nanobwi

Mauri ngkami 

Kam na tekeraoi n te Kiritimati!!

This last week one of our progressing investigators' husband came back to the island so we can finally teach them as a couple next week. We also had cake at a Christmas party we held in Rawannawi in the chapel.

Oh and I got to Skype my family!! It was awesome to see you all, obviously I am sad its over but the work must continue. Baby Bianca was very cute, Genna you look great for 7 months pregnant (the Kiribati lady on the call called you botonaine- beautiful), Seattle and KJ it was good to see you and hear your voices, Nairne get a haircut (kiss, keep it simple stupid. Hurts my feelings every time), Mom and Dad I miss you, Addison keep on keeping on. Grandpa and Grandma keep it up you both are legendary - Great to see you Hunter family it was a nice surprise.

Mosiah 14:6 - All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.

Word of the week: nanobwi- competitive (shocking that that word came up....)

Tiabo ngkami,

Elder Farner

Hey everyone!

6 months out and that was quick. Hopefully I will get to skype this week. Our branch had its Christmas party on last Friday because there will be a lot going on the coming weekend in the villages. We got on the car at 3:45 and ended up picking everyone up and getting back at 6 ish.... it ran pretty late.. Elder Scholle and I opened up the dancing by freestyling, then doing the dance where one person fishes for the other. Then I did the classic canoeing on the ground. Everyone was laughing pretty good I think, not too sure because I was in the zone.

Moral:  Don't take life too seriously- otherwise you'll just be stressed.

That doesn't mean, however, that we can be lax in our obedience to our covenants, but it does mean we can choose how we feel about keeping them. Our attitude is our choice- are we going to complain or are we going to be grateful for the opportunity to grow. Something i have been subconciously learning I think.

Anyway, enjoy your Christmas Eve and Happy Birthday MOM!!!!!

Elder Farner

kuia

Mauri ngkami!

This last week was awesome! We got to do service twice! So usually when we offer service to people they reject, I am pretty sure its because in the culture we are guests on the island so they don't want to make us do work but finally someone accepted! We helped split coconuts open. I am way out of shape.

Moving on, we also had a pretty cool small miracle. We were biking back at night to come home and my comp's bike tire just popped or something because his tire was very flat. So we walked back for a while then got home. Turns out, the ward secretary for some odd reason just left his bike at the chapel, so we borrowed it the next morning to buy a new inner tube, and then the secretary just let us borrow his bike the whole day. Nothing huge, but just a small little gift that the bike was there, because I don't think the secretary has ever done that before.

Scripture for you all:

Alma 25:17- And now behold, Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner, and Himni, and their brethren did rejoice exceedingly, for the success which they had had among the Lamanites, seeing that the Lord had granted unto them according to their prayers, and that he had also verified his word unto them in every particular.

The Lord will, in His own time, fulfill every promise in every particular. We just need the patience and perseverance to hold on until that time.

Miss you all, have a great week!

Elder Farner

P.S. word of the week: kuia, which means driftwood

Taneti Mwamwau

Mauri ngkami!

This last week the Marakei Island Council turned 50 years old! It was a big deal, the President of Kiribati, Taneti Mwamwau, came to the island for a day. We had a huge party and there was some traditional Kiribati dances which were pretty crazy. There were probably like 2000 people in attendance, which is like 2/3rds of the island's population. I shook hands with the president of Kiribati.

Last night a member's son returned home from serving his mission in Papua New Guinea, we were able to have dinner with them and talk to the Elder about his mission. He got back the day after the President left and we told him that he missed Taneti Mwamwau but he thought we said Thomas Monson. He put his hands to his head and said "What? Really?" and he looked sad that he missed him. We corrected him and laughed but the message from that was that we should really be more grateful that we have a Prophet on the earth today. We are guided and corrected by God, our Father, through his Prophet.  That's a pretty cool fact that we take for granted I think.

I hope you all have a great Christmas season and that you are all healthy and well. I am still alive and we should start teaching a really cool family this week so there is the Christmas gift!

Alma 7:11-12: 

"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities."

Love,

Elder Farner