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