Focus on the good things!!

Hello,

   I don’t have much time to write today but let’s just say this week has been good.  My new companion is really good.  His name is Elder Beacham. He is from Cedar City Utah, he did theater (he performed in the Shakespeare Festival), ran cross country, he sings, and just does good stuff.   He is a quiet guy overall, and doesn't talk too much but if I get him on some subject I can get him going.  He has been out a while and will finish up his 2 years in May.  He is really cool though and I will enjoy my time with him.  I have honestly enjoyed working with all my companions.  It is great to be with different people because I get to see how they teach and work and speak and it helps me learn and grow. 

Here is an update on the people that we have/am teaching this week.  At church there was a kid (11 or 12) that I have seen before, but never talked to. Our branch mission leader guy pointed him out to us and told us to go ask him about lessons. I guess he lives right next to him and isn't baptized but wants to be.  So... we have been teaching him and it is going really good.  It feels like he is someone that is ready and was just given to us which is great!

The girl that we have been teaching is 14 and it was going well but her mom doesn't seem like she will change her mind and let her get baptized.   I have nothing against Catholics but let me say they very much try to force everyone in their family to stay Catholic. Sometimes very rudely, which I have stories about but I will not tell them.   

Here is a little information about the kids here.  Many kids (ages 8-18) go to school away from the Kiritimati.  They have had a break from school for December and January each year so we have been able to teach a lot of them.  Now that they are gone we will need to look for others to teach. 

Just a update of my last weeks catch.  We did not eat either the octopus or the shark. They were both small and I don't think it would work out too well. Someday I will eat them though and things will be good. Yumm...  Elder Hungai (my old companion but now he is just in my district) showed me how I could just hold the octopus and it wouldn't do anything so that was pretty sweet.

It has been raining here a lot. It never gets too hot here anymore (still a lot hotter than home) because most of the time it rains.  When the sun comes out after it rains it gets very humid which is never too much fun.

Language is coming good. I can pretty much have a conversation with anybody now without too many problems. My main thing is there are just so many words in the language and it is hard to get to know them all, but I am working on it.

One thing I try to do on my mission is to always focus on the good things.  I have found if you try to find even one bad thing you will not only find that but you will find a ton of them.  But, if you focus on the good the Lord’s way will be shown to you.   I am enjoying my mission.  I would have to say that Missions are definitely something worth it.

Have a good week and do good thing. Party it up at home.

Elder Dinsdale

PS   I didn’t get any packages but I did get a few letters.  Thank you Grandma, Kim and the Taylor's!  I love letters so please write!!