Week 16 - You Don't Know What You Have October 27,19

Weekly letter coming from Thol in Yap!
     This has been such a loooongg first week. I am just adapting to such a unique place and lifestyle. From what I have learned this culture is extremely sarcastic, reserved, and respectful. They follow the mosaic law in their culture, so they have interesting elements. For example, there is a man's house and woman's house that only those genders can go in., so the women's house is often used for pregnancies and men's houses are used for fishing gear or meetings. Coconuts taste awesome, and using a machete for service is soo fun. The people here are so kind and because it is such a small island of 10,000 everyone knows the missionaries.
     My spiritual thought for the week is thinking about what we have. I know that I didn't and still may not have a great idea of what I really have in my life back home. However, I have noticed in this small island culture, getting 1 minute hot showers before it turns lukewarm, no carpet, a little bit of air conditioning and so forth. For me, I learn the value of something, once I don't have it.
     I was naive to living conditions like these where they live in thatch houses, cut grass and branches down with machetes, and live content with food that mainly comes from the land or from cans. No fast food. No big shopping centers. No shoes are worn in church or homes. Yet they know how to be happy. They are grateful for what they have and I think each of us can be too. Life is truly so amazing, and we have so much to be grateful for. It just takes a few moments of sitting down, and looking around you and saying, "Wow, I am so happy that I have a close family. For friends and places we can travel, or play sports, go eat and be so connected through phones"
I am grateful for this beautiful island, for the people here and the chance they have to make fun of me when I try and speak their language.
      Ire m'ar is something they would never say, but it means "That's sick" which is what I say to refer to something cool. Ire mar is "that's fermented food." so I have to be careful with the subtle differences in sounds in the language. Love you all, have a good week,
Elder George

Stone pathway, Yep we're in Yap and it's a jungle. Lucky we have our trusty waterproof bags.

Early morning study on the beach. Looks like worlds end.

My new companion Elder Christensen

Beautiful  "God's Salute" also known as Sock Puppet

Phat Pig -"Li'l Pigs Is Good To Eat", said the big bad wolf.

I've mowed and trimmed a lot of lawns but these weed
wackers are really scary! I think they might take a leg right off!
Please note the roof repair going on. Too much rain rusts the roofs. 

Cool mom, I get to use a Machete! Doing service just got really fun!
Mom says, "It's a lot harder to play the piano with only one hand"...☹

Samurai sweeper

Kitty❤

Mount Wannahakalugy - And then there was fire!

Fried Chicken! ...Don't worry haircut is scheduled :)

And you call yourself an orange? Smells like an orange
taste like an orange but looks like a lime.
Don't judge a fruit by its cover!

Mom says these weekly P-Day picture phone calls are inspired.

This speargun is spring-loaded. Poor little fish.

Got milk! First actual coconut :)

Week 15 - The Island of Yap 10-20-19

    Hello Everyone! My pictures this week are a farewell to Guam. I am writing from Yap! (population 10,000) I have been transferred and now am companions with Elder Christensen. Elder Jones (from my MTC group) is also on island and it was sooo fun to see them at the airport waiting for me at 2 am.
    Well here's my fun note for all of you. So I get left at the airport for a few hours, then I get off the plane and into a straight culture shock. Literally the first thing I see is this tiny building outside the plane. All the passengers go through the line and then there happens to be this lady who uh, follows the Yapese culture... And puts a lei (flower necklace) around each person's neck. She wore local clothes, which is a grass skirt and just a grass skirt... This place will be an adjustment for sure!
     This island feels much more like the life my brothers' described from their missions. I have no smart phone now, I'll just say 'I'm FREE"! The smartphones are really going to enhance the work but I also had that inner desire to get away from using technology and serve part of my mission without it. I am going to really have to adjust to this place though, it is a whole different world. The Island of Yap is a place with much less comfort than Guam.
      My spiritual note this week came from a talk I heard in general conference, while in my personal study. Elder Terrence M. Vinson talks about being "fair dinkum" about the gospel. It means YOU ARE WHAT YOU SAY YOU ARE and when you are committed you are "ALL IN"and I absolutely love that. We claim to be disciples of Jesus Christ. We claim that we know the Book of Mormon is true, that we have a living prophet today who leads and guides the one true church. If we are to testify of these truths we must also live them. Be who we say we are, Disciples of Jesus Christ.
      Let us all go full throttle with the Gospel. Yes we will still get hit, but knowing that we can continually press forward without fear of those attacks is what brings me comfort. Be fair dinkum. Don't hold back! I love you all, Elder George

Elders George and Goff - I loved working in Talefofo, it means God's country

We Three - Elder Nascimento, Elder Goth and Me

Goodbye Guam it sure is beautiful!

Elder Goff has a way with animals...

Our Senior Missionaries: Elders & Sisters Buck,
Wiser, Hicks, Van, Taylor and Schiele

Our threesome is down to two. I left them at the
airport and will really miss those guys!

Don't feel too bad about the weather there. It could be worse!
We are all fine but Saipan got hit pretty hard. The rest of us just got a lot of rain.

Week 14 - How could you do this to me? 10-13-19

 I went to Saipan! Just for 2 days but it was beautiful and I only saw Sunday evening session of conference but I also got to be apart of Saipan's Zone Conference. What they shared is really important to me. They talked about the people of Ammon, and how they prepared for war. The adversary and his forces are always ready to bring us down, and as we make battle strategies and suit up in our armor we can be ready for the oncoming attacks. But the tender moment was when Elder Walter wrote on the board, "How could you do this to me" and we watched the Church's message called "The Will of God" by D. Todd Christopherson. A little current bush is cut down by the Gardner and begins to cry. "How could you do this to me! I was making such wonderful growth and now you've cut me down. All the other plants will look down on me. Aren't you the Gardner here? How could you do this to me?" "Look little current bush I am the Gardner here, and I know what I want you to be. Someday when you are laden with fruit you will say Thank you Mr. Gardner, for loving me enough to cut me down."
     The video is incredible and while I would go through and quote the whole thing I encourage you all to take 3 minutes to watch it. It is a question that I know I have asked. It is something that every missionary asks. But I know when I have reached that terrible point and fallen on my knees I have been able to see, "Thank you Father, for loving me enough to cut me down. For loving me enough to hurt me." He knows what He wants me to become. He knows what He wants each of you to become. So even when getting cut down hurts, trust that the Lord knows what He wants you to be. He will always be there fore you. I promise that, and leave you with my testimony that I know that our Savior is the way, and the life of the world. He lives. And He loves us. Elder George

The Will of God - Elder D. Todd Christopherson
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media-library/video/2012-01-014-the-will-of-god?lang=eng

Hello! We have your son with us in Saipan!.. Sister Hicks

Here is the Saipan island from plane view. I got to go with 
President and Sister Hicks to teach the technology training. 

Technology Training with the Saipan Zone! Bonus from working on the tech team. I loved it.

Sisters and Elders practicing sharing the gospel with the new Smartphones. 
I think I'll be going to technology train the missionaries on Palau sometime in January 2020.

  Elder RioVeros did push-ups for my object lesson. (He thought he might die) Elder Walter in the middle presenting our fight here on earth and on the right Elder DeVries is the Saipan Zone leader. 

Elder DeVries and Elder Sapan eating traditional Filipino food at the beach.

We always eat well at zone conference! Yes, that means pizza.

Saipan Zone Conference, I'm so glad I got to attend.

 Saipan Elders - Tradition to jump with President Hicks! Some got off the 
ground a little better than others but all had nice form don't you think?

 

Elder Nascimento, Elder Goth and I are "tri-panions" on Guam
until the next transfer. They are some of my favorites.  

These were just labels of some of the food we ordered.

Puppies love missionaries, or at least their ties. Dogs, not so much!

Week 13 - Reconcile 10-6-19

Hey everyone! This has been quite the week... I love sharing pictures of the beauty of Guam and all the missionaries I get to work with. It really is amazing out here, and I am so grateful to work in such a beautiful place and I want to share it with you.

        My note for this week happened today, about 10 minutes ago. A man named Richard, was found by the Palauan Zone leaders while they stayed in our house for the training. So we told him that we would come by and see him sometime next week. He calls us today, and gives us directions Chamorro style (left at this store, past this tree, turn right and the house with the...) We prayed we could find his home and we found him. He asked us to give him a priesthood blessing and I could just feel his faith it was so potent. As we laid our hands upon his head I felt the spirit so strongly.
      After the blessing was over we shared with him some scriptures. One was 2 Nephi 10:24.
It says, "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, reconcile yourselves to the will of God...After ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved". We focused on that word Reconcile. It means to make one thing compatible with another. How are we letting God "fit" into are lives? He is perfect and because of that he can fit into anyone's life and fill in ALL that we are missing. But we must reconcile ourselves to His will, in order for him to come into our lives.
      I love this mission, and all the people I have the chance to meet. I have yet to see General Conference, but I encourage everyone to remember the words of our Prophet and Apostles. They are guiding the whole church and I love them, respect them and can't wait to listen to them. Enjoy this week my friends, and reconcile yourselves!
Elder George

So I wanted to start off by saying that our tech team
had a very successful training, and I was so thankful
for how well it worked out. It isn't often that things
you plan for actually go to plan. 

I loved being up there and presenting and sharing
 the things I have learned and worked on for the
past several weeks. Elder Lademora and I did a
lot of preparing, and it finally is finished!

I love my companion and the time that I was
able to work with him. Due to an illness he needs
to go home but he was able to stay long enough
to finish this tech training!  He got to see the
project through and see smartphones roll out
in Mirconesia for the first time ever!

It's my 2nd transfer and I counted in my journal and found I have
had 17 different companions for a day or more. I've been with
split zone leaders multiple times, and whenever elders are injured
or sick they get to come to Guam to heal.  I've had the opportunity
to meet and work with many of them! 

My friend elder Poh from Pohnpei. Every time it starts raining
really hard he loves to say... "You think I care?!!"

Elder Sake holding a snake that someone we teach
killed. He threw a baseball bat at it. Strike and your out!

Elder Hymas  (Yes, Chad Hymas's son) and me working together
for a few days. He is the Assistant to the President. While he's
been with me he has had bad luck, from having expired milk with
his cereal to accidentally ordering the jalapeño chicken at Wendy's
and not the jalapeño burger. 

The AP's have such a nice place. Good luck for me!

Personal study - 2 Nephi 10:24

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, reconcile yourselves to the will of God... After ye 

are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved"

Completely drained after the tech training and getting
up at 4:30am  to make trips back and forth from the
airport to pick up Palau and Yap Zone Leaders