From The Cross Roads of the West to The Hospitals of Tahiti

Obviously this patient did not select his surgeon based upon tie selection.

My parents and Elder Davis's parents,

We are sorry that we didn't have the opportunity to email Monday. We have been in the hospital since early Monday morning.

Around 2 weeks ago, Elder Davis scraped his knee, and around Friday, we found out that it was infected. There were no signs of it at all until Friday night, and Elder Davis had a fever, aches, and swelling in his knee. We both didn't think it was serious until after our medicines and rest didn't help. We got to the hospital as soon as possible after we found out it was very serious and arrived Monday morning.

In the emergency room, we found out that he would have to stay for a few nights and they would be doing a series of tests. We find out either tonight or tomorrow if Elder Davis will be having surgery, because even with the antibiotics, the infection is pretty bad.

We will do our best to keep you all updated on the situation, but due to faulty wifi and bad room location, we only have specific times we can email and keep you up to date. Elder Davis has to stay in the room (no wifi) and it is a challenge to find the wifi port here!

Just know that the two of us are thinking of you and we are trying our best to keep you updated. If you have any questions (as I am sure you do), respond ASAP! We only have 40 minutes before our wifi time runs out.

We love you all! And to the parents of Elder Davis, when he emails again, he has a lot of cool expereinces to share, this week was a week of firsts, physically and spiritually.

Sorry again, but we'll do our best to keep you all up to date! We want to email, just the past 3 weeks have been out of our control. The power of cars huh?

Love you all!

Elder Garff

"Pictures Speak 1000 Words" (and it is a good thing because his letters keep getting shorter)

Walking on Water in Moorea

Well, for the 3rd week in a row, I am very short on time. So, if I haven't responded to your emails, I am sorry, next week we are going to make sure we have the time.

But, for this week, I'll send a bunch of pictures with little explanations under them!

Heiarii and his Wife on their Baptism Day

Heiarii and his son - Josh had us send a Big Hero 6 figure a few months ago.  This little guy was the recipient.   

Rachel's Testimony - She sent it to Josh to have him translate it into French.

Elders Rybin and Davis - apparently the Easter package we sent 6 weeks ago finally arrived:)

Funny Moment: Lots, but it goes to our movie night! Something I'll explain next week!

Culture Shock: It is easy to go from island to island. Next week I'll expound on our visit to Moorea!

Spiritual Thought: I will expound on the Atonement next week, but Easter is a great time to turn our thoughts to Christ. Search the Church's initiative, Hashtag Hallelujah!

For The Batman vs. Superman, Here is our Choice!

I love you all, next week will be much more personal ha ha ha!

Elder Garff

Taking the Elders to Isengard

The New Electric Fence

Hey all! This week was another week of rain and craziness!

I don't have a whole lot of time today, but I'll try to hit all the big things! The biggest thing that happened this week was we helped a lot of our investigators progress to baptism. It is interesting to see the Lord's hand in everything as I have seen tons of people who I didn't think would get baptized get baptized! Little miracles here and there which happen because of little obedience here and there are remarkable to see!

Culture Shock: Here, they have different names for things than we do at home. For example, Spongebob is "Bob de l'éponge" (Bob of Sponge), snow man is "bonne homme de neige" (good man of the snow) and St. Patricks Day "le faite du boir" (the holiday of drinking)! Just a little amusing!

Funny Moment: Definitely goes to our gate becoming electric. The other Elders have the car and the remote. We have bikes and a key. I feel like a Hobbit going to Isengard!

DMP, The Best Missionary of Tahiti

Spiritual Thought: Our DMP (Ward mission leader) came with us this week, on bike! Awesome to see a 54 year old guy following us on bike! He is very dedicated to the work, and when I get back from my mission, I want to be the kind of person that the missionaries and the ward leaders will look up to, like our Ward Mission Leader! I love that man to death! So, be like DMP!!! Frère Gilkey!!!

Love you all!!

Elder Garff

Happy Birthday Dad! 24 Straight Days of Rain

Crossing the river, this time with the water up to our knees and almost covering the wheels of my bike!

Hey you all!

I have to start off by giving my Dad a birthday shoutout! It was yesterday, but, everyone, if you could give him a rum tart, I think that would do nicely! Unfortunately, I do not think I can send any raw fish to him, so I can't send food...

This week was a crazy week! We went on 2 splits, and every hour of every day was filled, so needless to say, me and Elder Davis were pretty tired at the end of our week! Us, and our DMP (ward mission leader). We went with him a lot this week and it was really cool having him in all of our lessons! He actually speaks the language unlike us ha ha ha! And, he has great experiences that relate to every investigator, love this man!!!

Like always, things here are going well. We have people to teach, we are trying our best to find people, and trying our best to be obedient! Without obedience, good luck with anything Gospel related, it is impossible! Because every blessing that comes is because of our obedience to that law upon which it is predicated!

With Elder Davis about to cross the many waters

Culture Shock: So, just a little bit ridiculous, it has been raining now for 24 straight days... So everything we have is soaked!

Playing Chess with empty Rotui juice bottles

Funny Moment: I have been keeping all of the juice containers that I have been drinking here, and this week, Elder Millerberg and Elder Rybin decided to play chess with all of my juice ha ha ha! I won't give the exact number yet that I have consumed, but it's a lot!

Purple Sunset!  You've got to love having a house on the beachside!

Spiritual Thought: At the last event of our week, we watched the Joseph Smith movie in French. Hard to understand, but the one language that I felt was the Spirit. At the end of the movie, like always, I felt the Spirit very strongly and I cannot deny that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. Maybe we get caught up in our own trials and our own lives, but compared to this great man, I know that my trials personally are not near what he suffered. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet called by God and we need to follow the church that God reestablished through him. If you don't have this testimony, watch the Joseph Smith movie, and ask God if Joseph Smith is a prophet. God will respond through your heart and mind through the power of the Holy Ghost!

A la prochain!

Elder Garff