"UNGA"

This week seemed to go by probably the fastest, which hopefully according to that logic it means my last week it will go by really fast!

 

The language is coming along. The structure of sentences is just really weird which makes this language hard to learn. The pronunciation isn't that hard, it is but isn't, but it's putting together the sentences that is really difficult. That is, in my opinion, why it makes this language so hard to learn. Otherwise i probably would have a good amount of it down. In the English language there is 4 main demonstratives we use. This, Those, That, There. but in Marshallese there are a bunch. They (Marshallese) are really specific about two things. Location and Numbers. So if there are two or more items next to the person who is speaking then it would sound something like this. Ikanaan men ke. Which translates into "I want those things next to you." But with Marshallese it doesn't directly translate into English. When you do translate it directly to English most sentences sound like caveman English. And dad will be so happy that there is a word that means ok or yes that sounds like when I say unga. It is inne but the n has lines over it which makes the n have a "ng" sound on it like the sound at the end of sing. I will try to speak some when I call you guys soon. It is some weird stuff haha. But I’m just really waiting to go out in the field so I can start learning it better. It's hard to learn it here, the best way to learn it is being immersed in the culture and always speaking it. 

 

(Elder Andrew Romney since he first started to talk as a baby has said "unga" it means okay.  He still says it.  When you tell him something where the response is "okay", what you hear is "unga".  We have teased him forever about his caveman response.  We have even joked before about him learning a language where "unga" meant something.  Who knew that it already existed in Marshallese and it meant exactly what he already said it for.  Meant to be?  We think so.)

I’m going to miss temple breakfast and going to the temple when I have to go to the Marshalls because the temple in our mission is the Fijian temple, so we won't be able to go probably. This week our Tuesday Evening Devotional was spoken by Russell M. Ballard and it was also a bombdiggitty talk. He talked about how all souls are precious in the sight of the lord, and how we need to go and be good missionaries. The spirit was really strong and I learned a lot. To top it off we also will have general conference coming up soon so that is awesome as well. It is also funny because for languages like Marshallese general conference is tape delayed a week so when we get there we will be watching it again, but this time in Marshallese. Luckily we get to hear it in English first. But the general conference after this one will be next April and I will be able to speak it and know what is being said in Marshallese so that is a win win situation.

During our temple walk last Sunday me and Elder Kim brought our umbrellas and we went around and photo bombed as many pictures as we could with us and our umbrellas. We now are dubbed the Umbrella crew because we are masters. It was pretty fun. We have a couple pictures of us, and I will ask some of the other guys to send us their pictures with us photo bombing them, hopefully.

The Umbrella Crew - more shots to come

 

My favorite thing at the MTC has probably been learning the language and talking with Bro. McComie about the Marshall's and hearing his experiences. I also have enjoyed teaching our fake progressing investigators and just got one of them to commit to baptism and the other is going to soon hopefully haha.

Marshall Island Story from Brother McComie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8rJ6-gyZNY

The snack package is awesome and yummy!  Thanks.

This week we didn't get an assignment to help on Wednesday so maybe next week. You are asked to do stuff like that and you will get a letter stating when and what you are doing. Oh that reminds me I've also had the fake calling of mail man the last few weeks because I am the only one who can open our box because it is a really bad lock system, or it's just old which makes it bad haha.

Love you all,

Elder Romney

What Elder Andrew Romney might be doing today.......

Directing traffic for all the families who are dropping off their missionaries at the MTC today.

Last week Elder Romney helped direct traffic in front of the MTC as new missionaries were dropped off.

Wednesday is the normal "start your mission at the Provo MTC day".  All the missionaries who have been there a week or so, help out in some way to bring all the new missionaries in.  Trained and ready to go missionaries leave for the mission field on Tuesdays and new missionaries arrive on Wednesdays to take their place.

And here is why there is a need to direct traffic for so many missionaries, more than ever before:

2 Nephi 2: 8-6

6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.

 

7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.

 

8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.

 

The Lord is Hastening His work

The things you get excited for as a missionary...

Hey Guys!

I’m doing fine. I think the MTC is finally moving faster and I can't wait to go to the Marshalls. We will probably get our flight plans next week or the week after, I can't exactly remember when you get them. I think it's a week before I leave. So it will be a little bit before I get them, but I cannot wait to go. I want to go and get to the Marshalls! I'm starting to just want to get out of here haha.

I feel like the cafeteria is purely plotting to get you fat. Just processed food everyday! Even the vegetables taste like they were from one of those cheap microwavable bags. So I usually go to the "Leftover Line" where they have something from a meal before or something and then you can get rice and the soup of the day. So I have usually been eating rice. And sometimes soup.

I did get sick, but so did a bunch of missionaries, from a viral URI. (upper respiratory infection for the non med speaking, "a cold") So that has kinda sucked. But I think I'm getting better. I also went to see the doctor about my shins because they have been hurting a little more than usual, and he said I shouldn't run or jump for the next 2-4 months. I don't know if I should fully believe him because my shins could be hurting because before I left for my mission I wasn't exactly exercising a lot so they might hurt from the sudden increase of walking and exercising.

Our classroom moved to a different building, I can't remember the reason, but I'm happy for it because now we finally get desks and I think it's slightly bigger. The things you get excited for as a missionary...kinda sad that I’m excited for a desk and different room but whatever. It's the Best! I luuvv It! It's Fantastic!

 

New classroom with desks.  Celebrating with cheek tape that says........

Stripling Warriors

 

I laughed so hard when you sent that Ron Burgundy quote. That was awesome. Except it goes "I’m in a glass case of emotion!." I've been quoting that, some Ron Swanson, and Nacho Libre. I've also been quoting mall cop but not everyone gets it haha.

Oh! The Tuesday Evening Devotional Richard G. Scott spoke and it was awesome. He talked about prayer and it was just a really great talk. I loved it.  It was a quorum of the 12 and it was a bombdiggity talk. Can't go wrong.

I miss my music a lot. I've been trying to remember lyrics to songs and it's hard. It's like you pass through those MTC doors and everything you thought you knew is gone. Like another veil! All my years of learning lyrics has resulted in a no go for being able to sing right now. I think me and Salanoa have sung the same verse to "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" a million and 2 times, but it's all we got! We have like 5 songs we can sort of remember, so those are the songs being sung.

Ain't No Mountain High Enough
 

Love,

Elder Romney

 

(Photo's, captions, links and (edits), by Dana)

(Elder Andrew Romney Loves Music...I took pity on him and sent an email with the full lyrics from this song, he has good taste in music by the way)

 

So, to wrap things up, what did we learn from this letter?

 

The things you get excited for as a missionary:

1. The "Left Over" line at the cafeteria
2. A new classroom in a new building with desks
3. The Temple Cafeteria ..... see Elder Buhler's blog for details http://www.elderjacobbuhler.blogspot.com/
4. Singing songs that you can ??? sort of remember
5. The Tuesday Evening Devotionals with an Apostle of the Lord - very bombdiggity

 

"You love me ....."

Watch out MTC here I come!

Anytime I get after Elder Andrew Romney for anything he will almost always give me this look and say, "you love me.............. (shortly followed by)......... for my body."  You could not help but smile and laugh.  He is so silly and fun.  So of course he had someone take this shot pre MTC.  Yes, Elder Andrew Romney we all love you!

Below is something I shared with Elder Romney in a letter this week:

"I read this awesome scripture this morning and so I will share it with you.  It is in 2 Nephi 1:21.  Lehi is getting old and about to die and is talking to his sons and I just really liked the underlined part of this verse.  The whole chapter is great.

"21. And now that my soul might have joy in you, and that my heart might leave this world with gladness because of you, that I might not be brought down with grief and sorrow to the grave, arise from the dust, my sons, and be men, and be determined in one mind and in one heart, united in all things that ye may not come down into captivity;"" 

Kind of reminds me of you guys always saying ... "Be a man." (Another saying I hear a lot at my house)



Jeremiah 4:19

New Letter from Elder Andrew Romney

This week was kind of like last week; our schedules are the same every week, which hopefully I won't get driven insane by the time I leave. The language is getting a bit tougher because our teachers want to start to move on to some more advanced things but our district still needs to get down some things before we move on. It is a cool language but hard because the pronunciation and the grammar and structure of sentences are so simple that it's hard for me to make sentences because I still think in English which is much more complex.

One of Elder Romney's trainers speaking Marshallese

Our Branch President is amazing. I love him so much and he is just such an amazing man. He is also a nephew of President Hinckley, and if you look at him you could see the relation. But he is an amazing man. He always requires a hug from all of us before and after we see and talk to him haha. But he also was very kind and helped me when I needed to talk about Ryker with him. He also gave me a blessing for comfort on the subject, and since then I have been feeling a lot better.  (see #RLD33 or Ryker catches the wave on Facebook for more about Ryker)

Some of our devotionals are really good and teach me a lot. An ironic thing happened last Sunday when we went to the Sunday films and we went to woman in the priesthood, honestly we went because we were bored, but I learned more about the priesthood from that then I ever have from any other priesthood meeting. The lady that spoke on the film (it was a recording of a relief society meeting fireside thingy) broke down the priesthood and explained it in depth but so simply. It was awesome. This week I have been focusing more on trying to listen to what the spirit is trying to say to me and recognize when the spirit is trying to give me answers or revelations. I think it's helping to focus on it and I know if I keep at it I will know how the spirit talks to me because it talks to each person differently. I have been learning more and more about the gospel and it's really awesome.

Elder Romney in his dorm room at the MTC

 

Elder Buhler and Weenig found a scripture that describes the cafeteria here at the MTC and I think it is true doctrine. The verse is in Jeremiah 4:19. Also keep in mind though that Elder Buhler and Elder Weenig are really picky eaters, Elder Weenig is worst than Zach and Buhler is closer to Zach when it comes to food, so maybe to them the verse is even more right. But I think the food is so so. (ebwe in Marshallese) But I think the verse definitely applies to the cafeteria food haha.

Thankfully I think time is starting to move more quickly so it doesn't feel like it is trudging on so much. I loved the package and can't wait for more! Thank you so much. I should be able to talk again today.

Sincerely,

Elder Romney

 

Jeremiah 4:19 

My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.

 

Links, photo, scripture and (notes) added by Dana

 

If you've gotta wear a suit....

 

Might as well do some serious posn'

 

I mean serious!

You'll Be In My Heart

Newest Letter from Elder Andrew Romney

Well don’t send the white sweatshirt I now have a cool Utah State jacket that will be fine. But it would be cool to get the rugby jersey and CTR ring.

Elder and Sister Bake with Elder Romney and Elder Kim
Exibit A. the cool Utah State jacket that will be fine

 

    Thank you for the lavalava it is soo awesome and really comfortable! That guy we watched on YouTube about the Marshall islands is one of our teachers he is really cool! haha. We also have another teacher Brother McOmie that is also now on YouTube, (you should watch those videos.) He is also a really good teacher and awesome guy. That is awesome that BYU won. Hopefully I can hear soon about the big Texas game. That will be the big test, but hopefully they can win. Can't wait to hear more about the football team.

 

Lavalava I sent him, now we need a picture of him in it.

 

       It's definitely getting harder at the MTC. It's not necessarily the language it is the sitting in a classroom for 4 hour block periods 3 times a day that gets me. I don't function that way. The language is hard but I think it's coming along. I did here some deep advice from Elder Salanoa and Weenig (Those two are like me and Elder Kim's good friends in our district that we hang around with.) There is another four people in our district and Elder Lesser is also a person I really like and his companion is cool also. Anyways the profound advice that Elder Salanoa and Elder Weenig got from a couple of sisters is that you shouldn't worry about your language so much and focus on the gospel and studying. Because you will learn the language in the field just fine but it's vital you know the gospel really well and study it so you can be able to live it better and teach it better.

       I day dream about having a rugby ball sometimes just so I can hold one and toss it around a bit in our room or something haha. For our exercise we can go to the gym and play basketball, volleyball, or four square. Then we can go to the field and play soccer or Frisbee or even croquet but there are no footballs or rugby balls. Not even to just toss around. It sucks. But I try and play basketball or volleyball most of the time so I can get really good at the favorite sports on the Marshalls.

       Everyone says that I look like Jonah Hill the actor from the funny movie 21 Jump Street or everyone thinks I'm Mitt Romney and it's funny. Weenig told me a funny episode from New Girl about the main character trying to impress this girl that's really conservative republican. And the girl comes up to him and asks him if he is Tag Romney (one of Mitt's sons) and he says no I'm actually Tug Romney. He then goes on this fake flashback of him and mitt fishing out on the lake with two beers in hand. The girl says that Mormons don’t drink and then he says "We don’t, we buy the beer to support American breweries and then throw it in the lake!" It's just really funny. Elder Weenig also told me to go up to random people and say: “I’m Elder Romney, Let's get America back to work. So that's how I’ll introduce myself every once in awhile hahaha.

 

(Hmmm Jonah Hill or Mitt Romney.... I'll go with Mitt, he's family after all and much more likely to be seen at the MTC!)

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

It's funny in our zone because the international students love American culture and the music and movies. A bunch of the islanders love it when I play Disney music haha. They all sing a long and I feel like we have sung "You'll be in my Heart" more than we have sung a hymn haha.

Here is a link to the song on youtube

You'll Be in My Heart

 

       It's a blast to have all the people in our zone that we have.  Elder Buhler is in our zone and I talk to him all the time he is a really cool and funny guy. He's great! Pretty much our whole zone is really awesome even though we are dubbed the loudest zone or our zone isn't always the best on obedience. Our district and the Kiribati district are pretty good at following the rules and stuff but it's the other districts going to Fiji and Samoa that don't do a very good job but I love them all anyways. They are all so awesome and make the MTC feel like home.
      

 

Elders in his District, one of a few pictures Elder Romney sent home today.  I'll post some more throughout the week while we await the next letter.

     For the most part I love the MTC and I learn a lot, I definitely feel the spirit a lot and it's awesome. Sometimes I'll hate it because it feels like you are trapped in this uber Mormon utopia (for some people it's a utopia). I say that because me and Elder Buhler were talking how self sufficient the MTC is it's like a huge beehive that never stops working haha, and everything is always nice and the people are great (it is filled of all elders, sisters, or old missionaries, you can't get any safer or loving than that! haha) But the campus is kinda small and so it feels like you are confined in this little Mormon beehive and you can't leave haha. The Hotel California song comes to mind with a motab twist remix. DJ Roombah in the house! But it’s a great experience nonetheless. The good totally outweighs the bad. I love my companion he is awesome and everybody else in our district and zone. It gets only tougher from here but with my companion and the support of our awesome district we can all get through the MTC. Even though I miss home and sports and my music, I know it's a blessing in my life and it's going to be a great two years.

 

(Pictures, links and a few paragraph and spelling edits by Dana)

More photos from the MTC thanks to Sister Lissette Bake.  Here are Elder Andrew Romney and his companion Elder Kim.  Love the suspenders, the latest fashion statement at the MTC?

Special Delivery today from my dear friend Sister Lissette Bake Guatemala, Coban Mission .  Brother and Sister Bake are at the MTC right now as well, getting ready to leave for Guatamala.  Guess who they found and took a picture with?  My sweet boy Elder Romney.  Thank you Hermana Lissette Bake- you made my day!