Letter from Elder Meyer: An explosion? (Q5). They have a hospital (Q9). Seven more baptisms coming up, two are being taught from the “outer island”. Many more pictures.

Hello Everyone. 

It is September and time is flying really fast.

Dad

That is really cool all that happened in the temple. I wish that I could go to the temple. You are so lucky. How did it work in different language?

Question 1:  How is it decided to baptize in the ocean rather than the font?

Answer: It is the person being baptized that gets to choose where it happens. 

Baptism of J*ssica

Question 2:  Harvesting Taro looks like a ton of work. Do you ever cook it and if so, how do you make it?

Answer: I cook when it is given to me uncooked, which is not very often. But, you pretty much just boiling to for a while, until it is cooked. 

Question 3: How many lessons did you get to teach this week. And how many with “members present?”

Answer: We taught 22 lessons and 10 with a member present. Less than last week, but still good. 

Question 4: Out of all the people baptized since you’ve been on the island, is there anyone that is really progressing well and possibly suited for leadership opportunities?

Answer: Well, yes, and no. Ann*e is in a leadership position, but here husband won’t let her go to church. She has got so much potential and also A*gustine. Both Elder Garrett and I think that he could learn to be the next branch president. He is just struggling a little bit right now. I do what I can, but I am not in his area any more. 

Question 5: You mentioned the work on Yap island is about to explode.  Even if it is a just a small explosion.  What do you think is going on to cause the missionary work to progress even better than it has this past year?

Answer: The members are more interested in helping us. That is what has changed. I am teaching about 10 lessons a week with a member present, more than I have my whole mission. That is because members are more excited now. I am not sure what changed their way of thinking, but something did. I don't know if it was us missionaries, or something else. 

Question 6: Do you have a favorite moment from this past week. Perhaps something happy, funny, spiritual?

Answer:  [note: He explained something really funny, but I can’t put it on the blog… if interested, just ask me directly –dad ]  Best spiritual thing would be when we were teaching Jane. She felt the Spirit so strong and broke down and cried when we were teaching her. She told us her story about her mom leaving her and everything, and it was sad. The Spirit was so strong there. She was sharing her testimony and she just started crying. 

Mom

Hope everything is going well with you. Did you finish your master’s project yet, and what are you doing for the project? You sent some crazy pictures. Could I get a little bit of an explanation of them, did you guys buy them or did you rent them, and what were they for? Thanks for the pictures.  I love them. Just like you love pictures of me, I love pictures of you and the fam. 

Question 7: Tell me about church yesterday. How many were there?  What unique thing happened?  What did you do at church?

Answer: There was 14 people at church. Johnny was given the priesthood. It was really awesome. S*m, a young man in the branch, gave him the priesthood. He really wanted me to do it, but I convinced them otherwise. 

Question 8: Tell us more about the young men you are watching, whose mom is moving to Lehi, Utah.

Answer: Their names are S*m and P*ter. They are the best young men ever. They go teaching with me, they are always at church, and they are great examples to the people here. They are both wonderful young men. I had you buy scriptures for Sam. He loves them and reads from them all the time. It is great. 

Question 9: Where do women go to have babies?  Is there a hospital?  A doctor or midwife?

Answer: There is a hospital here. The women will normally go there to have their babies. 

Question 10: Tell us about your companion?  How old?  Where is he from exactly?  Is henna lifelong member?

Answer: His name is Elder Waimilla. He is from Suva, Fiji. He is 19 years old. He has been a member his whole life. He is a great Elder. I have loved serving with him. 

Who is Elder Tueller's companion? - Elder Ramiterre.
Who is Elder Hatch's companion? - Elder Baliling. 

Language study as a Zone

Question 11: Tell us a time this week that you received an answer to a prayer.

Answer: Well, I am always praying for revelation for investigators, and now that we are doing a Book of Mormon challenge and looking for scriptures for investigators, I always start with a prayer. And every time I pray for guidance on finding scriptures for investigators, I find many scriptures that help them, For all of my investigators... that is an answer. Also I am always praying that more people will accept the message of the Restoration, and we are teaching so many wonderful people. They just keep coming.

I love you mom. You are so wonderful. Thanks for all you do.

Staheli - How are things in Reno? I don't remember if I told you or not, but yours and Kate's lava lava are finished. I am trying to decide if I should save it until I get home to give to you or if I should send it home in a package. I have not decided. If I send it now, I won’t have anything to give you when I come back. 

Reed - Hope school is going well, school just started here on Yap. What are the classes that you are taking this year? What grade are you in because honestly U can't remember. Hope all is going well.

To Everyone

This was a pretty good week. Things are going well up in this area. Things are going even better in the whole mission. This last month in August as a mission we baptized 116 people. It was amazing. It is so wonderful. 116 people were baptized. I can't believe it. It is so great. Our goal was 100 and we bet it. Our goal for this month is 110 so we should be able to do it.

We have about 7 scheduled here on Yap. We think that we can get  2 up in Thool. So that is going to be awesome. J*ne is the most promising of them all. She is so great. I told you a little bit about her under dads section. She is super great. I am so excited for her. Don't know if I told you guys this, but Elder Garrett found her a year ago and told us to go see her. We looked for her forever and never found her. Well, a year later, she is going to be baptized. She should be baptized and the 14th of September. I cannot wait. It is going to be so awesome.

Best investigator in the world

On Sunday we had 14 people there. It was less than our 22, but a lot better than the 9 that it has been. So it was good. J*hnny got the priesthood. S*m, a priest in the branch, gave him the priesthood. It was so cool. It was the first time that S*m has given the priesthood to someone. It was super cool. S*m was really scared, but he did it. I taught him how to give someone the priesthood and how to ordain someone to an office in that priesthood. It was super fantastic. I loved it.

Church getting started

We got a couple of new investigators. They are from the outer islands. One of their names is M*ldon. He married someone while he was in the outer islands, and she is a member, they came back to yap proper and now we are teaching him. Also M*gnoose. He has been taught a little bit before. He is from the outer islands as well. He just got back to yap proper and would like to learn a little bit more. So both of those could go really well.  We have members helping us with both of them, so it is going to be super awesome.

I love the work here in Yap, it is going so much faster than when I first got here. It is great. I love this people, I love this island, and I love serving the Lord by serving them. It is amazing. 

Stone Money Bank

Living area

Everywhere you look is ocean all around

Moving Stone Money

Providing service building something

That is about it. I love you guys so so much. You are the best family in the world. I love you all.

Love, Elder Meyer

P.S.  Scripture wise, Elder Ramiterre asked if you could buy him some. Then you asked if everyone had a set, and we all do except for Elder Ramiterre and Elder Baliling. He has not said if he wants a set or not, you just asked. Please order some for Elder Ramiterre, when the new ones get in. You are the best.