(Today Mike and I were privledged to be online at the right time and to get a bit more info than usual.)
The 90 degree days are pretty awesome, but it hurts my mind to think
that is is winter there. I loved your emails. I'm sorta jealous of the
traditional Thanksgiving Meal and all of the family. I play with the
little kids here, but it's not even close to the same. I cried a little
when I read that Mason did my job, but remembered me. I guess I'm more
homesick for the little things. (Christmas is his all time favorite season. Mason took his place in decorating the tree.)
This week I have a goal to take
a picture with a Christmas Tree and Santa Claus (there's only like one
on the island, but it should be fun). The island is beautiful, so those
pictures that you saw are probably very accurate for my life here.
I sent Elder Birrell the picture, and he's pretty excited (but maybe not as excited as I am) his email is
birrell.jackson@gmail.com. Things are usually good with Elder Kareketaake. Transfers... well
nobody really know when those are. I know that Elder Aliksa from my
intake is going outie today (I just found out 2 min ago). I also know
that before next year there will be a big transfer with lots of
shuffling. Lots of people have been on outies for a long time, so lots of
moving around will happen. When? I don't really know. People don't get
shipped in for Christmas, but if I'm on Tarawa you can probably expect a
Skype, but it might not be on the actual christmas. I haven't heard
anything though.
I didn't do anything special for thanksgiving on the actual day, but
on Saturday
we went to a restaurant. I had a quiet Thanksgiving meal of Chop Suey
Fish and rice, and we tried to order the most american thing on the menu
(Apple Pie and Ice Cream) but they were out of Ice Cream... and probably
apples too. So not really... but it was fun anyways.
I heard Christmas music on the radio this morning which was weird. It was a really groovy silent night
No letters yet, but there is a plane
tomorrow so maybe. (It's been 6 weeks now since I mailed the first one.)
The airport isn't in my zone, so I don't know much about it, but I
just know that when I flew in there was a gajillion people (kids
mostly) crammed against the fence watching us come in and shouting
Imatong Imatong!
I understand more of the language now. I will
have days where I can understand most everything, then days where I have
no idea what is going on. I think of myself as similar to a genious
goldfish. I'm a genius, so I can do alright, but a goldfish nonetheless,
so the geniusness doesn't last long. My goldfish days are getting less
and less though!
It is becoming a home here. I love being out with the people
and have a couple of families that call themselves my parents (it is so
cool) There is 2 and maybe Rotan will be a third. I love having lots of
families, but I can't stay with them for very long. There's always more
to do. Don't worry, you'll never be replaced.
I'm excited for the pistachio pudding! (I'm sending him the ingredients to make his favorite Christmas salad.)
I saw Elder Carrington this morning. I didn't have time to talk,
but today is a combined P-day, so we will chat then. (he looks the same
and smiles a lot, so I know he's doing all right). I'm sending a letter
to Elder Buhler. I don't know how or when it will get to him, but it is
fun.
I can still see Mars, and I found another planet maybe.
Since I can look at the same stars every night I will start tracking it.
We'll see. I can see the
pleides and orion now. It is always hazy
around the horizon, so I probably won't see the big dipper till spring.
Dear Friends and Family,
Life is great. I love the missionary perspective and that I can see miracles from it. There are miracles everyday.
There
are no seasons here, and the sun comes up at the same time so it's hard
to imagine that it is changing out in the rest of the world. Last night
I was looking at the stars (they are soooooo clear) and admiring Orion.
I thought to myself. It's cool that I can see this now, usually I only
see it in the winter time. Then I remembered, it is winter. Weird.
The
other day we were out working and our investigator (Erema) wasn't quite
ready for us to come to her house so we waited next door at bishops
house). Ok, get the image of house out of your mind. Think of a tin roof
and a table beneath. There are walls made from those big metal barrels,
so they are only 3 or so feet high. Electricity comes through an
extension cord from somewhere. Probably not the safest thing... (This is
not always the case, but the house that we were at is like this). They
were watching videos from the church on a little laptop (that is pretty
rare). They showed me a Mormon Message. It had a map and zoomed in on
Utah, then Logan and I said Woah, I'm from there. Then it started
talking about this family and introduced every one. One of them was
Jane, from Encore! How crazy is that! I'm in a shack in a tiny forgotten
island in the sea watching a video about a freind of mine that I danced
with. Boy the church is cool.
Yesterday was a Special
Sacrament meeting. At the beginning of the month there was an area wide
fast and one of the things that we fasted for was help in knowing who we
could invite to this special meeting. Enough people came that they had
to bless and use a bottle of Fiji Water. SO cool. It was great because a
ton of less actives and investigators came to church. They decorated
the church with leaves and flowers from the plants around. If we were
having a tropical party we might do the same sort of thing, but here
every thing was natural, not plastic. Soo cool. Then there was
refreshments which is always nice.
I love being able to share
the gospel and be friends with the people of this tiny beautiful land.
THE church is true. Have a great week.
I love you all!
Elder Morley
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