Back To Christmas For The Holidays!

Dallin was able to email quickly before catching a flight yesterday.  He is headed back to Kiritimati, or Christmas Island, for the next few months until they can open Nikunau.

"The Area Presidency was at General Conference, then they'll be training because Elder Pearson is new, replacing Elder Hamula. So they'll be in America 2-3 months. And they're holding off opening anywhere because we have to have their authorization, and they wont authorize it from America. So, we're getting added on as the 7/8th missionaries on Christmas. I'm really, really disappointed."

I'm living in the same stick house as before. But president authorized us to find housing in our new area, London. Sion is still my comp. We're working London now, the sisters' area. It's fallen apart since the branches split. My old area, Tabwakea, is getting split into two areas, and the sisters and the Tabwakea elders will each take a half. We're flying to Fiji at noon. We'll be there for about a day and a half, and we'll leave Tuesday night at midnight, get in to Christmas at 6:30 Wednesday morning."

There are no packages shipped to Christmas, but at least there is reliable internet and we should get to Skype for Christmas.  He sounded really disappointed.  I know weeks without structure are hard for him.  He gets frustrated when he feels like they aren't accomplishing anything or working toward any goals.  He only got to do "missionary" work two days last week and the rest of the time he was running around doing things for the new elders.  I'm sure he will be fine once he gets settled into a routine again.  He did say that he was excited to see some of the members again and is glad that he knows the area already.  Hopefully they will find a nicer hut to live in in London - or should I call it a flat.  Just kidding.

Hopefully we will get more information next week after he is settled on Christmas.