So it's been 6 months on my mission. 25 percent done. 1\4. Crazy. I literally never thought I'd make it here. Looking back at journal entries I genuinely thought I wouldn't. But here I am. Wow. It's been fast and slow.
So the week started off with a tough morning anxiety wise but then a last minute emergency split to Erima! It's all in mountain so the whole day we were biking up hill to each next lesson, with an initial 30 min uphill bike to the sector at the start of the day. It was a nice change for the day. We also went to go fill up water bottles at a member's house and ended up having a huge lunch, then cake and ice cream; Mami says we can't say no at her house. Classic Mami Lucy I hear.
We had a huge hospital miracle this week too. A few weeks ago we blessed a guy before his surgeries. He had 5 that all went bad and they called us before the 6th and said they need an absolute miracle because he was having many health problems. When we asked him when he was expecting to get out his answer was just "not for a long time". He chose me to give the high pressure blessing, and it was the strongest spirit I've ever felt giving one. He's not a member but has been taking lessons for 2 years and had no baptism planned btw. In the blessing i blessed him with good health and that hed enter the water of baptism. So that was two weeks ago. This week, while visiting someone, we bumped into him taking a walk looking way better. He said the day after the blessing they went to give the last operation but the problem had miraculously healed and they didn't need the operation. He was being released in two days and was completely better out of nowhere. He said the day he gets back home to Tahaa he plans on seeing his bishop and getting baptized because of the miracle he's seen and the help from Heavenly Father. I was shook. Him being from Tahaa just added to it, where my grandfather served. So that was crazy.
I also had my first baptism this week! Well, first person I taught from the start who got baptized. His name is Amai, so that's where the hilarious subject comes from. He's hype and was so ready for the gospel.
I also gave a talk in church yesterday Church starts at 9:30 and I was asked to give the talk at... 9:30. So i talked about Christ!
This week I've been struggling a lot w anxiety in the mornings and had been applying so many strats and thought work and stuff but it wasn't working as well as I hoped. I was doing so much of it, I was having no time to grow my testimony and study spiritual stuff. I had the realization, with the help of my mom, that I needed to use the best strategy of all; Christ. To rely on him and His grace. I need to come closer to Him, and still continue the strats and all my thought work. It's only after my efforts, and his Grace that'll be okay So I'll see how that goes this week. Christ makes the difference.
Hope everyone has a good week! I'm staying with Elder Wilkinson for another 6 weeks in Pare! Finished the transfer with 57 blessings! Many miracles.
Love
Elder Fiore
I hope the photos work eh
Mom note:
Zach was happy to stay in the same area as he loves the people and his work. He loves his roommates too - so that is good. With Grammy passing away, he struggled a lot with anxiety, so it was a rough week. He is growing so much; amazing how it is in your trials where you grow the most and find Christ.
He was finally able to upload a bunch of photos, so I will add some here and go back and try to add where I think they fit (and will add some separate photo posts!)
The baptism:
The baptism:
The big lunch the Mami served:
The 6 month mark! Ceremonial switching of the toothbrushes lol
I think this is his hospital friend:
And some other hospital visits:
