I'm Alive Jan. 27, 2015

 So I'm sorry that this isn't P-day, but it is the first time that the island has had any sort of internet since before Christmas. We were definitely family deprived.

I am on Abaiang with Elder Miller, also from Utah. We are great friends and have lots of fun sharing stories and preaching the gospel. The island is long and it has 2 branches and a unit. Everyday we take turns going to different parts of the island to teach. Tuesdays and Saturdays at Tabuntebike (means end of the beach) then Borotiam (pronounced Bro-sum) is on Thursdays and sundays, We live on a compound with the chapel in Tuarabu and work there on Wednesdays and Fridays. Each is about an hours bike ride away. Our goal for everyday is to teach 5 lessons. Borotiam, the unit, is really doing well so some days we get 9 lessons (we would most days but people usually like to talk too much which takes up time). Then the other two areas are slowly improving. Even with this email time we should hopefully be able to get our 5 today.

 

My language has come a long way since Christmas, my companion is a good teacher and pushes me hard. I have eaten eel (looks as creepy as the ones in the Little Mermaid) and Mantaray, plus the usual shark and cool shellfish and lots of fish. It all tastes pretty good.

 

We are blessed right now with a Golden Investigator. His name is Tiiwini which is a Kiribati approximation of the name Steven, and sometimes when they say it it sounds like Stevie. He was a refferal and we contacted him in my first week. He was a very strong Protestant and so on our first meeting shared with us Galations 1:6-10. Basically saying that anybody that gives religion different from what he's heard is 'accursed'. The kiribati bible is super had to understand so we didn't actually know what he told us until we went home. We were super scared and spent hours preparing him a lesson. He then accepted it with no problem. I am not sure where the change came from but he is so ready for the truth. One time we met with him he told us how he suddenly decided that smoking and alcohol were bad after doing them for 40 years. We were like 'Oh really, we'll teach you the Word of Wisdom on Thursday on the day that we were going to give him the Book of Mormon we saw the one that we gave his daughter weeks before lying next to him with a bookmark in it. He was on chapter 10 before we asked him to start. 

 

That lesson he also told us that he wanted to come to church with us. We were like, 'oops, we're sorry that we haven't had the chance to invite you yet, it's down the road and starts at 10.  Every lesson he asks us some sort of question that leads us into teaching the answer for our next lesson. One day, shortly after we started right after we closed in prayer he said, 'Ok, you've had your time, now it's my turn' We were so scared, but it turned out that his wife made a huge and rather fancy meal for us. Last lesson he straight up asked us, 'Ok, I'm taking the lessons, what else do I need to do to get baptized?" We were just like 'who are you and how are we worthy enough to teach you?' Most people here are uneducated and just accept everything with out comment (which is kind of a pain). We just feel so blessed to be teaching someone who not only understands how important this is, but is totally excited to accept it. He is now softening the hearts of his family as well. His wife who refused to shake our hands on our first meeting now sits in with us and listens.

Life here is great and I love you all

Love 

Elder Morley

P.S. Sorry for what my english has degraded to. It will probably only get worse

Finally! 1/27/2015

It isn't p-day, but the internet is finally working on Abaiang and we got some time with David today.  It had been 30 days since we heard anything at all from him. Here is the info:

The connection is slowish but alright. We have checked the email at least 3 times a week since I got here. It is the first time that it has worked. I've got some time. How is life there?

I am companions with Elder Jacob Miller (His parents names are Russ and Sandra) from American Fork UT. He is from the intake before me but his Kiribati is much better than mine. He pushes me hard so I've been learning lots.

The island is long and it has 2 branches and a unit. Everyday we take turns going to different parts of the island to teach. Tuesdays and Saturdays at Tabuntebike (means end of the beach) then Borotiam (pronounced Bro-sum) is on Thursdays and sundays, We live on a compound with the chapel in Tuarabu and work there on Wednesdays and fridays..  Each is about an hours bike ride away.

There are 3 places on the island to do email. The 2 high schools and the Council Office. School is out (starts again on monday) so the ITs have been on Tarawa. The council office's internet has been broken since before Christmas and it just got fixed yesterday.

Our goal for everyday is 5 lessons. Borotiam, the unit, is really doing well so some days we get 9 lessons (we would most days but people usually like to talk too much which takes up time). Then the other two areas are slowly improving. Even with this email time we should hopefully be able to get our 5 today.

We have had 2 baptisms (in the ocean!) with hopefully 2 more this week.

I really do feel the love of our family in that ipod. Everyday it seems I will find something new and bring back an old memory. One time it was the Priesthood session music, another time it was Steve's singing, another was allstate. The talks and everything are miracles.
 I have not been able to write you a letter yet from Abaiang. Even though we haven't been able to email there still isn't much time.

Call to repentance.  The mission handbook states to write every week.  Your mom has been beside herself waiting to hear from you.  If you saw the tears in her eyes when she read that you have not had time to write you would understand how much she wants to know that you're ok.  Letters don't have to be long but you need to write something every week. love  dad

 I know that I have been bad, this week both of us made a goal to write a letter this week as a lot of members are going to Tarawa, when they go it is the only time that we have a reliable way to send letters. There is a very quality one ready for that boat.

Does the island really celebrate New Years for longer than a day?

The towns on the island celebrate everything they can for as long as they can. New Years  Celebration really was a week. People will come into town, or something else will happen so there will be 3 day parties. It is really a pain for teaching if everyone is in a party. One of our investigators (hopefully to get baptized on Friday!) will walk for a few hours to go to a party a couple towns a way. He usually finds one every week. It's sorta a problem, but they don't have much else to do.

I think that it is miraculous that you prayed for my legs because shortly after I got here I developed an exciting rash. It started at my ankles and then moved up my legs, then jumped up to my arms. It is on the mend now (that is a phrase right).  I shower with bleach and use antibacterial soap and have some sorta cream. But as usual mom receives very specific revelation for me.

 There is another story, that happened back at Christmas time.  He was supposed to catch a flight to this island, but it left an hour before it was supposed to. He hadn't been feeling well for a while, so he checked in with the nurse.  She diagnosed him with pneumonia and started him on antibiotics.  By the time that the flight left a few days later he was doing much better.  We are grateful that the Lord watches over him.