Weeks 31 and 32 in Tarawa

It's been a long time since we tried to post a video.  We hope this works.  While this isn't the highest surf we've ever had, it gives you a good idea of what we live with day and night.  The sound has become familiar and comforting; it's something we will always remember and always miss when we return home.









While we're at it, here's something else we marvel over: the beauty of the cloud formations and sky.  The little white dot near the top center of the photo is Venus. 

One of the fun things I've been asked to do is occasionally help teach Ioram's physics class.  When I came this day, he apologized that he hadn't been able to round up the equipment he needed for the lab and would have to reschedule to another day.  I looked at the lab on Hook's Law, the force-displacement relationship in the linear region of a spring, and realized I could do it with a meter stick instead of a wound metal spring.  I ran home, got a meter stick, a bottle of water, a measuring cup, and a few twist ties.  The students were able to measure the deflection of the end of the meter stick clamped to the table top with 100 gram increments of water added to the bottle hung from the end.  I think the students actually learned about F=kX.



At the Young Women's meeting last week, the Young Women's Presidency asked Sister Sumner for a quick idea for something to do because the girls didn't come prepared to work on their Personal Progress books.  In a moment of inspiration, she suggested they pair up and style each other's hair and then have a fashion show and a discussion on personal grooming.  It was a great hit.

 

 Most of the girls here have waist long, thick, dark, curly hair, so braids and buns are common styles.  We've seen some really amazing hair styles.

This lesson on personal grooming will be followed in two weeks by a lesson on personal hygiene which will be taught by the school nurse.







On Saturday, April 25th, a school anniversary celebration was held by the alumni association, LAMB.  This picture shows the chapel decorations and the alumni president, Tepwi, giving his farewell speech.  He and his wife are moving to an outer island where his wife has been offered a wonderful new job with the National Ministry.  We loved the wood carving of Moroni at the front right.  It's always hard, however, to sit through long talks in Kiribati.

We were asked to be judges for the marching parade and food activities after the program.  They think we know how to judge these things.


This past week has been crazy busy with daily after-school online surveys for BYU-Hawaii.  They wanted to get information on student attendance and motivation.  Our internet situation made it hard for us to do as many as they would have liked, but we did our best  under difficult circumstances.

Weeks 29 and 30 in Tarawa

These past 2 weeks have been filled with thoughts of Easter and General Conference.  On Wednesday, April 1st, Miiran's choir classes presented the Easter assembly.  Once again, the program was excellent and touching.  You can see the new chapel piano on the left which I helped assemble just last week.  It is such a nice addition, but everyone worries about how long it will last in this hot, humid, salt air climate.  The school Easter break went from Good Friday, the 3rd, through Tuesday, April 7th.  The 7th was National Health Day. We were hoping to go on an adventure, but it rained the whole time.  We got a lot of work done in the office!

On Easter Sunday, April 5th, we had a combination Easter dinner and farewell dinner for Elder and Sister Wall who are leaving April 13th.  We had saved a large chunk of real bone-in ham just for this occasion, a rare treat in Kiribati.












This is our Easter  and farewell banquet table.  The senior couples get together about once a month, and it's always a special treat.  We have much in common as senior missionary couples, and it is wonderful to bask in the glow of the spirit.  One of the sad parts about the Wall's departure is that so far there is no replacement coming.  We will miss them, but President Weir, seated on the couch in the far right corner will miss them most of all.  The Wall's did so much to help the young Elders and Sisters on Tarawa. 












Seated around the table, starting on the left are Elder and Sister Bogh, the TVET couple, Sister Alldredge, the mission nurse on Tarawa, Sister and Elder Wall, President and Sister Weir, Sister and Elder Waldron, and Sister Sumner.  After our dinner, President Weir invited us to each share our testimonies.  It was a sacred and sweet experience as we witnessed to each other our love for Jesus Christ, our gratitude for His atonement, and the truthfulness of the restored Gospel.

It's been a few months since we posted another sunset picture from our back yard, so we thought it was about time to share another one.  We are amazed every day by the beauty of our location.  We sit at our dinner table three times a day watching and hearing the pounding surf.  We will certainly miss these things when we leave.

 Thursday evening, April 9th, the Service Center employees and the Moroni High School teachers and administrators planned a farewell for the Wall's.  As the guests of honor, they were the recipients of woven wreaths, dancing and singing.  The variety of the potluck dinner afterwards was amazing.  There were tears as they said their final goodbye's to the group.

I only took one picture of the group getting ready to sing and dance.  I took videos, but decided against trying to post any of them.

We were able to listen live to only 2 sessions of General Conference because of the 18 hour time difference, but yesterday and today we were able to watch all 6 sessions.  We feel the spirit as we listen.  The counsel we've received is truly from God, and we will do our best to follow His will in our lives.  We have much to be grateful for but much to improve upon, as well.