Blog time again! We are now in Tarawa and enjoying spending some time with the missionaries here. We have so many new ones it’s been great to interview them and get to know them better. I need to catch up first before I tell you about them.
On Monday the 4th Elder Pearson
did fly out to Kiribati. Elder Green and Sister Tekiare came from Kiribati. Elder Green
is now the new Assistant and Sister Tekiare
is here to serve in Majuro . We took them to lunch with the AP’s and Elder Green was in 7th heaven to order a bacon cheeseburger and fries! So it was also a joint p day for Majuro. It rained pretty hard but that didn’t stop them from playing volleyball!
Dang we have another big Utah fan Elder Back Pack!
On Tuesday, we had some training with the Assistants and zone and district leaders in the morning and then we had our office meeting in the afternoon.
On Wednesday evening we left for Hawaii. We arrived at 3:30 A. M. Hawaii was kind of cool, believe it or not . They had been having two weeks of rain and flooding in some areas. I always feel sorry for those who are there for vacation when the weather is not so good.
Friday we left Hawaii and went to Fiji. At the Airport we met a couple who were headed for Samoa. He is a doctor and they needed help in the hospital there for about six months. So we were on the same flight, as the plane was stopping in Samoa on the way to Fiji; it was Saturday in Fiji.
On Sunday we went to an English speaking ward (Nadi Ward). As we walked out to get a taxi the Thorne’s the CES couple in Tarawa came out of their room. We had no idea they were there. They were coming back from some training in Tonga as well as Leta the Moroni school principal and Rusila, the vice principle. So we all went to church together. The people in the ward were very friendly and it happened to be their ward conference.
Monday we flew to Tarawa. The zone leaders picked us up and we talked with them a little bit. The next day was our zone conference.
It was so hot that day in the chapel that we all about melted We had many Birthdays since our last zone conference.
It was a good conference. Some of our missionaries taught as well as Tom and I. We also had all the new missionaries bear their testimonies: Elders Maddy,
Armstrong,
Wells,
Hosler,
Veikau,
Ututui,
Gawkoski,
and Sister’s Tenoa,
Aromita Tieke,
and two other Sisters who will go to the MTC and then come to Majuro. Elders Bush
and Sippy
also bore their testimonies, they will be going home. We had lunch and then we did the Birthdays which there were many. Tom then started interviews at a little after 4:00. He finished with that group around 8:00 so that was a long day.
On Wednesday, we started out the day with more interviews at two different places. I get to be in on part of the interview when they have just come and their final interview. Our missionaries are amazing and there is a lot to get adjusted to in this mission. Through the week quite a few of them came down with a virus which made them feel pretty lousy. Sister Bonnemort is so great with them and so attentive. That evening we had training for the outer island Branch Presidents and clerks. Our zone leaders did a lot of the training and they were great. We were trying to let them know what we as missionaries can do for them and what they can have their branches do to help the missionary work.
Thursday, we completed the rest of the interviews at two different locations. We took the senior couples to dinner that night and enjoyed being together. We love them all so much they help us keep things going in Kiribati when we are not there.
Friday, we had dinner with the zone leaders.
We are happy to have Elder Everett, who took Elder Green’s place as zone leader. They are amazing young men who have a ton of responsiblity.
Saturday, we had leadership training with the zone leaders (Anderson, Anderl, Eneri & Everett) and the district leaders (Mahe, Bush, Mills & Turner), in the morning.
The women in relief Society had planned a big Birthday social for Saturday. One of the things they did was to have each ward perform a dance from different Islands
. The campus ward was doing a Tahitian dance.
They asked if the senior sisters wanted to be in it. So Sister’s Bonnemort, Ogborn, and myself decided to do it. They practiced every day of that week. They had women bring Birthday cakes and their and their own food to eat. We were considered guests and they provided quite the feast for us. Our dance was the sixth one. It was so fun to dance and I think they all had a great time watching the Hematongs trying to swing our hips while doing the dance steps! When the dancing was finished they have open dancing where others come and ask you to dance. President was impressing many with his moves!
We all know how much he loves to dance! Ha Ha! Also Tom attended a Baptism of seven people.
Those of course are the real rewarding meetings to go to.
On Sunday, we attended the two wards that are on Moroni campus. One of them is the student ward and the Bishop asked Tom and I to speak. We love attending that ward because the kids are so wonderful. We then ate at the Ogborn’s home with all of the senior couples. They showed the world wide training at the church in Kiribati and English so we went to see that as we had missed it before.
One of our new missionaries (Elder Veikau) is from Fiji. He radiates light and happiness. He told us that he had joined the church two years ago and that he is the youngest of a family of ten but he is the only member of the Church. He so hopes to be able to help convert his family. I also heard the story of a young single adult Sister. She shared her conversion story with Elder Thorne. Her family had been seventh day Adventist when the missionaries came to teach them. They all were baptized, but this young girl was not very excited about being baptized. Even after her baptism she would tell her Mom that she was going to a friend’s home or to do homework when she really was going to the Seventh Day Adventist church as she wasn’t happy with the change. Her parents switched her from the church school she had been attending and enrolled her at Moroni High School. It was hard for her and she struggled. One day when she was crying and feeling so bad she decided to pray about how the book of Mormon was not true. She then suddenly had the Holy Ghost manifest to her that the Book of Mormon is true. It was then that she gained a testimony of the church and its teachings. She also served a full time mission in the States. I had never heard of someone praying to know that the Book of Mormon was not true!
We hope you all had a fun St. Patrick’s day. They don’t celebrate it here. We love hearing about all of the kids and all that they are doing right now. They will have changed so much by the time we get back. When we were skyping with Paul and Kellie’s family Bryant who is 22 months old was sent to time out because he was hitting the girls! He calls us Nana and Papa on skype which makes us happy! We love you all and pray that the spirit of the Lord will always be in your homes as you are raising your amazing children. We love you all, Mom & Dad / Nana & Papa / President & Sister Shaw
On Monday the 4th Elder Pearson
did fly out to Kiribati. Elder Green and Sister Tekiare came from Kiribati. Elder Green is now the new Assistant and Sister Tekiare is here to serve in Majuro . We took them to lunch with the AP’s and Elder Green was in 7th heaven to order a bacon cheeseburger and fries! So it was also a joint p day for Majuro. It rained pretty hard but that didn’t stop them from playing volleyball! Dang we have another big Utah fan Elder Back Pack!On Tuesday, we had some training with the Assistants and zone and district leaders in the morning and then we had our office meeting in the afternoon.
On Wednesday evening we left for Hawaii. We arrived at 3:30 A. M. Hawaii was kind of cool, believe it or not . They had been having two weeks of rain and flooding in some areas. I always feel sorry for those who are there for vacation when the weather is not so good.
Friday we left Hawaii and went to Fiji. At the Airport we met a couple who were headed for Samoa. He is a doctor and they needed help in the hospital there for about six months. So we were on the same flight, as the plane was stopping in Samoa on the way to Fiji; it was Saturday in Fiji.
On Sunday we went to an English speaking ward (Nadi Ward). As we walked out to get a taxi the Thorne’s the CES couple in Tarawa came out of their room. We had no idea they were there. They were coming back from some training in Tonga as well as Leta the Moroni school principal and Rusila, the vice principle. So we all went to church together. The people in the ward were very friendly and it happened to be their ward conference.
Monday we flew to Tarawa. The zone leaders picked us up and we talked with them a little bit. The next day was our zone conference.
It was so hot that day in the chapel that we all about melted We had many Birthdays since our last zone conference. It was a good conference. Some of our missionaries taught as well as Tom and I. We also had all the new missionaries bear their testimonies: Elders Maddy, Armstrong, Wells, Hosler, Veikau, Ututui, Gawkoski, and Sister’s Tenoa, Aromita Tieke, and two other Sisters who will go to the MTC and then come to Majuro. Elders Bush and Sippy also bore their testimonies, they will be going home. We had lunch and then we did the Birthdays which there were many. Tom then started interviews at a little after 4:00. He finished with that group around 8:00 so that was a long day.On Wednesday, we started out the day with more interviews at two different places. I get to be in on part of the interview when they have just come and their final interview. Our missionaries are amazing and there is a lot to get adjusted to in this mission. Through the week quite a few of them came down with a virus which made them feel pretty lousy. Sister Bonnemort is so great with them and so attentive. That evening we had training for the outer island Branch Presidents and clerks. Our zone leaders did a lot of the training and they were great. We were trying to let them know what we as missionaries can do for them and what they can have their branches do to help the missionary work.
Thursday, we completed the rest of the interviews at two different locations. We took the senior couples to dinner that night and enjoyed being together. We love them all so much they help us keep things going in Kiribati when we are not there.
Friday, we had dinner with the zone leaders.
We are happy to have Elder Everett, who took Elder Green’s place as zone leader. They are amazing young men who have a ton of responsiblity.Saturday, we had leadership training with the zone leaders (Anderson, Anderl, Eneri & Everett) and the district leaders (Mahe, Bush, Mills & Turner), in the morning.
The women in relief Society had planned a big Birthday social for Saturday. One of the things they did was to have each ward perform a dance from different Islands. The campus ward was doing a Tahitian dance. They asked if the senior sisters wanted to be in it. So Sister’s Bonnemort, Ogborn, and myself decided to do it. They practiced every day of that week. They had women bring Birthday cakes and their and their own food to eat. We were considered guests and they provided quite the feast for us. Our dance was the sixth one. It was so fun to dance and I think they all had a great time watching the Hematongs trying to swing our hips while doing the dance steps! When the dancing was finished they have open dancing where others come and ask you to dance. President was impressing many with his moves! We all know how much he loves to dance! Ha Ha! Also Tom attended a Baptism of seven people. Those of course are the real rewarding meetings to go to.On Sunday, we attended the two wards that are on Moroni campus. One of them is the student ward and the Bishop asked Tom and I to speak. We love attending that ward because the kids are so wonderful. We then ate at the Ogborn’s home with all of the senior couples. They showed the world wide training at the church in Kiribati and English so we went to see that as we had missed it before.
One of our new missionaries (Elder Veikau) is from Fiji. He radiates light and happiness. He told us that he had joined the church two years ago and that he is the youngest of a family of ten but he is the only member of the Church. He so hopes to be able to help convert his family. I also heard the story of a young single adult Sister. She shared her conversion story with Elder Thorne. Her family had been seventh day Adventist when the missionaries came to teach them. They all were baptized, but this young girl was not very excited about being baptized. Even after her baptism she would tell her Mom that she was going to a friend’s home or to do homework when she really was going to the Seventh Day Adventist church as she wasn’t happy with the change. Her parents switched her from the church school she had been attending and enrolled her at Moroni High School. It was hard for her and she struggled. One day when she was crying and feeling so bad she decided to pray about how the book of Mormon was not true. She then suddenly had the Holy Ghost manifest to her that the Book of Mormon is true. It was then that she gained a testimony of the church and its teachings. She also served a full time mission in the States. I had never heard of someone praying to know that the Book of Mormon was not true!
We hope you all had a fun St. Patrick’s day. They don’t celebrate it here. We love hearing about all of the kids and all that they are doing right now. They will have changed so much by the time we get back. When we were skyping with Paul and Kellie’s family Bryant who is 22 months old was sent to time out because he was hitting the girls! He calls us Nana and Papa on skype which makes us happy! We love you all and pray that the spirit of the Lord will always be in your homes as you are raising your amazing children. We love you all, Mom & Dad / Nana & Papa / President & Sister Shaw
1 comment:
FUN TO SEE FAMILIAR SITES.
CATHY & NORM
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