Second to Last Email (Who's counting?)

Mauri everyone! Hope everyone's doing great!

So crazy story. Last week, Elder Sablan got back from Nikunau after being out there for a week for Zone Leader business. I was going through his pictures on his camera and saw one of Taabua, one of my recent converts from Ambo. She had told me before that she was moving to Nikunau, but I never knew why. I found out from Elder Sablan that she got sent there by her family for an arranged re-marriage (she had lost her previous husband before Elder Rowsell and I started teaching her). Her new husband was a member of a different religion, the Baha'i, and Taabua wasn't able to go to church because of him. By the great tender mercies of the Lord, the missionaries on Nikunau found them and baptized Taabua's husband. I was literally on cloud nine when I found out. The Lord has a plan!

The work has been picking up again here in Eita. We have a baptism scheduled this upcoming Saturday. She's a 12 year girl who wants to follow in the steps of her grandmother who also stays in her house. Neither of her parents are members, but I can tell they're being prepared by the Lord.

Not much else to say for now. Not many days left, and I'm trying to make the most of it. I just hit me that I only have Sunday left.........scary.

I tangiringkami! Thank you everyone for all the support you've given me throughout the mission!

Elder Schoeny

Pictures

  Dinner with President and Sister Larkin. We had enchiladas!!

 Brownies for dessert

Everyone at the dinner

Third to Last Email

Mauri ngkami!

Hope everyone's doing well.

This last week was pretty good. It's been tough having to work two areas, but it's been a good experience. E. Sagapolu finally just found a YSA to work with, so hopefully we'll be able to get the work picking up again in my own area.

I just found out yesterday that I'm having my farewell dinner with President and Sister Larkin tomorrow, so I'm going to be eating some really good food. I'm trying so hard not to think about going home, but everyone keeps on reminding me how much time I have left...haha. I don't want to leave... I love the culture and the people here so much. It's going to be really hard having to leave.

I tangiringkami! Thank you all so much for everything! Tekeraoi te wiiki aei!

Elder Schoeny

Pictures

 Elder Ulas with some parrot fish that we bought to eat 

                        (Fish is so cheap here. A dollar or less per pound)

 Actual ham for a dinner

Service digging post holes with a coconut shell

Kiribati Independence Day Week

Mauri-O!

Hope everyone is doing great!

Last week was a little slow because of Kiribati Independence Day. They celebrate in Bairiki, and it lasts for like a week, so most people weren't home. This upcoming week should be better, though.

Elder Ulas and I are still tackling two areas. Elder Sagapolu just returned from Bikenibeu yesterday, so we're back to a trio. We're hoping that we can find a YSA for Elder Sagapolu to work with so we can visit all of our investigators more often.

Other than that, not much to report on. Elder Ulas and I weren't able to eat the chickens. We didn't have time to cook them so we just gave them to the neighbors. Elder Ulas is planning on shooting down a pigeon, though, so I can kill it and eat it. In his words, you just "twist and pull." Maybe I'll send a video ;) He shot one down last week, and I was going to kill it the next day for dinner, but the neighbor's cat got it before us.

I tangiringkami! Thank you all for all your love and support!

Elder Schoeny

Pictures

 Group service at a member's house

 Me with a small bird that Elder Ulas shot down (not to eat)

 Dinner a couple days ago with members. Actual french fries!

Crazy Week

Mauri everyone!

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July!

So a lot happened this week.

First off, Elder Veresoni, in our district finished, and there's was no elder to replace him, so Elder Sagapolu was assigned to work with us as a trio. His area is in a different ward (Eita 2). We planned everything out just fine, working in each area every other day. Then, an elder from Bikenibeu got sick and had to go to Marshall, so instead of having two trios, they asked Elder Sagapolu to replace the sick elder. Now, Elder Ulas and I are working two areas. It's pretty hectic, but we're making it work.

It also meant that yesterday, we had to stay for 3 sessions of church. Eita 1st at 8am, Moroni Ward (it's an English ward, which was really weird) at 10am, and Eita 2nd at 12pm. Usually we just attend Eita 1st in the morning, but now that we cover another area, we have to attend all 3.

Also, crazy story. So we taught one of the investigators from the other area. His name is Tiotii (pronounced So-see), 19 years old. He has a girlfriend who wants him to get baptized and go on a mission, and she's waiting to send her mission papers until he does. His only problem was coming to church. He's been taught by sisters and elders for 2 years, and he had never come to church. We came to teach him, read in the Book of Mormon with him, and found out his back story. Turns out Elder Ulas has the exact same backstory as him with him and his girlfriend who is currently serving a mission in England. After telling his back story, Tiotii said he would come to church, and he did! All the sisters were freaking out haha.

I've also found out I'm totally not ready to readjust to the American culture. It's so easy for me to small talk in Kiribati, but I found out I completely lost that ability in English talking to some BYU students from America. They asked me where I was from, and I said "America," and they all laughed and said "Of course we know you're from America. What part?" Literally, my first thought was "Kam ataa Virginia?" (Do you know Virginia?) just because I'm so used to saying that to Kiribati people, but I caught myself. I've also realized I still used the word "ngaia" (the equivalent to "ok" "yeah" "alright", that kind of word) when talking to white people. I'm not ready for America.

Thank you all so much for everything! I tangiringkami! Wish me luck on my last few weeks! Sorry for the sudden long email.

Elder Schoeny

Pictures

Our ride down to Temaiku last P-day, we waved them down and 

they were totally happy to give us a ride

 Our ride--a truck full of rice

 Birthday cakes for Elder Veresoni and Sister Latu

Rainy/windy storm outside our house, lasted about 15 minutes

Built a Store

Mauri-O!

Hope everyone is doing well. This past week was great! I'm finally completely healthy from that weird flu I got, so I was able to actually get out and work. The work has been going well. Elder Ulas and I are hoping to get it picking up in the coming weeks, though.

We also had a service last Saturday where several of us elders put a store back together that we took apart the previous week. The lady that owned it moved down the road to the next village, so we helped move her store down to where she now lives. Two weeks ago we brought it over on the back of a truck. Last week we took it apart so we could move it through the trees close to her house. And this past Saturday we put it back together. It was a fun experience.

Zone Conference was last Wednesday. It was fun. Way good food as always. The senior couples do the cooking. Next Zone Conference will be my last, which is scary to think about. I don't want to leave Kiribati. I love it here so much. I'll be trying my hardest to make the most of my last weeks here. I'm not sure if I've told you all, but I'll be flying home on the 10th of August. Wish me luck!

I tangiringkami! Thank you for all your prayers and support!

Elder Schoeny

Pictures

 Elder Ulas and I with some chickens we're going to cook Wednesday

 Elder Ulas and I after a service. We put that store behind us back together

Before picture of the store