catching up after a busy week

     We have not had internet for several days, so I am going to try to catch up on the week.
     We had the opportunity to go and visit some less active families with the Sister Missionaries.  We went with Sister Salaiau and a member names Sis. Redeze. We went to 4 families. All have not been to church for a while and had many varied reasons for not going. Each family had different needs. The first family was struggleing  with many things and the sisters had been there to try to help them many times. As we talked, we were ask how we help each other, as husband and wife to stay strong in the gospel.  We shared our testimonies of ways we have helped each to stay strong and keep going to church, we talked about how at different times each of us struggles in different things, and when one of us is weak, the other one is strong and helps the weak one to be stronger.  The wife then told us that we had brought joy to there home that day, because they had both gotten weak, because they forgot to help each other. Hopefully, they will be to church Sunday.
     the 2nd family, was not home, but a relative was there and he agreed to let us tell him about the church a little.  It turns out he had met with the missionaries many years ago and then for some reason he had gotten lost and never finished the lessons.  He said he liked the feeling he had as he talked with us and he remembered that he had felt good when he had visited with the missionries before. He agreed to let the missionaries keep teaching him. the spirit was so strong and it was an amazing experience.
     the  3rd family was actually the brother to one of the branch presidents, his family had stopped going to church, because the church was so far away and they had no transportation.  We had a really good visit with them and then Elder LeFevre ask the 19 year old son if he would go to church, if Elder LeFevre could win in an arm wrestle, he said yes he would go to church if Elder LeFevre won. So Elder Lefevre had an arm wrestle with the 6 year old brother and of course he won, so we will see if the family goes to church tomorrow.
     the last family was struggling with word of wisdom problems so they thought they could not go to church. I shared a story about when my Dad smoked and didn't go to church and how hard it was for him to start going to church, but when he did he was able to find some strength and quit smoking. Hopefully it helped, and they will go to church.
    In all these situations, I learned that everyone of us has differnt things we struggle with, that sometimes keep us from doing what we know we should, We all need to help each other to stay strong, so we all get back home together.

Walking to the Baptism,  Pres.  Ledoro ( missing leg, on crutches) is the branch pres.

Elder Pierson and Wilson (man being baptized) walking down to the river

Wilson and his family, Elder Stewart and Elder Pierson

Getting ready for Baptism

newest member of the church in Pohnpei, Wilson

No words can explain the spirit, just look at there faces

Our River Baptismal font

Wilson's wife and family

leaving the baptism

     Next, today, Saturday, we went to our first baptism in a River. Elder Stewart and Elder Pierson had a baptism in the Uh branch and they do not have a baptismal font there, so they got permission to have the baptism in the river. The spirit was so strong and what a sweet experience it was. Here are some pictures.

GPS Tracking in Mand (Mont)

     We have started to do what is called GPS tracking in all the branches on the island. What this entails is that we go to each member of the churches home with a GPS tracker and mark by longitude and latitude where they are on the earth. Then we turn in the coordinates to the mission, they in turn, send them to the church and it is put into the computer, so that the church knows where every member of the church is. This way they can see where the most people live and when it comes time to build new church buildings in the branch they try to build them by the biggest clusters of people.
     Now where this becomes a challenge is the list we are given with members names on them, have no addresses. You see there are no addresses in Pohnpei and probably 60 to 70 percent of the members live in the middle of the jungle. So we are having great fun finding people.

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Elder LeFevre,  Elder Cole, Elder Dalmer  helping us with GPS tracking

GPS Tracking, members in Mand (Mont)

Growing Cabbages in Mand (Mont)

Pigs in Mand (Mont)

the Throne ( can you tell what it is under all the moss)

Three great girls in Mand

Laundry day ( This family is lucky, they actually have a washer)

     Today we went out in the Mand (mont) branch with Elder Dalmer and Elder Cole. They knew where a lot of the member were, so they were our guides. While we were going, we found that most of the people were part member families and were also less active. So we had a little visit with them while we were there and invited them to come back to church. We also invited the members of the families that were not members to let the missionaries teach them. A couple of them said yes they would take the lessons and almost all of the less actives said they would come to church. Now we will see if they really do. It would be great if they did, or at least some of them, because Mand is the weakest branch and it needs so much help. So we are cautiously optimistic that maybe some of them will keep there word and come back.

and still more pictures

Our Transportation has arrived

Non Madol

Spencer and Jackson Kjar at Non Madol

Non Madol

there is more than one way to get across this ocean

Just some great Jungle

The Tree of Life, Some fell in the filthy River, some along rocky paths, all trying to reach the Tree of Life

More Pictures, I trying to catch them all up ENJOY!!!!!!!

More dancing

Blue Star Fish at Nalop

I know you are all in shock that I am actually holding the Blue Star Fish

Yum, roasted pig for dinner

Mavirick (Non Member, but we hope to change that) & Tyron (Member in Palikir Branch)

The Kjar family and us

The Boot Scootin Boogie at Mond (Mont)

Boy do these people love to dance

Small stream that appreared after a 3 minute downpour

District meeting and Mutual at Paliker Branch

Elder Stewart, Elder Pierson

Sister Varia, Sister Salaiau, Sister Kennach

 Elder Loveless, Elder Pierson( DL), Elder Stewart, Elder Cole, Elder Dalmer

Elder Crapo ( DL), Elder Loveless

Elder Dalmer,  Elder Haas, Elder Carlson, Sister Kennach, Sister Varia

Sister Varia, Sister Salaiau, Elder Kjar

Elder Gasu, Elder Davis

Elder Stewart , Elder Cole, Elder Dalmer, Elder Haas (ZL), Elder Carlson(ZL), Sister Kennach

Elder Crapo (DL), Elder Loveless, Elder Pierson (DL)

Elder and Sister Kjar

Sister LeFevre, Elder Gasu, Elder Davis

Elder and Sister LeFevre

     We had district meeting and both districts got to meet together, so I thought I would let you see our great missionaries in action.

Young Women of Palikir branxh

Young Women of Palikir Branch crocheting personal progress bags

young women and Marla(seminary teacher) Palikir Branch

Sister Ongesal ( young womens president) and young women of Palikir Branch

     We also had the opportunity of going to the Palikir Branch Mutual, Elder Lefevre went with the young men and I got to go with the Young Women. We Crocheted book bags for their personal progress books and scriptures.  It was great and I found that the language was not a barrier as I showed some of the girls how to crochet. It was great fun.