CHRISTMAS ISLAND STYLE

Tu wo mwet nuh kewa! Everything is good here on Kosrae. Sracknuh wo. Christmas here...geez talk about different. Alu Pros has just gotten so ingrained into this culture that there is no getting around it. On Kosrae everyone goes to the Protestant church, the island is 95% Protestant. But not even really the same Protestant church that they would have in the states. Here it's more of a social status thing. Wearing nice dresses, carrying your bible when someone else doesn't have one, and sitting there and singing. Then they actually have a lesson of sorts. I give them credit for that.  Then its drinking coffee and eating food. People go so that they can say they go to church, and to eat food, And yet its so important to Kosraeans, that even ones who believe what we teach, will not change. They feel like it means society won't accept them. Plus you don't do anything for yourself here until your parents have died or your older siblings have moved out. Just culture. The fact that were 19 years old and don't live with our parents means to some people that we are worthless chumps of life. Its pretty funny. ANNNNNYway I was going to get to the fact that once December hits they start practicing marches and songs that they do in the churches on Christmas day. We really haven't been too hindered on it until this week. Everyone was gone, nobody home.  Christmas day, Kosrae was a Ghost town. One of our recent converts was singing and asked us to come watch. So you know we did.  We went to Tafunsack. The most anti-mormon village on Kosrae. Its got such a huge Protestants population.  So much that it has three active chapels right next to each other. Every time we go there we make the comment that it feels like driving through Hell because of the glares of the people. So we drove right in, parked and walked into the church and sat by our friend. If looks could kill, we'd have been fried. But they can't and it was fun. The people then accepted we could join in watching as well and it was actually cool to watch. Elmer (our recent convert) is just such a stud as well. He's about 22 and over came one of the biggest WOW problems i've seen. It took him about 7 months as well. No one says anything to us when he's with us. His dad and uncle are just two guys that don't take crap. Reedon (Elmers dad) isn't a member but he'll do anything for us and Hamrick (Reedons brother) is just the same. Hamrick lives in Utwe and his family are all members except for his sons. Hamrick is one of my favorite Kosraeans.  He speaks english really well and would fight to the end to protect his family. When his wife joined the church, his brother-in-law came and tried to exercise his authority and right by Kosraean culture to govern her life (her older brother) and Hamrick just let him have it. Both Hamrick and Reedon recongnize the fact that parts of the culture is wack and just everyone in their families stands for what they believe in, and don't let anyone tell them other wise. A lot of the younger generations do the same. Its just these old farts we have problems with. But a lot are near the end so many doors are about to be opened. Kathyann (Hamricks 12 year old daughter) was practicing the singing that other day and we had to drive down a road by Alu Pros to get to an appointment and she stopped and turned to us and waved and said hey and the pastor looked at her like she was the devil or something and she just shrugged him off. Which is awesome but at the same time so many of these kids are like that and absolutly love us and we make the comments among ourselves that we gotta get the kids to not talk to us..we gotta save their lives. At alu pros the other day while we were watching mass (the marching and singing) a huge crowd of kids was just gathering around us and wanting to talk to us and we were like "muhtah" "muhtah" go sit down! Its great, I just love opposition. It only makes me more firm in what I believe. This Gospel is so true and I'm so glad I'm able to be here to teach people about it. Always stand, Always stand. For he ALWAYS stands with you!

 

This is the record, love you all

Elder Lapeyrouse

ATTACK of the KILLER CRAB!!

So the song I can't get out of my head this week is "All Of Me" by John Schmidt. Mainly because Elder Sturm is quite awesome on piano if I haven't mentioned that before. For those of you from BYU, I think he may even top Abe. It's a close matchup but I didn't think anybody could top Abe. Their styles are completely different though. Elder Sturm plays off of expression.  He just makes stuff up to how he feels, and he can play All of Me. So I really enjoy that.

 

Weis! Oasr news luhk! Sislah koluk, nga moulkuhnuh. (woah, I've got some news. Sorry, I forgot) I'm District Leader now. I now get to conduct baptisimal interviews....in Kosraean....and I can barely teach a few principles and have a very very basic conversation. I'm slightly nervous. But hey, I might get to go to Chuuk for about 4 days in January for leadership training. That would be cool. I could get to see Elder Butler again.

 

Ok so, Two baptisms this past week. One planned for this week coming up (hopefully two). We are now at 36 and hope to be at our goal when Elder Madsen goes to Guam on Friday for zone leaders council. We're so excited! We've found our groove this past week and have really been able to work well together. I keep really pushing the same aspects I learened from the Squirrels and it has really been helping out.  Speaking of which... (Aaron Hiatt....How are things. Hows SVU? Mish papers? anything.. I love ya bro. Send me a quick one letting me know how things are going.)

 

Not much has changed here on Kosrae other than the other night we had bought two crabs from some boys and we had them in a big bag in the car. Pretty decent sized too. Well we were driving from an appointment and Elder Sturm was like "The bags tipped over". He looks inside and says " hey I'm not going to lie, there is only one crab in here." I get out my light and start recording the experience. Meanwhile all of us have our feet in the air searching the ground and were just coasting down the road. Elder Madsen was like "Check my feet so that I can go back to driving." He takes the light and then shouts "It's right there by my foot!" The crab was chilling under the break pedal inches from his foot, and he was wearing sandals. We coasted to a stop and tried to get it out. The video is hilarious and when we got out of the car we saw the 7 year old kid of the family we just taught walking down the road a couple miles away from his house, and its like 8:00 at night. We were wondering what he was doing so far away from home alone. But then again 2 year olds go  walking around here where ever they please. So we grab a meitmeit (machete) from the truck and scoop it into the road. A mental guy ( who has the nickname "Fruitloops") put his finger on the shell and held it while we cut the arms off. We were also right near the protestant church and quite a crowd had gathered to see what the three of us white people (mwet fash fash) were freaking out about. Well, Elder Madsen freaking... and Elder Sturm and I just laughing really hard. A local would have just grabbed the crab from the start. I'm rather afraid of those things. They're pretty angry  and firery buggers and can take your finger off.  Anyway, Elder Madsen turns around and kinda sarcasticlly in a playing it all off kinda way and says "Kay wo, mwet nuh kewa" (good evening every one) holds up his hand and says  "wona, wona" (basically everythings alright) and laughs then says "Kal, fong wo." ('k, night') then gets in the car and we all erupted into laughter as we drove away. Needless to say, that crab was boiled as soon as we got home.

 

This mission is awesome. The responsibility, the blessings, the toughness of it, the beauty, the people. This place is just quite the experience you never quite know what to expect, and the people are so humble they truly have very little, some nothing and yet they give.  We were doing service the other day [hacking through a mass of trees and plants and bushes with meitmeits {so fun!}] and the lady we were doing it for made us fish, which they descale here and then boil in coconut milk and water. So you eat it off the bone, skin and all. It actually wasn't too bad but the eyeballs had a texture like stale marshmallows in lucky charms.)  They are just perfect examples of what Heleman talks about, or is it Nephi? Tayuck. I truly love it here and I'm so glad I came. This work is amazing and I love seeing the lords hand in it. I truly hope that those of you wanting or wishing or nearing the time to prepare for a mission, Do it. Prepare now. You cannot even begin to imagine how much you will be blessed. To everyone: Nga luhngse komtacl. Kampare ac nga fah osun.

Elder Lapeyrouse

OBEDIENCE EQUALS SUCCESS!!

"we're burning down the highway skyline, on the, back of a hurricane, that started turnin' when you, were young." - (When you were young-The Killers)

 

 

Not sure what he had in mind when he wrote that line but it makes me think of just the rush, an unstoppable force. Well you really can't describe it.

 

So after one week of being a trio on this island, I can only describe it with a phrase that came up during companship inventory of Fridays weekly planning..."We're basically a dream team."....DISCLAIMER: 100% Obedience

 

So Elder Sturm is from Arizona, awesome at singing. He did choir and show choir back home. His teacher Sang Tenor 1 for Vocal Point during the Standing Room Only CD ( lead solo on "He Is Born") So him and I have been working out harmony on the hymns we sing. So... our opening songs are pretty much beast in lessons and they bring the spirit even more strongly.  Also hes got a drive and a great desire and willingness to serve. The three of us have really been striving for 100% obedience. We quote Section 4 everyday and don't let ourselves focus on anything other than the work till after 9. It was hard at first but its fun now. I never thought I would find myself saying this but it actually is. I can hardly believe it myself. Most importantly is the Spirit like Boyd K Packard said. In this week alone we've recieved many high potential refferals. Too many to know what to do with. Ones where some have been so bold to ask members for us to talk to them themselves. In fact last night we got a call from a member whos kids haven't shown a bit of interest in the church call us and tell us that his daughter joined Family home evening, and she wants to be baptized saturday. We've got a busy week, 2 baptisms saturday, 1 for the next saturday and many potential for the near future. The people who are interested  are not just normal run of the mill people. If they go through, they will open SOO many doors.

 

The only reason we are being blessed like this is because we have truely done as we promised the Lord we would do when we accepted our calls. (That line is actually in the handbook). We Promised to serve with all our heart, might, mind, and strength. To keep an eye single to him and the work, and to devote all our time to our service. Boy Does it pay off.

 

Before I Go I want to talk about my study this past week. I've finished up Alma and just love all of the stories about Moroni, Helaman, Teancum, Lehi, and The 2000 sons. I want to focus on the 2000 Stripling Warriors, who fought for their fathers. Their parents having entered into a covenant to never raise their weapons of war again, desire to break it when they saw the turmoil and the afflictions the Nephites were suffering.  They had a desire to defend them. They couldnt bear to sit and watch. They awakened to a duty to protect their land they live in, their liberty, and their women and children from those who threatened it. But they didnt have to. Their sons stepped up because the sons said that they hadn't made that promise not to fight. and that they didn't want their parents to break the covanent. Alma 53:20. They made a great plan and led away the enemy while their fellow men brought up the rear. When the enemy stopped they didn't know if it was a trick or if their fellow men had overtaken the enemy. Regardless they were worried for their brethern. These 2000 young men. who had never fought before,  were very young, but yet were determined to conquer or die. Helamen asks them what they want to do and they say "Behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth.." They had never fought but they did not fear death, and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their own lives. They had been taught by their mothers that if they did not doubt, God would deliever them.........................and they fought....many times...and not a one of them were ever slain.

 

I want to add my testimony to that. Our god is with us, and he WILL NOT suffer that we should fall. Go forth in faith and Give everything of your heart and soul. Be Fearless and don't doubt God. Never. Fight for what you believe in and never give up, never back down. Be diligent, and valiant and you will succeed.

 

Elder Lapeyrouse

And the there were three.....

Tu wo mwet nuh ke wah! Glad to know that Elder Foote already let the cat out of the bag and ruined the suprise. Soo yeah, I've offically been stripped of my trainie status and there are three Elders covering all of Kosrae now. Upac nuh pwacye! (really hard). Elder Madsen is now the oldest with only 5 months under his belt, Myself at a month and a half, and Elder Sturm who is four days old. We don't have a district leader and the Footes's (senior couple) leave pretty soon and the new couple doesn't come until sometime in January. Just a quick fact: The Elders in the Kosrae zone/district are the furthest away distance wise from their mission president than in any other area, or in any mission. I'm so grateful for this opportunity and this trust. I've been really pondering a lot lately about what I was told in my last mission president interview and just what possibly the Lord is planning. I know he knows what he is doing but Elder Madsen and I can sure as heck testify that we don't have a clue. We've determined were just going to have to go to work, be diligent and serve with all our heart, might, mind and strength. We've been havng a lot of companion studies lately about faith and we have faith that as we devote ourselves and truely set in and do the work that we will succeed. Kosrae has been going through a really tough time lately and is also having so much success. We are sort of in what I guess you could call a investigator famine lately but there are so many signs of it picking back up and going through the roof. Speaking of which we just had three new convert baptisms this past weekend and one child of record. That brings us to 34 and a list of about 15 potential investigatiors that we feel real good about and 2 on dates that are just doing amazing. Needless to say we were quite surprised to find out that on the verge of such great success we got the transfer orders that we did. But we can do it. Fuhsracsr! (easy)

Thanksgiving was awesome. Sis foote prepared a nice dinner. unfortunately Elder Rufus left that day and didn't get to join us and the new elder came a day after. turkey, sweet potatoes, rolls, apples, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and pumpkin pie for desert. I don't want to know how much time she put into getting all that stuff ,most of which I'm sure had to be mailed in.

You said the other letter sounded down. I'm not down, I'm very excited. I'm just wrapped in my own head. I've been really praying lately that i'll figure out what to do here, that the lord will help me,  and that he will help us remain diligent and obedient. Blessings only come through works, faith and obedience. I just want you guys to know that I love you and I pray for you daily and Im just fine out here. The lord delivers his rightous and just. Some of the stuff president has said has given me no need to fear. Be bold be fearless and do work. With patience and diligence and through great faith you can accomplish anything. You can move mountains. You can even be as the brother of Jarod and rip back the veil. Faith and sweat.  Well, thats about all I got to say,   I've got work to do.

Elder Lapeyrouse

3 Hour Sacrament Meeting

Yesterday was Branch Conference at the Utwe Branch. It was the first time Kosrae had even heard of any such thing, so they really didn't know how to run it.  Sacrament meeting was 3 HOURS LONG!! Then we had Priesthood and RS. We talked Pres. out of Sunday School. 4 hours of church. I was about to go insane. The Footes were there 5 hours. Because of that everything she had been preparing for dinner that night  burnt and we had appointments anyway to get to. Blehh.


Sister Foote is an amazing cook. She usually tries to cook for us every Thursday when We have District meeting. Her and Elder Foote are simply awesome. They are from Texas so they've been such a blessing to have. Elder Foote always...ALWAYS greets everyone with "Hello my friend how are you?" Even if he has never met them before. Just a little taste of home I guess. Him and I get along great and I enjoy talking to him when I can. He's so goofy and doesn't try to learn Kosraean. He keeps saying he's too old to do something like that. I'm really sad that they are leaving in December. They are replacing them with Elder and Sister Wright from Mesa, Arizona but they won't get here until January. So we'll have about a month without a senior couple.


Now to the big news. Just a little over a week ago President was here and he conducted interviews. He asked us in zone conference how the Kosrae Zone was doing and we were like "like really good" and he was like thats excellent. Well last Wednesday Elder Tuitanu called and informed us Elder Mattews was getting transfered. The call came on Wed around 6pm and his flight left Thursday around 12pm. It was a major suprise. Transfer calls aren't until this Wed. We had to completely drop our plans and get him packed and out. He's going to Guam to be an assistant. So ever since Thursday Elder Madsen, Rufus and I have been a trio covering the whole island. A new Elder comes Friday and we don't know who yet. We also don't have a ZL until Wed. Its been crazzzyy.


Its so hard to tell seasons here and I cant believe it's winter. 90 with 100 % humidity each day... rain or shine... usually both in one day... 365 days a year here.  It will be weird to have Christmas in that weather.  Speaking of Christmas could you send me some more of those Danish Butter cookies, and some PEZ.  I love me some PEZ.  I am also out of Nutella.


Quote for the day comes from Gladiator
Remember "What we do in Life....echoes in Eternity!!


Elder Lapeyrouse

refreshing

Coconut Juice

Ah....island life

Favorite scripture

Zone Conference....purely amazing

"I got Platinum vision, but a tin foil touch..." (The Astronaut) - Something Corporate

 

Sooo sorry for cutting it short last week, we had a zone conference we had to go to and had to get out of here and go pick up President and Sister Dowdle and Elder Matthews from the airport. Or rather, landing strip with a building. And sorry I wasn't on at my usual time today, we went fishing this morning with Yulsin. So "I'm a little more country than that" is also in my head, but that line from the astronaut is really a thought that describes the times.

 

Firstly, I want to write everyone, but I have to do it in letters and my p-day time is very limited. I have a big stack of letters I gotta write today. So I can only e-mail family members. This kills me because I don't think my letter I sent out of the MTC ever reached Aaron and writing Jayson is going to take ages. I'm still not sure on this general e-mail to multiple recipients thing. I'll ask president about it. Apparently Kosrae zone has a bit of a problem with email. So if I could get all of your physical addresses that would be nice.  Nips it was great hearing from you, you better give me your mtc address so I can write you.

 

Alright so zone conference... purely amazing. We had some good training on teaching and listening to the spirit, and then got to role play and try it. The goal was to have the faith that in the five minutes we had, we could tell the person we were pared up with something they needed to hear after only a few questions. We then got to share what happened in the role plays. The result was a Spirit so strong you could feel it down the hall. It made us more unified and strengthened our testimonies. President then gave an awesome lesson on faith using Ammon and the brother of Jarod. It went from like 3pm to 9:30pm but zone conference was so awesome. Plus sister Foote cooked dinner. Sooo good.

 

The quote actually relates to the next day. We had our interviews with the President.  Right before President gave Elder Foote a blessing that was so in tune with the spirit it was shocking. In my interview President and I talked a little bit about myself and missionary work. It was such a good interview and really makes me look forward to the day where I can finally speak this language. So many promises and so much to do. He promised me that the things that we talked about would only come from strict obediance to the mission rules. Hence the e-mail thing. I just want to be able to do these things now. "I have a platinum vision" but the language barrier (tin foil touch) and recently this culture and "Kosrae Games" prevents it.

 

So I was reading in Mosiah the other day about King Noah and how he completely did the opposite of his father King Zeniff. King Zeniff trusted the Lord and kept the commandments and was as righteous as he could be and the Lord blessed him. He helped give his people the strength they needed to not be overtaken by the Lamanites and blessed him so much. King Noah was horrible, and basically did the opposite and basically had the "who do you think you are attitude" toward God. I was sitting there thinking "You are really dumb!" and suddenly that youtube video popped into my head "hide yo wife, hide yo kids!"  "I mean forreal" Needless to say, it was an interesting personal study.

 

So I have a few requests before I end this can someone please send me the lyrics to "Thats how country boys roll". Also I remembered "Gladiator" the other day. I would like some good quotes from that movie. Sorry this is wack its been slow and screwy here this week and my thoughts are all messed up.

 

Until next week stay strong and work hard.  We all have the calling of missionary work.

Elder Lapeyrouse

ahhh....The gift of tongues

"Just ask him how he made it, he'll tell you faith and sweat.....go to work, do you best. Don't outsmart your common sense. Never let your prayin knees get lazy, and love like crazy" (Love Like Crazy)-Lee Brice

 

I think I'm going to start each e-mail out now with a song quote. Should make things more interesting.

 

So this week, was extremely SLOOOW. We only managed about 8 lessons for the week. There was a funeral for a Marine that had died here and our whole area seemed to go. It was also voting time for the new govenor here. Nobody was at home or they were too busy, but I do want to tell you all about a FHE we had the other night.

 

We had our usual FHE with the Charley family. (4 brothers and sisters living together in the same house hold with their 20 kids, aunts, grandparents, and I dunno, I'm lucky to have figured out that family tree as much as I have.) The oldest kid is about 13.  For this FHE we had a sort of potluck thing. Elder Rufus and I made a cake to take over there. They made some rice, another made some fried chicken, and something with clams and onions. So we get there and help them finish preparing, Kosraean reggae playing on a small radio and the kids playing cards. Their place is right on the beach so the nightly breeze was blowing in and the moon was out, cooking over a fire, sitting in a hut with a single electric bulb for light. We start and all the kids sing a song in Kosraean as Sepe played a small electic keyboard. That part was really cool. Then Analyn gave the lesson out of Matthew (or at least  I that was where she was) but it was about the second coming of Christ. Then we sang I am a child of god, they sang some more Kosraean stuff and then it broke off. They handed us plates of food and everyone sat down on the ground and ate, even the neighbors joined, and here is the best part. After that, they all moved in a circle and Elder Rufus told me that we were going to play a game. I recieved the number 15 and wasn't sure what was going on. Then they started saying  "here we go again, here we go again" and the kid who was number one went "1 to 3" then three said " 3 to 7". I started laughing because I knew what they were playing. Way back during the fifty mile trek, we had this game we played to keep our mind off the trail and to keep morale up as we were backpacking. The game we played was called "Big Booty" And at this point everyone who was on that trip is probably smiling as they read this. We assigned everyone a number and called "BIIIIIGGGGGGG Booty Big booty big booty, uhh huhh big booty" then number one would say his number and then another one "1 to 5". then the number he called would have to call his own and then pass it on so in this case "5 to 3". If you took too long to respond or act you were out. If you messed up as you said it, you were out. If you passed to a number who was already out, you were out. The last two left win, and each time some one gets out you start over with the "big booty " chant. (you can thank the high point guys at the time). The kids then  played this same game but not with the same chant. I thought that was really cool.

 

Kosraean is a real challenge at this point but I'm picking up it quickly. Already my testimony in Kosraean has grown and I  can start to adapt it to the lesson. ( ever so slightly) but nonetheless. Perhaps my favorite thing so far to say is " Nga etuh kuht enenuh la Wosasue luhn Jisus Kraist. Nga etuh la pa pwacye ac kuh ahkinsewowoyac moulasr." (I know we need the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know it is true and can bless our lives.) Sap (maybe) because I had barely heard most of those words only a few times and hardly understood what they meant. But when it came time to bear testimony every word I had studied had found its way in and found its place. Its like D&C 84:85 says, he will give it unto us in the hour of need. I know that the Gift of tongues is strong in the Micronesia Guam Mission. But it will only come after diligence and much effort on our part, through prayer and by doing all we can first. I've witnessed Elder Madsen be able to give a whole lesson on the plan of salvation when he thought he barely knew it after he prayerfully thought about it. (his senior companion is currently on Guam for ZL training and were a trio right now covering the whole island.) I know the same applies to all gifts of the spirit and in and in all stages of life. Read the gifts on the spirit section out of the gospel principles manual. Its really great.

 

So as far as this place goes. Kosrae never changes. Still 90 degrees here everyday. Waters so blue, jungles thick, and I am ever so barely able to communicate a few lines with the people. But I know it will get better though fatih and sweat, and I look forward to the time it does. The island is already at 31 baptisms for the year. Last year they got 18 total. The goal this year is 38. The Pastors are ticked at us and some have threatened to kill a certain missionary who has been here awhile and is finally able to speak so well he owns them. Every missionary we have here has a fire within them that burned within the 2000 stripling warriors.. that burned within moroni. We've been told by our mission president "When hell's bells are ringing, something good's about to happen" to " be fearless" for the Lord WILL deliver you if you are faithful.  Elder Foote, (senior couple Elder) bore testimony to the people yesterday that if they help talk to their friends and neighbors and that if we keep doing all we can, we WILL see "100 baptisms a year on Kosrae" and the Spirit bore testimony so strongly when he said that I thought the room was shaking. The people here have admitted that for many the protestant church just isn't cutting it anymore. They have questions. And the protestant church doesn't have the answers. The winds are changing, the tension is high (the island was 95 percent protestant), and I know that the four of us have a great work to do, and that I must learn this language and DO WORK! In John we learn the difference between shepards and sheephearders. Theses people are starting to see through the Churchs humanitarian efforts and us walking and teaching in the pouring rain how much the Church of Jesus Christ cares for them and how Christ is their Shepard, And how these Protestant pastors are merely sheephearders.

 

Thats What this week has been to me. Its been really enpowering. I love you all and you all have this same calling to do this work. How great is your calling. KAmpare!

 

_Elder Lapeyrouse

Tu wo mwet nuh kwah!

"I go back to the smell of an old gym floor, and the taste of salt on a Carolina shore, after graduation and drinking (Cheerwine) goodbye to friends. I go back to watching summer fade to fall growin up too fast and I do recall, wishin time would stop right in its tracks." (Kenny Chesney)

 

Tu wo mwet nuh kwah! (Good morning everyone!) Aaron, Sarah, Yvonne, Kristin, Sis. Miller, Sis. Jaquish, Elders Corn, and Valinotti, Adam, Jayson, Jose thanks for sending me a line. It great to hear from you all!  So Island life....well lets see I don't know what to say. I keep planning what it is I'm going to say but by the time I get here I think that I have already said it. Since I've been here we've had 3 baptisms. The islands yearly total right now is at around 31. The goal is 38. Piece of cake.

 

So Kosraean....is one major fail. I feel like I'm watching the travel channel or something, during the lessons and yeah.... I wish I could speak English. Some people do speak English here so its nice to be able to talk to them. geeeez uh lets see, well Since I've been here I have eaten some crazy stuff. Most of it is pretty bland. Taro root, yadda yadda. Eels not very bland though, but it's also not bad. Just a million bones and sticky as all get out. OK so last week or two weeks ago our car crapped out on us. Well the battery died. So.. we were left to use bikes to cover our massive area, and in a place where it is constantly 90 degrees and supeerrrr humid, that wasn't fun. I did some work on the care so it's workin for the time being, but that corolla is craapp. We have to take it places where you need more clearance and AWD to go. So NEVER buy a mission vechicle.

 

I eat a lot of chicken and rice here. a lot. nuff said.

 

So all this time I get to sit and think inside my own head has made me realize something. I've been feeling really stressed lately, and Ive figured out why. I really miss those times I would sit up late at night and watch worthless programing on tv and talk with mom instead of doing my homework, working in the yard with Adam while listening to country music, the lift at park city with Jayson and sitting on top of the mountain, those long times I spent with Yvonne and Kristin and whoever else down in the lobby of May or Taylor. I miss call of duty with Evans. I miss walking into Brighams room to ask him a question and ending up spending an hour in there talking about life and what not. I miss riding in the truck with dad: windows down with 80s music. I miss chips and salsa and Banjo-Kazooie with Nips till 1 or 2 am, and then AJ walking into my room which led to either Rancharitos, Del Taco, Vendies, or just sitting in his room till 4 err 3. Skyping with Gianluca over the summer. I miss all those times with Erick and Aaron where I didn't have to say anything because they already knew whats in my head. All of those times, I got the wonderful opportunity to sit and talk with people. To unwind let go of life and talk about anything and everything. How the day went, and what was on my mind. I don't get that opportunity here. The Missionary life is real busy and you don't get much down time. Plus English isn't really spoken here, and my companions an inert person. He admitted to being super shy for the majority of his life. I realized the other day that I love to talk, and love to talk to people. I feel like the only way to do that now is through letters. So I need more addresses. please.

 

Other than that, the island is pretty chill. I sometimes feel like the people have no drive here which bugs the snot out of me but I'll get over it I'm sure as I learn to love the people. Right now I'm just frustrated with the language and I'm sure it will get better. I would love, love, love to email  yall some pictures but the problem is, these computers have no virus protection and usually destroy anything you hook up to them. So I guess it's good ole Facebook once my mom gets them. I love hearing from you all and its super nice. I'm on a freakin island. Cha baba! Anyways until next week, Kampare! (endure or BE STRONG)

 

-Elder Lapeyrouse

Long time no hear....

We have not heard from Braydon this week because the internet service is down on the island.  I am just posting a couple of pictures from the MTC.

Lost....or at least thats how it feels....

All this place needs is a magical hot tub, a crazy french lady, a couple of ruins that you never find out about, a couple of polar bears, and a smoke monster. I am not completely, but close, LOST. So I don't even know where to begin, I'll kinda summerize real quick.

 

Trip to Guam:...Have I mentioned I hate long airplane trips? especially with loads of Japanese school children that scream as you hit turbulence and talk loudly in Japanese. ALL of them. So Guam, pretty ghetto outside of the base and Barrigada. the South part I've heard isn't too bad. We got to Guam around Midnight, Slept in one of the rooms then had orientation the next day (when she called you). Orientation lasted all day and we just basically enjoyed our last bit together before we knew we might split up. That evening we got our assignments basically like opening another mission call. All of the missionaries on Guam were there in the mission homes living room. (which is super nice by the way). and we got individual letters telling us of our first assignments. Elder Butler went first. He opened his "blah blah blah Chuuk". Everyone cheers. I'm next " You have been assigned to labor in the Utwe area of the beautiful island of Kosrae" And I'm thinking, wait, wasn't that the small one? Elder Criswell to Saipan which is breathtakenly georgous. Valinotti to Guam, Corn to Pohnpei, and Cutler to Yap. Then we put our things in the car and set out with a set of guam missionaries to go to some appointments and then leave in the morning. I wasn't even on the ground for a day before I was back on a plane!! So Guam, yeah muy ghetto. Like some of the Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 maps are similar to it. Glad I'm not staying there. And I'm sure you know about Kosrae already because the letter was CC'd to you, Bishop, and President Marsh.

 

 

Three plane rides later and a few days and I'm sitting at one of the 4 computers on this island. Kosrae is about 42 square miles. There is only one road that circles the outside of the island. So I can always see the beach right?? Tu wo! Thats good morning in Kosraean. This place....well let me just say I have no idea how power and cars got here. Its a jungle, I live in a freakin jungle of an island. We do have a house, and a car. which is better than the lawyers and doctors on the island have. Most people here live in shacks or straight concrete houses that are basically one room with a small wall dividing the floor space where you normally sit and where you sleep. No furniture. Some have TV's and surprisingly I heard Justin Bieber on the radio of a car passin by the other day. How this gets out here I am still at a loss. Our house, our whole house can fit in our living room back home. The only ac is in our bedroom and the rest of the house is soooooo hot. Its like 88 year round and 100% humidity. Guess I asked for it. The people here are so nice and just friendly, too bad I can barely understand them. A lot of people speak enough english to communicate and some speak a lot. They always smile and I try to speak Kosrean. My companion Elder Rufus is Marshallese and I can barely understand his english at times. Many people here are too poor to be able to feed us so we feed our selfs. Rice and Chicken and vegatables. Some families will feed us though as I've been told so I haven't avoided fish yet. Elder Rufus doesn't have a license so I get to drive our Toyota Corolla. There are really only too rules here. Don't hit anyone, and honk as you go around a car going slow or stopped in your lane, but you can't go real fast because the kids and dogs just play in the street. and people too. They aren't scared Elder Rufus was telling me. I was like I don't care how scared you may not be, cars can't smell fear. Feel free to send me stuff similar to what you sent in the MTC. I also need the USB cord to my camera.  I can't wear lavalavas. Apparently thats a Polynesian thing, it's actually a somewhat gay thing to do here, so pants and shirts for me. I'll get a picture with a machette. Or however you spell it.

 

When I get home, I imagine I will be very bitter toward the American lifestyle. These people live life for family and personal growth and well being. They do not worry about money and I feel like they will rub off on me before I leave. I really want to learn this language so that I may be able to share the Gospel with them. I felt the Spirit in the lessons so much in the MTC, and I am really sad that I cannot teach in English, but we teach the people in the language of their hearts. I also really miss all of you. My friends, my family, music, the Tundra, my MTC district, and just a sense of belonging. They welcomed me well here. A family we went to see my first day have made me some handcrafts. A necklace, a headband and a bracelet. Woven with some material and shells. Banana trees and coconut trees are everywhere.

 

Watching Conference again (the delay here is so long we just watched it).  It reminded me that last time I was with my District from the MTC and some of the talks on gratitude and family really hit home this time around.

 

I know I will grow to love it here and I can't wait till I can speak fluently.  Send packages and letters directly to this address for now:

 

Elder Braydon Craig Lapeyrouse

P.O. Box 186

Tofol, Kosrae, FSM 96944

 

By the way Kosrae is pronunced "Kos-rye" with the "o" like a "uh"

 

I was told I will end up on probably Guam before my misison is up, maybe sooner, and maybe a different island. Which means  I  will learn some Chuukese as well. Every missionary on Guam must now learn Chuukese.

 

Get on Facebook and write "I'm LOST...write me. @Caitlin Hoffman @Aaron Hiatt @Adam Hiatt @Kristin Fortenberry  @Yvonne Lai @ Taylor Nicholls and many others. The address is in my white profile box or in the comments."

 

 

I love you all and wish you well

-Elder Lapeyrouse

Off to the tropics

Hafa adai!! Thats hello in Chamorro. I still have no clue what any of the other languages sound like but I will soon find out. So, flight plans: leave the MTC at 6:00 am. Depart from Salt Lake City at 9:45am. Arrive in Seattle, WA at 11:02 am (this doesnt make sense to me either). Leave Seattle at 1:40pm on Oct 12. Arrive in Tokyo Narita, Japan at 4:40pm Oct 13th. Leave Tokyo at 6:55 pm Oct 13. Arrive in Guam at 11:40pm Oct 13. I don't know if this is all in MST or if they have factored in the time changes. I'm just going to keep my watch set to here until Guam so that I know what time it is back home. So this past week....haven't really done too much more. Just kinda finishing up on teaching any classes. Which by the way are so awesome to be over. Got my first two letters from a girl outside my family on Thursday and Friday this week. Think I would be a bit more popular than that right? Meanwhile, Elder Cherrington gets like 1028938920 a day. So I'm writting a few of his girls...just to see where it goes hah :) I've made some really nice friends here that I didn't know before and that aren't in my district. It kinda sucks saying goodbye. One of them being from New Zealand taught me the words of the Haka. I really wanted to have it written down because of it's meaning. I've also met Elder Ray from Roy, Utah and Elder Sohlai from La'ie Hawai'i. He was actually my first friend here because he was the guy I walked in with at 9:30 when Dad dropped me off. He's going to Japan and has taught me enough Japanese to give a pass along card in Japan. I got to see Brigham. A bunch. His hall actually wasn't too far from me so I went and visited him and he came to mine last night. Two nights ago Butler and I stood outside and tried to listen to the San Diego State and BYU game. We could tell it was homecoming cause the "Y" was lit. Apparently BYU ended up winning. Good. They need to make up for the rest of the season. I'm sending my xd card home. Its got a bunch of Pictures and video. one of the last videos is 32 minutes long. Some of my favorite people here are a giant Tongan named deler Kato, and a big Samoan that plays for UCLA named Elder Schwenke. They are so much fun and they taught me a good lesson. They use hymns when they teach. Elder Butler and I tried that the other day in combination of already teaching completely by the spirit. It took me 3 weeks to figure that one out. David A Bednar helped with that a bit. But that lesson was so powerful. I felt impressed to sing "I am a child of God" and the spirit was so strong that I couldn't even get the notes close to right. But it was so amazing. And it was our teacher (in investigator mode) that we were teaching and she was like "Elders, you've achieved your purpose." The Book of Mormon is an AMAZING book and it is much more than the keystone to our religion. Its the springboard to our testimonies and we must always read it. Like King Benjamin taught, The tree of faith unnourished will wither and die. I've had some amazing experiences here with teaching and singing and who knows what else but its all because of the Spirit you get when you read that book. My new favorite passages are about Ammon and 3 Nephi 11. Thats such a powerful chapter and we use it a lot to help investigators feel the Spirit. I'm sad to leave here because I just now saw how amazing it is. The pilot program is amazing and we got told that we did it right and that they are going to switch the whole MTC over to it by May. It really taught us how to teach on our own and with the Spirit. We were told the teachers job the first week was to make sure we don't drown, then watch us at 3 weeks, where we took a exponential curve straight up, where as the other program does super awesome the first week but then plateaus around the beginning of week 3. Anyways,  this place is truely remarkable and I'm glad I was able to come here. It's been crazy, I've been a test subject for three weeks and it worked out for the better.  My Samoan friend says hi. I love you all and I'll call you when I can. Take care. God speed. (God Speed the Right....awesome hymnn) oh and "homeward bound" by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir arr. by Mack Wilburg. We watched the MOTAB broadcast this past sunday and it was sung. Wayyy sweet!! Anyway, Byeeee.

-Elder Lapeyrouse

 

week 2 and only 1 week until the islands

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Week 2...or should I say month 6. I feel like I've been here for the longest time. But on a cooler note...I'm going to Tokyo!!! We got our flight plan the other day and we have a two hour layover in Japan. We leave Oct 12 and we are all real excited. Secondly, I have sooooo much junk food right now. I bought myself some to stock up for conference (Friday) then I got a package from Edye off of Dear elder (Friday), then I got a huge package with even more candy, Cheerwine, and my jersey (Saturday). I guess ya'll are tryin to fatten me up or something before all the fish. Thanks for it all though, I reall appreciate it. One of the Nutella bottles is already gone. So, important lesson #1 this week: never be out of tune with the spirit, It saved my districts lives. Haha scared yet, well I was, We nearly got hit by a freakin car. On our way to gym to play some v-ball we have to cross the road that seperates the MTC and the Provo Temple grounds. You push the button and wait till the light turns red and it gives you 20 seconds to cross. No chirps because they are redoing the intersection. We usually like to run across, or  jog or someting quick as soon as we can go. So here we are sitting there, button pushed and waiting to cross, 12 of us gathered on the corner. One of our guys gets the random impression to ask a random woman if she was a teacher here, and for some reason her answer caught the intrest of all 12 nineteen year old men. Her answer was no I believe, but she proceded to ask us where we were going and we kinda gathered round to tell her. At that moment we hear tires screech as a big ole Durango blows through the intersection way too fast and swerves and hits a BYU grounds truck that was turning into the MTC. We look back at the timer and it reads 8. So we figured about 9 or so seconds went by as we watched the aftermath. Which still leaves us what....2....3 seconds of red light before the Durango entered the intersection. Heres the DL, The durango, tried to catch the light so they sped up, looked at the light and noticed it was not yellow, but red and was already going too fast to stop before they went through the intersection. Had we not been captivated by the answer "no" or had one of the Elders not spoken to her, the BYU truck wouldn't have been the only thing hit. Important lesson #2, we teach people, not lessons. Our purpose is to invite others to come unto to Christ...(big long statement) but the main idea is that we DON'T teach what we know. WE teach what they NEED. We are supposed to be constantly thinking what does this person need to DO, in order to FEEL the spirit, and learn what they need to KNOW. So getting to know the investigator is the first thing you do. In one of our mock investigator situations, Elder Butler and I have not yet invited him to Baptism, he's not ready, but we are teaching out of PMG lesson 3. Some people you can invite to Baptism on the first time and some you can't. It depends on their needs. I know PMG says to but the MTC is trying to emphasise that memorizing lessons was Missionary Guide junk that we don't do anymore and that lessons should be spirit directed. D&C 84:85. We should study all of the lessons and memorize the points in each lesson and then teach according to their needs. Obvioulsy you're not going to teach the law of tithing in your first meeting, you might not even cover the restoration.  You might jump stright into the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. The big kicker is getting them to read the B.O.M. The introduction and Moroni 10:3-5 explain the BOM and what will happen if you read and pray. Usually that is our biggest do, be bold and teach from it. If they do it sincerely, they can't deny it. Its crazy how I've now got tons of scriptures for the first lesson memorized after only a few lessons. I am very excited to get out to the Islands and teach the people and hopefully learn a language or three. My new fav verse of a hymn is verse 7 of How Firm a Foundation. Take care and I love you all, My laundrys done and I want to go eat some plastic eggs. Godspeed and Kia Kaha

Pictures from week one in MTC

enough said!!

Elder Butler

district 24

6 going to the Marshall Islands Mission

5 going to the Mironesia Guam Mission

more of week one

Alright, so there are a few things that I didn't get into the e-mail.  I really wanted to tell you about Elder Hutchinson.  He's is in our branch and he is from Wales.  He has this really cool accent and he reminds us all of the Lucky Charms Leprechaun.  I wanted Jayson to know that I know someone from where he is serving.  Having only 30 minutes for e-mail blows, but write often.  Mail is solace here.  Worth more than gold.  I am so busy here that I can't barely breathe, but I am enjoying every minute of it.  We get to go to the temple today so, I am excited for that. Oh, the first day here I saw Ryan Bills walking by and I was like "Elder Bills."  He then bobbed his head up through a crowd and then saw me.  He ran toward me chanting "oh my gosh, oh my gosh" and picked me up in the biggest hug ever.  I have also seen Elder Petit, Elder Ethan Thompson, Elder Taylor Bullock and Michael for NC(I don't remember his last name)  I know that you guys don't know these guys but my friends will.  Speaking of BYU peeps, I need your addresses.   I love you all!   Have fun and remember Alma 26:12

Love Elder Lapeyrouse