Thankful for the work he gave me...

Family and friends,

It’s so sad to hear the news about Kenny Wong’s health. Send him my love. Tell him as well, I’m thankful for the work that he gave me when I was saving for my mission. That job really helped me a lot. Super solid guy. 

I feel like being with a master wood carver, like every other day, has inspired me a lot. We've been spending a bit of time every P-day, helping our Ward Mission Leader make the orders that he has. Then we play with his crazy tools and make cool stuff. Comp and I are about half-done something crazy. Normally next week we should be done. I hope you guys like the Hobbit.

The newbies (new green missionaries) are doing great. As a zone leader we just take a rapport of their training every week, but the trainers are all super solid missionaries. Not much to worry about yet. 

This week was great. We did a member’s integrator trainer fireside with our Ward last night. It went really well.  My companion and I did the training. And normally we are trying to plan with our 

Stake President to see if we can go and train all the Ward Mission Leaders on each island, so maybe next month we'll get to visit Tahaa and Huahine. 

Got to do another split with the Elders of Tahaa, i didn’t get to go over but I did take the new Elder from New Zealand with me. It was fun. It kind of reminded me of the beginning on the “mish" when everything was so new. It was weird because he took notes for everything I said. I guess that's kinda how it starts... 

We ended up fixing a baptism at the chapel yesterday. That was pleasant---should be good for the 12th of July. And the zone is doing fantastic this week. Over all a lot of blessings here in Raromatai (the Leeward Island group) right now. 

All is well on the flip side guys!

That's my week, love you guys!

Elder Goodwin.

5 new missionaries in my zone... busy week!

Iaorana, maita'i oe?

My companion has inspired me in a way to save time doing emails on Monday. I am currently in my p-jays typing up my email in a notes application on our phone. And tomorrow morning (or today if you are reading this) I will send it to you guys pre-typed. I will add my answers to your email as well. I will pop on again in the after noon to reply to any questions. 

Firstly, that’s sick the SAIT thing is going to work out and I have been accepted. I feel like the timing of it all is perfect as well. It'll give enough time to transition well. Yay… winter semester 2018!

Normally today we will be using our Ward mission leader's tools to make ourselves stuff out of wood. Terry and I have some cool ideas, but we will keep it a surprise.

This week was a little rough, but over all we made it through. We had three missionaries fly out on Wednesday and four that came in. Three of which are brand spanking new, fresh and green from the "fenua marite" (America)... well I lied. One of them is from New Zealand. So now in the zone we have 5 missionaries in training, so my patience with broken French has become a daily practice. 

The Elders of Haamene, Tahaa (the island next door) had a little issue with boats and had to spend the night at our place. It was a nice occasion to get to know the New Elder from New Zealand---Elder Coxhead. It was a fun night. New missionaries are always a bit shell-shocked at the beginning. 

In Uturoa we got an old friend replace one of the elders. I don't know if you guys remember Elder Mclelland from my first couple of  transfers. He is now in Uturoa and will be finishing his mission on "special assignment" training Elder Alfred as District leader. 

Thats all I can think of. I love you guys! Have a great week!

Peut-être il faut que je commence a parler en français. Comme ça, ça permet de pratiquer un peux. 

Eh, c'etait la fête des pères hier. En tout cas je veux juste dire merci pour tout les chose que tu a fait pour moi et pour m'aider a me préparer a partir en mission. Je suis carrément contant de voir que tu travail maintenant et que tu prends meilleur soin de ton corps, honnêtement je pense pas que je pourrais le faire si j'étais a ta place. 

Mauruuru maita'i! 

Merci beaucoup!

Tera noa! Nana!

Elder Goodwin

Crazy, busy, loving it!

Dear fam and friends,

In to answer your question, you read in Elder Jenkins blog (from the island of Tahaa next door) that he did splits with his zone leader…. yes that was me that he did splits with.  Yeah, I have been zone leader ever since I got here. That's also the reason we get to do splits with the district leaders on Tahaa and eventually Huahine.

That's crazy to hear that Tianna is married. It has been so long that we've seen each other. 

This week was really fun. We got to take the Assistants to the President with us for a day and do some really good work in the areas. We also got to pick up President Bize for the Zone Conference. It’s always fun when President comes to town. At the same time there was also a transfer being worked out, so we got to ask President about who will be transferred. Sadly we also had a sister get really sick and go to the hospital on Friday and we got the news that she has some sort of detached lung, and there is fluid in her body. We got her on a plane for Friday night with President Bize and the Assistants. Sad to see her go and stressfull to work out all the transportation... including getting the Elders of Tahaa on a boat heading home, all at the same time. 

Now that the big week is over we are in full force working in our areas. We fixed two missionary firesides, one in the Branch (small congregation) and one in the Ward. 

We will be a doing a training for "member integraters." At the same time we have a couple other activities being put into place. Our bishop in Tevaitoa was super awesome before, but since we invited him to a coordination meeting, it seems as though there had been a missionary-work fire ignited inside him and he has fixed a bunch of super cool plans to help missionary work in the Ward---such as devoting every other Ward Council meeting to missionary work, were it is the missionaries that lead the discussion. If we keep working in this direction the Ward will be a powerhouse. 

That’s all for this week I think. We were sooooo busy this week. I LOVE IT.

Peace.

Elder Goodwin

If you look carefully you can see a houseboat and Bora Bora on the horizon.

A ukulele (Tahitian style) that our Ward Mission leader made for one of the Assistants that served in this area previously.

My companion and I (back) with the Assistants to the President.

Headed into Heiva season...

Hey guys. 

Yes I did get my birthday package. It was awesome! Thanks guys. I feel like you guys know me so well. 

The video of the Ward families acting out scripture stories was really cool. That must of been fun for them to film. My personal favourite was the Hornbergers'. 5 STARS!. 

Our last missionary conference we didn't get to fly back to Tahiti this time, but we will next month. We watched it over a video conference program called webex. Kinda sucked because they always serve really good food a Président’s house. (does jealousy here) but we were stuck here eating the beef jerky out of the package and some other snacks that we brought. But the conference was Enlightening. 

Talking about Good ol' Pres Bize. He will be coming down to Raiatea on Friday and we will have the Assistants to President staying with us for about two-ish days. It’s going to be really fun. I think its Président’s last visit to Raiatea, before he is released, so I’m sure he will take some good pictures. 

This week we have stayed really busy. We have been working with a lot of investigators.  We hope they will continue to progress. The work has been complicated a little bit with Heiva practices for July and politics like I’ve never seen in my life. 

Over all---life is doing great. I don’t really have the right to complain...

Sorry for the lame email. heh heh

Elder Goodwin

Busy week of good-byes and hello's

Hey guys,

The transfer went really well last week.

My new comp is Elder Terry from Riverton Utah. He has been on his mission for 21 months so he will be finishing here with me probably in August. I’ve met him a couple times before so we know each other alright enough. It's going to be a fun couple of transfer periods together. 

It was kinda weird to say good bye to Elder Peel because now I have to lead the area, but I’ve only been here for 6 weeks. I think it'll be fine. I’ve just gotta get a little more used to the new areas, and the new responsabilities a little quicker. All is good. 

President Bize will be coming down to Ra’iatea next week. And the Assistants to President will be staying with us for like 3 days to do splits. It’s going to be really fun and we are going to get a lot of work done. We will have four missionaries in the area. It'll also be the last time that Pres Bize comes down to Ra’iatea, because he is finishing really soon. So we will see what comes of this visit.

Not a lot of crazy stuff went on this week. We just worked a lot and said good-bye to a lot of people for Elder Peel. I'll be on for a little bit still if you guys have any other news.

Wait, Is there anything crazy going on in world news? We are honestly in an information hole over here. 

Love you guys!

p.s. Nope. My mail and packages haven't arrived yet. It will probably arrive on Wednesday in a big bunch. No worries; Im super pumped though!

More on our Plan of Salvation conversation starter display

Just another amazing week on Raiatea...

Ioriana, bonjour,

It doesn’t take crazy long to get a package from Papeete to Ra'iatea, it all depends on how fast the Missionaries in the office can get it to the docks. Considering that there is a rather big transfer right now. it may come next week. 

So ya, there is a transfer right now actually, we have a lot of changes in the zone, my companion is headed to Tautira to go a finish his mission. So I will be getting a new companion... Elder Terry. He is from the States and has been on his mission for about 21 months. I’ve met him a couple times, he pretty cool, it’s going to be fun. 

Because of the fact that President Bize is heading out (finished his 3-years as Mission President) in June, the July transfer was cancelled. So that means and Elder Terry will surely be staying together until August, since Terry will “die” (finish his mission) in August, That means that I will likely stay here until September at the earliest. And because we are getting a new Mission President, I may just finish my mission here. That'll be awesome, I’m really loving it so far.

This week we did a really cool activity in downtown Uturoa, we rented out a spot in the main plaza and got a big old tent thingy set up with some tables and chairs. We bought wayyyyyy to much chalk and just let my companion go crazy. (and very talented artist BTW) We did the plan of salvation, and while all of this was happening we had a sister who has an absolutely beautiful voice play the ukulele and sing in Tahitian. We contacted people from every island in Raromatai. (the Leeward island group). it was crazy how many people where interested. There was even a cruise ship there and we contacted people from Portugal, France, the US and everywhere in between. It was overall an amazing experience. The picture I sent wasn’t really the final Stage of its progression. Peel ended up adding a bunch of blue and purple in to make it look like it’s floating around in the galaxy. Overall a very cool experience. 

We had our Baptism this week. It was a really awesome experience. Papi is probably the coolest guy ever. And he is in mega good shape. I want him to train me.

I got to do a split with an Elder from Tahaa (the little island beside us). Peel got to go to Tahaa and I got to stay with Elder Jenkins. It was really fun. Jenkins is a really good missionary, lots of potential. 

So yeah. my comp takes a plane on Thursday, so by next week it'll be a whole new era in my Mission life. So that'll be fun to see. I’m doing fine and dandy, happy to see you guys had fun at the cabin!

love you guys.

Elder Goodwin

Oh and my branch mission leader is going to make a traditional Marquisian Tiki and A large Tahitian fish hook for the house. It'l be cool. 

Vanilla farm, this is a wilder more traditional set up.

Elder Peel's gospel sidewalk art!

Soeur Rakotomalala is going home. Just a little farewell picture.

Papi's baptism

Peel, Papi and I

Mother's Day Skype call... check!

Bonjour,

Mother’s Day Skype call… check!

It was great talking to you guys on Skype yesterday. It almost feels normal now to just Skype every 6 or so months and then just not see each other for forever. So this time it'll be the same thing but we won’t be waiting on a Skype call. It will be in person! I don’t really feel “trunky" at all thankfully.  Because we just have sooooo much work to do. We are busy enough teaching our investigators, but on top of it---our other responsibilities keep us moving a lot. For now we are all golden.

Talking about bringing things home…. I will have space in my suit cases. I’ve been starting to get rid of stuff that I will no longer need for the rest of my mission. Since I don’t have a bunch of time left, I can live with only so many shirts and pairs of pants. and I’ve been carrying around a bunch of stuff from the beginning that we thought I would use, but haven’t yet found a use for them. So I think the space thing will not be a huge problem. If anything becomes a problem I can send non-valuable things by mail. 

Thats going to be a fun calling for you Dad. Just remember to be the "cool seminary teacher". Not the "lame seminary teacher". Find creative ways to get those good-for-nothin kids workin! 

No worries about my birthday package being a bit late. I guess I kind of deserve it after opening my Christmas package two weeks early!

Well. that's all for this week. I love you guys. keep being cool!

Elder Goodwin