Wednesday, October 24, 2012

mission email 10-24



A week has past so hi again!

Good news!  Ermina and her family including her son Steve are living now in a little house found for the them by our Bishop .Steve is back on track with lessons and has a  baptism date for November 3rd! We are so happy!

Institute this week: We showed the girls the new Johnny Lingo movie and I gave a lesson on self worth and being happy knowing they are daughters of a Heavenly father who loves them!

As daughters of God when we do not love ourselves, we are not respecting the things God created.

When we dislike ourselves, we are often depressed and frustrated. We are less able to serve the Lord.

A person who does not herself is usually less able to love other people fully or understand how others can love her

Questions I asked them to ponder: Are you happy today? Did you look at yourself today and think “I like myself?”Did you read your scriptures today? Did you say your morning prayers? Do you love yourself? Did you thank Heavenly Father for your blessings this past week? Did you do an act of service this past week? Did you make a new friend? Can you name one talent you posses? Have you given someone a compliment lately? When you look in the mirror do you like what you see? Have you shown your family you love them today? Did you listen to the talks in sacrament meeting Sunday? Have you been a good friend lately? Did you do something “awesome “ this week? Have you used the power of the Atonement in your life recently?

 We read Matthew 22:36-39 and discussed this wonderful scripture and how we apply to ourselves.

Their handout said this quote I have up on my wall “I will be so happy that when others see me they will become happy too!”

We went up to the hospital to see little 2 yr old Macy Albert. The Micronesian people get  boils, and also what they call Guam sores. The boils resemble gout, and so the lower part of their legs swells up horribly and is bright red and then gets infected. The skin then starts to peel  leaving bad scars. Most all their legs have scars from the boils or sores. Macy little leg is bright red ,swollen and painful so she is in the hospital. I took her a little stuffed animal and book, compliments of one of the care packages! They didn’t bring anything for her to play with so she was so happy to see her new little gifts!

I’m sure these boils are a result from a diet they eat their entire lives, 3 times a day, which consists of white rice and Spam or some other canned meat. They don’t have refridgerators so nothing can be bought fresh. We have found there is a scarcity mentality when it comes to food served at any activity. They will come thru the line and pile their plates with food and then immediately get another plate and pile it up to take home. They know it may be a long time before they have something different to eat then the rice/spam combo! Reminds me of our kids growing up hurrying to gobble down their first helpings so they can get seconds before someone did! Hehehehe

Trunk or treat tomorrow night put on by the “Navies”  and chili cookoff.  Not a single Micronesian knows what chili is so I told them they better bring some rice! It was funny trying to explain to Sister Tigilmai what “trunk or treat was” What is trunk? She asked, How do you trick or treat a trunk? Hehehe we have been asked to be the judges for the chili, I will pass on the hot spicy ones and save those for Elder Norton! We need our Rachael and Dougie here for the spicy taste testing , they love spiciness!

Elder John crashed on his bike and broke open a coconut to wash the dirt off his shirt ,the amazing coconut and it 100 million uses. He is fine and getting the swing of how to ride a bike for the first time in his life. He is having a hard time adjusting to missionary work. He has never worked a day in his life, just went fishing whenever he wanted, typical lifestyle on Chuuk. He got mad the other day at Elder Hadder and just took off on his bike and rode home, and we had just had district meeting and the white handbook training about never being out of sight of your companion. Drama, drama, zone leaders were called in and took him for the day to figure out the problem. All is well now  but they both have another 6 weeks with each other! I remember Bobby telling us about a companion he had and they didn’t get along. He began to serve him and do little kindnesses like make his bed etc and how it changed everything for the better. So we do love those we serve!

I have the BEST companion ever! Elder Norton is such a good example to these young missionaries. He opens the door for me all the time ,helps with dinners, washes dishes, and compliments me in front of them. He always has my best interest in mind. After almost 7 months of being together 24/7 we are in the groove so to speak and when we are apart it feels strange! How grateful I am for all we are learning on our mission. We love our morning walks together and have such nice conversations ,surrounded by the beauty of this island and enveloped with the mantle of the calling and the love we have for each other.

Funny: Elder John trying to teach us how to put our tongue up on the roof of our mouth to speak his language, ”make your tongue go upstairs”  hehehe

“Scripture I love about being a missionary for the Lord!

 Alma 53;20,21

And they were all young men{women and senior couples} and they were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity: but behold this was not all, they were men{and women and senior couples} who were true at all times  in whatsoever thing they were entrusted.

Yea, they were men( women ,senior couples) of truth and soberness (being humble),for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him”

I love the gospel ,  I love my Savior, I love my companion , I love my family, I love “my people”  I love Guam and I love my mission! I am blessed!

 Hugs from Sister Norton to you all
Pongmwah(goodbye)

Pics:
 being silly with mister skeleton, Elder Norton and Welsi at Halloween institute activity

Macy in the hospital

fresh coconut juice, compliments of Elder Rokodakunevosa

No comments:

Post a Comment