Bourail 3

I just want to start by wishing my favorite dad in the world a very Happy Birthday! And publicly say how much I love my parents! Without them, I would not be the girl I am today. Their expressions of love for me each day help me to comprehend the love of my Heavenly Parents, as well. Thank you Heavenly Father for blessing me with the best family a girl could ask for!

So I finally had my first full week in Bourail. Each week gets a little better and that is all I can ask for. So last week I said by following the spirit you will see miracles because there are truly miracles in each day. The Bible dictionary states that "miracles should not be regarded as deviations from the ordinary course of nature... Miracles were and are a response to faith... They were never wrought without prayer, felt need, and faith".

Believe in miracles. They are proof of the reality and divinity of God and His son Jesus Christ. I can testify that we are children of a Heavenly King and He knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts. He will bless us openly with what we need and is also very aware of what we want. However, it requires faith and faith requires action on our part. I know that Christ is my brother and Savior and He lives. This I know for myself because there is proof in every day.

I love you all lots!

Soeur Stahura

Bourail 2

Hi! 

I hope everyone is doing well and counting your blessings everyday! This week was a little crazier than I anticipated. We were initally supposed to take the two hour drive south to Noumea on Thursday for zone conference/activities/interviews and return to Bourail Saturday evening. BUT no.... There are currently protests going on throughout the island (welcome to New Caledonia Soeur Stahura) and there are several blockades along the route that is the only road that takes you across the island. SO we left Wednesday afternoon and FINALLY returned yesterday afternoon. I'm looking forward to finally having a normal week in the field. So as I mentioned, we had zone conference this week and it was SO good! One simple statement that President Granger said that I love is "you can only lift others when you are on higher grounds". I just love that. We need to build ourselves up before we can bring others up and we need to make sure that we reach down and help others and not leave them hanging. We're in this together and we also need to be willing to accept help from others who may be on higher ground.

Earlier this week, I had an experience that reminded me how important it is to follow the spirit. We were driving and I saw some people and thought "we should go talk to them" but I didn't say anything. Moments later, a thought with great power came to me "why aren't you telling Soeur Todd to turn around?!" So I did and we went back, but we didn't feel good about talking to them so we just turned down the next road to go where we initially intended but there was a woman walking down the road and we waved hi and she just had the biggest smile and I saw her stop walking and next thing you know the car was stopped and  we were talking to her and have an appointment to teach her! Even though we turned around for someone else, had I not followed that prompting we would not have found Camille!

I encourage everyone to find out how the spirit talks to you as I do the same. I promise as you do so you will be blessed and see miracles as you listen carefully.

On a lighter note - everyone thinks my last name is Tahitian and everytime someone asks I just kind of laugh and think "do I look Tahitian?!" haha. I do like the way they say my name, though. I don't really know how to explain how they say it haha sorry. I seriously just love everyone I meet and I've only met a few so I have lots to look forward to! 

Lots of love for you all! Bisoux!
Soeur Stahura

Bourail 1

Surprise! I`m actually alive!!!

So this is my first P-Day in New Caledonia! I thought they were going to let me email when I arrived, but i was wrong... C`est la vie!

Where do I even start?! So the day I left the MTC, I was looking at my travel packet informatiom and I noticed a small note saying that the mission president wanted us to go to the mission home in Vanuata for a few days instead of going straight to New Caledonia. SO we flew from Salt Lake to San Fran to New Zealand to Fiji to Vanuatu. We arrived on Tuesday the 11th and stayed there all day Wednesday and Thursday. We didn't do much on Tuesday, just went to the mission office and there were two other new sisters and me that stayed with two sisters serving in Vanuatu. Five sisters in a very small and very humble place. On Wednesday we went to district meeting with the sisters but it was mostly in Bislama so I didn`t get much from it haha. Then we went with them to teach and we spent all day Thursdsy teaching with them. Well... not all day because we have to be in by 6pm. I really have no words to explain Vanuatu. SO humble. Dirt roads, houses with tin roofs and no doors, trash everywhere, people walking all around. It was so hard to see people like that but it just made, me love them so much even though that's not where I would be serving. The children are so loving. I just wanted to take care of them and let them know how loved they are. So like I said the language in Vanuatu is Bislama so I couldn't really teach but if they understood English I would just bare my testimony in English and same with French. If they didn't understand either then the other sister would just translate. The sister I was with is Tahitian so she knew French, too. Then I finally got to New Caledonia on Friday. Seriously a whole new world from Vanuatu. I LOVE IT!!! It's much more devoloped and so, so beautiful. So the first thing after arriving, I went with the sisters that picked me up at the airport to teach. I actually understand way more than I expected but it is still really hard.. So then we had the transfer meeting and I met my trainer, Sister Todd. She is from California and has been serving 11 months. She's so sweet and takes really good care of me. We are serving in the Bourail sector (area). Everyone seemed pretty jealous that I get to serve here(: This sector has only been open for 10 months so there's lots of work to be done! It's one of the northern most sectors so we had a two hour drive to get to our sector. It's been a crazy two weeks and this week is going to be pretty crazy, too, so it will be nice to get into routine next week.  I'm seriously in love with this country and kind of wondering why I haven't left America sooner! My trainer said before I came she was thinking about what I would be like and she said "I just thought she must be a tough sister if this is her first sector". So yeah.... Not really sure what  that means so I'll keep ya posted haha.

So...a little bit of bad news... we have to do emails on a tablet so I won't be able to send pictures....

Spiritual thought: Heavnley Father knows us way better than we know ourselves and He has proved that to me several times these past two weeks. If you really listen and search for His hand in your life you will see that. I can testify that He is really there and knows what is best and if we always follow the spirit we will be safe and never be led astray.

LOTS of love,
Soeur Stahura 

Letter and Package PSA

Hi everyone! This is Ari's sister-in-law, Brandy. If you didn't already know, I am the one who updates her blog so we can all follow along with her awesome experience! I consider it a great blessing to have this opportunity. Ari is amazing, as i'm sure you all already know! Okay, back to the point of this post. Ari is now in transit to New Caledonia, where she will spend the duration of her mission, and I know you all are probably anxious to send her letters/care packages (or is that just me?! lol). So, that brings me to the point of this post.  There are A LOT of rules for sending packages to New Caledonia (as I'm sure there are for all other countries). I'm going to do my best to give you all the information you need, so bear with me.

• send small boxes only with the total value of contents and postage not exceeding $100.
• Write "No commercial value-for church use only" on the customs declaration.
• Each package is evaluated based on the value of the contents. Custom fees range from 20% to 100%. Some items may be confiscated. You may need to send your missionary extra funds to pay for these fees, otherwise they will have to use their food money to claim the packages.
• If you purchased items put the receipt on the top of the package to show the value. To avoid fees make sure the packages are small and very low value.
• Do not send beef jerky, meat products, liquids, fruits or homemade snacks. All treats should be factory sealed.
• USPS international flat rate boxes are the most economical and reliable way to ship.
• Shipping is very, very slow. All packages should be sent to the mission office and the mission office with get it to the missionary.

And now for the best part! The address to send letters and packages:

Bureau de la Mission

BP 15154

98 804 Noumea Cedex

Nouvelle Caledonie

Hopefully I have covered all bases. :) We should, fingers crosses, hear from Ari very soon! 

MTC 6 Pictures

Travel Plans!

Got this shirt in a package this week and it definitely made my week! So funny!

"The moment when you start to think in two languages at the same time"

It's so true. I laughed so hard when I got it (:

Selfie :P

The Zone (: well... part of it.. The "original" branch 46

Silly Elders (:

Love the New Caledonia Sisters! The Elders are from Vanuatu and Australia!

Sister Caress

Zone Leaders and STLs

District 46B. I'm going to miss these sisters SO much!

The day I got my travel plans. I was a little excited (;

MTC 6

A week from today I will be across the world. A week from today I'll be put into a country I know very little about. A week from today I will be surrounded by the French language praying to understand at least 20% of what they're saying This is my last week in America for 16.5 months. But a week from today I will have the same power of the Holy Ghost to comfort me. I will still have the Savior who understands what I am going through perfectly. I will still have a loving Father in Heaven ready to hear and answer my prayers. A week from today I will still have the love and support of my family. And that is everything I could ask for and more. Learning a new language, the gift of tongues, my spiritual growth, etc. are just the by-products of bringing others unto Christ. This isn't about me. This isn't for me. It's for those I will serve and the rest is just extra. At this moment I can't picture life in any other way.

This is where I'm supposed to be. My mission is going to require everything I have. No, it's not going to be easy, but as Elder Holland has said:

"Salvation is not a cheap experience. It was never easy! It was never easy for Him (the Lord) why would it be easy for us? It is supposed to require something of our soul. Someone a lot greater and a lot better asked [the same questions we do] a long time ago. Asked if there was an easier way."

I don't know where everyone is in their life or what is going on in the world, but DON'T GIVE UP! You are to "stand shoulder to shoulder with the best life there ever was SO STAND TALL!" 

This past week has been a roller-coaster, but I guess every week feels like that. We have an "investigator" with a "baptismal date" so in our lesson yesterday we went over the interview questions with her and it was one of the most spiritual moments I've had here. It was such a neat experience! As she answered each question (in French of course) I could just feel the spirit and I couldn't help but be in awe as she related all the things she had learned from ME and my companion and her testimony of the truthfulness of the restored gospel. Of course I can't wait for the real deal, but it was amazing, nonetheless. The gift of tongues is real and I was almost brought to tears by the fact that I was able to sit there and understand clearly what was being said. I have found that I spend less translating in my head when others speak. Speaking can still be challenging but like I said, the gift of tongues is so real and SO cool. 

I have a firm knowledge that this, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is the true church. I know that I am a daughter of God and have a glorious message to share. I know that it is by His power that I can do all things. I know that nothing happens by accident. I know all of my experiences in my life have helped prepare me to be where I am today and I am excited to see how these next 18 months will prepare me for the rest of my life. 

Much love for all!

Soeur Stahura 

PS: I got my travel plans on Friday! My companion and I leave Sunday. We will fly from Salt Lake City to San Francisco, San Francisco to New Zealand, and New Zealand to New Caledonia. The flight from San Fran to New Zealand is like 15-16 hours. Yikes!! Should be fun!