Faith & Pillows

Dear family,

Stories for you...but if I share these experiences with you you've gotta promise me that you will be respectful of my people here in Kiribati. This email is about the financial conditions they face, so please keep in mind that they are such a happy people..with or without..and that some of them don't know any better. With that...

My first story this week is one that happened when our water pipe broke. We didn't know it broke until our sweet neighbor came and knocked on our old door. "Sisters," he said in ENGLISH, "My tithing...if you're not using the water please turn it off, that is my tithing." For some reason, that hit me straight to the heart...these people are so sweet, and what little they have they give to the church. I'm so thankful for their example to me. It makes me understand the principal of tithing so much more. I hope that I will never complain the 10% that I give to the Lord..because that 10% is all some people have here. 

Second story is when we visited a man we call Pineapple (I'm actually not sure why we call him that..) He heard that I was "not quite adjusted" to the Kiribati food so he made us wake up early to make us pancakes. They were the best pancakes I have ever had..and they weren't even real pancakes, hahaha. Sister Lavulavu commented, "Pineapple, these are so good..you could sell them and be rich!" His response is what stayed with me. He said, "I don't want to be rich, I want to be what I am." This is a family that doesn't have any of the luxuries we have at home; but I am so thankful for his wisdom is being content with what he is.

The last story for this week is one that is real tender to me.

His name is Tenti. He lives with his mother, and stepfather here on the island of Tarawa. He has no formal education, and cannot read. He is twenty one years old. We've been teaching him about the gospel and I didn't know if we were actually getting anywhere with him. He is so quiet, he barely speaks at ALL. We could have a whole 45 minute lesson and he only says a couple of sentances. Anyway, that's a little background on him. We had a lesson with him and then asked him if he needed anything. The majority of his words came from his reply, "I have no home, and my family has no money for food." -- Oh sweet family, I looked my brother in the eyes and saw poverty. My first real experience with poverty. After discussing everything we could do for him (and still following the rules in the white handbook) we decided to give him a pillow and teach him about faith. As we gave him the pillow we taught him that although he coulnd't see his home...that this pillow was his first step... just as faith we cannot always see everything..we have hope that one day we will. We told him that we would help him find a house through the efforts of our ward and do all we can...but this pillow was the first start. We taught him that every night when he lays his head on his pillow to think of Jesus Christ and how to have faith in him.

 

I love these people so much! I hope these stories helped you see a little more of the life in Tarawa..and how we all can learn from these people.

keep the faith!!

sister johnson

sj

 I love the kids here!!!

 oh this lady, her name is "Mama" and I can't begin to describe her. She really is a mama to everyone. She makes us food...yesterday I'm pretty sure we had dolphin...? 

Not quite sure over here, you never know :)

aaaaand the chapel! oh  blessed chapel!