Christmas Islanders

For the 2nd time I have lost everything I have written. I will glue my left pinky to the damn a key!!!!! Again we start over. Yesterday we had the saints come to the Fiji Temple from Christmas Island. This is a very primitive island, One flushing toilet on the island and the church missionaries have it.. As Itell you of these good saints please don't laugh or think them stupid. Most can write their names.
But few read past adulthood, because they do not have glasses or electric lights. Their are only 2 or 3 who have jobs. Mostly they fish and eat breadfruit and other free, land harvested fruits and vegetables. Many of their church records have been recreated and many have to be rebaptised etc. to produce church documents.. David I love this key board. Christmas Island is half way to the Hawaiian Island group but they are still in our Temple district, because here the planes only fly in one direction. EEEEEEExample: Hawaii to Christmas Island, to Fiji Island, and back to Hawaii. There are direct routes to Fiji and to Tahiti. Missionaries from Samoa must come to Fiji for a visa and to fly to the USA.. The Saints on Christmas Island are brought here by the Church. Cost: about a 1000 bucks a person. Generally they can come once in a life time and will stay for a week in our housing . Different Wards will feed them each evening. Friday our ward had a party for them and brought a treat, ice cream. Only 3 had had ice cream before. I worked clothing for the men and like all of us they thought they were a few sizes smaller! Soon I realized the had to be thirsty so I took them to the baptistry that has 2 fountains. I moved my hand to the fountain in a respectful way and they just stood there and I thought , they don't know what it is! So I drank more water than I needed for the entire day. I told them I was very thirsty-for each Saint. Good news it took all a good time to dress and then I ---you already know this by now --I showed them how to flush a toilet. And I had to wait until all had tinkled and flushed to show them the soap dispenser. They loved it, and yes this get's better-there are 2 small paper towel dispensers, and a trash can with a moving lid. This so much for them to take in . A plane ride in the clouds, etc.

Our Temple President and Matron do a good job of preparing them for the Temple experience- still few speak much english. Our little Temple was full to the top! 42 with escorts [me] and those who came to the session. The language they speak is Kirbart. In the Temple we have only 20 head phones, and 1 doesn't work- still we say we have 20. NOW who get the headphones? The matron decided the spirit and experience would help the temple nworkers and others got the head phones. They are very happy people. Sr. Well's sayes she has little hope that they will remember their important information...thank heaven for listening angels and their records in the clouds.

Today dad did some shopping with another missionery Elder Howard and they took the temple car. We have 6 potatoes, 6 apples from NZ, great local carrots and 2 fresh chickens from ?
with every chicken I first make a chinese soup. The soup cookes the chicken and it is still tinder. Last week I had a chicken from NZ that I was embarresed to cook and eat. That chicken han no meat-only bones. Dad ate it I just could't. Gotta run lots of love mum [ new language word]