WEEK 68 Tarawa luxury - New companion - new rules

Mauri!

Wow that was a crazy week! So I flew here(Tarawa) on Tuesday and met my "kid." He is cool and we have been getting along great. He is American and from Arizona. I'm helping to train him and he knows a little

bit of the language already, but not much. It's been fun teaching him and having fun with him. I definitely miss Abemama a lot right now. I miss those wonderful people and my area. RIP the work out there. President sent all "islanders" out there so they better not sleep all day. The house I'm staying in now is at Moroni High School and is literally a beach house. It is ridiculously nice! It has air conditioning, hot showers, and a freezer! soooo nice. I freeze every night because I'm not use to being that cold at

night but it's so nice. Oh yea it also has a washing machine!!!! It's soooo nice and clean!!!

No more doing wash with my hands in buckets scrubbing my clothes for hours! woooh.

The only unfortunate thing about our house is that the East Zone leaders stay in the house (who are from my intake) but think they're above everyone and think they're perfect. Then there's me as District Leader humbly working hard and happily. HA!

My whole intake right now is basically leadership. APs, Zone Leaders, DL, just a bunch! Some are cool and others are robots but we are all working.

This coming week the AP that's "dying"(going home because he is finished with the mission time) is going on a split with me and my companion so that he can basically say goodbye to all of his people. He

is a way cool guy and works hard, while his "brother"-same intake as him- was my companion on Abemama and was lets say a little slower in the work.

The craziest thing happened this week tho! We tracted to this house and met this guy named Teeta. He was speaking way good English to us and was so happy we came and visited him. During introductions my head basically blew up when he said he got good at English when he was in America-California! I was like nooo way that's awesome because I'm from there! I asked him "what city?" then what he said blew the contents of my brain. He said FRESNO!!! then after that we talked for so long.... he's one of our best investigators now!

On Saturday, the Elders that we stay with in the house had a baptism. I lead it, and I believe it went great! It was weird having an actual chapel and podium as I have become use to a humble hut on outer islands.

There is soooo much food here!!! We have chicken every night!!(which is a luxury)! Members feed us such nice dinners and are so kind. I don't know any of them because I've never worked in East Zone, but I'm excited to meet them with my new companion!

Service this week we cleaned out another well! Super fun because I actually knew what I was doing(from Nikunau).

Anyways I'm back on Tarawa, many new rules, leadership, and changes. For example...... only 1 hour for emailing..

times up..

i tangiringkami!

Tiabo!

Elder Bowen