Monday, July 11, 2016

Leaving Rabi

Well I had to say goodbye to my beautiful island of Rabi today and I feel so sad. Since I've been on my island for 9 months now, away from all the others, and just my companion these people have literally become my family. I literally feel like I'm leaving my family and its pretty sad. But I had one of the best weeks of my life this last week so I'll try to show it with some pictures!

First off I hit my year mark, two weeks ago, so I celebrated by burning a shirt outside our house. Time seriously flies so unbelievably fast I don't know how I've been in Fiji so long. This year has just been amazing and I've learned so much, and I just cant wait to go even harder and learn even more this next year! Needless to say I've been so blessed to be able to spend almost 9 of these months here on the amazing island of Rabi!




Some views of Rabi




MY SON Elder Nabaruru!!! Man probably at this point one of my bestfriends in the mission. It doesn't matter that my first language is English and his is Kiribati. That never stopped us. We just worked hard and absolutely loved our time together. He's been such an amazing son on the mission and has been so ready to train. He's just the most amazing Elder with the strongest testimony. Man I love him so much!! I'm going to miss our heated ping pong games (I usually win hahah) and just the jokes, literally just non stop jokes all the time with him. Its because of him that I've been able to truly learn the Kiribati language and fully embrace the culture. I love it all so much!!





You can catch me driving your local bus to heaven! For tickets please contact the missionaries... Lol (Please love me) hahaha oh and this is me studying the scriptures in the jungle. #swag Being out on Rabi has really built my relationship so strongly with God. I have had the lowest of lows and the highest of highs out here but one thing has always been there for me....my scriptures!





So this last Saturday our branch had this huge branch farewell party for me and Umutolu (who behind Elder Nabaruru, is my second best friend on the island) who is going on his mission! Also pardon the p-day clothes we were playing volleyball and other games and stuff! hahah But right before the big lunch they crowned us with these big special flower crowns and me with this huge necklace as well which was so cool, and then alot of members shared how they don't think of me as a visitor anymore but as one of them! Man that was so special to hear them say that. Since I've been on Rabi that has been my favorite compliment, that I talk like a Rabian or eat like a Rabian but they told me I AM A RABIAN!  Man it was amazing! Me, Elder Nabaruru and Umutolu also had the chance to talk yesterday as like a farewell Sunday and man it was a powerful sacrament meeting. Needless to say it was way emotional. I was brought to tears in my final testimony to these people. I'm just so overwhelmed with love for them and my companion!





Ok So here are pictured some of our investigators.  First Utiai (with horse) he is the man.  He is a referral (which are pretty rare in Rabi) but we just started teaching him and I have high hopes he will baptized!  There are some other investigators. I got to baptize the one on the left! And a picture with two cute Rabian girls! :)





This one goes out to my favorite old ladies. Man they are all probably the most hilarious people on this earth and I love them so much!! The first one (with the family) is our investigator that we found in the area book. We started visiting her house and she really was not willing to listen to what we had to say. But jokes on her she can't walk very well, so she couldn't leave the house so we knew we could always see her;) haha but after alot of lessons I just kept joking with her and she opened up so fully to us and has become so converted to the gospel. It's amazing the power of Christ's Atonement that allows people to go from not wanting to listen to fully converted. I love it!! But now she is ready to be baptized but the problem is because she is a stubborn old lady she won't ride a wheelchair to church, she says she is going to walk. That used to be a big problem because when we first came she couldn't walk at all. BUT now after much prayer and fasting and practice she can walk around her house without grabbing onto anything, and should be at church this week or so!!! Miracles happen and this church is true! The other two are people we bring the sacrament too!




The first picture is of me and our whole branch after church yesterday! I love them all so much. Then there's me and Umutolu again, my bestfriend who saw us off at the dock this morning! And the final is me and our two boat drivers. Man I've had so many boat rides on this little fishing boat out to my island. Some on rough seas and some pretty nice days as well, and I can't wait to ride it again some day!! I think that's it for my pictures. I love you all and you can now plan on getting weekly emails! (I hope) hahah




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