We are not really sure about the New Year's Celebrations in Tarawa. We didn't see any or attend any community events, but we had our own version. We had the Ogborns and Thornes over for Kiribati Pictionary. It was the boys against the girls. It was quite the competition, and we all had a great time trying to draw all things Kiribati.
Here is Shelley with Elders Thorne and Ogborn. If you look closely at the board, you will see a great big scribble. That was my attempt to draw "The World War II Bunkers" that are on the beach down the road. Even though I came up the stuff to draw, I couldn't get them to guess that.
Sister Thorne proved to be quite the competitor and the artist. She was the strength behind the girl team and so they won. Even with Elder Ogborn's illegal sound effects, the boys couldn't pull off the win.
Strategy planning......
At the stroke of Midnight, (830pm), we played Guy Lombardo's Auld Lang Syne, and danced for a few minutes. This is the Ogborn's getting it down....
On Shelley's birthday, the Ogborn's came over and sang the most elaborate Happy Birthday song I have ever heard....very complicated, very strange, but very hap hap happy.
The kids here are just like home. This little boy had a toy car that he was running back and forth in their outdoor living room and making car sounds. They live right next door (and I mean right next door) to Elders Green and Enrie.
Sister Bonnemort got a bee in her bonnet this week to begin expanding our garden. This is her with Elder Ogborn. He was so excited to have someone interested in gardening, that he started shoveling dirt in his missionary attire! We have tomato plants that HAVE BLOSSOMS. We may see some cherry tomatoes some day. It is funny to think, oh those are never going to make it this year, but then realizing that the growing year never ends...The Ogborns have planted pumpkin (squash), beans, cucumbers. Elder Ogborn and I went to the Taiwanese Gardens last week and picked up some compost/mulch. Boy, the smell of that stuff was bad. It was I'll bet 90% chicken droppings. Anyway, once it is toiled in the soil, the smell goes away after you water. We really need soil help here, as there is no soil, just sand. We will see just what we can produce. No hurry, the frost will never come...
Sister Barlow, Elder Staley, Elder Suaaki, and Sister Gardner playing some card game that got downright loud. These are some competitive missionaries.
On the first P-Day Monday of every month all the missionaries are allowed to come to Moroni High and play tennis and basketball. We make a cookies and they all come in and change and then head out. Sister Bonnemort gets a little anxious about all the "boys" in the house and all the "boy smells", but it is fun to see their energy. We have a scale in the house and it is the most used scale in the world. Every missionary that comes in steps on it...but on this day...they step on it twice...once when they come, and once after they are done sweating like pigs.
Here they are smiling, but when the cards are played...watch out!
Elder Sauaki and Elder Nye, chilling before basketball.
Speaking of bees in her bonnet. This day, Sister Bonnemort decided to clean the clothes pins. Now this seems rather silly, but she just can't wait for the new ones to come in the mail, so she spent about 20 minutes washing and organizing these pins. At the end of the day though...they are still clothes pins....
Package Day
The last delivery from Majuro on December 22 was rather disappointing with 14 packages...We were hoping for increased deliveries on this shipment. We received 45. There still is about 100 still waiting in Majuro. We hope to see some of the stuff our family and friends have sent. Hope there wasn't anything frozen in those boxes, else it won't be. Also, never send gum...its melts into the paper...it is the strangest thing...a wrapper with no gum...
Elder Anderl with our first shipment of 2012.
Saturday tradition...another baptism. Baptized today were (in white) Katikuato, Aia Bwabetito Meteta, and Niumolsa.
Ti a bo --say it sawbow
(goodbye)
This looks like such a Beautiful Place. I am sure you are enjoying yourselves. We miss you both and look forward to seeing you at a later date. Don says he wants to come over there to swim and watch the sun rise and set. Your pictures are Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteLynda Folkman
I'm Elder and Sis Ogborns daughter. I just stumbled across your blog! Soo fun to see and read details of what is happening there. Mom and dad have talked about working on a blog. You must be their inspiration! Please give them a hug from Nancy. :) Thank you for your blog and sharing fun stories about mom and dad too!
ReplyDeleteLove,
Nancy Dexter