The Final Chapter (Part 9 million!)

For all of you...you will be glad to know that this is the end of me writing about our week on Christmas Island. Believe it or not...I have lots more pictures too! :)

This post is really just a bunch of random pictures that didn't really fit into any catagory.


Mom and dad took us on a drive to the bush. It's just out in the middle of nowhere. We went to this beach that was so beautiful with the coral . (I keep messing up and spelling Coral like corral. I guess once a farmers daughter, always a farmers daughter!)

Elder and Sister Moser

Ira

Nicky

Grandpa/Elder Moser
Another stop on the beach. They showed us some of their favorite spots along the beach.

Ira and I really wanted to be like the natives, and climb the coconut trees...barefooted!

So that earlier picture of me was a bit deceiving. I really only got about 5 feet up the tree, with 15 feet to go. My feet are just too "soft".

Following are a lot of pictures of some of the people. I wish I could remember their names - but I couldn't even remember them 2 seconds after I had been told their names. They are just hard to pronounce and even harder to remember. BUT, I will have their faces etched in my mind forever. They were so kind to us, and they love my parents - and my parents love them.

I do remember this girls name - because I have a sister with the same name! I'm sure hers is spelled completely different, but it's pronounced Robin. She and her brother live behind where my parents live, and they love to come visit.

Robin can play music with this leaf and her fast-moving fingers. It was remarkable. I tried, but only ended up spitting!

We went to this families home for Family Home Evening. Ira got to give the thought, and then we each went around the room and shared our feelings or thoughts. Then they had dinner for us. They are such a neat and kind family. Their home was probably one of the most developed homes on the island, with walls and a floor.

This is the son and grandson of the above family.

This is the father of the above family.

Elder and Sister Moser helped this girl (Lavinta) get her missionary paperwork complete. So now it will get submitted, and she will get to go on a mission, sooner or later (remember...EVERYTHING work on Kiribati time - even mission calls).

Mom and dad with President Ninsenewa and Sesenga - I know I have Sesenga right with names, but I'm not sure I have his name right. And I'm sure neither are spelled right! This is the only home that has furniture, and painted walls.

This man has changed my outlook on several things.

I asked him how many children he has, and he laughed and said, "well, that depends." Some days he has more than other days. Biologically he has 4, but there are always, always more at his home. He cares for people, and gives them food and a place to stay. He says, "God has provided for me. Every time I give a little, He gives back a lot."

Pres. Ninsenewa and Sesenga's family at dinner

This lady made these gifts for us. She made a shirt for Emilie, and some candy. The crowns on our heads are candy taffee crowns. She said, "I'm glad my candy gets to go to America."

This man and his wife also brought gifts to us. The stick that Ira is holding is black coral. He cut it from the bottom of the ocean, 20 years ago - and gave it to Ira. That coral is worth a lot to them financially, and worth even more to us, because it was given to us by such kind people. His wife made the shell necklaces and bracelets we are wearing.

As we were driving down the road, a guy was standing at the side of the road with this bucket of crabs. He was going to get a transport or walk it to us. He had caught and cooked all these crabs for us to enjoy.

And enjoy we did!

This guy brought us 4 lobsters.

Since we farm people, have no idea how to cook lobster, the sisters cooked it for us and showed us how to get the meat out.

And we enjoyed that too!

Elder and Sister Mosers house only has one place to rest during down time. So we all got nice and cozy for a little snooze. (actually, this coziness only lasted long enough to get the picture - then two got the snooze while the other two found something else to do).

The day I dreaded since the moment we bought the tickets to go on this vacation. It was time to say goodbye. The night before we left, we got 3 phone calls asking us to stop at their homes on our way to the airport. We were leaving at 4:30 AM, and these 3 families were standing outside their homes with gifts of jewelry, clothing, flowers and more. My heart was truly touched. These people do not have much, yet they gave so much.

This lady (I only know her as the post mistress), met us at the airport with more gifts. We later found out that Kassis (the lady I wrote about earlier whose been working picking up Kopra), was at the side of the road when mom and dad were driving back home, waiting for a bus that never came, to bring her to the airport to give us more gifts.

I hadn't been feeling very good the last couple of days, and it all came to a peak during the night before we had to go to the airport. I was pretty sick, and in a lot of pain. I had been to visit the hospital on this trip, and was not about to visit there as a patient! Thank heavens for the power of the priesthood. After a blessing, the pain began to subside, and I was able to make it home without any major problems.

There is the metal detector which separates my parents and us. My dad and I were holding hands on that little desk to the left, he was on one side of the detector and I was on the other. We kept setting off the alarm, to where they finally turned it off, and let us hug one last time before we boarded the plane.

I took this picture out the airplane window. Notice how mom's hand is in the "I Love You sign" as they wave goodbye. I was glad that my last view of mom and dad wasn't them standing alone. They have loved ones who surround them every single day - and for that, I am so grateful. All of us back home are so grateful to know how much they are loved by the Kiribati people.

This trip was one of the best experiences I have ever had. It was more than an experience...it was a feeling. A feeling of love and charity - a feeling I hope to never forget.

I miss my parents more than words can say - but I now have a complete testimony that they are where the Lord needs them to be. I tried to convince myself of that before, but now I know it's true. They are being blessed during their service, and so are their loved ones at home. And I believe the Kiribati people are blessed to have them.

As the people we said goodbye to would say..."Till we meet again...". I'm pretty sure that won't be in this lifetime - but I'm grateful to know that we will meet again on the other side.

So for one last time in Kiribati style...

this is Nicky, signing out!...Tiabo!