Line upon line

Hey!

Nice, nice, sounds like everything is going good. That's cool about

the family reunion! How long was it? Did they have a camp out sort of

thing with it as well? Or just the get together? That's way cool about

the faith stories! Man, that's good she acted on the first prompting.

I'm sure she was glad she'd gone to look after the child when she saw

the it huddled at the bush waiting for her. That's really cool!

So about the talk... what kind of things did you have in mind? Do you

want things specific to mission life in general? Or things specific to

my mission area?

Here's a few ideas you could share (you might have to do some research

on the references and wording if that's alright):

there's a talk in this past conference that I think Elder Eyring or

maybe Elder Bednar gave. He was talking about fulfilling priesthood

duties, he said something like "if you told me that you felt you were

totally capable of accomplishing your duty, I might be concerned you

didn't fully understand it." He goes on to say though that through the

Lord's power and help we can accomplish miracles and accomplish what

He expects of us.

It's definitely the same in mission work. It's a really huge

responsibility. But if you just trying and if you seek His guidance

and help through prayer and scripture study and by being obedient,

you'll definitely see miracles and help in fulfilling your purpose.

Just like the brother of Jared, as we show and excercise our faith,

we'll be able to see the Lord's hand in our lives.

I've also learned a lot about how just by doing the small things

everyday like studying and praying we can grow little by little. Just

like the scripture "line upon line. That's definitely the same in

mission work as well. We'll see ourselves and others progress little

by little. It's important that we just continue to try hard and seek

His help and that we have faith and patience with our self and with

others, and eventually we'll look back and see how much we've grown.

I heard a quote once from some talk that said something like "He is

closer to this work than you think He is." That's definitely true. I

mean, it makes sense cause it's His work, but it's important to know

that He really is right there helping us and is ready to further help

and bless us and give us guidance as we desire it and seek it.

Any way... yeah, those are some ideas. If you have other questions

I'll totally answer them.

So, this week..... has been good. Yesterday we had a good Sabbath.

Church was awesome. We saw lots of blessings. The family I talked

about came to church again which was way cool and a huge blessing.

Their baptism date is this Saturday, which is really exciting. They've

been such a great family to teach hahaha. They live right by our house

and they were literally just waiting to be baptized it seems! Haha, I

have definitely seen His help and miracles as we've taught them and

worked with them.

We rode to Kuma on our bicycles again. There's a really strong member

down there who shared with us his "kateniuan koaua" (third

witness/third personal testimony building experience basically) on the

Book of Mormon. It's so awesome to hear members' testimonies here.

Some people here have got some really strong testimonies, it's way

awesome.

Hmmmm, I've been doing some Book of Mormon studies this week on the

overall organization of the book. Basically something like this:

...Alma 1-4

5 Alma to people

6

7 Alma to people in Gideon

8

9-14 Alma and Amuleck to people in Ammonihah, Zeezrom

15-16

17-26 Sons of Mosiah

27-35 (30 Korihor the Anti-Christ)

36-42 Alma to sons (36-37 Helaman, 38 Shiblon, 39-42 Corianton)

...

Anyway, I would recommend it. For me it helps references stick better.

It also helps you to guess and find verses.

Well, have a good week!! Love ya!!! - Elder SEffker

know God's watching over us always,

That's cool you had a chance to go to the fireside! Where did they
hold it????? The J are sooo awesome. Being in their air
conditioned house each p-day in tarawa. Way clean, their both so nice,
they've always got food out for the missionaries. Ah, good memories at
their house, they were like my grandparents in Tarawa.
Sounds like Fathers day was a success!!!! haha
The kids are all doing good eh? Yeah I've heard knitting is hard, but
I'm sure she can learn it if she keeps at it! There are some people
who are wayyyy good at it.
So, this week: not sure if I told you guys yet, but Butaritari finally
got general conference!!!! It's way good, I've almost got it finished.
When we get the Cd's sent out, we'll set up a unit activity here or
something and all listen to it.
We have had a bit of service this week. It kind of felt like being at
a family reunion, except bigger maybe. Because there was a huge
bootaki(party) here in Butaritari for the past 2 days. So the families
of those heavily involved each had to prepare 250 total basins of food
over the span of the bootaki. Each basin is about a foot and a half in
diameter, maybe a bit bigger, filled about half way, maybe 5 inches
high or so, higher if it's like bread or other light easy stuff. The
family killed numerous pigs they've been saving for this bootaki. We
almost didn't have enough basins. We were there Saturday evening, they
were supposed to prepare 100, but they only made it to 75. Any way,
rice, bread, shark, turtle, bwabwai(it's a food that I'm pretty sure
only grows in kiribati), pig(tons). They had one pig that was probably
like 400 pounds, maybe bigger, it's was one of the biggest pigs I've
seen here in Kiribati. I think she said it was about 5 years old.
Anyway, I was in unbelief when I heard they wanted us to fill 100
basins that night. We only made it to 75, still though, I was
impressed, that was a ton of food. They had a lot of family there from
Tarawa helping out.
Any way, we've been working a lot with T and E family
this week. E came to church again with his daughter. He's doing
way awesome. We're still working with T, his bike was broken
though. They're both really fun to teach and talk with. We had a
family we've been teaching, they're headed back to Tarawa, so we
taught them for the last time this week. We set it up with them so
that they'd have elders when they got back to Tarawa. The father's
name is T, he's way funny and also really respectful. He's been
way good to teach. I've seen lots of progress with him. He's actually
has been doing good with a lot of his commitments, I really hope he's
able to gain a witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and
of this church. We ate dinner with him on Friday night.
Well, things have been good. Love you all, hope everything is going
good there!! The church is true, the Book of Mormon is true, it was
guided to come into our hands in these last days. I know it brings
strength and guidance. I know it will help us to come closer to Him. I
know God's watching over us always, He's aware of our every step. I
know He loves us and so He sent His Son. Well, have a good week. -
Elder Seffker

we can make it back to our Father

Hey!! Hope everyone is doing good back at home! Things are going good

here as well!! This week has been good! I did some finishing up on a

kids hair with scissors recently. It went good, I think I’ve got the

trick down for how to do the sides with scissors.

E and his daughter came to church again. They’re really great

investigators. He’s just got a really nice family.  Like: we taught a

lesson a few days ago. They were prepared. Took us out just by their

house where they got a beautiful buia that hangs over the ocean.

Everyone looked way sharp. The tide was up, the sun was setting. It

was just a really good environment. They’re very willing to live the

commandments as they learn them. It’s just cool how ready they seem to

receive the gospel. The father is way funny, really nice though.

We rode to kuma again yesterday on bike. It was pretty fun. We’ve been

really blessed in that it’s hardly rained as we’ve rode there. The

people we meet in Kuma are way awesome and nice. It’s always so nice

to see them. They’re just way friendly and humble.

I’m also getting pretty good at singing, what with having to sing 3

songs  like 4 times each Sunday, usually during which there aren’t a

ton of people present. Once my companion chose a song that the people

weren’t way familiar with when we were in our “big” sacrament meeting.

Me and my companion sung a duet in that time.

Any way: answers to your questions: we haven’t yet gone to Makin,

we’re looking at maybe the beginning of July. We’ll go by plane.

Nice info about the fam and whatnot. Wow! Well, that’s way cool!

Well, I know the church is true. I read a thing in the D&C intro this

morning something like: the revelations contained therein are more

valuable than all the treasures of the earth or something like that.

It just reminded me how valuable scriptures are and scripture study

especially. This week finished the New Testament. It’s been a great

experience. It was nice to be able to just focus and just get through

the last 100 pages or so really quick. I know it’s really important to

feast on the word. I know the church is true. I know that through

Christ we can make it back to our Father in Heaven.

Well, love ya all!! Ti a bo!!

Hey these are some pictures my companion took of various events. A
kiribati unimwane turning 70 years old. That's actually one of the
forms of government kind of here. They have kind of a big government
and then also the city government, which is kind of just run by the
people of the city. When someone gets fined and fails to pay the fine,
they're brought in fron of the village unimwane's(old men) "E
kakamaku"(it's very scary) supposedly. The unimwane's hear them out.
They give them a little more time or however they decide. If they
still don't pay the fine, back in the day everyone would throw rocks
at them and their house and basically kick them off the island. Know I
think the police just come and take them haha. Any way, fortunately
were just eating with them here.
Picture of a bootaki where there's tons of people
Some other random pictures of service etc. Ti a bo!! Love ya! - Elder Seffker

bring about miracles

 Here with the
culture and what not, people are afraid to say no. A big problem can
be people eternally investigating, or just wasting time on people who
don't want to change. It's cause people here love to talk any way and
they aren't way busy.
Well Love ya! The church is true, the atonement is real, it can
empower us, it can bring about miracles in our lives and the lives of
others! Christ lives! Ti a bo!! - Elder Seffker

 I've been starting to run a little bit in the sand for exercise
haha, when the tide is down. Ah man, it can be tough at times,
especially when we sit cross-legged for the rest of the day, and then
I get up from it and it's tough to walk hahaha. It feels good to run
again though. Seems to cleanse the body, brings a natural
disinclination to garbage food. Haha, a lot of the village kids run
with me now haha. They ask me things like "ti na manga train ningai?"
(when are we gonna train again?). They're probably about addi's age.
We stretch a little bit at first and then we run circles in the sand
haha, maybe like 20 minutes, not sure if it even reaches two miles.
Haha, it's fun. Any way, surprisingly I actually haven't slept in a
hammock here yet. They do have them all over though. They can make
them out of fishing line, they're way awesome. My companion just got a
hammock though, he plans to sleep in it. It's got a mosquito net.
Right now I just sleep on my kie and we drape a banga(mosquito net)
over it and tuck it into the sides. It's pretty comfortable.
Well,it's good to hear that everyone has had lots of successes recently!!
Such awesome blessings!!! And also congratulations to the kids with
the end of school coming up! Probably will be over by the time ya'll
get this!!! Kam na tekeraoi, bwa kam na bane ni kawakinaki rinanon te
tai n are akea te reirei iai, bwa kam na kukurei, bwa e na
kabonganaaki ibukin are e kakawaki, bwa kam na rikirake iai, ao naba
bwa e na nako n are e na kona ni kauringaki n tai aika a na rooroko!
Haha, I've been to a few kiribati bootaki party things for the opening
of schools, birthdays, and during these things people offer marooro
sort of things basically just kind of a tekeraoi(good luck) so it just
kind of fits. Basically something like: let you all have a good one.
may you all be kept well. may you all grow and progress and have joy.
That it will be used for things which are important and will become
something you can look back on in times continually coming!
Well any way, this week has been good. We've had some successes as
well!! So we've got this investigator family, they were a referral.
And they came to church this week!!!! They're progressing wayyyyy
fast!!!! The thing that's awesome is that they're just way prepared!!
Like it's unusual to find a family who would be willing to keep the
commitments they've kept so quickly. It's like they've been waiting
for someone to just come and teach them. They're way willing. Any way:
thanks for the prayers!!
Also, just got a message from the AP's that me and elder haycock will
be flying to Makin(this island just right by ours) to teach this
family that is apparently ready to be taught and baptized and a few
other kids. They want us to switch between the two islands every two
weeks or so. So that's a huge blessing! It will be a great opportunity
to work and we'll probably learn a lot! It's kind of a big
responsibility, but it's way awesome to be able to take part in this
work!! We'll definitely be guided to get the things we need to done,
and to use good judgement I'm sure.
Well, that's awesome to hear everything is going good at home! I got
the recent package with the camera!!! Thank you!!!!!!!! The shirts
we're awesome!! Very nice taste!
Here are some answers to questions I got in the letter there:
Mom: Yeah some of the people wondered if I was a cross between an
american and an i-kiribati because I have kind of dark features haha.
And yeah the diet is way simple because you could probably write down
all the ingredients they use here in food on a piece of paper.
Well love you all!! The church is true! Through the atonement we can
become better and can see miracles in our lives and behavior! God
loves each of us, and will guide us through this life if we put our
trust in Him! Love ya! - Elder Seffker
P.S. finally got conference! It's really great!!