This past week Elder Smith celebrated his 1 year mark. So as a gift I
made him a small table that he can use to write on. Basically a desk
for sitting crosslegged (our house doesn't have chairs). It made me
miss our garage/tools. I used wood and nails that I found around. I
cut the wood with a dull and rusty hand saw and pounded all the nails.
If I had our chop saw and screw gun it would've been done in a half
hour, but as it was I used 3 days of exercise time to make it happen.
But it'll be nice. He got all teary when I gave it to him. We just found out he's
getting transferred in a week or 2. Life is always full of adventure
and surprise!
Elder Vaai will be my new comp. I don't know anything about him or if I'll be
senior companion or not. I got a cool compliment
the other day that dad'll like. I was tying up my mosquito net for the
night and found that one of the strings to tie it had fallen off. So I
found a new one and started tying it on. I used what I'm pretty sure
is a clove hitch, the one with the 2 loops that is easy to tie but
stays well. I Kiribati guy was watching and as soon as I finished he
said (roughly translated) 'Wow you are truly Kiribati now. That is the
same know that we use to tie the coconut tree for karewe!' I told him
that my dad taught me and he was impressed.
Sorry the internet died last week and refused to resurrect. Have you
sent that package yet? I bought bleach for the shower and well, I've
used it on and off throughout my mission, ,whenever my body starts
getting a strange rash or something I use it. The stores here are
pretty good, I can get almost anything I want. I take vitamins a few
times a week. The thieves took some food, but most of my food they
didn't know what it was so they left (like the oatmeal!) However the
only thing that I haven't gotten back yet is my sd card with the my
mission up till I arrived here in nonouti on it. Elder Smith has mixed
feelings about leaving.
(Did the thieves get punished?)
Naw, they just knew that it was a memory card and that it has value.
The thieves were underage so nothing really happened other than them
getting beaten in their own homes. Also 2 of them ran off for Tarawa,
so I don't know what will happen there. In Abaiang we had a mini dvd
player that we used for thumb drives, so it had speakers, but here we
don't have anything yet, we just borrow. So flashes (thumb drives) are the most
effective tool, I just can't use it yet.
Thanks for your prayers. I had an interesting experience with
president when he was here. To close our interview he said the prayer
in which he prayed for me and the missionary work here. I just got
such a warm feeling inside thinking of someone praying for me. The
instant that thought appeared, another arrived in my brain. It
reminded me that I am prayed for by so many people every single day. I
have access to that light and love every single hour of every day.
Ever since then I have been even more greatful for all the prayers
said for me. Thank you so much.
Part 2 written for a mass email:
Hello!
So, crazy news. After working with Elder Smith for 3 months he is
getting Transferred. He will be Zone Leader on Tarawa, and will be
replaced by Elder Vaai. I don't know Elder Vaai at all but mom tells
me he is Samoan but from Australia and older than me in the mission.
Beyond that I don't know much, but I trust in the Lord for and know
that this transfer is happening at the right time to do the most good.
I am excited for the new adventures this brings.
The coolest miracle of this week we found out about yesterday. Last
Monday when we went up north to sleep up in Tebuange with our family
there, they told us that an older man just moved in that they heard was
LDS. But we were short on time both when we left town and when we came
back last Saturday. So sunday morning the family asks us if we have
invited him to church and they tell us how much he wants to come.
Sunday mornings are hard because we have to wake up, prepare talks,
prepare for the day, eat a breakfast provided for us, and catch the
car for church at 8. So we didn't have time to tell him then either,
and we figured it was late enough notice he wouldn't want to come. So
we biked past his house, but the next thing we know he is jumping on
the car 10 minutes later. Apparently he found out about church and
made sure to come him self. Turns out he has been a member since the
70s but has lived Arorae, an island where it is illegal to have
anyother religion than the Protestant, for the past really long time.
He is like an answer to prayer. He is a faithful member who has the
Melchezidek Priesthood, and he is old and experienced. He may be a
part of the Lord's plan for a Branch on this island. I still don't
know him yet, but I know that he has the potential to be a huge
influence for good among these members. I love watching the Lord do
his work, and trying my best to keep up.
I also got a hair cut this week. The only person available to do it
was a 12 year old boy. He is really talented and trustworthy, so I
asked him to cut my hair. The plan was for him to cut it all one
length and then let someone finish it and make it look pretty. He did
that, but then he asked if he could trim the back for me and make it a
little closer. I said sure, because that is what I wanted anyways.
Before I knew it however my missionary haircut was trimmed down to a
short flat top cut. The sides are super short and the top is quite
short and there is a sharp line in between. I was tricked! Luckily
style has almost no importance here, so I'm not really embarrassed I
just don't like my new look very much. That's the last time I trust a
Deacon!
Tia bo for now,
Love
Elder Morley
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