Dear Family,

 

This week we have been able to teach lots of new investigators that actually really want to participate in the discussions and know what we have to teach. It has been a good change. As we take the members out teaching I've realized how much work we have to do with the less actives. They point out all sorts of people that have joined the church and fallen away. I have to remember that we can only work with so many people at once so I don't get overwhelmed. So many members go back to their saukau and beetlenut and then eventually fall away because they don't feel worthy to go to church.

 

For our service we helped a member family dig a trench by their pig pen so the pen wouldn't get flooded out when it rains. I'm sad to say that my camera fell in the ocean when we went to Nan Madol. I put it in a bag of rice for a couple days but I'm afraid it has gone the way of all the earth.

 

Brothers and Sisters:I think I have listened to enough cheesy church music to last me a lifetime. If anyone feels an inkling to send me something, some good uplifting, missionary appropraite cd's would be appreciated (I love Christmas music).

 

Mama: My transfer day is this next Wednesday Nov. 7 so it is a week after yours. The mail service is good here. I usually get letters from the US within a week or two so your letters sould get to me. I will most likely be in Pohnpei my whole mission.

Dear Family,

It has been an interesting week. Sister Varea and I have happened to teach an uncommonly high amount of older people. They are all either Catholic or Pros and they all say the same thing. “There is one God and all the churches are good.” We can teach them as simply as possible about the apostasy and priesthood authority but they don’t really seem to be listening. They tell us they know the Book of Mormon is true because it is words of God even though they haven’t read or prayed about it, and they can’t seem to grasp the concept that because the Book of Mormon is true, that also means Joseph Smith is a prophet. My point is, it isn’t fun trying to teach old people. There is one older woman, however, that I think actually had an “Ah-ha moment” when we read about how Christ was baptized. I can tell her heart is open because she really does think about what we say and is willing to change.

We have also had the opportunity to teach quite a few high school/college-age people who we contacted through referrals. The young ward members come with us to contact them too. They are a little more intimidating to teach because we are close to the same age but are also a lot more fun because they want to learn.

General Conference was so good, I thought of Jared during the talk about the bees. Between conference sessions we ate with the members and I tried pig intestines for the first time. They were pretty gross and that will be my last time trying them. I also found out this week that there are glow-in-the-dark mushrooms here. We forgot our flashlight one day and as we were walking in the dark on a jungle path to our car I could see all the mushrooms glowing around me.

This Saturday was pretty worthless for teaching. Pohnpei was having a cultural celebration so everyone was either at a party or pounding sakau and we aren’t allowed to teach when they do sakau. I guess it would be the equivalent of trying to teach in a bar.  

Even though there are so many forces trying to delay the Lord's work, it continues to more forward on this island and hearts continue to be prepared. I keep thinking of people at home that need the gospel. Share it with everyone. There are so many just waiting for an invitation.

Love you all,

Sister Beutler

Family Dear, 

It has been a busy week. My language day went pretty well. Sister Varea sent me on a split with Paulo. She is 20-year-old girl that doesn't know much English and didn't speak any to me. I taught one of her friends. It was really scary and I don't know how much the girl understood. I was so nervous I was forgetting words I've known since the first week here. I'm glad the first split is over with now though and I know if I just depend on the spirit it can only get better. I actually feel like I've been improving alot on the language this week. 

We had our zone conference on Saturday so we got to see President Mecham and his wife. It was so good. It's nice to receive some good instruction and President knows how to get us excited and uplift our spirits. He's excited about the change in missionary age and is hoping that if there is a big increase in sister missionaries they may start sending sisters to Kosrae and Yap! We also had baked potatoes, rolls, salad, and jello for dinner. It was the first potato I've had since I've been here. 

Our district went to the Nan Madal ruins today. It is an ancient city built of rocks. Nobody knows what happened to the people and half the city is sunk in the ocean now. It was really cool. I also got to meet the Nanmwarki (King). I guess he owns the land with the ruins. I didn't know who he was until he left and the Elders told me, so I wasn't able to get a picture with him. 

We get to watch general conference this next Saturday and Sunday. It won't be too long of a wait this time around.

Love you all,

Sister Beutler

Pictures-*All the sister missionaries in our Pohnpein skirts.

*My Best attempt at a jack-o-lantern. They don't celebrate Halloween in Sapwalap and don't really grow pumpkins.

*Some of the Elders at the Nan Madal ruins

 

All the sister missionaries in our Pohnpein skirts

My Best attempt at a jack-o-lantern

Some of the Elders at the Nan Madal ruins

 

Kasalelie Maing Koaros,

Oh my goodness, I won't be able to watch conference until they send it to us with the Pohnpein translation. Sister Varea and I will watch it in English in the clerks office while the members watch the Pohnpien version in the chapel. It might be a few weeks until I can see it. So, I just heard about the age change for missionaries. That is crazy news. I so wish I could have come out here at 19. I think there will be so many more sisters coming now. That will be great. I've learned so much already that I never would have learned had I not come. My testimony grows more each day and I know how to really study and find answers though the scriptures and prayer. This new revelation will be such a blessing to so many people. 

We were able to have a baptism of Daniel and Javileen on Saturday. They are both 11 and have such strong testimonies. Unfortunately, Daniel's auntie was mad that he got baptized so she came and took him away Sunday morning so he couldn't be confirmed. I'm not sure why his parents let her take him but Daniel told his grandma that they can slap him or do whatever they want but he knows his decision was right. Hopefully we get everything straightened out so he can be confirmed this coming Sunday.We put the Valentine Family on a baptisimal date and and they are looking to be golden investigators. I can really see the parent's desire for their family to be joined in the church and the boys love coming to primary.

We also have an old woman that believes everything and comes to church but still doesn't quite understand the concept that we are the "only" church with priesthood authority. She has been baptized Catholic and Pros and doesn't know if she wants to get baptized a third time. Last night we really talked in depth about the authority of God with her and I know she knows this is the right church. She just needs a little time to pray about it.

I'm getting much more comfortable with speaking in Pohnpei. Sometimes my mind gets ahead of my mouth though and I forget to add some words in my sentences or even finish a thought. I always know when that happens though because the person I'm talking to just raises their eyebrows. People use their eyebrows to communicate a lot here. We have a language packet with lots of different things I have to pass off with my trainer and also with a local Pohnpein. This Wednesday is the day I plan to go for a whole day speaking only Pohnpein. We will see how that goes.

I love getting everybody's letters. It's fun to hear what's going on in your lives and also back home in good old Dayton.

Love you all,

Sister Beutler

Hello Again my Family Dear,

I can't believe September is already over. Eve raised a question as to if I write my emails on Sunday. Just to clear that up, we are 17 hours ahead of Idaho so I'm almost a full day ahead here. I posted a couple pictures. One is of me giving my cheesiest grin while frying bananas for lunch. One is Sister Calio racing to weave a basket at our branch activity, and the final one is just some of the local food I have the opportunity to eat every day. I'm getting to the point where I crave a coconut if I haven't had one for a few days. 

Mary was telling me how small Pohnpei looks on the map. There is one main road that goes around the perimeter of island and we can drive the whole thing in about 2 hours going 30mph.

This week we got a brand new car. Some of the Elders were using it for a couple days but when we got it, it still only had about 160 miles. We have to be extra careful with it. The roads here are covered in potholes.

On Saturday we took a couple of the YSA age people with us to go contact one of their friends. When we got there the whole family (over 10 adults, the momma, and I don't even know how many children) were there. They all stopped what they were doing and sat in for the lesson. They live pretty close to the church building and I'm very hopeful that we'll at least get a few good investigators out of the family. 

I tried parrot fish for the fist time this week. It was the strangest fish I'd ever seen. It is very colorful and has a beak just like a parrot. I'll have to take a picture of one someday. 

It has been raining all morning. From what I'm told, They get more rain here in a single rainstorm than Idaho gets the entire year. I can definitely believe that. After about ten minutes of rain there are already rivers running through the streets. 

I love you all and enjoy reading your letters and emails. I was sad to here uncle Garth isn't doing well but I am glad he is getting better and will keep him in my prayers.

Remember to study the scriptures every day and treasure up the words of God. I know he gives us more knowledge the more we seek to find it. Be good boys and girls and don't take any wooden nickles.

With all my Love, 

 Sister Beutler

Some of the local food I have the opportunity to eat every day.

Sister Beutler frying Bananas

Sister Calio racing to weave a basket at our branch activity.

Dear family and friends,

It has been another good week in Sapwalap. We went on exchanges again at the beginning of the week and I was with Sister Saliau in Kolonia (see attached photo). She finishes her mission this next transfer and gave me lots of good advice about forgetting myself and putting my whole heart and soul in the mission. 

Sister Beutler with Sister Saliau in Kolonia

On Wednesday we went to the Welters do do service. We helped them dig up taro. I always like learning how to do new things and the locals like to teach me. They all worry about my skin turning dark though. I try to tell them that I'm used to being out in the sun but I don't think they believe me.

When we went to teach one of our recent converts they were eating little crabs. they gave me a claw to eat and when I but down on it I must've hit a nerve because the joint and claw moved. I let out a squeal and threw it across the room. I felt a little bad but after I explained myself they just laughed and laughed. 

We have a family we are teaching with four children. We have only been able to see them a couple times but the little boys love us and they came to the primary activity and church this week. One of our members who was helping us teach said he met the husband on the road the other day. The husband asked if he was a member and then told him that one day his whole family was going to join our church!

The language comes to me more and more each day and I enjoy speaking it. They use the same words for multiple things in this language, making everything sound very broken if translated into English. Sometimes I wish their were more words so I could express myself better but I guess it makes the language easier to learn. There are lots of honorific words that I need to be careful to use when appropriate such and when I am speaking to and older person, or about God. 

One thing I have learned is how much I took for granted growing up where I did. The members would give anything to have a temple nearby or be able to attend a live session of general conference. It was such a blessing to grow up among so many saints. 

I am so grateful for this gospel and the opportunity to serve the Lord. I know one day Pohnpei will be full of saints. The gospel is spreading so fast here but there is still so much work to be done. 

I love you all very much.

Sister Beutler

A Pohnpein apple and one of the many types of bananas here.

 

Hello again my dearies,

 

It has been a good week. Today is my one month anniversary in Pohnpei!  

Congratulations to Aaron and Aneesa on their new baby. He sounds like quite the chunk. I want to see a picture.

Last week we went on exchanges after p-day so I was in Kolonia with the other Sister Varea. From that day on I have no longer been teaching with notes. I just use the words I know and the investigators and Sister Varea help me along when I'm stuck on a word. It's amazing how much you can say with only a vocabulary of about 200 words. Anyway, while we were on exchanges a man came up to us while we were walking to a lesson and what I got out of the conversation is that he was telling us to come teach him. As I started to follow him Sister R. Varea told him "Soh Mwahw (no we're good)" then took me by the arm and led me away. She then  told me he was drunk and was telling her to leave so I could go teach him by myself. We got a good laugh out of that.

I recently found out that there are kings on Pohnpei. I guess each clan has one and they go to all the funerals and important events but none of the other sisters have ever met one as far as they know.

For service this week we helped a family weed their taro. Weeding is much different here. The roots hardly even go into the ground because it rains so much. They put all the weeds in a wheelbarrow and then dumped them in the river. I don't know how much good that really does to prevent them from spreading.   

On Thursday we had a couple appointments fall through so we went to a member family to teach them the restoration and how to do their own missionary work. There were lots of aunts and cousins there so we were teaching about 7 adults and 20 children. When we finished we asked if they knew anyone who wanted to hear the gospel. Two of the children (a 10-year-old and a 12-year-old) piped up and said they wanted to be baptized. They go to church every week with their cousins and we didn't even know they weren't members. Their mothers said it would be fine if they got baptized and they are really excited to take the discussions and become part of the church.    

I've gotten to where I hate the word pwetepwet (pronounced: pwech-a-pwech). It means white. At first I thought it sounded fun but people usually use it when they aren't saying very nice things about me. It isn't a fun word anymore.

I have recently found that I need to repent and shave my legs more than once a week. A couple nights ago during a lesson I had my legs extended out because they had fallen asleep while I was sitting cross-legged. One of the little girls put her hand on my legs and then excitedly exclaimed how poky they were. All the kids then had to come rub my legs to feel for themselves. I don't think it helped the spirit of the lesson much.

Jared asked about the raw fish and in my letter I didn't explain it very well so I will do it now for all to hear. They serve all the fish here with the head and everything. They only eat certain kinds raw. They cut slices in the sides and then massage lemon juice and salt into the meat. When I ate it, it felt a little bit like I would imagine biting though someone's flesh and tearing the meat off their skin with my teeth. I don't know that I enjoyed the experience that much.

Mom wanted to know more about my living situation so here it is. We live in a one room house about the size of my bedroom at college. We have electricity but it usually turns off for a few hours every morning so we need make sure to charge things when we do have it. The water in the tap is rain water so on P-day we fill our blue jugs with filtered water in Kolonia and use that for drinking water. It is only $1.50 for 5-gallons. There are ants everywhere so we keep anything they could get into either in the fridge or freezer. The other night I was drying myself off and saw I was covered in ants. I guess they thought my towel would make a good home. We do have a washer and dryer in a little section behind our house so that is really nice.  

Love you all,

Sister Beutler

P.S. The picture is of me and the other sisters along with a member (Sister Calio).