Stressful Baptism

Mauri everyone!

So yeah, we had a baptism this past Saturday. Kirata, a 26 year old lady, and Maungatabu, a 10 year old boy, got baptized. It was a little stressful, but everything turned out alright. Basically, it started off with everyone being rather late, which is actually pretty usual for Kiribati so it wasn't something to stress about. But then it turned out that Kirata's baptismal suit was too small. We had to call Zone Leaders and bubuti them (ask in a pleading way) to grab a baptismal suit from the office for her. It was then I realized I forgot to fill up the baptismal font, so I quickly rushed and got that started. Shortly after the Zone Leaders came with the suit. We thanked them and then started the baptismal service.

When it came time for them to get baptized, the water wasn't high enough. We decided to check the tide to see if they could get baptized in the ocean, but the tide was way low. We ended up having to wait a little longer for the font to fill up just enough so they could get baptized.

Looking back, I could see the hand of the Lord helping so everything would work out. He didn't necessarily fix the problem up front, but he put in just enough influence so that it was still a spiritual experience for them. Hopefully nothing like this happens again!

Other than that crazy experience, a few of us got to meet with the US Ambassador for Kiribati (and several other pacific islands). Rather boring actually. Nothing really notable to mention from that. She almost pronounced Kiribati right, so I guess that's a plus.

Thank you everyone for all your love and support! I tatangiringkami!

Elder Schoeny

Pictures

Our baptism last saturday. Sorry I was bad about taking pictures this week

Things are coming along

Mauri kain abau!

Things have been going great this past week. One of our investigators is getting baptized this Saturday, Kirata, and 26 year old lady whose mother is a member. She has such a strong testimony. I'm excited to see her enter the waters of baptism. She's way solid. 

I also had the privilege of being able to see many of my investigators from Ambo get baptized. The majority of them I had been with them for the majority of their lessons. I loved teaching them and was so happy to be able to attend their baptism since the area I got moved to (Teaoraereke) happens to also hold the same chapel. It was incredible seeing the amount of growth they've gone through during my time with them, and I was especially happy to see them finally make it through. Many of them had been scheduled to be baptized while I was still in Ambo, but because of a few setback, they got pushed back. We were all way happy to see each other again.

Not much else to report on. The work is coming along well in Teaoraereke. We've been working to try to build up our teaching pool. It's also been incredible seeing just how much the Lord has helped me in this work. Yesterday I was asked to speak in sacrament meeting and give a lesson for the YSA, both of which I had to wing. I would never have been able to do any of that that beforehand. I've learned just how powerful and essential faith can be. If we have full certainty that He will help us, He will. If we have any doubt, His strengthening power will not be as present. Do everything you can to make sure your faith is a strong as it can be.

I tatangiringkami! Kam rarabwa ibukin ami ibuobuoki! Tekeraoi ngkami!

Elder Schoeny

Pictures

 We took a tour of the Kiribati Parliament building

 The parliament building from on top of a water tower

Everyone that got baptized last Saturday. From left to right: Tetabo (baptizer), Nnanoa, Kairainano, Taabua and her daughter Mareta, Ibeata, and Teramira

Transferred, Training, and Whitewashing

Mauri everyone!

The subject line pretty much sums up the week. I got transferred to Teaoraereke, just two villages down from my previous village of Ambo. I'm training Elder Wilson from Oregon who just arrived from America. We're also whitewashing, which means both of us are new to the area, which means we get the fun job of figuring out the area on our own and finding all of our investigators (you can only imagine how fun that is with there being no such thing as addresses in Kiribati).

It's been a fun experience, though. Going into it, I thought there was no way I could train, at least not without the help of the Lord. I was never really someone to take the lead beforehand, but now that I've been placed into this position, I've discovered I actually can take the lead. Luckily I'm on the Lord's errand. I've felt him strengthening me everything step of the way.

Things have been going well. This past week we spent a lot of time finding our investigators. The sisters who worked here before left us with some really solid investigators that are pretty close to baptism, so that's exciting. We haven't found everyone yet, but we're going close. Hopefully things continue to go well for us.

Thank you all so much for all your prayers and support! I tatangiringkami!

Elder Schoeny

Pictures

 Me, Augustina, and Tariangi waiting for the ward farewell party to start

 Another picture of us with other missionaries in the background

 Elder Wilson and I inside our house

Our house

Ti Teimatoa ni Mwakuri Mwaaka

Mauri everyone!

Hope everyone is enjoying the freezing cold out there in America. We're enjoying a chilly high 80s over here (it's rather cloudy).

I've had another great week. Busy as always and getting lots of work done. We're looking to see several more investigators get baptized these upcoming weeks, which I'm very excited about. I'm not sure if I'll be able to attend, however, because transfers are coming up this week and they still haven't finished figuring them out, so they're not announced yet. Here's hoping I can get at least one more transfer in Ambo.

One of our investigators, Bieeta, is doing great. He had set a goal to stop smoking by the New Year, and so far he hasn't smoked since then. He is so ready to be baptized. He has such a strong testimony, especially in the fact that he can be sealed to his family in the temple for all time and eternity. It's such a blessing to have the comfort of knowing families can be eternal.

Thank you all so much for everything! I tatangiringkami!

Elder Schoeny

Pictures

 The steeple for our stake center

 The family of our converts that just got baptized two Saturdays ago. From left to right: Augustina, Tariangi, Maiango, Sumaia, and Tiibeti (in the upper right corner in the dark)

 A selfie. They love it when I make this face. They call it the face I'll make 

when my wife gets mad at me.

Another selfie with them