Temaiku Week 2

Letter to Everyone:

This week has flown by!!!!! I can't believe that I have already been in Kiribati for a week and a half!

This week was insane and super awesome!!! Last P-day our district got together and played sports, it was super fun!!

Tuesday was a normal day, long and full of lessons.  I am starting to feel more comfortable sharing thoughts here and there, I know that the Lord has helped me with that.  Wednesday was our first district meeting, it was super productive and I learned a ton about how to work towards the needs of our investigators.  President Weir was there as well.  Our Lesson was on how to have more effective study, and I shared how I plan my study in 15 min increments and everyone seemed to like that idea.  After the meeting I got to meet with the president, he asked me about my family, and then asked me something that I thought was crazy.... He asked me about school!!

I told him that I wasn't sure, and he told me that he would help me figure that out before he left in July! Crazy.  That night I was a rat exterminator in training, two rats were in our kitchen and I too, a piece of two by four to try and kill it.  Before I shut all of the doors, the went after the rats the first I totally missed and it went out the window.  The second I got it's tail and it was bleeding all over the place! It too escaped....

The next morning was our service day, we cut branches and leaves with kitchen knifes, and Elder Powell cut his finger pretty bad!! We had to have the nurse come and look at it, it turned out alright, which was good!

Friday morning I got my new companion, we split Temaiku (this is the first time it is being split) and went right to work!  He has helped me out a ton!! He has helped me to know that through trials, I learn how to be stronger.

Saturday we had our first Baptism that was super cool to experience, our chapel is the newest one on Tarawa, so we actually have a font.

We do a lot of work trying to find less actives and referrals so we are keeping busy.

Sunday was fast Sunday, it was rough but good.  I got to bless the sacrament in Kiribati with Elder Seguine, that was a really cool experience.  We were planning on fasting until our dinner appointment, but our afternoon lesson insisted we ate.  I was very grateful.  

This morning we woke up at four fifteen and we were picked up by the zone leaders so that the zone could hike to this broken bridge and take pictures it was so cool! We got to walk through the water at one point to get to a part of the island that is only accessible by walking in the water up to your belly.  It was so hard not to swim!! Its was really fun though!!


Letters to Mom and Dad:
Mauri!!!

I'm glad that everyone liked the pictures that I sent of me doing the magic for the kids! They all love it, and whenever they see me they ask me to see the trick again!! haha.  The stupid mosquitos are fast little suckers so I never see them, just the results of them drinking my blood!! XD

The food is amazing!!! Just a couple nights ago we had raw tuna barely cooked in lemon juice and mixed in with coconut cream and put on top of rice.  It was literally one of the greatest things ever!! It's completely different seeing the missionaries back home, and actually living the life of one. I have loved every minute so far! 

 My companion is awesome, he works me hard, which is good, I told him that I am willing to work as hard as he needs me.  We get along pretty well.  I'm still getting to know him but he fenced in high school which is pretty sweet.  He wants me to participate in some way every lesson, it's tough but really good.  He has the language down super good and explains things in a simple way.  

I haven't really gotten sick at all from the food just the first couple of nights.  I wish I knew how to cook more things, especially some of the dishes that people make for us.  When I get a little better at the language I will ask them to teach me.  

There are so many people to teach, and so many faithful members in Temaiku.  We have already had one baptism, and have two more dates set up. 

I'm glad that everyone is doing good at home.  Tell everyone that I love them and that I am praying about everyone and their trials.

Christmas, just get me anything, one thing that I do want if it is possible is a waterproof camera, I almost dropped mine in the water, and a solar panel charger.  those would probably be the most helpful, but if you can't it's no big deal. 

I wish I could have finished the conferences before I left for my mission, but it's okay.  I'm glad that they helped you out.  I was feeling a little home sick the other day and I prayed a lot and asked Elder Seguine for a blessing, he then gave me three talks, all about how we can be strengthened by the atonement, and that trials are made to help us become stronger, and it is only through the atonement in which we can do that.  Keep reading, I think that one thing that could help the family is praying together more, and reading the scriptures everyday.

It's been really tough, but I have already learned so much while I have been here, It's going to be tough but I know that as I work hard and put my trust in the Lord everything will all work out alright.

I love you dad, Love your son,

Elder Johnson