11/22/2015

Nikunau is so much awesome. Preaching the Gospel has never been so
much fun. This week everything has continued to progress. Slowly but
surely. Since we've spent so much time finding new investigators we
are now starting to teach them all  of the first lessons. We teach
first about the Godhead and Prayer, then about Prophets and Thomas S
Monson, then about Christ's Church and Joseph Smith. Some times we
combine, but most of the time we break it all up so they can
understand everything. I have loved sharing my testimony of President
Monson basically every day. I have taught about him at least 15 times
since I got here. Every time I teach it, I love it more. The spirit
testifies to me of his Divine Calling even as I testify to others.

Also we have been teaching some people that have callings in their
churches. We have been careful to make sure that it is an uplifting
gospel conversation and not a chance to bible bash. We have been very
successful and I have enjoyed hearing some interesting views from
those of other faiths. In the culture here old men are very respected
and young men aren't given any attention, but since we are religious
leaders they let us in. People have been amazed at our knowledge of
the bible. We have gotten some difficult bible questions about the
Trinity. As I have studied for future discussions (The ministers got
scared so all of our bible discussions didn't last long) I have
received a greater testimony of this gospel. How grateful I am for
Joseph Smith and for having the fullness of restored truth restored to
us in these days. The truth just makes sense and it rings true with
the soul and brings joy. I love this gospel and savor every moment
that I have to share it with these wonderful people. I love you all!
Elder Morley,
P.S. Don't eat to much!

Nov. 15, 2015 Tracting on Nikunau

Hello from The Best Island Ever!
The only scrawny white boy on the island of Nikunau is still having a
blast. We've been working our tails off and are starting to see the
fruits of our labors. Last week we tracted into 15 new investigators,
and most of them seem solid. This week we tried something new. We did
it once in Nonouti, and it did alright, but we tried again here and it
was amazing! We went on Splits! Elder Tiaon worked with the Dad in the
house I live in, Teiaba, and I worked with one of our amazing recent
converts, Bill (kindof a rare kiribati name. He aparently has some
irish heritage somehow). Bill was baptized 6 months ago. He was so
scared to go out with us because this church is still mocked on this
island. He was worried that if he was seen with missionaries, biking
down the street in a white shirt and tie he would be laughed at.
Unfortunately he was right. We heard lots of laughs and comments like,
'Look a new Elder!' 'Hi Elder Bill' and less nice ones too. He said
that he was shy at first, and almost back out. But because we prayed
before we started off he was comforted. Before long he didn't care
about their laughs or pay attention to their snide coments. The best
part, proabably my favorite part of this whole week, was teaching with
him. It was his first time, so I taught the whole lesson, then gave
the time to him to bare testimony. We didn't tell him what to say, but
in each of our lessons he shared a brief but powerful version of his
conversion story. It went about like this, About 6 months ago I
started lessons with Elders. I listened to their lessons and followed
their words and prayed about it. I have found the truth and happiness
that doesn't end. I have seen the difference. I used to drink alcohol,
kava, and smoke all the time, but now I don't worry about those
things. I havn't smoked in almost 7 months now. I am happier,
healthier, and less lazy. My wife and I don't fight anymore, whereas
before we almost divorced. I know this church is true and it can help
you too. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen. Sometimes he would say
more, but it was always full of Power and Truth and all of our
investigators felt it. It strengthened my testimony of the importance
of members in Missionary work. I love this Work. I love this Church,
and know it can help you too.
Love
Elder Morley

11/15/2015 Dear Brethren

My beloved Brethren,
I am writing this letter to you because I need some help. Right now I
am serving a mission in the islands of Kiribati. Right now I am on the
island of Nikunau, a cute little island that takes about 40 minutes to
bike from end to end. This island was opened for missionary work for
the first time at the beginning of the year. There are probably 60ish
people on the island with names on record, that either just joined the
church or were baptized years ago, then moved here where there was no
church, went less active and have little desire to come back. I am the
Branch President on this island with all of the responsibilities that
entails, but also a missionary with all of the responsibilities that
that entails as well. The church here started off well but then
suffered heavy persecution and hasn't quite recovered all the way. So
my concern is two fold. First, church attendance last week on the
island was 30. We hold church in 2 places and the southern location
only had 6 kids attending. The southern location is also where the
majority of our investigators are. That leads me to my 2nd concern.
Since I arrived on the island 18 days ago we have found or received 29
new investigators and I am almost embarrassed to invited them to
church with only kids between the ages of 10-15 attending. I have
chosen to send this letter to all of you because of my deep respect
and friendship with/ for all of you, time is short, so if I have
forgotten anyone, please include them. If you have any suggestions for
reactivation and retention work, please send your responses to me at
dmorley@myldsmail.net. Currently we are starting a Family Home Evening
in both locations. We plan to start a 'Game Night' in both locations
this week or next. We are doing as much service as we can. We went on
splits yesterday to get active branch members involved. We are doing
the best we can and seeking they Lord's help Always, I just want to
know if you have any advice.
Thank you All,
Love
Elder Morley

11/8/2015 Nikunau Rocks!

Hi all!
I'm having a great time in the islands. Elder Tiaon and I are working
out tails off and loving every moment of it. We have been receiving new
investigators and seeing miracles. The ward members are awesome and
firmly rooted in the truth. They all have a strong testimony of how
the Lord's Hand came down to make this island ready for Elders to
come.

 First off the house that I live in. It is the house of an old man
named Ivin. He joined the church when the church first got to Kiribati
and all of his kids were baptized then too. They were all really
little and only a few have stayed strong until now. One, his daughter
named Tarawaa, served a mission in Kiribati. She was offered all sorts
of jobs in New Zealand and almost went to school in BYU, but just
didn't feel good about leaving her homeland. So after her mission
finished she came back to her home here in Nikunau. She married here
and helped her husband to get baptized years before the church got
here. She would hold family home evening at her house and after a
while not only just her family came, but another family down the
street that hadn't been baptized yet. She refused to turn from her
religion on an island where her religion didn't exist yet. She would
go back to Tarawa to get her children blessed. They would go to
General Conference in Tarawa and tried to be as active as she could.

 The Elders that first came here back at the begining of the year,
Elder Farley and Elder Seguine, had no home to stay in and had no idea
if they would be accepted here. They got off of the airplane and who
was the 1st person they saw? That lady, Tarawaa. She ran up to meet
them and asked them what they were doing. They said they were going to
work here and she got so excited. She quickly introduced them to the
members of her family. They, just 3 days before, had finished
building a spare house that they were planning to use as a spare space
or guest 'room'. They had also just barely finnished a mwaneaba, kind
of like a gathering hall. They immediately offered up their house for
missionaries, they hadn't even used it yet, and gave the mwaneaba to
be used to church on sundays. One lady had a dream a few weeks earlier
about 2 people in nice clean long pants and white shirts coming off of
the air plane. She saw a light around them and immediately started
running to tell people that Christ's messengers had come. In her dream
she was yelled at by the ministers of other faiths. She told everyone
in the town her dream, and was amazed when it came true just a week or
so later. This island was prepared in so many ways and they all came
together just a few days before so that the Church could come. I love
this work. Things are not easy, but they are exactly as they should be.
I am on the Lord's errand and loving it.
Have a great week!
Love
Elder Morley

Nov. 1, 2015 Nikunau!

Thanks for the email! I'll answer it in chunks so that you can read it
as it gets to you. First about the camera. Now I use Elder Smith's
camera that is broken a little ,but does everything I need. He is very
kind. We tried to send that dancing video home, but the internet
wasn't good enough to allow it. I can't believe that he included the
boil video. Such a poor guy. That one on his back practically killed
him (not literally of course). My legs are spotless of boils. I am
relatively immune to mosquitos so don't itch. Plus is a boil ever
starts I have learned the 'splinter lesson' and fix it quick so it
heals and doesn't scar. I'm glad you got to see some happy Nonouti
memories. My memory card of my first 6 months is gone.
Here is my letter to President this week.
President Weir,
You were right. I LOVE Nikunau. It is wonderful here. This isn't
something I say without reason. I am fully aware of the persecution
that this island faces. The first words Elder Tiaon said to me were
describing the opposition that the members here face. However the
members are wonderful. They do their best to do new things. Elder
Seguine kind of gave up of fast and testimony meeting, so yesterday
was their first time in a while. But the first lady who stood up said
something to the point of, I did not know that this was the time to
bear my testimony, but Elder Morley invited us to do so, so I will
try. I got the same response when I invited someone to give a talk
next week. They work hard to not allow any anger or hard feelings lay
between them. They all strive and work hard for the church and for
unity. I am reminded of Zion. Plus our home with them is so nice. I am
fully welcome and feel completely at home. I love it here. Elder Tiaon
 is, as you said, a very different missionary than my past experience
with an I Kiribati. He is amazing. I love him already. We do our best
to be obedient and are already seeing miracles. I will repeat Elder
Davis's request to you and ask for a good long stay here. As your
favorite scripture states, I wish to stay here, 'perhaps until the day
I die.'




I saw P Weir on tarawa and informed him that I felt like I deserved a
good interview (I told him through E Smith). We chatted for 1.5 hours.
I needed that. He helped me know lots of good administrative things
that I can do while here, plus we talked about the work. It was
wonderful. To be honest I was praying for the plane to be delayed, or
for something to happen so I could spend 1 sunday on Tarawa. I just
wanted to see how the church runs when I'm not personally running it.
My hope didn't happen, but I did see a Zone Meeting and almost cried
seeing the church run as an organized unit. It was beautiful.
 
Elder Tiaon is AMAZING. It looks like he may be my favorite companion
thus far. He is new so still has the new missionary fire. Plus he is
completely willing to give his all to this work. He wants complete
obedience and really understands how this work works. He is so cool.
He's also super funny. People asked if Elder Seguine had left. He
would respond, yes, didn't you hear the rain last night? Because a
real storm was coming out of His and the member's eyes! Side note. It
was really tender watching Elder Seguine get on the plane. He has such a
beautiful connection with these members. He was the first to bring
them the truth and they are forever greatful to him. This morning a
baby boy was born and they named it Seguine after him so that his name
will be remembered on Nikunau.


I got the candy in time to give it to some elders at zone conference.
THe rest I asked Elder Smith to send over to me. I think he'll help me
out. Thank you for the packages. They were great. When I got to Tarawa
I was in massive culture shock. I refused to sleep on a bed and
thought everyone was so filthy rich that I was uncomfortable. I was so
happy to leave. My home and my heart right now lies in the midst of
coconut trees and next to the beach. Any how, I didn't eat much candy,
but those around me were very greatful. Thank you for the tools! I
love being prepared. My favorite was the letters. You basically said
in your letter written months ago that I would go to Nikunau. Mom,
from now on, if you know my transfer will you just tell me and get rid
of the susupense? It was fun to read.


As far as gifts. I'm not sure yet. It's hard to give a good gift when
you don't know them very well. But for kids markers and a coloring
book would be cool. These people love watching movies. So any church
movies would be cool (like mormon messages, the Restoration, 17
Miracles, that kind of thing). That would help the whole branch. Elder
Tiaon I just barely told him that my guess is that he will leave on
December 10. We'll se how close my guess is.
President told me that I would be with him for a little while just to
get to know the area, then I would Train. I have wanted to train for
months, but I feel sorry for any Elder that has to start  off here.
HUGE culture shock. Me I am completely used to it after Nonouti and am
completely adapted and at home. Pres also told me that I would be here
3 months to which I immediately protested. I told him that I have been
praying for Nikunau to become for me as Abaiang was for Elder Davis.
(It has happened) President then said that I would stay until either 1
he needs me or 2 I 'cry uncle' and ask to be moved, which did happen
in Nonouti, so it could happen here. So my guess is that I'll be here
until March.


My house (I live with members) have a dvd player and a big flat screen
tv (the people on this island are literally rich. They never have
cargo to spend their money of food, so they get cool imatong things)


They LOVE  Elder Farley here. I need to meet that man someday. I have
followed him to 3 of my 4 areas, but have never seen him in the flesh.
I have NEVER heard a bad thing about him. Everyone loves him. He is
pretty much a legend in this mission.


This island is TINY!!! I've been wanting a small island for  AGES.
Abaiang and and Nonouti are among the longest islands here. This
island is equevelant to one town in Nonouti. The first thing we did
when I got here was to bike from the airport (the northernmost point)
to the southernmost point. It took 35-40 minutes. In Nonouti it would
take 4-5 hours! I love it here.

 The family we live with feeds us all the time. They own a store so
always keep some food storage in case of a shortage in cargo. So I
haven't had any needs there yet, even though others have. Well, I can't really imagine
America at this point so you know... I now know why president brings
Elders in to Tarawa before they go. It is so that they don't die when
they get to america from the culture shock. When I got to Tarawa last
year I thought it was the lowest type of living possible. Now I
thought that it was America. Oh how things change.


That is the biggest reason I have wanted a small island. A big one
takes all of your time to be with people. Yesterday we had 32 in
church. 3 Mel Priesthood holders (we are included in both stats). Our
family is among the strongest. There is a core of 8 or so adults that
were converted when the Elders first got here. Most of them are
Deacons in the Protestant church. We had Probably 10 adults, 5-10
teens, and 10 kids. I can't give exact numbers because I don't know
anyone yet.


Some gifts of the spirit that I have are interesting and very obvious.
In every island that I go to I am blessed to remember everyone's name.
I new the names of probably 1/2 of the population of those in Nonouti
and their dogs (only a small exaggeration). But as soon as I leave a
place, it has happened every time, all the names leave my head and
only the faces stay. Even when I see an old friend I can't remember
their name. It is already starting to happen here. Pray for me to be
able to grasp all the names as fast as I can. That is important.
Another gift is my language. As soon as I got wit Elder Vaai my
language grew and became cleaner. He is not quite as good as Elder
Smith. But now that I am here with a Kiribati companion my language
has shrunk. My gift of tongues is being held for a little bit which
is hard. I have full faith that as soon as I train or have some new
less fluent companion it will come back. But that is another thing to
pray for.


I now watch the stars while showring at night. It is beautiful.
I really have to go.
I love you so much
Elder Morley