candlelight dinners

Whats cooler than writing letters and eating dinner under candle light? Nothing!  Well there is plenty cooler but I still think this is pretty cool.  Its been pretty rainy lately, so we don't have any power (solar).  I don't mind though.  I dig candle light and fires to cook stuff on.  We have one can of propane left and if we run out, we'll build fires for cooking.  We tried making the corn bread stuff today without eggs or milk.  We used our rice pot, a empty tuna can, a measuring cup, and a ceramic plate to create a steam oven.  It worked..the cornbread was good, but we burned through propane doing so.  Everything is going good out here though.  Elder Valinotti is probably the most similar to me of all my companions yet.  However come to think of it, I haven't had a companion yet that I didn't get along with very well.

I have grown rather apathetic since I've been here.  The kids here grow up getting what they want when they ask for it.  The also feel that they have a right to whatever they see.  I've grown immune to hearing my name and any question that involves Kose Mochen Upwe Angei...(you don't want?...I will have...)  They want Ramen, soy sauce, spam,  50cents, water, salt, plastic bags, tobasco, black pepper, garlic, ramen, water, matches, kool-aid, ramen, water, ramen garlic, ramen, soy sauce, ramen, gum, cardboard, ramen, tuna, ramen, chicken, ramen, and wait.....ramen.  The brochure for this place should read something like:  "Come enjoy the experience of being asked for something twenty times a day or your money back guaranteed."  On the plus side I've gotten used to cold showers, sleeping on the ground, sitting on the ground, and living out here without air conditioning.  The Zone Leaders have air conditioning in their apt  and we all freeze whenever we go in.  The one good part about that is that it makes the tile nice and cool for sleeping.  There are times when I worry a bit about coming home, going from this humidity and heat to the damp bite of fall air back home and then in January, the Utah winter.  I often recall a  memory I have from BYU when I saw a guy in sweats and a hoodie bundled up against a wall in one of my classes.  The TA asked him if he was alright, and he answered that he had recently returned from a mission in the caribbean and that he couldn't seem to get warm.  I now realize that I had laughed at my impending future.

This past week, the A.P's came out.  I got to see Elder Madsen again, and Elder Malit, who has seved on Chuuk, so he was a big help.  Earlier in the transfer another area on the island Weno on Chuuk called us and told us one of their investigators who was doing real well was moving to Tonoas.  A young girl about 10 or so.  She lives about a 30 minute walk away and  we were able to sit down with her parents the day the A.P.'s came.  We had a really good lesson on the restoration.  The spirit was definitely there and after we all shared our testimonies, the man said that he had something he wanted to say.  We were in the heart of Protestant territory so we were like shoot, this stubborn Chuukeese man is going to dominate our faces (earlier when he had seen that we were there he wasn't too happy and asked another woman what our purpose for being there was.)  He started talking rather fast in Chuukese and I could only understand that he was talking about the protestant church.  I felt impressed that he needed a Book of Mormon so I turned to Elder Valinotti, who was struggling to listen and told him about it.  He got one out of his bag.  Elder Malit saw and looked pleased,  When the man finished Elder Malit bore his testimony and then asked Elder Valinotti to explain the Book of Mormon.  After the lesson, I had a real good feeling and I talked to Elder Malit about it.  He told us that the man had basically said that the Protestant church was not true in his eyes.  It was whatever the Pastor had wanted and he(pastor) has never said that it was Jesus Christ's Church.  He has been praying and waiting for someone to tell and show him which church is right.  His wife was like "we give them money every week, but we don't know where it goes, and none of us in the congregation seem to receive any benefit from it.  They are Studdin!

We got to come in to go shopping, and for Zone P-day.  Our really studdin' investigators are doing even better then they already were.  The man Jon asked us how he could become a member of Jesus Christ's church and says that he thinks about baptism when he wakes up, and when he goes to sleep.  We have high hopes for them.  

Rains and winds are picking up here.  We have had some crazy storms lately, which make boat rides choppy and wet.  Those last couple of boxes were really helpful.  My only request is for cookies and baby powder.  I'll hit you up again in 4 weeks.  :)

Wait....I am in dire need of socks.  I think that the trolls or dwarfs stole mine.  I haven't matched socks in awhile.  Maybe like 12 pairs. Please and thank you!!

Elder Lapeyrouse

Creative cooking and...washing!

So Chuuk has been a good ride thus far.  Besides the fact that it's hot as hades out here.  I had forgotten how much I loved Micronesia.  Guam was nice, definitely had more food and technology perks, but nothing beats the simplicity of an island, And now Elder Valinotti and I have one all to ourselves.  Chuuk is seriously the place I think every young boys should of had as his playground.  A lagoon of about a hundred or more islands, Many small and uninhabited.  You could sail around, explore the islands, or go diving to the beautiful reefs filled with tropical fish and sea turtles, and tons of WWII submarine and ship wreckage. 

Speaking of boats, and islands, we get to go into Weno on Zone P-day (if zone p-day is on Weno) and the first monday of each month.  This is when we go shopping.  Elder Valinotti and I get to go to Uman every thursday for district meeting.  Besides those times, its good ole Tonoas for us.  Normally the missionary boat is about 18ft and looks like a cross between a bayliner and a pontoon.  However, the week before I came to chuuk a heavy storm sunk it, ruining both engines.  They have to buy a new boat, and in the meantime, we use little boats, 10ft or so with a 40 mph engine.  The only thing I don't like about Chuuk so far is laundry.  I said goodbye to the only apartment in Guam with a working washing machine, and received a warm welcome from my buddy the "Ace hardward Bucket"  Laundry goes like this:  Wake up, fill the bucket 3/4 with water, dissolve powdered soap, add bleach (if whites), add clothes, then using a plunger with holes you pull some butter churning moves and get it all nice and mixed up.  Then you let it sit and soak and that evening dump out the BROWN water (Note I don't think that most people in the states realize how much body sweat and soil are in our clothes when there is no visible dirt)  But trust me, 10 "rinse cycles" later, and trust me I UNDERSTAND  how much dirt there is, you wring out each individual piece of clothing and hang it up on the line.  If there is a stubborn stain, you can throw a washboard step in there somewhere.  Surprisingly I don't miss air conditioning at all.  For most of the mission, thus far, until Yigo North, my houses haven't had much of an AC unit.  I had to remind myself the other day that Tonoas doesn't have one at all.  We both sleep on mats on the floor with  about a foot between the mats.  We place a small fan at the head of the gap.  Half the time, our solar power runs out and the fan cuts off in the middle of the night.   We leave all the windows open though.  Elder Valinotti and I are going to buy some candles this upcoming monday so we don't have to use the energy on our light bulbs, and we can use more for the fan.  I guess this would be a good time to mention that fridges, ovens, and microwaves are non-existent out here.  So we don't have anything dairy, and we get inventive with our Japanese propane stove.  The other day I cooked one of those Betty Crocker Warm Delight things that you sent me using a steam cooker that I crafted out of a pot, a empty chicken can, and a makeshift lid.  It worked pretty dang well.  

Chuukeese is coming faster that Kosraen did.  But it couldn't come fast enough.  We get owned daily out here because neither of us know chuukeese that well.  Its all good though.  No better way to learn right?  Regardless....other than crazy, drunk, men who get way wasted/angry, and start fights at nightfall, Chuuk has been real nice.  Its a nice challenging change of environment.  I will probably spend my 2nd year here so I look forward to all the crazy adventures this part of the Federated States of Micronesia can bring.  Transfers are coming up, but I don't expect much to change.  As for the boxes the past few have been good (Guam and Chuuk)  Maybe some drink mixes would be nice though.  Oh!!  I would like my priesthood lineage and an updated address list (including Aaron's mission office one since he never gave it to me)  Tell the ward Hi for me.  Can anyone believe that we have already been out a year  (sorry Nicholls just a few more months).  Al tong noenikemi! 

Much love, take it easy!

Elder Braydon Lapeyrouse

Just sit right back, and you'll hear a tale...(Gilligan's island theme song)

A couple years ago in seminary (ok..many years ago hehe) I remember watching a church video about an older lady who walked everyday to the mailbox waiting for a letter, and each time finding it empty (called the Mailbox).  I have recalled this many times over the last 4 weeks waiting to hear something from Gilligan, I mean Braydon.  hehe  Anyway yesterday I was able to do the happy dance after checking the mailbox.    Here it is.  

August 15, 2011

I think there is a misconception prevalent  within the Micronesia Guam Mission.  One that is common among those that are "born" (start out) on one of the outer FSM, CMNI, or Palau Zones.  This idea being that we would start out on these islands and learn the language, serving there for sometime before "doing time" in Guam and then finishing our mission in our own respective islands.  President Dowdle realized quickly the dangerous effect this manner of isolated thinking had on the mission.  Before he got here and early in his mission, Zones had rivalries.  Guam was looked at as the punishment island.  Languages were used as cliques, and mission unity was something everyone professed to have, but many would show otherwise.

I'm not sure how many of the stories that I've heard have been exaggerated or not, but I do know that it was enough for President to spend a lot of effort on unifying the mission.  I think that one way of doing so was getting Elders to understand that they were never assigned to serve only within a specific Zone or language.  There have been a few Elders who have demonstrated that we are not as "safe" as we had thought.  Elder South for example from Chuuk, to Pohnpei, then back to Chuuk.  Elder Pearl from Chuuk to Yap.  As President Dowdle's Mission came to an end, transfers became more crazy and unpredictable then they had been.  Closing some areas, and opening up new ones.  Elder Allred on Chuuk doing a swap with Elder Henrie in Yap.  Elder Agalzoff from Palau to Guam for one transfer and the replacing me as Elder Andrew's new companion in Utwe on Kosrae.  When I was transferred to Guam needless to say, I had figured enough craziness had already happened, and the fact that it was President Mecham's first transfer led me to believe that upon taking Elder Agelzoff's place in Yigo North I would be in Guam for some time.  Especially since we were losing six Elder's and only getting three new ones.  However, transfer calls came. Elder Adams is writing down the names....gets done with writing down the Guam Zone, and my name isn't on the list.  Just seconds after being excited upon hearing that Elder Madsen was the new Assistant to the President, I was overcome with a number of feelings as Elder Adams asked about me.  My filipino brother Elder Iglasia on the other side of the wire laughs a bit, starts in with the info and pauses after "going to"... just for the sake of tormenting me...then finishes with "....Chuuk,  he's going to Chuuk".

I was shocked, blown away, excited, and yet nervous.  I sat there on the couch and...just sat there.  The fact that Elder Valinotti, who was part of my MTC group, was going to by my new companion on one of the outer islands of Chuuk still didn't even register.  I only knew two things:

1.  I was once again boarding that island-hopper flight again a lot sooner that I thought I would.  2.  I was in for a ride.

So Chuuk....A blast so far.  That main island Weno (pronounced "Would-A) is well.....I can't put it into words.  All roads are dirt and have Gigantic craters/lakes in the middle of them.  The mission cars (Toyota Tacomas) are all beat up.  Alignments shot, power steering doesn't work, the windows on the (couldn't read the word hehe) are smashed, the gas cover has been ripped off, dents, dents, and more dents.  Damage from Locals, and from the local roads.  Its like a giant Ghetto with a billion people (ok exaggeration) living on it.  Power is on for 4 hours then off for 4 hours.  The outer island...no power, no roads (walking only), no cars, not Ghetto, but very rural.  Our house has three small solar panels to run our 1 florescent bulb, small fans, and our water pump.  I guess you could say that we have a fridge, but it gets no colder that 70 degrees.  No oven, No AC.  We have a butane stove (scratch that) burner that we cook on.  Roughly a 20 square foot house situated quite nicely on a green tropical island amid sparkling blue waters.   I get to ride a boat to district meetings and any other time we need to get off this island (which is only every 4 weeks).  We get to end our day at dark because its too dangerous to be out.  (Chuukeese men like to get drunk, have bad tempers, and walk around when drunk looking for fights,)  There are many islands that are unsafe.  Decapitations..impalements...slingshots designed to kill....you know, the usual.  Shooting each other with spear guns....Wait,What?..Who said that?  I was talking about how neither Elder Valinotti or I know Chuukeese very well.

I seriously am loving it out here.  The only things that keep on the outer islands are Spam, Corned Beef, Rice, and other canned goods.   So thats all we have to eat.  We have a stud of a Branch President.  (who is the only worth Melchizedek priesthood holder in the branch)  He helps us a lot.  We have a definite baptism coming up, and her husband is doing well also and is making us slingshots.  Its great being Elder Valinotti's companion and seeing him again, having Elder Butler in the same Zone, ( he is ZL) and learning a second language.  Well I guess that is a third personal language.  Its coming faster than I thought it would as well.

There are days that Elder V and I wake up on our sleeping pad/cot/ mattress thingy (we sleep on the floor) and both make the comment that we feel like we are camping.  I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be in this mission.  For this experience, and for this trust.  I've met too many people, missionaries, and locals alike, and seen and done many things that have changed my life forever!  I can't believe there's only a year left.  Time is so short.  I love you all...Oh! I forgot to mention how strong the Brotherhood is between all the Chuuk Elders.  It reminds me of the Squirrels.  In Chuukeese custom there are "Promise Brothers", which is the Chuukeese equivalent of blood brothers.  The Elders in the Chuuk Zone treat everybody as such.  Our own Chuuk Island family.  There are no individuals in this Zone, and our relationships emulate island custom.  I look forward to whats ahead, and I hope that you all are doing well.

Much love...take it easy

Elder Braydon Lapeyrouse

Dogs, dogs and more dogs

my pwipwi's, Ngon mochen Guam. The Chuukese Language is so gangsta'. I'm enjoying studying it. I got the Pictures from the wedding and it looked really cool. And the boxes, thank you. Guam has been really cool thus far. I feel like I'm learning so much. We have an investigator now that will be baptized on the 16th. Her name is Jade and She's doing really well. We have about 3 other baptisimal prospects but they are a little frustrating because they arent as consistant as I would want them to be. Well two of them have only been taught once this past week and are new so I cant really say that. Two of the guys we are teaching are car finatics and have their own projects. I saw a sick 63 bug last night. and Chamorro trucks....The chamorros here love their drag/lowriders. We see some interesting cars. So I get to meet the new President today. Saying goodbye to President and Sister Dowdle was really sad. I cant wait till mission renunions.  We have interviews tomorrow and a zone conference on Wednesday. I'm really excited. Elder Adams and I are getting along really well and I am looking forward to the upcoming weeks. On a funny side, The other night Elder Adams and I went to contact a Chuukese family the other night but the only one home was their 18 year old daughter. She had the door open before we even got to the door, came outside and sat down, flattening out her skirt, and tidying up her hair. She was a lil flirty but not enough for us to be sure so we told her we'd check back later. The second time she was the only one home  again but she didn't seem excited to see us. Same goes for this time. Yesterday at church I walk into the Chapel and see this girl sitting with some friends. She waves and smiles and I was just thinking "you've gotta be kidding me" Elder Adams welcomed her and then we took our seats and laughed about the matter. Her family and her friends family really do have good potential though so I dunno. Other than that its been, dogs, dogs, more dogs, ugly dogs, annoying small dogs, wait! a cute puppy. and more ugly dogs. A few slammed doors, a "busy" stonner, so many phillipinos!! And Chuukese. I love the Micronesian people. Elder Adams and I have the "ranches" in our area. All dirt roads, out in the back country that only the Micronesians live on. They live everywhere but only micronesians are on the ranches. We like those better than the normal housing because we've both become so accustomed to the culture and we feel more comfortable out there. Its all good. I do ask however that you send my express jacket because the apartment is cold, and my Black shoes are done for. The missionary mall should have some good ones. Elder Adams has "Borns." the Air Force base is also in my area and so my ward is basically all Airforce personnel. As for the Flashdrive....whenever. I'll check back next week, Happy 4th of July!

-Elder Lapeyrouse

SPEND 4 DAYS IN THIRD WORLD COUNTRY HOSPITAL......CHECK

  THIS IS NOT THE TYPE OF EMAIL THAT YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE FROM YOUR MISSIONARY.  HE NEVER ANSWERED THE QUESTION ON WHETHER OR NOT THE TEST CAME BACK POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE.

"kiss from a rose" - Seal

I'm terribly sorry you never got the Walung email. I resent it. In the meantime, I'm going to let you all know about my experience with a hospital in a 3rd world country.

After monday night, I only seemed to get worse. Tuesday morning I felt alright, and even ate some toast, eggs, and bacon. Then I starting cramping throughout my whole body, sweating, felt extremely light headed, and so on. President had suggested we go to the hospital and get them to take a blood sample to test for Dengue fever (I don't know how to spell it) I ended up getting admitted because no on has a clue here.  I was given a sodium chloride IV and a nice rock to lay on for the next 4 days. The hospital here.....is a bed. you bring everything else, toilet paper, water, pillows, bed sheets, a fan (you'll want a fan) and so on. I don't even want to describe this place and the bathroom shall never be mentioned again. But there I lay. At first in a room with 5 other sick people and their families. (families watch over the sick because the nurses don't) and the rooms aren't that big. They soon moved me to another room with one other guy and his wife. This guy shook the walls when he snored, but he was leaving the next day so that worked out. Elder Coffey ended up getting admitted into the same room as I for dehydration, which meant that every other missionary had to spend the night on mats on the ground. It was a very long, 4 days. On one particular night in which I was feeling extra loopy, and sick I began singing kiss from a rose by seal. My IV probably fell out 4 times in total and I don't want to know how many airbubbles got into to my bloodstream due to their lack of competance. On one of the nights I changed the IV so it would drip super fast and hurried up and finished the bag and locked it off before I went to sleep. I also gladly took that tube out when they shook their shoulders to answer my question of if I needed it or not.   The whole experience can now be checked off my bucket list though I am not glad to say I have done so. I was so glad to eat food again upon getting out becuase I refused to eat the boiled chunk of skipjack tuna  or turkey tail they served every meal. The good news is I'm all better now. The other news is, I'm pretty sure I'm being transfererred from Kosrae this week. Should be interesting. Much Love

-Elder Lapeyrouse

Lovin my Bike!

I've come to really enjoying putting my Presidents letters in here. I don't have a song for this week, but Dierks Bently was hard to get out of my head after you guys told me you were going to see him in concert.....at a race. jealous kuhtuh sriksrik. but I would like to give a shoutout to my bro Aaron who's about to leave on his mission to Mexico. Much love my brother, it's been sweet reflectin on the good times. Godspeed.

 

 

 

President Dowdle,
I really enjoy this opportunity to be back in....I'm not sure why I just used the terminology "Back in" but I meant to say that I really enjoy that I can work in and focus on Utwe. I suppose I said "Back in" because I literally feel refreshed after being briefed on this new missionary program. I'm looking forward to two hours of companion study and the applications that are designed to push both of us. Back to basics, I guess you could say. The most essential and most important. I'm also really loving my bike. It took a lot of headache to finally get it but its well worth it. I was a big fan of mountain biking back home, as well as riding through the city on one so this feels more natural to me than a car. I also get exercise, and the opportunity to travel through the village without the isolating barriers of windows. Good things are ahead President and I'm looking forward to them. In fact. A referral I've been needing to contact came to church yesterday with three inactive teenage or slightly older than teenage boys. He expressed a desire to be baptized and said he was free all the time. Satan's hold is weakening, and I say it's time we mute those ol' bells of Hell.
I hope that Sister Dowdle and yourself can enjoy your time left in Micronesia. I really appreciate your work President, take care.
-Elder Lapeyrouse

 

 

So anyways, I got my bike this week. Its a GT Agressor 1.0 if you want to look that up. Mine is mostly white, with blue and yellow. Its sick and I love it. Elder Andrew isn't too big on it now. He fell yesterday and scraped his knee pretty bad. but spirits are high, the works picking up, The exercise will make me hungier so I can eat more rice. haha  And the mission field has introduced a brand new program. Its supposed to be for new missionaries and their trainers who recieved the same training I did in the MTC. Apparently they are field testing it before they make it final. Its a 12 week course of basically Preach My Gospel boot camp designed to push, strengthen, and fine tune new missionaries. With the hopes that they can train after their third transfer. We get an extra hour for companion study each day and a syllabus/study guide thing with topics, goals, activities, and so on. I'm loving it so far because it's everything I learned in the MTC put into action. Everyone in the mission field knows what the "8 lessons) are and this is what the program is centered around. The Essentials of Preach My Gospel. It's a sweet deal. I look forward to being able to study more. As for a box, I like mac and cheese, the chicken helper, the fruit, and other food items, not really anything sweet, and no more potatoes because I have enough of them. Apparently there are also Italian sides, so thats an interest of mine. I would also request Taco bell sauce packets. a good number of each flavor. Elders Sturms family did that and I'm jealous. however my time is up, and I must go. I love you guys, take it easy.

-Elder Lapeyrouse

"Yeah man, thats the good stuff"

"We are the Kings and Queens of Promise"

 

So I figured I'd throw a little 30 Seconds to Mars at ya'll this week. Thats kinda been my theme of this week. Well theme #1, until I got to watch conference. Theme #2 goes a little like this:

 

 "It's the first long kiss on the second date, mommas all worried when you get home late, dropping the ring in the spaghetti plate, cause your hands are shakin' so much. And it's the way she looks with that rice in her hair, eatin' burnt suppers that whole first year, and askin for seconds to keep her from tearing up. yeah man thats the good stuff." (Kenny Chesney)

 

So the assistants were here this past week. Elder Matthews (Kosraean Elder) and Elder Barlow (Palauan Elder). Elder Matthews really enjoyed being back on Kosrae since he didn't really get much of a good-bye last time. Him and I put a big effort on throwing a last minute District party Friday night before they left on Saturday.  We succeeded.  So then they left and we got to watch conference. Awesome by the way. After watching saturday morning, saturday afternoon and sunday morning sessions, Elder Sturm and I were talking to Dr. Ken about how we liked it and how cool we thought it was that they didnt have topics. He was a little confused so we told him that we thought that they all prayed about it and that their talks would specifically touch everyone who listens to them in a different way. About how different people hear different things over and over. And then......In Sunday Afternoon Holland gave a talk on what we had been talking about. We thought that was pretty cool.

 

So back to Kenny. Elmer's 1 year old daughter was in front of me while we were watching conference and she has the biggest and (excuse the non manly terms) most adorable eyes of any kid I know. And she sat there and stared at me, and stared at me.  I told Elder Sturm about it and  he said that everytime she does that to him it makes him want to say "awww I want one."  It also doesn't help that so many of the speakers at conference talked about we should strive for an eternal family. To be married in the temple and about all the blessings of it. President Monsons talk at the priesthood session was amazing and had me counting how many months in Micronesia I have left. So not going to lie, I've been thinking about my future wife all weekend and seriously pondering about the time I do decide to get married. Thinking about the Priesthood responsibility of marriage. (listen to Monsons talk from the Priesthood session) They tore into us about robbing daughters of God of the chance to start an eternal family, and about how men usually let their wives fill the void that we lack to fill. I imagine most girls would get a kick out of monson's talk. But conference was also good about learning to be charitable, give service, any desires can be overcome by something greater and the affects of the atonement. I also want to point out that Elder Gary E. Stevenson gave the opening prayer for the Sunday Morning Session. I was actually hoping he would talk but I did get to see him nonetheless. I spent 6 hours across a 2 1/2 foot table with that man and president Dowdle in a little 15 by 8 hotel room a couple weeks ago. I love Zone Conferences. Especially when General Authorities join. Anyways, all is good here, I'm really excited for next transfer because its supposed to be a big one. It will be the last or second to last transfer that President Dowdle will do before he leaves. He wants everyone to be in a fresh area that they can stay in for awhile so that President Mecham won't have to make a big transfer while he is still new. Anndd I've been in Utwe practically my whole mission. We'll see what changes happen. There are even rumors of two zone leaders on Kosrae and 3 companionships. (or so President himself has mentioned). we'll see in three weeks though.

 

Love you all

-Elder Lapeyrouse