Thor's Testimony

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Dear Family, 

This week was pretty much a normal week. Right now we need more investigators and it’s hard because our area is small and not a lot of people want to study with us at the moment. So we need to do finding but other things have made us busy so it’s hard right now haha. But it should pick up soon if we keep working at it. We just need some good investigators so when others fall through we can have more to schedule and get to. But everything else is all good. Because you want to know more about investigators I’ll share what I shared with Aunt Tonia about one of our investigators.

Yesterday we were teaching a very interesting investigator we have. He is very funny. We can sit with him (on the floor criss cross apple sauce) on the floor for up to 3 hours. If you think your hips are bad be thankful for a couch or chair. (Most people don’t have furniture) anyways we have such long lessons for a couple of reasons. One he is very much a biblical Christian. Like if it isn’t in the bible then it’s hard for him to believe it and we can get border line bashing for a little bit on some stuff. It’s never contentious though. Part of the problem is he is not very opened minded, if he’s interpreted a verse or scripture one way then that’s what it means and we have to try and convince him to look at it differently. So along with that comes the second thing is he has questions galore. So what should be our usual 15-20 minute lesson turns into 2-3 hours. Now to my main point, we taught him the plan of salvation.

We break it up into two parts and teach the pre existence and earthly life one lesson and afterlife the next. As you can imagine for a guy like Thor ( that’s his nickname cause he has really toned strong arms and forearms haha) the plan of salvation is a lot to take in for someone who’s never heard anything as detailed as the plan of salvation. Last year his wife died. That was something we brought up and he bore a pretty powerful testimony, one that made me think of Ryker. As we all have thought recently and I’m sure multiple times is that we want him back. We don’t want him gone.

But Thor’s testimony was really good. He talked about how during New Years Eve he was eating food and having a good time and he started to think about his wife and how she should be enjoying this and being here and having a good time. But then he said he felt a prompting not to think about that. He said that he actually shouldn’t wish that because she is up there (and we said she was in the spirit world happy and resting and hearing the gospel, before he said this testimony) And how it wouldn’t be good if she was here because she could be getting her illness (that killed her) and she wouldn’t be as happy as she is on the other side of the veil. And it really made me think, especially from this investigator in his simple English, that he understands. Ryker is up there happier than he was here, and if you think about it he was a pretty happy guy and loved life. And we know our desires and personality are amplified in the spirit world. So to wish him back would actually be worse for him. But we don’t always see it that way. I miss him a ton. So much, more than I can say, but I was thankful for Thor's testimony because it helped comfort me a little more knowing that he is really having so much more joy than the joy he already had. He’s with Hinckley he’s with family he’s in good hands and we know he is working in the calling he was given when he died. He’s an elder, working as an elder and having that joy. And that really helped comfort me more to think about that and understand that.
So that was my spiritual moment this week and I thought I would share it.

That was my experience so far this week. I love you all and miss you guys. Thanks again for all your support. 

-Elder Romney

  

 

 

New Year ~ New Letters

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Dear Family,

 

This week work got a little better because it wasn’t such a busy week but then came new years and New Year’s Day was funny. Absolutely no one was out. If someone was out and about they were drunk tired both or a kid. New year’s night tested my patience because one of the branches came and were about to project a movie on our house with half of it on the window we sleep by and a huge speaker. But they moved inside. Thennnn in the morning it was like 4:30-5 music was blasting so I was about to go get the speaker and throw it over the wall and tell everyone to go home haha. But I got some ear plugs and it made it quiet enough to sleep again for a little.

 

The bad thing though was many members and people got drunk. It’s such a passive rule here in their culture. If they go tell the bishop they got drunk they skip the sacrament one Sunday and take it the next. It’s more like a slap on the wrist here. And it’s sad because it’s not a little tiny rule the church tells us. It’s not a fine print rule in the church curriculum or something. Which in our church there isn’t really a tiny rule to begin with. People don’t say oh by the way tithing is supposed to be paid but it’s up to you. Bu the way we shouldn’t go out and drink and smoke weed, but it’s all up to you. It’s not like that. Every rule in the church is very clear. And I know this is me talking, I’m not perfect by any stretch of the imagination but it’s for all of us to follow strictly. The word of wisdom is pretty important so it needs to be fixed. But how do you change a whole culture point of view. It’s hard, you can’t really do that. But we try the best we can. 

The two investigators we had got drunk on New Year’s so we had to postpone their baptism for next Saturday. So far we have made sure they understand the rules pretty well. I think they realize that they shouldn’t have done that so they should be good. They really do want to change for the better and we want to help them. So they should be baptized pretty soon as long as they follow the commandments. 

I would like to tell you about how interesting people’s lives ate but sadly I can’t. They can’t do a lot. They are stuck on a small island for their whole lives with nothing really to do. The really fun things you can do like boating or scuba diving or wind surfing, those are all hobbies or things people like to do that can afford that. People can’t afford to do things like that unless they are like a land owner or king. They have interesting fun lives but the rest of the people just survive I guess. It really makes me feel humbled because I have been able to experience things that they will never be able to, my life at home or just being a missionary is such a fascinating experience and only a few get to have those experiences. If a member can make it to a temple that is a big deal or if they are be able to go to America for college or something that’s a big deal. I’ve met a few people that have been able to do that and they are really cool people to talk to. You can tell the difference between a person who has been able to experience things and learn compared to those who have done the same routine throughout their whole life never being able to have that. Its humbling, it really is. That’s why our job as missionaries here is so important because the gospel can be something that these people cherish. That’s why religion is a big thing here because its something they can do and learn from and look forward to. The people that can truly accept the gospel and live it never backslide, because hey cherish what they have as families and eternal perspective. Because so many people just have nothing, or very little. It definitely is something for me to look at and motivate myself to be better as a missionary so I can help these people. Being a missionary and truly being able to help people and change their lives is such a opportunity and learning experience for me.

I hope everything is going well back home and am glad that the new building is opening up soon for you guys. That’s such a huge blessing to have a chapel out there. And hopefully soon we will have the temple out in Tucson built so we can have that blessing as well. I love you all and miss you. I miss home sometimes and everybody there, but I try and remember why I am here and what my purpose is. Thank you for the support, it is a blessing to have the support I have back home. Thanks for that. Enjoy the cold weather and snow! I miss that too! With this same weather everyday haha.

 

-Elder Romney

 

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Dear Family, 

How is everyone doing? How is Christmas break? Mine was great it lasted probably a day haha. But its good preparation for when I enter the work force, right?! I was able to get both packages that you guys sent when mission president came. Thank You for those. Also thank all the family members for that money, tell them it was unnecessary and too much!!! Press Watts! That’s their hard earned money! Not mine! Anyways thank you everybody, way too kind to a bonehead like me! Yes my hair is shorter. I’ll upload a picture. 

Yesterday we helped the Loeak family paint their house. By the way this family loves missionaries to death. Their daughter is returned and everything. I’m pretty sure I could use no money and could be well fed for all of my time here on Ebeye. Also I lucked out when my companion told me they do our laundry. I didn’t think there was a mission out there where you could still get that luxury but yet again the Marshall Islands have proved me wrong. Back to the service painting.  Becasue Marshallese people aren’t very artistic they get a huge bucket of one color and that’s what they paint everything. They told us to paint aolep. Which means paint everything so as we were painting I made many smart alec comments as I would look to one of the Loeaks and pretend to paint a window saying "aolep?" Got a good laugh from them. Also know that it is just one coat of paint, so it is in no way professionally done, especially since it was done by kids family and elders with paint rollers and brushes haha. Took a good chunk of our day but was fun. 

We should be able to get 3 baptisms next Saturday. This Saturday they will get the interview questions. The standard of excellence is 2 baptisms a month for each companionship. So we got our monthly goal! Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!! Am I hearing a raise in food money?!?!?!?! 

Also to give a good example of how expensive food is, a quart of milk is $3 so a gallon is $12. A cheap box of Mac and cheese is $2. Bread is still pretty good but butter, meat, condiments are probably a dollar or more than what it is in America, usually $2-3 dollars more. So if you think food is expensive there, think again, I wish I could be in America (as far as prices, in love with Marshall Islands, wouldn’t want to be anywhere else), its honestly pretty cheap to live in America if all you want is your needs.

Thanks for everything you guys do and thank you for all the support. Also all my cousins aunts and uncles, family dogs, the rats at uncle Jess's home, whatever other pets and members of the family thanks for all your support as well (there are many of you) It’s nice to have such a big family that you are close to and along with that, have such a big family that are members of the church and live righteous lives. It has always been such a great example to me that not only my immediate family but my extended family is on the same path and goal as I am. Trying the best we can to hold to the rod and endure to end. It is a real blessing that not many can say about their own family. Remember that, we are a very blessed family. Thank you again. 

-Elder Romney