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!

29.4.12

TRAVEL ITINERARY: THIS IS THE LAST MONTH

Subject:  FINAL Travel Itinerary For COSBY/SETH LORENZO - 29May - 5472X5
To: Tahiti Papeete Mission 

Electronic ticket(s) have been issued and are ready for travel. See ETKT information below.
 
The following is a revised itinerary. Please take note of changes to flight numbers, times, and/or transfer cities.
  
CHURCH TRAVEL CWT                          DATE 16APRIL12
50 EAST NORTH TEMPLE ST                    AGENT JJ/KT BOOKING REF 5472X5
SALT LAKE CITY UT 84150
TELEPHONE: 801 240-5111                    COSBY/SETH LORENZO  191435-R
FAX      : 801-240-5115
 
  MISSIONARY TRAVEL
  TAHITI PAPEETE MISSION
 
SERVICE               DATE  FROM           TO             DEPART  ARRIVE
_____________________ _____ ______________ ______________ _______ ______
AIR TAHITI NUI        29MAY PAPEETE        LOS ANGELES CA 1159P   1110A
TN 8                TUESDAY FAAA           LOS ANGELES IN         30MAY
L ECONOMY                   TERMINAL INTL  TERMINAL B
                            SNACK/BREAKFAST               NON STOP
                            RESERVATION CONFIRMED         8:11 DURATION
                  AIRCRAFT: AIRBUS INDUSTRIE A340-300
                            SEAT 35A NO SMOKING CONFIRMED
 
AMERICAN AIRLINES     30MAY LOS ANGELES CA DALLAS TX      135P    635P
AA 2448           WEDNESDAY LOS ANGELES IN DALLAS FT WORT    
Q ECONOMY                   TERMINAL 4
           NON SMOKING      FOOD AND BEVERAGES FOR PURCHA NON STOP
                            RESERVATION CONFIRMED         3:00 DURATION
                  AIRCRAFT: BOEING 737-800
                            SEAT 23B NO SMOKING CONFIRMED
 
RESERVATION NUMBER(S)  AA/PTUEGD  TN/DFLBQB
 
COSBY/SETH LORENZO  191435-R
     ETKT:TN/244 7037194274
 
**IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, FLIGHT CHANGES ENROUTE
OR SIGNIFICANT DELAYS, IMMEDIATELY TELEPHONE
CHURCH TRAVEL (801-240-5111 OR 1-800-537-3537)
.
CHURCH TRAVEL IS AVAILABLE 24/7
.
KATY TALBOT - EXT 25153
 
MISSION PRESIDENT BENJAMIN TAURAA SINJOUX
PH 011-689-50-5521 OFFICE 011-689-42-4332 HOME
      * NOTICE * STATE OR FEDERAL PHOTO I.D. REQUIRED AT AIRPORT.
        BECAUSE CHECK-IN TIMES AROUND THE WORLD MAY VARY BASED    
       ON THE INDIVIDUAL AIRPORT AND DAY-TO-DAY SECURITY ISSUES
                 PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY FOR YOUR FLIGHTS.
      IF YOU NEED FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING AIRPORT SECURITY,
                 PLEASE CONTACT THE AIRPORT DIRECTLY.
          MISSIONARY TRAVEL (800) 537-3537 OR (801) 240-5111
 
BAGGAGE POLICY - FOR TRAVEL TO/FROM, WITHIN THE US, PLEASE VISIT:
 
Use CheckMyTrip to view your itinerary and flight changes at any time:
 

MISSIONARY DOG DAYS: April 26, 2012


Dear Family, 

Here's something that happened to us recently.  I've been busy and can't remember if I've written this to you already.   Two missionaries on bikes.  There are no street lights in most of the valley of Tuauru. As we were riding,  I heard a few barks in the distance but they were closing in fast. In all of the valley there is one black dog that likes to chase us.  It was him. I was behind Elder Ezekiela. I quickly put my gears as high as they could go.   As I passed Ezekiela I yelled, "HURRY,"  but black dog had already made it to the road.  We passed him so quickly that it scared him and prevented him from eating us and the excellent Lasagna that we were given to take home as leftovers.  We had to slow down because it was completely dark  (no street lights in the valley of Tuauru) and we were scared we were gonna die.  But then we saw hope... lights from a car.  I gave my companion a military hand signal to dodge right and I would dodge left.   I didn't get to see the driver of the car but hopefully he wasn't old because he might have had a heart attack.  He would have seen two young men in white shirts and ties and helmets narrowly dodge his car on both sides and right behind the most evil bloodthirsty black-as-night dog he had ever seen in his life hit it.   Right after passing the car I looked back to verify that the car was a heaven sent missile to destroy our possessed pursuer.  It was.  Stop reading if you like  dogs.  Speeding car met speeding dog like a Tongan lineman blindsiding an unsuspecting punter.  The last thing I saw before turning the corner was a black dog in the air, whose yelps were drowned out by me and my companion's laughs of fear and surprise.
Love y'all,
Love Elder Cosby

GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS: April 16, 2012

Dear Family,
Saturday we had the baptism of Tehina.   It was great.  We thought it wouldn't happen because her family got in a fight with one of our ward members, but we all put our prayers and defeated the enemy.  I am thankful for my companion, he really helps me out.   Every day with my last companion I prayed to have a companion that would help me to become better and finish strong before I go home. I'm happy.  God answers prayers.   Missionaries need the members help.  We can't do it by ourselves.  Everyone go be an investigator's friend this week.  Love y'all 
Love, Elder Cosby

CONFERENCE and EASTER: April 2 and April 9, 2012


Dear Family (April 2),

Conference was great. Me and my companion woke up at 4:30 yesterday and Saturday so we could get there in time.   Here it starts at 6:00 a.m.  Each time I watch it I pay more attention.  I didn't sleep through any of the talks. 

This week was really difficult.  We had more than half of our lessons where our investigators just weren't there when we got there, and we had our baptism for next week get her entire family in a fight with our members.   So it was nice to have conference at the end of all that.   I don't know what else to say about this week without being depressing, but I'm glad that I have "a mountain to climb" like President Eyring said. I love my mission even though this week was just downright terrible.   I am still happy for some reason and me and my companion are still going for our goals to baptize a lot of people. He is a good guy.  I like him.
Love Y'al,
Love Elder Cosby



(April 9) It's Easter! Everything closes in 5 minutes. Love y'all


Love, Elder Cosby 

COOL EXPERIENCES: March 26, 2012


Dear Family,
This week my companion was really sick. It started at a family's house where we were eating and in the middle he got up and threw up. There was a non member there who was the boyfriend of the daughter and he made my companion medicine out of plants (it worked) for three days.  We engaged him to take the lessons and told him to come to church so he cut his long hair and came to church.   Other than that we stayed a lot at the house to rest.  I read a lot of scriptures and Liahonas.  

Saturday we had the baptism of Tehotu   It was great.  He is a great guy.  He told us that he was going to go on a mission.  He is 16.   We also started the lessons with a guy named Doodi who told us he planned on being baptized and serving a mission after and had already planned most of his baptismal program.  Cool experiences.  I like my mission. I like being busy doing important stuff.   Love y'all

Love, Elder Cosby

NO EMAIL: March 19, 2012

SURPRISE : March 12, 2012


Dear Family,
President changed my finish date to the 29th of May. Me and Elder Ezekiela are having a lot of good success. I've learned a lot more  english phrases. Me and an investigator that I really like (Christian) got in a calm debate about prophets and the law of the land.  After talking for a long time and geting nowhere I asked him if he believed the Book of Mormon was true.  He said yes.  So we fixed his baptismal date.   Also for Ezekiela's first contact we met a young man named Tamatoa with his friends that were drinking and smoking but he wasn't. They told us to go away but he said I'm gonna go over and talk to them.  He asked some really good questions.  We gave him a Book of Mormon.  He told us that he was gonna read the entire thing and we could come back whenever we wanted and then he asked us to play ping pong with him and he destroyed us both.
Love yall,
Love Elder Cosby

ELDER EZEKIELA: Mar 5, 2012

Dear Family, 


I received my last companion Elder Ezekiela fresh from the MTC. He is from the Cook Islands. He is awesome and very motivated. The mission department has a new 12 week program thing of training. so I am pretty sure that I will be ending my mission in Mahina. Me and Elder Ezekiela have the same watch.  I thought that was cool.  I have been praying to have a companion that would help me become a better person and I think I got what I asked for.  He has an Australlian accent and says cool phrases like "he's just gotta pull his socks up" (meaning he has gotta be a man or get over it). Family, I am needing advice about what I need to do career wise.   I ask that all career advice submissions be submitted before next Monday and are no longer than 200 words.  Y'alls decisions will be how I determine who I love the most in the familly for the rest of my life.
Love yall,
Love Elder Cosby

I REALLY LIKE MY MISSION: Feb 27, 2012


Dear Family,
This week we had 2 baptisms.  The first was Manutea Putoa ( translation:  White Bird Conchshell Store).  We hope that his mom will soon join him and get baptized.  The other was Nooroa Taero (Big Reputation Drunk).  He is a good guy even though he forgets the lessons really fast because he is super old.  At this moment I am with Elder Crump while we both wait for our new companions after which he will be going to Raiatea.  I will be finishing my mission here in Mahina.  I know I don't write a lot in my emails but y'all shoudl know that I really lke my mission and that I am super happy to be here.
Love,
Elder Cosby