June 20, 2013

Dear Family,

I'm glad to hear everybody is doing well. The reunion sounds like it
was fun. Your exercises, however, do not sound fun. Good for you guys.
I must say that we are not running everyday anymore.

We have been doing a lot of good work lately and seeing some
encouraging things happening. Something we did last Thursday that
worked really well was we hosted a District Basketball Tournament. We
got two teams from Utwe and two teams from Lelu, and played at the
nice court at the Lelu chapel. We had an incredible turn-out and now
everyone is asking when the next tournament is. We are changing the
general attitude towards the church on the island. Especially since
Likiaksa joined, it is now getting more and more socially acceptable
to associate with Mormons. In fact, I used to think that there was a
really exotic bird that flew right around our heads; whenever we'd say
hello to someone, they'd get distracted by the bird and forget to talk
or look at us. I think the bird died, though, because that is not
happening that much anymore.

Burnis is doing well. He is doing really good at getting to church. He
has better attendance than most members. He is trying his best, and we
are still working with him. He will be a strong member.

We are teaching a lot of young people right now, due to Likiaksa. It
is interesting to watch their attitudes towards us change. At the
first lesson, they seem a little resigned; but as the lesson
continues, most of them start to really open up and become interested.
These people have a lot of faith, and it is a pleasure to teach them.
I sometimes get a little confused, though. Their church teaches that
all churches that talk about Christ is true...so they always tell us
that they believe that what we said is true. They really just have a
hang-up with social pressures, as well as their pastors teach that
re-baptism is a sin. I don't really understand that logical stand
point, either. But, we are seeing a lot of progress in both of these
areas of concerns.

I've decided that our most effective time is between 8:30 and 9:00 at
night. Every time that we our out of people to see and it is almost
time to go home, we try super hard to get that last lesson; and it
usually turns out to be a critical lesson, or there will happen to be
a member with a non-member friend just sitting there. These are
probably my favorite lessons.

So I have discovered the Ensign and Liahona on my mission. I love
reading those, and we are always clipping out pictures and articles.
The only downside is that there are pictures of beautiful, spiritual
daughters of God. So we either draw on their faces or put sticky notes
over them to keep them from distracting us.

I am healthy and happy. I am very grateful to be here on Kosrae, and
every day is a good day. I love you all very much.

Love,

Elder Gerber

ps--I'm sending a separate email to you, Dad.