fall?

Can't believe it is fall....

Call me a little crazy, but this weather really does confuse you.  The Fall equinox was yesterday, and the only indication that the earth is somehow changing seasons, is the sun sets a few minutes earlier.  Sunsets here are breathtaking, but you have to be as the right spot and at the right moment to see them because they only last a few minutes.  The sun does truly sink into the ocean.  Speaking of the weather, somehow I believed that the tropics would not be so hot.  It is just mind boggling how hot it can get here.  Most days (90%), the high is 90 degrees with the humidity hovering around 80%.  I really do admire these missionaries, who trudge around in the heat then return to their homes without a/c.  I can count the days we have had a cool spell, and it isn't more than 5.  

One of our artist missionaries made bugs eating bananas out of Sister Bonnemort's clothes pins.  

I believe I mentioned that Sister Bonnemort is making Tibutas.  Here she is with all her wear on the line.  As many of our family knows, she loves to do laundry.  Adding the "hanging" to her tasks has just increased her happiness. 

Our neighbor Teiroy Mwea had a heart attack and passed away this past month. He left behind a wife and 6 children and a legacy of the love for tennis.  We have had his youngest kids, Kate and John over many times to make cookies, suckers, and brownies.  What a neat family.  His wife is the Vice Principal at Moroni High School and he was the tennis coach.  He wasn't just the coach to Moroni, but a coach to about many, many small kids from across the island.  I have never seen such small children take to tennis as these kids do.  And this is because of Teiroy's encouragement and motivation.  The night of the viewing in the Maneaba, all these kids came to see Teiroy one last time. 

And is tradition here, the casket is loaded onto a truck.  

These kids just all wanted to ride with Teiroy.  

Happy 56.  I had to settle for a banana cake without the cream.  There just isn't such a thing as whipping cream on this island.  But the banana cake was wonderful anyway.

A small world indeed.  Elder and Sister Wells, (center) came to Tarawa for a week.  They are working as auditors and are stationed in Fiji.  As you know, everyone is Elder and Sister, so you don't know most people's first name.  So I go to meet them at their apartment, and he looks familiar, and tells me his name is Dick.  Well wouldn't you know it.  It is Dick Wells from the IRS.  I used to work with him before he retired 12 years ago.  I can't believe it has been that long.  We had some good laughs about the IRS and all the funny things that happened at work.  This is their 3rd mission.  They stay home for 4-5 years, then go again.  What an inspiration.  They have a farm up in Wellsville Utah, and they just leave it to their son and away they go...they had hoped to get out before the hay harvest, but just missed it, so Elder Wells had to farm one last time.  

We said goodbye to two sisters this past week.  Sisters Tieke and Valo headed home.  Sister Tieke lives right here on Tarawa, while Sister Valo went home to Papa New Guinea.  That leaves us with just 4 sisters.  We had the traditional spaghetti sendoff dinner.  With them is Elder and Sister Bush. 

Competition time again.  Our stake had a Song Festival.  Sister Bonnemort went to the Bouta Branch to help them practice. Each ward had to sing "They the Builders of a Nation" and another song of their choice.  These islanders have natural singing voices.  However, they are not used to singing with a piano.  Sister Bonnemort was a stickler about singing the note.  

Sister Bonnemort was also a judge.  

Sister Bonnemort took her job very seriously, even marking them down if the conductor didn't have the proper downbeat

We said goodbye to 4 elders this past week.  Elders Turner, Anderl, Staley, and Gittins headed home to the USA.  That is one less Idahoan (Turner) we have now.  We asked them all to tell us a memorable missionary experience.  They shared some incredible experiences.  As you can see, there is a big empty plate in the center.  It was full of about 30 tuna fish sandwiches.  They polished off all of them.  Each had a bag of chips also. 

We also said a temporary goodbye to Elder Bradshaw.  He is going to our Mission office in the Marshall Islands to serve as the Assistant to President Shaw.  Getting Elder Bradshaw to the Marshalls is not a easy task.  The only plane had not flown for 6 weeks.  But finally they did decide to fly down with our packages and Elder Bradshaw hitched a ride back to the Marshalls.

We have had a blast serving with Elder Bradshaw.  He has such a strong testimony and has been a great Zone Leader.  

SNOW IN KIRIBATI

It was time to defrost the freezer.  We have been putting off this duty for a long time.  I just hate to do it.  But with every bad thing, good can come of it.  We decided to introduce snow to Kiribati, so we filled the famous bowls up with the ice from the freezer and Sister Bonnemort and Sister Ogborn took it over to the School.  They had to act fast, as it would melt in minutes.  

The students of course had never seen, much less touched snow.  They made snow balls and had a blast.  

DANCE, DANCE REVOLUTION

The Tarawa West Stake held their dance competition last week.  It was held in the only church Maneaba in the world.  It is hooked onto the back of the chapel.  The singing was so loud that the seniors used cotton in our ears.  It was fun to see all the families participate.  

The Abaiang Branch.  They are from the island of Abaiang.  They took a 5 hour boat ride to get here and had to spend 5 days just to perform their dances.     

LOBSTER--NOT AMERICAN STYLE.  

They had lobster at the dinner, what a treat, but you had to get the meat out without the fancy tools they give you in the USA.  

Elders Staley, Gittins, Turner, Anderl, Ogborn, and President Shaw

Front, Sisters Bonnemort, Valo, Ogborn, Shaw

We got to know Elder Anderl quite well.  He was a Zone Leader for about 6 months.  He was so kind to us and always would fix any type of computer problem we had.  He was so nervous about going home, but when the time came, he was all smiles.  

What a spitfire....Elder Turner.  He was so fun to be around, had more energy than anyone I have ever met...and he has the record for the most boils...I believe it was around 40 something.  

going going.....

gone                  

D&C 42:6

And ye shall go forth in the power of my Spirit, preaching my gospel, two by two, in my name, lifting up your voices as with the sound of a trump, declaring my word like unto angels of God.