Week 31: I'm coming home

After much stress, games,a projector found, movies watched, sitting in boredom... we are coming home . It was a tough week honestly and we did nothing. I'm coming home this week with all other foreign missionaries in Tahiti. It was a very stressful week I'll be honest. Lots of calls back and forth between missionaries, and lots of freaking out.

But its all good now we got the call

Love

Elder Fiore

Mom's Note:

It has been a roller coaster of a week. All the waiting. We finally got word late last night that Zach is on a flight on Saturday night (March 28th) and will be home March 29th (flying through San Francisco). Unfortunately only 30 missionaries have  tickets for this flight. They said they are only getting  flights to those who's connections they can confirm. However there are another 50-70 missionaries that need flights.  I feel blessed for Zach coming home, but my heart breaks for those still waiting....

Week 30: I puked and freaked out. Unrelated.

Hello,

Might as well start with the craziest bit of info that I'm on quarantine for the next 2 weeks meaning I won't be able to leave our missionary apartment. Remember that we have no technology or wifi or anything. It's gonna suck. 

So it all started Wednesday. I ate fish that had been in our fridge for 4 days. I had some stomach problems with it and then puked. So yea I got food poisoning. I was out a few days and it was horrible. Wilk was sick too so we were just chilling at home feeling sick. As we were at home we got a panic call from another Elder about how we can't teach sick people and touch people and stuff. We then got the call that church is cancelled world wide. So yea, two sick missionaries at home with no distractions, nothing to do. We started  FREAKING OUT about all these scenarios . I literally started picturing a dystopia where I can't do school and work after coming home early from my mission. I literally started packing. We freaked out. Our baptism even got cancelled. She made us two blankets each so we got  those. So the freaking out lasting a day or two and then I calmed down. Up until now and I'm freaking out again due to quarantine. So the chill lasted a day.

Sunday in between the freaking out was also wack. We served sacrament 6 times and did it with many members and were both pretty homesick, especially because it was wilk's birthday. It was kind of sad. We just thought of home. I've been thinking about home a bit more because it was feeling pretty close with the virus. I was hoping  to just get sent home and come back later, but nah we are staying. Its gonna be a long 2 weeks. 

So good luck everyone with what's going on. We will be out here studying and playing games all day which will get bored pretty fast. I just want wifi to talk to home haha but that's okay. Sacrifices for the Lord, eh.

Love Elder Fiore

Mom's note:

As doomy and gloomy as his email sounds, he was in decent spirits. It will be a trial being isolated for the two weeks. We came up with a list of things they can do - thank goodness he loves the guys he is with. This is certainly a trying time in life as well as a trying time in his mission. God speed to all the missionaries and people struggling through this Corona virus.... 

"And now I do not know all things but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come: wherefore, he worth in me to do according to his will" Words of Mormon 1:7.

Week 29: Went to Catholic Mass

Hello

So this week had some interesting events and plenty of cancellations! 20 lessons cancelled! That made the days go by a bit slower but I'm glad I'm in a situation where 20 can be cancelled.

One fun convo I liked was with one of our amis who was waiting a judgement, which was his baptismal block. He wasn't sentenced to two years jail so now we can keep going with him. So we went to his house for a lesson and asked what he did that day. He said he took his dogs to the beach. I said "you have two dogs?" Then he said, "well not anymore, there was an accident at the beach". So his dog drowned and he described it as the " slightly negative part of his day." I love this guy tho actually.

I also contacted a couple kissing on the side of the road. We stopped to answer the phone and they were making out across the street. Wilk dared me to do it so I awkwardly went over and interrupted. I got a phone numbers from it!!

We also went to the house of an ami, who tried to cancel the lesson cause he had too much work. So of course we offered to help, and took off our ties and everything to show we are ready. He warned us it would be tough and was worried, but we went anyway. We did dishes for an hour. He hyped it up way too much. We did it with laundry detergent which was horrible.

So the most fun part of the week was going to a Catholic church with Mami Anna and Terehau. They said Terehau would fully commit to our church if we came once lol. Terehau said it was her last time going so she wanted us there. Terehau is who we are baptizing this weekend. She wore a white robe and carried a huge cross leading 20 others in white robes and did the sacrament. It was wack she's being baptized this week but she's ready. Mami Anna also gave us xxxl coke shirts which is hype. We ate with her 3 times this week.

The sector is popping off still which is fun. Mornings are still hard. We also had 4 people come to church this week for the first time!!!! There are advantages to city. It's less beautiful though. We did a full tour of the island today and Tahiti is sooo beautiful I had no idea. I saw many beaches and mountains. Maybe I'll talk about that more next week when I have more time since it's technically in week 30. We will see.

Hope everyone has a great week

Love

Elder Fiore

Week 28: Mission was extended :(

Saturday was tough cause it shouldve been March smh. An extra day of the mission kind of. Felt like it. But it was actually a good day. Just extra.

Best part of the week was meeting a sculptor who specialized in making wood pigs for some reason. His reason was because he likes pigs. So I bought a mini one and gave him a Book of Mormon (and money). My pigs name is Axton. Acts 10. Who understands? It's so funny. I like Axton. 

We also did a hype service project in the pouring rain cutting down a palm tree that half fell. It was so fun. Twice members just picked up coconuts, cut it with a machete and gave it to me to drink. So Tahiti . There's no chance I would've gone to a service like that with that weather at home, so I'm glad being on a mission opened that door.

We taught Mami Anna a word of wisdom lesson, and got offered iced tea to take home immediately after finishing.  It was awkward telling her she can't have that anymore. She understood kind of. She tried to convince us she doesnt know it's iced tea so she can keep drinkng it, but we had to explain since now she knows she shouldn't. Mami Anna is always confused. 

We also had a fun movie night with church movies my mom sent. It was a Sunday night which made me feel like a home Sunday. It was great. We hit our 10 hours of work in the rain then headed home to watch movies. I can't explain how nice it was. Blankets and all.

My morning anxiety was a lot better this week for the most part. That was super good and I'm extremely grateful for that. Turning to Christ has worked thus far. I'll keep trying.

Love 

Elder Fiore