Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Once a Missionary Always a Missionary


We welcomed Dr. Chad Ellis and wife Lynette who arrived in Chuuk 26 years after he served as a missionary here helping to build the gospel and make a positive impact. He has come back to Chuuk with the Micronesia Dental Support Project (MDSP) it was co-founded in 2005 by Dr. Barry Staley, DDS, a retired periodontist from Santa Cruz, California, his wife Stephanie Staley, librarian at Cabrillo College, his daughter Desha Staley-Raatior and her Micronesian husband Vid Raatior to help the forgotten children in the remote and small outer islands in the Pacific island nation of Micronesia. In 2011, MDSP was officially accepted as a project of the United Charitable Programs (UCP), a federally registered 501(c)3 public charity to provide tax deductible donations for supporters.
Meeting Chad and Lynette and getting the opportunity to spend time with them and learn of his mission has been such a special blessing. We have learned so many wonderful things about his experiences as a missionary. This past week we have been able to share testimonies of the blessings of missionary service over and over. Elder Holland said. “Listen with your heart. Listen with your soul, and you may have feelings or promptings. … It may be something very personal, it may be related to something at home, something in a marriage or with a child, but that’s the Spirit, and He’s the real teacher.” He referred to Doctrine and Covenants 43:16 and emphasized that “you are to be taught from on high.
We’re instruments, we’re tools, and it’s our tongues and our lips, but the teacher is on high.”
“The Spirit of the Lord is the real teacher.

Chad sharing his pictures from his mission with his companion Herman Walters. Herman and Chad were mission companions during his mission and still good friends. This has been an incredible journey having him come back here to Chuuk. The people have embraced them as if he never left. Even the language has come back to him after all these years. He and Lynette have been widely accepted and loved by the Chuukese people.


~Herman and Sarafina Walters ~

~Chuuk Missionary Companions 26 years ago... ~
Reunited in the gospel
~ Herman Walters & Chad Ellis ~
~ Spouses Sarafina Walters & Lynette Ellis ~

Be sure to read the following story "Miracle in Hawaii"

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