Hello Again,
I had another wonderful week. We were able to watch
conference this weekend and it was so uplifting. Sister Kjar (one of the
senior missionaries) and I were discussing how shocking it was every
time we saw the tabernacle choir and congregation with all their
different colors of hair, haircuts, make-up choices, and outfits.
Sometimes I forget about what people back home look like. I loved how
straight forward all the speakers were and always are.
I have decided the Pingalapese boys are some of the
cheekiest little things I've met. I can't help but laugh at all the
funny things they do and say though. Down on Sokehs there is a
neighborhood drunk who everybody knows. The other day we were walking on
the road and there was a boy spraying water on what looked like the
bushes outside a store, but there was a group of girls all standing and
watching. As we walked past the bushes we saw the soaking wet drunk man
just sitting on the porch with a big smile on his face.
Another day I "shot" a little 3-year-old boy using
my hand as a gun. He then ran up to me and smacked my hand down.
In disbelief his friend yelled "Ke doakedi mehn (you touched the white
one?!?!)" over and over again. I could tell he was quite impressed with
his little friend's bravery.
One more story; we were teaching a lesson and
another 3-year-old boy was sitting in front of me telling me funny
little things. During the lesson he looked up at my face and told me he
liked my eyes. I said "oh yeah" and he then replied, "Eh, I men kihsang
oh kangala (Yes, I want to pluck them out and eat them)."
We found a wonderful extended family, the Kohpers,
that all live together. Some won't even talk to us but a nice big bunch
of them love sitting in the lessons. We took a member with us to one of
the lessons. She is in her 40's and she bore a strong testimony in the
middle and end. As she talked we saw more and more family members join
in and many of their eyes filled with tears. Many hearts were softened
that night.
I have a feeling we are going to see a lot of miracles out of that
family. We asked if they knew anyone we could teach and they gave us
many of their family members names. We immediately contacted and taught
one of the family's and after the lesson they excitedly asked when we
could come back and the teenage girls gave us big tight hugs when we
left.
After one of the Kohpers lessons we went down the hill and waited
for the Vincents, a senior couple, who were joining us that evening. We
were standing under the over-hang of what looked like a little abandoned
roadside shop. After a couple minutes we heard a ruckus inside. I was
afraid there must've been some drunks inside and was a little scared
when we heard the door open. The smiling face of an old man poked out
and he had a chair in his hand for us to sit on while we waited. We
started talking to him and Sister Varea asked if we could share a
message before we left. He happily accepted and several of his
grandchildren appeared out of the darkness from their various houses. He
is a good man and we found out he is the grandfather of the Kohpers.
For an old man his mind is very clear and he is willing to change. He
had some questions about Joseph Smith and said the missionaries had
taught him before but he has never received a Book of Mormon. He said he
want to read "our book" and he believes what we teach.
I am in awe at all the miracles I've been seeing
lately. I am happy. I know God is with me in this work. I feel His
presence with me always
Love you all very much,
Sister Beutler
