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