These crocs are made for walking.....

 Sunrise on Kosrae

 Yum coconut milk!

"Lets burn a hole so we can climb out, of these paper walls and this empty house."

not sure why that is my song for this week, but its been in my head a few times over this past week.

So I want to start out by saying that walking over 6 miles a day has brought me back to my hiking days and all the good times I had with Aaron and Erick on them. Especially the night Aaron and I tried Grayson at night and wandered around aimlessly for 4 hours singing primary songs to keep the wolf pack away. Good times. I got the package from the young women,  loved it...can I have Sister Hipps address? But I will give a thank you on here anyway. Thank You Young Women!!   This past week, I have never sweat so much in my life. This crystle blue water has never looked more inviting. Anyway, I've really enjoyed this past week, Before I had felt like I was getting nothing but a cold shoulder from this area. I didn't know anyone. Like we were seperated by a "paper wall" if you will. Something meaningless like misunderstanding and fear. We've just been able to talk to everyone we passed this week and help them out if they needed help. Now when we walk, the kids walk with us, and the adults wave to us. Some call us over to talk to them and on a few occasions, we've been approached by two guys that tell us that if we ever need anything, talk to them.  some are wanting to know a little bit about what were all about. I've seen this area come alive and My skills in the language have grown immensely. The only down side is that I've noticed that I am thinking too much with my head now instead of feeling with my heart.

Elder Andrew is awesome. He's just as outgoing as I am and Is like a big kid.  He is sarcastic, and you can't say anything that will offend him. He's truely fearless and I'm learning a lot from him. I'm going to like this companionship a lot. But... he loves spam. ugh And I have written in my handbook that spam is not for the belly, nor for the body, and is not for the good of man. (Masap luhn Kosrae: rule 2) ha, wow we are way too isolated out here. but its all good. These friendships I've made with Elder Madsen and Elder Sturm will last way beyond the mission. I probably won't see much of Elder Andrew though since he is from Papua New Guinea ,but all is well here on kosrae. We are in a rather large slump since christmas but that just means there is a great harvest coming. take care, I love you all!

-Elder Lapeyrouse

Follow the Leader

A couple of post ago, Braydon wrote about an incident where a crab got loose in the car.  We just received the SD card in the mail this week. I love hearing him laugh!!



"Just ask him how he made it, he'll tell you Faith & Sweat"

 

So about 5 days ago we lost another one of our tires. This makes the third since I've been here. DESTROYED!. We had just replaced two with tires from Guam. So we put the spare on and went on. Elder Madsen called guam. Well two days ago our spare gave out. It's so worn down from the weeks we were on it from last time and its worn through now in some places. As I was checking it out the other day when it died, I noticed the almost worn away sentence that said "Tempory Use Only" printed on the side. I had to smile at the irony. But after some scrambling and some help from Elder Madsen and Elder Sturm we finally got the car back to our house. And there it resides...on a cylinder block because size 15 tires are near impossible to find on Kosrae anyway and it just so happens they are fresh out. The Earliest Guam could get us Some new ones is Probably the first week end in march.  so until then...we walk. the past couple of days Elder Andrew and I have walked over 6 miles a day and have barely been able to cover our area. Figures we live in the spread out area where 4 of those miles practically no one lives in. Just the lonely road, the Jungle, the ocean, and the Sun. So Yesterday I put on this tie that I traded Elder Andrew one of mine for. As I was putting it on I noticed some writting on the back from Elder Matthews who had originally owned the tie. "Fasr Kampare". So the translation of fasr kampare is "Walk on" go forward, endure, Be strong. you get the jist. I have one tie that has been through quite a few elders and has Chuukese and Yapese written on the back of it. I'll probably add some Kosraean to it if I ever pass it on. But any ways, everything is good. Elder Andrew and I played a game similar to follow the leader while we walked the other day with a bunch of little kids. We started with three and we ended up with like 15. It was really fun and I got some videos of it. Other than that everything is good. Just fasr kampare for me. I love you guys, hope you're doing well. Oh I get to go to Guam the second week in March for a big leadership training.  I will be gone from that tuesday until the next monday.  Oh, I need to send a shout out and a congratulations to Stephanie Remington and give her my best wishes on the marriage. God bless.

 

Gianluca is in a walking area I believe. Man I feel for him. I love being able to walk now. Get some exercise, work on the tan, talk to more people, but its still hot, and dress shoes are not made for walking. Kampare ma wiuhk.

 

So I figured after last night that I could really use some IcyHot. Can't believe I didn't bring any. So nunak muhnahs, could I get you guys to send me some. As well as Yours and Kylee's sizes for like skirts or something. There is a member that wants to make you guys skirts and I told here I would ask you. So I guess like waist size or mainly just leg height. I dont know what to call it but from like the floor to the waist measurement.

 

So hows everything at home? School for the chillin's, and work as well. Hows the ward doing? Keep working hard and I love ya,

Elder Lapeyrouse

Just Keep Swimming

---

"You've gotta swim. And swim for your life. Swim for the music that saves you when you're not so sure you'll survive. you've gotta swim, and swim when it hurts."

 

Figured I'd drop a little Jack's Mannequin in there. So this week being essentially on my own has been a whole different world. I've just been wiped out every night. With a new companion who doesn't know the language you basically shoulder everything. Elder Rufus did it, Elder Madsen did it and now I guess its my turn. Plus this very has beena very unproductive week. Everyone claims to be busy and nothing seemed to go right. But its okay, there was one night I was feeling overwhelemed but the 4Ordained cd is really awesome. Anyways I want to share a story

 

Yesterday in Priesthood, oh man, so here it goes. Its currently 45 minutes past the time church was supposed to let out. Were sitting in this little room probably as big as the school of the prophets around one of those tables that you find under the stage of the church. So Ronny is asleep leaning against the door. PahPah Kur is just out, slouched over in his chair, the Branch President is watching Ben 10: Alien Force with the primary in the other room. Elder Andrew has his head resting on his fist intently listening. Camrun Innok next to me is seconds from falling out of his chair because he's dozing off so far forward. I've got my elbow on the table and my left hand supporting and covering half my face. It's like 105 degrees in the room and Yulsin is just sitting in the corner going on and on teaching in Kosraean about some verse that says "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath." The air is heavy and I'm just thinking, you have got to be kidding me. When suddenly out of nowhere Yulsin askes: "Elder Lapeyrouse, could you please explain Afternoon Delight to me?" I cracked the biggest smile ever as my mind flooded with "Sky rockets in flight..." and images of Will Ferrell singing in a field. I'm trying really hard not to laugh and I look up and Elder Andrew is looking at me like hes got this answer hes just gotta get out but wants my approval to speak. I nodded as he says "reading scriptures after church." I just layed my head on the table and laughed silently to myself as Yulsin sastified with the answer, continued. The lesson went on for another 10 or so minutes but it was alright, that made my day.  I hope the Anchorman fans enjoy this. Nicholls would probably have a riot if he read this. Jayson too. Good times on Kosrae. Ill leave you guys with the line that got me through the week.

 

"the adversary trembles, when he hears the call, of the savior's chosen warriors defending truth for all...So fight on, spiritual soldiers that march boldly onward. Onward to victory. Firm and undaunted, in God we have trusted. Fighting with love, honor, and charity."

 

that and Ether 12:27 "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their^aweakness. I ^bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my ^cgrace is sufficient for all men that ^dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make ^eweak things become strong unto them."

 

Love you all,

Elder Lapeyrouse

My companion is here...

                                            Braydon with his fan club

                                            A Tarheel fan woot woot

                                              Yulsin

                                           A slightly different name tag!!!

My President is black, my lambo's blue... and I'd be ...sad ...if my rims ain't too.

 

There's a story to that I promise.

 

My companion really is black. And he's here. So Friday went about as normal. Till we got home. We had a message on our machine from Elder Wright. He said one of the members came by and there was somebody at the airport looking for a ride. He was going to figure it out. So we called Elder Wright back. He said "I know its after 9 but I need you guys to come over here...and bring your truck.  So we get there and Elder Andrew is sitting on the couch. Really tall, looks a bit like Denzel Washington. All three of us are just in shock. Nobody from Guam called us and told us that he was coming. Turns out he sat at the airport for 2 hours till that one member finally explained to him that he was a member and gave him a ride to the chapel and Elder Andrew spent the day with the Wrights. But Hes here and tonight I'm back in Utwe. Long time no see.

 

So the reference to Young Jeezy, remember Elmer Kilafwakihn? I talked about him a little bit when I gave my spill on Alu Pros. Anyway we were back at his home the other night and Elmer is just one of my favorite guys on this island already but we went and I was sitting there talking to his three year old son (E.R.) in their kitchen (a hut seperated from the house). Now E.R. is the man as well that kid is hilarious. But from behind me Elmer made a sound and I turned to see him decked out in a red hoodie, basketball shorts, and some big over ear headphones cooking chicken over a fire. He walked over to shake my hand and I heard "Jersulem" by Matisyahu playing through the head phones. I was like "you know Matisyahu?" and he laughed. So I took his Ipod (he has an Ipod) and looked through it. I found "my President is Black" by Young Jeezy on there and smiled because of how much I loved the fanfare intro to that song. And because I associate that song with one of the craziest stories of mine and Aarons lives. So I hit play. And as the Brass fanfare came through over the headphones around Elmer's neck he gave one of those oh yeah nods and put his fist up for me to pound it. When I leave I'm going to miss that guy.

 

Thats really the highlights of this past week. I'll be sending another camera card soon and Probably a CD your way. To all my brothers, to all my friends, to especially my family...keep holdin' it down, be strong, pray oft, and love like crazy.

I'll be back with you guys before you know it.

 

yurin luhngse nuh pwacye,

Elder Lapeyrouse