"Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday" October 25, 2015

                                                            Mauri mauri kein te auti!!

(that's what you scream as you take off your shoes and bust into people's houses)

So things are great!! Yeah im feeling a lot better! Except my feet have gotten super busted up lately and softcore infected... that's what happens when you never wear shoes. And when Kiribati people steal your crocs haha it's ok because I got flip flops to wear and honestly it feels great!!

I got your guys package!!! It was like Christmas but maybe better! So many flavors it was unreal. Miller and I ate like Kings. We were scared though because in a huge crazy transfer thing we found out we are getting two new Kiribati missionaries with us for a few weeks, who have never been to the MTC yet so super super fresh, and don't speak English because they are from outies. So needless to say we felt the need to go through the food and eat the good stuff before our kids got here.

Helaman and the 2,000 Stripling Warriors
You can read about them in the Book of Mormon starting in Alma Chapter 21

Elder Miller teaching how to tie a tie 

Our mission president apparently calls us "Captain Miller and the Sons of Helaman" because he is essentially responsible for training all 3 of us at the same time. But essentially I have to train with the limited abilities I have at the same time, it's going to be crazy. They were supposed to come in last week but they didn't get off the plane, so they will probably be coming in this week. We got a little warm up though. This Kiribati guy that doesn't speak English is waiting for his visa so he can go to the MTC came to stay with us for a few days. It worked out perfectly because we had a TON of lessons we had to teach so Elder Miller grabbed one of the kids from the new intake that just arrived and I went with the new Kiribati guy and off we went. It was insane. It was so weird because I was the senior companion, and I'll admit sometimes I felt like the only companion. The Kiribati guy didn't really help too much in lessons... so really I had the full load of all of our people, going back and forth from trying to understand and then speak back all by myself was crazy. Like usually if I don't understand something I turn to Elder Miller and he would translate, but for that time I would look at Katriki and he would just look back at me full of expectation that I would proceed onward. hahaha It was a really great experience for me though to try to teach everything myself and communicate. I was kinda encouraged because a lot of times I would get the gist of everything that was happening and really I could have a somewhat legitimate conversation with people.

It was crazy too because for a little bit we didn't have a lesson so we went tracking and we met a ton of people. It felt weird doing literally everything from just like busting into people's houses like we do and just leading everything. But it was fun. Made me realize honestly more than anything I have to learn how to teach, like it's hard to balance the learning the language and the learning to teach because its two sides of the spectrum which are equally important.

Church yesterday was ALMOST awesome. So in the morning we run around to everyone's house and tell them about church and a lot of people were up and ready to rumble, Then when like no one came to church but 3 investigators it was like wooow!

a lot of sleeping going on especially when it rains

Especially our guy that was supposed to get baptized this week didn't come so he can't get baptized this week. His name is Abaa and he's really funny. Kinda just this plumpy man you cannot just love him. He's very simple and content and the man. He got married this week!! Kiribati weddings are very much a joke. 30 minutes before he was getting married we walked by his house he was shirtless and pantless poking a tree with a stick and his wife was like "I tangira mate ibukun te bong aio" I want to die because it's that day.... lol... anyways the wedding was honestly way fun. All 10 of us got up and gave a speech. Needless to say I started mine off right with a good ol "What brings us together today. Marriage. And love. True love" (Princess Bride) Elder Miller was the only one to get it but it's ok.

    

If you know Cody at all you can see this woman mimicking Cody's head bobble.
It's the little things he does that makes us all smile.

These two awesome girls we teach literally went to church, like went all the way over on the bus, got off, saw what everyone was wearing and they felt like they were not dressed nice enough so the got on another bus and went home. SO FRUSTRATING. It's good to know they are legit though for sure!!

Also another awesome investigator is just awesome. Tamara is this ridiculously humble 18 year old kid who is ultra prepared. Like he always talks about how his whole like how he just did what everyone did and he just tried to get through life, but he wants to change and he thinks the gospel is the way to do it. Needless to say he's right! It was kinda funny we stopped by his house after church (which he went to) and he was asleep (no surprise everyone is always asleep) and he heard us and when he rolled over we noticed he was cuddling his Book of Mormon while he slept ahhaha

We went to a couple of awesome botakis this week. This one we went to on Monday was soooo fun. The MC was crazy and everyone was up singing and dancing and having a grand ol time. Then while we ate all the kids danced and sang it was so fun. We dance all the time at dinners. It just what happens everyone sings and claps and we stand up and just bust moves. And there is this thing called the cake dance. So when there is cake someone has the get up and present the cake to the group, through a dance obviously. IT's so fun dancing with a cake in your hand it's always hilarious too.

One weird thing is that Kiribati woman dance with their hips and honestly that's all they dance with. It's just the culture like honestly half the time I’m like what the heck is this legal but it's all in good fun.

Elder Kennedy dances for his dinner

the lights come on after the first minute

well worth the wait....

The Marines are in town so it's fun to see them!! This one Marine ran up to us and told us he was an RM so it was sick talking to him. He said he is baptizing his wife when he gets home and in the process of getting reactivated in the church. It was honestly awesome to listen to the redemptive power the Atonement brings into people's lives. It sounded like he had messed up pretty bad but it was awesome to see him as he returns to good and to know as he continues his path he can receive everything God has to offer!

I’m not sure I’ve mentioned this yet but I talk about you guys everyday in our introductions!! So say Aran Tamau Jacob Aran Tinau Cara Iai Nimen n au utu. Ngai te katimoa. ngai te manne Imwiin te ainee Imwiin tenimen manne. It means The name of my father is Jacob. The name of my mother is Cara. There is 5 people in my family. (you don’t count parents in how many there are sorry guys) I am the oldest. I am a boy after a girl after 3 boys.

Answers to our mail: Yeah for sure send them over!!!!! That’ll be fun. I need more pictures of the family!! Just a few 

would be nice. 

Definitely not socks. I need to send back all my socks. I wore socks the first day and quickly vowed never to again. The amount of times I walk through basically rivers and nasty much. Kiribati is no place for socks ahahha.

I really don’t need any stuff at all. I already have way more stuff then I need. I already know a ton of stuff I will never ever even use clothes wise for sure!!