The weeks go on

We have 18 months to go, seems like we have been out much longer.  Everyone says that the months just fly by.... 

 

We got a new grocery store this past month.  It is called the Wishing Star.  They have all sorts of new items, mostly from Asia.  They have a bunch of freezers with frozen squid, fish, vegetables, even pizza.  (The island has been out of ice cream since before Christmas, and this place got some in, but at $12.50 a carton, it wasn't worth it to me)  As you see, they even have a fresh bakery.  We have been hearing that there are hamburgers on the island, but not until now did we see them.  Seems they are mixed in with the fresh pastry (all un-refrigerated)  Sister Bonnemort decided not to purchase one.

Baptisms, Baptisms, Baptism  Sisters Tenoa, Balenacagi, and Sister Gardner

Elders Enri, and Green 

Sister (temp missionary) and Sister Valo

This was Elder Green's last week before he heads up to the Marshall Island's as an Assistant to President Shaw.  And wouldn't you know it...he was sick with strep throat.  Sister Bonnemort did a little bit of teasing and put this mask on.  

We are really going miss Elder Green.  He has such a "can do" attitude and wears his emotions on his sleeve.  He as an instant friend to us and we know his leadership abilities will be used wherever his life takes him.  He is a man of a thousand questions.  He isn't nosy, just has that yearning for knowledge.  I found myself telling him things my kids don't even ask.  I think the funniest story was when they were leaving one night in their van, and Elder Green just "tapped" the bumper on a tree stump outside our house.  Well the entire front bumper fell off.  He was fit-to-be-tied, like how could this happen, what are we going to do, can it be fixed....I went into get my camera, but Elder Simpson had already re-attached the bumper, no harm, no foul.  

I took a picture of the twice weekly flight from Fiji to let you know that civilization does visit the islands.  Twice each week, hundreds of people gather at the airport to watch the plane land.  

Elders Anderl, Pearson, Anderson and Green.  Notice Green's new purse.  He left here with a bunch of Kiribati handmade stuff.  Elder Pearson has been the AP in the Mission office for the past 5 months, and arrived back in Tarawa to finish out his mission.  We didn't get much time with him as he and Elder Joshua Whippy have left for Aranuka.  After a 5 year absence, we will have missionaries there for the first time.  

This is the infamous Air Marshall  "Air Maybe" or "Air not at all".  This is our link to the American continent.  We rely on this airplane to bring packages from home.  It has been flying of late, has been here every other Monday for the past Month.  We will see what the next few months bring.  

p-day injury.  Elder Gawkoski was injured on his first p-day.  He smashed his face and sprained his wrist playing basketball.  Nurse Bonnemort has become quite the ER nurse.  

I didn't get quite a good picture, but this is Elder Everett driving for the first time.  He is our new Zone Leader after Elder Green left for Majuro.  No big deal to drive, but driving on the left does take some practice.  I haven't had much trouble anymore driving on the wrong side, but it did happen to me the other day and I was saying "why is that car headed straight for me?"...whoops.   Elder Everett is from Alaska, what a change for him to be in this hot, humid climate.  It will be fun to get to know him over the next few months.  

Kiribati kids.  I spotted these kid using a road as a slip-n-slide.  The road is covered with water when the tide is in, but when it goes out, it is covered in moss and the kids just run and slide.  It looked like great fun.  

These kids were having a blast using an old rusted barrel for play.  They love to pose and smile.

We were at the airport the other day and there was a departing Sister, Sister Aruna Beniato.  I asked where she was going, and they said Pocatello Idaho.  What are the chances, that 6,000 miles away, I meet a Sister who is going on a mission to where my Sister Judy lives.  Small world indeed.  

Zone Conference.  President and Sister Shaw came down for a week and we had a Zone Conference.  Sister Shaw gave a great talk with these highlights.  

It is the Lord's mission, not ours

Missionary work is hard work

Obedience...the key to leadership is followship

Why?  Because

Learn from and about your companion

Learn the doctrine

Bear your testimony and you will get one

Remember it is always good weather

We are teaching our brother and sisters

Don't compare yourself with others

It is normal to get discouraged

There is opposition in all things

Write home often

Put aside your weapons of rebellion

Challenges become stepping stones

Overcome your weaknesses

Rely on the Holy Ghost

See the power among you

Look up not down

Never give up

With God, all is possible 

Teach them to know God

Teach them the Doctrine of Christ

Be an example 

Use words filled with the Spirit

We are companions to him

Be mindful of your appearance

Elders Flynn, Utimawa, Tiaontin, (both from Kiribati) and Veikau from Fiji

Elders Veikau, Elder Sippy (completing his mission on April 5) Gawkoski, Wells, and Maddy (all from the USA)

This is Elder Turner with his new "haircut by Ketane".  Elder Ketene's (from New Zealand) haircuts are the rage.  He has a signature style that is unmistakable.   

Elder Mahe (Tonga) Elders Wells, Maddy, Armstrong, and Hosler (the USA boys)

Elder Mickleson sporting a Katene haircut

Elders Mills, Mickleson, Bush, Katene, and Veikau

Those missionaries with birthdays since January 1

A picture of the whole Tarawa crew.
We have a total of 61 missionaries serving in Kiribati

I wanted also to include those serving on the outer islands that were not present at the Zone Conference.  

Serving on Christmas Island, Sister Valo, Sister Babo, Elder Gittens, Elder Taorabwa, and Elder and Sister Mabey

Serving on Marekei, Elders Norman and Jared Whippy

Serving on North Tarawa, Elders Mickleson and Utimawa

Serving on Tab North, Elders Tiaontin and Tuilahingingle

Serving on Makin, Elders Banks and Bradshaw

Serving on Butaritari, Elders Rubena and Foust

Serving on Abaiang, Elders Falke and Simpson

Serving on Aranuka, Elders Pearson and Joshua Whippy

Elder Katene and Elder Anderl.  He tried to sell me one of his haircuts, but I wasn't buying

It is a week before the big Relief Society birthday party and the dance practices begin!  Each Ward in the Stake was assigned a different Pacific Island culture to dance.  Our Ward was assigned Tahiti.  It is very competitive even though there is no judging. We met night after night in this room with no air conditioning and danced to the song Iorana Iorana.  (If you would like to listen to the music that will be forever in my head, enter Iorana Iorana on You Tube.) The teacher is Turian in the orange top.

Every evening there would be different sisters at the practice.  You can see Sister Ogborn and I had to be to every one of them because this kind of dancing doesn't come naturally to us. I had to be there anyway to supply the computer and speakers.

This is the beginning of the 5 hour celebration of the birthday of Relief Society.  It is March 17th and at home I would be wearing green for St. Patrick's Day, but here the Relief Society colors are yellow and blue.  It was breath taking to see all these Latter-Day Saint sisters from Tarawa.

I don't know this sister's name because she was on the phone!  She makes beautiful tiputas for many of the sisters to wear. (The tops everyone wears are called tiputas.)

The dancing begins!

One of the wards put these beautiful flowers on our heads as part of their dance.  As missionaries, we are always special invited guests. Did you check out my beautiful tiputa?

This ward invited the guests to dance with them after they did their cultural dance. The missionaries you see are Elder Thorn and Elder Ogborn.

This ward had the most participants! They also spent lots of time and money on their costumes!

This group did a Hawaiian dance. Their hips were in motion so we couldn't get a great picture.

Now it is our turn to dance.  Our costume was a white shirt and white lava lava.  The dorm students made the beautiful head and hip accessories.  Here you see me, Sister Ogborn, and Lita. (Our Relief Society President and Principal of Moroni High School) Lita is helping Sister Ogborn with her head dress.

Sister Ogborn and I are ready to dance!

The Sister Missionaries are here to support us!

All that practice for our 5 minute dance. Just imagine my hips are in motion!

Elder Veipulu from Fiji arrived this week.  He had a special intake dinner all to himself.  I can't remember the last time we had just one missionary arrive

I caught this islander outside our flat gathering coconuts for the ward party.  He just started climbing the tree like a monkey.  He was up there for quite a long time pulling coconuts off the tree.  

 

The ward had a welcoming party this past week.  Now as you may know, we are on Kiribati time, which is rather slow.  The party was suppose to start at 6pm, but it didn't start until 8pm.  This is a picture of the dorm students who make up the Moroni Ward.  They sang the Mutual Theme song for 2012, "Arise".  They have such wonderful harmonies.  

Our accompaniment and MC, Turei

What party is complete without dancing.  It is quite cool how they have no fear and just do "their thing".  Everyone has a great time cheering them on.  

Our Primary Children.  No primary song here, but a break dance.

Our Young Single Adult Men.  Everyone wore lava lavas.  It is a good thing that the men wore shorts underneath as many were loosing their skirts during the dance.

Robyn send us an email the other day with the following scripture.  Thanks Robyn for sharing.

Alma 17: 13,16

13 And it came to pass when they had arrived in the borders of the land of the Lamanites, that they separated themselves and departed one from another, trusting in the Lord that they should meet again at the close of their harvest; for they supposed that great was the work which they had undertaken. 

16 Therefore, this was the cause for which the sons of Mosiah had undertaken the work, that perhaps they might bring them unto repentance; that perhaps they might bring them to know of the plan of redemption. 

We love and miss our family and friends, the gospel is indeed spreading across the earth.  We have had 40 baptisms so far this year.  Thanks for your prayers.

This Week in Tarawa

This is Sisters Gardner, Tekiare and Balenacagi.  They were excited to show us their object lesson that they used for a lesson.  It is kind of like a magic show, and the "precise moment" must work.  Problem was, at the "precise moment" in their lesson..... it didn't work, and it was very embarrassing.  Oh well, like when you forget the punch line of a joke, things don't turn out and you can't tell it again.  But they had a big laugh anyway.     

Brother and Sister Campbell came to Tarawa for a visit.  When I heard there was someone coming on a "vacation" to Tarawa, I couldn't understand why.  Then I heard the rest of the story.  Brother Campbell was a high school teacher back in the 80s, and there was an opening at the Liahona High School in Tonga.  Well he applied for the temporary position and moved his family to Tonga.  At that same time, there were about 12 students from Kiribati attending.  Brother and Sister Campbell took them under their wings and made life long friends.  Fast forward 25 years.  Many of those 12 students are now teachers at Moroni High School.  So Sister Campbell gave Brother Campbell tickets to Tarawa for Christmas.  They met many of their old students and it was like a family reunion for all of them.  

While Brother Campbell was here, he gave us a lesson on Alma 22:27-35, whereby Mormon gives a detailed account of the layout of the land during the Book of Mormon time period.  Brother Campbell does not speculate on just where in the Americas Lehi settled, or where the Nephites and Lamanites fought battles, rather he has you draw your own map using these scriptures.  It was very interesting and informative and now as I read, I can visualize the lands and the movement of the people.

  

These are our gifts from Luke and Jake.  They are priceless pieces of artwork.  We so miss Luke and Jake and feel they are growing up so fast.  Thanks to Robyn and Matt for keeping us in their lives via skype.  

Elder Bush turned 21.  Happy Birthday.  Elder Bush will be going home in a few months.  His parents are coming to pick him up and spend a week in Tarawa.  It will be very neat for him to introduce them to his family away from home for the past 2 years.  

This is the Temaiku Branch Meeting House.  It is located on a beautiful stretch of beach on the far East end of the Island.  It feels much like Hawaii's North Shore with wind and waves.  We attended a baptism there.  And as you can see, they are in need of a new building.  The chairs are castoffs from Moroni High, the music is a boombox, and the floor and walls are plywood.  

This is the front door and exterior  

Sister Bonnemort and another sister sweeping the floor before the baptism.  

You do whatever needs to be done at the time, and Sister Bonnemort just picked up a broom and got busy.  

This is an exciting time for the Temaiku Branch.  They just broke ground on a new chapel.  It is right on the beach and will be done before we leave next year.  The members are so excited.  This is the only ward/branch on Tarawa that isn't in a new building.  

Our first baptism on the beach at the Temaiku Branch 

This is Elder Bush and Fitisimanu on baptism day.  The sun was just setting and the sea was calm.    

There is something very special about a ocean baptism.  I'm not sure if they will still be using the ocean once the new building is complete.  So we will be attending all that we can.  

Elder Bush had a bit of trouble getting this girl's feet to stay down with the waves, so an Elder from the branch went out to assist.  

OK, it was bound to happen with these roads.  I guess I really can't drive on the left.  Sister Bonnemort and I were driving home, and I went to turn into the gas station.  I didn't see an oncoming lady on a motorcycle.  She hit the driver's (right side here in Kiribati) bumper and did a summer salt over her bike, and landed on the hard sand driveway.  It happened so fast, but we jumped out of the car expecting the worse.  She was wearing a large backpack which might have helped her fall.  She was a bit dazed, and had big goose egg on her head and some road rash.  Sister Bonnemort went to get some ice from the gas station for her sprained wrist and ankle, but all they had was frozen cool-aid packs.  She bought them all and kept her quiet and still until the ambulance came.  Luckily, she was only driving about 15 MPH, when we collided.  It could have been much worse, but the roads are so bad here and so skinny, that one can't drive much faster than 20-30 in a car.  The Zone Leaders and I went to visit her at the hospital later.  We also went to her house a few days later to wrap her wrist with an ace bandage and took her some cookies. We are very thankful that she will recover and no lasting injuries.   

 New Missionaries to Kiribati.  This past week, we welcomed nine new missionaries.  Now you might think that isn't very many, but for our little part of the world, that is a big chunk.  I have their pictures posted on the wall and felt just like I had known them when I met them in person.  The first person out of Immigration was Elder Hosler, who is checking his bag.  Also in the picture is Elder Falke, who has been on Christmas Island for the last four months and just returned back to Tarawa.  Christmas Island is over 2000 miles away and a two day travel via Fiji.  If you want to take a boat to Christmas Island, it takes about two to three weeks...no thanks.  

 In this photo, we can see Elders Anderson, Simpson and Anderl greet Elders Falke, Hosler and Gawkoski

 Elder Hosler and Gawkoski

 Elder Joshua Whippy                    

 Elder Armstrong and Sister Tenoa

Elder Veikau, who is from Fiji.  He joined the church just over 1 year ago

Elder Falke, Elder Simpson, and Elder Gawkoski

 Elders Anderl and Wells

Elder Turner, who is back from Christmas Island is greeted by Elder Anderl

The boys with their toys.  Elder Anderl had a blast driving the truck for the luggage 

Look out dudes, I'm comin' thru...

Elders Whippy.  This is Elder Jared and Joshua Whippy from Fiji.  They are twins who were called to the same mission.  What are the chances?  They won't see much of each other as they will be serving on the outer islands of Aranuka and Marakei.  Aranuka is a new island for our missionaries.  Missionaires haven't been on Aranuka for about 5 years.  Elder Pearson, who has been serving as the AP in Majuro will be going out with Elder Joshua Whippy.

The new crew (notice it didn't take long for them to shed their coats).  Elder Joshua Whippy, Elder Wells, Sister Tekiaire, Elder Armstrong, Sister Tenoa, Elder Gawkoski, Elder Maddy, Elder Hosler, and Elder Veikau

Its been a long days night....After a long day, Elder Armstrong and Elder Maddy were sitting in our flat. They were trying so hard to be obedient and they were starting to try an study the Kiribati language.  I told them, that after getting up at 2am for the flight that morning and getting no sleep, they shouldn't try and learn any new language.  We gave them their pillows, and the next thing I knew they were sleeping like babies.

Elder Maddy didn't even need a couch...a chair was just fine

Nine come, another goes home.  We said goodbye to Elder Tiree this past week.  He is from Kiribati and only has to travel just down the road a bit to his home.  He wants to go to BYU-Hawaii.  We wish him the best.  It was fun to visit with him.  He really has good English.  That is Elder Norman giving him the thumbs up.  The is the universal gesture for "ok".  Elder Anderson on the couch doesn't seem to interested in the festivities....

We love you all and miss everyone