Smooth Sallin'

November 16, 2015

Ahhhhhh, it's been a good week here in the Central Pacific. I hope it's been a good week for everyone back home <3 One of my favorite things is trying to explain to Kiribati people that when rain gets cold, it freezes and becomes a thing called "snow" (tino).... They're still working on getting that one. I hope you guys are coping with it a little better :')

First things first... I GOT A PACKAGE. WHAT'S GOOD AMERICA!?!? You got nothin' on me haha. I promise I have never been excited to see a yellow starburst (not even pink) :/ Hahah but I really felt SO blessed. Simple things... Every single day.

But YES, this week has been a GREAT week. My favorite week in Tab North by far. It has been overcast every day with a little bit of rain, making the large amounts of biking more bearable. When you add in a little bit of that ocean breeze I think that "paradise" would be a good word to describe it. This week, Elder Musser and I have been working hard-- as usual. Our week started off a little bit slow. To be honest, I was a little sad for the first few days. I felt like we were working really hard but weren't seeing the fruits of our labors. I was feeling like I wasn't helping people and wasn't improving this area... Slowly but surely the week got better and better. The culmination was on Saturday when Atarake was able to enter the waters of baptism. I had the sacred privilege of being able to confirm him a  member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in my broken Kiribati yesterday at his home where 1 of the sacraments is held up North. His simple testimony after his baptism was so rewarding and made me smile so big. This gospel brings such joy.

As for our investigators, things are going well. 14 PI's and we currently have 4 set for dates in December if everything goes well. This week we were able to pick up an investigator named Iebeta who just came to Tab. On the island that he was on previously, he was almost finished with the lessons. We are hoping to get him baptized before he returns. Tekea is working courageously to stop his smoking. Motirae and Bwebwe are two teenage studzzzz.

Yesterday was my favorite Sunday here by far. I love the small sacrament meetings that we are able to attend in the homes of members. I guess they really take to heart "home is where the heart is" lol. It's awesome when we are able to partake of the sacrament with a smaller group (20ish) people and then after get called upon to give talks and to "not know beforehand the things that we should say." We were able to do that in 2 homes yesterday <3 I'm quickly learning that teaching (with the spirit) is the key to a happy and a successful mission. Gosh I'm just happy like i can't explain it hahaha.

ANYWAYS, I'm going to STAY happy because this is going to be a GREAT week. We are taking a boat tomorrow to Tab South. We will stay there until Saturday when the plan is to fly back. It should be great to see the elders down there and to be able to help the work progress in that area as well. I'm excited to go on splits with a straight Kiribati elder.. I'll report back on my Kiribati (prayers accepted hahaha) <3

I'm typing the close to this email while staring at the ocean, palm trees and feeling a breeze. I'm doing a "service project" in the water right now so I gotta go hahah LOVE YOU GUYS. Sled or something (if that's still a thing?!) <3

Elder Parrish