Dear Family,
It’s Christmas!!! Haha, not really, but it’s pretty close. December 22nd right now, and it’s still as hot as ever. So bummed about no snow for Christmas. I’m always trying to explain 4 seasons to people here and especially snow, but it’s pretty tough. But I love it here.
We had our big Christmas celebration here last week at the chapel with basically all members from the whole island, and some family and friends of members who should be baptized but have various concerns to resolve. It was pretty dang fun. Just straight chillin’, ya know. I had a bunch of candy Elder Kim and I have received from fam and we gave most of it away. It’s pretty sick to see people’s faces when they try American stuff – always super happy, but overwhelmed by the flavor. It was a 2 day even. A lot of people slept the night in the classrooms the first day and after was just straight food prep, people playing Sorry the boardgame, but they make their own board and it’s played with cards. Stuff like that. Tons I could write about it, but that’s for a later time. We had a baptismal service later that day. We did it ocean side this time. Pretty much just vibin’ to the Spirit, ya know. Oh and I had dog for the first time, it’s actually really good fun fact.
There was this pretty cool story that just barely happened. So sometimes we rent a truck to pick up members from around the whole island so we can have church together at the chapel. Otherwise Elder Kim and I bike the island the whole day and do sacrament meetings for 4 villages (not including the one at the chapel). Anyways, we got on the car to make sure our people who just got baptized would get on so they could be confirmed. 5 total baptized. 2 made it on the car and 1 got sick from the pig from Christmas (I ate that same pig so just imagine the pyrotechnics that would have been taking place inside my colon. Absolutely spectacular let me tell you.) so a bummer he couldn’t come but understandable. Then there was this teenage girl who missed the car straight up but we talked to her since so we will be good to go next week. And finally Been (his name), this 11 years old kid who. He was the one person I didn't get to teach until recently because straight up he couldn't understand my accent. His family got on the car, but he was nowhere to be found. We waited for a bit, but regrettably we had to move on. I was super bummed. So we went to the next village and we were there for an unusually long time. But I was just chillin’ talking to some members and reading my Kiribati BoM waiting for awhile. When all of a sudden this head popped up near the tailgate of the truck. It was Been! We were all completely shocked. First thing his mom says “Elder hang korakora ana onimakilei (his faith is strong), we all busted up laughing. Let me explain why. The villages are what I imagine to be a 20-30 minute walk, and this kid who when we first started teaching him was only able to understand very basic concepts had just run that. The life here is very different. Running a long distance is not something someone would generally do. We had had some people not come to a 12 minute, 4 person sacrament meeting 15 yards away from their house because they were cooking. Which is completely funny because it was the dinner they were cooking for us! A dinner we would eat a little after sacrament meeting (see Luke 10:38-42 for biblican story of similar events). Plus it had been (not the name) pretty unusual. We had waited in that other village so long, so I would love to know more than anything his thought process through that whole ordeal. If he had planned to run straight to the chapel or what? That is pretty dang far to run for a church. I have only recently realized he understands and has retained most of what we have taught him. Whatever truly did go through his mind I know that God had a plan that day and he executed it flawlessly that day as he always does. To perform what, to me, is nothing short of a miracle.
Loving the people of Marakei so much. Obviously learning the language of a country you only realized existed a few short months ago is interesting, but I’m comfortable communicating with anyone (even Been) :). It all comes down to prayer. Gift of tongues is straight up real. I promise everyone will work out regardless of your circumstances if you just love the people around you. These people are some of the happiest people I have ever known. Not by ignorance, they understand they are many things we take for granted they will never have, so although for all of you the Christmas has long passed, be grateful and show thanks for everything. Pray more earnestly. Love more fervently, and allow yourselves to be happy “regardless of your circumstances” – Uchtdorf. Christmas definitely won’t be the same, but I think it will be my favorite Christmas yet.
Sincerely,
Elder Jacob Buhler
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