I love Tabiteuea!!! Even my forest friend!!

Hello,                                                         

   Well, we are still here in Tab North and it is great.  Are you really sending new shoes?  Thanks, if you want you can send more drink mixes and snack foods would be good as well.

Is there a big difference between Tab north and Tab South?

Tab north is way different from Tab South.  In Tab North there are probably like 5 or so people on the island that have cars which is actually a lot.  There are also a lot of motorcycles and bikes and such. There are some good stores as well here. The church at Tab North has been here a while. There are also 2 Branches and 2 Units. We currently live in the missionary’s house and so it is pretty nice. I have a bed so that is sweet.

Down in Tab South missionaries just got there last year so the church is just starting up down there. In Tab North it is a lot more organized. Our Branch president in the city where we live is sweet. He has served a mission and works hard so he actually knows what he is doing. (This is rare for all the areas I have served.)

How are the people there?

The people here are awesome!  There are a lot of teenagers wandering around.  In Tab North they seem to like to joke with the missionaries when we bike around which is different from Tab South.  I feel like we have a lot more respect down South. I am loving it here though!  Great people, great work and it is awesome!

How is the weather?

It is quite hot here. It doesn't really rain much, and if it does it is only for a few minutes and it stops. It has been like that for over a month. So quite dry but still really humid.

What do they grow there?

They grow coconuts, pumpkins, and mai (breadfruit) and just the usual Kiribati stuff.

How do you like Tabiteuea North?

Pretty much Tabiteuea is a freaking awesome place. It is a huge area that Carrington and I are working, but it is way sweet. 

Do you have any funny stories?

Funny story at least I feel like it is funny. So people ask what your talents are here. I have been telling people that in my village (home) when you turn 18 you take up your sword and your bow and arrow and you travel into the mountains and slay yourself a dragon. And that is how you prove you are a man. It is pretty funny because a lot of people believe me. People here see movies and think that is how things really are since they haven't ever seen anything but the ocean and coconut trees. This place is pretty sweet!!

Another story that I thought was funny but has to do with when I was not feeling too well one night… I will tell you though because I thought it was funny. So, I was getting sick the other day and it just hit me fast. I was in my house in the middle of the forest and I hopped off the stick house and ran into the forest to go to the bathroom. As I am using leaves to wipe a mentally challenged guy walks up to me in the middle of the forest. I am trying to get him to leave and I am explaining to him that I am pooping but he just said that it was all good. After a while I finally convinced him to leave. But it was pretty funny and quite odd at the same time.

Are you sick often?

No I am not sick often. That was the first time in a few months. And I am healthier now.  I have used my oils a few times that you sent me but Elder Carrington uses his all the time.

Do you have any other cool stories?

Another thing I forgot to mention is that when I was on the boat on the way here to Tab North I saw sea turtles and sting rays swimming in the ocean next to the boat. It was awesome! We also fished on the way here and got some sweet fish!

Do you have any missionary experiences that you want to share?

We taught a guy yesterday about the Word of Wisdom.  He has some issues with this as do a lot of the people here. He just admitted though that these things really do have control over his live.  He also said if he has a craving for something it just drives him crazy till he can get that thing.

I want you all to know that Satan wants us to need the things on the earth. The Lord tells us not to be tied down to things on the earth but to only be tied to the truth and to Him.

Are you glad that you are on a mission?

I have no regrets being out here. Serving the Lord is the best thing that I can be doing with my life right now so I am very happy to be doing it.

The internet is turning off so have a great week!

Love,

Elder Dinsdale

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

Elder Carrington and Elder Dinsdale in Tab. North

My house on Tab. South

Beautiful Sunsets

Elder Ellis, Carrington, Dinsdale and Johnson at our house!

HE'S ALIVE!!!

After 26 days of not hearing anything from Scott (but who’s counting) this message just came through from Elder Johnson who is the district leader on Tabiteuea North, he reports:

Elder Carrington and Elder Dinsdale are loving Tabiteuea South.   I have heard no complaints and they say that the work is going very well.  They are having lots of reactivation and baptisms.

Elder Johnson said that he knows that Elder Carrington and Elder Dinsdale  take good care of each other. They eat strange foods and are exposed to new things.. One thing I know for sure (Elder Johnson said) is that the Lord has his eye on these boys. They are doing a service few can do and were called by the Lord because of their diligence, faith and trust in the Lord and because of their obedient nature.

Elder Johnson and Elder Ellis went to Tab (Tabiteuea) South a few weeks ago to find Elder Carrington and Elder Dinsdale a nice place to live. They say they love Tab South, the food and the strong group of members..

*Some interesting facts from Jen.  

1.Tab South and Tab North are run by different governments.  Tab North has internet and Tab South does not.  The missionaries radio in to the district leaders each week to report.   

2. Elder Dinsdale, Elder Carrington and Elder Johnson's all share the name Scott.

Abaiang today, Tabiteuea tomorrow!!

Hello,                                                                

So there is a ton of stuff to write today and unfortunately I am being rushed for time a little bit. I will try and answer all your questions and write what is going on.

So on Wednesday night I was told that I was being transferred.  On Friday morning we left on the speed boat back to Tarawa. A couple people on the boat were fishing while we were heading back so that was pretty fun.  I will miss Elder Musser (my companion) he was great to work with.  The mission is running out of missionaries so they are only having 2 missionaries in Abaiang and I am headed to the Island Tabiteuea.   I am flying to Tabiteuea tomorrow with Elder Carrington! I am very excited!

 Here is a little about Abaiang.  We had our first baptism on Abaiang the Saturday before I left!!! A girl named Otobina. She was way ready and just a super sweet girl. There should be a ton more people baptized down there I bet in the next month as the work was going way good when I left. So the reason that I couldn’t email last week was we were busy getting some people married and that took up most of my P-Day.  And then that night at the school the internet wasn’t working.  But, the wedding was way fun!

They had a pretty big farewell party for me. It was way sweet and I gave all my candy away to everybody.

I got my package and it was awesome!!  The Reese’s Peanut Butter cups were the best ever!! Tell Sarah that I will totally rock the High School Musical shirt!!  The tools will be very useful for our bikes and the new white shirts are perfect.  Thanks so much for everything in the package. The Indiana Jones card was sweet and also tell Sarah thanks for her card it was super funny!

I have a cool story for all you guys to satisfy your want for cool stories. There is a kid named Babakai. He is like 16 or so but he has just been way sweet lately. He was reading in the Book of Mormon and was reading about when God told Nephi if he did what he was supposed to then he would go to the land of promise. He then took out his Plan of Salvation pamphlet and found the question about where you go after this life. He then told us all about this and how the scripture in Nephi answered the question. And he told us if he did what he should then he would be going to the land of promise. It was just way awesome to me on how he completely personalized the scriptures to himself.  We should all read the scriptures and try to apply them to ourselves even if we don't think they would apply. That was my cool story.

I would like to say that I could guarantee that I will Skype on mother’s day but I don't think I will be able to. On Tab (Tabiteuea) South they say there is no internet.  I think we will be able to radio into the Elders on Tab North for contact.  I am thinking that I will be there until July so I can probably Skype in a couple months.  Please keep writing me at the Tarawa address and you can email me but just realize that I might not see them for a while.

Well, I am happy and healthy here and loving my mission.  I just try and remember that this is my time to serve the Lord.  I try to forget everything that goes on outside in the world and I try to just focus on my mission and serving the Lord.

I am having a great time here! :) 

Love,

  Elder Dinsdale

 Here are some pictures from Elder Kitchens mom.  They were taken when Scott was in Tarawa with many of the Elders from the MTC!!