Week 2 in Tarawa

Has it really only been two weeks?  It feels like we have always been here.  We are busy every minute with teaching, preparing and church assignments.  We throw in a little shopping here and there too, as we try to find out what is available and what is not.  We have gotten to be pro's at fighting the micro-ants, working without electricity, and even getting by without water in the house.  All these little things you take for granted in the states are special here. 

Last Sunday we had dinner with the Mission President, President and Sister Weir and the other senior couples.  It was interesting listening to them talk about the work here.  We want to share one  story with you. About three weeks ago President Weir sent instructions to open up one of the islands that hadn't had missionaries before.  Brother and Sister Wall, the MLS (Missionary Leadership Services) missionaries put two of the best missionaries on a boat and sent them off.  There were no members there so there were no contacts for them when they arrived.  They just had each other and their suitcases.  They arrived on the island and started walking down the street.  After a few minutes they were met by a man who said, "Missionaries! I have been praying for you to come."  It seems that this man and his wife wanted to meet with the missionaries so their children could go to Moroni High.  They tried to make contact with the church but failed so they decided to pray.  The next day they met the missionaries walking down the street.  They asked the missionaries where they were going to stay, and when the missionaries responded that they didn't know, the man said, "You are staying with us."  Now, three weeks later, they are teaching 30 people on this Island. 

We have started teaching a Special Ed. class from BYU Hawaii. We expected about 7 people in the class, but now have 20.  It's challenging because everything the book says to teach is meaningless here.  We are teaching the important information and then putting the focus on the good teaching strategies that work not only with disabled children but all students.  Our class is on Tuesday and Thursday.  I have also been asked to teach the 3rd Sunday lesson in Relief Society and Elder Sumner and I have been asked to be advisors for the youth.  They meet on Wednesday.  They are also begging for Elder Sumner to teach piano lessons.  We don't have any trouble keeping busy. 

Last Friday was the school cultural day.  It was an amazing program.  From the time they got out of school on Thursday until the wee hours of the morning the students were busy weaving mats for houses, baking cookies to sell, sewing dresses to model and gathering native foods.  They built six houses to represent six of the outer islands.  On Friday they also worked all morning to get ready and then dressed in native clothes and presented a wonderful program with music, dancing, games, exhibits and modeling from the sewing class.  We were asked to judge the houses, not an easy job. We are so grateful to be here and learn about this amazing culture.  Everyone smiles, everyone laughs and no one seems stressed.

I also have to mention one new experience we had this week.  Saturday Elder Sumner had his first opportunity to be my hairdresser and color my hair.  We followed Sister Aldrich's instructions carefully and were pleased with the results. The places where he missed make it look like a cool highlighting job.  We were glad that I had a chance to wash it out before the water went off for two hours.