we're moving........

We have just found out that we are going to be leaving Majuro. We will be leaving soon for Christmas Island, Kiribati. Christmas Island is located about 1500 miles south and west of Hawaii. From here we will return 2500 miles to Hawaii and then onto Christmas. The missionary work is doing well there and it is one of the brighter spots in the Marshall Islands Majuro Mission. The church provides a 300 square foot kit home for us and a 2007 Toyota diesel van including the fuel. We will be living on the grounds of the church there. There are four towns on Christmas. London, Paris, Poland and Banana. It is quite a bit bigger than where we’ve been. 25 miles wide and 30 miles long. It has a current population of about 5,000. Our responsibility also includes branches on the Fanning Islands. The Fanning Islands is an 18 hour boat ride one way. The total population of the church is approximately 1,000 members. Church attendance seems to be above 50% and as I said the missionary efforts is bearing fruit. Some little “problems” arise from time to time for example we’ll have to talk to one of the Branch Presidents about ordaining two new deacons. When the certificates were ready to prepare we noticed that both boys were only eleven years old. We have to always remember that it is a learning process. President Hinckley stopped on Christmas in 2003 for a short stay and promised the saints there that if they remained faithful they would prosper and they would send their sons and daughters forth on missions. I think as of now there are six full time missionaries serving. One of the sister missionaries serving here in the MIMM is from Christmas. When Elder and Sister Rose had to go home because of illness (he’s fine now but they won’t be coming back here) assignments changed a bit. We had felt that we were probably going to be called to Christmas and when the president asked us we were not surprised. I’ve been called as a counselor in the mission presidency and as I tell Sister Patten I’ll be the “Chief High Priest” of Christmas, Island. I know, I know I just couldn’t help saying that. There will have to be some adjustments regarding eating, etc. Fish is in abundance which is fine for me but Sister Patten isn’t quite as fond of sea food as I am. Plenty of bananas, coconuts, bread fruit, papaya, etc. Most other things have to be shipped in so the food cost is quite expensive. The currency is the Australian dollar so I assume the prices that we have heard are in that currency. Eggs .80 cents apiece. Chocolate chips are about $35.00 for 5#. It should even out since the church provides for us in other ways. I’ve told Sister Patten that we will buy whatever she wants and I’ll eat the fish. They say that all you have to do is drop a line in the ocean and you will catch fish. With that in mind I am going to take a fishing pole with us. I can hear some of you laughing now because you know of my fishing prowess but nevertheless I have always wanted to catch a fish from the ocean and I’m going to try. Christmas has some notoriety as a wonderful place to salt water fly fish for the famous “bone fish.” Fishermen go there to test themselves. I won’t be going for the bone fish just a simple reef fish caught off of the dock will be just fine. We did learn this week that the members are planning a fishing trip off island on March 1st. and have invited me to go. Like all missionaries, we are leaving here with mixed emotions. We have met some wonderful people here, have experienced some success and leave feeling like we have done our best. We are up for the challenge and know that if we do our best the Lord will bless us. A grandaughter thinks it's great that we will be moving to Christmas Island where Santa lives. We talked in both branches today. I will let Sister Patten tell you about that.