Sister Beutler's Mission

Kasalelie peneinei (hello family),

It has been a good week for Sister Varea and I. Jeffery was baptized on Saturday. He was really nervous for the interview and the baptism and all but afterwards he looked so happy and I know that one day he will be a strong priesthood holder for our branch.

The people here give us food all the time. A couple days ago I tried a couple new foods, Pohnpein peanuts and also bananas cooked in coconut milk which tasted a little like peach cobbler. I am used to seeing children with machetes now. The first few days I expected them to come running after me with them but everybody carries them around as their main tool.

We always have plenty of people to teach here. I still have never had to go out "finding." The people we teach are all refferals and someone in the house is always willing to listen. Setting appointments is a little different though. Everyone is on island time here so they mostly just have three time frames in their mind (morning, afternoon, and evening). Marvin and Jayleen are a nice young couple we began teaching this week. They seem very interested and I think they are very promising. We hiked up to Catarina's (an investigator) house and when we got there she was gone but there were a bunch of men and young boys who we taught. I was a little scared during that lesson, all the huts are usually filled with women so I'd never taught so many men at once.

We made a Pohnpein Book of Mormon calendar yesterday morning and we are going to challenge all our new converts to finish the Book of Mormon by the end of the year. Their Book of Mormon only has 79 chapters because the rest haven't been translated yet so it shouldn't be too hard. We gave the challenge to the Augustine family last night and they are really excited to get started. They are a really fun family (there is a picture of them). The husband doesn't want to be part of the church but sister Augustine keeps praying for him and sometimes he'll sit in for parts of our lessons. I know one day he will accept it. Right now I think he just doesn't want to give up his saukou and beetle-nut but his wife and daughters continue to be good examples to him.

I am using the language more in our lessons everyday and understand most of what is going on. I still have to throw in lots of English words when I speak but the people all like to help me along and I am grateful for their help and patience with me.

I love you all and can feel your prayers.

Love, Sister Beutler

PS. The pictures are of Jeffery's family, The Augustine family, and our zone after playing football)

It was exciting to hear about Austin and Chris' mission calls!