Hey everyone:) So it has only been a couple of days since I last wrote, but I am going to write every week so don't worry :)
So I will be able to talk to you guys on Christmas with good service, because Riddle told us he would probably be picking us up for Christmas! So now I don't have to worry about that!
But for this letter, I decided since I get to talk to you tomorrow and I wrote 3 days ago, I would write to you in more detail about what life is like on this island. I'm sorry I haven't been very detailed about it before!
So, let me start by telling you what the ladies do all day. they do a thing called lalangra. So what it is, is they make things like bags, rugs, hats, fans, etc.... and that's how they earn money. They send it to people in Australia & New Zealand. But its pretty incredible to see their talent and how they use the resources in their environment.
The men either go to the bush and get coconuts and pigs or they go to the ocean for fish or octopus or crabs or clams. This is how they feed their families every day. It is crazy to see how many cool things they can do with just a coconut! They pretty much survive with the things that a coconut can do! The use the shell for firewood, they drink the inside, you scrape out the inside for flavor in all of their foods. They also make tons of things out of the shell like bowls and necklaces. They use the tree part for houses and kitchens! Pretty much life revolves around the coconut tree!
There are five churches on our island and they all have choir practice every day and they all have different kings of bells letting you know that their practice is about to start. When their practices are going on, you are not aloud to do anything or make any loud noises, because it is disrespectful.
The entire island gets together at night and does fire dances and traditional dances and they sing every night. We are not aloud to go to these but we can hear them loud and clear all night, haha.
At 4pm every day but Sunday, the men and boys gather everyone together in the center of the island and they play tennis. It is fun to watch. On p-days, we have gone out and played. I am terrible, and they all just laugh at me, but it is all good! I have destroyed them all in a foot race:)
But we also go to Matamaka every other week for church. It is about a two mile walk through the bush. We also go there once a week for service projects, and once a week to teach.
We also have a store with toilet paper, Tongan cooks, flower and canned fish, but that is about it.
It is pretty amazing that Heavenly Father trust me enough to send me to an island with 60 people in each town! I know that God's work is at hand when there are missionaries on a little island such as this! God loves ALL of his children!
I love how in the Book of Mormon, it always talks about the Lord lifting up the righteous and helping them prosper in the land! It is the same thing as now, God's army is huge and he will bless and strengthen us and he will prepare his sheep!
I love you all! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 2014 is my lucky number and I get to spend it on my mission! I love you family! Let me know what else you want to know!
I am sorry I don't have any cool stories of teaching opportunities or of my investigators. I promise that I am working to my potential. I won't let you down...it is just really hard. I love you all ...I promise I will make you proud!
- Love your Brother/Son/Missionary
Elder Harmon
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