Home in less than a month

(from a texting conversation with Elder Farner)

Not a great connection today. It is not very sunny and the island is still short on gas so the solar powered cell tower and the backup generators are useless.  I was finally able to get a haircut however so that is a positive.

I have a new companion, Elder C, from Hawaii.  He is a solid missionary and he's getting used to our area which is bigger now that the other set of missionaries were transferred.  He also brought with him the package you sent. Thanks!

We do a lot of biking.  In one week I figured we did about 160 miles.  Yesterday we talked to a guy named R.  I know his son from one of my previous areas which was cool.  He is our main focus now.

Frankenstein

Hey Everyone,

Sorry it’s been a while... just getting distracted talking with my family and haven’t sent out a general email.

So last week was a lesson about the importance of maintaining.  Both our bikes lost their ball bearings, but luckily our Mission president came out and brought the parts with him.  We were ready to go!...and then we tried to unscrew the pedal to get to the bearings to replace them and due to the rust we continued to try...for the rest of the day.  The next morning we finally fixed one but the other wouldn’t unscrew, so we had to use another old bike frame and Frankenstein it back together.

Spiritual lesson:  Don’t let your testimonies rust over.  Periodically check them and you will save yourself a lot of grief, frustration and worry.

Doctrine and Covenants Section 10 verse 5:

“Pray always, that you will come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan, that do uphold his work.”

Elder Farner

Abaiang

Elder Farner was transferred to Abaiang  (Abaiang means "the land to the north"); this is the only outer island that has Sister missionaries on it and there are a total of 4 missionaries serving there. The Elders serve in the tips of the island and the Sisters serve in the middle of the island.

His new companion is Elder Wright from Spanish Fork, Utah and he has been out on his mission since January 2018.  They bike about 20 miles a day and live at the hotel.  He has a thin mattress to sleep on but doesn't use it as he says it is like lying on an oven, so he just sleeps on a mat.

In this new area Elder Farner communicates via text on a phone borrowed from a member.  He is doing well and heads home on June 13th, 2019.

3.3.19

Hey Everyone,

So apparently I am being transferred this week, not sure yet where to, but I will find out on Wednesday.  Pretty surprising as this has been the fastest area I have been in since my first area  Going on the number 8...  It will be an interesting change, especially this late in my mission.

We had an investigator come to church!!!!! He walked a good distance to get there too!  We will follow up with him on Tuesday but it was cool that he came!

As of Friday this coming week, my intake (group) will be the oldest intake in the mission, which is weird, time continues to move along.

Hope you all are doing well!
Love,
Elder Farner

Te Kawai aw Boou

So I am working in Te Kawai ae Boou ("The road which is new"= new road). It is near the airport but is actually a really trashy road, lots of potholes and it is just a dirt road. We just went to random houses asking if people wanted lessons... We have like 14 potential investigators which is awesome- hoping they pan out this week

Still on Tarawa, still in the East Zone (every time I have been transferred to Tarawa I have worked in the East zone) My companion is Elder Gutierrez, he has been out for 5 months, from Utah, nice, patient guy- never complains.

Have a great week!
Elder Farner

I tangiringkami ao ti a manga kaitibo rimwi!

SOOOO..... Another bout of chicken pox has struck the house of Eita wherein I reside and so my companion has it and he cannot leave until he heals so that he does not infect everyone.... Which means if I want to go out to work I have to split with the other missionaries in my house.... All is good though, the work is tough still but I am used to it by now... haha I bet that I will be eating some humble pie after making that declaration.

I tangiringkami ao ti a manga kaitibo rimwi!

The flood actually wasn't as bad as I anticipated, everyone returned to normal like the next day...But some of the outer islands were hit pretty hard, and that is why they sent out the supplies. I had dinner with the guy that organized most of the efforts to obtain the supplies and he bore testimony of it on the following Sunday..

That's all from here this week. Transfers should be known by next Monday as to whether I will be staying or going so we will see.

Tiabo

tekeraoi ngkami

Crazy week this last week. On Wednesday we felt some of the effects of the cyclone that is near Fiji. It rained for like 14 hours straight, and most of the time it rained HARD. I went with an elder from my house in the afternoon to check up on some people in the pouring rain and some of the people’s houses were flooded like knee deep. But instead of crying and complaining about how hard life can be and how terrible it was.... We walked up to their house and a lady was sitting on an inner tube inside her house just relaxing and another lady was using the flood water to clean the windows! These people are the best!!!!!!

Other than that I am working on a map for our area- it is pretty fun. 

Time is flying by. Sorry for not emailing last week, the email places were full. 

We had 2 investigators come to a baptism to watch with us, so that was cool.

A theme of sacrifice has come up in this last week:

1. Liahona article about Mary and how here life completely changed- it wasn't her will but she did it anyway
2. Jeffrey R. Holland talk about "Remember Lot's wife"
3. In Church we talked about the Rich Young Ruler

The Lord requires a lot of us IF we want to be exalted. If we want to just kick back and do our own thing then we can, and we won't receive the training and experience necessary to qualify for exaltation.
Helaman 10- Nephi gets rejected so much but he grows a lot closer to God and receives many blessings.

tekeraoi ngkami!

Elder Farner

Photos from our call on Christmas

Eita

So I was supposed to leave Christmas on Wednesday last week but it got cancelled and rescheduled for Thursday morning.  We woke up at 3:30am to go to the airport; when we arrived, we found out it was delayed so we went and ate breakfast.  After we ate we returned to the airport, got on the plane and left.  When we landed it was the afternoon in Fiji. So we hustled onto the  next plane and everyone got all of their stuff stowed away and we were all seated when we were told that the flight would be cancelled so we would need to get off and stay at a hotel paid for by the airport. So we all got off the airplane and waited for like an hour for our hotels to be scheduled and then like another hour for the shuttle to come. Then we got to the hotel (oh and forgot to mention that our flight coincided with the 12 new missionaries coming from the MTC, and a missionary who was a Kiribati person who was returning home from Papua New Guinea, and a member I haven't seen in a while from Temwaiku named Irate so they were all with us) and stayed the night, and then got up at 2:45 in the morning to go back to the airport. Then we got on the plane after going through security and flew to Tarawa where we then were taken to our areas.

I am working in Eita 2nd with Elder Preisler. He will be a great companion. I am his back-up trainer. Eita is the first place on Tarawa that a unit was established in all of Kiribati in 1975. So the ward functions really well. The Bishop's name is Mwea and he is awesome and I know that this area will be great. I have seen so many people over the past few days that I have seen and met over my last year in Kiribati.
It turns out that the night I got in to Tarawa I had dinner with the RM from Papua's family because he lives in my area and we had a scheduled dinner with him, and I have seen his dad before because he came to Temwaiku once to do a training.

So basically God has a large complex plan, but it really isn't complex to Him, and we are given a non-complex basic plan to follow (the Gospel), and in doing so we make these great connections that cannot be doubted as to the hand of God working. It really was a crazy travel but way fun looking back and way awe-inspiring.

I kaotia bwa I tangiringkami ao I taku bwa banen au tai e na waekoa n roko.

Tiabo

Elder Farner

Bwaketi

I am doing good, found out that my companion and I will both be going back to Tarawa on Wednesday, but I think our area will still be open which is good. I don't know where I will be going or who I will be serving with, I just know I am going back to Tarawa on Wednesday.

One  person that was really progressing here was Bwaketi (buh-kess) who came to church, and his wife came this time, which hasn't happened at all in the last 2 months, so he should be getting baptized soon, which would be awesome!

So life goes on, can't believe I first came to Christmas Island like 5 months ago. Time goes by fast.

I will let you know next week where I am at and who I am with!

Elder Farner

A pile of salt

Elder Menzie

Hey everyone.

Today I think I will share some of what the senior missionary Elder Menzie spoke about at our Sacrament meeting yesterday.

He said that when he used to be a Bishop he wanted to schedule interviews with his members to invite them to repent or change, but he would get the impression from the Spirit that he should instead tell them that God loves them. John 3:16- for God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son

Sacrifice is something that both God and Jesus Christ can ask of us because they have already gone through the ultimate sacrifice themselves. A Father sacrificing His Son and a Son sacrificing himself.  God is our loving Heavenly Father. That’s the title of the first doctrinal principle that we are meant to teach as missionaries. First thing we need to know.

Have a great week

Love you all,

Elder Farner

Banana II

Hey Everyone!

Well this past week has been interesting. The area I am serving in is very unique in that it is a very large geographic area but doesn't really have that many people that live within its boundaries. Oh and its called Banana.... so yeah that is interesting

This coming week we have a district conference and we will be doing a Kiribati dance which will be interesting.

Area next to my house

Also our house is probably 100 sq ft. So basic living. Good practice for college life....

My house

Tiabo,

Elder Farner

Well water before bleach tablet

Well water after bleach tablet

Banana

I am working in Banana now which is an interesting place.

So we have 5 Zone Leaders in our mission. There are three zones, 2 on Tarawa and one on Christmas. There are 2 companionships of zone leaders on Tarawa and only me with my comp (who isn't a zl). Plus we only have 4 companionships in this zone and have no district leader so its basically just a district out here. 

My new is Elder F is from Hawaii but he is actually Samoan. He played in March Madness and stuff for University of Hawai'i so he is pretty good at basketball. He has been out since January.

Fiji

*Elder Farner is 'typing' his emails from an old cell phone (the kind that have multiple characters per number) so his emails are quite short - the following entry is a combination of the last two emails we have received:

August 12, 2018

Mauri Ngkami. Cant talk much because I have to go to a meeting right now. I am now a Zone Leader and we are going to be having a meeting with Elder Nattress of the Seventy in like 40 minutes. Still will be working in Christmas and will be leaving Tarawa next Monday so I may not be able to email

Love you all

Elder Farner

P.S. Give my condolences to Brother and Sister Urey, "Ma and Pa"

Sorry to hear that.

August 19, 2018

In Fiji right now. Going back to Christmas, let everyone know, gotta be quick.

Tiabo
Elder Farner

E na bwakara

Sorry everyone for the lack of blogs in recent months as things have been a bit crazy.

So first the house. Up until about 3 weeks ago I have been living in a stick house with a leaky roof made of woven coconut leaves. So when our mission president came, he contracted a new roof to be put on. So about 2 weeks ago we were approached on the street and told that we should gather our stuff and move it because they were going to start replacing the roof.  So we were doing that and our new mission couple showed up;  Elder and Sister Menzie from Tasmania. Way nice people.  Anyway, we moved into the house for Elders in London and have been living there for almost 2 weeks and today just moved back in to our house.

Also on August 13-15th we are having a mission tour where Elder Nattress is coming to Tarawa so on Aug 8th we are all flying to Fiji and then back to Tarawa on the 9th. Then on the 22nd we are coming back (some of us may stay on Tarawa). So that should be interesting.

Investigator pool is starting to increase.

A little about my comp:  Elder Anani from Samoa. His father used to be a Methodist minister but then converted. Elder Anani is turning 21 next month which is a big deal in the culture. He is hilarious.

Things are going well enough. Not perfect but, hey, e na bwakara (it'll have to do)

Tekeraoi

The mission president arrived and things are going well with him. We are going to go on a split with him on Tuesday. He leaves on Wednesday.

So Kiribati celebrates their independence on Thursday the 12th because that is when they separated from Australia or something like that. 1979, July 12th.

What that translates is to a large amount of alcohol and lots of business going on so it may be an interesting week. Also we were previously working two areas but the other area got taken over by our Zone Leader so our teaching pool is way small now. These coming weeks shall be rebuilding weeks.

We all interviewed with President and he shared D&C 100:1-8 with all of the missionaries. He told us to read it and insert our names in it. 

1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my friends Sidney and Joseph, your families are well; they are in mine hands, and I will do with them as seemeth me good; for in me there is all power.

2 Therefore, follow me, and listen to the counsel which I shall give unto you.

3 Behold, and lo, I have much people in this place, in the regions round about; and an effectual door shall be opened in the regions round about in this eastern land.

4 Therefore, I, the Lord, have suffered you to come unto this place; for thus it was expedient in me for the salvation of souls.

5 Therefore, verily I say unto you, lift up your voices unto this people; speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you shall not be confounded before men;

6 For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say.

7 But a commandment I give unto you, that ye shall declare whatsoever thing ye declare in my name, in solemnity of heart, in the spirit of meekness, in all things.

8 And I give unto you this promise, that inasmuch as ye do this the Holy Ghost shall be shed forth in bearing record unto all things whatsoever ye shall say.

Also there are 2 Vanuatuan Elders in our mission. They can speak pigeon as well, the language commonly associated with PNG.

Miss you all,

Tekeraoi

Elder Farner

bino

So last Saturday was pretty cool as we were able to do a traditional Kiribati dance called the "bino" which is a sitting dance. I messed up a bit but it was still fun. We did it for a farewell party for our Senior Couple on Christmas Island, the Pilkingtons. They are from Australia and they have been serving for almost 2 years here. They are real warriors for sticking it out here.

On Sunday we had a fireside which was about Fathers and also a farewell for the Pilkingtons. It was good. We may have 2 people who will get baptized on Saturday. One of them is 17 and his name is Tiimi. The other is named Riitang and he is 11. Pray for them that they will remember to read and pray and that they will focus during the lessons....

Also hit my year mark...still a lot more growth to go...

tiabo

Elder Farner

Tabwakea

I made it safely to Christmas Island. I am working in Tabwakea, not Banana, and am working with Elder Anani.

Another cool story from my travel: at night I was waiting at the gate and a American Samoan man came up to me and asked me my name and then told me that he was Bishop L. He is a bishop in Alaska who was traveling back home from American Samoa. I got to talk to him for a while.  Really cool random experience. He is a fairly recent convert who used to smoke like packs a day and then stopped. Apparently he worked as a police man when Gordon B Hinckley came to A. Samoa and he shook his hand.  Pretty cool.

Anyway the new area is good, at first I wanted to go back to the main and but now it's getting a little better. You know they say it takes 6 weeks to get accustomed to a place so I will give it time.🙂

Flashback Photo

McDonalds

I am sending this Email from Nadi, Fiji. I got a call last week on Wednesday that I will be transferring to Christmas Island, and will be working in the area called "Banana".  As part of the transfer to get to Christmas Island, you need to go through Fiji, and stay a night, and then the following night fly to Christmas. So I got in yesterday, and will be leaving close to midnight tonight. Pretty crazy huh. 

Other crazy things: I am the only one transferring to Christmas, which means I am alone in Fiji; I met one Kiribati person who served a mission in Boston, MA; another who is traveling to go to Boston University, and another who married an RM from Utah that had served in Kiribati and then met her when he came back to visit Kiribati. (Also that lady served a mission in Carlsbad, California.)

So the Lord has been watching out for me. I also got to eat McDonalds and take a hot shower and sleep on comfy bed. So all in all it has been a crazy week. So many blessings I have seen as well.

 So yeah that’s where I am at.

More to come for sure....

Tiabo, I tangiringkami

Elder Farner

PS I also was trying to email from an internet cafe that wasn’t open yet, I had been waiting forever, then a recent convert, a Fijian girl, came up to me and helped me find a different internet cafe that was open and way nicer… The Lord is way too kind.