04/24/2016

Hi mom and dad! I am happy and healthy, but only one computer is
working today, so I need to give Elder Miller the time. The work is
going great. We are impressively healthy and love seeing the blessings
and miracles that follow them that believe and that follow us. This
work is so true and real that it is astonishing. The Lord's kingdom
will not be slowed down. We have a baptism this Saturday, two
remarkable youth will be baptised. The faithlessness of some still
makes my heart ache, but the overall goodness and gleaming faith of
others does not allow me to dwell in sorrow for long. I love you oh so
much and pray that you have been as watched over as us. Have a great
week and get ready for a good snail mail in a month or so.
Love,
Elder Morley

04/10/2016

Elder Miller is doing impressively well. I'm amazed. Literally 100% of
everything here is at least a little bit different from America, but
he's taking it well. This week I was a little chastised by the Lord
again... I always have more lessons to learn.

 Ok. So here goes. I'll give you an abridged version.
When we were yelled at by the minister that hurt me more than I
expected. I am not very good at getting yelled at (I guess I just
don't have all that much practice :)) but more important I hated
seeing the look of fear in the eyes of those people. I am here to
share the Good News of the restored gospel a message that is supposed
to help everyone, and here it is getting people punished. So That
chastisement wasn't very strong, but I came to realize that my faith
in finding and contacting our investigators was dwindling.

So I did lots of study in the scriptures and found great verses in
Mormon 8 & 9 about the church going forth in the latter days. I read
D&C 3:3 about the Lords Work not being frustrated. I read Matthew 13
about the parable of the mustard seed. I read Acts 5 about Peter and
the apostles being called by the Sanhedrin for preaching the name of
Jesus Christ and them saying 'It is better to obey God than to obey
men.' I also read that particularly meaningful verse in D&C 30:1(1-4).
I was chastised and as a result I went back to see the man that we got
yelled at for visiting and said sorry, he invited us back into his
house, and this week we will start visiting him again. On Saturday I
finally figured out the message and I was able to see and feel the
Greatness of the Lord's Work when you work in faith nothing doubting.

So, it makes you feel afraid that if you teach someone the gospel that they will get hurt for their beliefs later? and you don't want them to get hurt? Mom

Pretty much yeah. I don't want anyone to be put in trouble for me
innocently going about my work. The lesson was that in all reality this
isn't MY work, so I need to keep on doing the things that the Lord
tells me to do and trust him to do his part. If the people get
chastised for our coming that is just a piece of the price that you
have to pay to take upon you the name of Jesus Christ. If they are
willing to pay it, it is our Responsibility to continue to visit them
no matter the cost.

We are proud of you David.   I hope you wrote that experience into your journal  Mom

 What did Alma and Amulek do after they were forced to watch women and children cast into the fire?  Why did Alma not fight back at the very moment?  This is the Lord's work and we must go forth with FAITH using His power  to the convincing of all those who will listen.  Opposition is to be expected so please don't shrink from it, use it a s a motivator to work harder because the people need the truth taught to them.  I hated to see the protesters at the conference center during General Conference.  They were good at invoking feelings of anger.  That is exactly what Satan wants.  Love is the only real answer and you have the only true gospel of Jesus Christ so do all within your power to get that message across to those good people.  They deserve to hear the truth and to make their own choice of which voice they will listen to.

I love you son,

DAD

1 year anniversary of church celebration 04/03/2016

Wow.
Sorry I haven't written in a little while. Life's been crazy, crazy
Awesome. but crazy.
Any how,

Hey all,
We've been asking for weeks if there was transfer news. We knew that
it was about time for one of us to go, but hadn't heard a thing
(Except for a rumor from Elder Tiaon through a letter to a member a
month ago). The internet hadn't been working well, very on and off. We
tried to get on every day and finally were able to see our mail on
Wednesday March 30.  They finally told us that Elder Tonini would be
transferring to Makin today, April 3. Thanks for the advanced notice!
(sarcasm) 6 days is a lot. But the funny thing is that since our
internet was so bad, they didn't trust the message to get to us. So
they sent out an announcement on national radio asking everyone to
tell Elder Tonini to get on the plane on Monday. Must've been an
important transfer to go out on National News!

This last Saturday while all of you were hopefully enjoying general
conference I was having a party. We were celebrating the one year mark
of the Church on this island. Elders Farley and Seguine landed on
Nikunau on March 30 2015. Time flies when you're having fun! We were
also having a farewell party for Elder Tonini. It was a great day. We
hired a truck and picked up all of the members and investigators on
the island. We do this often, but this time most of our people
Actually Came! We had 70 or so people gathered together to party. I
bought a pig a while back, so  at night our members got together
to kill it and put it in the freezer over night so they could just
wake up and start cooking. Unfortunately my pig was too big for the
freezer... Incredibly they cooked it up in the morning and made
loads of different dishes and were completely finished by 1. 

Mom, you should really share notes with these guys! It was so good. We invited
the most respected people in town to our party. Unfortunately the
Ministers from the Catholic and Protestant faiths declined. But we did
have 3 old men! It was great to see everyone together hand having fun.
The next day  was fast Sunday. We did the same island pick up, but this time
we were having church and we were all fasting, aka no food. So, nobody
came. But also one of the old men on the island died the night before,
so most of the island's population was attending the funeral, so I
don't really blame them for not coming. 

Our fast was a little disrupted because everyone wanted their personal farewell party and
everyone fed us, but it was so nice to see the people so very sad to see Elder Tonini
go. He was only on island for 3 months, but he definitely made an
impact for the good. That night we had one last gathering as a unit
with the members that are closest to our house. We shared a nice meal
(left over pig made into soups) and all gave our last toast to our
Elder. There were tears shed. This morning we woke up and fixed up the
house and bikes for the new Elder. Elder Miller Flew in at 10 this
morning. Elder Tonini and I had 4 good months together and it was sad to see
him go, but I am excited to train this brand new Elder from America.
Elder Miller is from Alaska and he is excited to work hard and grow to
love the culture. Wish us luck, but even better remember us in your
prayers. I love you all!

Food Shortage update

There is always an undercurrent on all the messages that the island of Nikunau is used to not getting much extra food.  This is part of a paragraph from March 16 from E. Tonini to his parents that they shared with us.

"......then we saw the big boat come in which was to have all the solving of our food shortage (like really only seen like 3 new bags of flour my whole time here, don't worry though the family we live with feeds us very well, like almost too much, its way funny), the boat came and had no flour, no sugar and almost no rice with a few cans of meat, then just afterwards, the internet place opened at which point it was discovered that due to a lack of the island paying its bills the internet had been shut off... Rough day/week for the island, but everyone seems to have recovered well.  "

Then I just received a snail mail letter from Feb. 16 stating that at that time, they had run out of soap.

Then this week (see post about it)  March 29, D. states that their family has finally run out of their rice storage.  He said that there are still pockets of stored food at other places on the island, so he isn't going hungry yet, but when i asked him to tell me what he eats daily he only mentioned a couple of meals, so that is when I realized that it seemed more serious than usual.  Of course they always can get fish and he bought a pig and some chickens for the 1 year anniversary celebration, so there is still food there, but not at all like we in America might imagine on even our lowest day.  Also, this week announced the new shortage of Toilet paper and sugar, but that they had acquired a bag of flour by 'miracle.'  

He said that he is not concerned for himself as he is used to it, but is a bit concerned for the new missionary coming soon from America with very little transitioning time.  

Letter written Feb. 16 and received recently

 Tues. Feb. 16,
Mauri Mom and Dad,
     I am still on Nikunau and loving it.  The work is going so well.  Sure it has it's ups and downs, but there are definitely more ups than downs so all is well.  E. Tonini and I are enjoying feeling the small effects of the lack of cargo.  Our family and our ward family all contribute to us getting food.  We are always fed 3+ times a day.  Currently though we are on our last bar of soap and we were lucky to get that bar.  I love my mission.

The branch is progressing well.  Remember Pres. Weir told me that we would know i it was worth it for me to go to Tarawa if the people here continued holding church in our absence.  If so, we would know that they are ready for a Branch.  Well, they did hold church, so I took that to mean that they were ready,, so I started giving them callings.  We have always had a RS Pres., now we have 2 rotating primary teachers, a music conductor, 2 rotating Sunday School teachers, a Seminary teacher, soon to be branch missionaries and attendance counters and whatever else is needed.  These people are so much more ready than Nonouti was.  They rise to every call given.

Wed. Feb. 17
The members are doing well, less actives are coming active, actives are getting stronger,  all this amidst persecution and an overall negative feeling about the church.  E. Tonini and I pondered what we could do about this and we felt that we needed to be seen.  We needed soe positive publicity so that we could be viewed as real ministers in a real church.  So we happily greet every person we pass on the road and we do Words of Religion Seminary.  All Kiribati public schools are required to have 1 period of seminary a week.  We made it our goal to attend all of the schools seminaries.  There are 3 primaries and 1 high school.  So before school started this year (Feb.) we coordinated with all schools to get them all at different times.  So around 1pm on Monday thru Thursday we teach the islands children, then we have a lunch with island's religious leaders.  There are loads of mini success stories.  I'll just give one.

As we were trying to coordinate school times we went to every school and asked what time their seminary would be.  They at first all said that they didn't know yet.  They would have a planning meeting on the first day of school and that they would tell us afterwards.  Well, we really needed to know, so being missionaries, we followed up.  They all told us their time, so we showed up and taught class.  In the HS we had the problem of loads of loud and obnoxious kids waiting at the windows disturbing our lesson.  There must have been 30-40 of them and since their numbers were so large they didn't fear punishment or listen or anything.

So, we gave up trying to shew them away and I invited them inside instead.  We've tried that before, but for some reason this time they all listened, exploding our numbers from 7 to well over 30.  It was sure an adventure keeping their attention, but it was fun and we all learned.  We realized afterwards that the reason that that happened is that we were the only seminary teachers to arrive.  We just found out why.  After HS seminary yesterday we were invited to the First lunch this year at the HS.  Everyone was offered the chance to give speeches and the first man, an old Catholic Minister, said, "Sorry for not coming in weeks 1 and 2, but he said it was only because he wasn't told the time.  He then said thanks to us for being on the ball and coming.  The Protestant minister was similar,  she also said, "Sorry for they  forgot to announce the time, because most of the teachers had only just arrived."  So basically it was a nice step to see the 'underdogs' getting complimented by a Catholic minister.  (called a Catechist)

I love you,
Elder Morley

March 29, 2016

We didn't actually get a letter this week, but I asked him a few questions.

 David, are you still on?  This is your celebration day right? Hope it is a good one.

Hello! I'm alive (but very wet). I'm happy and healthy. The party is
pushed to Saturday so that kids can get to bed on time for school.
How's America? Guess what! Transfers!

Did Pres. Weir come?

No. He still hasn't told us when he's coming. Someday soon. How was Easter?

When are you going to talk about transfers? You have our curiosity up.

Hehe. I get another son! His name is rumored to be Elder Miller. I
found out 5 minutes ago. He comes on Monday. Tonini is going to Makin.
Yikes! Crazy stuff and only 5 days away! Poor Miller. This island has
no food or toilet paper. I already told Zone Leaders, but he may have
a rough few weeks.

That is awesome.  We will hope that he brings TP with him and flour. 

Are people starting to be hungry?  When do you expect another cargo ship.
How was Easter?

This week was hard because For me the whole island
(literally at least 90%) was in their separate mwaneabas (church houses) celebrating
Easter since Thursday. There was NO BODY TO TEACH. It was rough. But I
got lots of Study time! I ready 70+ pages in Jesus the Christ about
the Savior's last few days. I also read a lot of other easter centered
things. Church was great.  The entire island was crammed into 2 spots. One for Catholics and
one for Protestants.

So will Tonini still be there for the celebration?

  Tonini will be here for the party. It will become
his going away party which we predicted 2 months ago, then combined
Church for Fast and Testimony meeting, then bye bye sniffle sniffle.

We got flour this morning (Miracle!). People are starting to be
hungry, but I am not. My food is getting more traditional, but I am
still very well fed. I enjoy it. I feel bad for the new Elder.

Every missionary has one companion that they really click with.  I am so happy that you have had this time with Elder Tonini.  Your new companion will need some tlc to overcome the culture shock.  I am sure you will do great and with those members on fire it will certainly help.

dad.

It should be great. I know how to train better this time. He is coming
to the best place in the world and has nothing to worry about.

You didn't reply about the food.

Sorry, food (rice) only just ran out, so they are figuring things out. I need
to go quick, so this will be my last letter.   They are
finding flour and rice. They got a bag of flour this morning, but they
have no sugar to cook with. Yesterday we had fried fish, and a taro
like root. We drink rain water. This morning we had a sweet bread like
thing made with flour pandanus fruit and coconut all boiled together.
When we do seminary the teachers usually have some rice for us. Life
is good. I love you all. Have a great week. I'll try to get on on
Monday. BYE!

Letter from March 21, 2016 received March 29, 2016

 This was my letter from last week.

Hi all!
The internet really hasn't been working well on this island... Ah
well, I guess it just means we can't get transferred right! The
Saturday before last (the 12th of March) We had an incredible event in
the place we hold church. Our Investigators who couldn't get baptized
because they hadn't married got married then baptized. We bought a
big truck and picked up all of our investigators and members who
wanted to come. When we arrived and organized ourselves we started
into the marriage service. We opened in song and Prayer. Elder Tonini
gave us a spiritual thought and gave the couple a gift of a copy of
'The Family: A Proclamation to the World' and a picture of the Fiji
Temple.

Then I gave advice to the  couple. Man I felt under qualified
seeing as I have never married (I haven't even dated much!), but the
gospel has the answers to all the important questions of life. I
reminded them the importance of Family Prayer and Scripture study. I
reminded them the duties of husband and wife in the home, and
encouraged them to be teachers to their children. Then I invited them
to stand up and hold right hands, then I performed the marriage. They
wanted to exchange rings so we gave them some CTR rings to use, they
exchanged them and sat down.

Then I looked at my watch and by my calculations the ocean was about to be high tide,
so I didn't even sit
down, I transferred into teaching about baptism, then all of us went
to the ocean. The ocean was beautiful and all ordinances went
smoothly. Ruoi and Maomao (who were just married) along with Teema and
Abinoa got baptized. Then we came back, had a big party lunch and
played games until the early afternoon when the car came to bring
everyone home. The next day all 4 got the Holy ghost and our two men:
Ruoi and Teema, got the Aaronic Priesthood. Speed bump to the middle
of the week. We are now teaching Teema's niece and he has become the
best member present that I have ever seen. After the lesson Teema
asks, 'Is there anything that you want me to do on Sunday?' We invited
him to bless the sacrament, and asked him if he knew the verses to
read so that he could practice. He told us from memory (we had never
told him), but then he said that his eyesight is really poor, so asked
if it was alright if he wrote it down so he could see it in bigger
font.

Skip to Sunday, we arrive and he hasn't written the prayer out
yet. We hurriedly start writing it and he whispers that we don't need to
do that. We think he's joking so we keep on frantically writing. He
whispers again that we don't need to write it out because he has
MEMORIZED it. He then said the prayer perfectly and professionally out
of memory. Wow, he's the man. Also, for that same Sunday his
motorcycle was broken so he couldn't make it to church. What does he
do? He hires the same truck we used for his baptism and brings his
whole house to church. Remember, it still hasn't been a month since
our first lesson with the guy.

Now, let's jump back to that Saturday baptism. The driver of the car
that came to pick us up and bring everyone home was a guy that I've
seen before, but don't know. We always see him driving and he waves to
us, but I've never hired his car, so never spoken to him before. I
walk up to thank him for coming and we trade your standard small talk
when he asks who the stake president in Tarawa is. That's not your
standard question for a nonmember. So I ask him if he is a member and
he says he went to the church high school in Tarawa, Moroni.  He
introduces himself as Kiritimati (Christmas). He was baptized at
school and really likes this church, but since he came back and there
was no church on the island he has gone less active and has Word of
Wisdom problems, but he really wants us to visit him. So we set up a
time and visit him on Sunday, the day after. We come, but we were a
little late and it was starting to get dark. We had other things to do
so we rescheduled and left. His family and especially his daughter get
super excited for us to come. She came to our Seminary class and
brought a Bible, and couldn't stop telling people that we were going
to come to her house (all the kids got super jealous, it was a
problem). So we visited them at the scheduled time. Kiritimati wasn't
there nor was his daughter, but his wife and a visitor were.

We made small chat for a few minutes (maybe 3 or 4) and all of a sudden the
minister flies up on his motorcycle. He comes in shouting and says'
What are you doing here' We casually answered. He marched in and
proceeded to yell at us for over an hour. The family was scared out of
their minds. He kept on asking us to never visit his people again, a
promise that we cannot keep. In the end we promised to keep on
respecting the free agency of everyone and left. The next day we ran
into Christmas. We said hello and he cutin and said that he would
visit us in our house, and asked when church was. The next day his
daughter biked to our house at 7 and repeated the question. And on
SUnday his daughter and nephew came to church. The story isn;t done
yet, but I am happy to say that even though there is persecution (and
no food) the faith of people hasn't been diminished. 'No unhallowed
hand can stop the work from progressing!' Life here is great.
Love,
Elder Morley