Donuts. In. Kiribati.

First things first: you can go ahead and put my name on the list with Columbus and Magellan. I have discovered something revolutionary here in Kiribati...donuts.

No, that's no typo. Donuts. In Kiribati.

I've also been doing some pretty advanced math in my free time. Like, I'm glad I payed attention in Calc. Here it is:

(1 donut/10 cents) x (100 cents/dollar) x (200 dollars/month) = ...

I could potentially buy 2000 donuts per month! Eureka!

So this week has been pretty good (for obvious reasons). To our credit, we did not run out of money this month...we had five extra cents. We made it work. We have had a ton of lessons this week and one baptism. The baptisms in the ocean are so beautiful. There is a font, but why would you use it when the Pacific is right across the street? And that sunset...you don't get it sitting by a font inside.

Also this week there was another exciting moment. I saw a kid playing a trumpet!! I summoned all my willpower and restrained myself from going up and showing him what's up. Probably a good thing too...I haven't played in two months. That hasn't stopped the bishopric from having me play piano in church though! I've played at all of the baptisms and in sacrament mtg. Of course, they always pick hymns that I never played, so...sightreading! Thank you to Miss Cindy for the preparation there.

The language is...coming, I guess. It's pretty tough. A lot of the time they can't understand me because of my accent (or lack thereof). Also, a lot of words have a ton of meanings. Like the word "a" has 13 separate definitions in the Kiriabti dictionary. Yippee.

But in all seriousness, it will come with time. I've only been here for 19 days, so I can't expect to be fluent already. Just gotta open my mouth, right?

I found this really cool scripture while studying a couple days ago (I've found a lot of cool ones, but I'll share this one). It's from 2 Nephi 29:7:

" Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?"

I know that God remembers us wherever we are. We are all his children, and he is our loving father. Isn't that comforting? To know that you are never alone, never forsaken, but always loved? I have taken great comfort in knowing this, especially when I'm so far away from my family for so long. It shows that God has a plan for all of us. This is one of my favorite parts of sharing the gospel.

Well, I'm outta time again. Feel free to email or send letters.

Tia bo ke,

Elder Barker