Hahaha last Sunday it rained soooooooo hard. Pretty much I might as well have gotten out of the pool. We were soaked allll day. It was sad though because when it rains no one leaves the house they just sleep all day so none of our investigators came... but it was a fun day tromping around in the rain!
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| Thanks to Granny and Grandpa for this tropical downpour proof bag! |
Let’s see here. First of all how important the Book of Mormon is. My favorite thing is telling investigators how it all relies on the Book of Mormon. If they honestly and earnestly take the time to read it and want to know if it’s true I promise anyone anywhere can receive an answer of the truth. It’s so simple it’s crazy. I love how easy it is to teach people the restored gospel just because it makes so much sense. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the exact same church that Jesus made when he lived on the earth. The world went and changed His doctrine based on their own personal opinions and reasons. But the thoughts of man is not the thoughts of God. I also love teaching the plan of salvation. The opportunity to live on this earth with bodies that we can truly use our agency for good or for evil. Agency is everything. When we use our agency for right, we are truly free. Free from sin, free from guilt, true unadulterated freedom. My favorite analogy is how the devil likes to lead people with a flaxen cord. When we are living without the gospel, everyone loves to use their agency to do whatever whenever. We feel free because we feel like we have no master except our own desires. But it is not true freedom. When we sin we blunt our ability to feel. It’s like playing a piano with boxing gloves. But, when we partake of the Atonement we take off those boxing gloves and are able to feel love, and sadness, more intensely. To be able to truly feel is one of the greatest gifts we can allow ourselves.
There is so much to feel and so much to choose in the world. The sunsets here and just Kiribati is heaven on earth. It is soooo beautiful. Even though we can litter freely here because there is no such thing as a trash can which is really nice honestly, just taking in the beauty of life has no comparison. Happiness and true confidence comes from living the gospel and keeping our covenants. It’s called the Plan of Happiness for a reason. God wants us to be happy. He has showed us how we can be happy, but like all things, happiness is a choice. Where will we find happiness. Happiness from the world? Fleeting, momentary pleasure that we can get from the world's standards? Or true joy and confidence that comes from a committed life. A true man or woman who is strong in the ways of the gospel has no comparison. The sheer power that radiates from our mission president was amazing. He is pretty much goals. I love the gospel and the work --peace out.
Well, week two down!! You can put as much info in the blog as you want really! Up to you. Also tell Sam that the funnest part of turnabout is the group! If he doesn't go in a group it won't be nearly as fun. Well lets see, for starters it was the fastest week of my life... I blinked and I'm back at pday (preparation day) already. And yes i have been stretching every day!!! My sitting cross legged has vastly improved. I can usually sit anywhere for quite a while, and the cramps are only intense after I stand are getting way better. I'm getting these awesome calluses on my feet like all over, the guys that have been here forever have crazy feet. Some missionaries have went months without shoes on outers because it's unnecessary so I'm pumped to try that at some point!
So the house in the picture is called a booya and that's what everyone here lives in mostly. Tarawa is super rich in comparison to outers though so I wouldn't say I’ve experienced true Kiribati quite yet. I'll probably be here for 12 week total in Tarawa, honestly I don't know how long but I’m happy here! I haven't been clean... ever... so I've gotten used to living dirty super fast. We didn't know we had a filter so we spent the first week drinking dirty well water!
I thought it tasted funny! Saturday the stake had a sing off! So all the wards prepared a song and dance and competed it was so awesome. They had a spiritual song, a fun song, and a funny song for every ward. It was so fun! I participated even though I wasn't 100% on what to do! It was so fun though!
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| I think this is at someone's house for a birthday party. |
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| This picture shows an Elder's birthday celebration which comes later in the mission but I wanted to show you food. |
What else... we went 3 days without eating pretty sure.... oops. We are too busy to eat all day and then we forget to confirm dinner so we snack hahahah it works though, I’m pretty sure the Lord is just making us not worry about it. I usually don't think about it. We had to cast out another devil last night so that was fun. Wayyyyy less intense so that was nice. The girl was like fighting it super hard and we stopped it before weird stuff started happening so huge bonus.
We have some awesome investigators. 5 have baptism dates! Some of my favorite investigators is Robetati, she speaks equal English and Kiribati so I can speak in English some it's so nice. But she is super into it. She is super on track though and honestly wants to know the truth. It was so awesome to give her a Book of Mormon and put it all on the Book of Mormon. It all rides on the Book. If it's true then everything else is too. The sweetest thing I ever heard was when she said "I will do my part and I have faith if it's true God will do His part and let me know" So essentially it's only a matter of time!
Another investigator thats awesome is This guy Parry. He is way educated which is crazy. It's so weird when you meet an actual like real person here. Not saying Kiribati people aren't smart but just the culture they are all just chillin and not American yanno. Anyway, he is super smart and we just gave him the lesson on the Restoration yesterday and are giving him a Book of Mormon Wednesday. So I’m pumped for that. All you have to do is read the Book and want to know and everything else falls in place.
We have our first baptism Saturday! Her name is Euneke and she's a fireball and super pumped to get baptised. The Elders before us picked her up we finished it up so that'll be fun! I am way excited to go outer though.
OH YEAH and our mission president came in and it doesn't get more legit than him. He worked in the Pentagon for like 10 years and then quit and he designs incredibly jacked up helicopters for princes in the middle east. And he is a Patriarch and just super awesome over all. He talked to us and it was so powerfully awesome!! He is raising the standard of excellence to 4 baptisms a month... So we have to work hard to get it done!!!!
Yeah- we usually just eat with members!!! There are stores and sometimes in the morning we go get things!! Usually we are just too busy though it's ok though I’m not dying or anything. I think a part of the not being hungry is honestly like I don't love the food yet... I enjoy eating but fish isn't my favorite food yet. I think also it's because it's the same meal cooked differently every night. All the food is this ultra fake canned stuff if you get it from the store. It works out though!!
Yeah my language has gone wayyy wayy up. Kiribati is honestly a easy language in comparison to a lot of things. I’m nowhere near competent but if someone speaks clearly a lot of times I can understand a lot and I can usually teach the main point relatively well!! On outer islands those booyas are what
The funnest thing is to take busses. They just drive up and down the single road in Kiribati all day so you wave one down and you climb in the cramped bus that's just bumping the cheesiest island remixes of popular songs ever. They remixed everything to be super islander and they just bump to it
Elder Miller is way nice and a good trainer!!! I have no complaints!!! Really it's all i can ask for in a companionship! We both want to be exactly obedient and to work hard constantly so really that's all we can ask for!! He's an awesome companion! HE was in the band and played the maroomba in high school so he's a band kid. It's a good time though!!!
I love eating and I eat a ton!! Sometimes we just don't have time is all!!! hahaha don't worry!!! I eat plenty!!! it's just like we snack a little in the day and then I stuff my face at dinners so it's all good!
Here are some Ward Party Pictures:
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| Elder's Birthday Party |
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| Elder's from MTC intake |
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