God has power to do anything

Mauri mauri!!!
This week has been awesome. Elder Murri is a way hard worker, that's
my new comp btw. I'm learning tons about the language, about the
Spirit, about missionary work. It's a huge blessing working with him.
I gave a talk yesterdayin sacrament meeting, it was pretty good, it
was on having faith and believing that we'll receive answers to our
prayers. I used Mark 11: 13-14 &20-24. It's actually a wayyyyyyy good
verse. We saw some miracles this week as well. It's crazy how
oftentimes we can feel the Spirit most strongly when we're really
working hard and struggling to grow. We were walking past this one
house this week. A thought came to me that we should look at the house
next to us. Apparently the thought came to Elder Murri as well because
I didn't even have to ask him, he did the same thing and we walked up
to the house. Not too much came of it. That Sunday we saw the lady who
we meet there at church. She had been praying at the time we passed
her house which church was true and because we turned around and went
to her that was her answer. It's crazy to think sometimes how big of a
work this is and how weak we are. But literally God has power to do
anything, it's all in God's hands. If we just try to do good and we
really try to stretch ourselves to grow and be better, we'll see God's
help and we'll know He's right there with us. I'm way grateful for the
opportunity to work with Elder Murri, he's a way good example and
works hard. Also I'm grateful to work here. There's tons of good work
and opportunities.
 It's funny: they're starting to
make chapels just pavilion style, why? because it fits the
environment. It's hard to maintain it if it's a chapel. It just
doesn't fit the environment. That's why a lot of people enjoy the "i
buki" life better than here in Tarawa. Because it's was simple. You
live off the land. A lot of people say they feel "richer" i buki.
Because everything is free pretty much. There's very few needs. That's
why when I got back here to Tarawa, I missed the bathroom back in
Butaritari. Cause the one in Tarawa was a mess. When your shower is a
bucket with a cup on cement, there's not a lot of necessary
maintenance. Oh well, haha, obviously there's a few perks to being in
a first world country as well, high standard of living conditions,
longer life span, bettter medical stuff, etc.
Well, prayer is way true!!! Love you all!!!! I'm way excited to become
an Uncle!!!!! Sounds like everyone is doing awesome!!! I challenge
everyone to identify something they could do better with and then set
a goal to really try to please God and follow the Spirit in
accomplishing it for 2 days. Well, have a good week!!! Thanks for all
you do mom!! Good job with the recently half marathons! Thanks for all
you and Dad do to raise our family! You guys do a great job!! Love ya!
- Elder SEffker

encourage them to do the right

Hey!!!!
Yeah I just got in Tarawa, my new area. The exact same area that I
worked in when I first got to Kiribati. Hahaha, man it's way good to
be here again and see all the people that I used to know here. "Euta
Seffka.....!? Nao ko uara?(how are you!?) Ko marika riki!(you're
bigger!) Ko bwati riki n te taetae ke?(you're better at the language
eh?)" Haha, good times. Man it's way awesome to be here. I feel
spoiled here, my last area way comparable to camping conditions. Now
it's like coming back to America. Almost. Mission life is going good.
Trying to work hard every day. The ward was a lot stronger when I
first came. Now it's gone down hill a bit sadly. Satan is continuing
to try to over throw the plan of salvation. Fortunately, when the
trials come, that's when the growth comes. I really hope I can be of
some use to my Father in Heaven here and His children by trying to
help others feel the Spirit who will teach and whisper to them and
encourage them to do the right. Well, It's been a pretty tiring past
few days. Lots of people to meet, lots of lessons to be taught. That's
way awesome to hear all the news that's happening in the ward. Man, 7
missionaries! Haha, that'll be cool when we all get back. Well, I know
the church is true. I know that prayer is true. That's definitely one
thing that I've really had my testimony strengthened in on my mission,
if we just ask and we work at it and we be patient, we'll feel
Heavenly Father's love and guidance, correction and even power at
times to achieve the thing we ask for. Well, have a good week! Love
you all!!! Ti a bo!!!! - Elder SEffker

follows what he learns

Ahhhhm thanks for all the support and packages. Haha, yeah I guess I
could use some vitamins what with all the rice they've got here. Haha,
thanks a ton! Well, the email is way awesome. Nice job everyone with
yours' notes on stake conference. I can relate to the organist player
a bit. I suppose every missionary does, especially those learning a
new language haha. It can be humbling, but Heavenly Father has the
power to help us grow if we desire and work for it and have faith.
I've been thinking a bit about faith and obedience lately. Obedience
isn't a tool you yeild when you think you need it to get specific
blessings, but it's something we work at with faith, not always
knowing what the blessing will exactly be and sometimes following it
even when it's inconvenient. Mission rules are definitely a huge
blessing, it's nice we've got them there to protect and bless us.
Sometimes they can seem limiting but if we didn't have them missions
that would be way dangerous in many ways. This week my companion
suggested we use our priesthood more often. We actually had tons of
opportunities to offer priesthood blessing and use our priesthood so
we took them. It's been a good week. THe work here is good, we've got
a great investigator(Maronibaia) who is honestly a great example to me
and my companion. He's got a great interest in learning God's word in
the bible and the book of mormon. it's his "bwai ni kakabotu" (think
he does to pass the time) which is way good. He also follows what he
learns. Yesterday in sacrament meeting the unit leader gave a way good
talk. It was about this kid who was lazy and his parents put him
through school and stuff but he didn't dare go find a job lest he'd
have to work. He compared it to how sometimes we as members of the
church are always happy to be taught lessons but that we aren't always
happy to go put them to work and use them.
Well, love yall! Thanks for all the good thoughts and support!! Thanks
mom for all you do!!!! Love ya!  Elder SEffker