Scott's Seaside Mission: Flying In A Storm!

Hey,

What’s up? I am on Tabiteuea North for about 2 or 3 weeks and they have internet so I will be able to email. Then I am headed back down to Tabiteuea South. Thanks for all the emails but there are too many to read right now so I am not sure what to write. On Tab North the missionaries were Johnson and Ellis. Now, Elder Johnson's time is ending this month and Elder Ellis is going to serve on Christmas. So that is why we are here. I am here with my companion Elder Carrington and can I just say it is sweet to serve with him. We are going to be working this huge island just the 2 of us. This should be fun!!

How did you get to Tab. South and what is it like there?

We flew in on a plane while it was pouring rain. The plane was jumping around like crazy and

we slightly thought we were all going to die. But, I am alive so don’t worry. When we arrived at Tabiteuea South we got soaking wet, but we eventually got to the place where we were going to stay. We live in a 2 story stick house and we live on the stick platform above some members. There is no internet, no cargo really (I don’t go hungry though), no rain water, but the best place ever. We do not have electricity except for some solar power.

What is this cargo that you refer to?

So the cargo brings things to the island like food, toilet paper, soap and just anything that comes from outside. We heard that the cargo was going to be bringing very little here so we bought a bag of rice before it was all gone, but now it is infested with worms. Coconuts can never run out and there is always fish to eat. There are some good fruits and pumpkins her for people to eat.

Do you get mail?

Mail comes pretty much if the plane comes, so about twice a week.

How are your clothes, do you need us to send anything?

I think I am good. Clothes are doing great. shoes... well the bottoms just fell off mine Saturday but I tied them up and I don't need new ones. I like these ones and they will last my entire mission. That is my goal!! Don’t worry mum, people here aren't worried about shoes. I don’t think a single missionaries shoes are intact. I just threaded a rope around them a couple times. They are stylish so don't worry it is all good!! I already gave my crocs away to another missionary that needed them. Please don’t send me a package because of this, but whenever you happen to send one next we just had some way good nutra-grain bars or something that was left in the house with like honey and chocolate or something. It was way good though and now I am craving them. Snack foods are always good.

Here is a little more about Tab South.

We have tons of sweet investigators and many of them have way sweet stories. When we head back down in 2 weeks about 4-6 should be getting baptized. We have an area down there where once a week we bike out to the end of the island and walk out on the low tide to a small island and teach some people there. There are not a bunch of people in Tab South but there is a ton in Tab North. We can see tons of stars almost every night and we can see Mars is clearly. It is a great life and I love it here. I am writing in a journal and taking a lot of pictures, so I will be able to tell you all more one day. Tab South is great and I love the people here!

When are more missionaries coming?

In the end of August or about that time there should be a ton of missionaries coming in. We need more missionaries so that will be good.

How do you communicate without internet?

We talk on a radio every Tuesday to tell Tarawa our stats and needs and such.

Have you eaten anything new?

I ate shark finally and it was quite good actually Mmmmm it was actually awesome!!!

It seems like home is awesome! Thank you for the birthday package I liked it very much. Tell Dad and Tom happy birthday for me. Also Congratulations to Emily on graduating from USU.

The internet is about to shut off so I will write more next week! Don’t worry, I am healthy and I love it here! It is awesome!!

Love you all,

Elder Dinsdale