There Is No Land Atoll: February Catch-up

A day of celebration when Yvonne sent a new camera and some of her favorite treats with it - this calls for a branch of meria!

Elder Steele and Elder Kalua'u in front of the mission office at Lojkar, Long Island, Majuro MH 96960. I wanted to remember my great District Leader, Elder Steele - he is also training Elder Kalua'u and is doing a bang-up job.

Our great Long Island District - Elder Steele, Elder Kalua'u, Elder Rix, Elder Stoker, Elder Afioga, Sister Howard, Sister Ruiz, Elder Humrich - bless Elder Humrich, the computer genius. They are all fantastic missionaries - they are the reason for all the good changes happening in so many people's lives in this mission and in Long Island, specifically. My respect and love for them is off the charts.

Going out to Laura the second Saturday in February (the 12th), Laurie and I were right at the swimming hole at the end of the runway, when we saw the President's Continental flight approach for a landing. I quickly stopped the car and began taking pictures - Laurie took video - hers is a whole lot more exciting!

Here we are in Ajeltake, getting ready to set up to teach the Primary children in that branch the new Primary song, "If I Listen With My Heart."

Below, the Ajeltake Primary president with Laurie and the Stake Primary President with me, surrounding the children with love, and feeling the love so spontaneously back:

Ajeltake is a beautiful place. I want to remember...

Also on the 12th was a Long Island Ward Party at the swimming hole

Brother Tima and Bishop Anien
The Sisters barbequing the meat...

Laurie and I stopped for a moment, then ran back to change into our Guam dresses...

I will always remember Sister Kaminaga - sisters forever...

World War II wreck on the lik (ocean) side of the swimming hole

The amazing natural swimming hole, where the coral reef drops off in a protected area from the ocean...

After swimming, everybody's hungry.

That night, one picture with some members of Malelupe Samifua's Marshall Island HS Gospel Choir at their concert - then my battery went out in my camera.

Feb 13, 2011 - had Elder Taylor and Elder Rareba over for Sunday dinner and presented Elder Rareba his repaired slacks that he had given me a year earlier - I had pronounced them unfixable. A year later my perspective had changed - the patch job in 6 different places gave him his favorite pair of pants back.

Amazing - sherbet in the Marshall Islands!

This is the day I began realizing that instead of experiencing a bunch of 'firsts', it was a bunch of 'lasts'. This was actually the first and the last time to have these two fine Elders for dinner in my apartment.

My apartment complex at sunrise...

Rena and Bransen as we pass each other on our morning exercise.

The man-made sea-wall at Lojkar that I pass by and climb over sometimes to watch the waves...

Paeter and Linda whom I greet every morning...

The pastor who is also out every morning...(looking towards the Mission Home with the sea wall on the left)

The Assistants, Elder Rix and Elder Fa'alogo at the end of their exercise time...the end is closing in.

The lagoon in Delap, looking towards Uliga, Jenrok and Rita...

It's high tide...

Another District Meeting - Elder Steele, Elder Stoker, Elder Kalua'u, Elder Pritchard, Elder Humrich, Elder Edwards, Sister Ruj, Sister Howard. I love these Elders and Sisters.

The last intake of new Elders and my sister who got to stay in my apartment - Sister Terebwena is from Kiribati, with an amazing story. She learned her testimony in Marshallese so fast that night! Elder Tarobwa, Elder Emmett, Elder Jensen stayed in the Mission Home.

Opening up a new apartment in Uliga for Elder Tingey and Elder Emmett.

The water filtration system worked on the Korean faucet!

Elder Emmett and Elder Tingey, backed up by the three Assistants (Elder Rix, Elder Afioga, and Elder Fa'alogo) and Sister Teichert, Housing Coordinator. The Assistants found the apartment in Uliga, and Sister Teichert made all the arrangements for contracts and furnishings and appliances.

YSA gathering at Long Island with English muffin do-it-yourself pizzas -

It turned into a surpise iakwe-iakwe for Sister Teichert - they stood in a semi-circle with me in a chair and began the wonderful Marshallese iakwe celebration song:

The next Saturday, Feb. 19th, we taught the Uliga-Delap Ward primaries...

They also gave me a surprise iakwe-iakwe

It was hard to hold back the tears.

Later on that evening, Lora and John had a goodby party, and we feasted and enjoyed each other's company - it was hard to comprehend that it was me that was going to be leaving.