.  I have a story that I forgot to tell you!  I think it was two weeks ago.  An old Japanese couple came into the church when we were planning for the week and started speaking to us in Japanese ha.  They didn't speak any French, but they did speak little words in English.  I talked to them, or at least I tried haha, and they said, "tired…walk…carrefoure (Walmart of Tahiti)…continental.  And, with that and I think the gift of tongues and discernment, I knew that they were lost, trying to find their hotel, and they had started at carrefoure and walked a looonnngggg way to the church, which is in the wrong direction, and they are looking for their hotel, Intercontinental ha.  I called president and we took them back to their hotel.  I have never seen anyone so happy in my life haha!  They were so grateful!  I don't know how many times they bowed to us!  I am so grateful that God led them to us so that we could help them with just that little favor!  I got to see a glimpse of the people Carson served and loves like I love my people!      

My sector, Taapuna!  The island in the background is Moorea.

This week, I went back to Papeari again!  There was supposed to be a baptism last week, but it was pushed to yesterday and I went with Elder Fitzsimmons again!  The baptism was amazing!  It was the baptism of 4 people I taught a lot before I left the sector and I was super close with them!  Two of them is a couple who got married that day as well, Serge Mohi and Chantal Mohi.  The other two is a mom and her son, Clarita and Manahere.  It's amazing the trials they have all overcome!  And, it was so amazing to see them get baptized!  They were all sooo happy!  It was amazing to hear their testimonies at the end!  When I see problems that my investigators have, my mind is always split in two.  One part of me is super sad that they have these trials and I wish they didn't have to go through that pain.  The other part of me is super excited!  That sounds really weird, but it's true because I know that, after they overcome those trials, they will have super strong testimonies!  Their faith will grow so much!  And they will use that faith and testimony to endure to the end!  That was the case with these investigators.  They had big trials, they overcame them with faith, and now their testimonies are incredible!  I can't wait to see them all in a year at the temple!  

The Baptism!

I think about that a lot and I think that's how our Father in Heaven must be, too.  He is sad when we suffer, but He knows that it's through those trials that we can become like Him, live with Him again, and have an eternal joy!  Always remember that no matter what trials we have, we can overcome them!  (1 Corinthians 10:13)  And we are never alone through our trials!  Christ suffered for it for us and He knows perfectly how it feels and how to help us overcome it!  (Alma 7:11-13)  I love you all so much!  I know that our Heavenly Father loves you too!  And I know He is helping us have an eternal family!  Thanks again!  And have a great week!  Kill it ha!  


Ua here au ia outou!

Elder Jessop

At the Bus Stop

Ia Ora Na tatou!

I'm so excited that you are enjoying the snow!  Make sure to get some good footage with the GoPro ha!  I loved the story with the fast, too!  I've told it to a couple investigators last week!  For p-day today, we sang extra long in town because we start the singing sunday.  After, we went and played rugby and now e-mails.  

This is the granddaughter of one of my investigators at
Papeari!  They're one of my favorite families here!

I love that, "Be Who You Are!"  A couple months ago, we talked a little about the parable of the talents.  It's the same with us and our families/sectors also.  Each sector/family is different and each of us are different and that's the way it's supposed to be!  But, it's how we use what we have the counts, eh?  This week, I wanted to share an OLB that I did ha.  It's open the mouth in French and it's when we just start talking with someone and invite them to meet with us.  I was on a split with Elder Goutin, a French elder that was in the MTC with me.  We didn't have very many lessons, so we went and just talked with people.  I saw an old papi, that's what you call someone once they're of age to be a grandpa, sitting at the bus stop.  I started to talk to him in Tahitian, because he's a papi, and he talked with me, but he wasn't very open.  Then, instead of just standing and talking to him, I sat down right by him and I talked to him about prayer, scriptures, and the restoration.  After, I asked him if we could come back.  Normally, in French I say is there a day that we can come and talk more about these things.  But, Tahitian is a little more frank.  I said what day can we come back haha.  He said simply, "Aaaayyyyyyyaaaa," which is a Tahitian noise for no i don't want to haha.  Then, I testified about the gospel.  Not just that, but for him personally.  One thing I said is I asked him if he wanted eternal life.  Then, I testified that the only way we can obtain that is through the gospel and church of Christ.  I testified that the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is that church and that I was there to help him obtain that.  I told him that I loved him and I put my arm on his shoulder.  I asked again, what day can we come back?  Right now, he was completely focused and you could see the Spirit working in his heart.  After, he gave us the day and time.  I love opportunities like that to help others feel the love of God for them.  It's the Spirit and love that changes everything!  And, it's by the small and simple things that we can show our love to others that makes the difference!  I know that this church is true!  I know that God is our loving Father in Heaven!  I know that He loves us individually so much!  And He is there to help us every step of the way!  I know that God loves me because He gave me you!  You are such a wonderful family!  I love you all so much!  And, I know that Heavenly Father loves you too!  Have an awesome week, eh haha?

Ua here au ia outou!

Elder Jessop

A Visit from Elder Nelson

Ia ora na tatou!

Everyone in Tahiti speaks French, but not everyone speaks Tahitian.  So, we speak French way more.  But, I am going to learn Tahitian!  I can speak some, but it's not the best.  But, yeah, it's really weird ha.  There are missionaries that finish their missions not knowing how to speak Tahitian, but not me!  Today, we have a service project, but I don't really know what it is haha.  We're going to go help some other elders help someone in their ward, so we'll see what I end up doing there.  After that, we'll go in town for practicing singing for the concerts.  After that, we'll do our shopping, play basketball with some investigators, and then we have two family home evening with our investigators!  Now that I am closer to town, I have time to do stuff now and it's weird!  

Anyways, this week was really good.  Elder Nelson came to Tahiti this week with seventies Elder Pearson, Elder Callister, and Elder Tarati and their wives.  It was amazing!  The spirit was so strong!  It was incredible!  Nobody in that room will ever deny that he is an apostle of God!  Before, I knew that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet of God today.  Now, I know, as well, that Elder Nelson is an apostle of God!  One of the things that I really liked was that he took the time to shake everyone's hand and talk to them a little bit!  In all, that took a lot of time.  But, he did it anyways because he loves us!  And he knows that the Savior loves us!  A lot of times, we think we have to do big things for people to help them, but it's really by the small, simple things that we can do every day that help people the most!  We had a conference with them Thursday and it was absolutely incredible!  I am so thankful that God sent them here!  They brought such a strong Spirit and I learned so much!  Your quote reminded me of one of them.  "Our missionaries are not salesmen with wares to peddle; rather, they are servants of the Most High God, with testimonies to bear, truths to teach, and souls to save."  Already in my mission, I've seen God help people change their lives and become so happy and joyful!  A joy that can last forever and can lead to eternal life.  But, Elder Nelson helped me remember that the work is even bigger than that.  There are missionaries all over the world right now and WE are gathering in the House of Isreal.  But, it's not just the missionaries, it's US.  We have this wonderful blessing and it's our divine call to gather His sheep.  I like a scripture in 1 Nephi 15:13-14.  And, when we look at Jeremie 1:4-5, we can see that we have been called even before this life to help this people receive the gospel.  Thank you so much for this amazing opportunity that you have given to me to be on my mission!  I love you so much!  And I am forever thankful to you!  I'm so grateful for the knowledge that we have the opportunity to become an eternal family!  I know that this church is Christ's church!  I know that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet of God today.  I know that Elder Nelson is an apostle of God.  I know that God is really our Father in Heaven.  He loves us so much!  Thanks, again!  I love you!  And, I know that God loves you so much!  I'm so grateful for prayer, for the chance we have to talk with Him!

Ua here au ia outou!

Elder Jessop

Klause's Baptism

Ia Ora Na to'u Utuafare!

My new companion and I doing a service project our first day in
the area

Yeah, I was sad to leave my last sector.  I loved it too much!  But, my new sector is amazing, too!  And I know it's where the Lord wants me to be!  So, my new sector is Taapuna, Punaauia, Tahiti.  It's 45 minutes away from my last sector and is more of a city, aussi.  There aren't really tourists in my sector, but there are where the house is.  It's super weird to see!  I thought it was weird when Carson talked about seeing white people and it being really weird when he was on his mission.  But, now I understand him a lot better ha!  My sector is on the mountainside of Punaauia, so everyone has amazing views of the sunset with the ocean and Moorea.  I speak Tahitian a lot more here than in my old sector, which I wasn't expecting.  Oh, and my new companion is Elder Irihau.  He is from Raiatea and speaks super good Tahitian!  He is way cool and I love him!  

That's such a cool story with the fast!  (We recently had a stake fast for snow and moisture.)  And, I love D&C 82!  It's so true!  The Lord gives us commandments to bless us and, when we obey them, He happily blesses us immediately!  

Klause and his cousin at Klause's baptism

This week, I got to go back to Papeari for a baptism!  I went with my first companion, Elder Fitzsimmons, who is my zone leader now!  His name is Klause Ariiveheataiteraipoiri.  He is 19 years old and got baptized by his cousin, who was baptized by Elder Fitzsimmons last year!  I loved his testimony because the Spirit was so strong and it testified to everyone that he has changed!  We did all of the lessons in one week and baptized him that Saturday!  Normally, we don't ever want to do that!  But, the Spirit guided us, and he really was ready!  The Lord had been preparing him for years and he was ready!  I know that there are our brothers and sisters out there that God has already prepared to receive the gospel and all we need to do is find them.  I love you so much!  I know this church is true!

Ua here au ia outou!

Elder Jessop