Week 59 - Tarawa, Teaoraereke (Companion: Elder Parry)

So its been a great week, our baptism was really good, Tebwebwe, her daughter Maggie and nephew Roteta got baptized as well as Ueen, Aborina, Rotikate and Kaaremwa. And all the other children in the photo are just child of records (Children who have just turned 8), so there was a lot of white. President and Sister Larkin flew in on Friday and it was good to have them at our baptism. It was one of the best baptisms I've had, lots of member support and just a really spiritual experience for all who attended.

Tiaon & Aabi... GOLD.

So this Sunday Tiaon, his wife, Aabi and 3 of their kids came to church and stayed all three hours! I'm really proud of them, that cant of been an easy thing for them. First of all they live in a area that is very strong catholic (they have to walk past the biggest catholic building in Tarawa to get to church). Also I was talking to bishop and he was very surprised to see him at church because of things he's done in the past, so obviously there is gossip about him (something that cannot be avoided in a society like this). So was a big step for that family, and they were fellow-shipped really well.

To answer your questions about the outer islands, the West zone looks after Makin, Butaritari, Marakei and Abaiang... anything north of Tarawa. And there is reliable communication in Abaiang and Marakei but Butaritari can be a hassle to get a hold of, and they do not take part in zone conferences. They are out there all by themselves until they get a transfer and if there is anything they need to know, we tell them over the phone. And zone conferences happen whenever President is in town. but no conference this week.

And the sisters in my district have a favour, they want a shout out in my blog so shout out to sisters Lee, Tutuila, Heni, Beria.

And for a parcel, please put more 400 speed film in there, spare white shirts for investigators, please find some dope ties (I need to step up my tie game, Elder Parry is destroying me). maybe chuck in the other lens for my pentax, I think its like 35-70mm and that's all I can think of.

So that's about it.

Happy anniversary! cool to hear Rhys is going for school captain and that y'all gonna meet Vaughan's girl... awkward for mum and dad, hahah  

love y'all,

Elder Berends

Week 58 - Tarawa, Teaoraereke (Companion: Elder Parry)

Email Dated: 24/10/2016

My companion Elder Parry did arrive from Kiritimati! Elder Parry arrived in Tarawa Thursday. I actually got to work with him for a day in Kiritimati so we are already good friends, he's from Idaho and I'm really excited to work with him. 

Tebwebwe and family did not get baptized because of women problems... but will be baptized next week with Karemwa, Aborina, Rotikate and Ueen. So it'll be a big baptism next week. Utara's marriage paper is ready to go so once he is married he'll be baptized but right now he is a little busy, his wife is in the hospital giving birth! So it's all very exciting. 

We also had some one new at church this week, our investigator Tiaon! He is so legit we teach him and his wife Nei Aabi. They have 5 kids and I'm really feeling good about them. I remember when we first met them we were actually looking for a referral so we approached their house to ask them if they knew the referral. They didn't but they invited us in for a drink, so did we got to know them, found out that they were already married (which makes our life so much easier), don't really have any specific religion (so rare in Kiribati) and were willing to listen to our message. Those circumstances have so much potential so really excited for them. 

Yes we did watch conference in Kiribati, and what I got from conference was that the Book of Mormon is so important, I felt a lot was talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ (faith, repentance, baptism...) and I really liked the talk in Priesthood session, I think it was Holland's. we talked a lot about home teaching, which is something that Kiribati needs right now with all the less actives. The lessons I learnt from conference have really helped with my teaching especially using the Book of Mormon to teach the gospel.

And its alright we get the magazine with all the conference talks anyway and I actually have a USB with all my photos from Tarawa that i could send, however I've lost all my photos from the MTC and Kiritimati because of the sketchy computers here :( But a lot of my Kiritimati photos are from Elder Millers camera anyway so I'm just gonna ask him to put up all the photo's on google drive.

So our zone consisted of Sister's Lee, Tutuila, Tuilotolava, Bibinibeia, Manu, Heni, Beria, Sua and Elder's Hoskins, Herr, Emor, Grant, and Parry. Then we have Elders Bataua, Curren, Osborne, Schoeny, Jim, Darm, Naurer, Hilliard on our outer islands. I feel like all are working really well with each other and getting some good work done. 

As for a trasnsfer coming up soon... I have no clue, there is a lot of talk that I will be transferred because I've been ZL for a while but when I first moved to ZL President Weir he wanted me here for all the big intakes which means to the end of the year, but we have a new President now so who knows. But I feel like my work here in Teaoraereke 2nd ward is not done... But that's what i felt about Kiritimati. 

So that's about it.

Love Elder Berends. 

Week 57 - Tarawa, Teaoraereke (Companion: Elder Grant)

Hey,

Photo provided by Elder & Sis Jenks

This week has been absolutely crazy because the new intake came in 3 days late and it messed up all the flights, but we did figure it all out and it was just making it all happen. So us zone leaders are a 40 min drive from the airport while the others are 20 mins away from the airport but because there was so much going on the other zone leaders didn't have enough room in their house so we took care of some of the transfer as well. We had Elders Schoeny, Haycock, Morphonios, Osborne and Miller stay with us until their flights. We had a couple of close calls getting them to the airport on time which was stressful but we got them all to their outer islands. But I'm so glad that the transfer is done... almost. My new companion, Elder Parry, and 2 other elders are stuck in Christmas. 

On top of all the this I had to train a district on Wednesday and give a talk on Sunday, to be honest its been fun. My training was all about the Book of Mormon and using it effectively. like here in Kiribati everyone believes the bible so its really fun for us missionaries to be able to prove any other religion wrong with the book they themselves believe, I too am guilty. But after conference there was a lot said about the BOM. So I encouraged all the missionaries to let BOM verses take priority while teaching restored doctrines. This way we are not just weakening their faith in their own belief but converting them to the restored church and strengthening their faith in Jesus Christ. 

And my talk, i translated a story titled "find me" from Dads red book full of talks and church stuff. It was about this guy sharing his experience from the pre-mortal life. he was given a letter with details about his life on earth and it said he was going to be born to parents from the church, and then his best friends letter said that he was not. So when it came to go to earth, his friend told him to find him. That's the jist of it... but I talked about how we may have promised certain people that we would find them in this life and bring them to the truth so I encouraged the ward to remember their baptismal covenants and be a disciple of Christ. so yeah fun week.

And the whole Facebook thing, I'm glad that it helps the parents. One recommendation, however, from what I've seen is all the Elders are bringing way to much stuff that just never gets used, especially considering when they go to outer islands they can only take 15 kg, and everything else stays in Tarawa. So the best thing and most useful thing I brought was my backpack. And the only things I use regularly is white shirts and pants. I've never had to worry about medicine (100% supplied by the mission) and garments (can get them way cheap here).

So our area is actually going really well right now, we have 8 baptismal dates, Tebwebwe and family are getting baptized this week except for the husband he's going to need more time and tebwebwe has been waiting long enough. All the other baptismal daters are between the ages of 16-20yrs they are all either living with members just for school or already have family who are members, except for this one 40+ year old lady, Nei Ueen. 

They are all ready and really legit and I love them all, but I want to be working with families and especially potential priesthood holders. Right we do have families but they are so much harder, but we'll pray harder and fast longer. 

We have this 1 couple Tiaon and Aabi, who are progressing slowly but we just started bring members to the lessons and I feel really good about them. There is also this other 28yr old man that we are teaching and he is doing really good, his wife is a member and they come to church every week so once we get them married he should be baptized. so we do have a couple families right now but families take time while the 16-20yr olds are just so ready here on Tarawa we can get them baptized with in 3-4weeks. 

So yeah i like whats happening with our area right now!  so thats it for now

love Elder Berends

Week 56 - Tarawa, Teaoraereke (Companion: Elder Grant)

Email dated: 10/10/2016


So this P-day I've decided to reply to all those other friends that email me so I'll make my family email a short one, sorry...

But as I promised last week I'll share the funny story.

The District

So while the AP's (Assistants to the President) where in Tarawa they went on splits with us. Elders Emor, Hunter (AP) and I worked together.

So we have an investigator who is having lessons behind her fathers back, even thought she is 20 yrs old the culture is that you have permission from family if you are going to do such a thing as being taught in a different religion.

So our plan for that day was to just visit the father because she was scaried to tell him herself. So we talked to him and he said he would think about it, so I then asked if he would listen to our message and he said go teach my wife and children. So we had a really good leason about the Godhead, prayer and I introduced the Book of Mormon. At the end I ask if we could come back again, they said they will hear from the father.

So any way right as we closed in prayer Elder Emor said to me in his broken english, "I need to go bathroom" so me and Hunter said our final words but we weren't quick enough Elder Emor had ran away.

So we looked around and we eventually found him in a toilet guarded by a security guard, he told us he was in there. So we waited a little and then he came out and said, "we go to the house, I pood my garments" it was so funny, what was even funnier the poo smelt like the ice cream from the night before. so I'm pretty sure he is lactose intolorent and he doesn't even know it.

So yeah that's the story. We did have a baptism, was a 22 year old girl living with our bishop, and yes the family baptism is postponed, they are now married just trying to get the husband ready for baptism.

Yes, the new missionaries from the MTC did not come we were all at the airport waiting for them and was shocked when no one got off. It messed up a lot of flight tickets we had bought but they should be coming to day.

life is good

Love Elder Berends

Week 55 - Tarawa, Teaoraereke (Companion: Elder Grant)

Hey Family,

Right, I'm emailing from an Internet cafe, the internet is not fast enough for photo's so you'll have to wait till next week. 

If the translating is done we should be watching general conference next Sunday.

So this week has been an eventful one. President was on the island for a week with the AP's, Elders Peeti and Hunter. So while they where around we had a zone conference, all missionaries on Tarawa attended. Lucky we didnt have to present anything, just presentations from Elder Peeti, Hunter and President Larkin. 

Elder Peeti gave really good training on being bold but not over bearing, and the best way to do that is follow the promptings of the spirit and not cutting it off. Definitely a skill I have learnt/learning while on my mission especially being in leadership. Anyways walked out of that conference with a motivation to be bold and hopefully not to be over bearing.

So later that day we did splits and worked with Elder Emor, we visited our investigator Tebwebwe, she had just got back from the KUC (Kiribati United Church) headquarters. So while a ago we were talking and i had mentioned that i really liked the bibles the KUC ministers have, they are black leather, have gold on them like the quad combinations and have a zip... so real fancy, but only can be purchased at the KUC headquarters. so after that she tried to go and

get one for me with out telling me, thats why she was at the KUC. However, she was unsuccessful. she told me the first time she tried to enter the KUC she was told to leave because she was wearing pants. so she went home, put on a skirt, went back, was aloud to enter, but when she tried to purchase the bible she was told she didn't have a good enough reason to buy one.

So when we visited she told me what that she was going to buy bible for me but was unsuccessful, so she gave us the money and told us to go buy it our selves. at first i was like, heck no those bibles are expensive and im pretty we'll be chased out on the KUC if we try to enter. but in the end she convinced me to do it.

So we went forth with faith and courage, not fearing Man more than God (defitination of being Bold) and enter the KUC compound. we asked security where to buy the bible, they all had surprised looks on their faces but they pionted us to the building. while walked to the building a minister asked us what we where doing, we replied "we are here to buy a bible" and just kept walking like we were meant to be there.

we walked into the building, it seemed to be a printing room where they print their church materials. their where about 9 ladies in that room and they all stopped their work and stared at us, you could tell what they were thinking by their faces. but i asked if i could buy the fancy black bible and they sold me one with out any questions asked, it was as if they refused to confront me or even talk to me. but Elder Emor and I got away with a nice new bible.

so yeah thats one story and there is actually one other story that happened this week but ill type that up next week.

we also had a baptism this week, Nei Kamaawa. she was a referal from Tekabutara (was baptized 2 weeks ago). was really good i really like how fellowship went with her, she was followshipped by Tekabutara, Kameri (recent converts) and this really cool couple, Kaong and Aribeta. so all these come to church together like a family its really cool to see. after the baptism we all went to Kaong's and Aribeta's house for dinner, was really fun.

we have some cool families right now and im realy trying hard to help them all because far in this area we have had success with 16yrs-25yrs old individuals, and even though they are all solid recent converts, eternal families are what we want. we are gettig really close with Tebwebwe's family, The fast for her partner, Tabomao, seems to have payed off and we have started teaching them all as a whole family. They are going to be married this Thursday, and before Tebwebwe and her kids were going to be baptized on the 8th of october, but now that Tabomao is investigating we are going to put it off for a little and see how he goes because Tebwebwe really want to be baptized as a family. it all really realy exciting and i love this family so much!

So that's about it for now. I love you all

Love Elder Berends