Livin' the Missionary Life - Micronesia Guam Mission

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Christmas on Pohnpei, Dec. 25, 2012 & Dec. 26, 2012

After a beautiful Christmas Day of Baptisms and helping local families Skype(some of them for the first time ever) with their missionaries in the United States, we turned our attention to making sure our missionaries did not get to homesick. Today, Dec. 26 here, Dec.25 in the United States, all the missionaries whose families lived in the States called or Skyped home to visit with their families. The missionaries whose families are from this side of the world, talked with their families yesterday.
I have to say what a strength you all are to your sons and daughters here. After talking to all of you, they were strengthened and ready to go and work even harder to bring Heavenly Fathers children unto Him. After their phone calls they all went to work, serving the Lord. Many lessons were taught, some accepted baptism. The work is moving forward. The Lord is pouring out His spirit upon our little Island of Pohnpei, and because of all of you back home supporting all of us here, through your prayers and thoughts and letters and packages and just plain love, we are able to better do the Lords work. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WE LOVE ALL OF YOU AND SO DO ALL YOUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS HERE. They are amazing, Thank you for raising them to do this work.
After a shorter then normal work day, we gathered all the missionaries back to the church and ate a yummy Christmas dinner and watched a great movie. Mom's and Dad's, your missionaries ate well, you don't have to worry. After dinner and the movies, gifts were passed out from the mission to each missionary. We were all tired, but a good tired, all went safely home and had a great nights sleep and are, once again ready to work even harder, because of the strength you gave us.

Elder Gasu

Elder Davis

Waiting for Dinner

Sis. Vincent & Sis. Kjar

The Feast, Ham, Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Salads, Veggies
Rolls, Gingerbread Cake & Fudge

Gifts from Guam

Happy Missionaries are the BEST

Hugs for all

O.K., so maybe not so much into the "Hugging" thing

Truly, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

White Christmas on Pohnpei

We had a "White" Christmas on Pohnpei. Now maybe not the kind of White Christmas you would think of, but the best "White"Christmas ever. We had 8 Baptisms today, Christmas 2012. We started with the Sapwalap Branch, where Baiko was baptized Then Uh Branch, where Demi was baptized in the river. Then off to the Palikir, where Sekerra Branch had 5 baptisms, & Nett Branch had 1 baptism. We were not able to make the Sekerra & Nett Baptism, because we were still in Sapwalap helping 3 families Skype with there children, who are serving missions in the states. I will write about that in the next post.

Darney, Sis. Fatongia, Baiko, & Sis. Varea

It was a beautiful Christmas Day.

Elder Madill & Demi

Greatest smiles in the world

Pres. Alex, Elder Madill, Elder Bunn, & Demi

Sekerra & Nett Baptisms
Elder Gasu & Hanson
(As soon as I get the names I will post them)

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good SKYPE

We spent our Christmas at Baptisms & helping 3 families Skype with there son & daughters that are serving missions in the states.
We started our day early, opened our presents, Thank you kids and mom and dad, we love everything, and left for the Sapwalap Branch to attend the first Baptisms of the day. Right after the baptism, we headed into the clerks office to set up our computer for the Epina Family to Skype with Marlene, or I should say Sis. Epina. She is the missionary that never got a visa to Australia, so she is serving in Alabama. While she was in the MTC, her father passed away,so this is really the first chance she and her family have had to visit, since her father died in November. The looks on their faces, when they saw each other and talked to each other, priceless. We cried right along with them, as they saw the miracle of modern technology.

Next came the Kalio Family. This was there second time to Skype with their daughter, Nayleen, or Sis. Kalio, their first time was last mothers day, but still when they saw each other, the tears flowed. The best thing about this time, was the whole family got to talk. At Mothers day, The family had to travel to another church house that was far away, and could only fit 2 of their 13 children in the car, so only 2 got to visit with her, this time, through weekly calls to Telecom, we were able to get the Internet out in the Church that is closest to their house(Still a 5 mile walk), It was finally installed 2 weeks ago, so the whole family got to come and see Nayleen and talk with her.

Next came the Makaya family. They were suppose to Skype at 2 our time and 7:00 p.m. San Francisco time, but somehow there was a mix up and we were not able to Skype until 6:00 our time and 11:00 Jackson's time. So we hopped in the car and drove to Uh and made it just in time for the baptism. right after we headed back to Sapwalap and set everything up to Skype. Once again, many tears were shed as families reconnected and saw one another and talked.

Our Christmas Tree and presents, THANK YOU, FAMILY & FRIENDS

Jack, Sis. Epina, Pres. Alex, & Darney & Sis. Marleen Epina on the computer

Jack, Marleen's Mom, & Pres. Alex

Part of the Kalio Family

Part of the Kalio's, the room was to small to fit everyone, so they took
shifts talking

The Makaya Family

We spent 12 straight hours between baptisms and Skyping, but the spirit and the looks on all the faces, worth every minute. It was a great day. One of the best Christmas's ever.

Monday, December 24, 2012

Christmas Eve

There is a tradition on the Island. The Kirinise people, that live in Pohnrociet, have a party for the missionaries. Each year, they work on gifts that are for the missionaries, and then on Christmas Eve, all the missionaries gather at the Dewyeye house and we sing, and have a spiritual message, and they give us their gifts. They treat the missionaries so well, they have nothing and yet they give us their best gifts. I love these people and it was great for all the missionaries, to be there together on Christmas Eve. It helps us not miss all of you, our families quit so much.

For Christmas Day, we have Baptisms in Sapwalap, Uh, & Palikir & Nett, so with all the Baptisms, we will call all of you on the day after Christmas here, your Christmas.

We love you, and wish you all a Merry Christmas.