Buota Snorkeling

On Sat. Apr. 6, we had the opportunity to go snorkeling off our own little island.  If you drive South around the airport there is a small bay that has beautiful, crystal clear, clean water in it.  Elder Bush has been wanting to check it out for months, and we finally had a P-day that allowed us to do just that.  We stopped at a fishing store and found some masks and another store had some snorkels. The tide was just starting to come in (we timed it that way) so we walked out to the breakers and played in the waves till we got tired of getting beat, and then let the tide bring us back in. The water was perfect. We saw a few small fish and several brittle star fish. Elder Bush and Sister Cassita even jumped off the bridge when the tide came in some.  It was a great break. As soon as we got in the car it started to rain and rained most of the remaining of the day.

Elder and Sister Youngberg, Elder and Sister Bush, Sister and Elder Rasmussen, Sister Cassita

Buota Bay

P-Day

April 1, 2013
On the first Monday of each month we had combined P-day, which means the senior couples make a treat for all of the elders and sisters. Sister Bush purchased eggs and I boiled them and colored them and then we all brought cookies.  The American elders thought the colored eggs were fun, but all of the islanders could say is that they were different. 

The missionaries came about 2:00 played tennis, basketball, and volleyball, and ate all of the treats.  They left around 5:30.  They really are great kids and it is fun getting to know them and where home is. We only had the East Zone today as the West Zone was participating in a Stake activity for the holiday.  In the East Zone we have 4 Americans, 1 Australian, and the rest are islanders from Samoa, Fiji, and Kiribati.

Sister Kane (left) is from Kiribate, but Sister Tauteoli is Tongan, born and raised in Salt Lake.  She has decided her parents have denied her the island life. 

Zone Conference

     On March 19 and 21 we experienced our first Zone Conferences.  As senior missionaries we attended both as it is our responsibility to provide the lunch for all of the missionaries.  We had about 18 missionaries at each conference plus the seniors so we served 25 people each day. President Shaw, our mission president, spoke to us about the pyramid of discipleship. In the beginning we are obedient out of routine, because of the pressures of others around us.  This is much like a child being made to attend church or the routine in the MTC, of getting up at 6:30 every morning. We move from there to Selective Obedience, where we choose to keep some of the commandments some of the time, when it is convenient or meets our needs. From there we move up to being exactly obedient, which is where some missionaries are. Many of us do everything we are supposed to, but about half of the time it is because someone  is watching us, or we’re afraid of what others may think if we don’t.  At some point we hope to move to “I Know that I Know,” which is becoming more internal.  We are obedient because we know it is the right thing to do for example, we attend church every Sunday wherever we are at because it is the right thing to do.  However, the goal is for each of us to become a Disciple of Christ, which means we are obedient because we have a love of God, the Savior, and all mankind, and we want to be His servant.  The question is, “Where are we on the Pyramid of Discipleship?”

 

President Shaw teaching

Ocean Baptism

This took place in April, but just realized it had been left out.

Cutting the lock

From Elder Rasmussen: When we first arrived we were given keys to our flat; One for Sister Rasmussen and one for me. Only mine has more magic to it. It will take me almost anywhere I want to go on campus. After school hours I like to look around especially in the wood shop and the TVET lab. I have discovered if a machine stops working for some reason or another it will sit…..and sit……and sit until it is covered with rust. So sad.  About a week ago I opened a storage room which had several pieces of wood scraps, an outboard boat motor, and one of the largest bolt cutters I have ever seen. Thankfully, I remembered the bolt cutters because last evening we had a baptism at the Moroni Ward but the baptismal font was broken. They use sump pumps to drain the font and it was not working. So they decided to use the next best thing…..the ocean. Luckily, the tide was out and they knew where a nice lower spot was located to do the baptisms. Only, the gate was locked and the padlock was so rusty it wouldn’t budge. I ran and picked up the old, old, old, rusty bolt cutters and saved the day!! The gate is actually right behind our flat. Now we have a new lock on the gate and we have one of the keys. The front gate guards have the other.

Relief Society Birthday Celebration

On Sat. Mar. 16, we had our first real experience of the culture of Kiribati, the Relief Society birthday celebration.  Believe it or not the sisters here have a so called RS uniform, yellow tibuta (sibuta) or top, and a blue skirt, so it was a sea of yellow looking in the chapel at the stake center.

 We first had a spiritual meeting sharing the history of RS, and then some testimonies, but it was all in Kiribati, so I didn’t understand a word.  Elder Rasmussen and I were on the stand as new missionaries, and finally one of the brethren sitting behind me leaned forward and translated part of the last talk.  At least the songs are sung in English, but that’s because the hymn book hasn’t been translated yet. After an hour meeting we went into the maneaba, which is an open air cultural hall, for dancing and eating. It was two stakes combined so we had fourteen wards and each was assigned to do a dance.  When we went in there were some chairs set up at one end where the food was where they had all of the men and women guests sit.  Elder Rasmussen ended up front and center next to the Minister of Education, a lady who is a member of the church.  She is currently acting as the president of the country, because the president is out of town.  At first I sat on the floor with the sisters from our ward, but I didn’t last long.  Sitting cross legged with a grass skirt on doesn’t work for me yet, so I joined the women guests in the chairs. Thankfully we were the fourth group to dance and could remove the grass skirt.

 While a group is dancing it is customary for a couple of ladies to walk through the group and them with perfume and put baby powder on their feet signifying they are doing a great job.  I don’t know how good I was but I did get sprayed and my feet powdered.  I think it’s really to cut down on all the body odor from that many people sweating.  At noon they took a break and let all of the men and guests eat.  When I looked at the food, I made a quick survey as to what I dared eat.  I did eat a chicken leg, rice, squash, banana, cherry tomato, and a piece of Sister Shaw’s cake.  I stayed away from what looked like an octopus tentacle and the raw fish and other items I couldn’t identify.  It was plenty to fill me up.

 The dancing continued.  After about four dances, the dancers that just performed would grab the men and guests to dance for five or so minutes. The event did not end till 3:30 and then the women and children sitting on the floor around the maneaba were allowed to eat sitting on the floor where they were.  Interesting tradition.  I appreciate the respect they have for the men and guests, but making the women and children wait that long…… I think I’d be asking about women’s rights. But it’s their culture and who am I to interfere. Elder Rasmussen ended up dancing a lot, once with just him and the Minister of Education.  When we left the eating and dancing continued. That truly is their only form of entertainment on the island.

 I can’t remember ever being so tired, hot and sweaty.  While we were performing, the sweat was rolling down my face, and burning my eyes because of the salt.  I went for several hours without going to the bathroom.  I think I just sweated it all out.  

Principal's Conference in Auckland, New Zealand

After being in Tarawa for only 2 1/2 weeks we went back to Auckland for the Principal's conference.  This included all of the principal's in the church's South Pacific's schools and all of the ITEP (International Teacher Education Program) missionary couples. One can only get into or out of Kiribati twice a week going thru Fiji, so we left on Thurs. Feb. 28 and flew to Suva, Fiji.  Our connecting flight to Auckland wasn't until Mon. Mar. 4 so we had 4 days in Fiji.  WOW!  The first thing we did was go to the Church College of Fiji (really a high school) where we connected with two other ITEP couples, the Osborns and Johnsons. The Osborns quickly took us under their wing and became our chauffers while we were there. We were able to tour the school, go to the temple, go shopping and on Sat. we went snorkeling with the other senior couples. We truly had a great time and made some super friends.

Church College of Fiji

Suva Fiji Temple

Tappoo City Shopping Mall, Suva, Fiji

Parrot fish

Interesting starfish

We've never seen so many different kinds of coral.

Drive to South Tarawa

Elder and Sister Youngberg, the Humanitarian missionaries,
 took us for a drive to South Tarawa. We stopped at the Buota Ward
Chapel, an open air building.  It was a beautiful setting with a special spirit.
 

The chapel/cultural hall with classrooms in the back.

                              The baptismal font.

     Typical homes in Tarawa.  In South Tarawa, the

     homes are somewhat larger, and the surroundings

     are much cleaner than other parts of the island.

The roofs are made from woven pandanus leaves.    

South Tarawa Beach.  The water is much cleaner here

and we could possibly go swimming sometime.

    The old Temaiku Chapel. We have been told it is

    rat invested but we didn't go in since they were

    having a baptismal service.   

The new Temaiku chapel, almost complete.

 

                   The children along side the road.
            The kids here are the cutest and so friendly.

                                     On our way back home we came across a wedding feast.
                                              It would have been fun to stop and check it out.