Post-Christmas Recovery

We were able to email with Dallin the p-day after Christmas.  We were kind of worried about him after being so disappointed.  He was still feeling a little down, but they were allowed to email for a long time.  I think it helped him to just be able to chat back and forth.  Part of the problem for them right now is that there is no one to teach because all the potential investigators are still "partying" at their churches. So weird. His mission has so many physical challenges and emotional adjustments, BUT they are always teaching and baptizing and that keeps them going. When the teaching is taken away, all the other inconveniences and discomforts seem more pronounced.  He is learning lots of patience right now.  Here are a few things from our back and forth.

(The senior couple tried to make some food for the missionaries.  It's hard to come by a lot of things, so I really appreciate their effort!)  For dinner the Seamons made potatoes and stuffing and corn, but there was no chicken or turkey so we made a bunch of lobster. Bettencourt hated the lobster - still trying to get used to it. 
(We reminded him of the story Bro. Hopkins tells about throwing out his lobster claw everyday on the way to school because it wasn't cool)  I do remember Bro Hopkins story about the lobster, that's too funny. These lobsters here are a different species, they don't have claws actually.

(The senior couple is relatively new and we asked how they were holding up.)  Seamons are just as frustrated. They're more worried about flights and things. We have two sisters coming in on Wednesday and elder Tarati is leaving - the first move of the January transfer. 

(We asked about the work.)  No new investigators. No one is home. We taught 5 lessons and our two investigators we do have access to are progressing a little. They are cutting down on smoking and the husband came to church. Christmas parties are not over. They won't be over til next Sunday, because they carry through New Years and then through for one more church all together in the cathedral on Sunday. Monday everyone should go home. 

(We asked about cultural traditions around Christmas.) No real traditions, some people believe in Santa, most don't. Really it's just a normal day for them, it's kind of sad actually. We keep teaching about why it's important and most people have no idea. Christmas is just an excuse to party and it's kind of just a sad/cheap feeling. Everything about Christmastime here is off, even the weather. The cops hate Christmas because they have to do so much overtime to deal with drunks. 

(We asked about the transfers and living arrangements.) New sisters will take Tabwakea 2, Tarati's old area. We're still in the stick house. I'm not sure if I will move from the top bunk or not. I want to. The roof is decaying, so like random debris and leaf matter rains on me all night. I'm like a roof for Sion so he doesn't get any stuff on his bed. But if I move someone else will go up to the top bunk and I don't know how that would go, so I'll probably just stay and deal with it.

(Ed suggested that he take all the missionaries for a meal at the hotel restuarant.  It would be like a belated Christmas present and we offered to pay for it.)  The restaurant is a great idea and I really did think about it earlier this week, but the restaurant is in the KPC hotel, and its closed because all the workers are at the bootaki. The Wells Fargo card works on the ATM here so I could get money out.  I think everyone would really enjoy that!

 (He left to try to get money our of the ATM...) We'll go to dinner, but the ATM is broken again. Only 1 ATM on the island and we can't get money til it's up again hahaha terrible. I just went to check it two minutes ago.  

*It seems like it is just not possible to do anything nice for the missionaries on Christmas island right now.  Oh well, this will all be funny someday in retrospect :)  Overall he was sounding better, so hopefully this week will go more smoothly.

Christmas

Well, things didn't exactly go as we hoped on Christmas.  On Dallin's Christmas day and our Christmas eve they traveled to the hotel on the other side of the island hoping to skype.  Unfortunately a fishing boat had come into port and there were dozens of drunk El Salvadorian sailors trying to call their families.  The situation was not good and there was not enough internet speed for anything to work.  After a good deal of frustration they gave up and said they would try again tomorrow.  The next day was just as frustrating.  They tried to use another internet spot, but there was just not enough speed to run any of the programs.  There is no way to make phone calls from the island to America, so they decided to try to email for a while.

I was really sad to miss talking to him, but I know he really needed to talk to all of us more.  I felt terrible for all the missionaries on the island.  The mission home was not able to ship any Christmas packages, none of the letters we sent arrived, they couldn't get any turkey or chicken to make for a dinner, and the one thing they really wanted didn't work.  He sent an email titled "Sad Christmas" and it said, "Worst. Christmas. Ever.  I love you all and I'm sorry I ruined your day."

Yeah.  And that's all I have to say about that.

Short Message

Dallin was online just long enough to tell us that his branch had a Pre-Christmas party where they made delicious crab.  Their lessons were way down due to everyone getting ready for Christmas.  Apparently other church congregations just kind of move in to their chapels during the holidays and have one big party for about 2 weeks. Crazy. Then the internet died.  I always try to be grateful for any message because I know that many missionaries in Kiribati don't have internet and their moms don't hear from them for months at a time.  I'll take it.

Found a Picture!

Another mom posted a picture from President Weir's visit last week!  YAY!!!

Back to Work!

Great week. So fun to hang out with Pres Weir all week. He was here Wednesday to Wednesday and from Sunday until he left, he was with me and Sion. It was so fun to hang out with him for so long. He's a great guy.  We just became his drivers basically. He had meetings and emails and stuff to do, so we drove him around all day. If he had a break he would teach a lesson with us. We didn't do a lot of lessons, but it was fun to be with him. He said that me and Sion would be together for a long time. I had my "one year" interview and he basically prophesied about my life. I told him about my school and career plans and he said he had some very strong promptings about a few of those things for me. It was kind of crazy, but really good.

In his district meeting last Thursday President Weir talked about when he got set apart as a mission president. He said that Elder Oaks set him apart, and Elder Oaks said that missionaries are never ever assigned to a place for any reason. They are assigned to a mission president for a reason, and the mission president has a stewardship over his missionaries forever. It was really cool to think about. I really do like Pres. 

We have no investigators. We baptized them all. Literally zero investigators. We taught 10 lessons this week and it's been really hard. We're just strengthening our recent converts and tracting and it's tough. We have a couple really good potentials though! We just got referrals last night and we'll contact them tomorrow. One of my favorite recent converts Bwateriki (Patrick) got the priesthood and the calling of YSA advisor on Sunday. We met with him yesterday and he told us he's super excited, and he'll work with them to get their mission papers all filled out. Absolutely legendary recent convert! His wife also got a primary calling and she's happy as could be. They are my favorite investigator's ever I think. We have dinner with them every Thursday now. 

*It looks like Dallin and Sion will be staying together on Christmas for a little longer.  He absolutely loved getting to spend time with the President and is so happy to get to stay with Sion.  As a mom I am so grateful for the love he feels from his mission president.  In Elder Eyring's most recent talk titled Continuing Revelation he says that the feeling of love we have for the Prophet is a gift from God.  Our missionaries in Kiribati don't get to see their mission president very often, but I know that the love they feel for him is also a gift from God.  It's clear that they know how much he loves them as well.

A Week With The President

We got another quick email from Dallin yesterday.  Ed is in Europe right now and 6 hours ahead, so he happened to be online when Dallin went to the internet cafe with President.  I'm so happy he was able to get this update. He has had a great week with President Weir!

Hey Dad! I'm online for a bit. We're at the Internet cafe with President (and it's not pday!). Super fun. We've had a pretty good busy week. It's been crazy but really awesome too. President showed up on Wednesday and then had an awesome district meeting with us on Thursday.  Friday we had a ward Christmas party with the YSA and that was fun too.  Saturday we had a baptism, and it was great! Two of our investigators, Kaite and Arinete got baptized. Kaite has struggled for a long time, but he finally decided to make a decision to change his life. He is a great kid. Arinete is also great. She is so nice and just genuinely looking for the truth. She had her dad pass away about a year ago and it's been hard on her, but taking the lessons and trying to find her faith has really helped her out. Sunday was awesome and President came and had church in London with us. After we had a stake fireside about families by President and Sister Weir.  Monday we went fishing alllllll day with President Weir, Elder Seamons, and a couple members from London. President caught a SHARK. Cool stuff. Today, we're working with president all day again. Looks like he'll be around to visit less actives and prospective missionaries with us. He's excited to work with us and we planned a couple sweet lessons. Tomorrow Pres goes down to Tarawa. It's been an exhausting week. And I am so badly sunburned from yesterday you wouldn't believe it. But its been fun!

Love, Dal