Christmas 2015

Wow well it's almost Christmas and it's exciting. Work is slowing down a bit as people are getting ready for Christmas. I honestly still feel that I haven't been on my mission that long and now I'm about to celebrate my 2nd Christmas here. 

  One of my favorite memories this week was being thanked for breaking into someone's house. So one of the houses where one of the seminary kids live gate was locked so I just climbed over it to go wake them up. Waking up Marshallese kids for seminary is not just telling them to get up but, having to physically dragging them out of bed. Well one of the members in the house the other day was just telling me how me jumping the gate to wake him up is like saving souls from spirit prison and bringing them to the light. I was laughing that they were so grateful about it. Another morning going to seminary we had a big group that was about to go walk down and it starts raining. Some of the kids wanted to wait for a taxi and then I just yell run and start going and then just a big group of a dozen kids running to seminary at 5 in the morning. 

   I bought Soromon and I nickel boards this week. It's kind of funny because Soromon has no idea but I'm trying to teach it. Before I bought them I didn't think about how screwed up the roads and how rough they are. It's all good they were only $10, I have a neon pink one and Soromon a neon yellow. Whenever we ride them around Marshallese kids call out give that to me I want that, so it can get a little annoying to ride them around. 

   Investigators are doing well. Started with a kid Renny. He would always come and hang around when we taught lessons to some other people. I asked him if he wanted to study and got him going to seminary. Way good kid he's 15 and he also got his little brother to start studying with us as well. The 26th were planning on having a good amount of baptisms throughout the district. We had a bunch of investigators who wanted to be baptized on that date. Only one of investigators is ready but it's good that the rest are excited about being baptized. 

   Monday night the island had a combined family home evening with each of the three branches put together a nativity scene. All of them were way good. One had all the kids dressed up like angels imitating the visits to Mary, Joseph, and the Angels. By far the best one was our branch, Ebeye 2nd, because Elder Soromon and Sister Ramsin were Joseph and Mary. Super funny they used a black baby doll for baby Jesus and all the woman thought it was the funniest thing. This week it's been hard thinking about family and other stuff going on back home but it's fine keep working hard and doing good. Merry Christmas. 

December 14, 2015: Loving Ebeye

Continually preparing for Christmas in the Marshall Islands. The Branches have started practicing beat. Elder Soromon have been trying to go but it's usually past curfew. Ebeye is the best and keeps getting better and better. 

   Being District Leader is really fun here. It's nice I'm just with a bunch of missionaries who want to work hard and do good. Also get to prepare trainings for the meetings every week so it's pretty fun. The AP's asked me to do radio calls to do the outer islands of Ujae and Lae to check up and grab their stats. If you think you know a language try understanding it over the radio, you know nothing. 

   This weekend we had our mission President along with the AP's come out to Ebeye. It was so nice to see Salanoa, my MTC companion, for the first time since the beginning of the mission. Definitely one of my favorite people and it made my week being able to see them. We went on splits for a couple hours and Salanoa fell asleep so it was just like the MTC all over again. 

  This week Soromon have been getting up at 5am to go and get the youth and some less actives and investigators to seminary by 6am. I set my alarm and titled it 'behold your little ones' it's pretty exhausting but definitely worth it to see them going. After seminary we'll play volleyball with the youth and other elders before going back and showering. We'll do some studies and then usually get out of the house a little after 10am and just work until nighttime usually 7-8 then go eat and hang out with members. We're pretty exhausted so right today has been a lot of sleeping and being lazy. 

   Church again was pretty fun. Saturday night we had our lesson plan and already to go. Second hour of church we get told the youth needs a teacher. I left Soromon with the new member class and taught the youth. It was way cool because I've noticed how a lot of youth say "I know Joseph Smith restored the church when he was 14 years old." Taught a good lesson to explain the restoration and those ten years between the first visions and the church actually being restored and how it took time and all that happened in that time. The youth now say "I know Joseph Smith restored the church when he was 24 years old." I really do love the youth and the fact that we get to teach in Church. Our President told us how Ebeye is only 50 some names from becoming a stake. In District Meet we found out a bunch of people will be getting baptized so we're planning for the 26th if not Christmas Day to do a white Christmas, with a dozen or so being baptized, so it's all very exciting. 

S. Weenig

Lots and Lots of Pictures!