Elder samuel haycock's
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bringing the light of the gospel to the people of kiribati
Elder samuel haycock's
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Mauri utu,
This week has been awesome as it just seems like yesterday that I was writing to you guys. Well I'll answer these questions then I'll share something else. 1. What does your daily schedule look like? Well we wake up at 6:30 everyday and usually say personal morning prayers and hang up mosquito nets and go to the bathroom and then start our exercise. Thursdays we go running on the beach which is a lot of fun because the sand is nice and cool and soft. I usually stretch for the big long day that is ahead. After thirty minutes I fill up my five gallon bucket full of well water add the chlorine to it and then go put my bai to go shower. The cold shower in all honesty is almost the best thing besides sleep. After that I get dressed in missionary clothes and get ready to start my personal study. By this time it is almost 8:00. We have our Personal, Companion, Language, and 12 Weeks study. So were out of the house by about 11:30 On Tuesdays we go to Rotimwa, Wednesdays, Temanoku, Thursdays are Matang, Fridays Temotu, and Saturdays Teuabu. So biking can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 Hours and 30 minutes depending on what town we are going to. We usually stop at the store and grab a snack for the bike trip usually some type of cracker and Ice which is honestly an awesome cold drink but sometimes frozen. We usually have dinner around seven at someones house on Monday's it usually Teraita's house and Saturday's is at Teraamiira's house. After about 1 to 2 hours later we head home and arrive anywhere from 9:30 to 11:00 plan for about thirty minutes, write in our journals and go to sleep. 2. How many discussions or teaching opportunities do you have each day? We average at least six lessons a day but try and shoot for more as our goal each week is to get above 50 lessons in a week. This past week we hit 41 lessons. 3. Where on the island are you? Meaning, near what village? What are the people like? We use one of the buia from another family and sleep there and have a little house that we keep our belongings in. We are between Matang and Taboiaki pretty much in the middle of the two villages. So we are really not near any village unless you bike about fifteen minutes north to Matang. The people are so nice and loving and want to the best thing for you which is awesome. They do have solar power lights from Taiwan and they do have cellphones which they use for games, however since they have this technology they don't know how to use it and so it is very harmful, like they use the f word and they really don't know what it means. Smoking is a huge problem here because they don't understand that it is harmful to them and causes problems. 4. What is the most powerful testimony you bore or learned this week? I ataia bwa e tangiriko te Atua. I ataia bwa rinanon te tamnei ae raoiroi ti kona karekea kaeka ara titiraki. I kakoaua bwa e maiu Iesu Kristo. Bwa e korakai ibukin ara bure. I atongi baikai n aran Iesu Kristo, Amen. 5. Are there any specific investigators we can pray for as a means of combining our faith with you and your companion's? We were supposed to have a baptism this week, but as Uaneta is struggling with his health and was prescribed with TB. He is doing much better but could use your prayers as he is still recovering since he received his medicine Thursday finally. 6. How is church on Sundays for you and Elder Powell? What are your responsibilities? How can we help you from here? Church is amazing We have 5 church services every week except fast Sunday. So this next Sunday we will just have one meeting. We set up the sacrament making sure we have all the parts of the sacrament and if Elder Powell calls on me to give a prayer or to bear testimony, I do it. We hire a car every week to pick up the people who want to come to church. and then we hire two cars once a month for fast and testimony meeting and that usually costs us about 90 for both cars to pick up the people. 7. What is the most exciting thing you've learned this week? Well later today we are going to learn how to dance. But in all honesty, just trying to listen to the Kiribati people speak and tell stories is so funny. This week has been great as today is extremely busy as we are going to go learn to dance and then play games at another house and then have family home evening essentially at Teraita's house. 8. What is the funniest thing that has happened this week? How many times I have hit my head on something - usually our buia. Nothing too crazy. 9. How is riding bikes? Any experiences you want to share? How are your pants holding up? How are you doing with driving a motorcycle? Long and painful but a good time to think. So there is this ghost house on our way to Temotu and Elder Powell told me about Elder Kennedy and how much he believed that he was there. My pants have had no problems yet, but they are very gross by the end of the week. I usually ride on the back of the motorcycle I have not had the privilege of driving it yet, which I am thankful for. 10. How are your feet and stomach adjusting to the food and water and conditions? Were you able to find the soap in the well? They are slowly adjusting. Our water filter is amazing. Last Tuesday we cleaned out the well and found the two bars of soap and now the well is really clear which makes the water taste better. 11. Liz wants to know what kinds of food your eating and the sunsets- are they all the same? Sharks?? Have you eaten Kiribati pasta yet? Is that cat a pet? Types of food Rice is with every meal, usually some time of meat ika (fish), pig, or chicken (a lot lately), and some time of soup usually noodle but we sometimes have clam which I struggle with eating. Other things I have had are: papaya both melon and regular, bread fruit, tue which is glorified fruit leather that they make from the pandana tree. Sunsets are extremely beautiful. They are pretty much the same, but they do vary from time to time of color but are usually very beautiful and I have taken some pictures. I'll have to see if I can send some. I haven't seen any yet (sharks) but we do have a guy who is willing to take us dolphin hunting so I'll tell you about it when it happens. I have not (Kiribati Pasta - ie sandworms) that I am aware of. That cat is our pest control it takes care of the rats and we don't feed it so technically it is not our pet, but we keep it around to take care of the rats. Here's my message to the family: Aren (Allan)- Dad great that you are happy and that everything is great can't wait to here from you next week. In these past three weeks I have finished half of the book of Mormon and I really love King Benjamins address. Reteo (Rachel)- Love you lots. And feel your prayers all the time, as I have had times where I have felt that feeling and have seen those chariots. The Book of Mormon has been really great and I challenge you to read it in three months as I have finished my halfway mark in the Book of Mormon. It has been such a blessing and the story line is unreal. (I shared a quote with him in my email, "In the gospel of Jesus Christ you have help from both sides of the veil, and you must never forget that. When disappointment and discouragement strike...you remember and never forget that if our eyes could be opened we would see horses and chariots of fire as far as the eye can see riding at reckless speed to come to our protection." - Elder Jeffrey R. Holland) Riiti (Liz)- Keep up the good work with the studies and keep moving forward I know times our tough when you have a lot of homework but I know you can do it. Neti (Nate)- Congrats on finally finishing up your Eagle. Glad that I can be there in spirit. That's awesome that you can read and play the music - definitely try out for All State it is worth it especially if you can get in as a Freshman. Ioti (Josh)- I'm glad that you are making friends here is your piano assignments for while I am gone I want you to learn how to play Waterfall and I am a Child of God and Raomi Iesu from the Kiribati Hymn book. Tiera (Sarah)- Keep up the great work with the testimony that is how it grows is when you bear it. Love you keep singing. Ana (Hannah)- Your so cute. Keep helping mom with what she needs help with. I love you. I ataia bwa e tangiringkami te Atua. I ataia bwa rinanon te babaire ni kamaiu ti kona ni manga oki nakoina. I kakoaua e maiu Iesu Kristo. Bwa e mate ibukin ara bure bwa ti aonga ni manga oki nakoin Tamara are i Karawa. I ataia bwa e boni burabeti Iotebwa Timiti ao Thomas S. Monson. I atongi baikai n aran Iesu Kristo ara tia kamaiu amen. I tangiriko, Elder Ekaki. Letter to Dad Mauri Dad, The language is growing little by little (teutana teutana). The Kiribati people are still trying to figure me out as I can read very well and speak very well, but yet not understand what they are saying. It confuses them but that is okay because with the Lord's help I can master this language. It's crazy to think that I'm almost at the halfway mark of the my first transfer here in Nonouti and that I could get a new companion after that and most likely be senior companion that is weird anyway. Glad to know that everything was a blast last week. Happy Halloween as it is Halloween here. I tangiriko, Elder Ekaki
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Elder Samuel HaycockI am called to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This blog is about my adventures in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ for the next two years in the Republic of Kiribati. Archives
July 2018
CategoriesContributorRachel Haycock - I am the mother of 6 amazing children and the lucky wife of a dear, sweet man. I love to write, read, cook, teach and sew. I hope you feel the Spirit of the Lord as you read about Elder Haycock's adventures in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. |