Experience the Master Teacher and Birthdays

I should've known that counting down days of #100happydays was setting myself up for failure.  So, I decided to be more "room without walls" with it...

***July 2004: Messenger: President Pulispher's Message: Experience - The Master Teacher - pt3
          Hebrews 9:16 states, "For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator."  Many people have given up their lives for their testimony.  We probably will not have to do that.  But somehow in someway, we will have to stand up for what we believe in.  Your mission is a witness to your father in Heaven that you have a testimony.  You have given up two years of your life.  That is a real credit to you.  That test, "What are you willing to do for your testimony?", will continue through out your life.  To our couples, you have passed the test one more time.  Experience - The Master Teacher.

9 February 2014

In the last few weeks we had two awesome birthdays for Alessandra and Itasca.  It's hard to believe that our little girl is already 3-years-old and that baby Tactac is real toddler.

We decided to have a small party for Pwopwo, so we needed to clean up the back yard a bit.  I enlisted the babies to help clean the back patio.

 Pwopwo (all of us really) really like the Disney movie "Frozen."  We're going printable on the birthday banners this year.  Pwopwo was excited to wake up to a birthday banner on her birthday.

We rented and bouncer and cotton candy machine for Pwopwo's birthday party.  The babies had fun while the mommies got to talk to each other.  Luckily the bouncer people didn't come to pick up the bouncer until 6pm.  We got to have some family bounce time after Daddy got back from seeing Lindsey Takeuchi at the temple and after everyone left.

One week and one day after Pwopwo's birthday is Tactac's birthday.  Tactac likes cars so we printed and put together this Disney "Cars" themed banner.  I don't know if Tactac has actually seen the banner.  It's a bit out of his normal field of view.

While Tactac's birthday party isn't until the end of the month (I couldn't handle back-to-back weekend parties) we had a small family celebration on his actual birthday (because he really knows ;)).

 Foodland makes an awesome chocolate sponge cake, and an extra candle for good luck.



Jerica bought Lloyd a glow worm for his 1st birthday because she remembered that I had a glow worm that I loved for forever.  We have continued this tradition and I managed to get these three still enough (although still a little blurry) to see all three with their respective glow worm lovies

Our babies fill our lives with joy and Nakeu and I continue to grow together each day.  It's amazing to think that 10 years ago Nakeu was gearing up for a mission and I was working on considering a mission.  And today, our missions are something we look on with fondness and thanksgiving and hope to be able to pass on to our babies.

Staying Focused and Pictures from the Park

One of the highlights of every transfer (6-week periods that a mission is broken down into) is most definitely Zone Conference.

On Pohnpei, in 2004, there was a north zone and a south zone.

Missions are broken down into small zones, smaller districts and smallest areas.
Each companionship is assigned to an area.
A district is comprised of several areas, headed by a chosen missionary district leader.
A zone is made up of a few districts, headed by a companionship of zone leaders.

Both zones attended the same zone conference.

In the next few posts I'll share more of the notes that I took at this zone conference.

***June 28, 2004 JOURNAL: Zone Conference
          Losing sight of our goals - Sister Pulispher - Florence Chadwick swam to the California Coast.  Stopped less that a half mile from the coast because the fog was so dense that she couldn't see the coast.  Reminds me of my run senior year.  One of the coaches told Thomas Akeo and I that we only had 100 yards to go, so we started to pick up the pace  But because we both weren't wearing our glasses, we couldn't see the finished we thought he was wrong.  So we slowed our pace and began to walk.  Then Mrs. Hansen came up behind us and said "What are you doing walking the last 50 yards?!"  Then we looked and we could see the finish line and ran.  It was that lack of vision that slowed us.  We should we had trusted in what we knew was there.

12 June 2013

That was a true story about running without my glasses on.  Never did that again, simply so I wouldn't make the same mistake of slowing down and wrecking a possible great run time.

Yesterday was a local holiday, Kamehameha Day.  It was nice to have Lloyd home from school and all the babies together.  Unfortunately, Nakeu, still had to go into work but that's okay.

We went to the park for a while and the babies hammed it up!

Untitled becomes titled

Confession: sometimes after taking notes at a conference I look at it and try to give talks a title like it would in the Ensign.  This District Conference was on Pohnpei.  It's a neat experience.  The speaker is at the pulpit and a chosen missionary translator is standing to the side with a microphone.  So the speaker, speaks a sentence or two in English, then the missionary translates on the spot.  If I had stayed on the island long enough for the last district conference while I was out, the zone leaders and district leaders thought it would be a good idea to have a sister translate when there were sisters speaking.  But, it wasn't meant to be and I was on Guam for the last district conference of my mission.

***NOTES: District Conference
 6/26/04
I. President Pulsipher
          A. Pres. Hinckley - The Lord Jesus Christ is the head of this church, my solemn responsibility is to testify of His reality
          B. It is amazing how far this church has progressed
          C. This is a church of miracles
          D. It is important for us to continue to strengthen our testimonies of Jesus Christ.
II. Elder Hopoate
          A. Baptism is not enough
          B. The whole point is eternal families

6/27/04
I. Sister Pulsipher - Feast Upon the Words of Christ
          A.When we read and study, the spirit witnesses of the truth
          B. DC 88:63 - draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you
          C. DC 88:118 - teach one another words of wisdom
II. President Pulsipher
          A. Know who we are: sons and daughters, children of a king (the King of Kings)
          B. What manner of people should we be?  Even as Christ is
          C. Father in Heaven has an individual plan for each of us.
          D. Isaiah 40:30 - they that wait upon the Lord, shall renew themselves
          E. Mosiah 4:30 - watch yourself, your thoughts, your words, your deeds - observe the commandments
          F. Word of Wisdom - "you don't find rat poison there ether" - but you wouldn't eat rat poison would you?
          G. We are "the House of God" - not an easy thing to build
          H. DC 115:46 - the church is for a defense and a refuge, a light and a standard
          I. Our first culture is the culture of the Lord

11 June 2013
A Sunday Review: The Day I Left My Phone and Kindle At Home

We had a great fast and testimony meeting on Sunday.  The kind that make missionaries glad they invited investigators to Sacrament Meeting, or wish they had if they didn't.  But between two parents and three kiddies, I didn't get a chance to take notes on that.  :(

Sister Lori Mo`o gave an awesome lesson in Relief Society from chapter 11 of the "Teachings of the Prophets: Lorenzo Snow" book entitled, I Seek Not Mine Own Will, but the Will of the Father.

She shared, "When I seek the will of the Father...."
1. No Failure - meaning we will not have failed in the eyes of the Lord.  While we may not accomplish things the way we intended to or may crash and burn completely, if we are seeking to accomplish the will of the Lord we will not have failed in His eyes.  We will have accomplished and learned exactly what Heavenly Father has granted to us.
2. Power to Succeed - we will be given power to succeed when we seek God's will over our own.  We discussed steps to following the will of God: continuous studying of the gospel, praying, fasting, following the counsel of the prophets.

Last month I did a study on Sacrifice and Obedience.  In a talk by Elder Dallenbach he quotes Elder Neal A. Maxwell: “The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. The many other things we ‘give’ … are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us.”  This is what I think about when I think it is hard to allow my desires and will to be in line with the will of God.

Picture Fun

I thought about waiting until the 26th but that would be a long time away.

***June 26, 2004 JOURNAL: One Month
          Today was a long and hard day.  I was thinking way too much about home because I realized I've already been away for a month.  I'm in a new situation and I miss the normalcy, the comfort zone.  I miss home and the people there.  That was comfort zone #1.  I also miss the MTC, that was comfort zone #2.
          Other than that slight bout with homesickness, it was a pretty good day.  Our morning started early (6:00am) because we had district conference tonight.  For service this morning we picked up trash.  The people here are so against us helping them!
          We taught a lady named Laurline.  I actually taught!  Mostly in English, but it was still good.  Laurline was awesome.  The spirit was so strong - it was nice to feel that in a discussion again.  It was weird though.  We had "get in, get powerful, get out" ingrained in us at the MTC, and it's not that way here, yet.  I think that's something that will help, to get to a place where we can get in and get straight to the point.
          We found Yolanda back at her "in-laws" house.  That was not a good environment for living.  Hard, very hard, to feel the spirit with so many things going on in the background.  Not to mention, her in-laws, didn't want us there.  GOOD TIMES.

9 June 2013
A Photo Review from the past few weeks:

The awesome Mother's Day Dinner the ward had for us.  Kahea Montgomery headed up the decorations committee.  It was awesome.

From playgroup that we started having Thursday mornings

Kahula's 1st Birthday party

Memorial Day of FUN!

Directions:
1. Go to the WalMart
2. Let everyone choose their favorite cereal
3. Get milk
4. At home cereal bar!

MEGA COUCH

Random FRIDAY of FUN

Visitor's Center

Seasider!

 Maddie's Birthday Party
We had our first experience with going to a friend's birthday party

Maddie the birthday girl.

Sean and Lloyd

Muht

My first experience "muht"-ing

***June 25, 2004 JOURNAL: Down Pour!
          We walked about a million miles today!  From one end of our area to the other!
          Service: muht - We pulled weeds for Yolanda and her "cousin-in-law"  I felt pretty dumb pulling up weeds in a FOREST!  Mostly because it's a forest and because I couldn't tell the difference between plant life and weed.  But, then I thought to myself, if it were my yard, I'd be happy to have anything growing at all.  Then I started thinking straight and decided that if t were my yard (if you can call a mountain side a yard) then I wouldn't want weeds cluttering it up.  We were able to get to Yolanda's and back safely using the river.
          After lunch we walked from our apartment, clear out to the otherside of our area.  We visited Norma to tell her the baptism that was supposed to be tonight has once again been pstponed.  It's been postponed again and again since April.  Our next appointment, Diana, wasn't at home.  On our walk from there we got to pass the overlook.  So pretty!  I wish I had had my camera.  We saw the rain clouds coming in, turned to walk away and the rain came down, hard.  We looked back and the mountain "scenery" was gone.  The clouds were so low and the rain was so thick that you couldn't see through.  The rain has put a damper on our ability to work.  For one second I thought to myself, "Why did I get sent here?"  Then I remembered, "This is where the Lord wants me.  This is where I need to be."  Must work harder!

28 May 2013

TRANSLATION STATION

God’s whole purpose—His work and His glory—is to enable each of us to enjoy all His blessings. He has provided a perfect plan to accomplish His purpose. We understood and accepted this plan before we came to the earth. In the scriptures God’s plan is called a merciful plan, the plan of happiness, the plan of redemption, and the plan of salvation.

Jesus Christ is central to God’s plan. Through His Atonement, Jesus Christ fulfilled His Father’s purpose and made it possible for each of us to enjoy immortality and eternal life. Satan, or the devil, is an enemy to God’s plan.

Sapwellimen Koht ah koasoandi pwon - Sapweillime doadoahk oh Sapwellime klori - iei en kin ketin sewese emenemen kitail en pereniki Sapwillime kapai kan koaros.  Eh ketkihong kitail ehu pilan unsek en imwisekila Sapwillime koasoandi.  Kitail wewehkiher oh aledahr pilahnwet mown atail kodonhger sampah.  Nan pwuhk sarawio Sapwellimen Koht ah pilano adahniki pilahn en kalahngan, pilahn en peren, pilahn en poadoandoar oh pilahn en kamour.

Sises Krais iei me keiu en kesempwal nan Sapwellimen Koht ah pilahn.  Sang ni Sapwillimen Sises Krais ah tohnpen dihpankitail, Sises Krais ketin imwisekilahr Sapwellimen Koht ah koasoandio oh wiahda ehu ahl pwen emenemen kitail en ka pereniki mour kokohlate or mour soutik.  Sedahn de tepelo iei imwintihti en Sapwellimen Koht ah pilahn.

Yolan and Petir - the first time

Oh, the beginning of the Pohnpeian people that stole my heart!

***June 24, 2004 JOURNAL: In a Rain Forest
          The rain was our enemy today.  (The rain is never my enemy - we got to play in the rain!!!)  We walked to a couple of houses but since it was raining a lot of people (in general) were still asleep.  So, we came home for an early lunch.  We met a lady named Yolanda.  I order to get to her house we have to go trekking through the forest on a (muddy) footpath and cross a river, then walk a little ways before getting to her house.  We tried to get to Yolanda's house earlier in the morning, but the river was too high and the current was running too fast, that's when we came home for lunch. Sister Garside baked a cake for Peter (Yolanda's husband) during our lunch break then we tried to get out to Yolanda's house again.  We all went in slippers.  This time the river was much nicer.  We talked to Yolanda about faith and had a little birthday celebration.  By then the rain had started up again.  The river was running way too high so we had to take a "back road."  I like to call them foot paths.  Two-hours later we got to the main road, caught a taxi and came home.  We waited out the rain a while and met with another lady.

20 May 2013
A Test on Organization:  I am learning that the more organized I am the more successful I feel.  I spent a goodly amount of time last night organizing my week this week.  I wanted to accomplish more this week than I normally set out to accomplish.  "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."  We'll see if I organized and planed enough to accomplish my goals of blogging week daily, gospel study and scripture reading daily, couponing and starting a freezer "stockpile" in addition to the normal cooking and home cleaning.

A Sunday Review

We had awesome talks in Sacrament Meeting from two high-council speakers on OBEDIENCE!

Brother Porter shared a story about a dog they had while living in Texas.  He said they walked her on a particular path that would protect her from harm and heat.  However, she occasionally enjoyed running away and off the path.  When this happened she would be heard not to long latter whimpering or crying because of a thorn in her foot.  Brother Porter related this to our lives.  About how sometimes we get off the path of the straight and narrow, sin then need help to get back.  We do learn over time how to stay on the path and how to be obedient.  He mentioned that sometimes in life we may simply try to cover our disobedience with bandages instead of fully repenting and getting the thorn taken out of our feet.  Brother Porter testified the times he felt the power and influence of the spirit were times when he was most obedient.

Brother Magoay said the focus of his talk was to help us increase our faith and our power to be obedient.  He said, in our flesh lies our weakness but in our spirit lies our desires to do right and return to heaven.  Our lives are a struggle to overcome the flesh and choose to be obedient.  He said that we are obedient for three reasons: first we obey because we don't want to be punished, then we obey because we want the reward and finally we reach a point where we are obedient because we love God.  We continue to learn obedience to prove ourselves and to prepare ourselves for the glory we will inherit.  We are disobedient for two reasons: we are weak and we are deceived.  Brother Magoay closed with, "In the commandments is safety.  In the commandments lies the dilema to be obedient or to give way to carnal desires."

Mother's Day

***June 21, 2004 JOURNAL
          So, I'm still on Guam and not on a plane to Pohnpei.  I've been trying to calm myself since this morning.  I already knew I was going to miss this flight.  I was pleading with the Lord not to let me miss this flight last night and this morning.  OK.  Time to get over it.

***June 23, 2004 JOURNAL: Pohnpei West Zone, Palikir District, Nahn Pohnmal Area
          So, I made it.  I got to Pohnpei.  I've found a new "alarm clock" that seems to work very well: God.  I've been working on it, in prayer, to ask Heavenly Father to help me wake up in the mornings.  It's pretty effective (duh) so long as I get myself out of bed!
          The plane rides were kind of sketchy.  I met a guy named Joe.  His whole family (basically) are members of the church, but he's Protestant.  I slept most of the way.  I say President and Sister Pulsipher when to they got on the plan in Chuuk.
          New companions - new area - kind of scary.  My new companions are super mice.  It's just this whole being pushed out of my comfort zone idea.
          COMPANIONS:
Sister Garber: funny, from Las Vegas, Nevada, brother also on a mission
Sister Garside: cool, from California, sibling also on a mission
          GOALS - start using Pohnpeian words/phrases, get through 2 Nephi 9

13 May 2013

An excellent Mother's Day!

Please excuse the blue-ness of these pictures:

A Fun-filled Weekend

*** June 19, 2004 JOURNAL: Last Night In Guam (for now?)
          I can't believe it's almost been a week already (since the MTC).  All the elders from our district are gone to their respective assigned areas already.  Elder Wright - Saipan, Elder Barker - Palau, Elder Morris and Elder Christensen are staying here along with Sister Wagstafff and Sister Fusi (who came from the New Zealand MTC).  NO actual times for good byes.  Kind of sad but probably for the better. As for me, I'm alright.  I just can't wait to get to work.  It's been slow here, mostly because of training/orientation messing with the possibility of any real scheduling.
          I leave for Pohnpei Monday morning.  I'm pretty excited I get to learn a new language!  I'm determined to get this language.  It sounds complicated to my ears, but the people around me say it's an easy language to pick up on.  BRING IT!

6 May 2013 Yet Another Sunday Review with Weekend Photo Dump

Yesterday was Fast and Testimony Meeting Sunday.  A visitor, Brother Whiting, shared his testimony.  He said the morning of his flight his son took him to the airport.  His son gave him a Book of Mormon and challenged him to place it during his trip.  After the plane took of a girl asked if Brother Whiting would switch seats with her so she could sit next to her family.  He begrudgingly agreed.  He noted his new seat partner was writing in her journal and studying her bible.  As they talked about their respective religions, he shared with her the Book of Mormon.  The lady said that morning after she said her prayers she meant to bring a novel with her but she had the distinct impression that she should leave her novel home because someone on the plane would give her a book to read.  Cornelius is alive and well where ever we go!

Last night I got to join a lesson with the sister missionaries in Makakilo ward.  It was with a lady from Pohnpei.  It was a good lesson.  It showed me that my language skills are somewhat wanting.  It's time to get back at it and work on keeping up my language skills!  In future posts I plan on having a translated section and hopefully some of my friends can help me with accuracy.

First Friday Hannarah's Night:

 Caleb's 1st Birthday Party:

The Price of Success

First letter to President Pulsipher.  The pre-Preach My Gospel form where we still had to report all kinds of hours and stuff. Still on Guam for this one.

***6/16-6/20/2004 Missionary Weekly Report
President Pulsipher,
          It's been a good first week.
          One of my most spiritual experiences this week was on Friday night.  We were meeting with a girl named Tricia that lives in the apartment complex across the parking lot.  We were reading the introduction to the Book of Mormon with her.  It was amazing for me to hear each of the sisters bear their personal testimonies of the Book of Mormon as we discussed the introduction with her.  I feel so very blessed to have had the opportunity to be with the sisters here.  Their spirits are so strong and I know, they know of the truthfulness of this gospel and that strengthened my testimony.
          In my study of the gospel this week, I've used my "personal Book of Mormon" study time to read 2 Nephi 9.  At the MTC, our branch president, President Chapman, invited us to read 2 Nephi 9 everyday for 30 days to gain a better understanding of the atonement.  So, I've been doing that for almost a week, but his morning I decided to break it down, and it took the whole of of study time to get me through the first six versus.  It was well worth it.  I earned some of the covenants the Lord made with his people.  I thought it was interesting that Christ made promises to the Jews and the Gentiles.  Isaiah talks about the redemption of Jerusalem in Isaiah 52:2.  Then Jacob talks about the church and the truth being restored in 2 Nephi 6:10-15 and about, how the Lord will not be ashamed of his people and all other people will be destroyed.  I guess I had just never thought about the Lord making specific promises to all his people.  It reminded me that the Lord knows us, individually and he knows our needs and what is to come.
          In my studies this week I made a goal to study out of the missionary study guide, and to be able to pray in Pohnpeian.

Quote to Sister Pulsipher:
          "... I have reached the conclusion that some men succeed because they cheerfully pay the price of success and others though they claim ambition and a desire to succeed, are unwilling to pay that price....  To have a high and sustained determination to put over what you plan to accomplish, not if circumstances be favorable to it's accomplishment, but in spit of all adverse circumstances which may arise."

3 May 2013

Here is the entire quote I found on-line so I could properly cite it because I had it from "anon".

I often wonder what it is that brings one man success in life, and what it is that brings mediocrity or failure to his brother. The difference can't be in mental capacity; there is not the difference in our mentalities indicated by the difference in performance. In short, I have reached the conclusion that some men succeed because they cheerfully pay the price of success, and others, though they may claim ambition and a desire to succeed, are unwilling to pay that price.

And the price is...

To use all your courage to force yourself to concentrate on the problem in hand, to think of it deeply and constantly, to study it from all angles, and to plan.

To have a high and sustained determination to put over what you plan to accomplish, not if circumstances be favorable to its accomplishment, but in spite of all adverse circumstances which may arise and nothing worthwhile has ever been accomplished without some obstacles having been overcome.

To refuse to believe that there are any circumstances sufficiently strong to defeat you in the accomplishment of your purpose.

Hard? I should say so. That's why so many men never attempt to acquire success, answer the siren call of the rut and remain on the beaten paths that are for beaten men. Nothing worthwhile has ever been achieved without constant endeavor, some pain and constant application of the lash of ambition.


That's the price of success as I see it. And I believe every man should ask himself: Am I willing to endure the pain of this struggle for the comforts and the rewards and the glory that go with achievement? Or shall I accept the uneasy and inadequate contentment that comes with mediocrity? Am I willing to pay the Price of Success?

According to wikipedia (so you know it's true) this is from Joseph Johnson French. Or you can believe Google who credits  H. F. de Bower with his ending of "And the time to begin is now" tacked on at the end.

Quotes, Believes, Realities and a Baby Shower

Before Preach My Gospel changed the format of our weekly letters to the mission president, there was a section where we could report sick or injury hours and what was wrong with us.  If we had no substantial sick news to report we were encouraged to send quotes (personal or from people of note) to Sister Pulsipher.  Each month she would choose her favorites to share in the Mesenger.

***June Messenger: Sister Pulsipher's Favorite Quotes
          Elder Anderson: "Anger is never without reason, but seldom a good one." -Benjamin Franklin
          Sister Leishman: "If your day has not been a bed of roses, remember who wore the crown of thorns."
          Elder Glemser: "You can't leave your footprints in the sand while sitting down."
          Elder Jeppson: "If you want someone to see what Christ's spirit can do for them, let them see what it has done for you."

After Preach My Gospel came out we were encouraged to study by subject.  At that time I began a second study journal to compliment the first that I still kept.  The first journal was a record of my daily study and companionship study.  The second was solely kept by subject.  Here I started a list of my "I Believe"s

***STUDY JOURNAL: I Believe... (In addition to the Articles of Faith)

• in the power of prayer and bean bag frogs
• that God is our Heavenly Father and that His all knowing and all powerful
• that God loves us and wants to help us
• in the importance and necessity of families
• that love, real love, is the greatest power on the earth
• that through Christ, I can do all things
• if I do my part, God will do His part
• that there is no such thing as coincidence, our lives are orchestrated with purpose and direction
• Cornelius is alive and well, wherever we may be

2 May 2013

I've been trying to do more jogging than walking.  Slowly (more slowly than I want) I'm getting to more jogging.  Here are my mantras when I'm jogging past the skinny-bodied, carefree high school girls:

• if I want to lose the weight then I need to do the work!
• the faster I move the faster I'll get home
• I won't fail if I succeed

Occasional when I jog I see interesting things:

• a small girl walking to school dressed in floppy heels and carrying a large handbag, instead of shoes and a backpack
• two girls, one trying to no avail to use a skateboard, flagging down a school bus driver (who did pull over) not 50 yards away from school
• what I term the "high school" walk: it must consist of the mentality and speed that I wanted to leave home early, but I don't want to get to school early

On Tuesday night the ward relief society hosted a baby shower for Veronica Aronica.  Here are some pictures to show our fun!

June 2004 Messenger: Ponder - "To Quietly Think Things Through"

Each month we would receive the "Micronesia Guam Messenger" a mission newsletter.  I would look forward to these like Christmas!  Each issue would contain a message from President Pulsipher, favorite quotes of Sister Pulsipher that missionaries would include in their letters to the president specifically for her, incoming and out going missionaries, a list of people baptized in the previous month and other excitements.

***June 2004 MESSENGER
Ponder - "To Quietly Think Things Through"
          Do you appreciate that you are apart of something really special that is happening in the mission?  Incredible things just keep happening!  It is an understatement to say that Cornelius is alive and well in Micronesia Guam.  A year ago for the months of January through May the mission baptized 91.  This year 248.  That's over 2.5 times as many.  That is something special.  Have you thought about why?
          "Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard." 2 Nephi 4:16 (bolding added)  You have used that scripture to prepare your talk for the last zone conference.  Did you follow its advice?  Have you pondered what is happening in you and in this mission?
          We can learn from others.  We can read about their experiences and watch what is happening in their lives and think that we understand.  But the only things we really know for sure are the things that happen within and to us.  Nephi continually pondered the things that happened to him.  To what end?  He continued to learn more about himself, the people around him, his world and his relationship with his Father in heaven.  When President Dellenbach bore his testimony at the Mission President's training in February he said, "I am still trying to figure out who I am and my relationship with the Savior."  President Dellenbach has been a general authority for 17 years.  you might think, "He should have figured that out by now".  Understanding ourselves, who we really are, and all that the Savior means to us is a never ending journey.
          So, take some time to ponder, quietly think about, what has happened over the course of your mission.  What have you learned?  How have you changed?  How has your relationship with your Father in Heaven, your Savior, changed?  Why has the mission changed so dramatically?
          President Hinckley gave a wonderful address at Brigham young University entitled "I Believe".  He stated, "Each of us is largely the product of his or her beliefs.  Our behaviors are governed by these.  They become our standards of conduct".  He mentioned the thirteen Articles of Faith, the "We Believes" of this Church.  he went on to say, "I have a personal secondary set of beliefs, ten to be exact, that I have written out to serve as reminders and guideposts for my individual benefit.  I have been asked to share them.  I do so with some reluctance because they are personal, but with the thought that they may give encouragement to others.  I have not set these ten statements necessarily in order of their importance."
          Here they are:
"I believe in the wonders of the human body and the miracle of the humand mind.:
"I believe in beauty."
"I believe in the gospel of work."
"I believe that honesty is still the best policy."
"I believe in the obligations and blessings of service."
"I believe the family to be the basic and most important unit of society."
"I believe in the principle of thrift."
"I believe in myself."
"I believe in God, my Eternal Father, and His Beloved Son, and  Redeemer of the world."
"I believe in Prayer."
          So, what do you now believe?  Is Cornelius real to you?  Is the spirit your daily companion? Do you believe in the "gospel of work?"  Elders and Sisters take the time to "ponder and "continually ponder" upon the things that you are experiencing.  Write down your "I Believes."  Like President Hinckley they will become reminders and guideposts for your life.  I have done that.  I will share mine with you at another time.
          We continue to be so proud of you.  We have always believed we had great missionaries.  We thrill in what you are becoming and these wonderful people that you are bringing to Christ.

Our Love,
President and Sister Pulsipher


30 April 2013 The More Kids You Have, The Faster the Months Fly By

We did not have to say any prayers to work through problems with Pwopwo or Lloyd yesterday.

I have had the opportunity to learn a lot more about the power of the priesthood in the last month.  Studying Elder Ballards talk, "This is My Work and My Glory," reminds me of the importance of the priesthood and remaining worthy of receiving it's blessings.

Elder Ballad shared a story about a girl and her tomato plant.  She allowed the plant to live in a dark room and it started to wither.  Saddened she learned from her mother that she might give it some water and sun light to revitalize her plant.  Upon nourishing the plant, the tomato plant got healthy and started to grow again.  Elder Ballard shared the following,

But if we are not careful, we can become like the wilted tomato plant. We can drift away from the true doctrine and gospel of Christ and become spiritually undernourished and wilted, having removed ourselves from the divine light and living waters of the Savior’s eternal love and priesthood power.

If we cut ourselves off from the nourishment we receive from the gospel and blessings of the priesthood in our lives our spirits can become wilted like the tomato plant.  It is important to do things like attend church, accept callings and counsel from our church leaders and spouses.

Elder Ballard also shared the opportunity he had to work on the new Worldwide Training, "Strengthening the Family and The Church Through the Priesthood."  Watching these segments has opened my heart to understanding more about the power of the priesthood.  We are going to start using these segments with our babies to help them learn the important role the power of the priesthood plays in our lives.

I know the power of the priesthood is a real and active power.  It is the power of God on earth held by those who are worthy to exercise that power.  I know that by the power of the priesthood worlds were created.  I know that through the power of the priesthood my life has personally been blessed because I have been sealed to my husband for time and all eternity and our babies with us.

Now as promised, pictures.  Sunday Night Dinner with the Kaaukai-Ranis Family and an impromptu beach day at Pokai Bay.

Next Post: Sister Pulsipher's favorite June quotes, My I Believes, and what I think about when I jog