Missionary Friendships, March Vising Teach Message, Ward Picnic and Women's Meeting 2014

Two notes on today's entry:
1. It should be noted that while on Pohnpei we, as sister missionaries in walking areas, needed to be in everyday before sundown for safety reasons.  Our schedule was modified so we did companionship and companionship language study in the morning and did personal and personal language study at night.

2.  In my journal entry for July 9, I explain why I felt it was so important to have good, appropriate relationships with the elders on island.

***July 8, 2014 JOURNAL: Where has the time gone?

I'm writing earlier tonight so I don't neglect.  Long days.  TUESDAY: visited Yolanda.  We shared an article from the Ensign about a starfish (The Red Star Fish, Ensign June 2004).  About how we should hold on, hold on real tight (like a starfish clings to a rock even when the waves crash over it) to the gospel and to gospel truths, especially when we feel we are going through hard times.

Had a discussion with Brother Alfones about receiving the Melchizedek priesthood.  I enjoy discussions with Brother Alfones because he isn't afraid to ask questions and share his thoughts.

Yesterday, I was, once again, able to learn that God answers prayers.  Yesterday was district meeting.  For a while I've been praying that our district/zone/island would have a closer relationship.  That's something I miss from the MTC.  Our district and branch at the MTC were close and we got close fast.  That was good because it helped us to learn better together and to be able tohelp one another.  The elders in our MTC district really looked out for Sis. Wagstaff and me.  Even in Guam, it seemed like everyone talked and got along really well.  But when I got to Pohnpei it seemed like there was a segregation between the elders and the sisters.  Until yesterday.  Yesterday Elder Erekson (Zone Leader) brought it up as hi zone business: "how to improve the relationship between the elders and the sisters.  The elders said that things are the way they are because they're afraid of rumors spreading.  Point well taken.  We did plan activities and team-ups.

30 March 2014

It's late, but I shouldn't have taken a nap at 5:30p!  Here are some pictures for you.

If you haven't done your visiting teaching for the month yet, don't fret you still have tomorrow to do it.  Feel free to use this nifty little photo I created.

It prints well as a 4x6.

We had a ward picnic at Nimitz Beach Cove last Saturday before our ward conference:

Our ward is awesome and hanging out with our ward members is always a great time!

Yesterday I attended our stake activity for the Women's Meeting broadcast.  Here are some highlights:

The workshops were excellent.  My favorite was Sage talking about how the world values a skinny jean over a mom jean but we, as members of the church, should value motherhood over skinny/worldliness.

I was on my twitter feed, tweeting my favorite quotes and thoughts @arkeu50 and following along with what others were feeling with #WomensMeeting.  It was neat to feel connected to so many women all watching the broadcast at the same time and sharing similar emotions and insights.

Pohnpei Caroline Islands Stake!!!

Yesterday, Pohnpei District was re-organized to the Pohnpei Caroline Islands Stake!  They are apart of the Manilla, Phillipines Temple area.  Great and exciting news.  I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father still sends missionaries to the tiny islands in Micronesia and that they have the opportunities to receive the blessings of being a stake in Zion.

Yolanda had two kids when I met her.  A daughter named Brennica and a son that we called Andrew.  Later we found out his real name was Enter, they just didn't want to tell us we were calling him by the wrong name.  Sadly, Enter was sickly and passed away while I was serving on Guam.

***July 2, 2004 Journal: Andrew's 1st Birthday
          Had a discussion with Yolanda on a talk Elder Eyring gave at this past general conference.  It was about over coming adversity with the help of the Lord.  It was a good discussion. Not so many distractions. Yolan put one and one together and brought up the story of Job.  We wanted her to realize that she CAN get baptized. Sister Garber brought up the quote about, if you aren't going forwards you're going backwards.
       
           Had a discussion with the Ioanis family.  Bro. Ioanis knows Bro. Marlo Lopes.  Sis. Ioanis cooks some great food, tastes just like home.  We told them the story of the bean bag frog.

          Went back to Yolanda's to "celebrate" Andrew's birthday.  We baked a cake.  They ended up feeding us too.  I was pretty full after the Ioanis', Yolanda's family just made me feel FAT!  Too much food, but oh so good!

GOOD - putting sentences together in Pohnpeian, didn't get attacked by dogs, talked to people

COMPANION(S) - Sis. Garber: helpful, loves these people, will miss Pohnpei
          Sis. Garside: uplifting, fun

GOALS: Speak the language, finish "Nature of God" report

16 March 2014

Tomorrow is our 7th wedding anniversary!  I like to tell people of a lady that once told me that she and her husband had been married for 15 years.  She felt that since they had made it that far, they will probably make it for the long haul. I took that to heart that day and thought, 15 years is too long a wait, to know that had married the right person. I know that's not what she meant.  But I decided that if/when I got married and I needed to know when I got married that it was right.  Happily, I feel reassured everyday that Nakeu and I made the right decision to get sealed for time and all eternity in the Laie temple.

We had a fun date night, Friday night. It was so quiet at our table, even in the noisy restaurant, that we fake scolded our kiddies that were not there. Then we got gifts for them.

Here are some pictures from playgroup Thursdays.  I'm playing with a new lens I got so these are the ones that came out pretty well.  The others were over or under exposed beyond help.

We Change Ourselves

It's an interesting position to be a part of people's lives as a missionary.  As a missionary you help them feel the influence of the spirit, but it's up to each individual to change their own lives.

***July 1, 2004 JOURNAL: So Tired
          I feel so tired!  I hope it's just a passing thing.
          Too many thoughts trying to process all at once.  We're trying to decide the best way to get Yolanda to be baptized.  We know she has a testimony and wants to be baptized, but she and Peter have to get married first.  That "can't" happen unless it's in their church, which can't happen unless she takes the classes first.  BLAH.  We'll see how tomorrow goes with her.
          Met with Kadarei - went over fasting, fast offering and tithing.
          SERVICE - trash detail again
          Met with Lorline.  Last time we met with her, we invited her to read Alma 42.  THICK STUFF!  We tried to discuss it, but I have a hard time understanding it on my own at the present, much less adding explaining it in Pohnpeian.  But it was good because we had planned on sharing the 2nd discussion with her.  So we went over part of Alma 42 - which was a nice segway into "The Message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ."  Meeting with her excites me.  I like to watch her learn and come to the right conclusions.  Indescribable.  But it's definitely good stuff.

9 March 2014

This blog is vastly more interesting when there are pictures.

Two Sundays ago, this couple visited our ward and were looking to get some photos done while here in the islands.  Someone thought of me and I got the chance to do a photo shoot with them two weeks ago.  It was a great time.  They are going to be sealed on Friday in the Salt Lake Temple.  Time and all eternity is the best!

Last week Sunday we got to host break the fast and watch the CES broadcast with the YSA in the stake.



Sister Burton invited everyone to tweet out their answer to the following question, "How can we know if we have heard the voice of the Spirit?" #cesdevo

Here are some responses I liked:

#CESDevo I know that I have felt the holy ghost when I am left with the feeling that I can du anything the Lord want me to do. :)
— Emma Ulrikke Top (@EmmaUTop) March 9, 2014

If it invites us to serve God and believe in Him, then we are under the influence of His Spirit! #CESDevo #LindaBurton
— Kyle Treasure (@KyleTreasure) March 3, 2014

So many viewers and participants tweeted out answers and qoutes that #cesdevo was a world wide trending topic!

Sister Burton shared this by Elder Holland:



When making decisions, God expects us to pray, trust, and be believing and then not give up, panic, or "jump ship" when something doesn't seem to be going right. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland shares a personal experience that reminds us to always trust God and the direction He gives us.

It's a really great experience about be guided to make the right decisions.

There is so much goodness in this talk!

Now, what would this post be without some pictures of the babies?  Here's an outing to the park we took last week.