Letter from Elder Meyer: Was this the worst week ever? Johnny baptizes Johnny.

Hello Everyone.

This was an amazing week. I absolutely loved this week. It was the best week ever. We had a baptism... Actually two of them!!!! One in my area, and one in Elder Hatch's. It was fantastic. 

Baptism in the Ocean

We had the district youth activity on Saturday. That is where we had the baptism. I baptized and confirmed J*hnny on Saturday/Sunday. It was so cool. We got to go in the ocean. It was really awesome. I really loved it.

Thanks so much for the camera. I really appreciate it. 

Well, this was a great week, we had 14 “member involved” lessons… it was great. Things are really starting to turn around here. We normally get about 5 member involved lessons a week. So it was good.

We are teaching a lady named J*ne. She is really awesome. She should be baptized in September. I am so excited for her. She saw the baptism on Saturday, and she said that she wanted to be baptized really bad. So that is going well. I am very excited about her. She is the most promising person we have been teaching.

The youth activity was a lot of fun. We had somewhere around 80 people there. It was really great. I really loved it. 

All of the Missionaries on Prep Day

Dad

Sounds like you had a very busy day today. I am so glad that you guys do your home teaching. I wish people here did theirs. Oh man, I really miss boating. I really enjoyed doing that. So you are off to Switzerland. That is pretty cool. I do really think you are a spy. I love you dad.

Question 1:  When you are walking around a village, how do most people treat you when you meet them for the first time?

Answer: Well, honestly, it depends on the village. If it a strong Catholic village, the people will mostly hide in the jungle. If not, most of the people are fairly friendly. You will be able to teach them a little bit, they won’t commit to anything, but you can teach them. 

Question 2: What is it that the AP’s taught you about finding when they came to visit?

Answer: Umm. i don't know. They were just really good at it. They just kept reiterating talking to everyone, it was good. 

Question 3: Today the Young Men /Young Women sang a spectacular number in sacrament meeting. Do your branches there have choirs or special musical numbers?

Answer: Nope, most of the time when in Thool, I am pretty much singing a solo. 

Question 4: Wards here in the States are made up of people with diverse gifts and talents. What gifts and talents to members of the branch there have?

Answer: I couldn't say for sure. Everyone is good at building things. No one knows how to play the piano. Everyone knows how to cook good food. I don't think it is quite as diverse as the states. 

Question 5: How is your cooking coming along?

Answer: It is coming alright. I cook the same things every time. 

Question 6: When you think back over the past year, is there something you really appreciate about the Garretts?  [Garretts are the senior couple serving on the island handling seminary]

Answer: I really love the Garretts. They are wonderful people. I really appreciate how much they care about the people here. And that Elder Garrett is always willing to come out teaching with us, especially when we were in a group of three missionaries.

Question 7: Do you think it made any difference to be serving on Yap and having received your Eagle Scout?

Answer: Just general safety for sure, but besides that, I couldn't say. The stuff I learned is so engraved into me I am not sure what it would be like not having my eagle scout. 

Building something

Harvesting Tarro

Enjoying Crab on Leaf

Gardening, Yap Style

Mom

That is just what you need mom, is to be more busy. ha ha. Did you finish your masters? I pray every night that you will! Tell Melanie that I am so excited for her to go on a mission. It is amazing!!!! I am so glad that you love working with the young women. That is great. I wish people here had your drive. It would change everything.  Love you mommy.

Question 8: When you talk about people getting baptized, often you say they are moving to the states. Do they move to the same area here in the states?

Answer: A lot of people move to the states. Not just converts. Most of the members try to move to Utah. One member, from the Thool branch, is moving to Utah, Lehi on Tuesday, she is very excited. She is leaving two sons here, she has asked me to watch over them. I will. The two boys will go to the states right when I finish my mission. I really look forward to seeing them when I get to the states. 

Question 9:  Last week you answered your dad's question about mission stories and said that the one about you and Yap went around the mission.  Tell us what was said.

Answer: Well, one of the APs said that he heard that there was someone in the mission that picked the exact spot that he went from the Book Of Mormons. He couldn't remember where, but I told him it was me, and I told him the whole story. People really really like that story. 

Question 10:  You said that you do most of the cooking now.  What do you cook?

Answer: I cook spaghetti, spam and rice, sweet and sour pork, if there is cheese and tortillas, and I cook quesadias. I have made chicken and rice. I don't know, I just make stuff up sometimes. 

Question 11: What are you studying in your personal study of the scriptures?

Answer: I am studying the Book of Mormon. I have two different challenges that I am doing currently, so I just try and stay up with that. One is in English from President Mecham, for the mission, the other is in Yapese for our zone. 

Question 12: Do you go to mutual in the week nights?  What do the youth do at mutual?

Answer: We don't have mutual here. I will help run a youth activity in Thool occasionally, but there is not a whole lot for the youth here :(

Question 13:  If you could send a message to the youth that are sixteen and seventeen years old about a mission, what would it be?

Answer: To read the Book of Mormon and Preach My Gospel. That will help you prepare, if you are not sure you want to go, trust me, it is the right thing to do. There is nothing better that serving people through the Lord’s work. 

Staheli

Hope you are doing good. I really miss you. I hope school and work are great. I know how much you like to work with those kids. There is a lady here who I baptized that does the same thing, I think. Love ya.

Reed

How is school dude? That is super funny that you are in school. I hope you are enjoying it. Love you

Well that is really about it. Well, time is about out. so i need to go, I will attach some pictures though.  Love you all so so much. Thanks for the camera you are the best family ever. Love ya

Love Elder Meyer

Another Local Dance

Moving Stone Money