ISLAND LANGUAGES

French is the language of government/schools and Tahitian the language of the natives of French Polynesia.

ELDER COSBY'S ADDRESS

ELDER SETH LORENZO COSBY
Tahiti Papeete Mission
L'Eglise de Jesus-Christ des Saints des Derniers Jours,
Mission Mormone, BP93
(for pkgs add: Cours de L'Union Sacree)
Papeete Tahiti 98714
Polynesie Francaise
__________________________________________

Unto the Islands of the Sea

Send forth the elders of my church unto the nations which are afar off, unto the islands of the sea; send forth unto foreign lands; call upon all nations . . . -------------------------------------------Doctrine & Covenants 133:8
Bonjour! [bon-ZHOOR]:French-------------------------IaOrana! [ee-ah oh-RAH-na]:Tahitian-------------------------Hello!
Bienvenue! [bee-ahn-vuh-new]:French-----------------------Maeva! [mah-AY-vah]:Tahitian-----------------------Welcome!

20.2.12

TEARII: February 20, 2012


Dear Family,
Last week was the baptism of Tearii. He is an 11 year old boy . The baptism was great.  He was so excited that he could not contain himself.  He jumped up to lead the first song with his aunt and yelled, "I am a child of God" at the top of his lungs the first verse all three times (verses). President Sinjoux came.  When he got up to speak Tearii took President's arm and put it around himself and stood next to him until he was finished.  It was a great baptism. His parents have completely changed now. They tell us that Tearii is much better in school now also. After the baptism Tearii went and told all of his neighbors that he was baptised.  They told him that they would buy him candy as a gift and he told them: "Make sure it is big!"  Everything is going great 
Love y'all
Love, Elder Cosby

NO TIME: February 13, 2012

Dear Family,

I am out of time to write.  Next week.

Love ya'll
Love,  Elder Cosby

TEHOTU: February 6, 2012


Dear Family,
This week we went to eat at a family's house.  The man's brother was there.  His name is Tehotu (the fruit).  He is not a member.  The first thing that Tehotu said to us was "I don't talk a lot . . . I am timid".   While we were eating we found this to be true.   Tehotu didn't talk a lot, even when asked direct questions, but towards the end of the dinner he lifted his head from his stew and cut us all off in saying rather loudly, "I want the missionary lessons!" So we set up a day to come back and had an amazing lesson with him where he told us that he wanted to be baptised. We also learned that his job is to "search for the treasures of his ancestors in caves and other places."   I thought that was pretty neat. I wonder if he gets paid well.  Also yesterday we went to Paea to do the same missionary concert that we have been doing in all the stakes in Tahiti. It was cool to be able to see all of my investigators from a year ago still attending church. I was happy.
Love y'all
Love, Elder Cosby

MARRIAGE IS WHAT BRINGS US TOGETHER TODAY: January 30, 2012


Dear Family,
My first companion Elder Punu got married and since the reception was in the chapel 6 feet from our house I was able to go. Elder Punu put me at the table of honor, and even though we went home we could still hear the music late into the night. Punu's wife is from Hitiaa, my second area.  I got to see a lot of people that I knew before over there. It was great. We also went to Paea today and I saw one of our old investigators who recently received the Melchizedek Priesthood. I have been seeing a lot of my old friends for some reason lately.

Moving on to culture time:  France and French countries do what is called Bisoux to greet people. This consists normally of grasping hands and/or shoulders of the victim and then bumping your face (cleanliness is optional) on the side the victim's face and then doing the same on the opposite side. At each face bump, a kissing noise is made, but the lips in most cases do not actually make contact with the face.  Normally missionaries are counselled against this practice because it is weird.   So we defend ourselves.  The extended arm elbow locked block was created to evade any incoming bisoux, but often a missionary is caught unawares, leaving the opposing party standing having gone 50% lips pursed ready to make the kissy noises and the missionary's hand extended.   After several seconds of this artisticly awkward pose, either the opposing party or the missionary will give in . . .  in bisouxing or hand shaking . . .  with many incomprehensible after awkward situation mumbles. I have only given in to one old lady in the first week of my mission. In every other Bisoux battle I have held my ground leaving victor. 
Love y'all
Love, Elder Cosby 

GRATITUDE: January 16, 2012


Dear Family, 
Lately I had the chance to see some of my old investigators (passing in the store or on the street).  It was really cool to see that Sarah Moarii, one of my first baptisms, had gone through the temple and others have callings in the church, active and happy. We have also been gathering eggs in the morning from a chicken that hangs out in our yard and then making omelets. I;m feeling super blessed. I don't really know what else to say besides the work is going well.
Love y'all
Love, Elder Cosby

RAIN: January 9, 2012


Dear Family,
It has been raining the entire week non stop. I have been very wet. Me and my companion do a lot of service projects for a  lady named Mommy Maeva . . .  she . . . calls me Elder Marite which is the equivalent of Elder America in Tahitian. She calls my companion Jon for some reason,  but I correct her and tell her to call him Elder Tahiti. While me and my companion were moving trees (something I became very good at at home),  I had a funny experience . . . 
Love Elder Cosby

TAHITIAN BARBEQUE: January 2, 2012


Dear Family,
Everything is going great. In these times of holidays I have  had many experiences with Tahitian BBQs from. a little tiny camper stove lookin' thing with wet charcol in a car repair garage with Nitro 412 dilutant stuff on the charcoal to start it after which they used an air compressor to blow on the coals to keep them hot to  coals  started in the drum of  a washing machine.  There's all kinds of meats cooking on these covered with the same sauce . . . for a delicious Tahitian Barbeque.  Not much time to write this week . . .


Love y'all,
Elder Cosby

15.2.12

A GREAT EXPERIENCE: December 29,2011


This week we had a great experience in our first lesson with a man named Christian.
During the lesson you could just tell he was feeling the Spirit the whole time.
After the lesson he said the prayer and said to God that from now on his life will change
dramatically.  The Spirit is very powerfull.  I will tell everything else on Christmas.  
I have been studying a lot about the temple too because I was thinking that we would 
be going soon as president has said we would go once a year and it has almost been a year. 
I love you and will call you on Christmas.
Love ya'll,
Elder Cosby