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
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