Thursday, January 28, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Practically Rips My Heart Out
19 January 2010
Ran Allim ai famini!
Sorry about missing a week, Elder Kuss went to Guam to get checked up on for his sickness and I spent the next week and a half out of my area in Sapuk and that threw just about everything off, then when Elder Kuss got back we had to cram for Zone Conference that same week, but all is well and I’m alive and loving life!
Zone Conference went really well, I think after 9 months I really got the hang of it! ha It was spiritual and many good things were discussed and in my interview with President Dowdle he said in his own words: “I just LOVED Zone Conference today!” So that was great.
Speaking of my interview with President Dowdle I guess it’s a good time to inform you all that this will be my last letter from Chuuk. . . . . .
The time has come, my number has been called, the future is set, I’m going to Guam. That was the outcome of my interview with President Dowdle. Funny thing is I knew it was coming. Since the start of this transfer I had a feeling my time was short. As the end of the transfer got closer I became more worried about this feeling. ha I started praying for long periods of time trying to appeal to the Lord that I should stay in Chuuk longer; I even fasted for it but the feelings and promptings I received from the Spirit confirmed my nervousness, it was solidified when I heard it come from President’s mouth, but I already knew. It’s everything I never wanted but . . . . . . I am supposed to be in Guam. And that confirmation received from the Spirit is the only consolation I have . . . . I am supposed to be there.
I’m crying as I write this because the thought of leaving Chuuk practically rips my heart out. It’s already the hardest thing I’ve done and I still have a week left. No offense, when I left home I knew I’d see you all again in two years but leaving these Chuukese I don’t know when I’ll see them again and it hurts to think about that. I love them so darn much!
Anyways, I’m done writing about that, that took too long and I cried too much. I have a week left and I ‘m going to make the most of it! :)
Yep so that crazy interview with President threw me for one! It threw me even a little further as we talked about what I’ll be doing in Guam. I guess it turns out that I’ll be an assistant to the President, so that will definitely bring some new experiences.
Today is Elder Lange’s birthday, whom I dearly love, and Elder Tuaitanu’s birthday was on Sunday so today we are getting together and having a Chuukese feast!! Pounded breadfruit, fire roasted chicken/meat, fish cooked in coconut milk, rice and coconuts!! Woneii!! It’s going to be good and I’m going to get so fat and I don’t even care!! ha :)
Ok, love your guts take care and don’t die. Ai tong esap much ngenikemi!
Tong Ennet fiti Jaiwak,
Elder Wells “Ito”
Ran Allim ai famini!
Sorry about missing a week, Elder Kuss went to Guam to get checked up on for his sickness and I spent the next week and a half out of my area in Sapuk and that threw just about everything off, then when Elder Kuss got back we had to cram for Zone Conference that same week, but all is well and I’m alive and loving life!
Zone Conference went really well, I think after 9 months I really got the hang of it! ha It was spiritual and many good things were discussed and in my interview with President Dowdle he said in his own words: “I just LOVED Zone Conference today!” So that was great.
Speaking of my interview with President Dowdle I guess it’s a good time to inform you all that this will be my last letter from Chuuk. . . . . .
The time has come, my number has been called, the future is set, I’m going to Guam. That was the outcome of my interview with President Dowdle. Funny thing is I knew it was coming. Since the start of this transfer I had a feeling my time was short. As the end of the transfer got closer I became more worried about this feeling. ha I started praying for long periods of time trying to appeal to the Lord that I should stay in Chuuk longer; I even fasted for it but the feelings and promptings I received from the Spirit confirmed my nervousness, it was solidified when I heard it come from President’s mouth, but I already knew. It’s everything I never wanted but . . . . . . I am supposed to be in Guam. And that confirmation received from the Spirit is the only consolation I have . . . . I am supposed to be there.
I’m crying as I write this because the thought of leaving Chuuk practically rips my heart out. It’s already the hardest thing I’ve done and I still have a week left. No offense, when I left home I knew I’d see you all again in two years but leaving these Chuukese I don’t know when I’ll see them again and it hurts to think about that. I love them so darn much!
Anyways, I’m done writing about that, that took too long and I cried too much. I have a week left and I ‘m going to make the most of it! :)
Yep so that crazy interview with President threw me for one! It threw me even a little further as we talked about what I’ll be doing in Guam. I guess it turns out that I’ll be an assistant to the President, so that will definitely bring some new experiences.
Today is Elder Lange’s birthday, whom I dearly love, and Elder Tuaitanu’s birthday was on Sunday so today we are getting together and having a Chuukese feast!! Pounded breadfruit, fire roasted chicken/meat, fish cooked in coconut milk, rice and coconuts!! Woneii!! It’s going to be good and I’m going to get so fat and I don’t even care!! ha :)
Ok, love your guts take care and don’t die. Ai tong esap much ngenikemi!
Tong Ennet fiti Jaiwak,
Elder Wells “Ito”
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
The Craziness Continues
29 Dec 2009
Ran Allim sefon ngeni kemi!
It was great to talk to you all I hope you all had a super duper Christmas and are ready for school again! ha
On Saturday after I talked to you guys I saw my kids off to their islands, I cleaned up our nuclear bombed house, got a transfer plan of sorts finished, and then had two lessons and another Christmas party to go to! I’ve eaten so much food in the past little while I don’t know what to do with myself. The amount of food I have eaten is amazing, but Chuukese food just makes me keep eating and eating until I have to lay down and rest. ha
This week is already pretty crazy, on Monday during our District Meeting Elder Mitton caught a boat into Weno and called us from the dock. He had been throwing up for the past five hours and was wreathing in pain. We had to leave the District mtg early and get him and go to “death” hospital. He was in so much pain and there seemed to be not much we could do for him. The hospital gave him pain shots and stuck an IV in him but nothing helped. I was busy calling Guam and relaying all the information on to President Dowdle. They admitted Elder Mitton into the ward, which means more work for us. This hospital doesn’t provide anything but medical needs for the patients which means we have to provide meals for the two missionaries, we have to provide sheets, pillows, sleeping mattresses, shower things, toothpaste, toothbrush, water, just everything that someone would need. It’s literally like taking care of two babies! because we have to do everything for them because they can’t, well they can go to the bathroom but the Chuuk hospital bathroom is without a doubt the worst most unclean, dirty, horrid bathroom on this planet. :) I could not have dreamed, in a nightmare, a more disgustingly scary bathroom than the ones in Chuuk hospital! ha Anyway, they deal with that. It looks like he may be ok and won’t have to go to Guam. Unfortunately for Elder Kuss he will be going to Guam.
Last week on the 23rd Sirimino came to our house at 12:30 in the morning and asked us if Elder Kuss could donate blood to his wife who was in need of blood. We called President who had to get authority from the Area Presidency so that Kuss could donate blood. Once we had permission we rushed up to the hospital so Kuss could donate and that’s when the madness began!
They drew his blood and tested it to make sure that he was the right blood type and ran some quick tests to make sure he had no sicknesses, but when the results came back they weren’t good. The tests showed that his blood was carrying something not good that would be transferred to the patient if donated.
We called President to pass on the word and President wanted to have an answer immediately which Chuuk hospital cannot do, so President booked Elder Kuss a flight out of Chuuk to Guam so that he can get a full physical so that they can create a plan to help Kuss and to try and do what little is possible.
Elder Kuss is worried and didn’t sleep at all the night we found out. He forgot about it in all the spirit of Christmas and when he learned that he was going to Guam this week it brought back more waves of worry and fear. I just try and make him laugh and keep him happy so that he won’t think of it too much, but every night I can tell he doesn’t sleep well because he’s always very late to wake up. Please keep him in your prayers, even though you’ll get this after he’s already in Guam.
Life here in Chuuk is as crazy as ever but I’m loving every minute of it and wouldn’t ask for anything else! Bring on the crazy!! :) I’m a speeding bullet in my new shoes by the way, I feel like I’m 8-years old again thinking I can run faster because I got new shoes, if only they lighted up . . . . . I really think I run faster and jump higher with them though, and the Chuukese covet them and want to steal them right off my feet! To bad I’m too fast for them. ha
There should be two memory cards coming close to this letter, one of mine and one of the Joseph’s temple trip! So make sure to keep an eye out for those.
Ok, this is definitely the longest letter I have ever written so I’ll just picture my beautiful young mom giving me a big hug because I wrote such a good letter. :)
Love your guys’ guts keep up the good work of staying alive.
Tori sa mak fengen sefan, ounennom!
Tong Ennet fiti Jaiwak,
Elder Wells “Ito”
Ran Allim sefon ngeni kemi!
It was great to talk to you all I hope you all had a super duper Christmas and are ready for school again! ha
On Saturday after I talked to you guys I saw my kids off to their islands, I cleaned up our nuclear bombed house, got a transfer plan of sorts finished, and then had two lessons and another Christmas party to go to! I’ve eaten so much food in the past little while I don’t know what to do with myself. The amount of food I have eaten is amazing, but Chuukese food just makes me keep eating and eating until I have to lay down and rest. ha
This week is already pretty crazy, on Monday during our District Meeting Elder Mitton caught a boat into Weno and called us from the dock. He had been throwing up for the past five hours and was wreathing in pain. We had to leave the District mtg early and get him and go to “death” hospital. He was in so much pain and there seemed to be not much we could do for him. The hospital gave him pain shots and stuck an IV in him but nothing helped. I was busy calling Guam and relaying all the information on to President Dowdle. They admitted Elder Mitton into the ward, which means more work for us. This hospital doesn’t provide anything but medical needs for the patients which means we have to provide meals for the two missionaries, we have to provide sheets, pillows, sleeping mattresses, shower things, toothpaste, toothbrush, water, just everything that someone would need. It’s literally like taking care of two babies! because we have to do everything for them because they can’t, well they can go to the bathroom but the Chuuk hospital bathroom is without a doubt the worst most unclean, dirty, horrid bathroom on this planet. :) I could not have dreamed, in a nightmare, a more disgustingly scary bathroom than the ones in Chuuk hospital! ha Anyway, they deal with that. It looks like he may be ok and won’t have to go to Guam. Unfortunately for Elder Kuss he will be going to Guam.
Last week on the 23rd Sirimino came to our house at 12:30 in the morning and asked us if Elder Kuss could donate blood to his wife who was in need of blood. We called President who had to get authority from the Area Presidency so that Kuss could donate blood. Once we had permission we rushed up to the hospital so Kuss could donate and that’s when the madness began!
They drew his blood and tested it to make sure that he was the right blood type and ran some quick tests to make sure he had no sicknesses, but when the results came back they weren’t good. The tests showed that his blood was carrying something not good that would be transferred to the patient if donated.
We called President to pass on the word and President wanted to have an answer immediately which Chuuk hospital cannot do, so President booked Elder Kuss a flight out of Chuuk to Guam so that he can get a full physical so that they can create a plan to help Kuss and to try and do what little is possible.
Elder Kuss is worried and didn’t sleep at all the night we found out. He forgot about it in all the spirit of Christmas and when he learned that he was going to Guam this week it brought back more waves of worry and fear. I just try and make him laugh and keep him happy so that he won’t think of it too much, but every night I can tell he doesn’t sleep well because he’s always very late to wake up. Please keep him in your prayers, even though you’ll get this after he’s already in Guam.
Life here in Chuuk is as crazy as ever but I’m loving every minute of it and wouldn’t ask for anything else! Bring on the crazy!! :) I’m a speeding bullet in my new shoes by the way, I feel like I’m 8-years old again thinking I can run faster because I got new shoes, if only they lighted up . . . . . I really think I run faster and jump higher with them though, and the Chuukese covet them and want to steal them right off my feet! To bad I’m too fast for them. ha
There should be two memory cards coming close to this letter, one of mine and one of the Joseph’s temple trip! So make sure to keep an eye out for those.
Ok, this is definitely the longest letter I have ever written so I’ll just picture my beautiful young mom giving me a big hug because I wrote such a good letter. :)
Love your guys’ guts keep up the good work of staying alive.
Tori sa mak fengen sefan, ounennom!
Tong Ennet fiti Jaiwak,
Elder Wells “Ito”
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Another Mwan Baptism!
22 December 2009
Fakkun Ran Allim chapur ngenikemi!!!
I don’t think, or it seems to me, that you’re not receiving all my letters. I’ve sent one every week I’m pretty sure so I don’t know what happened. I could have easily lost my mind, there are a thousand things going on and I’m able to remember them all only with the help of the Lord so it could have got lost in my mind somewhere. ha I don’t think all the boxes have come . . . . but I could be losing my mind again. I count four boxes and one package with that CD in it so 5? I definitely didn’t get the oatmeal raisin cookies box, I would remember that! :)
We’ve been pumping Christmas spirit into the nervous systems of all the missionaries and members here in Chuuk! ha Especially the missionaries since Christmas time can be distracting, so we combine Christmas and missionary work and by golly we get good results! :)
The past couple of weeks we’ve had some great opportunities to do service for recent converts and members. Since Christmas time lots of parties happen which mean lots of cooking which means they need a lot of firewood! (So call the studs!) So Elder Kuss and I have tackled a couple huge trees to help our recent converts and members get enough firewood. And I’ll tell you that is hard work! That’s not for the faint of heart! ha I won’t brag, but I’ll just say I’m pretty darn good at hacking down a tree with an axe! If I was consistently doing that I would be ripped out of mind. ha So Zach if you’re feeling really manly and muscly go cut down a big ol’ Christmas tree with an axe. Then we’ll see who really has the muscles.
We just set another baptismal date here in Mwan!! Estino is his name and he’ll be getting baptized on the 2nd of January. Estino is a members husband and for years has been the number one fighter in all of Mwan, if not Weno, and he looks like it too! He’s a very very very strong individual and with a close shaved haircut he could scare just about anyone if he got mad. Which he used to do a lot, but he has pulled a complete 180 and is headed in a whole new direction. He’s a stud, in short. He has a bunch of cement weights and other random things that he lifts so we get a long great and will lift together occasionally. Estino reinforces my testimony that the Lord is constantly working among His people and He is preparing people for me and Elder Kuss to find! I especially admire Chuukese because they are so aware of God and His influence in their lives, it’s amazing because the Lord prepares them and they willingly submit, and then all Kuss and I do is come lead them a long a little further and bam! They’re baptized and rocking it. My personal belief is that since they’re islanders and have purer blood of Israel in them, and so many awesome blessings promised them from scripture, that that is the reason Chuukese are susceptible to Heavenly Father influencing their lives. Because it’s so easy once you find the prepared! I’ve already written this but the hardest part of missionary work, at least in Chuuk, is finding those that have been prepared, after that just grab hold and hang on because it goes fast.
Thank you for your prayers in my behalf and those I am serving. I hope you all have a kick awesome fantastic Christmas!
Pwi me fefinei kana, ouse kan mochen oupwe kan mo maketo rei, pun ennet ua pwositi neumi kan taopwe!! ha That says: I would sure enjoy it if my brother and sisters could find it in their heart to write me :) ha.
I love you all, have a Happy Christmas (Harry - Kenzie) and eat lots of fudge for me! Because I’ll be eating dog intestines! Yum!! (For reals it is so good with taro :))
Tong Ennet fiti Jaiwak,
Elder Wells “Ito”
Fakkun Ran Allim chapur ngenikemi!!!
I don’t think, or it seems to me, that you’re not receiving all my letters. I’ve sent one every week I’m pretty sure so I don’t know what happened. I could have easily lost my mind, there are a thousand things going on and I’m able to remember them all only with the help of the Lord so it could have got lost in my mind somewhere. ha I don’t think all the boxes have come . . . . but I could be losing my mind again. I count four boxes and one package with that CD in it so 5? I definitely didn’t get the oatmeal raisin cookies box, I would remember that! :)
We’ve been pumping Christmas spirit into the nervous systems of all the missionaries and members here in Chuuk! ha Especially the missionaries since Christmas time can be distracting, so we combine Christmas and missionary work and by golly we get good results! :)
The past couple of weeks we’ve had some great opportunities to do service for recent converts and members. Since Christmas time lots of parties happen which mean lots of cooking which means they need a lot of firewood! (So call the studs!) So Elder Kuss and I have tackled a couple huge trees to help our recent converts and members get enough firewood. And I’ll tell you that is hard work! That’s not for the faint of heart! ha I won’t brag, but I’ll just say I’m pretty darn good at hacking down a tree with an axe! If I was consistently doing that I would be ripped out of mind. ha So Zach if you’re feeling really manly and muscly go cut down a big ol’ Christmas tree with an axe. Then we’ll see who really has the muscles.
We just set another baptismal date here in Mwan!! Estino is his name and he’ll be getting baptized on the 2nd of January. Estino is a members husband and for years has been the number one fighter in all of Mwan, if not Weno, and he looks like it too! He’s a very very very strong individual and with a close shaved haircut he could scare just about anyone if he got mad. Which he used to do a lot, but he has pulled a complete 180 and is headed in a whole new direction. He’s a stud, in short. He has a bunch of cement weights and other random things that he lifts so we get a long great and will lift together occasionally. Estino reinforces my testimony that the Lord is constantly working among His people and He is preparing people for me and Elder Kuss to find! I especially admire Chuukese because they are so aware of God and His influence in their lives, it’s amazing because the Lord prepares them and they willingly submit, and then all Kuss and I do is come lead them a long a little further and bam! They’re baptized and rocking it. My personal belief is that since they’re islanders and have purer blood of Israel in them, and so many awesome blessings promised them from scripture, that that is the reason Chuukese are susceptible to Heavenly Father influencing their lives. Because it’s so easy once you find the prepared! I’ve already written this but the hardest part of missionary work, at least in Chuuk, is finding those that have been prepared, after that just grab hold and hang on because it goes fast.
Thank you for your prayers in my behalf and those I am serving. I hope you all have a kick awesome fantastic Christmas!
Pwi me fefinei kana, ouse kan mochen oupwe kan mo maketo rei, pun ennet ua pwositi neumi kan taopwe!! ha That says: I would sure enjoy it if my brother and sisters could find it in their heart to write me :) ha.
I love you all, have a Happy Christmas (Harry - Kenzie) and eat lots of fudge for me! Because I’ll be eating dog intestines! Yum!! (For reals it is so good with taro :))
Tong Ennet fiti Jaiwak,
Elder Wells “Ito”
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Pumped for Christmas
Ran Allim Famini!
Look at my Christmas spirit! I'm so pumped for Christmas! I found this paper (red construction) and so I'm making Christmas chains and snowflakes and I'm putting it up all around our house. It's studly. I did get the box of Christmas decorations you sent and I've already put them up! Thanks for that shirt. I needed it and that's a pretty sweet soccer jersey you got Zach. Thanks to dad for getting all the ladies to write me :) All those cards are probably as many real letters I've gotten from girls on my mission. ha Ok, not really but close probably.
Did Real Salt Lake really win the MLS cup?! I can't believe it. That's so insanely amazing. Did you all watch it? Some more info on that would be cool. I saw the results from the NIKE Cup and BYU got dominated by Air Force. Just for the peace of your minds I weigh in at a solid 185, and it's solid trust me. I eat healthier than any other missionary in our mission, President and Sister Dowdle will back me on that, and when I get home and get up on the blocks people will be scared. That's really what I'm going for, the scare factor, because I definitely won't be the quickest fish in the sea when I get back. (Elder Tuaitanu says "hi" right now, and he also wants you all to come to his homecoming just like Hill, even if he comes home after me).
The Sameone and Marsine Joseph family just got on the plane to go to the Phillipines to go to the temple!! I'm pumped out of my mind for them. I gave them a camera so they could take bunches of pictures so that they can get them developed. I also took some family pictures of them as a whole, in their Sunday best and it would be out of the world cool if for around Christmas I could give them an 8x10 or bigger framed family picture!! That would be gangster.
It hasn't been long since last Pday and those days in between were filled with craziness and taking care of the zone so that it didn't fall apart. We solve crime and save the world regularly here in Mwan but having been doing it for over 6 months it's natural to me. I figure it must be how super hero's feel; saving the world just comes naturally. ha ha
I'm at the end of my journal so another journal for Christmas would be sweet. I'm pumped for Christmas! We are kind of changing the way we approach missionary work this Christmas season. We're thinking of preparing a message about Jesus Christ specifically for Christmas that we will share with people when "finding". At the end of our message of Christmas and Christ we will link it to the Restoration and teach Joseph Smith and then ask for a follow-up visit where we would teach the complete Restoration. That goal is to bring Christmas spirit to the missionaries and to those we find so that their hearts will be open to another great message: The Restoration of Christ's church!! I'm excited and I think it will work well. Who can say "no" to a Christmas message? :)
Ok, love you all bunches and bunches. Siblings, don't get tired of writing me now, you've done so well so long, ha. MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Tong Ennet fiti Jaiwak
Elder Wells "Ito"
Look at my Christmas spirit! I'm so pumped for Christmas! I found this paper (red construction) and so I'm making Christmas chains and snowflakes and I'm putting it up all around our house. It's studly. I did get the box of Christmas decorations you sent and I've already put them up! Thanks for that shirt. I needed it and that's a pretty sweet soccer jersey you got Zach. Thanks to dad for getting all the ladies to write me :) All those cards are probably as many real letters I've gotten from girls on my mission. ha Ok, not really but close probably.
Did Real Salt Lake really win the MLS cup?! I can't believe it. That's so insanely amazing. Did you all watch it? Some more info on that would be cool. I saw the results from the NIKE Cup and BYU got dominated by Air Force. Just for the peace of your minds I weigh in at a solid 185, and it's solid trust me. I eat healthier than any other missionary in our mission, President and Sister Dowdle will back me on that, and when I get home and get up on the blocks people will be scared. That's really what I'm going for, the scare factor, because I definitely won't be the quickest fish in the sea when I get back. (Elder Tuaitanu says "hi" right now, and he also wants you all to come to his homecoming just like Hill, even if he comes home after me).
The Sameone and Marsine Joseph family just got on the plane to go to the Phillipines to go to the temple!! I'm pumped out of my mind for them. I gave them a camera so they could take bunches of pictures so that they can get them developed. I also took some family pictures of them as a whole, in their Sunday best and it would be out of the world cool if for around Christmas I could give them an 8x10 or bigger framed family picture!! That would be gangster.
It hasn't been long since last Pday and those days in between were filled with craziness and taking care of the zone so that it didn't fall apart. We solve crime and save the world regularly here in Mwan but having been doing it for over 6 months it's natural to me. I figure it must be how super hero's feel; saving the world just comes naturally. ha ha
I'm at the end of my journal so another journal for Christmas would be sweet. I'm pumped for Christmas! We are kind of changing the way we approach missionary work this Christmas season. We're thinking of preparing a message about Jesus Christ specifically for Christmas that we will share with people when "finding". At the end of our message of Christmas and Christ we will link it to the Restoration and teach Joseph Smith and then ask for a follow-up visit where we would teach the complete Restoration. That goal is to bring Christmas spirit to the missionaries and to those we find so that their hearts will be open to another great message: The Restoration of Christ's church!! I'm excited and I think it will work well. Who can say "no" to a Christmas message? :)
Ok, love you all bunches and bunches. Siblings, don't get tired of writing me now, you've done so well so long, ha. MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Tong Ennet fiti Jaiwak
Elder Wells "Ito"
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