March Madness

March Madness in the world of sports definitely marks the basketball playoffs that always seem so exciting even for those who have not followed the wins and losses of teams during the regular season.  As an educator it had an added meaning.  It was not unusual for parents of students to finally take note that their child was not doing as well as possible and "now it was the teacher or the school's responsibility to hurriedly fix a problem that had been repeatedly voiced by the teachers since September Back to School Night.

For the two of us, it is our own March Madness as we try to finalize major projects, open new ones, and try to encourage a faster speed of those that are slowly moving forward, so Elder and Sister Skibbe, our replacements from Australia via Germany, will have a foundation of success as soon as they arrive. We are so excited to meet them.  We thought that we would have a week overlap, but we only have 2 days.  There will be a lot of introductions and training in that short time.

In our very busy week, my life changed rapidly after receiving a phone call on Thursday night from President Larkin in Tarawa, Kiribati. He very nicely asked me if I would be a companion to a young sister missionary the next evening flying to her home in Sydney, Australia.  Of course, I willingly accepted the assignment knowing that it would be an enormous responsibility to make sure that she arrived safely to her parents after only being here three weeks.

Sister Seager had a lot of work to do to get me plane tickets and a visa to get into Australia.  She was on the computer until after midnight and back on before five in the morning.  I packed, prayed, and headed to the airport.  One never knows how a person who was going to respond to me, a person whom she had only talked for a few minutes at the recent in-take and now I would be her companion to exit her mission 15 months early.  I just let her talk most of the way to Honolulu.  The counsel that I did give, I feel was very much given to me by a higher source.  We arrived in Honolulu before 3:00AM and I called for a shuttle to the Best Western Hotel.  After getting in the room, I asked her if she wanted to call her parents.  She was very anxious, but it went well. It was pleasing to me that the words that I shared with her gave strength to her dear father, who was struggling with her returning home early.

After two hours of sleep we were off to the airport to get on our Qantas flight to Sydney, which took another 101/2 hours.  It was a looooong trip.  I read, watched a couple of the appropriate airplane movies, and listened to my new young companion whenever she needed to be heard.  It went well.

Her excitement continued to build the closer we were to her home.  She was so excited when she saw her family.  They showed great love for their daughter and were a little hesitant in knowing what to do with me.  They really thought that I was going with them to see the Stake President. I was only the escort and the information was to come from their Stake President and President Larkin. 

I hugged many of them and made a special effort to speak with her father, whom I could see was struggling the most.  He is a good man and a good father. From personal experience, I know how much a father loves his children.

I traveled almost 15,000 miles in three days.  It was a lot of miles in a short period.  I experienced two Saturdays and two Sundays.  That is what happens when one passes the international dateline twice.  I would not recommend traveling Hawaiian Airlines again.  Qantas is the best of the three flights that I had.

I am so grateful that everything went well and there were no unexpected events.

The day that I returned home from my 15,000 mile sprint, we attended a piano concert that evening performed by Roman Rudnytsky.  We listened to two hours of the most beautiful classical piano music for free. We were sad that more people did not take advantage of this great opportunity.

There is one piano on the island that gets tuned at least every two years by a man from Ebeye.  A proper piano chair could not be found, so a dining room chair with two added pillows was used.

Roman Rudnytsky with his Marshallese
presenter.

Not quite a proper piano bench/chair.

Roman Rudnytsky is an American concert pianist, whose performances have taken him to 100 countries throughout the world.  He was born in New York into a prominent Ukrainian musical family.  He began the study of piano at the age of four and gave his first full recital at age seven.  He is a graduate of the famous Juilliard School in New York and also did additional studies at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland and experienced master classes in Austria (the "Mozarteum") and Italy.

Elder Preston had the great idea to do a picture book of the different pre-schools and after school programs that Elder and Sister Doig have started throughout Majuro.  We will present it to them before they leave for home.  (Shhhhh - it is a secret.)

The moms and children sit on the floor in
one of the nicer homes, which belongs to one of our
favorite ladies in the Uliga Ward.

Children have learned to find their names and post them
in the proper place.  This is a big event for these little ones.

No one can imagine the work and organization that the Doigs have provided to promote a love for learning in a country where so many cannot read or write and if they do it is seldom above a 4-7 grade level.  The long term goal has always been, teaching the mothers of the children/students to run the program in each of the seven areas.  Here are just a couple of the many pictures that were taken.

 We attended our last NCD Coalition Meeting for this mission.  Dr. Aitaoto and Dr. Trinidad ran the show and they are no nonsense types who want to see actions and results.  Most of our groups presented very well, except for one, a typical Marshallese, who speaks in circles without any specifics.  Dr. Aitasto called her on it every time.  We thought that she would have learned from our last meeting six months ago with these doctors, but her learning curve just didn't bend. The tradition of talking a lot and doing little with few facts to so prevelant here.

Dr. Aitaoto is sitting - first person on left.
Dr. Trinidad is taking the picture.

Dr. Aitaoto is Marshallese, but she has been in Arkansas for over 25 years and now is transferring to Utah where she will be over the programs at the U and BYU.  She is knowledgeable and has a great work ethic.  It is delightful to see her in action. We hope to connect with her in Utah when we return. 

Elder Preston has wanted to check out the Canoe Museum for months. Since we were trying to meet with Frank, who is one of our landlords and works over the Special Ed. department here, and he was not in his office, we headed for the Canoe Museum which is next door. When we entered the office, we were told that most of the wooden projects had been sold, but they do let people enter the Museum to look around.

Elder Preston & Sealend in the museum.

Note the feet carving on the base.

Hands holding the table top.

Sister Preston & Sealend by the handmade
Marshallese canoes.

Sealend Laiden was sitting the next computer and he was happy to take us through the Museum.  We found out some great information:

1. It is not really a museum. It is a school for young people who are school dropouts.  The students come in April through the fall.  They learn English, math, science, life skills, and carving skills.

2.  We read about the history of canoe making in the Museum/School.  In early days on the atolls entire villages/Wetos were united in canoe building.  Men and women made canoes.  It was a woman who made the first sail from Pandanus trees.

3. Sealend then asked if we had ever been to Ailinglaplap.  We said, "No, but we do have two elders there."  He said that the house where church is held is in the house of his parents.  We thoroughly enjoyed this young man.

4.  Sealend came from the outer island to go to high school at Marshall Islands HS.  Then he graduated from CMI.  For the last two years he has worked as a counselor at the school/museum that we were visiting.

5.  We are excited to contact the missionaries on Ailinglaplap and make an even stronger connection with them and this young man. 

During one of calls home, Andrew asked the question, "What toys do the children have there?" It was difficult to answer, because we seldom see the children with toys.  They play with sticks, plastic bottles, string/rope when and if available.  They make baseball mitts out of cardboard, use sticks for bats, and taped old balls or handmade balls for the baseball.  Those who play in the water try to float on any piece of wood or (?) that they find.  The few that do have bikes, scooters, and/or skates seem to not have them very long.  They are stolen, rusted, have flat tires, etc.  Repairs are usually never made.  Once an item is not working it is thrown on the ground never to be used again.  When wheelchairs are found or stolen they are used for laundry carts, grocery carts, moving carts, and/or for children to give each other rides. 

3 Boys floating on a piece of wood.

They are not close to shore.

Two little boys found the base to an office chair.
Watch the following videos taken in the parking lot
by the Delap Chapel.

We are so blessed to know that many items in our lives can be repaired.  Not just physical/worldly items, but our own spiritual, mental, emotional, and/or physical areas of distress.  We are so grateful for the atonement and the blessings that can be ours.

We have received many blessings while serving in the Marshall Islands.  As always the best part of serving is meeting and learning to love new and different people as we move forward together.

Of course no one will ever take the place of our families and friends at home.  

Please remember how much we love you.

Elder & Sister Preston

Celebrations in Majuro

As I was sitting in the RS class while quietly listening to the closing prayer spoken in Marshallese, I heard the most beautiful choir of young male singers.  After "amen" was said I walked across the cultural hall to the door to the only room in this church that has AC(not working of course) and in that small room were all the YM men singing.  Not all of the boys had access to a hymn book and the song was being sung in English.  Both times when they sang the chorus the music was priceless and the volume was far reaching. I immediately told them how wonderful they sounded.  After I left, I saw the Bishop walking across the walkway.  I hurriedly told him how magnificent the YM's singing was and suggested that next month when the YW/YM spoke, it would be so great if they could sing.  Bishop Ned smiled and said, "We started singing that song last week.  I'll see what I can do."

As we driving away, the Bishop waved us down.  I rolled down my window and he said that the YM would be singing in Sacrament next Sunday.  I guess that we will be going to both wards again next week.  Can hardly wait!!!

Yes, we just returned from Sacrament Meeting in Delap and the YM did sing SECRET PRAYER.  The harmony was wonderful.  Next week we will try to video them singing in their classroom and share it with you.

The people who work for Tanner in the Wellness Center are very special to us.  They work hard and smile even when life is a challenge. They make so many people happy.

Sister Preston surrounded by good people.

Four roses surrounded by two thorns.

We did a second week of health screening and education at Rita Salvation Army Church.  Many people came and many have high blood sugar and high blood pressure.  So sad. Shra, MoH employee, is sharing the education lesson after the health screening.  Then we have the raffle ticket drawing and the prizes.  Stay + listen to the education = a chance to win!  The strategy works.

Shra is teaching.
Are the people listening?

We did a health screening at the two day Majuro Days celebration in Laura on today, Friday.  Wow!  There were hundreds of people.  Not many were interested in having their vitals taken when the atmosphere was filled with dancing, talking, eating lots of food and celebrating.  We tried. 

As we doing the health screening, I looked across the field and spotted a whole box of See's suckers that was being sold individually.  How could this be?  I pointed it out to Elder Preston.  This good man purchased me one.  

See's suckers in MI.

Our CLP Outreach Team.

Shra and her sixth grandchild
6 months old.  2 lbs. 13 oz at birth.

Louisa, our neighbor from Taiwan,
thought I was doing a video of her.

Laura Elementary School boys performing in the parade.

Float displaying local fruits.

Please enjoy watching these two boys.  I was late
in capturing his flip as he ran off the front of the
truck to the field.

At the end of the parade. A few people entered the field
dancing.

Only the VIPs joined the dancing.

A few more of the VIPs joined the group.

See if you can find the tall Majuro Sheriff from the
state of Washington.

We returned to Laura on Saturday with E/S Doig to see what was happening on the second day of Majuro Celebrations.  It was raining very hard, so the numbers were much smaller.  They did have a 800 meter race by the teenagers and we got to see Elizabeth and her two daughters.

Mat making competition.
People sleep on them.
Use them for rugs.
Hang them on wall for
picture background.

800 Meter race.

Elizabeth and her two daughters, Lillian & Pearlina.
Love this family.

You might have had the opportunity to read about the ferry that sunk in Kiribati, which is a huge part of our mission.  Plywood made government boat was carrying 84,000 lbs. of cobra and 100 people.  The boat is only capable and is legal to transport 50 people.  It sunk leaving only seven survivors.  Death was slow for many. The story is so sad.  If the captain had returned to shore when the passengers begged him to do; had enough life jackets (or any) on board; had any emergency equipment that is supposed to be on all boats to call for help; or only carried the amount of pounds that the boat was to hold, the people would all be here today. 

It was a week before the government in Tarawa even started looking for the boat.  When journalists appeared to share the story that had already been on facebook at the end of the three week ordeal, they were kicked out of the country and their laptops with pictures and notes were deleted.

People can complain about their governments, but all of us should grateful for the good things that happen and do something productive about the things that could be better.  We are so blessed.

Manmade disaster vs. natural disaster:

Cyclone Gita did a lot of damage in Tonga.  Our good friends, Elder and Sister Kapp have kept all of us up to date through the ordeal. Our LDS chapels are the finest buildings in all the Pacific Islands.  Consequently members and many nonmembers found safety inside these well built structures. There were no fatalities and our many young missionaries are working diligently to help clear and reestablish the communities again. So many people from around the world want to do something to help them. The best way to help is to send funds to lds.org, where the money will be spent wisely with no middle money making people.  Elder Kapp has done an excellent job of capturing the damage of this event.  Please visit their blog at /http://kennybecky.blogspot.com/ where the real story is revealed.

As a reminder - WE LOVE YOU!

Elder & Sister Preston

February 14th - feel our love.

We are grateful for the people with whom we work at the Wellness Center and CLP. Elder Preston helped Tanner from the Wellness Center place new billboards about being healthy to be seen by people coming and going in Majuro. 

Building the frame.

Will it fit?

Can you see the LDS Charities Logo?
Third from right.

We were able to purchase a pump to send to the Atoll of Jaluit, so the satellite campus will have fresh running water in the bathroom.  We have been working with a young technology man from the island and the President of CMI. 

The wooden map is called a Stick Chart.

We passed it off to Stevenson and Ruthy this week.  Note that Elder Preston is pointing at Jaluit on the map behind us.

Elder Preston walks over 3 miles every day on the one main highway always facing the man-eating dogs, gas fumed cars, and areas that are often hard to trek because of the amount of water that pours from the skies often every day.  I, on the other hand, walk around our apartment complex to get my miles of walking.  This week I rode bikes with Sisters Seager and Doig as since Elder Doig needed to deliver three bikes to the Sister Trainer Leaders' house.  Off we went and then we walked back to our apartments.  I'm glad that it was just after 6:00AM so there were not too many cars on the road and it had not rained the night before. 

Sister Seager

Sister Doig

Sister Preston

We have a young woman living on Majuro who was called to New Zealand to serve as a missionary for 18 months.  Her visa has still not arrived, so she has been serving in her home country since November 2017. 

Youngest daughter, Creative mom, Sister Preston.

We have had the opportunity to meet her mother through Sister Doig. Sister Doig has been researching for 16 months to find someone who would make her a nativity scene.  So she asked Sister Jeremiah's mother if she would be willing to try to make one, if she provided the patterns  She was willing to try.  We are benefiting from this, too. 

It is a joy to pay this humble woman to make these crafts.  She lives in a very humble home.  We never get out of the car until she comes out of her home because we respect her privacy and don't want her dogs to have us for lunch.  We talk to her outside of her home; show her our desires; pick up our items; often speak through this daughter who translates; and/or pay for our purchases.  We know that she needs to the money.  We all benefit.

For our P-day, we walked on the lagoon side of the island, because Elder Preston was told that there was some great vistas of living coral.  Elder Preston put on his snorkling gear and made an attempt to see it.  He did some interesting living coral in many sizes and shapes. The tide was very low and he had a challenging time getting past all the long stringy green growth.  The view was nice for me, though.

Can't see Elder Preston, but one can see the other atolls
in the far distance.

We were on an errand and Elder Preston spotted a ship by Reimer's Dock.  It added another joy to his P-Day.  Upon investigation we found out that it was Google.com cruise ship that travels all over the world.  It will be docked on this little atoll for three day. 

Three young woman are cleaning the exterior. Two
are from South Africa and one is from NZ.
They are on the job for five months each tour.
Note the helicopter on top!

Google Ship

Elder Preston wishing.

Reality - maybe!  Laura local boat.

We were able to trade our missionary badges for visitors' badges, so we could walk around the dock and take pictures. Note the difference between local boat and Google ship.

We visited the Mum's preschool that was started by Rebecca Winchester, who now is a service missionary and is serving in our mission office, and Elder and Sister Doig who are serving as Self-reliant education missionaries.  The children were just finishing their butterflies.  Rebecca (Becca) and now Sister Winchester is so creative. 

Children love to have their pictures taken.

Becca loves teaching.  She has found
 her calling while her husband
serves as a high court judge in the islands.

Becca and part of her amazing class.

It is so great to see these sweet pre-schoolers having an opportunity to hold scissors, crayons, and/or pencils for the first time and then learn English words and/or sentences.  Their parents are learning, too.  

Some of the parents cannot read.  Great opportunity for the children and a lot of dedicated work from Becca and the Doigs.

Lojkar, my friendly pig.
He doesn't bite, eat garbage or leave a mess.

Every person if honest needs a release button to survive the days, when stress or circumstances might be gathering.  I was sent this for Christmas and it gives me comic relief and at times startles Elder Preston.  (Of course, I don't do it on purpose! hahahaha)

Driving to church this morning, Elder Preston spotted a mama pig and her little piglets.  Unfortunately when I scurried from the car to get some pictures, the shutting of my car door startled them. 

They were crowded together
until I shut the car door.

Mom is moving, too.

Notice that she is looking at the camera.  Likes to pose - Yes?
Or cause damage to my person if I got too close?

Yes this week many are celebrating the theme of "love."
Just so you never forget.  We love you every day, week, and month, which includes Valentine's Day. 
Elder and Sister Preston