Hi Family! How are the OBX? Its super busy here at the internet place today. Air Kiribati is down, so there hasn't been planes for like 2 weeks, but its finally coming today (we hope!) and everyone is freaking out. ALSO the island is out of cargo... like no rice, no canned food, no flour, no sugar. No food hahaha we are lucky that our members like to fish! AND our landlords have a store, so they saved some rice and are rationing it a little so we can eat. When its out though we will be eating literally fish and coconuts. If there's no fish that day... no idea. Craziness.
Air Kiribati crashed in Butaritari, so they just barely got up and running again. Luckily no one died/was even hurt, but that's a sign of how good Air Kiribati is haha! Pres is doing the transfer himself on the charter jet - pretty cool to have a pilot mission president!
A big ship will have to come. but we have no idea when that will be. A plane is coming today with only cargo, basically boxes. we should get a box from APs, and possibly one from Sister Farley? Elder Farley told me that she was sending one in. Such a nice lady.
We're okay so far. There are billions of coconuts, but just the fish to worry about I guess. We have lots of mouths to feed if we work as a collective group of 4+ families. I think we can manage to make it. We have tons of money (there is usually nothing to spend money on) so if it comes to purchasing fish somewhere I'm more than happy to sponsor. For the first time in my mission I debated not going out to work so that we could go help fishing. It was
a weird struggle but we decided to teach lessons and in the end there was enough fish anyways. Its so crazy, literally there is no canned food for sale anywhere on the island. WHOA.
We fish with poles, out on the reef. I think we'll be enlisted for the afternoon once we get home from internet and taekan te aaro for our elementary kids. Everyone has a canoe called a "WA". We're not allowed to get on them, they occasionally float away out to sea, which is undesirable for missionaries. But bill and Taaboi go fishing on their wa's.
Also its been so stormy and cold lately that I have a pretty good cold. I'm on mucinex but I have bad chest congestion and I'm coughing up gunk all day long. I said "COLD" but I have no idea what temperature it really is, probably not lower than 70's and I'm sick as could be hahaha I will NEVER survive a Provo winter.
I think you need to find a place close to home where we can buy fresh yellow fin tuna, because that's my favorite. Here its called the Ingimea, and its so good - especially raw. We will need to find that for me.
I'll let president know about whats going on. Tiaon is good. He's a champion and he's taking it in stride. It's weird
that I think of him as a new elder since I trained him, but he's at 5 months now, so he's not new anymore. He's just fine.
Resistance never stops. We built a SUPER cool volleyball court for our people and we brought a bunch of sand to the court so its nice, and it's cool. Then the other church copied us and made their own court, and told their kids to not come to ours. SO its just continuously crazy. We had a new investigator at church though! Shes awesome, her name is Tekaa and she's 22. We want her to go on a mission. Champ.
Its so easy to set up volleyball. We bike patched an old ball, pumped up and hung an old fishing net between two sticks. Done. The members are so funny. No one is good at sports and everyone is uncoordinated so it makes things so funny. That being said, it is SO lame that all of our ideas are always copied. Tiaon was lamenting this
and he said, "if they keep calling us "false prophets" then why do they always copy everything we do?" Wisdom from Elder Tiaon. Its a different kind of missionary work. not only am I teaching lessons I have to plan ward activities and do EVERYTHING church related with Elder Tiaon. Its busy.
The Catholics on the island are totally nice to us. The KUC is definitely antagonistic to the Catholics. Sometimes they do this thing where they march the Mary statue from one chapel in one town to another and they all say the Hail Mary prayer the whole way. They get made fun of so hard, and I just feel for them. I am so proud of the ones that actually walk the whole way. They're true to their faith and I like that.
I have to go! Love you all. Have a fun time in NC, enjoy the warm weather. If you turn off all the air conditioning you can feel really close to me :)
love dal
Dallin Mission
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Monday, August 3, 2015
The Octopus Story
Hi mom and dad!
I'm online. We're late this week because of a random three day weekend for the government for "youth day." Hopefully you have a fantastic week at camp and Cami has a great birthday!
We went fishing again yesterday and I caught an octopus with my bare hands and was inked all over. It was so cool! I grabbed it right off the water and it was stuck to me and it almost bit me with its beak! But then Teiaaba killed it... with his teeth. Whoa. I think the ink will stain, so my shirt just got way cooler. It hasn't been cooked yet, tonight I think. It was sweet. If you grab it, it sticks to you reflexively. I was scared it would bite me! Teiaaba just bit its head until it died. He has sucker marks on his forehead and cheeks hahaha you supposedly hammer it to tenderize it, then boil it.
The persecution continues from the other ministers. We just keep trying to teach our people and don't worry about the other stuff.
Gotta go, love you guys!
love, dal
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Rough Week
(Dallin, his companion, and the members of their tiny congregation have been experiencing some pretty severe persecution on Nikunau recently. He is trying to stay positive. It's baffling to me why other Christian churches would react so negatively to people coming to teach about Jesus Christ and offer service in any way they can. I guess that when you live on such a small island with so few people any change can be scary and people sometimes don't react well in those situations. Dal's email was pretty short yesterday, but overall he sounded good and actually doesn't want to be transferred from Nikunau so that he can stay and make sure his little flock is OK until things settle down.)
We've entered a crucible haha (There is a sensitive situation involving the safety of one of their members which they have been dealing with at all hours of the day and night. It's not appropriate to share, but is causing a great deal of stress and heartache) Wednesday night we had people from the town kind of slightly attack our house... they were throwing things at our walls, and when we woke up we discovered that it was ripped up pieces of a Book of Mormon. Friday to Sunday, the minster in Muribenua hosted a party in the KUC mwaneaba for all the kids in the town literally titled, "Bring back the kids that ran away to the Mormon." We lucked out, no recent converts attended, but 5 investigators went and after the false information they gave them, they may not want to continue lessons with us. Sunday the kids that attended the bootaki from the minister all were in a group after the church service and they went caroling(?) They visited old people and sang to them. They chose to visit Ivin, our landlord's dad who is old and a member of the KUC, to sing to him RIGHT while we were having our own church service. It was a scene, and Ivin sent them all away. Plus, Teiaaba almost got thrown in jail, because of a lawsuit from his biological mother in Tarawa wanting money from him, but he doesn't even know her.
MESSY. Right now my life is like a horrible soap opera. Also the government offices here decided to not pick us up for our baptism in the car we PAID for. I had to go argue with the Court clerk to get us a ride, but we were 4 hours late. Plus, since Ivin was mad about the singing thing, he attended the elders meeting in the KUC and yelled at the minister. Tiaon cried twice this week. That was the kind of week.
Good news... we baptized Taaboi this week, he is a solid recent convert. He had been clean for 3 weeks now and is so dedicated to loving his family and living the gospel of Jesus Christ. He cried bearing his testimony and I love him so much. He was ready to go fight someone when he heard about our house getting messed with. Stud convert. We still had 36 people at church, we're still alive. I think that we're doing okay given circumstances.
(Ed suggested he might give a lesson on Mosiah 24 where the people of Alma are being persecuted severely. They pray for help and instead of the trials being taken from them they are made stronger so that they can bear them with ease.) I literally spoke on Mosiah 24 yesterday! Tiaon spoke on agency and repentance and forgiveness. we're trying to just be more Christlike and count it as a victory. Hopefully that is enough!
I feel good about the coming week. Problems look like they'll slow down this week, at least the external ones. I doubt they'll keep it up, their events are all run from money and donations and things, and there's only so much
fundraising people are willing to do. I'm glad we built the foundation in our little congregation so thoroughly, because we needed it really badly this week. Still, things are looking up.
Love you all! I have to go, we have a lesson right now. Have a great week
love dal
We've entered a crucible haha (There is a sensitive situation involving the safety of one of their members which they have been dealing with at all hours of the day and night. It's not appropriate to share, but is causing a great deal of stress and heartache) Wednesday night we had people from the town kind of slightly attack our house... they were throwing things at our walls, and when we woke up we discovered that it was ripped up pieces of a Book of Mormon. Friday to Sunday, the minster in Muribenua hosted a party in the KUC mwaneaba for all the kids in the town literally titled, "Bring back the kids that ran away to the Mormon." We lucked out, no recent converts attended, but 5 investigators went and after the false information they gave them, they may not want to continue lessons with us. Sunday the kids that attended the bootaki from the minister all were in a group after the church service and they went caroling(?) They visited old people and sang to them. They chose to visit Ivin, our landlord's dad who is old and a member of the KUC, to sing to him RIGHT while we were having our own church service. It was a scene, and Ivin sent them all away. Plus, Teiaaba almost got thrown in jail, because of a lawsuit from his biological mother in Tarawa wanting money from him, but he doesn't even know her.
MESSY. Right now my life is like a horrible soap opera. Also the government offices here decided to not pick us up for our baptism in the car we PAID for. I had to go argue with the Court clerk to get us a ride, but we were 4 hours late. Plus, since Ivin was mad about the singing thing, he attended the elders meeting in the KUC and yelled at the minister. Tiaon cried twice this week. That was the kind of week.
Good news... we baptized Taaboi this week, he is a solid recent convert. He had been clean for 3 weeks now and is so dedicated to loving his family and living the gospel of Jesus Christ. He cried bearing his testimony and I love him so much. He was ready to go fight someone when he heard about our house getting messed with. Stud convert. We still had 36 people at church, we're still alive. I think that we're doing okay given circumstances.
(Ed suggested he might give a lesson on Mosiah 24 where the people of Alma are being persecuted severely. They pray for help and instead of the trials being taken from them they are made stronger so that they can bear them with ease.) I literally spoke on Mosiah 24 yesterday! Tiaon spoke on agency and repentance and forgiveness. we're trying to just be more Christlike and count it as a victory. Hopefully that is enough!
I feel good about the coming week. Problems look like they'll slow down this week, at least the external ones. I doubt they'll keep it up, their events are all run from money and donations and things, and there's only so much
fundraising people are willing to do. I'm glad we built the foundation in our little congregation so thoroughly, because we needed it really badly this week. Still, things are looking up.
Love you all! I have to go, we have a lesson right now. Have a great week
love dal
Sunday, July 19, 2015
First Lessons and No Doors
Hi Family! How was your week? We were busy here - we did lots. We went out into the woods a couple mornings this week to cut palm leaves. We cut off the smaller leaves that are perpendicular to the stem, and then the stem stays and it becomes part of a wall to our chapel. right now we're using tin roofing supplies, and the sticks will be a lot cooler.
(Members in the ward had their first week of teaching lessons and fulfilling callings) First lessons were good. we had our sister landlord Tarawaa teach Relief Society and it was fine. They were good, but they were angry with the little kids for not letting them have lessons in peace. I translated the lesson plan out of the book AP's sent us. They sent us an English book, which is useless haha! Translating is tough, especially because its a lesson plan meant for the teacher. But it seemed like it was good. I'll have to do that a couple times a week now, which will be tiring, but worth it. Lesson plans are way different from scriptures or from talks, because you have to think about how the teacher's thoughts will be led versus how they will resultantly lead the class. It's more complex than just the right words.
We did hear that Elder Packer passed away, how sad! That means that Elder Nelson is the new president of the quorum of the twelve right? L Tom Perry was next in line, but he also passed away.
(I mentioned that I had taught the parable of the talents to my Sunday school class that day and had thought of all the new "island talents" Dallin had acquired while on his mission!) Parable of the talents, good one. I'm trying to come up with lots of actual skill talents here, but most aren't useful in America haha! But the attitudes are more useful than anything I'd say. Island skills. They involve mostly dirty things, hopefully I don't have to ever use most of them haha!
Speaking of, I have gone this entire transfer without opening a door once. There are no doors here. The only doors are on the chapel and the building we internent in, but I have not once physically opened a door in 4 months. That is weird. Now I have a conscious desire to not open doors. I hope that goes away someday. Things are always crazy here. Its tough to fully describe, even things like that. I'm so used to it its hard to realize what is different, even when its so drastic like that. Crazy.
I love you guys we have to go now! We'll catch you guys next week. Have a good one!
love dal
(Members in the ward had their first week of teaching lessons and fulfilling callings) First lessons were good. we had our sister landlord Tarawaa teach Relief Society and it was fine. They were good, but they were angry with the little kids for not letting them have lessons in peace. I translated the lesson plan out of the book AP's sent us. They sent us an English book, which is useless haha! Translating is tough, especially because its a lesson plan meant for the teacher. But it seemed like it was good. I'll have to do that a couple times a week now, which will be tiring, but worth it. Lesson plans are way different from scriptures or from talks, because you have to think about how the teacher's thoughts will be led versus how they will resultantly lead the class. It's more complex than just the right words.
We did hear that Elder Packer passed away, how sad! That means that Elder Nelson is the new president of the quorum of the twelve right? L Tom Perry was next in line, but he also passed away.
(I mentioned that I had taught the parable of the talents to my Sunday school class that day and had thought of all the new "island talents" Dallin had acquired while on his mission!) Parable of the talents, good one. I'm trying to come up with lots of actual skill talents here, but most aren't useful in America haha! But the attitudes are more useful than anything I'd say. Island skills. They involve mostly dirty things, hopefully I don't have to ever use most of them haha!
Speaking of, I have gone this entire transfer without opening a door once. There are no doors here. The only doors are on the chapel and the building we internent in, but I have not once physically opened a door in 4 months. That is weird. Now I have a conscious desire to not open doors. I hope that goes away someday. Things are always crazy here. Its tough to fully describe, even things like that. I'm so used to it its hard to realize what is different, even when its so drastic like that. Crazy.
I love you guys we have to go now! We'll catch you guys next week. Have a good one!
love dal
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Happy Independence Week
My week was fine, SOOO SLOW but fine in the end. This week looks to be even slower, so we're taking it best we can. I feel fine. Literally, if you drink like three ripe coconuts you automatically feel better. It's instant and its really nice. I'm back on my game again. Tiaon is sick again from something else we ate but I've been good since Tuesday.
(It's Independence week and there are celebrations going on all over the place. It makes it really hard to get any teaching done.) The members have been doing their own independence thing at our house, they're essentially there 24/7. We just make sure they have a fun time. I've been studying a lot, and we do teach a few lessons a day
still. The rest of the time i wish my ipod hadn't just passed away sadly :( no more tunes or conference.
We still have a week or two of Tiaon's twelve weeks training left. We practice teaching sometimes. Mostly he's good, we're working on it, and its good for him to gt the chance to see how all the lessons do flow.
(We asked where everyone sleeps if they are all hanging out together.) Haha they just bring their mosquito nets and its essentially the same as their own house, everyone just sleeps on the floor anyways so it doesn't matter if its your floor or someone else's. I will be able to sleep anywhere and in any circumstance when I get home. Sleep is a choice. I'm sure i'll be fine in a bed, i'll just need to purchase firm beds my whole life i think.
I'm staying here this transfer. Openshaw coming in to Tarawa moved things around, so president has no idea where anyone will be really. For now, i'm staying, but there are two mini transfers coming up essentially.
Farley and his intake will have to be in Tarawa in about a month, and then when the intake comes in the beginning of September - who knows.
Investigators are good. One wasn't baptized this week, he was the one who went to the nangkona bar. We had a really good lesson on the lost sheep and the atonement after. He was crying and really took the lesson to heart. He told us that before the lesson he was going to tell us that he didn't want to be baptized anymore, because he thought he wasn't good enough. But now he's back on track, he came to church yesterday and he will be baptized this Saturday or the following depending on if we can get the car hired. Members are okay, new callings really will start next week. There will be several members giving lessons, so we'll see how it goes.
September will be big, because if I don't move in September, there's no point in me ever moving again, because 6 weeks after the September transfer I would only have about 1 month left, not enough to throw me into a new area for real. It'll be September, or never when I move. Who knows.
(We were telling him that Taylor had a rough start to her Humanitarian trip in Paraguay. Her phone was stolen before the trip leaders could collect them to keep them safe and they spent about 12 hours on a bus after two days on a plane the first weekend. They also neglected to provide GF food for her as they promised. All the meals the first weekend were pre-packed because they were sight-seeing and not in Asuncion. She called Ed somehow and was pretty upset, tired, and hungry. He comforted her and reminded her that the real reason she was there was to serve and things would get better as the work project got under way this week. Dallin felt bad for her - he's had more than his share of rough weeks in Kiribati.) Its true that i'm always happiest when we teach 12 lessons in a day. That makes it too busy to care about anything else except for your people, so you really feel like you're in a "service mode." So I think I understand. Hopefully she comes out on the good end of this and she is happy in the end.
(It's Independence week and there are celebrations going on all over the place. It makes it really hard to get any teaching done.) The members have been doing their own independence thing at our house, they're essentially there 24/7. We just make sure they have a fun time. I've been studying a lot, and we do teach a few lessons a day
still. The rest of the time i wish my ipod hadn't just passed away sadly :( no more tunes or conference.
We still have a week or two of Tiaon's twelve weeks training left. We practice teaching sometimes. Mostly he's good, we're working on it, and its good for him to gt the chance to see how all the lessons do flow.
(We asked where everyone sleeps if they are all hanging out together.) Haha they just bring their mosquito nets and its essentially the same as their own house, everyone just sleeps on the floor anyways so it doesn't matter if its your floor or someone else's. I will be able to sleep anywhere and in any circumstance when I get home. Sleep is a choice. I'm sure i'll be fine in a bed, i'll just need to purchase firm beds my whole life i think.
I'm staying here this transfer. Openshaw coming in to Tarawa moved things around, so president has no idea where anyone will be really. For now, i'm staying, but there are two mini transfers coming up essentially.
Farley and his intake will have to be in Tarawa in about a month, and then when the intake comes in the beginning of September - who knows.
Investigators are good. One wasn't baptized this week, he was the one who went to the nangkona bar. We had a really good lesson on the lost sheep and the atonement after. He was crying and really took the lesson to heart. He told us that before the lesson he was going to tell us that he didn't want to be baptized anymore, because he thought he wasn't good enough. But now he's back on track, he came to church yesterday and he will be baptized this Saturday or the following depending on if we can get the car hired. Members are okay, new callings really will start next week. There will be several members giving lessons, so we'll see how it goes.
September will be big, because if I don't move in September, there's no point in me ever moving again, because 6 weeks after the September transfer I would only have about 1 month left, not enough to throw me into a new area for real. It'll be September, or never when I move. Who knows.
(We were telling him that Taylor had a rough start to her Humanitarian trip in Paraguay. Her phone was stolen before the trip leaders could collect them to keep them safe and they spent about 12 hours on a bus after two days on a plane the first weekend. They also neglected to provide GF food for her as they promised. All the meals the first weekend were pre-packed because they were sight-seeing and not in Asuncion. She called Ed somehow and was pretty upset, tired, and hungry. He comforted her and reminded her that the real reason she was there was to serve and things would get better as the work project got under way this week. Dallin felt bad for her - he's had more than his share of rough weeks in Kiribati.) Its true that i'm always happiest when we teach 12 lessons in a day. That makes it too busy to care about anything else except for your people, so you really feel like you're in a "service mode." So I think I understand. Hopefully she comes out on the good end of this and she is happy in the end.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Painfully Slow Internet
Hi mom and dad!
I'm online for a little while. It is HORRIBLY slow right now though, so we'll see how it works out.
(We told him all about youth conference this past weekend.) ooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOO Cami has a boy who likes her! How exciting. Crazy that Cam is going to go to EFY and that sounds like so much fun for mom! (I am meeting up with some of the moms of the Kiribati Missionaries from my Facebook group while I'm in Utah with Cami!) Funny you are going to meet sister Farley haha! Crazy how you guys are doing all kinds of different things (His other sister Taylor is leaving in a week for a humanitarian trip to Paraguay). Also Sion's
brother got called to the Paraguay, Asuncion north mission!
Work was good, we had a baptism and contacted 2 new families. We have one more we are going to contact this week. Its always a big deal with new people here, it takes a lot to have them even want to listen, so
we're going to be bold but careful with them.
The baptism was Titanebo, Temantio's son. He's 12. He's a good kid, he'll be our only deacon for a while. Members are great, Pres told me to give everyone callings so that's what we did yesterday. We'll work on having everyone give lessons and lead the opening and closing exercises in the various classes. We did the three hour block for the first time yesterday and everyone was exhausted haha! But its good - growing little by little.
They're doing a good job stepping up to the plate. Callings are a good way to make sure nobody falls away. It's so funny to me that I'm actually the Branch President hahaha! It's weird. Right now we have 6 brothers, with us included, sisters 4, kids - heaps. Still did both north and south, so I was in church for like 5 hours, and I ran it alllllll.
Today we have to teach religion class at the primary school for the kids. It's a weekly thing, every week on Monday we teach the primary kids, and Tuesday the middle school. They all are really obedient, and it re-affirms that I want to teach AP chem someday. I like being a teacher.
I think we'll also sleep and eat some food. Elder Tiaon is sick, he ate something and is really feeling it. Its a testament to my iron stomach (acquired after months of being sick at the beginning of his mission) that we eat the same food and I am unphased. (Elder Tiaon is even an I-Kiribati).
*The internet must have died, because his message ended abruptly. We are just grateful to know all is well!
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Happy Father's Day!
Hi mom and dad! Happy father's day - hopefully it was a good one! How are you all this week? We had a good week, we postponed our baptism because we couldn't get the car hired - everyone here did fathers day bootakis too, so the car was too busy with other peoples' hires. Too bad. Next week though for sure.
Its okay for the baptisms, Our people are pretty ready. One of them at least. The other didn't come to church, we're a little worried. Hopefully it was just a conflict with times or something along those lines. Work was really hard this week. I haven't had a 1 lesson day since me and Sion were in that rut on Christmas, but it happened again on Saturday. Our "newness" is wearing off, and the ministers are in full force. They have given up on the people we do have already, but they're fighting really hard for all of our potential investigators. Before, they would try and shame people out of taking lessons, but now they're doing something good and strengthening their people, like giving them callings and things like that. Its really put a dent in our teaching pool.
My comp is good, he is a really hard worker. He doesn't like it when we don't have a lot of lessons. He started for a month in Bikenibeu, on Tarawa, and that area pumps out like 60 lessons a week, its a sick ward. So he sometimes pulls his hair out that we don't have a ward mission leader or a Bishop or a relief society pres, or an elders quorum. Its just me and him and sometimes he gets sick of that hahaha! But we get along well. He's learning lessons about work on outies and patience. My language is crisp, i'll admit it (since his comp in a native Kiribati). I'm reading the Book of Mormon in Kiribati too, so I literally don't speak or read English except for right now. Its weird. I obviously still think in English. Kiribati is too simple for describing things of any depth or complexity. Mom, I think deep thoughts, I need English for my deep thoughts :)
I was always anticipating the inevitable slow down. Its still sad though. It takes a lot to work through it, but we're giving it our best shot. Some of the other ministers are mean. Especially the one who is actually an RM. My word to describe him is 'sly'. That's the extent of my sophisticated English vocabulary at this point. (Dallin often feels sad that they can't seem to have a good relationship with other Christian congregations. They only see the young missionaries as a threat to their numbers.)
(I asked him about the package he received recently.) Slowly holding on to the food. I might have a Clif bar later as a pday present. They are soooo tasty! and I love the soap and deodorant. I smelled that deodorant and I remembered that 1) in America, you use sheets on a bed 2) when your sheets are washed, they smell so good and
that's what the deodorant reminded me of haha!
(His little sister is getting ready to go to her first youth conference and dance) Tell Cami to have fun at the dance! That is too crazy that she is going and that she's that old now! She might even start liking BOYS now -
ooooOOOOOooooo!
Hey Bambi (his nickname for Cami)! So cool to hear that you are a freshman! Wow! That's way exciting. Summer is always so so fun. (She asked what kids on the island do every day) That is a good question! They play lots of games outside, and they go swimming a lot, but there is also a LOT of work to do everyday. Feeding the pigs, and cleaning and helping cook. Plus, they DO go to school. Their classrooms are just made out of sticks. Youth conference will be very fun! How are our dogs? We live next to the beach, but I don't get to swim. Sounds like you are still having fun and making lots of friends. Good work cam!
Talk to you all next week!
love dal
Its okay for the baptisms, Our people are pretty ready. One of them at least. The other didn't come to church, we're a little worried. Hopefully it was just a conflict with times or something along those lines. Work was really hard this week. I haven't had a 1 lesson day since me and Sion were in that rut on Christmas, but it happened again on Saturday. Our "newness" is wearing off, and the ministers are in full force. They have given up on the people we do have already, but they're fighting really hard for all of our potential investigators. Before, they would try and shame people out of taking lessons, but now they're doing something good and strengthening their people, like giving them callings and things like that. Its really put a dent in our teaching pool.
My comp is good, he is a really hard worker. He doesn't like it when we don't have a lot of lessons. He started for a month in Bikenibeu, on Tarawa, and that area pumps out like 60 lessons a week, its a sick ward. So he sometimes pulls his hair out that we don't have a ward mission leader or a Bishop or a relief society pres, or an elders quorum. Its just me and him and sometimes he gets sick of that hahaha! But we get along well. He's learning lessons about work on outies and patience. My language is crisp, i'll admit it (since his comp in a native Kiribati). I'm reading the Book of Mormon in Kiribati too, so I literally don't speak or read English except for right now. Its weird. I obviously still think in English. Kiribati is too simple for describing things of any depth or complexity. Mom, I think deep thoughts, I need English for my deep thoughts :)
I was always anticipating the inevitable slow down. Its still sad though. It takes a lot to work through it, but we're giving it our best shot. Some of the other ministers are mean. Especially the one who is actually an RM. My word to describe him is 'sly'. That's the extent of my sophisticated English vocabulary at this point. (Dallin often feels sad that they can't seem to have a good relationship with other Christian congregations. They only see the young missionaries as a threat to their numbers.)
(I asked him about the package he received recently.) Slowly holding on to the food. I might have a Clif bar later as a pday present. They are soooo tasty! and I love the soap and deodorant. I smelled that deodorant and I remembered that 1) in America, you use sheets on a bed 2) when your sheets are washed, they smell so good and
that's what the deodorant reminded me of haha!
(His little sister is getting ready to go to her first youth conference and dance) Tell Cami to have fun at the dance! That is too crazy that she is going and that she's that old now! She might even start liking BOYS now -
ooooOOOOOooooo!
Hey Bambi (his nickname for Cami)! So cool to hear that you are a freshman! Wow! That's way exciting. Summer is always so so fun. (She asked what kids on the island do every day) That is a good question! They play lots of games outside, and they go swimming a lot, but there is also a LOT of work to do everyday. Feeding the pigs, and cleaning and helping cook. Plus, they DO go to school. Their classrooms are just made out of sticks. Youth conference will be very fun! How are our dogs? We live next to the beach, but I don't get to swim. Sounds like you are still having fun and making lots of friends. Good work cam!
Talk to you all next week!
love dal
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