Grandma (Cubby poem)

Cubby wrote this for Grandma for her Birthday. She had written him one last September for his birthday.

This is the first poem that I've ever written not demanded of me by an English teacher, so don't laugh too much. I tried to write it in the style of poem that gramdma always writes. I would save it for Pday but I'll make it my Light the World for today

As I say may prayers at ten

I first remember my brother Ben

Chisinau is 12 hours behind

So when I sleep he is on the grind

Next is Carl, the tallest one

In Toronto having tons of fun 

His parents must have raised him right

Through him many people see the light

Jackson comes third in Santa Fe

He had a companion that took all his pay

His companions are tough that is for sure

But he's learning patience and becoming pure

Then there's the newbie Kyle, in the MTC 

I know little of his mission, I don't get his emails you see

But I know he'll be great like the rest of the boys

Because we have more in common than a similar taste in toys

We have a big family founded in times past

With cousins numbering 50 (and that's probably the last)

With a Grandma caring and loving and kind

Sealed to a noble Grandpa in a temple with powers that bind

They raised a family of ten 6 girls and 4 boys

Who when gatheredtogether always make plenty of noise

But for one thing we can all be assured

Without Carl and Diane our gospel futures wouldn't be secured

So along with all missionaries of this family

I realize that my story began much earlier than me 

With a young Catholic man with big eyes for Diane 

And a united love for truth and to find it if they can

Little did they know they would become Chiristlike examples for thousands

And blessings and blessings would dump on them in gallons 

This is a feeling shared by Kyle, Jackson, Carl, Ben and I

The only thing sweeter would've been just a little of that Thanksgiving pie🥧

So I give you my thanks in a prayer of gratitude 

And pray for you nightly as is the proper attitude

Cherubs (Ben letter 1/13/2020)

Even the bible dictionary cannot explain what a cherub looks like. 

That would  be a fantastic apples to apples card and description.

It appears bad to me that I cannot write more often, but duty calls. I always seem to have about 5,000 things to do, which isn't bad I suppose. Becky mom said I haven't written in a month which is scary, because I thought I wrote one last week. Life goes by fast I am learning.

 

So in Moldova they celebrate Christmas on the 25th and new years on the 1st. But also they celebrate even harder on the 7 January Christmas and another January new years. They love their celebrations. They include vodka, wine, gin, and spirits.

 

This past week I went to good ol Kiev for a conference. On Monday we just wandered around the city. Little known fact, the deepest metro in the world is located there. Also we don't have any type of phone that works when we go to Kiev, so when our ride didn't come to pick us up at the airport, I just hitched a ride with one of the flight attendants. Next I went to Balti which is a northern city in Moldova that speaks mostly Russian. I get to practice my Russian there more often. Also I got interviewed by the news there. I also went to Orhei. They have a really cool investigator that will be baptized soon. He bought a JW church for his business, so according to him "something good can come out of it". Also side note, while traveling to these smaller cities from Chisinau, we travel in micro buses, and they blast Moldovan music and are jam packed, also you must catch one on the side of the highway which is fun.

 

 I am getting a new comp this week, Elder Summers from Draper Utah. He is a really cool guy. Fun fact, there are only 8 Romanian speakers in the mission, so we just switch comps. Also I am the Elders quorum president, which is nice because now I'm in charge of even a lot more. I have now eaten more halla dets then I thought I would before. It is parts of the pig ( ears, feet, tail, lungs, liver, etc.) And rests in it's own fat gelatin. Good stuff. Also I met a woman who only really speaks Russian and Italian. So her Romanian is like one third Romanian, Italian and Russian, and it's a miracle I can understand her. But I suppose that's most people here. 

 

For a spiritual thought, I would like to Express my concern for the world and her opinions of the definition of truth. Its seems simple, but people cannot define what truth is for themselves. Truth is being, and it only exists. It cannot be changed because of an opinion. I am saddened by the way the world is turning, which is towards wickedness and sadness. They deny the truthfulness of the Gospel because of some part they don't like, or believe to be true. I really like what Carl said last week about following the prophet. Something that has been on my mind is the need for humility, and realize the fact that no one person knows what's best for them self, besides Jesus Christ Himself, considering he suffered for all of us individually. It is just sad to see people deny that beautiful gift that He gave us, but it is also the best thing to see someone accept it into their life. I love truth, and I love to share what I have found, but also I have been working on the receiving/humility part of it as well. 

 

Vă iubesc pe voi

Vîrstnicul Станислав 

 

Neville? (Cubby letter 1/13/2020)

I always thought dog would taste like pig, but my companion told me that it is more comparable to lamb. I still have not eaten it if you are wondering, I am not particularly fond of worms.

It was a great week. On Tuesday I went on exchanges with Elder Barkett, it went well. He came and worked with me in my area. Unfortunately for him, Me and my regular comp are in the midst of  a white wash, so we did a lot more finding than teaching. So basically a lot more walking than sitting, which is not the typical thing for an Elder here. I think my companion enjoyed the break from working with me, we get a long great, but I leave the house about 3 hours earlier than the average Elder.

Wednesday we had district council. It went really long because the person who shared the spiritual thought took 30 minutes to explain Alma 38:12. And then I gave a district training about how we're not gonna suck as a district and actually set and use goals, which took a little long. We picked up some new investigators as well. The Elders before us didn't leave any records behind, so we had to find all their people. We found one that was pretty disinterested in what we had to say and then we shared a lesson about the Restoration, and she was pretty eager to set another time with us afterward.

Thursday was pretty normal, nothing too much to report. A guy told us he couldn't take any more lessons because his wife would divorce him.

Friday was about the same.

Saturday I went on a split with Elder Higginson, who has been in the country for a total of 3 weeks. He's a pole vaulter. He jumped 15 feet in high school, and I was pretty surprised. I think he was surprised because I knew how good that was. He's also peculiar because he's so normal. Most Elders either hate or Love Kiribati at first, but he's like a mix.

Anyways, a good week.

 I tangiringkami

Elder Cubby

Dos Equis (Cubby letter 1/6/2020)

Mauri.

I no longer have a dope phone (for I am no longer a zone leader) so I'll be writing regular weekly letters.

For my real fans at home, they already know that I've been transferred off of Kiritimati Island, considering I spent nearly 7 months there. I'm now assigned to work in the Eita 2nd Ward on the main island of Tarawa. My companion is Elder 'Ealelei from Tonga, his name means good wind.

Not too much has happened so far, as I've only been in the area since thursday. I will say that Tarawa is about 4x more humid than Kiritimati, making it feel twice as hot. Just last week I slept with a blanket, and the past couple days I've woken up with wet hair from sweat. I sleep well though.

A senior couple that lives in our area is also from Tonga, and they've already taken my companion in as their son. So we haven't had dinner for two nights this last week, so we just had it with them. On those days I spent all day mentally preparing myself to eat a ton at dinner, and I feel like I represented my family well.

We are assigned to the Moroni Ward, and Eita 2nd, so we spent 4 hours in church yesterday, I'm sorry to say that during the second sacrament meeting, my eyelids we're a bit heavy. I'll blame it on the heat and humidity.

Anyways, a lot of change this past week, I've been pretty happy with it.

I tangiringkami

Elder Cubby