The better half October 11,2008

October 11, 2008

Hi kids and friends, Elder Patten wrote on the blog a few days ago but I have some time to sit and write to you now. It is Saturday, no baptisms are scheduled for today but the youth are here weaving mats for the class rooms and playing table tennis. The YW are working on their New Beginnings which will be presented on the 9th of November. They don’t seem to think they have done one before and are excited to put it together. All auxiliaries are trained but function on the level that they can, its not like the Wasatch Front and Olympus 1st Ward. But they are trying. On Friday evening they meet together under the moneaba sing and have prayer and announcements and then play volleyball on the sand in back of the church. The girls are breaking off from that each Friday and want to do things separate from the boys once in a while and that is good. Some projects like scripture holders, it takes ¼ of a yard of material and it works just fine out here. The primary sacrament meeting program needs to get going, I will have to spend some time teaching the songs they should be singing because they sing the same songs each Sunday and are not learning what they need to sing for the program. They will get it though and it will be fine.
Our solar panel water heater finally came and was installed the same day the Pres. said we were be transferred. Go figure! I can’t believe how nice it is to take a shower with hot water, I never want to get out. It also helps with the dishes as well, I don’t have to heat water anymore. It is so nice and I am so grateful for hot water. It’s strange how I never even thought of that when I was home and now it is like heaven.
I met with the YS adult girls last Sunday and spoke to them about what it means to be a LDS Kiribati woman. What are they options. It is not like there are a lot of priesthood men on the island to marry. Ten years from now it will be much better. We talked about being faithful even if they will never get to a temple in this life, it can be done after earth life. Marriage is a problem but I urged them to choose wisely and see if the future man will listen to the missionary lessons and join the church. That being best option. There are many men here who want to marry but also want to tell his future wife what church she will go to. I warned them about that and about the “traditions of their fathers” here that are wrong. It is only the Lords culture that they need to adhere to. I think they are starting to get it. We also eased into our little sister’s pregnancy and how we should handle that, love her and not listen to any gossip. Let her repent and support her.
We have not heard any more about the transfer and probably will not hear until Pres. Bleak gets back into Majuro. He is famous for changing his mind and either way we will do what we do. We would be happy to stay here and finish our mission. We know the routine and it is rolling along but if a change is made then so be it.
The time is coming to choose students for attending Moroni HS in Tarawa. We have been getting a lot of girls of other faiths wanting to attend our English class, or come to church or listen to the missionaries. They are urged to do so by their non member families who only want them to join the church so that they can go to Moroni which is the best school around. Then when they have gotten their education and come home the parents will not allow them to go to the LDS church anymore. They only wanted the education for their children. That will change from now on. Elder Patten will see that the LDS children get first choice even if they are not the smartest. This is confirmed by Pres. Bleak and it will give the LDS youth a change to get their education and a firm testimony by the time their graduate. We have talked to people who are graduates of Moroni but don’t come to church anymore. They say yes, we know it is true but my family says I have to be KPC or Catholic or whatever and they do it because of the culture. I hope we are here when the testing begins and we have a change to see that many of the wonderful young people we love will have the change to go to Moroni.
Last week we were able to watch conference at a members home who has satellite and it was a wonderful experience. I looked around the room with some of the faithful members sitting on the floor, taking notes and feeling the spirit. There we were looking at the conference in a humble home, feeling like Salt Lake was close to us yet so far away. As I watched I though of all of you watching what I was watching only at a different time of day. The spirit was strong and I am so grateful for the speakers and the guidance and direction we received. It is a wonderful thing to go on a mission, sometimes hard but in the scheme of things the hard times will be remembered with fondness and the people will never be forgotten. Even with our desire to see you all again be where people really understand what we say, it will be hard to leave all of this. It is something that goes straight to your heart and stays there. It is so gratifying to see people return to church and be happy to do so. Our prayer is that they will stay even after we are gone. Another couple will come and they will be wonderful and will love and help the people and so life moves on.
The economy seems to be in trouble at home and Obama seems pretty scary to me, I hope the Lord will have his land on this election and the right thing will happen. As we read in the Book of Mormon this morning. People only change when they have hardships, in the good times they think they are self sufficient and don’t need the Lord. I pray that America will be humble and prayerful enough to vote right in spite of the media, and those who only want power, money and control. I guess it is the same old story.
We have trouble with our little computer, the on/off button is ready to die and it doesn’t look like we are going to Hawaii anytime soon. If we get transferred then we will probably get a new one and Ryan said he would help us. Until then we are limping along and have the church computer. Both computers have trouble staying on the internet but that is the story of Christmas Island internet service.
We had a wonderful family get baptized last week, and I believe they will stay active. I think they will make him Sunday school president this week. He has a short wave radio and will be able to get a message to me from Fanning when John is there and so that helps. Going to Fanning will be a “trip” for him and he is brave to do it. I think I will pass on that one – he is better at eating whatever is offered than I am and sleeping on whatever there is to sleep on. The trip over in the boat will be interesting as well – but he will do it and try to get Fanning organized.
Well, there you have it for the week. We pray for all of you each day and love you dearly. Until next time be safe and say your prayers. Love from us.