New Granddaughter

     We had a new little granddaughter born to us on Monday April 9, we didn't get to see her until yesterday and I must admit, it is really hard to not be there to hold her and get to know her. Her name is Adalina and both she and our little Lydia will be 2 and almost 2 when we get home. We will miss seeing them both learn to crawl, walk, talk etc. As much as I love being here and serving the Lord, there is a little ache for my family, especially when exciting events happen with our grandchildren. Sophia will start kindergarten in the fall, she will walk by my house everyday on her way to and from school, we had always talked of walking with her, it will have to wait until we come home. Calan will start school the next fall, Maggie and Enzo are both at the 2 to 3 stage, that I love to watch, they are discovering who they are and testing Mom and Dad to see what they can get away with. I guess I am having a little homesick moment.
     So many things we will miss over the next 2 years, many have asked, Is it hard?. My answer to that is a big YES. but I have always been taught that anything worth doing is usually hard. Anytime we grow and progress, it is usually a hard process. Hard but worth it. I know that Elder LeFevre and I will grow so much while we struggle here, but even more, I know that my children and grandchildren will be so very blessed while we are here and I could not deny them those blessings they need in there homes, just because I would like to be there with them.
      To my children and grandchildren ( That includes my Son and Daughters-in-law, because i really consider you my children also) We love you, we miss you more they we can say and at moments like yesterday when we saw Adalina for the first time on Skype, we realize just how much we miss you all. We would not have done this if we didn't both know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was true. We know that it is true and We know that God and Jesus Christ love all of the people on the earth and want all to know that. With the knowledge of the truth we have, we have a great obligation to share it with everyone we meet, because one day we will answer for what we did with the  knowledge of the Gospel we have been blessed with. I want to stand with a clear conscience before God. So that is why we would leave our beloved family and travel half-way around the world and stay for 2 years.
     Will we miss a lot, YES we will, but I have faith that the Lord, will more than make up for it to us and our family for the time away from each other.
   We Love you All, thank you for all your support.

2 Funerals and 1 Wedding

     In the last 2 weeks, we have helped with 2 funerals and 1 wedding. They do those a lot differently here. It has been a learning experience. I am continually amazed at these people, how they accomplice just life. Things we take so much for granted at home, so not exist here. Like funeral homes, that prepare the body for burial, here the family has to prepare the body, dig the grave ( most the time with there bare hands, because they can't afford shovels), make all there own arrangements, and then they are expected to feed all the people that come. The family is kept so busy, they don't have time to mourn. It is a lot. I am grateful, we were able to help with a few things. It wasn't much, but it took a little burden off the family.

The Groom, is a member of the Police force

Ivoloni's Mom and Dad, getting married

The Whole family after the wedding

     Weddings are the same, there are no reception centers, or caterers, etc. The couple takes care of everything themselves and it is a lot of work.
     In between all this we have been helping teach a lot of lessons about the Gospel and doing piano and English lessons, teaching Institute, and picking up returning missionaries that have been to Guam for medical problems.
     My favorite part in all the things we do, if when we get to go into peoples homes and share our testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The spirit is so strong and it is an amazing feeling. I am grateful that I have the Gospel, and that I can tell other people about it. It is helping me grow a lot.  I am learning so much and I love learning.

    Share the gospel with all your friends and family, all those you love, it can change there lives and you will find that as you share, it will change your life too.

After a couple of really busy weeks

Black or Brown, Oh why not, I will wear one of each

I won't say which sister missionary this is, but I think her Children will recognize the skirt.

   This is what happens to missionaries after a couple of really, really busy, crazy weeks.

New calling for Elder LeFevre and burying the dead

     Elder LeFevre received a new calling out here, he has been ask to be the District Executive Secretary.  He has a lot of new assignments with this calling, so while he is doing a lot of stuff for the District, I will be going out with the sister missionaries. We are both excited to do more new things out here. We will also be adding a 2nd  class for institute, we will have institute on Mondays and Wednesdays and our Young Adult activities on Fridays and Saturdays. Busy,Busy, busy. We Love it
     Today, I was asked to go with some members and help to dress there mother who had passed away.  The mother had been through the Temple, so they needed someone to help get her into her Temple clothes for Burial. It was an honor and a sacred experience.

Culteral Day in Pohnpei

     Once a year the Federated States of Micronesia have a cultural day.  Dancers and singers from all the islands in the FSM come to Pohnpei and do native dances and singing. We had dancers from Yap, Kosrae, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Pinglap, Ciranese and I don't know the names of the rest of the 600+ islands in Micronesia. It was like going to the Hawiian Cultural Center( I think, from what others have told me). It was amazing. Here are some pictures.   And it was all free and you know how the LeFevre's like a bargain!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thoughts & Addictions

      Yesterday, was a busy day, from the moment we got up we were on the run, we went for our walk early, came straight home and got ready to go to language lessons, from there we ran from one assignment to another. At the end of the day, we ended up in UH, at the top of the mountain with Elder Peirson and Elder Davis, helping teach a lesson, in the dark, to a sweet 32 year old mother of 1 daughter, who has read the Book of Mormon, found out for herself that it is true and now needs help with additions so she can be baptized and join the Church.
     This good women is addicted to just about everything you can get addicted to on this Island, Marijuana, Alcohol, Sakau, Beatlenut, and Cigarettes. She is trying so hard to quit all of them, so she can keep the Word of Wisdom, and needed an extra boost. As Elder Pierson taught her the lesson again and ask how she was doing, she said she had been able to cut way back on everything, and had not had any beatlenut for 2 days. With tears in her eyes, she said she knew she still could not be baptized because she needed to quit all of them. It was then that Elder Peirson told her that the Lord still loved her and he was proud of her for the progress she was making. (If Elder Peirson s parents could have seen him, they would have been very proud of their son) He had the spirit with him as he talked to her and it really helped her to know that she was doing well and that the Lord still loved her. We all shared some of our experiences with her from our lives that seemed to help her. It was amazing to me to see the Lord work on her and help her to feel His love for her.  She will do better this week and we are going back to see her next week.
     As I thought of her, here she is, 32 years old and so addicted to some very earthly things, I felt compassion for her, I am grateful that in my own life, that was not ever a problem for me, but my heart ached for her as I remembered my father when he was trying to stop smoking. I remember how hard it was for him and him telling me years later, that when he is in a room full of smokers, he still has those cravings. I am grateful that he was able to stop and set the example for all of us kids.
    We each have our own addictions. Whether they are substances, porn, facebook, clothes, food, etc, things we need to overcome if we want the "Grand Prize" to live with God again. Each day I work on my own, and I feel my Father in Heaven helping me.  He really does want all of His children to come back home someday and live with Him again.  Each day I work harder, so that someday I hope I am worthy to "Return With Honor" having overcome the temptations of this world and having proven myself worthy of His presence.
     I love the Lord, I am humbly grateful to be in His service. I hope I don't let Him down.

More GPS Tracking, Injured and sick missionaries

Preparing dinner

cooking dinner

    We have been doing the GPS Tracking out in UH. Here are some pictures of the people and places we tracked last week

Elder Gasu

Sister Salaiau

       We also have had some of our Missionaries that have been injured on bikes and in the hospital with surgery.  All are doing better now.