Transcript
Darin Tingey: All right, we are on with another episode of the Islands Podcast. Have a recently returned home sister missionary about a month fresh off the mesh.
Darin Tingey: We have Amelia Danielson.
Amelia Danielson : All
Darin Tingey: Amelia, welcome home and excited to have you on to hear the latest about Kitabas and what's going on in the mission. But let's let's start at the beginning. Where are you from?
Amelia Danielson : right, yes, thank you so much. It's good to be here. I'm so excited that I get to to talk about my mission. it's like I've been home for a month already, but like, it literally feels like I got home like last week.
Amelia Danielson : Like it's so fast, so fast.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : So good to be back. But yeah, so I'm Amelia Danielson and I'm from Pleasant Grove, Utah, born and raised. i stayed here my whole life and yeah.
Darin Tingey: And when you went on your mission, the age was 19 for girls still. Is that correct?
Amelia Danielson : Correct. Yes, that's correct. It changed when I was like, think a year into the mission, we got the the whole news that it was changing to, you know, Sisters Conservan, they're 18 years old.
Amelia Danielson : And we were like, what?
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : Crazy. Yeah.
Darin Tingey: So did you leave at 19 or what at what age did you leave on your mission?
Amelia Danielson : I left at 19. I was fresh. I was freshly 19. I turned 19 in August and then I left October 1st, October 2nd.
Amelia Danielson : So yeah, was just,
Darin Tingey: Okay. So you graduated high school and then turned 19 and then on your mission.
Amelia Danielson : here yep.
Darin Tingey: Oh, nice.
Amelia Danielson : Yep. That's correct. Yeah. So i I graduated and then I did a year at UVU and then I left on my mission that next year.
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Amelia Danielson : so yeah.
Darin Tingey: Okay. Very cool. And when you got your mission call, what, what was that experience like?
Amelia Danielson : Man, it was crazy. So I knew that when I submitted my papers, like knew that regardless of the place I wanted to go, I wanted to read it by myself first, just because wanted to have like, you know, don't just have a settle for a second.
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Amelia Danielson : Just, you know, it's a crazy thing.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : And I kind of wanted to to be special, like a special thing between just me and Heavenly Father for a little bit of time. And so I remember when I think I waited maybe like three or four weeks until I got my mission call.
Amelia Danielson : Like, feel like, feel like it was a long time. Maybe that was just me.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : i was I was excited. I was impatient. But I remember getting the text message of like, you can you can review your missionary call. And I was i was at school.
Amelia Danielson : i was at I was just about to go into my math class or at UVU. And I was like, no way, that's crazy. And so I go into my math class and I'm just like freaking out.
Amelia Danielson : Like, I don't think I i learned a single thing that day in my math class.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, i bet.
Amelia Danielson : Like I was i was not focused on what whatever my professor had to say. But right after my math class, that was my last class the day, luckily. And so I basically like booked it to my car and I drove to the to the temple, the Timpanogos temple.
Amelia Danielson : And it was just a really cool like moment that I had with with Heavenly Father. Opened it by myself and I like filmed my reaction. Of course, I said, Martial Islands, Cure Body Mission.
Amelia Danielson : And I was like, where even is that?
Darin Tingey: yeah
Amelia Danielson : But it was it was a really cool experience. And then I remember like that same day, so it was just me who knew, but I still wanted to have like the traditional, like, you know, you have your friends and your family over and you announce it there, you read it out there. And remember when I like that thing, that event, the first thing I said was like Marshall Islands mission, right? Marshall Islands Care Body Mission. And my mom was like, don't know where that is. Like she was like freaking out and...
Amelia Danielson : But yeah, it was really cool. But, no idea.
Darin Tingey: And yeah I'm assuming you had, again, no idea where it was. Did anyone in your family have any idea where it was?
Amelia Danielson : Nobody knew where it was. And another embarrassing thing is like, wanted to read about myself just in case like, I said like the pronunciation wrong of whatever place I was going to go.
Amelia Danielson : So I like read Marshawn's Care Body and then I actually looked it up, like how to say it, like kitty best mission, right? And then I get to the thing and my nerves are just like, I'm just freaking out in front of people and I say it wrong.
Amelia Danielson : And I'm like, okay, all of that for nothing, right?
Darin Tingey: yeah
Amelia Danielson : But yeah, nobody knew where it was. We had no idea.
Darin Tingey: And did you know that you were going to Keterbess and not the Marsh Islands?
Amelia Danielson : No, I think it took me until like they sent the visa stuff through that I said like, okay, you're preparing for the Republic of Kitty Best. That's when I realized like, wait a minute, I'm not going to Marshall Islands.
Amelia Danielson : Like, took me a while though.
Darin Tingey: Yeah. it So when I was on my mission, it was the Marsh Islands Madra mission.
Amelia Danielson : Okay, yo.
Darin Tingey: And then my mission president changed the name to the Marsh Islands Kitabas mission so that missionaries like you would know that they were going to Kitabas.
Amelia Danielson : Nice.
Amelia Danielson : Thank goodness. mrs
Darin Tingey: But obviously it still confuses people, right?
Amelia Danielson : a
Darin Tingey: They still don't really know the difference.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah. For sure.
Darin Tingey: So, okay. So you're going to Kitabas. So you entered MTC in October.
Amelia Danielson : Yes.
Darin Tingey: Was there a large group going to Kitabas at that time?
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, I think there's a there's a few of us. There's nine of us missionaries in our intake. So. It was five sisters and and four elders.
Amelia Danielson : And so, yeah, it's a good group.
Darin Tingey: Okay. And then did the Marshall Islands missionaries come in a couple weeks later to the MTC? Were there any at the time?
Amelia Danielson : there was, i'm trying to remember, I think for the Marshallese speaking missionaries, they're on the same district, but I think out of all, I think there's like four elders in that district when we first got there.
Amelia Danielson : And there was only one elder who was going to go actually go to the Marshall Islands. And then the rest were going like this, like stateside speaking Marshallese.
Darin Tingey: Okay. Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: Okay. So MTC was the, did you find it like difficult to, I mean, everyone finds it difficult like for learning the language, but how was your MTC experience?
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : Man, I feel like it was good and it was really hard too. Like, feel like MTC, I don't know.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : I just feel like starting out your mission is just, it's just hard, you know?
Darin Tingey: Sure.
Amelia Danielson : But I was with, so my full, my whole time of starting in Kitty Best, there's only two white sisters. So was me and Sister Nelson, and we were in the same intake. And so it was like, it was us two out of the five sisters. And then both of my companions, they're from the Pacific. And so I was in a trio when I first started.
Amelia Danielson : My companions, one of them was from Samoa and the other one was from Papua New Guinea. And so like right off the bat, I enter into the MTC. I remember like, they were already there and in our room, like our little dorm room or whatever. And I remember just like greeting them, them giving me the biggest hug, but then also being like, so I guess just like,
Amelia Danielson : excited and a little bit shocked, like a little bit culture shocked already. Just from hearing their experiences of like growing up in the church and how just different it was for me.
Darin Tingey: Mm-hmm.
Amelia Danielson : Like growing up here in Utah, pleasant grown, you know, like it was just so it was very different, just like right off the bat. And so i think that part, that aspect was, it was hard for me at the beginning, but towards the end of my mission, it became like one of the, one of my favorite things about serving Kitty Pest.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, you you got exposure to the island people in in the MTC and then kind of a little foreshadowing of your of your mission.
Amelia Danielson : Exactly. yeah
Amelia Danielson : and Exactly.
Darin Tingey: That's crazy that there were only two white sisters your entire time on the Kitabas side, which is which is fun.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah. Yep.
Amelia Danielson : It was crazy.
Darin Tingey: good idea
Amelia Danielson : it was fun.
Darin Tingey: Do you feel unique? Does you feel unique that you're, yeah.
Amelia Danielson : I did. Yeah, I totally did. Honestly, I kind of like, I kind of liked it. I was like, yeah, it was just me and and my girl sister, Nilsen.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : And she's also from from Utah. But oh I just honestly really enjoyed that. Like I learned so much about different cultures and different people and like the Pacific way that I never would have, you know, if I if i just stayed here.
Amelia Danielson : it was just a really, really cool experience.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Darin Tingey: Did you, was it difficult with the different cultures and meshing with them as companions?
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : But yeah, it was hard. It was hard for me, it was hard for them to kind of like, get along with an American sister you know they've never you know it's like you put yourself in their shoes as well like they they're only surrounded like the Pacific people as well in the Pacific culture they're serving in the Pacific and then there's this American sister who comes and you know so it was definitely a learning experience I think for for all the sisters it was amazing
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Darin Tingey: what it What advice would you have for an American sister coming into the mission that's going to be probably companions with a lot of different island islanders that have a much different culture than them?
Amelia Danielson : Yes.
Amelia Danielson : That's a really, really good question. I think it's pretty obvious, but like one thing that I learned For the Pacific Islanders, their love language is service.
Amelia Danielson : Like they, if there's one thing they know how to do really well, it's to serve people and to love people and to like, you know, put put other people first because it's part of their culture, you know, it's just, that's how they grew up.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : And so I feel like one thing that helped me with some of my companions was serving them, like be the first one to to clean up or be the first one to, don't know, make them food or whatever, be the first one, you know, kind of
Amelia Danielson : I feel like that that that went a long ways of like you doing it first, I guess, serving them first.
Darin Tingey: yeah
Amelia Danielson : Sometimes it was hard because they were so good at it. Like my companions and just the Kitty Vest people, like they're so good at serving people. Like it was it was it was kind of hard for to like put yourself out there first, you know, be the first one to do it, but it worked out like, yeah.
Darin Tingey: Yeah. I like that. I think that's good advice.
Amelia Danielson : you
Darin Tingey: So what were your first impressions of Kitabas when you got to Kitabas?
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : My first impression, look at you guys. remember like getting off the plane and just like being completely One, overwhelmed by the heat and the humidity.
Amelia Danielson : And then also just being like, everything is so small. Like, I can see everything from this plane, you know? Like, that was crazy.
Darin Tingey: Yeah. Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : Such a surreal feeling. And I'm sure, like, you experienced it too, like, looking out the window and being able to see, like, the island. Like, where you were going to be for the next, you know, 18 months to two years.
Amelia Danielson : Like, that was just such a surreal experience. But I remember like getting picked up by the senior couples and then like driving through to the mission home and thinking it was so beautiful, like just beautiful.
Amelia Danielson : didn't really see like, guess the poverty or like the broken down houses or anything. I just, I thought it was colorful. I thought that it was, you know, tropical and beautiful. i remember looking at all the dogs running around and being like, oh my gosh, this is awesome. Like it was crazy.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: Did it, did Tarawa feel like it had a lot of people on it when you first got there, when you were driving around?
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, for sure. that was That was another thing that I noticed is so many people and they were all like social, like interacting with each other, waving to us when we would walk out or whatever, like just good people, you know, you can just, you can just feel the vibes are just like welcoming and and loving.
Darin Tingey: Yeah. Yeah. it It's such a, yeah, the the love and community that you can feel it's almost tangible.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : Absolutely.
Darin Tingey: you started out where, okay.
Amelia Danielson : I started out in Tioreghe Woowa, Tioreghe Second. Then I was there for a transfer, and then after I worked in Bayerigi for another transfer. And then after that, I got moved to Ambo for, don't know how many transfers, because it was 10 months.
Amelia Danielson : was there for 10 months.
Darin Tingey: Oh my gosh.
Amelia Danielson : buty Yeah, I was there for a long time. That is my spot. Then I had two transfers in
Darin Tingey: Wow. 10 months in OMBO.
Amelia Danielson : Those people know me.
Darin Tingey: That's nuts.
Amelia Danielson : They were sick of seeing my face there. like
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, that my that's my spot though.
Darin Tingey: oh Okay, so let's start from the beginning then. you started in Charareque, Wawa.
Amelia Danielson : in
Darin Tingey: To someone that's never been to Tarawa, what is Charareque like? How would you describe it?
Amelia Danielson : I feel like Teorareke is like one of the more, it's more crowded. Like there's so many, i feel like there's so many people on Tarawa, but like Teorareke especially, I just feel like it was like house house to house to house to house, just like with people and houses. like I feel like there's not a lot of like, I guess stores for shopping.
Amelia Danielson : Just like the little like bull buys or whatever, but.
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Darin Tingey: The bo-bys, I love it.
Amelia Danielson : we buy Yeah, we're shopping.
Darin Tingey: Bo-bye.
Amelia Danielson : Mm hmm.
Darin Tingey: For the listeners, that's a little shop that someone has like at their house.
Amelia Danielson : ha
Darin Tingey: And you walk up and say, bo-bye, which means like shop, basically.
Amelia Danielson : excuse
Amelia Danielson : yeah
Amelia Danielson : weavving
Darin Tingey: And they come out you know and then they ask what you want.
Amelia Danielson : a
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : It's good stuff.
Darin Tingey: it
Amelia Danielson : There's a couple of those.
Darin Tingey: Those are the best.
Amelia Danielson : Third one.
Darin Tingey: Those are the best.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah. It's always good too when there's like a member who's running it. Then you like feel good. You're like, I'm supporting you and you're helping support us too.
Darin Tingey: yeah
Amelia Danielson : You know, like it's always the best.
Darin Tingey: So, Charareque is, let's see, where is, I'm looking on the map. Is it towards Beso from the airport?
Amelia Danielson : Yes. It is...
Darin Tingey: Can I be at the, is it after Bandreave or before?
Amelia Danielson : and It's right after Pond Epe.
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Amelia Danielson : listen
Darin Tingey: Bandreave, okay, got it.
Amelia Danielson : even
Darin Tingey: So you were there for a transfer.
Amelia Danielson : here
Darin Tingey: Do you remember any, like what was those first few weeks like for you?
Amelia Danielson : Okay. Bad.
Darin Tingey: I'm ready for a good story. It sounds like you have one.
Amelia Danielson : It was like, feel like I look back at my first transfer and I'm like, it's all a blur. yeah Man. So i remember I like after meeting with the mission president my first day then getting dropped off in the house at Te Arereke Wawa.
Amelia Danielson : I was greeted by my companions. and My trainer, she's from Tonga. We had just been out, like, this was her second transfer.
Darin Tingey: OK.
Amelia Danielson : And so, yeah.
Darin Tingey: Oh, whoa.
Amelia Danielson : And then we were in a trio with a Kitty Beth sister as well. So she was able able to help us with the language a little bit.
Darin Tingey: OK.
Amelia Danielson : but she was waiting for her visa to serve in Australia. And so I think maybe a week and a half or two weeks into my first transfer, she got her visa. And so the Kitty Best Sister got transferred to Australia and then it was just me and my and my trainer.
Amelia Danielson : And so I just remember like really struggling with the language, like really struggling with the culture. And yeah, I feel like it was really hard, but also like,
Amelia Danielson : found so much joy in the people, you know? Like literally, that was the best part, was looking out and like seeing their smiles or just just feeling their love. Like that was the best part.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, just walking around.
Amelia Danielson : up
Darin Tingey: yeah i can just, I can picture it. Maudie, Maudie, you know, koara.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, literally. And that's it. And that's about it.
Darin Tingey: Ngaya, sabo.
Amelia Danielson : na yet na but Literally, that was about it.
Darin Tingey: is Yeah. Like, they do not know the language.
Amelia Danielson : They're like, oh, shoot, they just got here, huh?
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : a surviv uncle nivi Yeah, but one thing I appreciated from my trainer is like,
Darin Tingey: a
Amelia Danielson : the you know, she was new to the language. She was new to everything as well. She was so like bold. Like she was not afraid of anything. So I remember like walking down the street and her saying hi to like literally everybody just like that.
Amelia Danielson : Like, Nauri, Kovara, like everybody. So she'd seen somebody like swimming in in the ocean and just be like, how's your swim? Like super just like friendly and loud.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : And so I appreciated that. But man, it was just crazy. Like,
Amelia Danielson : I think for just like the whole mission now, at least on Tarao, like the houses for sisters, they're they're pretty nice, I say. Like, pretty best standard.
Darin Tingey: Yeah. Sure. But explain what that what's nice. what Give me a vision.
Amelia Danielson : Oh, I remember my first house, it was like, okay, when I first got to Kitty Bess, we were experiencing like major power outages, like day in and day out, like you get power a couple hours for the night. You know, that was about it.
Amelia Danielson : And so, sorry, can you still hear me?
Darin Tingey: Yeah. You froze too, but I can still hear you.
Amelia Danielson : can you still hear me?
Darin Tingey: Yeah, there we go.
Darin Tingey: Oh, just that the power. you're having major power outages. power outages
Amelia Danielson : And so I remember like going into the house and it's it's, there's no running water because the power is out of course. And so like my first day we go in the back and we go to the well and get a bucket, right?
Amelia Danielson : And I take my very first bucket shower. I was like, that was the best, like welcoming, the kitty vest I could ever got.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : But in the house, like there was like a kitchen, a sink, there was a little living room, bedroom. There was a shower.
Amelia Danielson : There was a shower when there was power and when we had water, but we didn't have like a washing machine. And so like my first area, we did have to to hand wash our clothes, which was adjustment for me, just new.
Amelia Danielson : But I feel like, I mean, compared to how Kiribati people are living and
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : We lived pretty good in that house, know?
Darin Tingey: did Did you have a a stove and oven or just like a little gas propane gas burner or?
Amelia Danielson : I think we definitely had the propane gas burners. I don't think we had, don't think at any of my houses I had like a running stove. We only had the, I'm trying to think.
Amelia Danielson : think we actually had an oven, but it it didn't, it was broken. Like, it just didn't.
Darin Tingey: Yeah. Yeah. Sounds about right.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah. It was.
Darin Tingey: And the toilet, you had a toilet, a normal toilet.
Amelia Danielson : Yes, yes. I have a toilet?
Darin Tingey: Yeah, I think this the living standards have increased. So it sounds like they've got you guys hooked up pretty well.
Amelia Danielson : Right.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: but But when the power is out, it's like, all right, well well, what's the purpose of all this?
Amelia Danielson : Literally, it's like, all right.
Darin Tingey: This house is 10 times hotter than everybody else's house because they have, it's open and the wind can come through, but yours is closed.
Amelia Danielson : Literally.
Amelia Danielson : Right? Close.
Darin Tingey: And so it super hot.
Amelia Danielson : That is correct. Would
Darin Tingey: and And power outages, in the marshals, they'd happen on E by decent amount.
Amelia Danielson : they like?
Darin Tingey: Kind of the same thing. like They'd be like, this half of the island has power tonight you know from this hour to this hour, and this half of the island will have power from this time to this time. So you you never know.
Amelia Danielson : but they like Would they tell you guys, like, by the way, we're going to have a powder outage? Or would it just happen?
Darin Tingey: Both.
Amelia Danielson : Marshall.
Darin Tingey: Both.
Amelia Danielson : Okay.
Darin Tingey: I think... Somehow they all, like half the island knew like the times.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: I'm sure it the radio or something. But they'd tell them and they'd tell us, like, OK, here we go.
Amelia Danielson : Nice.
Darin Tingey: so But yeah, without power, it's like, okay yeah, all the nice things, but it just doesn't work without it.
Amelia Danielson : Mm-hmm. Exactly. No, like, we had a fridge too, but it's like, no power, then, you know, watch out with what you eat.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : So, yeah.
Darin Tingey: So pretty much all the houses on Tarawa are like that now?
Amelia Danielson : else
Darin Tingey: OK.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah. and I say... All the houses are, they're really nice, elders and sisters. They got us hooked up. We also got a new housing coordinators.
Amelia Danielson : A senior couple came in and they just work with the houses. And they like, day in and day out, they they fix things. And they also also, oh, in the houses, they have air cons as well. So maybe that's new.
Darin Tingey: Wow, pampered.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, we're living really nice.
Amelia Danielson : But that's if they work.
Darin Tingey: Right?
Amelia Danielson : That's if they don't leak and, you know.
Darin Tingey: They all leak.
Amelia Danielson : But.
Darin Tingey: They're all dripping water all the time.
Amelia Danielson : Man, all the time.
Darin Tingey: yeah
Amelia Danielson : It's like, I remember coming home one day in my third area and the whole entire floor is just flooded. Like the whole place is flooded. We had to like, we didn't know what to do.
Amelia Danielson : We didn't know how to clean it up. So we just took like brooms and we just like swept out the water for like at least an hour. Like I swear it took so long. It's crazy. Mm-hmm.
Darin Tingey: That's awesome. So some houses sounds like do have a washing machine or it's like those ones that are like an all in one, right?
Amelia Danielson : again
Darin Tingey: Like the washing machine.
Amelia Danielson : Yep.
Darin Tingey: And then, yeah. Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : Yep, Miss Spinner. You gotta you gotta to fill the water in first and then, Yeah,
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, i i I didn't see one of those in the Marshalls, and then I came over to Kitabus, was like, whoa, that's pretty cool.
Amelia Danielson : that's pretty nice.
Darin Tingey: in They need to have those in the Marshalls, too, because the Marshalls, so they had you know some of them had actual nice washer and dryer, but these ones seemed like they could go a lot more places.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : you
Darin Tingey: You could just put it outside, and it'd be fine. so
Amelia Danielson : Exactly, yeah. Yeah, even some like homes, like families would have them too. So nice thing to have.
Darin Tingey: Okay. So, okay. So that that, you know, your first area, Taddeke with your with dear trainer, were you sad to leave after just one transfer there?
Amelia Danielson : was sad. was sad to to leave the people. And my companion as well, you know, is my trainer. Like, I feel like we've got that bond and she was brand new. So we were both kind of like, oh my gosh, what are we doing here? You know? And it was sad, but it was also, I was also excited.
Amelia Danielson : was also sad to say goodbye to one of our dogs that hit around the house. He was like my emotional support animal.
Darin Tingey: That's awesome.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah. But then, yeah.
Darin Tingey: So you get transferred to Bayerigi, so further further towards Beso.
Amelia Danielson : Mm-hmm.
Amelia Danielson : Yes.
Darin Tingey: And how would you describe Bayerigi?
Amelia Danielson : Bayariki is a government area. And so there's a lot of people, a lot of businesses, big stores, Bayariki Super Mall.
Amelia Danielson : I don't know if you ever got the chance to go there, but
Darin Tingey: I didn't. i've I've heard all about it. i've I didn't actually get to go to it, though.
Amelia Danielson : it is super. I mean, if you think, of what a Kitty Bess Supermall may look like, you know, whatever you're imagining is probably about that. Everything comes in from China or whatever. It's a good spot. But, yeah,
Amelia Danielson : A lot of people, yeah, I feel like the biggest, that was a big change for me, like going from Arereke that doesn't have like, i feel like a lot of stores, just like very small ones, to Bayeriki, which had like the biggest ones, you know, next to Beeso.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: What was the church situation there? Was there a ward?
Amelia Danielson : There was a ward, it was actually a really strong ward when I got there. The house that we lived in also was right next to the chapel and the chapel was right next to the ocean.
Amelia Danielson : i don't know if you ever saw that, but it was such a beautiful location.
Darin Tingey: beautiful.
Amelia Danielson : Like it was gorgeous. When I got there, they just called a new Bishop because the Bishop before he came a little less active.
Amelia Danielson : So they didn't have a Bishop for a while, but I came in and right like,
Darin Tingey: Such a classic.
Amelia Danielson : Inverging church, that's right. But I came in and the bishop, he was brand new and he was doing well. Like, honestly, the bishopric, there were they were fire and working hard.
Amelia Danielson : There was a ward mission leader. Like, it was a really strong ward, Bayadiki. And now, there go on.
Darin Tingey: No, let's hear it.
Amelia Danielson : Well, now they split it. don't know if you heard about that, but they split it. So they have a Nani Kai ward and a Bayadiki ward. So it's like, it's it's going.
Darin Tingey: Wow.
Amelia Danielson : good things are happening there.
Darin Tingey: thatsync Yeah, that's incredible.
Amelia Danielson : interesting
Darin Tingey: because and Okay, so that church building is right on the very edge, right before the causeway. Is that right?
Amelia Danielson : Yes, yes, that's correct.
Darin Tingey: Okay. That's a cool spot to be on the on the ocean side.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: Uh, and so there was your companionship there. How many, I know, I thought it was just crawling with missionaries these days, uh, because they don't have like any outer islands open.
Amelia Danielson : Yup, yup.
Darin Tingey: i heard they have Medicaid and Abayán anymore.
Amelia Danielson : here
Darin Tingey: that right? And then Christmas.
Amelia Danielson : that is That is correct. They've got, yeah, Meraki, Beyan, Christmas. And they're working on Mayana right now. I think Mayana's going to, yeah, it's coming.
Darin Tingey: Oh, yeah. That's where I i went to Myana.
Amelia Danielson : Yes.
Darin Tingey: That's my island. daby
Amelia Danielson : think it's coming. Like, heard they found a house and think they're going to send elders out there soon. Probably this year. Yeah.
Darin Tingey: That's awesome. I'm excited for them. I mean, I lived in a stick hut out there, so I'm curious to know where their house is.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : Man, you guys got the real experience, like the true Kitty Best experience. Like, yeah.
Darin Tingey: it It was pretty cool. it It was rough at times, but it was pretty cool.
Amelia Danielson : For sure.
Darin Tingey: You know, there's nothing stopping you from moving back and going to live on an outer island, by the way.
Amelia Danielson : True. i
Darin Tingey: oh
Amelia Danielson : You know what? Might have to think about that one.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, might as well do it. Yeah, summer internship.
Amelia Danielson : I'll just do it. Maybe Sabbath away or something. I'll just head out there for the fun.
Darin Tingey: There you go. There you go.
Amelia Danielson : just that
Darin Tingey: Okay. So there yeah, I thought I was crawling with missionaries. So how many companionships were in ward typically?
Amelia Danielson : two...
Amelia Danielson : It was either one one to three companionships per ward, but mostly one to two companionships per ward. But then when I left, there was so much, just like you say, that I was crawling with missionaries.
Amelia Danielson : There was probably like three to maybe even five companionships per ward, three to four at least.
Darin Tingey: Oh my gosh.
Amelia Danielson : Like crazy stuff. Like so many missionaries per ward.
Darin Tingey: That's nuts. I'm sure the ward's like sick of the missionaries.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah. but They're like, my gosh, you guys.
Darin Tingey: They're like
Darin Tingey: Stop coming to my house. The other elders and sisters just left.
Amelia Danielson : Literally, like, so many missionaries.
Amelia Danielson : I
Darin Tingey: Did that make it hard to do missionary work or easier?
Amelia Danielson : feel like there's there's definitely pros and cons.
Darin Tingey: or neither?
Amelia Danielson : It did make every area small. Like, we had a really small...
Darin Tingey: So you'd break it up so you couldn't, you guys all didn't cover just the area. It's like you're from here to here.
Amelia Danielson : Yep, yep, correct.
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Amelia Danielson : And so like my last area there was in Beginning Biltawana there was three companionships in the ward.
Darin Tingey: Gosh.
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Amelia Danielson : And so yeah we were all split up in in areas. it was all
Darin Tingey: It's so hard because like if if you have an area, your section of that awards area doesn't have a lot of the members, and then you never get to know those members, which is awful.
Amelia Danielson : Exactly. Exactly. Yes.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: And then you know they they get to the point where the members there are just...
Darin Tingey: almost like maybe they are, I'm just speculating here, but I would think that they would give fewer referrals because there's so many missionaries and they don't really know who you are.
Amelia Danielson : Right. Who would I give it to?
Darin Tingey: and
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: and they just call you elders and sisters. They don't actually call sister Danielson.
Amelia Danielson : Right.
Darin Tingey: They don't remember your name.
Amelia Danielson : Exactly.
Darin Tingey: They just say sister.
Amelia Danielson : Yes. Yes.
Darin Tingey: I'd always like correct people. I'm like, no I'm not just an elder. I'm elder tingy, you know? And like, yeah, I know that's like a little, I don't know, prideful and of me, but i I wanted them to like, not just say elders, like but I want to say like my name, Elder Tinggi.
Amelia Danielson : no it's awesome. Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: I wanted them to get to know me so that I was, I built a relationship to the point that they felt comfortable introducing me to their friends.
Amelia Danielson : Mm-hmm.
Amelia Danielson : Mm-hmm.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, you can like you know my name, you know who I am and for sure so.
Darin Tingey: But, yeah, so I don't know if that was like an issue for you, but I can just see that being an issue with so many missionaries and in one small area.
Amelia Danielson : hmm.
Amelia Danielson : Absolutely.
Darin Tingey: But it seems like, Ambo, you've solidified your name there for being there so long.
Amelia Danielson : my God.
Darin Tingey: and And forgive me if I'm moving too quickly between those areas. i don't know if there's any any stories that you wanted to tell from either of those areas that stood out, but, okay.
Amelia Danielson : OK.
Amelia Danielson : No, its it's okay, yeah. By the key, I was only there, i feel like it was another week.
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Amelia Danielson : Like, i was only there for a transfer, and I trained as well. So it was my second transfer, and I trained a Kitty Beth sister.
Darin Tingey: Oh, wow.
Amelia Danielson : and so
Darin Tingey: Is that a thing? Is that a thing for them to to have missionaries train on their second transfer?
Amelia Danielson : It was when we first got there, because when we first got there, there was not many sisters at all.
Darin Tingey: Like how many were there?
Amelia Danielson : It was... I'm trying to remember because when we left, there was a big outtake of sisters that like they left. And so let me think there was maybe
Amelia Danielson : about a dozen sisters, give or take. on
Darin Tingey: OK. So like six companionships, roughly?
Amelia Danielson : and Yeah.
Darin Tingey: And
Amelia Danielson : Maybe that's even more, but it just cause all the sisters were brand new. We were all
Darin Tingey: OK. And when you left, how many were there?
Amelia Danielson : There's actually a lot. There's so many missionaries on Kitty Vest right now. There's so many missionaries. I want to say maybe maybe maybe like 30. Give or take.
Darin Tingey: Wow. That's a ton.
Amelia Danielson : Right? Crazy.
Darin Tingey: Okay. Okay. So you transfer, or you trained in your second transfer. So you probably, it probably helped your language, but at the same time you're like, dang, i maybe I wish I would have had some more language training or even just missionary training.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, totally.
Darin Tingey: But when you get to Ambo, are you training again or are you with another sister who's been there for a little bit?
Amelia Danielson : So my this is my third transfer and I got put with my companion, Sister Fee now, and we became, we were STLs together. it And so she was training me to be an STL at that point.
Darin Tingey: and And is there one STL companionship on the whole island?
Amelia Danielson : For us, there's two companionships. So one for the West Zone, one for the East. I think that was new. I mean i think in the past, there was just one, but yeah.
Darin Tingey: Yeah. Okay. So third transfer in, you're already becoming STL.
Amelia Danielson : yeah Crazy stuff. I was like, I've already trained, been trained, trained, and now I'm STL. So like, it was fast.
Darin Tingey: That's nuts.
Amelia Danielson : It was fast. I didn't have time to like sit and s smell their roses that the had to go, you know.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, dang, okay. okay
Amelia Danielson : But,
Darin Tingey: What's it like being an STL?
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Amelia Danielson : and I was with Sister Fina for six months, about seven actually, about seven months, we were companions. And so we became really close. And so it was just really fun to like be with her But the work of STL,
Amelia Danielson : But at the same time, you know we're we're juggling our our own things, our own area. But I just feel like you know when we plan things out and we let the Lord do his thing, it all worked out.
Amelia Danielson : know But that was a really good opportunity for me to like get to know so many different sisters from so many different places. you know All from the Pacific, but just like running exchanges with them like once or twice every week.
Amelia Danielson : getting to know them and it was just really fun honestly it was really fun to like work with so many sisters and
Darin Tingey: You probably got to see a lot of Tarawa as well if you had to do on exchanges.
Amelia Danielson : I did yeah I sure did I was in the even though I was in Ambo doing it I was I was running you know down Ambo to Basel for the past 10 months and so you're right it was really fun
Darin Tingey: Ambo's pretty small, right?
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, I think so. It was the the area, it was, we we shared it with another companionship of elders, but they worked more on like the Bandebe side.
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Amelia Danielson : And so the ward boundary was like Ambo to Bandebe. That was like pretty big, but Ambo itself where we worked is pretty small.
Darin Tingey: Okay. And remind me where the mission office is.
Amelia Danielson : So in Ambo,
Darin Tingey: That's what I thought. Okay.
Amelia Danielson : business
Darin Tingey: I've been, so that I've been to Ambo because I've been to the mission office.
Amelia Danielson : Okay, nice.
Darin Tingey: i think that was the furthest west I went on Tarawa. I never went past Ambo.
Amelia Danielson : Did you work in Albo?
Darin Tingey: No, I i only, I never worked on Tarawa.
Amelia Danielson : do delete just
Darin Tingey: So I went straight from Marshalls, landed in Tarawa, spent like two days in Tarawa, and then went to Mayana.
Amelia Danielson : Okay. Oh, that's right.
Darin Tingey: And then when i came back, it was Mayana, or back in Tarawa for two or three days. And then I was back to the Marshalls. So I, and I stayed in Boota most of the time.
Amelia Danielson : Okay, okay.
Darin Tingey: So I've seen Boota all the way to Ambo, and that's Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : Wow, and that's it. Dang, you didn't even Vesa or anything.
Darin Tingey: Yeah. No, I know.
Amelia Danielson : That's too bad.
Darin Tingey: I know. Big bummer.
Darin Tingey: But I remember seeing the mission office and I was so jealous because it said the church's name in Kitabas, right?
Amelia Danielson : Yes, yeah.
Darin Tingey: You know, it says it in Kiribati.
Amelia Danielson : Mm-hmm.
Darin Tingey: And I was like, oh my gosh, I wish we had that in the Marshalls because on the Marshalls side, it just has it in English.
Amelia Danielson : That's right. Yeah.
Darin Tingey: And i was so mad about that.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: I'm like I don't know why we don't have it in Marshallese in the, in the Marshall Island side. And even the church buildings, I think in Kiribati, they all say it in Kiribati.
Darin Tingey: I could be wrong on that. But in the Marshalls, all of them besides the church building Ebi say the Church Jesus Christ, lot of saints in English. They do not say it in Marshallese.
Darin Tingey: And i that really bothered me.
Amelia Danielson : Dangit.
Darin Tingey: I was like, president, why are you having it in Kiribati, on the Kiribati side, but you don't care, but devoted it in Marshallese on the Marshall Island side.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : Oh
Darin Tingey: Anyway, that was just one little thing I remember that I wish we had.
Amelia Danielson : my gosh, yeah. We definitely, I'm trying to think. I think the only one that I noticed that had English was in Bayeriki. I did have an English in Bayeriki, but the rest was all in Kitty Vest.
Amelia Danielson : Oh no, we're lucky, we're blessed.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, I don't understand why Kitabas got it and Marshall's didn't. It makes no sense, but whatever.
Amelia Danielson : don't know. We're also getting the temple, so I don't know what.
Darin Tingey: that's That's true.
Amelia Danielson : but who
Darin Tingey: Yeah, probably pretty... like Was that a big topic of conversation with people? Did they know about the temple? like People not of the in the church?
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, there was actually a lot of people. So luckily, in the temple is being built in Ambo as well. And so we actually had a lot of opportunity to walk up and down like it's the same street and see, you know, how the progress of the temple is coming.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Darin Tingey: yeah
Amelia Danielson : And she was always welcoming, you know, she would always invite us in and give us drink or whatever.
Darin Tingey: you
Amelia Danielson : We'd talk with her, but she's very, her husband was very strong in the Catholic church. And so she wasn't ready take lessons with us at the end of the day. But I do remember like me and my companion, us walking i was walking up the street and like,
Amelia Danielson : meeting with her, you know, all of a sudden. And it's like the, one of the first things she asked is like, what is, what is that over there? I heard that it's like part of the Mormon, you know, part of the the Mormon church. And i was like, well, we could come over to your house and talk to you a little bit more about it. And she's like, okay, yeah.
Amelia Danielson : And so, yeah just really cool opportunities for us to talk about it.
Darin Tingey: That's awesome.
Darin Tingey: Were you there for the groundbreaking?
Amelia Danielson : No, I was, I was the MTC when it, yeah.
Darin Tingey: Oh, okay.
Amelia Danielson : But our teachers did pull it up on the TV, like the live or whatever, or but just a recording of it, like in class. We saw it, but we weren't there.
Darin Tingey: Have there been any events since then? I don't think so, right? Just the groundbreaking and then eventually they'll do the open house and then
Amelia Danielson : to Yeah, that's correct. They do have So since the, you know, so many missionaries on Kitty Vest, the church is really it's thriving there right now. You know, we've still got a long, long ways to go, but I feel like things are, things are happening. And so alongside of that, they have Temple senior couples there right now, the Smiths, they're from Georgia. And they opened up a visitor center.
Amelia Danielson : And so there's visitors a visitor center right next to the church. And I think every single morning they do devotionals for the workers and they show a video or they just share a spiritual message or they sing, you know, been a song from the church or whatever. And they try to invite the spirit in. So like, you know, things are, things are happening. They got visitors, to the visitor center and.
Darin Tingey: That's so cool. I love that. That's going to be really cool.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Darin Tingey: imagine Imagine being a sister on Tarawa and you're in Ambo, like you're called to just be in the visitor center for a a transfer.
Amelia Danielson : My gosh, would be such a dream.
Darin Tingey: So, you know, that would be sit in the air conditioning all day.
Amelia Danielson : Yes, sir my gosh. Man, I would, if I could reserve, then I would just to do that, just to serve in the temple in Kitty Vez. Like, that would be crazy.
Darin Tingey: That'd be, yeah that would be really cool. Uh, how, how was the work in Ambo? I mean, being there for 10 months, did you, did you have any, do you have any cool success stories from that area?
Amelia Danielson : We did, we definitely had a lot of great success. I feel i mean, I was there for 10 months, like most of my baptisms, they did happen there.
Amelia Danielson : I think that's just like, of course, you know, spend the most time there.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : We had one of our friends when I was with my companion sister, Phineau, the one who i was with for for seven months. There was this one particular family that we would always go to because they lived like just like right across from us pretty much.
Amelia Danielson : We just love that family because the daughter who was 18, 19,
Amelia Danielson : She was a blue star, so she like just she got baptized in the past year. And so we'd go over to that house and like do her after baptismal lessons and just like a minister to her and hang out with her a little bit. and So before I got transferred in my companion and her previous companion, she would always go over to the house.
Amelia Danielson : Our blue star, her name is Xiao.
Darin Tingey: What's a blue star?
Amelia Danielson : Her dad. Sorry. it's It's a person who got baptized in the past year.
Darin Tingey: Okay. Is that like a common term amongst missionaries? Blue star?
Amelia Danielson : it is. It is.
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Amelia Danielson : Yep. You'll hear for like missionaries now, it's like you'll hear blue stars, green dots, gray dot, yellow dot.
Darin Tingey: a
Amelia Danielson : Like, but yeah, all these shapes and colors.
Darin Tingey: wow. Okay.
Amelia Danielson : But it's all the, because you guys didn't have, you guys did not have the PMG app, right? I was not even.
Darin Tingey: No, we didn't.
Amelia Danielson : Yep.
Darin Tingey: We didn't have, we had a little phones, Nokia phones that you could buy minutes for.
Amelia Danielson : off yeah
Darin Tingey: that's Yeah, we, a lot, a lot has changed. I mean, I, I was, it's not like i served 20 years ago. I was, you know, like we said, I, before the call, i I got back eight years ago, but so much has changed from that then till now.
Amelia Danielson : yeah you're good
Darin Tingey: So Blue Star, sorry, I cut you off. Blue Star, this this neighbor that was, okay, recently baptized.
Amelia Danielson : Yes, blue our blue star. Hope that that makes sense, though. So she was a blue star. Seattle was a blue star. And so as part of like the blue star, i guess every week you'll make plans for your blue stars, every single one. And so we go over to her house at least once a week. And so when my when my companion, her previous companion would go over and minister to her, her dad was just like, you know,
Amelia Danielson : one day she was leaving the house, she's like, I'm going to baptize him today. Like she was just like, going to baptize you, by the way. And on anyways, a little time passed and then I got transferred into the area. It It was my first time like visiting this family. And so the family, like already said, it consists of the daughter, Sial, the dad, and then the mother, Neitos.
Amelia Danielson : the She could not walk. She had something with her legs. Man, it's weird. I'm like, I can only think of it in Kitty Bats. But anyways, so she stayed in the house and then it was Rubentes' Rubentes' mom as well.
Amelia Danielson : but We had a little cute little family that we'd go visit. And the first time I went over to the house to meet the mother, the mother was like, hey, by the way, like, my husband, Ruben Teis, he's kind of interested in in taking lessons.
Amelia Danielson : Want to do that. And she was like, are you serious? That's, of course. Yeah, of course. And then we set a time up. We're like, is this is cool.
Amelia Danielson : I remember the first time we met with him. we we just had the invitation from president yagi who came down to kitty best and he gave us some instruction to somebody to get baptized the first time you meet them and so we were like it's we decided to try it open days and so as we're sitting with him we're talking with him we asked him like would you be willing to follow the savior's example and get baptized he was like we're like what
Amelia Danielson : We were like, why? do you want to do that? He's like, it's because I want to change my life. Change Change my life. done
Amelia Danielson : With the Savior's help, like you can do that. remember asking him like, Ruben Thais, like how do you feel right now? What do you feel right now? He kept just like doing this with his hands, like going up and down. he was like, feel that out like i just feel the peace. I just feel peace.
Amelia Danielson : We got you.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : The spirit got you, man. And then he got baptized a little bit later. He was one our big successes, big miracles that area.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, that's an incredible story.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: it It is a scary thing to do to invite someone to be baptized on the first lesson.
Amelia Danielson : yeah
Darin Tingey: and And it's almost even, you know, with Kittuos people and island people in general is saying yes to everything, it's almost... least At least at the end of my mission, I was always like, all right, yeah, they said yes, but that's because they always say yes.
Amelia Danielson : Right, yeah.
Darin Tingey: And so yeah it's it's like this, okay, we'll invite them, but like are they really, do they actually mean it?
Amelia Danielson : Mm-hmm.
Darin Tingey: you know But it sounds it sounds like, you know, needs's like a ra you know i've like you said, i feel the peace.
Amelia Danielson : Totally.
Amelia Danielson : Mm-hmm.
Darin Tingey: I feel...
Amelia Danielson : Mm-hmm.
Darin Tingey: some type of way i smart to ask him how he feels. That's, it's actually really, really a good thing to do, but sounds like he actually had that feeling. And then, you know, like you said, he got baptized, which is incredible.
Darin Tingey: I love those stories because they're just this, a guy who was making fun of the lessons and then turns out he was ready, you know,
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, exactly. You never know. Like, I guess it's another thing of like advice is just like, just be bold, you know, always led by the spirit, but like, don't know what's really, what's there to lose, you know, just like,
Darin Tingey: Yeah. Nothing. There's nothing to lose.
Amelia Danielson : Literally nothing. It's like at the end of the day, like if you mess up or whatever, or like he says no, he just says no. Like, or if like one thing I was, I was really nervous about, like when I first got my mission was like home to home contacting, just like finding was really scary for me.
Amelia Danielson : But I, I don't know. just had to like kind of zoom out for a second and think about like, I'm in Katie Bess, I'm doing the Lord's work. At the end of the day, when I go home, I'm never gonna see these people ever again.
Amelia Danielson : might as well just give it all I got now and then mess up as much as I can now and you know maybe something good will come out of it.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, absolutely. and And even if someone's not interested, they most likely had a pleasant experience with you and hopefully in the future they and are more open to it.
Amelia Danielson : Right, yeah. Mm-hmm.
Darin Tingey: Very cool. I mean, the again, there's the Lord is hastening his work, especially in Kiribati.
Amelia Danielson : He sure is. Mm-hmm.
Darin Tingey: uh, it's incredible. They're getting a temple who, whoever thought that Tarawa of all places would get a temple.
Amelia Danielson : He said that.
Darin Tingey: Uh, it's so crazy. what, let's, let's finish the last two areas. And then I, and then I got a bunch of, or guess last area, you only had one more area after Ambo, right?
Amelia Danielson : Mm-hmm. Yep.
Darin Tingey: And did you think you were going to die in Ambo? Like, did you did you think I'm going to end here?
Amelia Danielson : I was pretty convinced because at that point I only had three more transfers left of my mission. so I was like, you know President? love this area. This my area. This is my home.
Amelia Danielson : I'm good. you could just leave me here to die.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : But don't know.
Darin Tingey: and you got And you got two presidents, right?
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : Yes, correct.
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Amelia Danielson : I, my first, it was pretty even to like my first, it was like eight or nine months at president Kendall and then president mail came in like nine months into my mission.
Darin Tingey: Okay. What, what's he like? Yeah. I don't think I have had anyone on the podcast that has had him as their mission president.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: What, what are they, what are they like?
Amelia Danielson : and sister male they are so good to be honest they are so loving man i think they're just exactly what the missionaries need right now no every single missionary i know just just loves males like we love the males like they are they're they're from australia and so they kind of got this like little like humor, like banter thing going on with each other. And they know how to like joke with the missionaries and they know how to like show love to us.
Amelia Danielson : Like they are i feel like there's a, a, a sort of prayers be honest. They're so, they're so good. Just love them.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, good. Good. that's That's good. It's always a good time when the missionaries love them you know
Amelia Danielson : Mm-hmm.
Darin Tingey: them. And do they spend how do they spend their time? Mostly in Kitabas or Marshalls? Or are they pretty evenly split?
Amelia Danielson : They got, it's pretty even, yeah.
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Amelia Danielson : don't know. They got three weeks. So they they bounce three weeks. Three weeks in Marshall Islands, three weeks in Kitty Bess. Bounce back and forth.
Darin Tingey: And then do they go out to Christmas?
Amelia Danielson : isn
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Amelia Danielson : They do, they've been going more more often because I think they're working on making a steak Christmas, right?
Darin Tingey: Wow, that'd be crazy.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah. So they've they've been they've been going there. feel like when I left, they were going more often.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, by the way, like when I got into Kiribes, when I got on Tarawa, there's only two stakes. And then when I left, there's four. Like, we'll talk about the...
Darin Tingey: There's four steaks now?
Amelia Danielson : There's four stakes on Tarawa.
Darin Tingey: Oh my gosh.
Amelia Danielson : Yes. They've got Beso stake, west, east, and north. Wow.
Darin Tingey: Wow. North, I'm assuming north is just tarawaieta, like everything from the very top to, does it include bota?
Darin Tingey: Does bota, is, okay.
Amelia Danielson : It does. Yeah, it includes both in Bondi all the way to Tamayku.
Darin Tingey: And bone drink. Oh, wow. Wow.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Amelia Danielson : I'd
Darin Tingey: How many wards per steak roughly?
Amelia Danielson : say roughly three, about three per se.
Darin Tingey: Just three wards per steak?
Amelia Danielson : Yeah. Yeah. I think.
Darin Tingey: What? i think I think they're doing some sort of maneuvers in order for the temple to actually be built there. It's like they need x number of stakes.
Amelia Danielson : Right.
Darin Tingey: They're like, all right, we're going to make these all stakes, right?
Amelia Danielson : We're going to make this work out. Yeah.
Darin Tingey: Yeah. It seems like, because I don't think that's, I don't know if you mean the rewards for a stake, but that's cool.
Amelia Danielson : Right. Okay. hike Maybe I'm wrong. I think it's maybe four. It might be four words per sake, but still though.
Darin Tingey: Okay. I mean, 16 words just for Tarawa is crazy.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, roughly 16. I know for sure. Yeah, I think it is four per stake. Because Bezos is four wards.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, the West stake is four, East is four, so North must be four.
Amelia Danielson : Crazy.
Darin Tingey: Okay, that's yeah that's nuts, did you get to be a part of the state creations and celebrations that they had.
Amelia Danielson : Yes. So when I was in Ambo for like half of my life, i was able to go to that, to the state conference where they split the West Stake.
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Amelia Danielson : And so they split West from Ambo Bayerigi. And then they had Beso, their own their their own stake as well. but that It was so cool.
Darin Tingey: did they do like Did they do any cultural celebrations along with it? or Or was it just like a state conference? And then...
Amelia Danielson : you the part that the missionaries were able to go to it was just the state conference but they did around that same time they had they hit the church hit 50 years in Kiribes and so they had i don't know if you saw that but they had this huge celebration and it was like the entire day of dancing and singing and music and food uh
Darin Tingey: Very cool.
Darin Tingey: So you got to go to that? did you Did you dance in it?
Amelia Danielson : I wish I did not. we were It was kind of a it was a i don't one of those things that they gave us, that the mission president gave us, which like I understand, but it it was still kind of sad. like We all wanted to go.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : of like Does it fulfill your missionary purpose? a thing And we were like, yes.
Darin Tingey: What? Wait, so you didn't even go? yeah Yes, it does.
Amelia Danielson : It does, actually. no
Darin Tingey: So you guys didn't even get to go?
Amelia Danielson : We didn't even get to go. We had to do work.
Darin Tingey: That's crazy.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah. It was so...
Darin Tingey: was that Which president was that? Was that Kendall?
Amelia Danielson : It was male. It was present male.
Darin Tingey: Mail? Come on, mail.
Amelia Danielson : Come on, President Mill. We all wanted to go, man.
Darin Tingey: I'm gonna shoot him a message.
Amelia Danielson : but
Darin Tingey: Just kidding.
Amelia Danielson : yeah
Amelia Danielson : It was so sad because I remember like literally sad. It was on a Saturday. Me and my companion, again, we're walking the street and we just see these like truckloads of members like driving down to Moroni High School and they're like, yeah like party.
Amelia Danielson : Like, speak, man.
Darin Tingey: Oh, that would have been so fun.
Darin Tingey: I'm, so I'm actually really sad that you guys didn't get to go to that. I think, I mean, I'm, I disagree with the president on that. I think it's like a really cool experience to build memories and, and bonds like that.
Amelia Danielson : I agree. i agree. i feel like it does like, you know, 50 years.
Amelia Danielson : We were a part of that work. We're a big part of that work.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : Reason why they're there.
Darin Tingey: Unfortunately, unfortunately probably at the end like towards the end of their third year, they'll probably be lax on that stuff and allow missionaries to go do something.
Amelia Danielson : No. Yeah. no
Darin Tingey: It's usually like right at the beginning. They're so strict, and then they slowly realize that they can't be that strict.
Amelia Danielson : Well.
Darin Tingey: like parenting, you know, you start off with the first, the oldest and you're super strict with the oldest and then by like the end, the like fourth, yeah, the youngest, they're just like, do whatever you want, you know?
Amelia Danielson : The youngest kid. Mm-hmm.
Darin Tingey: Okay, so you're about to, you're almost, you're in Ambo for forever and then and then you get transferred to your final area, which was Bikinibu, the one-a.
Darin Tingey: Was a weird going to another area after being in AMBO for so long?
Amelia Danielson : It was so weird. Yeah, you guys it was it was a different area, but it was also different zone as well. It was my first time not working in the West Zone. I thought I was going to be a West Zone warrior and like die in West Zone, but then i got sent to East Zone, and so it was just different.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : But it was like... It was good. So I got transferred there and my first companion, I got two companions there. My first companion, we were STLs. So i was I just transferred from being the West STL to East STL.
Amelia Danielson : And so it was kind of like the same work, just different areas, you know.
Darin Tingey: So you're telling me you were STL for your entire mission besides your first two transfers?
Amelia Danielson : like Pretty much my first two and my last two, i was not STL.
Darin Tingey: Okay, gotcha.
Amelia Danielson : It's good amount of time though, yeah.
Darin Tingey: Wow.
Amelia Danielson : don't know.
Darin Tingey: Bless your soul.
Amelia Danielson : the Lord taught me a lot in those those months I was STL. That's kind how it was. I think nowadays they're switching them out more, but when I was in leadership, it was like, you're in leadership for the sisters. was like, you're in leadership until you die, pretty much.
Amelia Danielson : There's a sister from Dong, a sister Fetawani. like She was STL, i literally think, for like at least 13 months.
Darin Tingey: Oh gosh. Did they give you car?
Amelia Danielson : the Yeah, they gave us a ban.
Darin Tingey: Was it weird driving on the opposite side of
Amelia Danielson : Oh yeah, super weird. weird.
Darin Tingey: road? Was it a stick shift van or?
Amelia Danielson : Nope, it was a regular automatic.
Darin Tingey: okay. Okay.
Amelia Danielson : but was weird.
Darin Tingey: Do they still have the stick shift vans that elders drive? Oh, wow.
Amelia Danielson : They got rid of them. We all drive automatics now.
Darin Tingey: Wow.
Amelia Danielson : We're living in luxury. Yeah.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, you are. Teslas probably. Yeah,
Amelia Danielson : That's right.
Darin Tingey: understand yeah we just got brand new Teslas. It's sick.
Amelia Danielson : You know, but for guys go to Zone Conference. You guys have
Darin Tingey: Did you ever ride the vans? Sorry.
Amelia Danielson : the vans?
Darin Tingey: Yeah,
Amelia Danielson : The buses?
Darin Tingey: yeah the buses. Thank you.
Amelia Danielson : Yes, I did. That was always so fun. just a
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : You know, if i just wanted a little taste of kitty vans. Because sometimes I'd be like, man, I feel out of touch with kitty vans. And so we would take the van like for like small you know distances, long enough that you didn't want to walk.
Darin Tingey: huh
Amelia Danielson : Man, the buses are so funny.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, they're like a, just everyone jam packed in there.
Amelia Danielson : Literally, you cram as many people as you can there, and they got music blasting. Sometimes the windows are down.
Darin Tingey: yeah
Amelia Danielson : Sometimes you're just cooking in there.
Amelia Danielson : like
Darin Tingey: like a party bus.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, literally. so but Yeah, they had the lights even. like Good times in the in the buses.
Darin Tingey: When you, okay, so you finished in McKenna Bue.
Amelia Danielson : Mm-hmm.
Amelia Danielson : Oh, good.
Darin Tingey: that I just some some random questions given that you just got back from your mission and there's a lot of sisters getting their mission calls to kid a bus, especially with the age change is a lot of girls going right out of high school.
Darin Tingey: Okay, so we're touching the my first question, which was how many sisters are there sends like there's you said four you say 40 30 yeah that's crazy okay and and you said companionships per ward now is around like four on tarawa crazy uh any sisters on outer islands what about christmas not even on christmas
Amelia Danielson : maybe about thirty thirty yeah
Amelia Danielson : Yep. Yep.
Amelia Danielson : Nope. We are all on... Nope. Not even on Christmas. Yeah, so we're...
Darin Tingey: is there a senior couple out there
Amelia Danielson : so No, there's not.
Darin Tingey: OK, that's probably why.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: If they get a senior couple, then they'll probably send sisters back.
Amelia Danielson : I think so too. I think it's a mix of like how we were talking about before the the housing like standards, like they got raised for the past couple of years, especially for sisters and there's no senior couples.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : So like it's least in President Males time, I do think that though.
Darin Tingey: You cut out for a second there. thoughll They'll probably be on Christmas on own President Mail's time.
Darin Tingey: How many senior couples are there?
Amelia Danielson : There's a lot. There's a lot right now, actually. There is, let's see. So we got the, they all have their own different jobs. We had the Frayners who did like English Connect, the Smiths who do the temple, like the temple visitor center, the Parhams who are just the best and they do, work in the mission office.
Darin Tingey: OK. kle
Amelia Danielson : The new dentist, nurse,
Darin Tingey: A dentist, that's pretty cool.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, they got they got a mission dentist. When I was there, and and he does, at least when I was there, it was Brother Duke, el Elder Duke, but I think he just finished his time, like, same with me, but they sent in a new dentist dentist as well.
Darin Tingey: What?
Darin Tingey: that's That's a new mission thing you can do now. You can go be a dentist.
Amelia Danielson : Yep.
Darin Tingey: That's crazy.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, crazy, right? didn't even know you could do that.
Darin Tingey: So how many couples, would you senior couples, would you say? five six,
Amelia Danielson : Maybe six, I think. Maybe six or seven, yeah.
Darin Tingey: Okay. Six on the Kiribati side.
Amelia Danielson : Yep.
Darin Tingey: As far as... oh any elders on Tarawayeta?
Amelia Danielson : Yes. Only others on Tarawayeta. me
Darin Tingey: Okay. And then elders on Abayam.
Amelia Danielson : Yep. Others on Nabea.
Darin Tingey: one How many in Abayam? One set or are multiple sets of missionaries, companionships?
Amelia Danielson : think there's three or four companionships.
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Darin Tingey: Holy cow, four?
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: We're like, we can't...
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: Because when I was there, when I was in Kiribati, we had like every outer island open. So I can't... of And Tarawa already felt crowded then. So I can't imagine like everyone being stuck on Tarawa together and not having these outer islands open.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: it It ends up, in my opinion, just hurting the work because missionaries start to hang out rather than actually do work.
Amelia Danielson : Mm-hmm.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: Okay, so Abbey Young, couple companionships. Medicaid, just one companionship.
Amelia Danielson : There's
Amelia Danielson : who companionships there's four companionships.
Darin Tingey: Two companionships, okay. Christmas, how many on Christmas?
Amelia Danielson : Yeah,
Darin Tingey: Oh, wow. Okay, that's quite a bit.
Amelia Danielson : okay
Darin Tingey: And then two zones, East and West zone. Is Christmas its own zone?
Amelia Danielson : so they got, I guess, technically four. So it's East, West, North, and and Outer Island.
Darin Tingey: Wow. Okay. So four zones and probably a bunch of districts in there too.
Amelia Danielson : Mm-hmm.
Darin Tingey: Four stakes.
Amelia Danielson : do
Darin Tingey: So there's no districts. Well, I guess Christmas is still a district, right?
Amelia Danielson : Yes, correct.
Darin Tingey: Okay. As far as church church goes, not a stake yet.
Amelia Danielson : Mm hmm. Mm hmm.
Darin Tingey: Still a district.
Darin Tingey: What's P-Day like for you? What was what was a typical P-Day?
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, man, I wish we did more on P days, but I feel like it was. Really chill. When I was in the West Zone, every single week, you know, you wake up, you clean, you a little study, you read you you eat, and then, you know, do your laundry. And then since we had the van, we would drive because a we would go to church in Teorereke Chapel, which is kind of a little bit the distance, it's a little bit far.
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Amelia Danielson : Every week we'd drive and then go to the chapel,
Amelia Danielson : Pires, there's a lot, since there's a lot of missionaries on Tarawa, it was always like very social. Like there's always a lot of missionaries. And so we play volleyball. There would be a lot of YSA people every single week because they knew was Pires.
Amelia Danielson : So we'd go and yeah, just hanging out the chapel.
Darin Tingey: Just hanging out.
Amelia Danielson : So kind of big.
Darin Tingey: Where would you, would you guys go to Moroni High School or?
Amelia Danielson : In the West, we go to, where we go? The Tiarereque Chapel, the Tiarereque Stake Center.
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Amelia Danielson : And then so the missionaries who worked in they would go to night.
Darin Tingey: Could you leave your district area for P-Day or did you have to stay or your zone?
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, have to stay. have to stay. Or just go to your nearest...
Darin Tingey: Stay in your district or in your zone?
Darin Tingey: Really? Dang.
Amelia Danielson : Unless like you're going to like the chapel and it's out of your district. It's like our nearest chapel.
Darin Tingey: Okay. So there was no like everyone meet at Morona High School. We're going to play volleyball and basketball.
Amelia Danielson : There was like, they they started doing that when President Mail came in. They didn't have any zone P days. That was not a thing with President Kendall. But then President Mail came in and he he reintroduced that and let us do that.
Darin Tingey: Interesting.
Amelia Danielson : And so we do zone P days like, want to transfer?
Darin Tingey: Zone. Okay. And would it just be your zone or to be both zones?
Amelia Danielson : Just our zone.
Darin Tingey: Okay, so never everyone
Amelia Danielson : Yeah. Never. The only time we did that was zone conference, like when President Mail came in. And we did like a zone conference, like all together and Christmas.
Amelia Danielson : That was the only time we like had everybody together. out
Darin Tingey: Interesting. Okay.
Amelia Danielson : you
Darin Tingey: It's funny how each mission president does it differently. we did a bunch of like everyone on the island come together.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : Like fun though.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, especially because you know you don't get to see. If if they're not in your zone, you that you never see them.
Amelia Danielson : Exactly.
Darin Tingey: you never And tiny.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: so Okay, so but a lot of volleyball, lot of just hanging out after you do all your chores.
Amelia Danielson : Right? Like, how could I never see you guys? Literally.
Darin Tingey: You guys all have phones, so messaging your family, calling?
Amelia Danielson : yep Yeah.
Darin Tingey: Did you need to call your family?
Amelia Danielson : Yep. and call Call our families.
Darin Tingey: Call your family. Can you do email throughout the week or is it just on PDA?
Amelia Danielson : and snow
Amelia Danielson : Just on P-Day. like I feel like it kind of depends on the missionary. It's like if the missionary sends emails, because like I know there's a lot of people who will contact their families like throughout the week, just like send a little message or whatever.
Amelia Danielson : feel like it's up to the missionary.
Darin Tingey: And that's allowed?
Amelia Danielson : It's not not allowed. It's like it's like not in the standards, but it's like, you know, it's kind of happy.
Darin Tingey: a
Darin Tingey: is Okay. An unwritten rule that you're supposed to wait till P day, but there's nothing saying you can't.
Amelia Danielson : No. Yeah. Yeah. That is exactly right.
Darin Tingey: Okay, cool. Interesting.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: I know. I wish I had like a phone like you guys did because i would have loved to type my email throughout the week and then just send it
Amelia Danielson : Yeah. Whenever, or like you've got the automatic things that'll send immediately on, on P day. So that was really nice.
Darin Tingey: Wow. And wasting no time on P day.
Amelia Danielson : yeah Literally.
Darin Tingey: Yeah. We would have to go to internet cafes and stuff.
Amelia Danielson : My gosh.
Darin Tingey: okay. The other questions I have. Okay. Some, what are some things that you brought on the mission that were great and that you recommend other sisters bring?
Amelia Danielson : Okay, this is a good question. This is something I've been thinking about when you first texted that to me. So I feel like when I was packing for my mission, I was i was kind of overthinking it. Like, I thought that I was going to go the mission that like you guys went to. Like, I feel like I was i was really overthinking it.
Darin Tingey: and this In the sense of like, out around living in a stick hut, don't have access to a lot of things.
Amelia Danielson : Yes. Yes.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : Yes. But... And then coming there, I was like, oh, wait, I can actually buy deodorant. I can buy shampoo, you know, like things like that.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : And so trying to think. Things that I did use, though, is like, if we're talking like hygiene products, like definitely like, guess for my sisters out there, if you got like a certain face wash, like i use CeraVe.
Amelia Danielson : so I brought 18 months worth of CeraVe.
Darin Tingey: No way. 18 That's awesome.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, I did.
Darin Tingey: OK.
Amelia Danielson : I think it was only like three, maybe two or three bottles, but it lasted 18 months.
Darin Tingey: ky
Amelia Danielson : I got a lot of lotion, contact solution. If you wear contacts, they don't have contact solution. I'm I'm trying to think. You can buy shampoo there. You can buy deodorant. I packed deodorant and shampoo because I thought you couldn't.
Amelia Danielson : You can buy soap there. I didn't think that you could buy soap. Toothpaste.
Darin Tingey: Sunscreen, toothpaste, sunscreen, yeah.
Amelia Danielson : sunscreen. Yeah, you can buy that stuff there.
Darin Tingey: My mom packed me with a ton sunscreen and deodorant and all that stuff. I was like, but you could buy it on the main island. it was like, why did my, you know, don't don't waste the space in your bags with all this stuff.
Amelia Danielson : Right? Totally. Don't waste the space. Like, just don't overthink it. If there's like a certain thing that you really like, then bring that. But you can You can get along just fine.
Amelia Danielson : Oh, garments. Garments is one thing, though, I feel like you should definitely bring extra. up something I wish I had a lot of.
Darin Tingey: Did you get access to the new garments while you were there?
Amelia Danielson : No, they were not. They were definitely not there.
Darin Tingey: i thought they rolled them out to like the people in the hot parts of the world first.
Amelia Danielson : I wish, though.
Darin Tingey: So I thought you would would have been able to get them.
Amelia Danielson : I wish, but it was just hard to find garments in Kitty Bess. I didn't really have like a good...
Darin Tingey: Yeah. They They couldn't ship them to the mission office.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, well.
Darin Tingey: With the new garments though, I think it's gonna be a game changer, for especially for sisters in Kiribati.
Amelia Danielson : Oh, man, you sisters are so lucky.
Darin Tingey: yeah and Especially, yeah especially with the, this what is it called, a slip for the skirt, that's gonna be a game changer.
Amelia Danielson : You guys are gonna love that. Get yourself some of those new garments.
Amelia Danielson : but yeahah Yeah, the slip garments. You guys are so lucky. You guys are blessed for that.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, my wife is already raving about this and I was like, yeah, I can't imagine being a sister missionary, especially in Kiribati, it's like so hot.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, absolutely.
Darin Tingey: and garments definitely were not built for that.
Amelia Danielson : Yo. excuse
Darin Tingey: So that's, there yeah, count their blessings on that. Okay, so garments.
Amelia Danielson : Right.
Darin Tingey: Any must-haves?
Amelia Danielson : Hmm. must have
Darin Tingey: What about any medicines that you might have needed?
Amelia Danielson : oh yeah good good thing so would say so we do have a nurse her name's sister marion and she's the best she's the bomb i think she finishes her mit she finishes her mission in august and i don't know if they're gonna send out another and i don't know if they have another nurse ready but
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Amelia Danielson : He has pretty much anything you will you will ever need. She has this whole big medicine cabinet that's full of all this over-the-counter medicine.
Amelia Danielson : So I'm sure that like even though she'll finish her mission, she'll all stay.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, it
Amelia Danielson : But I think just like essentials, like vi I took Excedrin with like the caffeine in because sometimes I get migraines. Let's see
Darin Tingey: Did you bring sunglasses?
Amelia Danielson : bought them there. Used them every single day, yeah.
Darin Tingey: Okay. Yeah, sunglasses are a must, I feel like.
Amelia Danielson : Absolutely. and think so too.
Darin Tingey: Any he
Amelia Danielson : and
Darin Tingey: waste of space or like things you brought that you never used?
Amelia Danielson : Oh yeah. Things I brought that I never used. i brought I brought too many pairs of shoes. I brought like rocks and these like sandals that like strap around because I thought that I would like maybe use them like for whatever reason.
Darin Tingey: Uh-huh.
Amelia Danielson : No, no, never. Only used my sandals. Literally.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, the the Jesus sandals are the way to go.
Amelia Danielson : Literally.
Darin Tingey: And did you bring several pairs or did you have, could you get some there?
Amelia Danielson : It would. If you just want to bring... You can't find like J sandals there, but you can... They have like flip-flops, but they're kind of cheap and from China they break easy.
Darin Tingey: yeah
Amelia Danielson : So if you like a certain type of flip-on sandal, i'd I'd definitely bring extras. is Mine, my first pair, one of them got taken, stolen by a dog. And so I was just walking around with like one sandal.
Amelia Danielson : And then my second pair, only brought to two pairs. And then my second pair just was like big holes in the back of them, which I feel like everything, you come home with holes in your shoes, but
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, the the the J sandals for sure. Those are the way to go. You're taking your shoes on and off all the time and your feet are getting dirty, but that's just how it You don't want anything closed to it, honestly.
Amelia Danielson : Yep.
Darin Tingey: It gets sweaty.
Amelia Danielson : Absolutely not.
Darin Tingey: No socks.
Amelia Danielson : No, no, no.
Darin Tingey: Socks aren't...
Amelia Danielson : Don't even bring your socks.
Darin Tingey: Don't bring socks at all.
Amelia Danielson : yeah yeah
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: Also, you're never going to get cold, so you don't need to bring anything warm.
Amelia Danielson : Right?
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Amelia Danielson : I thought about was like, okay, you can bring socks if you're gonna bring like tennis shoes, if you want to like go for a run or something.
Darin Tingey: Oh yeah, for P-Day or something?
Amelia Danielson : That's like PA.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : That was good actually. I did enjoy having my tennis shoes. But yeah, other than that, i think that's...
Darin Tingey: Okay. What about packages? I know Kitabas is, it's like so difficult to get a package in Kitabas. The Marsh Islands, we were pampered with the U.S.
Darin Tingey: Post Office.
Amelia Danielson : yeah yeah
Darin Tingey: So did you get packages from your family and how long did it typically take? and I remember my mom sent me like candy one time and it just got, it one, it just melted and two, ants were all in it.
Amelia Danielson : Dang.
Darin Tingey: So it's like, you got to wrap that stuff in saran wrap and plastic, several things in plastic.
Amelia Danielson : Yep. Yep.
Darin Tingey: Don't put anything that can melt.
Amelia Danielson : terrible. Oh my gosh. That's so sad.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : You like wait, however long you had to wait for candy and it's already like destroyed.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, it's destroyed.
Darin Tingey: you.
Amelia Danielson : My Christmas package last year, they sent it. It did not make it. They sent it in like know October or whatever. And I'm home and it never came. So that was their only the only thing that that did not come.
Amelia Danielson : I think. oh It's up to your it's up to their your family if you like want to risk that. I feel like it's pretty reliable. like I got three out of four. I
Darin Tingey: How long would it typically take from your parents sending it to you receiving it?
Amelia Danielson : would say six to 18 weeks.
Darin Tingey: It's a long time.
Amelia Danielson : Probably. Yeah. I'd probably say six to 18 weeks. My first one was a small one. and I literally think that took like three months to come.
Darin Tingey: It's so crazy.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah. Yes.
Amelia Danielson : yeah
Darin Tingey: Okay. That's,
Darin Tingey: One thing I want to talk about before we finish with my final three questions is you said you got to go to the Marshall Islands for a little bit.
Amelia Danielson : yes
Darin Tingey: Tell me about that.
Amelia Danielson : Okay, so it was a blessing, but when President Kendall was our mission president, one thing that he did was he would take the STLs and the APs from Kitty Best or Marshall Islands, know, vice versa.
Amelia Danielson : would fly us over to the other side of the mission for a week. And so we got to, the whole purpose of it was to like participate in their MLC and to just kind of see how things are running on the other side of the mission.
Amelia Danielson : But for me, was like a vacation. it was yeah it was awesome.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, i'm sure it was. That's awesome.
Amelia Danielson : Like, man. So was me like it was me and sister Finau and then the APs and we went for a week and, It was awesome. It was so fun.
Darin Tingey: what What were your impressions of Majuro?
Amelia Danielson : When first got there, i thought it was it's clean. I thought it was way cleaner. thought there was way less dogs and less people. thought it was just like way less crowded.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : was like, it's pretty open and quiet.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : i thought it was quiet. was another thing.
Darin Tingey: Yeah. Everyone from the Marchands have left.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: They've all gone to the States.
Amelia Danielson : huh?
Darin Tingey: Was it a greener than Tarawa?
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, I feel like it was greener.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : feel like it was it was beautiful, though. The ocean, so like on Tarawa, you have the lagoon, right, which is like this beautiful like teal color. But I feel like on Marsh Islands, it's both like that deep blue on both sides, you know, which i thought was cool.
Darin Tingey: Yeah. Yeah, it is. I noticed that too. And on both sides, it was Kitabas. The lagoons were a lot more shallow and then the marsh islands are a lot deeper, which is really interesting.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: I don't know if it's just like the age of the atolls with marsh islands being older, maybe. I don't, I don't know.
Amelia Danielson : yeah
Darin Tingey: I'm just speculating, but yeah, Also, i feel like the Maduro is really skinny compared to Taro.
Darin Tingey: Taro was a little bit wide. Taro was already skinny, but Taro was wider than Maduro is.
Amelia Danielson : yeah Yes, yo.
Darin Tingey: Did you get to see the whole island?
Amelia Danielson : I did, i think I did. like, was...
Darin Tingey: Did you go to the countryside to Laura? It's
Amelia Danielson : Yes, I went to Laura. was beautiful there. oh my goodness.
Darin Tingey: gorgeous, huh?
Amelia Danielson : Yeah.
Darin Tingey: Felt like you're on an outer island a little bit, huh?
Amelia Danielson : Oh, beautiful there. Seriously, like, it was beautiful. It was probably the one of the prettiest places in the entire world. It was beautiful there.
Darin Tingey: Uh, yeah. Okay. So you got to spend a week there and just go on, so go on splits with sisters or just leadership stuff the whole time.
Amelia Danielson : e Yeah. So we just had our our, like, we did MLC at the beginning of the week on Sunday. So we flew in I'm to think. think it was a Friday. We flew in on a Friday. And then that Sunday we had, the following Sunday, we had our MLC.
Darin Tingey: What did, what did Marshallese sound like to you?
Amelia Danielson : My gosh. To be honest, it sounded like Russian. Like, I don't know.
Darin Tingey: Russian, what?
Amelia Danielson : That's what we were thinking.
Darin Tingey: i don't know if you've ever heard Russian before.
Amelia Danielson : We were like, because it's all like the Js. It was so like, so like,
Amelia Danielson : like sharp. Like it sounded like sharp. Like jaggy almost.
Darin Tingey: Interesting.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, it was cool though.
Darin Tingey: it's It's definitely less sing-songy like Kiribati is.
Amelia Danielson : yeah
Darin Tingey: Kiribati is a prettier language to hear, in my opinion.
Amelia Danielson : I feel like it's soft, like it's a softer language.
Darin Tingey: Yeah. Marshallese is back of your throat, kind of mumbly.
Amelia Danielson : me and then
Darin Tingey: Did you see or run into any Kiribati people while you were in Maduro?
Amelia Danielson : Yes, we did actually, we sure did There was a Kiribes family who lived right next to the chapel actually.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : And so we were able to but it But it was funny because they had, they were speaking in Kiki Best, but they had like Marshall's accent. It was is interesting.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, that is weird. I i started the first Kirwis branch in in the Marsh Islands. Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : That's crazy.
Darin Tingey: So I got to know all the Kirwis people in Maduro, which was really fun.
Amelia Danielson : That's so cool. Oh my gosh.
Darin Tingey: There's quite quite a few there. very cool that you got to to see to see madro for a week and experience that and sounds like you had an awesome mission on tarawa sounds like a lot changed while you were there too uh which is really cool i'm sure you're pumped for the temple really cool you had to like be in the area where the temple is going to be for a whole 10 months of your mission
Amelia Danielson : Mm-hmm.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah. Yep.
Amelia Danielson : Yeah. It's a blessing. Yep.
Darin Tingey: final three questions that i ask everybody. we'll start with the first one, which is what was your favorite food on the mission?
Amelia Danielson : Ooh, this is a good question.
Amelia Danielson : Like honestly, Kitty Best food is good. Like, I liked it all.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Amelia Danielson : One thing about me though is I'm not a picky eater like at all. It's like, i don't know, it's just kind of how we grew up, but. I think my favorite food though was the Ikanipong, the red fish.
Amelia Danielson : Man, that stuff is so good.
Darin Tingey: Yeah, the was that the red snapper?
Amelia Danielson : Yeah, the red snapper.
Darin Tingey: It's really good.
Amelia Danielson : That's definitely my favorite. Or the soup anime, like the breadfruit soup, man.
Darin Tingey: Yes. So good.
Amelia Danielson : Good.
Darin Tingey: all right. I like it. like your choices.
Amelia Danielson : Yep.
Darin Tingey: What what was your favorite area?
Amelia Danielson : Yep.
Amelia Danielson : feel like I have to say Aungle, but I did love, I feel like Bikini Bail First is is a close runner up though. I loved working in Bikini Bail First.
Darin Tingey: Yeah. what if
Darin Tingey: Given that you had to see a lot of Tarawa, what would you say, obviously you didn't work in all those areas, but what would you say was like the coolest part of Tarawa that you saw?
Amelia Danielson : I
Darin Tingey: or an area that you said that would have been a cool area to serve in?
Amelia Danielson : think for, yeah.
Amelia Danielson : I think for me, it's Tamayku.
Darin Tingey: Okay.
Amelia Danielson : They didn't have sisters working in Tamayku for the majority of my mission. And they just opened it up like maybe six months ago.
Darin Tingey: why didn't they Why didn't they have sister missionaries in Tamayaku?
Amelia Danielson : And I
Amelia Danielson : think was it was a mix of the house. No, I think it was only the house. didn't have, but then they built these brand new, beautiful houses that are right across the chapel. And so they added sisters.
Amelia Danielson : you
Darin Tingey: Of course, the sister's got the brand new house.
Amelia Danielson : yeah
Darin Tingey: And then last question is, what's your favorite thing about Kiribati?
Amelia Danielson : I feel like it's just, it's gotta to be the people. Like, feel like it's a pretty obvious basic answer, but like people just, they made my mission.
Amelia Danielson : Loving and welcoming and so friendly and kind and learned so much about myself through them. And I was able to really see the light of Christ through them every single day as well.
Amelia Danielson : They are special special people, like the best.
Darin Tingey: Yeah.
Darin Tingey: Well, again, jealous, jealous of your mission that you got to be right where the temple is going to be.
Amelia Danielson : Yes.
Darin Tingey: Very special, very special experience. But thank you. Thank you for coming on. And especially I'm glad I got you right as you got home. It's only been a month.
Amelia Danielson : Yes. Thank
Darin Tingey: Everything's still fresh. But welcome home and thanks for coming on the podcast, which was another great episode of the Allen's podcast.
Amelia Danielson : you so much. It's such a pleasure.
