I got a package!!!

Hey mum, (I am now Australian) (Just kidding I am not)                                           

I got the package!!!  I don't know what stuff is from whom, but thank you for everything!  The Les Mis book was the coolest looking book I have ever seen.  I read like 3 pages and then went and gave it to Tiimei. He seemed to really like it and his wife said he loves reading so hopefully he can get through all 1200 something pages in it. But really, if you happen to find another book you should get it for me.  I am going to Tarawa supposedly next week so do not send anything here.  Thanks anyways though

The Provo Temple looks awesome.  It will be cool coming back and seeing new temples or new building or stuff. Haven't seen a Temple in person for a while and I probably won't. But in 2 more years they will again just be all around.

The work is going really good. Elder Beacham and I are having a good time. People keep showing up that are good to have lessons so we just keep teaching them. Some people change super quickly, others take more
time.  We have a lot of decent investigators right now. About 4 could be baptized this month or early next month. I will be in Tarawa by then but it will be good for Elder Beachams new companion

This week I went on a split and went back to Banana.  It was awesome!  After teaching that night Elder Hungai (my last companion that is from the Island of Vanuata) and I went fishing. I caught an eel and a sea crab. So it seems as far as fishing has gone my mission I never end up catching a fish. But it is all chill and we had a great time.

I have been wondering about how the government and such in America has been. I hear all the time about random things that happen in America, but they are from Kiribati people and I am not sure what they know. People here sometimes believe that like the violence and stuff you see in the movies like transformers and such is how America really is. So I don't know what to think anymore or who to trust with random information they tell me.  Honestly, it would be easier if everyone just believed in Christ and tried to follow His teachings. The world would be such a better place

Elder Afatasi (whom is in my District in Kiritimati) will be coming home from his mission next week so I will give him a bunch of stuff to bring home. Not a bunch, but a little bit. He says he is having a homecoming party if you want to go to it. They are Samoan so I guess they love guests and crap and will welcome you if you go. They live in the Salt Lake Area. It should be the Saturday of next week. So, I think that is like 1 week and 6 days from your time in America. So, plan on that or if you just want I can have him send it home but I figured you might want to talk to him and stuff since I have worked with in Kiritimati. He can speak Kiribati and crap too so yeah.

As for spiritual stuff we listened to a talk this morning and the mad said a quote I loved.

'If we entertain temptations, soon they begin entertaining us.'

It is all too true.  Yeah honestly before the mission I rarely read scriptures and when I did it was a pain. Now it is honestly something I enjoy. It just takes time to read and ponder things.

Keep up all the good stuff at home.
Elder Dinsdale

PS  Elder Beacham says hello.  Hello in Kiribati is Mauri, goodbye is tiabo.  Mauri is pronounced howdy but with an M instead of the H.  And tiabo is pronounced saw bow (cutting saw, bow like bow and arrow)

       

Hip-Hip Hurray For Baptisms!

Hello,

My week in London has been good. Elder Beacham and I have started teaching a new group of people this week. They are so ready to hear the gospel and are ready to prepare themselves for baptism. It will be a couple more weeks, but they are great. We got both referrals from one girl and she sits in on the lessons with us and helps us.

Nei Taate and Kremt got baptized this week!!! They are 13 and 10 years old but they are both really legit and they were ready to be baptized which is great!!

Here is random experience that happened this week.  It is not one of my happiest ones. We have a recent convert and his sister who wanted to start taking lessons with us. The investigator is a very nice girl.  Neither of their parents are members, but they are fine with her taking lessons. So, yesterday we went to their house and their parents were not in a good mood. They were somewhat polite, but they told us how their kids were disobedient and how they were partially blaming their disobedience on the lessons with the missionaries. (It seemed to me like it might be how they parent their children.)  We had taught them all about obedience and they learned it. I maybe wouldn't have minded as much, but their dad was halfway drunk at the time, and I don't think anyone should ever even attempt to raise or discipline their children when they are drunk. But, that is just what happens.

Yeah, so I have not received the package yet, but we will see if I end up getting it. 

That is awesome that you are going to see the new Provo Temple.  I remember seeing a little bit of the Temple on my way to the MTC before I left, but you will have to let me know how it is.

And thank you for checking to see that my UVU scholarship went through. It is just chill for me that you and Tom will set everything up for me, and all I will have to do is come home and go. Stinks for you guys with all you’re planning and such, but it is good for me. So thank you very much for helping with all of that.

So you asked about the picture that you saw when I was fishing.  There was definitely a storm.  We saw it, and had to leave. The wind blows pretty hard here so, but never like insanely bad. It does rain a ton. If the wind doesn't blow it is a rare occasion. That is the only reason we can take the heat is because there is normally a breeze. When it storms, it normally just rains a ton and then everything floods. But it is quite fun overall.

Dad, that is awesome and weird that you have a calling working in the stake. It is weird to think you are working for the stake, partially because there is no stake here. Most people honestly have no idea what they are doing. But little by little they are working on it which is good. 

There is that one scripture about life that comes to my mind.  It says that you should believe in God, believe that he is and that he knows all and trust in him. I don't know what it is in English I only think of it in Kiribati. But it is very true. God does things and we have no idea why, we just need to trust in him and he will help us.  I know that the Lord sent me to this mission to learn and that it will help me for the rest of my life. 

So, overall a really good week. Elder Beacham and I get along very well and the work is going good. Good health, good fun and good stuff. Yep. Thanks for all the support!

I look forward to hearing again from you next week.

Elder Dinsdale

I feel like I may never leave Kiritimati

Hey,

   Things have been really good this week.  I guess I will start out this week answering a few questions:

Does it seem like you have been out 6 months?  Do you think about home or do you feel like Kiritimati is home?  So, yeah for me at the moment, I still remember home and stuff, but it just feels like I am never going back.  It feels like I will never leave Kiritimas (which I wouldn’t mind because I love it) but I am pretty sure that I am leaving soon and I am good with that as well.  So, you had a party for me without me there?  Haha, sounds chill to me.  Well, I can say that you did more than I did.  I was glad to hear that some of the family and friends came over and hung out.  The “Island Cake” was great Sarah.  Cake is definitely something I miss. They have a type of cake here, but it just isn't like actual cake. I will eat a lot of Sarah's cake in 2 more years.

Where should we send letters to?  So, as far as letters please send them to me on Tarawa.  Last I heard I am leaving this month so I don’t want to miss any letters.  If I don’t leave this month it might be in March but if you send them to Tarawa it should be good. 

I heard Elder Darm had a Birthday Party and there was dancing.  Tell us about it.  Haha, yeah Darm had a pretty big party.  Yes, there was dancing.  I may or may not have ended up in a leaf skirt.  By the way I found out that I can shake my hips quite well if I say so myself!!!

What is your favorite thing to do there and what about a cool experience this week?   I enjoy fishing, telling stories, and teaching.  Honestly just meeting new people and talking to them is way fun.  Cool experience.  Well, one day we woke up and it had been raining all night so it was slightly cold. (It rains a ton usually) and so I decided, hey, Elder Dinsdale let’s take a hot shower. So I boiled some water and micro waved some more and took a hot bucket shower. Ha pretty legit stuff. I have done that a couple times now when it is raining and cold and such. 

How is it going with Elder Beacham?  Since you both sing have you been singing?   Elder Beacham and I are getting along quite well.  We have not done much singing, but we have talked about singing. Yeah not much time to do singing.  We spend our time teaching and then there is not much time for many other things.

How is it going with your investigators?  Investigators are doing good. Not as many as we would like right now.   We are working to find more people to teach since school started up today.  We have started teaching a new kid. He seems interesting and wants to have lessons. No baptisms last week but 2 people interviewed yesterday that will be baptized this Saturday so that is really good.

Do the members help support the new converts?  Do you have to talk or teach each Sunday at church?  Some members are good at supporting. But honestly people need their own testimonies here to say in the church. Not that many members here are great at supporting.   As for converts that fall away, quite a few. Probably 1/4 fall away it seems.  I just heard that one of mine from Banana just started coming back to church though so that was sweet.   Do I talk in Church?  I pretty much try to avoid talking or speaking in church.  But, yes I did a couple weeks ago.  I have to say it is nice on Sundays being taught because all the rest of the week I am teaching people.

What have you been studying in your scriptures that you want to share with us?  I have been studying in the Book of Mormon and the New Testament. It is hard to understand why Jesus does some things he does, but He is quite awesome I would have to say. Also one thing is that I feel like no matter how many times you read the Book of Mormon you can find stuff new. I never read much at home, but I am always finding cool stuff here about random things.

So yeah the Island life as a missionary is good.  Honestly, I am just trying to do good things and trying to be obedient.  I have noticed here that God will definitely give us trials, but if we just endure, great things happen.    We just need to remember that obedience to the Lord’s commandments bring blessings.

Thanks for all that you do for me.  Have a great week!!

Elder Dinsdale

Cake the Sarah made for Scott!!!

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!!