Another Conversion Story

Boat Capsized

Sister Beunnang Btookoki recently returned  to Tarawa, after serving a mission in Australia.  While assisting her with an application to BYU Hawaii, she recounted to us a miraculous story that happened to her in 2009.  


It is an extraordinary story of faith, courage, and trust in the Lord, under very difficult and challenging conditions.  We found her story and commitment to the gospel truly inspirational. 

We have posted her story first, as we remember her telling it.  It is followed by a summary of some online news accounts of the tragic event.  Sister Btookoki did not provide a lot of detail about her experience, but you could still feel the pain in her voice and in her expression as she briefly recounted the incident.

Sister Btookoki joined the Church when she was 12 years old along with her family.   She attended Moroni High School for seven years and graduated for both high school and seminary. 

She told us of a heart rendering and life changing experience that occurred to her in July 2009.  Sister Btookoki was a passenger on a large canoe traveling from Tarawa to Maiana - an outer island in Kiribati.  During the journey, the large canoe on which she was traveling capsized during a storm at sea.  Of the 55 passengers on board only 22 survived.   

She spent 3 days in the ocean, waiting to be rescued.  She said "I never panicked, cried or feared for my life".  She had great faith that the Lord would help her and all would be well.   Instead, she focused her efforts on trying to help other people survive the ordeal.  Eventually, she along with some others were rescued.  

As a result of that experience she knew she had been spared by her Heavenly Father and made to Him a commitment to serve a mission.  She has since returned from her mission and continues to serve in the Church.  She hopes to soon continue her education at BYU Hawaii.

The following is from online news accounts of the tragic event 

The boat was taking passenger from Tarawa to the Island of Maiana, about 69 Km (37 miles) to the south.  Apparently, the 17 metre (55 foot) double-hulled canoe capsized during an attempted rescue of a crew member who fell off the mast into the ocean during rough weather conditions.  When the captain tried to turn the canoe around to rescue the sailor - the high waves capsized the canoe.   

Five people were able to swim ashore to raise the alarm.  Of the 55 people on board only 22 were rescued including Sister Btookoki, the search party found 12 dead and searched for over a week for the others who were missing, but to no avail.  Airplanes from New Zealand and else where joined the search effort. 

After an extensive rescue efforts for over a week, the search for the rest of the victims was finally was called off.   Those drowned included pregnant ladies, babies, small children as well as adults.   It was the worst maritime disaster in Kiribati history.

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Kiribati Canoes 

The photos that follow show a large Kiribati canoe that is larger but in similar design to the one Sister Btookoki was in when it capsized.  The information below is from Jane Resture Website:  http://www.janeresture.com/kiribati_canoe/index.htm

Another very interesting link from Jane on designing and building canoes in Kiribati is at: http://www.janeresture.com/kiribati_canoe/history.htm

Tabiteuea (Kiribati) locals sail a swift 96 feet, three mastered outrigger canoe. Its width is five and a half feet, freeboard five feet, and draft three feet. The outrigger is a single log about 49 feet long and 2 feet in diameter lashed to the hull amidships by thirteen 20 foot pieces forming a scaffold. The masts are 40 feet high. Since the deck is only half covered, it is possible to "go below" at any point. A red flag floats from each masthead. Like the smaller craft, it is constructed without metal, all parts being tied together with coconut fibre. 

From the outrigger, the huge steering oar looks small. However, for the Kiribati lads who clamber out on the framework to keep the speeding craft on an even keel clear vision of the steersman is vital. An unexpected puff or flaw could easily fling them overboard. 

Kiribati people in canoes swarm about a visiting schooner. When not in use, the woven mat sails are rolled neatly on the outriggers, for there is no room for them in the slender hulls.

Cray fishing in Kiribati from an outrigger canoe

I-Kiribati fishermen occasionally find pearls in oysters taken from the lagoons

Loss at sea shocks Kiribati community July 21 2009 11:08 AM A+ A- | print | email | mobile Bookmark and Share The Kiribati community in Fiji has expressed shock and sadness at the loss of 18 people who perished at sea after their boat capsized last week. The boat reportedly capsized while ferrying passengers from the main island of Tarawa to outlying Maiana island. A family member of a rescued survivor Jason Tarebu told FijiLive the Kiribati community in Fiji was in still in deep shock after news of the incident was related to them. “I was scared, my cousin and his wife were traveling on the ferry. My family members were constantly in prayer hoping that they would be saved. “We are a small island nation and with limited resources people are forced to take small boats to travel between islands,” Tarebu said. Yesterday, the Royal New Zealand Air Force withdrew from a weeklong search for the missing 18. According to Radio New Zealand, a NZ plane has been assisting in the search since the boat went down last Monday. Twenty survivors were picked up and seven bodies recovered, said Neville Blakemore from New Zealand's Rescue Co-ordination Centre. The ferry, a 17m double-hulled canoe, capsized when the captain tried to recover a crewman lost overboard in high waves.

Read more at: http://www.fijilive.com/news_new/index.php/news/show_news/18464
Copyright 2012 © Fijilive.com

The Kiribati community in Fiji has expressed shock and sadness at the loss of 18 people who perished at sea after their boat capsized last week. The boat reportedly capsized while ferrying passengers from the main island of Tarawa to outlying Maiana island. A family member of a rescued survivor Jason Tarebu told FijiLive the Kiribati community in Fiji was in still in deep shock after news of the incident was related to them. “I was scared, my cousin and his wife were traveling on the ferry. My family members were constantly in prayer hoping that they would be saved. “We are a small island nation and with limited resources people are forced to take small boats to travel between islands,” Tarebu said. Yesterday, the Royal New Zealand Air Force withdrew from a weeklong search for the missing 18. According to Radio New Zealand, a NZ plane has been assisting in the search since the boat went down last Monday. Twenty survivors were picked up and seven bodies recovered, said Neville Blakemore from New Zealand's Rescue Co-ordination Centre. The ferry, a 17m double-hulled canoe, capsized when the captain tried to recover a crewman lost overboard in high waves.

Read more at: http://www.fijilive.com/news_new/index.php/news/show_news/18464
Copyright 2012 © Fijilive.com

The Kiribati community in Fiji has expressed shock and sadness at the loss of 18 people who perished at sea after their boat capsized last week. The boat reportedly capsized while ferrying passengers from the main island of Tarawa to outlying Maiana island. A family member of a rescued survivor Jason Tarebu told FijiLive the Kiribati community in Fiji was in still in deep shock after news of the incident was related to them. “I was scared, my cousin and his wife were traveling on the ferry. My family members were constantly in prayer hoping that they would be saved. “We are a small island nation and with limited resources people are forced to take small boats to travel between islands,” Tarebu said. Yesterday, the Royal New Zealand Air Force withdrew from a weeklong search for the missing 18. According to Radio New Zealand, a NZ plane has been assisting in the search since the boat went down last Monday. Twenty survivors were picked up and seven bodies recovered, said Neville Blakemore from New Zealand's Rescue Co-ordination Centre. The ferry, a 17m double-hulled canoe, capsized when the captain tried to recover a crewman lost overboard in high waves.

Read more at: http://www.fijilive.com/news_new/index.php/news/show_news/18464
Copyright 2012 © Fijiliv

Special Visitors from Tonga and Samoa

On Monday June, 18th two special visitors arrived at Moroni High School.  Folau Kioa, who is the Assistant Manager of Church Schools in the Pacific arrived to spend a week observing classes and other aspects of Moroni High.  He served as Liahona Middle School principal for several years until he received this new assignment.

The other guest was Leo Leauahae, the principal of the Church College (high school) in Pesega, Samoa.  He was visiting Moroni High School to learn more about how Form 7 works.  In Samoa, currently their is no form 7 for students, but there are several colleges, universities, and post secondary education for students.  They are looking at form 7 as an intermediate step between high school graduation and the mission field.

It was Folau and Leo's first visit to Kiribati,  I think they both went away with a very favorable impression of Moroni High School and the students and staff.  They both spoke Monday evening to the dorm students at Family Home Evening, and Folau spoke to the entire student body at a special assembly on Wednesday.  It was a very inspiring message and the students loved his humor and the message he had for them.

On Monday, we went to lunch with Folau, Leo, Lita, Rosila, Mary, Janis and I at a Japanese restaurant the food was very good.  On Tuesday we again went to supper with the same group and President Tune who went to Liahona High School with Folau when they were both students there.  It was fun listening to their conversation.

Wednesday evening the school and service center had a party for the honored guests which also included Derek who was filling in at the service center for a week.  Again students performed their traditional dance and placed garlands on the honored guests head.  Other students also performed and then we had a pot luck supper with Moroni High faculty and guests from the service center.  It was another very enjoyable evening of dancing, entertainment and good food.

Special guests Folau on the left and Leo on the right wearing the traditional floral garlands

Folau is a great educator in the Pacific with a great sense of humor and great teaching skills

Other honored guest are the local stake presidents.  President Tune and President Baabo Maamau and their spouses.  Other church employees and Moroni faculty were also in attendance

The young ladies from Moroni performed two dances and then placed their floral garlands on the head of the honored guests

Derek is a Filipino living in New Zealand who works for the Church, he was also an honored guest

After the students performed Leo did a Samoan dance which the audience really appreciated

The students sitting down sang and performed some dances also which was very entertaining

We did get some good video of the entertainment, but still haven't figured out how to put it on the blog

President Tune and church employees from Moroni and the service center sang some of the songs they sang at the AKAS school when students left to go abroad.

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On Sunday we the missionary couples had a pot luck luncheon at the Ogborns with President and Sister Shaw.  So we haven't had to do a lot of cooking this week. 

A Few Health Issues

Since my birthday (turning 69) I have been having a few health issues battling a bacterial infection.  I never should have let my body know that it was almost 70 because it has been acting weird.

I went to the local hospital to have an ultra sound, which was all by itself an interesting experience.  but the nurse was able to email the results back to SLC to be analyzed.  I have been taking medication and it appears it is slowly getting better.  Sister Bonnemort (the mission nurse) has sent a follow up email (two week checkup) for the doctors to evaluate.  She indicates I may have to go somewhere with better ultra sound equipment.

Hopefully, they will give me the green light to get back to work full time.  We continue to teach the classes on Tuesday and Thursdays and the Gospel Doctrine lesson on Sundays.  There have been several days where I was told to have complete bed rest, so things were going stir crazy for about a week. 

Father's Day the Kiribati Way

Saturday evening the Moroni Ward held a Fathers' Day program was hosted by the Relief Society.  Lita, the school principal, is also the R.S. president, whatever she does is first class.  Because Moroni Ward primarily is made up of students, there are not a lot of fathers in the ward.  There were two other events that were in conflict, so only about half the ward's fathers were able to attend, nearly half of which were the senior Elders.


The evening began with traditional dancing, a home made video honoring fathers, a potluck supper, and ended with awarding small gold medals to fathers for a special talent as determined by our wives.

Sister Ogborn holding a future I-Kiribati father

He doesn't mind performing on the table as part of the preliminary entertainment

Sister Bonnemort teaches him some new dance moves

The fathers first all sat on a row of chairs as the honored guests for the evening

A few of us didn't get the dress code memo

To start the program some young ladies from Moroni performed traditional Kiribati dances

They entered the Cultural Hall dancing in the
traditional lava lavas

Pres. Tune encourages the LDS youth to carry on many of the good traditions
of Kiribati such as the traditional dances

They performed two traditional Kiribati dances using hand, arm, hip, and feet movements to tell some of the traditional stories of the island

Next they placed their own fresh floral garlands on the heads of the fathers.  This is one of the Kiribati customs to honor special guests

Each garland is unique and colorful using different types of flowers and leafs

It fits where it touches

Sister Thorne with some older dude

Elder Val and Sister Judy Bush arrived recently from Idaho and work with member support.  Elder Bush has been a superintendent in Utah and Idaho until he recently retired.  Sister Bush also was a teacher

Elder Steve and Sister Shelly Bonnemort from South Ogden are the mission nurses and work with the missionaries.  Elder Bush retired from the IRS and Sister Bush was a maternity nurse at McKay Dee Hospital in Ogden

Garlands are even for the hair impaired. 

Elder Corwin and Sister Peggy Ogborn, from Orem, Utah are humanitarian missionaries and serving their third mission.  Elder Ogborn taught art at Orem and Mt. View High School for over 40 years

Brother and Sister Banimone, he is a dorm father and she works as a secretary for S&I.  He is 2nd Counselor in the Bishopric and she is the Stake Relief Society President

Bishop Arobati Brecthfeld and a Sister Taotao Tokannata, is a cook at MHS.  The Bishop Arobati recently resigned his position at MHS to work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Kiribati.  He served a mission in Utah and one of the areas in which he served was in Monroe area.

Each father was given a gold medal for having a special talent, which was elaborated by each one's wife.  They are holding their gold medals.  The man in the back row on the far left (to my right) is Lita's husband.  He is the weight lifting coach for Kiribati and hopes to have some of his students in the Olympic in England

It was another enjoyable evening, we had a potluck supper after viewing an excellent slide presentation honoring fathers, which was put together by some students from the Moroni Ward. 


Life is good under the coconut and palm trees!

Ocean Baptisms

Ocean Baptisms 


Usually baptisms are held in the fonts at the various chapels on the island.  The Moroni High School font and bathrooms are being renovated and re-tiled.  So on May 26th a baptism took place immediately behind our apartment in the ocean.  A young man age 14 and another young man about 19 and two other sisters age 19 were baptized in the ocean water.


Sister Tieke and Sister Balenacagi taught them the discussions.  The major challenge for the baptism was trying to get to the ocean.  There is a fence along the ocean front and the gate was locked and no one could find a key.  The lock was rusty, so finally in desperation, with a few blows from a hammer the lock was broken and they descended the rock stairs down the seawall to the ocean.  After walking out into the ocean a few hundred yards, the water was deep enough to perform the baptism.

Young man receiving final instructions before being baptized

The four new converts with Sister Tieke (from Tarawa) on the left and Sister Balenacagi back row on the right.   Sister Tieke is from Tarawa and sister Balenacagi is from Fiji. 

June 2, 2012

The following week - three more people were baptized, a husband of a member and a young man and his mother.  The baptism were scheduled for 7:00 am because their is a stake wide cultural event on Moroni campus later in the day.  (We will have pictures and other information about the cultural even in a future post)


The font is still being re-tiled, so the baptism again took place in the ocean.  The baptism was an hour and a half late getting started and the tide had gone out, so they were unable to baptize them in the ocean side of the island.  So instead it was held in the lagoon side.   It was necessary to walk across the main road on the lagoon on the opposite side of the island (which is only about one-half mile from the ocean side.  The candidates, and those baptizing them had to wade another  half mile to find water deep enough for the baptisms.  Eventually, the ordinance was performed but it was too far away to get good photos.

These three new converts were also taught by Sister Tieke and Sister Balenacagi.  After baptisms it is inspirational to hear each of the new converts get up and bare their testimony, even if it is in Kiribati.  The next day in Sacrament meeting they are confirmed members of the Church and again they are asked to bare their testimony. They do not hesitate but get up in front of the congregation and bare witness of the truthfulness of the gospel.

After walking across the sandbars and then the ocean floor until they reached the water , it was necessary to continue wading until the water was deep enough to completely emerge those being baptized.

The Tarawa East Stake held their annual "Dancing Festival" at Moroni High School on June 3, 2012.  Eight of the wards in the stake performed traditional dances, all except for the North Tarawa Ward which is on a different island, which made it difficult to get members to the festival.  The performances by each ward were outstanding.  Each dance lasted from 6 to 12 minutes and each dance was quite complex with the different movements involved. and in rhythm.  The included singing, chanting, slapping,  clapping, hand and foot movement all in unison's.  It was truly impressive

The costumes were all made of native materials from the lava lavas to the grass skirts, head bands (garlands), necklaces,  Many of the young women had some type of white powder on their face.  Kiribati dancing is different from most Pacific Island dances you see at the Polynesian Cultural Center.  The men do not smile, because they are saving all their energy to complete the dance, which does require much stamina.

The senior couples were among the honored guests, so we sat on the front row and were able to video tape each dance.  To begin the performance a preliminary dance was performed by a group of ladies and as they finish the dance, they came to where the guests were and placed the floral garlands they were wearing on the heads to each of the honored guests.

Elder and Sister Thorne wear the floral garland given them as part of the opening dance

Welcome Banner

Observations by Sister Thorne

The people participating were from about 10 or 11 years old up to grayed haired grandmas and grandpas.  Some wore a hula type grass skirt.  Men wore what looked like a woven floor mat wrapped around their waist and tied with colored cords.  When they slapped their hands to their sides, it made an interesting muted sound. The flowers were amazing.  They of course, wore the flower leis.  There was so much more.  The men wore flowers tied on their arms.   Most people had a circle of flowers, a garland, that fit on the head like a crown.  They had streamers made out of leaves tied on their fingers so when they danced that streamer flipped every which way.  The weaving was very interesting.  They might only use one petal from a flower as the back row.  The middle row would be a small flower, and then a bright colored smaller flower in the front row all woven together in an intricate way. This made up the garland to go around the head.  They presented all the couple missionaries a garland.  Mine was white, yellow then red.  They were so beautiful.  The palms leaves are used in so many ways.  They strip them into thin streamers and put them around the neck for a necklace.  They use them in skirts.  I can't remember all the ways, but my palm tree out front of our apartment contributed a lot to the decor of the dancers.

The different wards would make an original entrance to the center of the performance area.  They would come out one ward at a time to do their dance and exited in an original dance step.  Most of the people would chant and sing.  I'm not sure chanting is the right term, but maybe I could say a chanting song.  It was all in their native language. The men sang in their normal low voices.  The women would sing in a high shrill voice that sounded really good.  I wish I could be more accurate in my descriptions. There would be a row of men and boys doing the actual dance.  

Each Pacific Island had their own style of dancing, and we were seeing Kiribati's.  For the dance, the dancers never smiled because tradition said they saved their energy for the dance.  They would do a precision dance all exactly together.  The dance reminded me of what warriors would do.  I can't describe it.  Their arms were doing most of the movement.  The kept in step in moving in different positions.  I don't know what to say because I have nothing to compare it to, but it was fantastic.  I wish you could have seen it. Brent recorded it, but I don't know how to send it.  I don't even know if the recording is very good since this took place during the evening.

Preliminary Preparations  

Performers from the various wards arrived in all kinds of vehicles including trucks.  Many of traditional dress is made of local materials from trees and and other flora grown locally and needs to be prepared the day of the performance.  Many ladies came early to make leaf skirts, head dress and other parts of the traditional wardrobe.  So things were very busy on campus for a few hours prior to the festival. 

Dancers and their families arrived in cars, commercial transports, and trucks

Final minute preparations for the festival

A mother with her young child weaving her skirt in preparation  for the dance.  

The women behind her are making the colorful floral wreaths worn on the 

heads of the dancers.  These are some of the traditional skills learned by the

I-Kiribati women.  Most of the clothes purchased in Kiribati are second-hand 

clothing so some of the T-shirts worn by the sisters are interesting.  At the 

Relief Society Dance Festival a few months ago, one of the sisters dancing

on the front row had a T-Shirt that said: "24 work days a month, 24 cans of

beer in a case, Coincidence?  It did draw lots of smiles from some of us.

Ladies making floral skirts and head wreaths prior to their performance

Young man in native dress getting ready for his ward's dance performance.
His lava lava is made from coconut ponds that are tightly woven and then
pounded with a wooden mallet, similar to making ta pa clothe. He has the 
traditional banner and is holding his head piece in this hand.  The cordage
wrapped around his lava lava is also braided using coconut leafs

Men marching onto the basketball court to perform a traditional dance

Some of the wards including Moroni practiced morning and evening for several weeks.  The Moroni students would start each day with a swim in the ocean at 4:30 am to wake themselves up.  It is also part of the customs for some of the traditional dances.  Each morning as they exited the ocean they walked right next to our house and down our stairs to the basketball court where they practiced.  As they walked past our house, they didn't whisper, so if you weren't awake at 4:30 am, you soon were as you heard their loud talking and laughing.   But it was fun to see their enthusiasm and dedication as they practiced for the festival.

As they began their practice each morning and evening we could hear them chanting, singing, clapping and slapping their thighs as they practiced their dances.  Also loud whistles were blown to help them with the different dance parts.  It was fun to watch and hear them each morning, but it is also good to sleep in a little longer, now the practices are over for the year. 

The Moroni East Stake Dancing Festival

This group from the Eita 2nd Ward marched with military like precision.   Even while sitting waiting to perform, they sat erect as if at "parade rest" (military term).  Not once did we see a smile on any of the faces of the men during the three hour long program.  Their performances were very impressive.  The ladies entered from the opposite end of the court.  It was obvious they had spent many many hours practicing.  The ward take the competition was very seriously and practice for weeks in preparation to dance each year.

Some sisters exiting the court after finishing their performance

Each ward had from 50 to over 100 people in their performances.  All ages were represented from young boys and girls to older men and women

Each dance tells a traditional story of Kiribati and there are intricate hand and arm motions involved.  It was good to see some of the oral traditions and culture being preserved among the Saints of the Tarawa Stake.  The position of the hands and arm motion can symbolize fish swimming, and birds in flight as well as other imagery in telling traditional stories through dance.

This Branch won the competition, their performances were spectacular.  It rained during the early part of the festival but they kept on dancing, while many of us ran for umbrellas for our spouses

Nearly every ward had at least six or more dancers in the attire shown in this photo

Each dance usually had two to three men or ladies who would shouting out short commands

Hand and arms are used to tell the story

Exiting after their performance

The performers came in all ages and sizes, but each knew their parts very well.  If this young man takes his future Priesthood responsibilities and school work as serious as learning and performing this complex dance routine, he will do very well in life.

Each ward was assigned a position around the court to sit while waiting their turn to perform.
So they entered and existed from many different directions

Entering and existing the performance is also an important part of the dance and was done with precision row by row

Some of the performers had ribbons and streamers tied around their arms and wrists to tell the story of the traditional dances

As part of this dance these ladies tied the woven lava lava on the men
during the performance as if in preparation for the men to go into battle.

The men make loud slapping noise as they hit their lava lava and also they clapped their hands and stomped their feet during each performance

This is the winning team showing straight rows and precision in their dances.  Judging includes precision of movements and how close the performances are to original traditional dances

During the first dance the men were out front of the performance with the women behind.  During the second dance the women were up front with the men behind

As it got darker, the photos are not as clear

While those up front perform the other dancers both men and women sit and sing

Each wards dress was different and unique, and lots of work went into preparing their costumes for the dances

Even though this ward placed last in the competition, their performance was wonderful and they were all winners for our point of view

Moroni High School Students performing, they had the largest group number wise and spend weeks practicing both morning and evening.  Even though they took 5th place we were all very proud of their work, effort and performance

The dancers from Moroni Ward were all students at Moroni High School and they took the dance very seriously and did an outstanding job.  We were all very proud of their performance

After the first performance by each ward, the honored guest were fed.  It is always somewhat embarrassing to being treated like royalty, while all the performers and the rest of the audience sit and visit while you eat.  There were two visiting missionary couples:  Elder and Sister Badger from the mission office in Majuro, Marshall Islands and Elder and Sister Finday who are here in preparation for an immunization clinic for the children next month.  The Finday's served at Moroni High school as missionaries 15 years ago and were very excited to return.

These three people had the most difficult job of the evening - Selecting the traditional dance winners.  They ranked the wards from last place to first place.  After the judging the announcer told the score and the placement (last to first) of each ward

Sisters performing their traditional dances with arm and hand motion and hips swayed similar to the hula

During the second dance performance the women were up front and the featured dancers, note the streamers tied to their arms and wrists telling a traditional story about Kiribati

Close up of one of the ward sisters traditional dress

Traditional dance wear for men is shown

Men sitting while beating on the large wooden box platform used as the drum while others perform.  The leader standing up put on quite a show as he moved around and gave commands to the performers who would respond with clapping, chanting, and drumming.  The wooden box used for a drum is made of plywood and is about 6 x 8 feet in a rectangular shape.   The drum beat helps the dancers keep rhythm as they perform

As the women perform the men are sitting around a large wooden platform that is used for a drum to keep rhythm as they sing and chant while the women dance

The winning team is from a branch that is now large enough to be made into a ward, which should soon occur

Men sitting beating the drum while the women enter the stage to perform up front

Many of the performers were in very close proximity to the guests and judges as part of the dance.  It was a very enjoyable evening and the performers all cheered and supported each other