Week 61 - Tarawa, Teaoraereke (Elder Parry)

hello

This week's been great, had some memorable moments.

Way stoked to hear that Joseph and Boyd received the the Melchizedek Priesthood, it's such a blessing for a family and I have learnt that more being here. 

I'm transferring :( to Abaiang on the 20th of November. I'll be district leader out there and the district consists of Elders Naurer, Hilliard, my kid (I'll be training) and I. It is an outer island, however is the closest island to Tarawa. The church is somewhat strong, they have 2 small branches. I really want an island that is just you and your companion and a challenging church unit.... but not my will, Gods will. I know I'm still going to love it out there. 

Maritaake (Teiou's brother) got baptized this week, she is 20yrs old and another girl who is way too ready for baptism, she was a Moroni High school student. The baptism I'm really looking forward to is Tiaon and Aabi's baptism on the 19th (so lucky I get to witness it). 

On the Saturday we had such a great lesson with them, the whole family sat in, Tiaon, Nei Aabi, Nei Alma (15yrs, what are the chances they named their daughter that!), Tawita (11yrs), Eri (9yrs) and Nei Ruteta (7yrs). All the children aren't quite ready for baptism as we have been concentrating on the parents so they'll be taught properly later and hopefully be baptized by their father. Anyways, the lesson was just to prepare them for the interview with the district leader, but at the end of the lesson we all shared our gratitude for the opportunity to teach/being taught. The spirit was so strong possibly the strongest I've felt in a lesson before. This family couldn't be any more ready, even when the circumstances where not in their favour. 

So yeah, that's about it for the week, we'll see what the email situation is like over there in Abaiang, if not so good. Might not email next week, so I'll see whenever :) loving it out here, sad to be leaving this area but excited for what is next!

love y'alls 

Elder Berends. 

Week 60 - Tarawa, Teaoraereke (Elder Parry & Elder Emor)

Hey Family,

Sounds like the house is coming together, but have you ever thought of getting rid of all the furniture and just sitting on the floor? Haha honestly if i get a house thats what I'm doing, it leaves so much space in a room and it looks so clean.

Anyways, I completely forgot to mention last week that Elder Grant as leaving on Thursday. So yeah Elder Grant is in Australia right now! I gave him some roles of film to take back so hopefully he can get them developed and we will see how they look.

So now its just us three, Elder Emor, Parry and I. Its a funny companionship, I love them both so much. Elder Emor is a companion I'll never forget, just so many funny situations I run into with him. And Elder Parry is the man, I'm gonna learn a lot from him.

So this week at church we had such a good turn out! 200 showed for sacrament meeting. Tiaon and Aabi are going well, but we were worried about them when their fellow shippers turned up to church with out Tiaon and Aabi. we were so worried that they weren't going to show. But just as the bishopric stood up to conduct the meeting we see them walking into the church. They had come to church all on their own. That shows to me that they are in this for real, that their testimonies are becoming their own.

so yeah next Sunday they should be interviewed for baptism and baptized on the 19 November, I just hope so bad I dont get transferred before then because I've already missed the baptism of our golden family in Kiritimati.

We have another couple coming along well, Bwatiku and Nei Patricia. They are a younger couple 22yrs and 24yrs and Patricia is pregnant due in January. We just have to get their marriage sorted out and then hopefully everything else will go good from there.

Thats about it love yall's

Elder Berends