Hello family! I really appreciate the emails you sent me. I also got the card, thank you so much for it! I have now survived a full week in Molokai! I think I have a better feel of how the work is around here. At zone conference I was talking with our mission president at interviews and I got the feeling that this island has been struggling for a little while, they have had a lot of new missionaries start off here. At one point they has a companionship of 2 missionaries straight from the MTC. They have also had a lot of old missionaries end here. So unfortunately that mix has slowed down the work. I also got a feeling from the ward that they like missionaries but the trust needs to be strengthened. Because of that me and my companion announced in relief society and priesthood that we wanted to do AMPs with their families. (Active member presentation) I am excited for this because my comp is only 6 weeks out on his mission and could use more experience teaching. In his first 6 weeks he has not taught a single lesson! This will be good for him and it will help build trust between us and the ward. AMPs are going to be essential to the work on island, because finding is a little hard with the laid back culture.

That's how the work is going, the most exciting part of the week was zone conference in Maui! It was super exciting! We got to fly on a sea plane to Maui. Maui doesn't seem much different from Oahu at least from what I could tell (maybe that's because I cant go to the beach), but it was a fun experience. I stayed with my first trainer Elder Cardon who is now my Zone leader. It was fun to catch up. I introduced him to his missionary posterity (his mission grandson, my stepson) I think that was cool. We talked a little about commitments. I am excited to put what I learned to the test soon.
My comp is really good, he is very quiet. Doesn't say much when we are driving, which I don't mind. When he talks he speaks very softly. Which when he testifies conveys a quiet power. He his good at speaking when he does want to talk. His name is Elder Prince. President Bekker told me in interviews that he thought Elder Prince was a fine Elder and that he was worried he was not being trained properly for the first part of his mission, he said that he has felt strongly we need to be put together. It makes me a little nervous knowing this, but I am excited to see how the work goes on Molokai.
Some more about the people: they talk a little louder than I initially thought. But they are very soft spoken. They are very down to earth here. This Sunday everybody gave me a handshake even the Keikis (kids), and about half remembered my name. They don't seem as warm to me as my companion but that usually seems the case for the newer missionary. I hope getting to teach them will help them trust us both more.
The work here is great, it's small but things are falling into place. We have a baptism this Saturday of a deaf girl (Tiki) then we get to teach her the after baptism lessons. I've thought a lot about how we can teach her and make it fun. I want us to be able to connect to her. So I bought some white boards today. I was thinking we can use it to communicate with her, through pictures, and writing. She only had a handful of people she can talk to and who understand her. I am hoping this will be something that we help us connect with her (Please pray this works ).
It's hard to imagine it is snowing back home, it is getting chilly down here. Love you guys,

Ofa Atu
Elder Esplin