Livin' the Missionary Life - Micronesia Guam Mission: September 2013

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Jacob Kalio & Sam Hadley leave for their missions

The day finally arrived, Jacob and Sam have been waiting for 3 1/2 months to go on their missions, and the day finally came.
Jacob and all the Kalio's came to our apartment at 10:30 to pick up Jacob's suit and suitcase, and so Jacob could change. Our apartment was full, I think half of the Sapwalap Branch came to help Jacob.
then off to the airport to get checked in and meet up with Sam. It finally hit me, we will not see any of these amazing young men and women come home in 2 years, in fact, Sis Chandler was having me show her the ropes for explaining to Jacob all about flying, and what he would need to do at each airport along the way. As we worked together, she ask me, now who will we need to get off first after you leave, and I started to cry, I realized we would not be the one's to get Kenio, Mary, Tasha, Jason, or any of the others off that are now either waiting to leave, or we are working on papers with. But we will be home to meet them on the other end, what a blessing that will be.
So as these next 8 leave, we will show the Chandlers the ropes, and as we finish paperwork with the one's we are working with now, we will help Chandlers to know what to do, and then we will give them a list of all the Young Adults who will be able to get papers in in the spring and we will turn it over to the Chandlers. They will do a great job, and what a blessing for the young adults to get to work with them. They are a gift to the Island. We are grateful everyday for them leaving their family and coming out here to serve the Lord. They are great workers and have great testimonies.
So 2 more have now left to be in the service of God. May the Lord bless and keep them and return them safely in home in 2 years to their families.

The Kalio's and Sapwalap members arrive at our apartment to help Jacob get ready

I don't know if we could have fit very many more

Layven helps Jacob, Layven leaves in 2 weeks

Now let me share the tender mercies that have happened for every one of the kids leaving the Island for missions. Only a very few, have ever left the Island before. So all are very nervous. But the Lord in His mercy and love for these missionaries, has, so far, always paired them up to leave with someone who has flown before, or speaks and understands English. this also was the case with Jacob. Jacob speaks and understands a little English, a very little, but Sam on the other hand is fluent in English. So the Lord sent them together on the first leg of the journey, so Sam could teach Jacob what to do when he flew to Salt Lake alone. It happened with Megan and Irene, Melven and Meerleen, Cynthia flew with us to Guam, so we could show her what to do when she flew alone to Salt Lake. It will happen again with Steven and Wilson at the end of October, It happens in 2 weeks, with Layven, Leevaughn and Demi, M J & Jeanette will fly to Guam with us, when we return home. It even happens with Kenio, the weekend he fly's to Guam he will fly with Pres. and Sis Kalio, as they go the District leaders conference. The Lord knows what each of these amazing men and women need and he provides the help for them. What a tender mercy. I am so grateful for HIS love for each of us.

Jefferson had to try on some stuff, he will put in his
papers in the spring

Lots of slippers

Man these sock feel weird

Dressed and ready to go to the airport

At the Airport, more people come to see them off,
Jacob and Nayleen

Jacob & Sam, a little nervous , but so glad to be traveling
together, at least as far as Guam. Then Sam heads off
to the MTC in the Philippines

Sam & M J , MJ leaves for Guam the same day we do, Saturday, Nov. 30

The Hadleys, with Sis Chandler and I, time to pass the baton

Us and Sam & Jacob

All the crew from Sapwalap, 1 returned missionary in the bunch, 3 leave in the next
2 weeks, and the rest fill out their papers, this spring. Sapwalap is going
to be a very blessed branch, when all these kids go.

Old couple, New couple and Sam,
Passing the baton

The whole Hadley clan, Sam left today, M. J. leaves in Dec., Tasha is filling
out papers, and Ellie will ( I am sure) in a few years, that does not even count
all the young kids

Monday, September 16, 2013

Reflections, again

I know it seems like we haven't written much or as often lately, and we haven't, that is because we only have 2 1/2 months left before we go home and there is so much work that still needs to be done before we leave. And we are determined to make sure we do everything the Lord sent us out here to do.
It is hard to think of leaving, so we try not to. We love these wonderful people and the thought of saying goodbye to them and knowing we will most likely not see any of them again until the next life, makes us cry.
The time is flying by, we can't believe we have been here 21 months already. We were suppose to go home the 1st of November, but we talked the powers that be into letting us stay an extra month, so we could finish up the semester of Institute and spend 1 last Thanksgiving with our missionaries here on Pohnpei.
It really is very fitting, we will forever be Thankful for the amazing experience this has been and will continue to be, right up to the day we fly away. Then we will always remember, in Thankfulness, the things we have learned, experienced (good and bad), The people we love so much, our beautiful Island. We are just so Thankful that the Lord trusted us enough to send us here, and knew us well enough to know this was exactly what we needed to grow. You know, HE really does know what is best, it is us that have to have the Faith in HIM, to trust that great LOVE HE has for each of us.
We LOVE this work, it is HIS work. It is TRUE, all of it. Be grateful for every single experience HE sends to you, good and bad, it is the way we learn to be like HIM and HE is the only way back home.

So here are the pictures and events of the past week, it has been a busy one. Besides Institute every day of the week, we do have others things we go and do. We delivered another mission call, to Jeanette Simram, she is going to the Philippines and reports on Dec. 4. Then it was off to Baptisms, a combined one for Awak, Kolonia, Sekerra & Sokehs. Then on Sunday, after Institute in Kitti, we went to visit a sister in Sapwalap that has stopped coming to Church and is struggling at this time. We met our help there in the form of the Branch Relief Society, and we all had a great visit with her. Hopefully, she will have a desire to come back. We need everyone in the Lord's kingdom.
We also did some haircuts for the missionaries, took care of some more clothing needs for the missionaries, took care of a couple of sick missionaries( don't worry Mom's and Dad's they are doing much better now), went out with the Kolonia sisters to find some referrals, ( found all of them and had great lessons, we are going back today) Worked on some things for the Mission Office and service center. Helped another perspective missionary get her medical done. Anyway, it has been a busy week, we love it, the busier the better, then we know we are serving the Lord. and that is why we came, to serve HIM.

Jeanette Simram, with her mission call

The Sokehs sisters, with their bapism

Awak Baptism

Sokehs

All of the baptisal candidates

A hut on the way from Kitti to Sapwalap

The Sapwalap Relief Society Pres, out helping us teach and visit a less
active.

Just some of the beautiful scenery we see, we want to take pictures,
so we never forget.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

New Clothes for "Old" Sisters

Not really old sisters, just missionaries that have been out for a while and needed some new clothes. So we let them come and pick a few from the wonderful clothes that have been sent to us from all of you for the missionaries leaving. We figured you would not mind if a few of our own missionaries that needed some, got to pick a few.

Several of Sis Beutlers skirts had worn out, so she picked a few skirts

Sis Komra, only arrived 6 weeks ago, but comes from
very humble circumstances and did not
come with very many clothes, so we let
her pick out several out fits.

Thank you, once again for all the clothes that have been
sent. We have been able to outfit every Sister Missionary
leaving from Pohnpei and we have been able to have enough shirts, pants, belts, socks, suits, ties, etc for all of the Elders to have a small suitcase to take with them. This has been made possible by all of you, Thank you so much. We thought before we leave, we would see what our own missionaries needed from what is left. Several of the Elders have been able to get some new shirts, that were needed badly and several Sisters have been able to get some skirts and dresses they were in need of.
Words do not really express our gratitude to all of you who have made this "Miracle" possible.
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You
May the Lord bless you for you generosity.

Missionaries, Missionaries, Missionaries

This post is just for all you Mom's and Dad's out there who are missing your kids, a maybe worry a little. They are doing great, we love them, they are a great blessing to Pohnpei. Here are some pictures, just for you. Taken yesterday (Thursday, Sept 12 at a Zone Mtg) The only one's missing are Elder Gardner & Elder Matalolo. They were late and by the time they came, I had already left, to take care of some things.