Tama's Mission Blog

An experience for you...

So we baptized 4 people last week. It was great. It was a family of 6, the mother was already a member, but she grew up in Raivavae, and she became inactive when she was really young. Well, she got married, and then when her husband was extremely sick, and actually, due to a disease, was in a coma and she thought he was going to die. In fact, the doctors took him off life support and said that it was finished, and that he would pass on soon enough.

That's when he had a vision of a man and a woman who were pushing a cart of something. they asked him to follow them down a tunnel. there were two tunnels, and the one where they were going down was black and dark. He decided to go down the other, which had a tiny light at the end of it.

He explained that as he got closer to it, it came closer to him, until it got big enough to completely engulf him and surround him. That's when he saw a room that was perfectly white with tons of throne-like chairs, which, as he understood, were for angels. They were all empty, and as he looked across them, he saw a man standing in front of them.

He told him to come over and witness the marks in his hands, and then he told him that there was no place for him there, not yet anyways. Then he asked him if he was ready to come back down. He said yes.

And then he woke up from the coma and all the doctors could not explain it. He said that he didn't even believe that he was about to die, but the only think he has as proof was the word of his wife and the doctors.

But after he recounted his experience to her, she remembered the Church, and sought out the members. Then we came in, taught their family, and baptized their 3 daughters, the fourth being too young, and the father.

So yeah, that was a pretty cool story. things like that don't happen very often.

Transfer!

Feb 26, 2009
I got a call yesterday that I would be transferred to Tautira tomorrow.
Mar 1, 2009
Yeah, its pretty much like the islands, just a little bigger and more inland. But whats weird is that there are waves! It's soo wierd, because there's usually a coral reef around the whole island; but there isn't around us. So it's pretty cool. But yeah, really big sector, and really natur-ey. Not as much as the backside of Raiatea, but whatev. Its close to the islands ;P
My new comp, Elder Firiapu, is from Papeete, and he's been out just a couple months more than me.
Mar 10, 2009
In my new area, its really tough. The area is pretty much the whole presqu'ile, and that includes Tautira, Pueu, Taravao, Vairao, Fenua Aihere. All of that is ours, and its really hard to contact all that. Yes, Teahupoo is in our area. It IS far from what should be our area, but its ours as well.
Elder Firiapu:

February!

so yeah, it looks as if the rumors are that its either me or elder hales the next assistant. i sure hope its not me. ;P by all logics' finding, that's true, its either me or him. that would mean 5 months in Papeete after this sector. but don't worry, rumors are rumors, and i wont say that its truth or not.

anyways, everything is going well. tons of changes, but all of them are small. I'm not gonna lie, for being one of the most industrial cities here, Faaa doesn't change at all. drunk guys, bad words, graffiti, raeraes, criminals, car accidents. nothing really changes here in Faaa. maybe that's why it drives everybody nuts here.

anyways i hope you all are doing great back home. i love you all and i wish you all the best.

New Year had come...

Excerpts from Tamas letter:

yeah, this week was relatively slow here. it seems that there's a storm coming in. they say that in the time to come, there's a tsunami warning. of course, i don't trust it completely. yeah, superstitions, or maybe superstitions, who knows. but apparently the president here came out saying prepare. so yeah

it is getting pretty dark skied, but other than that, nothing really. and, yes, i want to see a GOOD storm ;P

other than that, there's really no news. just some mission drama of which we need not talk about. I've definitely changed a little, but its still a long long road. dang. but i can say that i understand God and Christ a lot better, and they've definitely showed me who i am and what i need to do. if any progress has been made this week, it was that.

Tama's Christmas message.

tons have happened.

So yeah, been a long time. i got to train a new kid for about a month. elder tatarata. but....yeah, Transfers! guess what? not transferred!

yeah, tatarata is going to the Cook islands at the tend of this month. Elder Hauata is now in Tubuai. and me and Haws.... are still here!!! and im training another person. Elder Timo. its kinda wierd, hes family, just distant. its wierd, such a small world here.

anyways, i gotta go. Love y'all!

~~Tama

hey alll

its been a while.

so yeah, the email has been freaking out for a little while, and i cant really recieve emails for some time. thats annoying.

other than that, �a va, Faa'a. Its ok here, not really amazing. Its kinda dangerous riding bikes here. Its like riding bikes on the freeway with a bunch of drivers-ed kids without the instructors. its kinda bad.

But its ok, danger is my middle name! ..... its actually michael, but that sounds kinda stupid. Tama Danger Shutts! thats much better.

~~TDS

11-10-08

i was sitting in church the other day, and i noticed that
every time the congregation would get a little loud, they'd
hold up a sign that said Reverence please. hah, what an
oxymoron.

anyways i love you all, and i promise more next time.

again...

so yeah. got transferred from raiatea this week. Im now in Faaa, Tahiti.

I will not lie, it was soo hard leaving Raiatea. Leaving with the knowledge that quite possibly i might never see those people again, it really did hurt. I never thought it would turn out like that. And now, Raiatea, for me, really is my "ra'i atea."

But now i am in Faaa. i have already met tons in my family. one could not believe the amount of joy that i am getting just by being able to understand them, let alone, being able to speak with them. it just increases my love for my family. How great a blessing it is, even if we cannot understand it all.

~Tama

ok...soooo

didnt write last week, why? cause a ton of stuff was happening.

yeah, got transferred. where? tevaitoa, veiaau, raiatea.

yup. we're in a trio. elder recio went home for serveral reasons, the likes of which i cannot reveal (totally private), and now im staying here until the end of this month. and maybe, im looking at a tahiti transfer to train someone....yeah, i didnt want that. gahhh, responsibility. dang.

but yeah, everything is going alright, but its sad that theres no missionaries in my last sector. its too bad, because theres sooo many good people who could be helped, but now, will have to wait. *sigh*

~Tama

So yeah

Wow, what a flash back.

in the little computer lab where we do our emails, theres a radio thats always on, and it usually plays the songs that i've forgotten from yesteryear. Hah, it was playing Ace of Base 'Dont Turn Around.' I remember that song from pretty much the last time i came to Tahiti. Oh that and the Cranberry's 'Zombie' which i happen to hear nearly every week. Oh yeah.

Anyways, thats enough reminiscing.

We had a Zone Conference this week. it was kinda odd for me, as the only sectors left in our zone are the sectors in our district. that means that out of all of Raromatai, there is only one island, Raiatea, which is open. Bora Bora, Huahine, Tahaa, Maupiti, they are all closed. Phew, we need more missionaries out here for sure.

But yeah, things are going well. President is a beast, and so is his wife. and when i say that, i dont mean literally beastly in appearance, because thats actually the tahitians most of the time. But yeah, theyre awesome.

I dont have too much time, and what time i have is expensive, so thats my little spiel for today.

Love you all, hope all is well.

September 15

so yeah, stuff has happened this week. no transfer, not yet. so i don't know how long i will stay on Raiatea.

there have been a ton of people ending their missions lately, one elder who started with us went home, and there are a ton who are finishing soon. a large group has just finished, that's elder Temarono's group, and there are 4 new Americans coming soon. Tubuai has been opened, and Huahine and Bora Bora have been closed. So that leaves Raiatea in all of Raromatai. Our district is now the same as our Zone. weird.

So yeah, not much else has changed. Still on a bike, and still in the same sector. we are, however, looking at changing houses, since the owner of our current one is a thief. No joke ;P exploitation to the max!

anyways, i gotta go, i hope you are all doing well, and i think of you all often!
~Tama

A few more pictures.

In the absence of a post from Tama, here are a few more pictures:

More pictures

or if that link doesn't work, click in the sidebar to the left.

So, this week...

A ton had happened. But I have a story that will probably take the time to say, so i'll go ahead and write it down.

Theres a family here, a partial member family, that is incredible. The Guinot family. The father comes from France and is not a member, and the mother is a native and a member. We spend a lot of time with them because they are awesome. We spend a lot of time with them during the week because they really help us out and they love the missionaries.

One day we were at a members house with them when their son-in-law came barreling down the road, horn blazing. As we went out to meet him, he yelled to us, saying that their house was on fire. In a panic, the Guinots left.

Later on in the day, they came back to the members house. We spent some more time consoling, but after nearly 5 minutes, their normal spirits were back, regardless of their misfortune. And thats when they told us the condition of their property.

There was nothing left. The whole house completely burned. A car on the side of the house is no longer usable. There is a platform which holds coprah nearly 2 yards away, and the near side was burnt. All the glass inside had melted due to extreme heat, and their son, who lives 30 ft away from them, had to go around the house out the back door because the heat was so extreme. Rummaging through the wreckage, they found something incredible. She recalled that she put her bag which she takes to church near the door. The bag was completely burned, nothing left. However, there, on the floor, was a partially burned hymnbook, a partially burned Liahona magazine (a church publishing), a partially burnt Bible, and a partially burnt Book of Mormon. They were slightly charred, but completely intact. Completely readable. The only damage they had recieved were on the covers.

Its amazing to think that the only things that survived were those things. The only things, not even the house survived. To me, this testifies truly, that the same power which protected the Bible also proteted the other materials. How grateful I am to hold the truth, to know that this is the power which has called me here, and how grateful I am to have been reassured that He is forever behind me. How grateful I am.

Some Pictures and Movies!

If you're looking for the pictures and movies, please click on the link to the left in the "Links" box, or just click on the following link:

Go To Pictures and Movies

Check back now and then. I'm planning on adding more pictures and movies when I have the time.

Thanks!

OK

So a TON has happened.

Horton has left, and R�cio has come here. Hales has replaced Maoni and is currently with Temarono. We are again on bikes, and covering the world and a half. Phew. no wait, its more like 'fiu.'

But yeah, things are going well. I'm starting to burn off some of the fat that i've gained from all the eating.

Anyways, yesterday, we missed the bus, because the guy told us 7 and it came at 6.45. lame. so thats why were here today.

But now i gotta go. I love you all!