Letter from Elder Meyer: Pretty good week, Using the right words, Hasn’t yet talked to village chief, Bugs are no big deal, Locally married, Two baptisms coming up, Planning for a conference.

Hello Everyone. This has been a pretty good week.

Dad’s Questions

Question #1: Do you still like getting a list of specific questions?

Answer:  Yes it is fun to answer them.

[Note: If you would like to send Elder Meyer a letter or question, email to: johnny@meyer.net]

Question #2: Did you get a chance to send audio or photos?

Answer: I sent them home last week in a package, with a lava-lava, shells, and some other stuff that I got made here.

Elder Meyer shaving the inside of a coconut. Perhaps for lunch?

Question #3: If you could have gone on your mission at age 18, before attending college, would have done that? Wondering if you think attending college, away from home for awhile, is helpful prior to mission.

Answer:  I probably would have left before going to college, personally. Going to college was helpful because it gave me a chance to live by myself, but still be able to call home whenever I wanted or need to. Knowing me though, I would have left before going to college.

Question #4: What things can you say rather easily now in Yapese?

Answer:  I have started to learn more things that I can say in my prayer. I am not saying a memorized prayer anymore. Now that I have a bigger gospel vocabulary I am learning more how to really format a sentence the right way. Hopefully I will get it down soon. There are a lot of little words that mean a lot of different things. I am trying to figure out how and when to use the right one.

Question #5:  In the Colonia Branch, could you describe how your Sunday typically goes? Any leadership meetings other than the 3 hour regular block?

Answer: It is the same in Thool, just with more people. I haven't talked down here in sacrament meeting yet, so that is good. There is PEC in both branches. There is a fireside every Sunday night, and a movie night every Saturday night. Seminary is Mon, Wed, Fri.

   
Question #6: Do people hold Family Home Evening (FHE) on the island?

Answer: Some families do. We go and help out and do FHEs with different families.

Question #7: Do you ever talk with village leaders or officials?  How does that go?

Answer: I have not ever spoken to the chief of the villages. There are village meetings every once in a while, but we don't go to them and I do not know what they talk about.

Elder Meyer around the Island

Question #8: Could you share something that put a big smile on your face this past week?

Answer: Having investigators come to church.

Question #9:  Is there something that you haven’t received in your packages that would be fun to get?  Curious if you share all the little treats with the people you meet, or mainly just with the missionaries?

Answer: I can't think of anything. I mainly just share with the missionaries. I have shared with other people though.

Mom

Wow, so Maddy got baptized. That is really cool.

Question #10:  Did you tell President Mecham about wanting to go to Yap Island?

Answer: Yes, I told him in my weekly letter to him a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, I haven't heard back because that website has been down for a while.

Question #11: Does general conference only come in Yapese, or will you hear it in English?

Answer: We get it in both. There are outer islanders who don't speak Yapese, and better understand English so it will be played in English.

Question #12: What is the strangest thing you ate this week?

Answer: Nothing really strange. There are only a couple things on the island that I have tried. Some fruits are really rare, so I don't get any.

Question #13:  How are the bugs and lizards and stuff?

Answer: Everything is good. No more bed bugs. There are always bugs everywhere, but it is no big deal, I am used to it.

Question #14: Tell us what you talked about in church today?

Answer: We talked about faith in Sunday school. Alma 32, I believe with the seed. And in priesthood we talked about being a good father and a good husband.

Staheli

Hey, I hear you went home. That sounds like it was fun. Dad said that you made cookies to send to me. I am very excited for them. Your baking is a lot better than anything I could every get or make here. Love ya.

Reed

Man, I am so bummed about your head. That really stinks. I am glad that it is starting to get a little bit better. I hope you start to get better soon. I am praying for you man.

Grandma

I just got a letter from you today. I am very excited to read it. I picked it up and then came straight to the place where we email, so I have not been able to read it yet. Love you.

To Everyone

Well, this Sunday was probably the best Sunday ever. We had A*g*stine and two of his daughters, Ann*e and here whole family, that would be a total of 4 people, and D*v*ne come to church.

That was a total of 8 investigators come to church. They all really really liked it to. It was so so amazing to see how the gospel is helping these people out and that I had the privilege of sharing it with them.

We are having a wedding for Ann*e on Saturday. She is only locally married and not lawfully married. She and D*v*ne are getting baptized on the 27th of October. I am so excited about that. They are all doing so so well. It is so great.

We are also having a Halloween party on the 27th. So we are planning and getting ready for that. We are coming up with games that we can play with everyone.

On Saturday we split up with Elder Garrett and went to invite all of the members to the party and also the district conference. The district conference is like a stake conference.

President Mecham is coming to Yap with his wife, and some other leaders from Guam. So we are doing a conference. We are involved in planning for that. We have also taken care of that. I am excited for district conference; I think it will be really good. President Mecham is a great speaker.

I love you all very very much. You are the best family in the world. There are three pictures attached. 1 - me by a tree - 2 - me shaving the inside out of a coconut. 3 an amazing sunset here.

I love you so so so much

Love,

Elder Meyer