Letter from Elder Meyer: Another baptism. Stake maybe forming on Phonpei

Star Apple

Hello Everyone.

This was a pretty good week. M*ldon Was baptized. It was great. I loved it. It made me so happy to have him baptized

Dad

Sound like FHE is going to be a lot more fun at grandmas. I am so excited to go to the temple again and see the new presentation. Thanks for emailing Augustine. And yes, I do use the GPS on my camera.

Question 1: Is there anything that went even better than you had hoped for this week?

Answer: Yes M*ldon was baptized. I didn't think it was going too happened. I hoped it would.

Question 2: You mentioned that people would do just about anything for their family.  Do the members easily share the gospel message with family, or are they a bit reserved?

Answer: They are reserved about that.

Question 3: Any plans for translating General Conference.  It’s happening, live, next week.

Answer: I have not heard a thing about it. So I don’t know.

Question 4: When the Yapese people build a new home or structure, do they do it by themselves, or gather in villages to build it?  I’m curious if they work often together, or more like in the States where we are independent in doing our own stuff.

Answer: It is mostly independent. His family that lives around him will help, but it is not a village work.

Question 5: How important is music on the island?

Answer: Everyone listens to music on the island.

Question 6: How many lessons were you able to teach this week, and how many with members present?

Answer: 25 lessons and 10 with a member present.

Question 7: When you look back over this past week, could you describe the most unique person or experience you met/had?

Answer: I guess it would be connected to M*ldon's baptism. He needed to be formally married, and the mom of his “wife” was not going for it. We went and talked to her. She is the District President’s sister; and the sister-in-law of the branch president. Everything had to be translated though. She is an interesting lady. After we talked to her, she was fine with the wedding. So it happened and M*ldon was baptized.

Question 8: You talked about how teaching the commandments is one of the key things you teach.  What’s the generally most difficult commandments for people to keep on the island?

Answer: The Word of Wisdom, because of all the betelnut.

Question 9: Are you hearing other news about the other islands in the mission?  I understand that the work is picking up pretty fast?

Answer:  Phonpei is becoming a stake very very soon. That is about it. That is the biggest news.

Mom

Sounds like Staheli and you guys had a lot of fun.

Question 10: I check the weather in Yap frequently.  It looks like it is raining and really warm.  In the low 90's - is that right?

Answer: Yes. I think we have had a couple of small Typhoon.

Question 11: Does Yap have a goal for lessons taught each week?

Answer: Yes it is a mission standard to teach at least 20 lessons a week.

Question 12:   What do you count as a lesson? Is it just visiting someone, or actually teaching a lesson?

Answer: You must teach a gospel principle and have a prayer. You cannot just go and chat to people and count that as a lesson.

Question 13: How many people were at church today?  What did you do?

Answer: 20 poeple came. Well, I gave a talk, and helped teach Sunday school. We also confirmed the new convert that was baptized on Saturday.

Question 14: How do people get to church if they live farther away?

Answer: They don't for the most part. Sometimes someone will pick them up. Sometimes a taxi. Most of the time, they don't go.

Question 15: What is your favorite treat on Yap?

Answer: Local cinnamon rolls are pretty good.

 

Yap Cinnamon Roles

Question 16: Conference is next weekend - do you get to hear any of it next weekend?

Answer: Nope. Maybe in a month or two.

Staheli - I hear you went back to Chico for a while. Mom and dad said that you guys had a lot of fun and made a lot of Jelly. That is really cool. I hope you had a lot of fun.

Reed - Did you make the basketball team, or have they not picked yet?

Grandma - I hear the Family home evenings just got a lot bigger at your house. I am sure that you are going to enjoy that.

To Everyone

This was a pretty good week. I was so happy to have M*ldon baptized. It was a really good service. The next day, he was supposed to be confirmed. I got to church, and the person who gives him a ride was in Colonia. I was very scared. I walk inside and M*ldon is nowhere to be seen. I was so sad. Then I go into the office, and there he is. I was so happy to have him there. I was so scared when I didn't see him there at first. It was a really good Sunday. I had all of our recent converts from Thool there, and a new convert confirmed. It was really awesome.

We have baptized all of the most promising people we are teaching. I really hope we find some new promising people soon. The Thool area is really doing well, and I don't want it to fade away. We are doing everything we can to keep it moving. It is a difficult task.

The members are still pretty excited about Home Teaching. So that is good. That will help
the branch out so so much. We just need to find some more people to teach, that will progress to baptism. It is a difficult task, but we are doing or best.

We are working with a lot of less actives right now. One of them is named D*frad (family name). The mom was baptized in 1994. A really long time ago. She has several kids, one of who is A*gistine. There are a lot of less actives that live there. The Mom said that she has been praying and praying, but doesn’t think that she received and answer. Then we showed up. She thought we were the answer. She is right. Some of them went to church yesterday, so that is really good. There are a lot of non-members there as well. Hopefully we will see some good stuff happen there. I think we could.

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

Love Elder Meyer