Comradery Among Brothers. . .

Chuuk has always been a special place and the missionaries have a brotherhood here that is amazing.  The outer island missionaries have just arrived...

These pictures truly speak for themselves.  As you can see, Elder Allred (ZL) still brushing his teeth doesn't wait, he greets them with open arms of love.

“They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God”

 It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions.  The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.

Once Sister Tiffany shows up, the posing begins for the pictures.  And everyone is always full of smiles :)

After a wonderful zone conference and being taught by the our mission president it is time to send them off back to their islands.  Farewell for now elders!

None of us will honor our Heavenly Father and our Savior more than by serving as a devoted, compassionate missionary.

Elder Allred sending them off. . . Proclaiming the gospel is not an activity in which we periodically and temporarily engage.  The obligation to proclaim the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is inherent in the oath and covenant of the priesthood into which we enter. May all of us rise up as children of God and bless the nations of the earth with greater testimony and spiritual power.  We declare our witness that Jesus is the Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. We know that He lives! And we witness that we, as missionaries, are His representatives in the glorious work of proclaiming His gospel, today and always.

What's a little Puu in Chuuk?

This is a frequent pose for our President Mecham ~  it is always such an important picture when it's time for a group shot.  No goofing off or throwing any Chuukese finger signs.  Serious stuff here.  Obedience to counsel will keep you on the safe side of life.

So everyone is trying to get ready ~ figure out where we all are going to stand.  Sister Tiffany likes to take the getting ready shots, she says these sometimes can be the best and for sure the funniest ones.

"Look how fun they are such sweet, obedient missionaries~ready for the picture"... 

Besides the local drink called sakau, the locals from the island of Chuuk State take the chewing of betel nut as another cultural practice. The locals call it “puu” (pronouced-pooh) and it is becoming a national tradition and obsession, not to mention tragedy. Similar to our modern day chewing gums, these betel nuts are cut in half and wrapped inside a pepper leaf called “gabuy”, and placed in the mouth to chew.  Similar to how people chew tobacco, betel nuts are not supposed to be swallowed.

This is what it looks like on the tree. It is chewed by both males and females. It stains their teeth and mouth red due to the chemical reaction of the nut. Needless to say, it is against the Word of Wisdom. The fact that the Word of Wisdom is a commandment is the reason we should obey it.

As everyone is already for the picture, a bird flies over us and sure enough Aim and Fire . . . right on Elder Walters back ~ puu or is it pooh. Everyone was laughing and laughing and poor President has no idea what just happened.  He is telling them to keep that smile and don't move.

Everyone is telling President Mecham to get this is in the picture, this is funny stuff, we all want copies of this one.

Poor Elder Walters, he took it very well... His brand new white shirt just got pooped on.  Oh no puu or is that pooh down the back.

 The Word of Wisdom does not promise you perfect health, but it teaches how to keep the body you were born with in the best condition and your mind alert to delicate spiritual promptings.

While the Word of Wisdom requires strict obedience, in return it promises health, great treasures of knowledge, and that redemption bought for us by the Lamb of God, who was slain that we might be redeemed.

Finally, we get the shot this is it.  What a great group!  We love each and every missionary we have the opportunity to serve here in Chuuk with.

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world“  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 

Discerning of Truth and Light

Elders Peck and Bowers serve on the island of Uman. Today they surprised us with a baptism.  We arrived at the church to teach our Temple class and yippee a couple of handsome missionaries greeted us at the door.  

 Apparently the baptism was set for this Saturday but something happened to push it to today on our island of Weno.  

   It was a lovely baptism and great to see our Elders.  Our elders are all learning the language really fast (talk about the gift of tongues and doing the Lord's work.   In the Doctrine and Covenants 46:24-26; And again, it is given to some to speak with tongues; And to another is given the interpretation of tongues. And all these gifts come from God, for the benefit of the children of God. 

In our prayers we seek to know what God would have us do each day. The Doctrine and Covenants is filled with answers to such questions asked by ordinary people in humble prayer. It can be a guide to teach us how to receive answers to questions about our temporal well-being and eternal salvation.

The Lord requires faith and humility before He gives His help. One reason for this is that His answers may not come in the way we expect. Neither will they always be easy to accept.
It was such a great opportunity having this baptism today because in our Temple class we were teaching about covenants. Elder Tiffany asked if they remembered their baptism and the promises they made at that time. He explained that each Sunday when we are taking the Sacrament we renew our covenant to always remember Him our Savior.  

A Royal Priesthood

I am the Son of a King!

This year Sister Tiffany has been teaching the boys in Primary.  Through the past year she noticed that when she would teach them directly they would sit, obey, listen and not be disruptive.  She talked with the primary President and asked if she could teach the boys instead of the girls this year and of course she said yes, I think that would be great.  It is true, boys will be boys, but it is very important to teach them who they are and what the Lord expects of them.  
When the girls are not around they are obedient and they listen.

She has been teaching them that they are the future Priesthood sons of a King.  The Lord needs a strong priesthood to take care of his church here on the earth and for sure, here in Chuuk.  Understanding the why of the gospel and the why of the priesthood will help us to see the divine purpose of all of this.

Today's lesson was about Heavenly Father's trust in us to follow his plan.  Question?  Why would we follow him if we don't know him and who we are and so she taught them that they are sons of a King.  Each boy received a crown and they wore them proudly.  In December they learned the song "I am a child of God" in English and sang it to our Area General Authority Elder Michael Ringwood, our mission President and their wives.  As they learned the song she explained the words to them and what it meant to be a child of God.
 We can trust him and place our faith in him. Through the Holy Spirit, He will speak to our minds and hearts concerning the path we should follow during each segment of our lives.   “When we are on the Lord’s errand, we are entitled to the Lord’s help.” as our Prophet President Monson teaches us.  Your Heavenly Father “will go before your face. He will be on your right hand and on your left, and His Spirit shall be in your hearts, and His angels round about you, to bear you up.

She is teaching them that they are not alone. Our Father in Heaven cares about them and desires to bless and uphold them in righteousness. Times may change, circumstances may alter, but the marks of a true holder of the priesthood of God remain constant.  She truly loves the girls and misses teaching them, she even talks about spending time with them during the week playing with them.  But she knows the importance of God's Priesthood and what it means to these boys.

Blessings of Sisterhood & Motherhood

Today I had the privilege of spending the afternoon with the Chuukese ladies of the Mwan Branch. 

The activity was to begin at 9am this morning but it has been raining here in Chuuk non stop for a couple of days.  I figured most people would be on Chuukese time which is at least several hours later than planned.  Anyway I went to the church around 12:30 thinking that lunch would be over so I took dessert instead of a salad to share.  Well, lunch was just getting served.  This huge amount of food on the plate is pretty standard around here.  I don't think I have ever eaten that much food in an entire day.  I passed up eating because I had just left our apartment where I had been preparing Sunday dinner for the elders and as you know you always have to taste what your making so I was pretty stuffed by the time I arrived.  

After lunch we played the cookie game which was very funny and the ladies enjoyed playing it.  

Then we played Chuukese version Simon Says, again very funny to watch.  After all the fun games we moved into a little more spiritual game.  

It is called "Obey and Listen" you write down 10 of your families names each on their own piece of paper including your own name.   Your kids, spouse, parents, grandparents, nieces, nephews, grand kids, doesn't matter just 10 family names.  The leader then tells a story that you're all on an airplane taking a trip.   Then she says 3 of your family members have been disobedient and they are throwing them off the plane, she comes to you and you have to give her 3 names.  Who are you going to throw out? Some mom's were like I can't throw my family away, NO.  The leader then says yes you must choose 3 to throw out, they have to go.  

The game continues until you're down to the last 2 names then she says 1 has not been listening and has been very disobedient. We only have room for 1 person, you must give up a name.  Most of the ladies still had their own name and one other and now they had to choose either themselves or the other person.  

This game was very touching and the spirit was strong in the room.  It really gave each and everyone pause about how important their family was to them and what was truly important.  

After all had made the choice they were asked to come up and tell who they kept on the plane and why.  Many tears were shed, one chose her oldest daughter to stay because she could carry on her posterity. ‘Children are an heritage of the Lord’
Another chose her husband because together they could be sealed for Time and All Eternity. “Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children".
The next said her daughter because they have been planning on going to the temple this year to be sealed as a family and just recently her daughter told her she wasn't going with them and that she didn't want to be sealed to her family.  This sister just cried and cried. She said if she let this daughter stay on the plane it would give her time to change her mind so they could have her in the next life.  Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness.
Another left a son because he was such a great example to his brothers that don't understand the gospel yet and he could teach them.   May it would be our resolve to build a gospel-centered home, a safe harbor from the storms of the adversary.

In a world of turmoil and uncertainty, it is more important than ever to make our families the center of our lives and the top of our priorities. Families lie at the center of our Heavenly Father’s plan.
Our most important and powerful assignments are in the family. They are important because the family has the opportunity at the start of a child’s life to put feet firmly on the path home.”

I am blessed to have the opportunity to serve among these beautiful ladies. Who I have come to love dearly. May this be our year for enjoying the light and truth of the gospel in our homes. May our homes truly become places of refuge from the world is my humble prayer.

Sanctify us. . .

Rather than simply passing through trials, we must allow trials to pass through us in ways that sanctify us.

These past few months we have been dealing with different health issue's.  

Now we don't want any parents to worry. All the missionaries are healthy and getting stronger.  Our Mission President and his wife make sure of that.  Our area nurse Sister Obenauer always takes good care of them too. What a blessing it is to have a nurse called on a mission with us.  

As part of Heavenly Father's plan of redemption, all people experience adversity during their lifetime. Trials, disappointments, sadness, sickness, and heartache are a difficult part of life, but with the help of the Lord they can lead to spiritual growth, refinement, and progress. 

Elder Maxwell said: Trying to comprehend the trials and meaning of this life without understanding Heavenly Father’s marvelously encompassing plan of salvation is like trying to understand a three-act play while seeing only the second act. 

Fortunately, our knowledge of the Savior, Jesus Christ, and His Atonement helps us to endure our trials and to see purpose in suffering and to trust God for what we cannot comprehend.

This is almost healed up and going away.

We have been dealing with different kinds of skin problems which we still don't know what they are and how you catch them.  It's not just our island it is on other islands as well. Thanks to the wonderful parents back home and good natural products from both here and the states, they are beginning to go away without lasting repercussions.

Taking Jesus’ yoke upon us really does help us learn of Him as we personally experience His special love for us
(Matt. 11:29). We also come to appreciate His meekness and lowliness.

Using the instrument of our physical bodies and our capacity to reflect and reason, we can gather and analyze facts, organize and interpret information, gain and learn from experience, and identify patterns and relationships.

This is what it looks like in the beginning stages

Obtaining, creating, communicating and applying knowledge are the overarching objectives.  Of the many types of knowledge that can be acquired, spiritual knowledge is the most important both in mortality and eternity. The Prophet Joseph Smith repeatedly emphasized the importance of knowledge concerning the things of God.  The principle of knowledge is the principle of salvation.

Beginning stages

Knowledge is revelation.  Hear, all ye brethren, this grand key:  knowledge is the power of God unto salvation.  Knowledge does away with darkness, suspense and doubt; for these cannot exist where knowledge is. . .
In knowledge there is power.  As missionaries we understand these principles and teach them daily.

A different kind of rash

We have had sprains, stomach flu, skin problems and the occasional headaches but nothing too serious or life threatening.  Our missionaries are full of the Lord's spirit and continue to teach and preach his words.  We are proud of our boys and the outstanding work they continue to do even with the afflictions they get.

Our last thought we want to leave with you is a quote by Elder Neal A. Maxwell.  “Those who have suffered much are like those who know many languages; they have learned to understand and be understood by all”

Udders! udderly strange . . .

We know this has nothing to do with our mission but it does say a lot about where we are serving. . .

 

The dogs here have udders like know udder.  Can you imagine how painful that is packing them things around.

This is udderly common to see around Chuuk.  Also mating we have never seen so many dogs mating.

We might add the puppies are very cute.

Dog on top of the car?  Yet another udderly strange thing in Chuuk. . .

The dogs are slow moving even if a car is coming because they know we can't go fast enough to run them over. Believe me ET has tried a couple of times.  Traveling at a speed of 1-5 mph...

This is our main road - maybe one day in the near future it will be finished.  They have been working on the road project here for many, many years.  But in their defense, the conditions here are tough with hot humid temperatures and rain all the time, not to mention they have to put in a sewer, new water & drain pipes.  These hard working men have their work cut out for them.

Willing and Worthy

We had the opportunity to see our Elder Shakespear while we were in Guam for Senior conference to say farewell.  He has returned home to Tropic, Utah, then to Snow College. He spent his last few transfers working as assistant to the President.  

We were sad to see him leave us and go to Guam. We know it was a great opportunity for him and he is a wonderful servant of the Lord's.

“Do [your] duty; that is best; leave unto [the] Lord the rest.”

“When one becomes a holder of the priesthood, he becomes an agent of the Lord. He should think of his calling as though he were on the Lord’s errand.” 

We were out hiking around when we ran into all the Zone leaders from the various islands doing a service project.  Elder Tiffany wanted a fun picture with Elder Shakespear and the others were happy to oblige. 

“Priesthood is an everlasting principle, and existed with God from eternity, and will to eternity, without beginning of days or end of years.
Godspeed Elder Shakespear.

Families Together Forever

~ Tarisiso and Thersia Walters family ~

We have had the opportunity while on our mission to teach the Importance of Temples through the temple prep course. It has been such a wonderful experience for us and we have learned so many truths while teaching together.
                                                                                                                      
The little girl is Linda, she was named after a Senior Sister Missionary that was here a few years ago. Linda is not only cute, she is full of energy and keeps things hopping.

The primary purpose of the temple is to provide the ordinances necessary for our exaltation in the celestial kingdom. The temple is a sacred edifice, a holy place where essential saving ceremonies and ordinances are performed to prepare us for exaltation.

~ Siramino and Teresa Walter family ~

We have Stockton, Starson, Sterwal, Salle, Teralyn, Shivalyn and Gaila. Gaila is the small child she too was named after a Sister Dowdle, the Mission Presidents wife from a few years ago. Each child was interviewed by their Branch President and the Mission President.

This covenant of marriage allows children to be sealed to their parents and children born in the covenant to become part of an eternal family.

~ Riaton and Malinta Newyear Family ~

Starting on the left, Christine, Neiryn, Lass, KC, Malinta and Raiton, and the sweet little girls are grand-daughters Tanya and Kamreen.   

The temple’s saving ordinances are essential to and the central focus of the eternal plan of happiness. We know that what is sealed on earth is literally sealed in heaven, never to be broken if those being sealed remain faithful and endure to the end. We pray daily for forgiveness of our weaknesses  that we might over come them so we might be worthy of the covenants we have taken. We petition for the strength we need.

~ Willie and Reiki Weita ~

President Weita is the branch president from the Mechitiw Village.  He and his beautiful wife along with their youngest daughter Memory will also be going through the temple in June.
The opportunity to enter the temple and to take upon ourselves the sacred covenants therein is one of the greatest blessings available to us in mortality.

Merina and Useless Francis with her daughter Lailai and son Junior.  We are taught from D&C 88:110  to organize ourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.  When Junior learned to pray his missionary at the time was Elder Allred.  He taught him how to pray correctly.
1) We Pray to Heavenly Father 2) Thank him for blessings received 3) Ask God for the blessings he needed 4) Close all prayers in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Junior did exactly that, Merina said, he and his brother would pray exactly this way but they would never expound in the prayer with what they were thankful for or what they were asking for.  With further light and teaching and example, they now understand.

Esmeit and Kinomy Otup will also be attending the temple with this group.  We were not able to get a family picture before we left because we could never get them all together at once.

We are very excited for this group and know they are going to love the temple as much as we do.  Temples are places of learning. Their principal purpose is to provide ordinances necessary for the children of God to enable them to return to dwell with Him. Temple ordinances lead to the greatest blessings available through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  

Kot epwe non roem ach chu sefan!

On our last day together we got up early and took a walk by the Ocean,  stopping along the way at a few spots to hear a spiritual thought and scriptures from Elder Norton.  

There are few times in your lives when you will enjoy the sweet spirit and satisfaction that come from giving full-time service together in the work of the Master.

With the wind and the occasional sprinkle we continued on enjoying our time together.  Oh life in the tropics!

What an amazing sight it was to walk behind so many wonderful worthy friends serving and making sacrifices to serve the people on each of their respective islands whom they have all come to love dearly. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is our greatest privilege to return His love through sacrifice and service and claim His holy promise: “And whoso layeth down his life in my cause, for my name’s sake, shall find it again, even life eternal".

There were many fascinating things to see like this little hermit crab that climbed into the top of a plastic bottle to keep safe.    (you can't see me)

Breakfast was set up for us all after our walk by Elder and Sister Norton and Brother and Sister Bergess.  As usual the food was fantastic!

It was a lovely way to end the conference sheltered under the outstretched limbs of trees less than 50 feet from the ocean.  We were able to enjoy hearing testimonies from the couples who will be finishing their missions soon, although the weather threatened to make us wet a couple of times we enjoyed each others company without disruption. 

It has been a pleasure to serve with these couples. Each one brings a different strength to the mission that is very much needed in the field. 

When we were at the MTC we were asked the question, "What would you say to someone who was thinking about going on a mission"?  

Our answer, Just Do it! “Our decision to go on a mission brought new vigor, new emotions, new friends, new places and new challenges. It has brought us closer together as husband and wife. We have a common goal and a real partnership and best of all, it has brought new spiritual growth, instead of spiritual retirement.

As we say in Chuukese ~ Kot epwe non roem ach chu sefan! 

and in English ~God be with you until we meet again!

We only part to meet again. . .

Okay, we know how to have a good time.  

We went out to dinner with a few of our favorite couples for our last night together, although many of the other wonderful couples couldn't make it for some reason or another.  

But they were missed and we love them dearly.  

We must get all of the extras in before we head back out to our respective islands.

~ Elder and Sister Garrett going in after dessert ~

Elder and Sister Kjar had this dessert the other night and said it was amazing ~ the whole reason we came back here (Chili's) for dinner was so they could all enjoy this dessert.  Yummy!!! All things which I prepared for the use of man; and man saw that it was good for food.” (Moses 3:8–9.)

Elder and Sister Vincent were all in for dessert too. 

We had such a fun time with everyone.  

~ Elder and Sister Jones ~ 

~ No dessert but she did get some shopping in so she was very happy still ~

~ Elder and Sister Tiffany ~ 

~ No dessert for us either but we sure are happy to be 

with such wonderful friends ~

See what happens when you don't call shot gun.  

In the trunk you go Elder Garrett

Okay if you must have the little lady with you
then in she goes.
Our version of a stretch Limo.
Please keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle while the ride is in motion.

May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be ever at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields.  And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.
~ We are each back on our islands now to continue our missionary work ~