Spiders and ramen and rice oh my!

Monday April 20, 2015

Dear Family,

This week the missionary work progressed slowly, but it should get better. The problem here is that a long time ago there were missionaries here and they converted some people and the church started to grow and then they left and because the Marshalls didn't have their own mission then missionaries didn't come until a year ago.  I’m the sixth elder to come to Mili since a long time ago and it's reopening a year ago. When the missionaries left they didn't know what to do so they became the leaders of the two other religions here.  Which is ironic now that elders are here and starting to help the church grow. But it does help us receive generally good feelings from the people because the leaders of the two other churches still respect us and like us so that is good.

I was starting to get used to living like I was camping until last night I turned over on the concrete rather uncomfortably as my hip got used to it and then looked at one of the walls as a big spider was crawling on it. Then I got up and it ran around to the other side of the wall where I stood with a flashlight hoping my comp would wake up miraculously and kill it for me which he did after about 10 mins of waiting. I know I play rugby and a huge poly running at me doesn't scare me ( that bad) but a stupid spider does is ironic but it's true.  I hate spiders. The scene in the second harry potter movies always comes to my mind when Ron says. “Why couldn't it be follow the butterflies" My dream is that all spiders turn into butterflies. Then the world will be a better place. 

Well I think I am losing a good amount of weight, I’m not as hungry and if I am I look at the bag of rice and choose water over that so yeah… If I come back all sexy I can thank the lord he sent me here for more purposes than preaching. 

 I’m doing alright, Mili has its beautiful days and then its rainy stormy days but all in all it's a blessing to be here and be a servant of the lord.

-Elder Romney
 

Monday April 27, 2015

Iakwe Familia,

That is spamellese (Spanish and Marshallese together, Genious I know.)

The missionary work is going. I have to say I was kind of getting low, losing my motivation, but then I was asked to teach an English class after school to a group of like 20. It was really cool, but the first class was kind of boring but it had to be reviewed. I did the alphabet but put emphasis on the different sounds each letter makes with different words. Mostly because Marshallese doesn’t have some of the letters and if they do it's confusing because in Marshallese a letter may make a different sound. (Example: B's, P's, and V's are tough for them)  But teaching the class is really fun and kind of re-motivated me and I've been doing better in lessons and being more motivated.

We finally got some food, we had to set up an account and go into some debt but it's all good. We are going to pay it off when we get paid.  Cause we were one, running out of food, and two, about to send an airstrike on all ramen factories and rice fields across the world. But we are good now. Don't worry. But for all moms I know that statement means absolutely nothing.

The last few weeks we have had a consistent 10 members at church. We are trying hard to get our investigators to come. In time our numbers will get better. We just have to keep babying everyone to come to church and they will eventually come.

I am doing fine and am thankful for the support.

-Elder Romney

Mili, Mili

Monday, April 6, 2015

Dear Family,

   Well apparently there is email for us here in Mili. They just
installed it and fixed it so it's not too slow. So hello from Mili!
    Mili is a really cool place. We live in this really small concrete
house by the beach. It kind of sucks sleeping on the ground my hips
and back hurt every time I wake up but I guess it is life.
   The first two days we were here there was no food on the island so
for 2 days we ate 3 servings of plain rice which also kind of sucked
but now we have ramen so we’re all good. Plus we were able to get some
soy sauce so in case of rice eating emergencies it isn't that bad.
Also the mosquitoes are straight from Outer Darkness, I swear my legs
look like a mine field.
    Speaking of minefield Mili Mili used to be a one of the Japanese
bases so the whole island has become really hilly from all the bombs
that were dropped. There are still some bunkers and Japanese military
structures here. At one persons house there is an old generator that
wasn't destroyed. Today we may go and see the turrets that are still
here from the Japanese military. I think it is totally awesome, it's
cool seeing all the WWII stuff here. I’m literally on the islands that
all the Island Hopping battles commenced between the U.S and Japanese.
   The food comes on a old amphibian U.S military boat that the
Military gave them. When it comes it brings supplies to the island
like food for the Mon Wia's (stores) and things that the Iroij's
order (the kings/Princes of the island). Then the people make their
living off of kawainini which is husking, and cutting the coconuts to
then sell to Majuro. Depending on the pounds of each bag they fill
they get a certain amount of money for each one. Technically if we
wanted to we could do it and get paid or we could give our work to the
stores for food and stuff but that's if we need to and we don't right
now.
    Because we came here when the boat was going to arrive soon our
missionary work is kind of slow because the people are doing last
minute work and preparing for the boat. But soon it will pick up
again.
    Sunday was pretty interesting. Our chapel is built like one of the
huts and we had our strong members of 5 show up to our First session.
We prepared talks and gave them after the sacrament. We didn't have
Sunday school this time but we will next Sunday. Church lasts about an
hour.  40 minutes for sacrament and 20 for Sunday school. We have 2
sessions because some members live on one end of Mili Mili and some
live on the other end so some go to the chapel and then after that
session is done we hold a 2nd session at a personas house for the
other end. Total including us we had about 11 people show up. We are
going to work to get more less active and new converts to come.
     We are going to start working on a bigger chapel right by our
house on an old concrete foundation that used to be an old classroom.
Today I think we are going to go cut wood to prepare for the building.
I guess I am living really close to Elder Kolipoki type stuff haha
(Other Side of Heaven). I am already starting to feel that sense of
I'm on an island in the middle of nowhere so this may be a long 4
months hahaha. Hopefully it passes and I get used to it better.
      Well thanks again for all the support you give me and I love you all.

-Elder Romney​

Dear Family,

 

This week has become pretty chaotic as I was going to be working in one area and the president had a skype call woth our ZL and told him lots of things are changing. Most importantly im going to Mili an outer island. There is hardly any modern things there, the most modern thing there is solar panels for power. I will be fishing (spear fishing, shark fishing, net fishing) and kawainini every day. Kawainini is husking and cutting out the meat of a coconut. Kawainini is how the local people of Mili make money. They make bags and bags of kawainini and then a boat comes and pays them for their work. To get there we will be on a kawainini boat on Wednesday.  Faleono said they finished the airport so maybe in the future air maybe will be flying there. Usually Elders live in the huts you make out of sticks and banana leaves and whatever surrounds you. But my new companion who is from Pohnpei said we have cement floor .  So we are lucky! We also sleep on those mats like Elder Kolipoki, here they are called jaki's. (Pronounced like the name Jacky) Elder Bascom said that the members in Mili are really great and the pastors of the other churches respect you because they are actually ex Mormons. The reason they are ex is because at one time the elders left and the church kinda fell so they started another church. When I get there I will be branch president, Elders quorum pres, every leadership position in a branch. Me and my companion are the leaders out there. We can marry people but only on permission from the Mission President. Mili has about 200 people I believe. Probably less. Faleono said that they installed internet for the first time there but the day he left it wasn’t working. So I may or may not be emailing for 4-6 months. To communicate with the office we ham radio in. It is pretty exotic haha. If you imagine a post card picture if a small beautiful island it is what Mili looks like. It is beautiful. I will have pictures of it all so don’t worry haha. So that is the bug news from the Marshalls!  

I love you so much and thanks for all the support. 

- Elder Romney

 

Pictures and Videos taken in Mili

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtvXI8N9P4g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAWmzTUYIzc