Week 54 - Tarawa, Teaoraereke (Companion: Elder Grant)

Hey,

So sorry I didn't email last week the internet got shut down before I got a chance and I wont have time right now to email much because I gotta leave for the airport in 40 mins to pick up a sister missionary who just got back from her visa appointment In Fiji. So she'll be working in Kiribati until she gets her visa for where ever she is going.

So these last 2 weeks has been pretty slow as Elder Grant and I got sick. I was only sick for 2 days but Elder Grant has been sick for over a week now, so the work has slowed down. However the baptisms of Omeri and Nei Tekabutara went really well. We had our old bishop/new stake president baptize Omeri and a YSA from our ward, Marako, baptize Tekabutara., it was very special for them both to have them baptized by those members. we also had 2 investigators at the baptism Kamaawa and Tebwebwe so that was really good for them to see that.

To help the work keep going we ave been taking advantage of having 3 missionaries in this area, Elders Grant, Emor and I. Almost every day Marako has been coming on splits with us and its been really great. He's a really good guy, just put in his papers and waiting for his call, I cant wait to see where he goes.

Our investigators are going well, Tebwebwe is amazing, shes already up to Alma in the book of Mormon. Her marriage papers are in so she'll be married and baptized by the 8th of October hopefully, it will be her and daughter being baptized but we are trying so hard to get the husband involved, he's a great guy, I've talked to him a couple of times but he's an alcoholic and Tebwebwe really wants him to stop. So yesterday we fasted with her for her husband.

Got a couple of new investigators and they are all potential complete families which we are really excited about. Nei Kamaawa will be baptized this Saturday she's a referral from Nei Tekabutara so its good to see recent converts then introducing their friends to the gospel.

So my Birthday was chill, Wednesday was surprised by my zone with cake and then in the middle taking photos with the cake your parcel arrived! Sister Jenks (senior missionary) just walks in and hands me the box so its a miracle it came a day before my birthday. Thursday was just normal day work, nothing special just birthday wishes from other missionaries, didn't tell anyone from the ward so was no celebrations and on Friday was given another cake by the sister training leaders so had plenty of cake. I actually ended taking that cake to members the day after my birthday and they got pretty mad that they weren't informed, but all well next time ;p

So that's about it thanks for the birthday wishes,

Love Elder Berends.

Week 52 - Tarawa, Teaoraereke (Companion: Elder Grant)

Good morning,

That's cool to hear that you got to chat with the Larkin's and yes there is some challenges in our Zone, but are on their way to being solved. But other than those few problems, our zone is doing really well! I did get a chance to talk to the whole Zone on Wednesday about using members while teaching. Our Zone is still going really well however, some areas need more encouragement so we are going to go on splits and work with those needing help.

The baptism did not go through, because of women problems... Kiribati people describe it as crashing into the moon, hahaha. but Nei Tekabutara and Omeri will be baptized next week!

also we were meant to have Tebwebwe and her child be baptized next week as well, however, while filling out her baptism form we found out she was not yet married to her partner... for some reason we thought she had but no. So we talked about helping them get married and here in Kiribati you either pay $3 to the government then wait 21days before you can get married, or, pay $50 you could get married straight away. and Nei Tebwebwe is just so legit, she really wants to get baptized so bad, it looks like she's going to drop $50! the crazy thing is we only started teaching her on the 21st of August and as soon as we taught her word of wisdom she quit smoking, cut down her weed plant in their garden (so yeah, just found out that marijuana has made it to Kiribati) and has been so faithful even when her youngest 1 year old child got really sick, she left the hospital on the other side of Tarawa just to come to church!

So, if they get married she'll be baptized on the 24th. but right now i really want to help her husband, Tabomoa. he's a bit of an alcoholic and Nei Tebwebwe really want him to stop. I met him on Friday and he's a really nice guy, i invited him to sit in our lesson on Sunday, but when we showed up he was drunk... so maybe another time.

Nei Emi, has still not climbed the wall of baptism, dont really know what more we can do except for getting her a Book of Mormon in Japanese.

as for stories for your talk in Sacrament meeting... we've been asked to cast away devils a couple of times, so thats something you dont get to do every day, but not sure how you can relate that to a gospel topic. how about that thing we talked about last week about missionary work here and in the spirit world, thats pretty interesting.

thats about it from me... those photos i was meant to send last week they ar in google drive right now.

Love Elder Berends

Week 51 - Tarawa, Teaoraereke (Companion: Elder Grant)

Mauri, 

So sounds like Dads gonna break a bone mountain biking, haha. And for the m&m's that was a request from a sister missionary from NZ, so I don't know really what they are. And for the tie's flowers, plain, thin but not to skinny, just anything (Elder Berends' Birthday Request). 

This week has been pretty cruzy, no crazy things happened being a Zone Leader, missionaries are behaving. In fact missionaries at least in our district have been working so hard, we've been setting goals for our district to hit 55 member present lessons a week just between our three companionship so that's about 18 each and we have been killing it, now we just need to get the other Districts in our Zone concentrating on their member presents and we could be hitting over 100 member present lessons in our Zone. From this effort of using the ward members has definitely made a difference in the amount of investigators coming to church and should really help recent converts stay faithful. So that's what we will be talking about in our Zone meeting on Wednesday.  

Okay so investigators... Teannaki and Rerei are soooo faithful they are definitely some of our best investigators, however, Rerei has still not divorced with her ex-husband, therefore can not get married to Teannaki until she gets divorced. And to make things worse, her ex-husband is in Tamana, an island very far away without any any missionaries and hates the church... so i hope Teannaki and Rerei just keep being faithful until we get that sorted out.

Also Emi has hit a wall she thinks baptism is this huge massive step that will take several months for her to take, and it is a big scary step considering that her family all back home are Buddhist. 

We have some baptisms coming up, Tebwebwe and her daughter Maggie should make it for the 17th and this Saturday the 10th Omeri and Tekabautara are getting baptized.

And i guess I'll share a little about my thoughts of missionary work so far. So far its like I've lost all concept of time and the outside world. like it doesn't feel like I've been out very long or for a short amount of time. More like this is just how life is now... Missionary work. I read this thing in the Liahona how missionaries come back home and miss the feelings that they felt being a missionary, and its because they are no longer fully consumed in the service of others. they now have worry about themselves again, work, school, money, family, etc. But as a missionary you don't worry about your self much at all, your thoughts are always about you investigators, your ward your members. you are constantly thinking outward and not inward. its an amazing thing, even when you're sick and tired you still want to put that aside for the benefit of others. And because of that determination to help others and God you feel the most fulfilling happiness and joy you could possibly feel. So yeah, not looking forward to that day I have to take off that badge and leave this beautiful place.  

And I'm sorry for my lack of detail in my emails, something that ive noticed about languages is that I'm not yet good at using them, even when speaking english i dont feel very literate. so when i get home I'm definitely going to be reading some books. 

alright love yous

Elder Berends