The Islands Podcast

A flight to every transfer. Four islands. Countless stories. Neil Falke served in Kiribati from 2011–2013 on Tarawa, Kiritimati, Abaiang, and Marakei. From culture shock and island life to miraculous experiences and lifelong friendships, Neil reflects on a mission that took him all across Kiribati. Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! #MarshallIslandsMajuroMission #MarshallIslandsKiribatiMission...

Welcome home from Kiribati! Amelia Danielson returned home just a month ago after serving in Kiribati from 2024–2026. Amelia shares what missionary work looks like in Kiribati today, what incoming missionaries should know before they arrive, and why she fell in love with the people of Kiribati. We also discuss serving in Ambo during the construction of the new Kiribati Temple and what that histori...

Two brothers, Matt and Cole Breckenridge, each got called to the islands — one to Kiribati, the other to the Marshall Islands. Though they served years apart, their experiences on remote outer islands created stories neither of them will ever forget. #MarshallIslandsMajuroMission #MarshallIslandsKiribatiMission #MarshallIslands #Kiribati  #Majuro #Ebeye #Tarawa #Lae #Butaritari #Tabiteuea #Th...

He spent months learning Marshallese, settling into life in the Marshall Islands… until a sudden transfer flipped everything upside down. Dropped onto an outer island in Kiribati, Darin Tingey had to learn a new language, adapt fast, and find his footing in a completely different world. But that was just the beginning—what came after would lead to unexpected success, a first-of-its-kind branch, an...

Serving in the islands in the 90s looked different. Matt Price talks about moving between islands, stepping into leadership in the Micronesia Guam Mission, and ending up being the first LDS missionary on Wotje Atoll. Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! #MicronesianGuamMission #MarshallIslandsMajuroMission #MarshallIslandsKiribatiMission #MarshallIslands #Majuro #Wotje #Guam #TheIslandsPodcast #t...

In March 2020, missionaries across the globe were sent home overnight. But on a remote island in the Pacific, Pearce Nally and three other elders were left behind. What followed was months of uncertainty, isolation, and a journey home few missionaries will ever experience. #MarshallIslandsKiribatiMission #Kiribati #Tarawa #Kiritimati #Abaiang #Butaritari #Fanning #TheIslandsPodcast #theislands #Pa...

She thought she was going to Guam. Instead, she helped launch the Marshall Islands Majuro Mission — serving in Majuro as one of the first sisters in mission history. Chelsea Murley Swain opens up about island culture, chiefs, corruption, faith, and what it’s like marrying into a Marshallese family. And yes — we talk about how she became the internet’s favorite “white girl speaking Marshallese" on...

Chased by a man with an axe. That’s not exactly how most missionary stories begin… but for Glen Monson, it was just another day on Onotoa — a remote outer island of Kiribati that had never been opened to LDS missionaries. Cut off from the world, Glen bribed the island council just to borrow their WiFi long enough to send one unforgettable email to his mom:  “I’m alive. You need to repent for...

President John and Sister Robyn Larkin’s path to becoming Mission Leaders in the Pacific began with their own conversions to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That personal conversion fueled a three-year journey of sacrifice and "laser-focused" diplomacy across the tiny islands of the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, and Nauru. #MarshallIslandsMajuroMission #MarshallIslandsKiribatiMissio...

Kade Price served in the Marshall Islands & Kiribati from 2013 - 2015. When Kade received his mission call to the Marshall Islands his parents were in disbelief... it was to his father's same mission. Kade's areas included two outer island stints; Ailinglaplap and then 6 months on one of the most remote outer islands in the Marshall Islands, Ujae. For Kade's last part of his mission he was cal...

Seth Ward was called to serve in Kiribati from 2013 - 2015. Upon arrival in the islands, Seth was sent directly to the outer island of Marakei for 6+ months and he would never meet his first mission president before he was released. Seth's mission transfers would take him from Marakei to Tarawa and then eventually out Kiritimati and Tabuaeran (Fanning Island). Amongst a mission full of miracles an...

Winston Farley served in Kiribati from 2013 - 2015 and continued on his involvement in the mission by teaching Kiribati in the MTC after his mission. Winston served on 4 outer islands in Kiribati - Abaiang, Onotoa, Nikunau, and Beru. Towards the back half of his mission, Winston was asked to go open the outer island of Nikunau. With no plan for housing and no connections on the island, Winston and...

Josh Sherman served in the Marshall Islands Majuro Mission from 2012 - 2014 and primarily served in the Marshall Islands side of the mission until he was called to serve his last 6.5 transfers as the AP to President Weir. Josh grew a deep love for the Marshallese people and was diligent in his efforts to master their language during his time as a missionary. Although Josh never served full-time on...

FIRST SENIOR COUPLE ON THE PODCAST!!! Joanne and Jared Williams served for two years as a senior couple in the Marshall Islands / Kiribati Mission from 2023 -2025. Post Covid lockdowns, the Marshall Islands side of the mission did not reopen until March of 2023, and the Williams were the first senior couple to arrive in the Marshall Islands just a few months later. Joanne and Jared saw miracle aft...

Will Arnett served in the Marshall Islands side of the Marshall Islands / Kiribati Mission from 2023 - 2025. Will was part of the first big intake back in the Marshall Islands post covid, which meant he had 6 weeks of training from an older missionary and that was it. Will's mission did not only include preaching the good word of God, but also judging the swim competitions at the Micronesian Olymp...

Simone Lee served in the Kiribati side of the mission from 2016 - 2017. After being baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when she was 18 years old, Simone had a burning desire to serve a mission and 5 years later she received that call to serve in the islands of Kiribati. Simone quickly fell in love with Kiribati, the culture, and the people, but got to a point in her miss...

David Boaden served in the Marshall Islands from 2013 - 2015 and was blessed to serve on two outer islands, Ebon and Jaluit, as well as the main island of Majuro. During his time as a missionary, David was able to help many of the Marshallese people come unto Christ and find joy. One of those amazing conversion stories involved a very well known pilot in the Marshall Islands who remains strong and...

Reid Wiberg served in the Micronesian Guam Mission from 1982 - 1983 and served in both Kiribati and Guam during his 18 months as a missionary. The Micronesian Guam Mission covered a handful of island countries in the Pacific and Reid was sent out to serve about half of his time on the island of Tarawa in Kiribati where there were few missionaries, only one small branch of saints, and Moroni was on...

Tanner Risk served in Kiribati from 2013 - 2015 and was a part of the missionary age change flood of missionaries world wide. After serving just a few months on Tarawa, Tanner was sent to the outer island of Butaritari where he would begin his life as the "outer islands elder." Almost his whole two years as a missionary in Kiribati, Tanner would be serving the people of the outer islands: Butarita...

Austin Decker served in Kiribati & the Marshall Islands from 2011 - 2014. Before the mission, Austin was a highly touted soccer recruit (#42 in the country) playing on both the U.S. Soccer Youth National Team and the U.S. Region 2 Olympic Development Program. Austin went on to play collegiate soccer at Lehigh University and after his sophomore season was influenced by his younger brother to pu...

Jared Whippy, the BYU Women's Rugby Head Coach, served in Kiribati from 2011 - 2013. Jared and his twin brother, Josh, did everything together while growing up in Fiji and New Zealand where they dominated in basketball and dabbled in rugby. After Jared received his mission call to the Marshall Islands Majuro Mission (Kiribati Region), the Lord decided that the brothers should continue to dominate...

First sister back to the Marshall Islands post COVID!  Ellery Miller's missionary journey to the Marshall Islands was a unique one. Starting in 2022, she was first reassigned to Tacoma, Washington, for a year. Her prayers were finally answered when she became part of the first group of international missionaries to return to the Marshall Islands after the COVID lockdown. Throughout her time t...

Cody Sias served in the islands from 2012-2014 and started his mission on the Kiribati side of the mission. After only 36 days on the main island of Tarawa, Cody was transferred to Kiritimati Island where his stay was so long that he was lucky enough to catch a ship to Tabuaeran (Fanning Island) not only once, but twice! One of those trips almost ended badly for a senior missionary, but prayers we...

Maddie Greenburg Dixon (Sister Greenburg) served in the Marshall Islands from 2016 - 2018. She was "blessed" to be the only sister missionary in her MTC group of 14 missionaries, but really it just prepared her for an elder dominated, tiny island mission in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Maddie served on almost every area on the main island of Majuro as well as the blessed island of Ebeye. ...

Ezrym Ellis was originally called to serve in the Marshall Islands Majuro Mission from 2015–2017. However, about halfway through his time in the MTC, he learned that he wouldn’t actually be serving in the Marshall Islands at all—instead, he was headed to the other country in the mission: Kiribati. During his service, Ezrym served on Tabiteuea (first in Tab South, then Tab North), Kiritimati, and T...