I hardly remember this week much. I had the eye sickness that the little kittens get when the gooberies glue their eyes shut. The medicine I took for it kind of put me in a haze. We went out teaching and I remember feeling the spirit but besides teaching lessons I don't remember much else from this week.

Sister Komra has been making a bigger effort to speak more Pohnpien this week and we always have plenty of humorous moments with that. Yesterday after a new investigator prayed at the end of the lesson she asked if she gave a good prayer. Sis. Komra replied by saying "Ke sehse kapakap (you don't know how to pray)." The lady gave her quite the look. :)

Everyone please continue praying for Pohnpei. We are so close to getting a stake here and that comes with a lot of opposition for the church. It's nothing that the Lord can't fix though with the prayers of the saints. 

Mom, I've been trying to imagine you scuba diving and I just can't do it. You'll have to send a picture for proof. That's really exciting that you and dad got to attend such an awesome baptismal service. We have a senior couple leaving Pohnpei the same time as you two and they are starting to get to where they are just trying to get everything done before they leave too. 

Becky I still want to see your house pictures.

Love you all,

Sister Beutler

So many things seem to be happening with the family these past two weeks. Esther, I would also like to hear about your trip to Nauvoo and Becky, I want to see the pictures of your house too. Mary you didn't tell me Jacob is playing the trumpet this year. I hope you were able to find my trumpet for him to use. I'm not sure where I put it but I think it's down in my room somewhere.

We had some cool and wonderful experiences the past couple days. We had the name of a young man, Miller, that we tried to contact 4 months ago. We found his house but it was in the Elder's area so we gave the name to them. They were never able to meet with him and just this past week I made that road my area again. We went to find him again and on the third try he was there. Some of his family members in another area of the island were recently baptized and he was so excited to meet with us. He can't wait to get a Book of Mormon so he can begin reading and he has such a wonderful spirit about him. 

We were able to meet with the niece of the king (Yuline) on Saturday. She was cleaning her house when we came so we helped her fold her clothes and sweep her floor. She went to talk to some boys that came to her door and when the phone rang she told me to answer. I thought she was joking but she wasn't. I answered and the mean voice of a lady was on the line. She was not happy to be talking to me and commanded me to give the phone to Yuline and Mwadang (hurry up)!!!! After Yuline was done talking she said it was the kings wife on the phone. She then asked us if we wanted to go to the kings house to attend a funeral with her. To my relief, we didn't go because Yuline doesn't like funerals. We were able to teach Yuline a lesson after cleaning and it was awesome. She is one of the coolest people I've ever met and she also seems to be searching for something more in life. I'm seeing good things from her in the future.

Yesterday we met a lady from Azerbajan. She saw us walking on the road and just came up to talk to us. She asked where I was from and what I was doing here. She was waiting for a lady to measure her windows so she could make curtains, so while waiting she told us of her adventures in Pohnpei. Before she left with the lady she pointed out her house and told us to come visit her anytime. As we walked away she added, "Oh, and you can even teach me whatever it is you have to teach." We will definitely be seeing her very soon. If that isn't a mercy from God I don't know what is.

Well, I think that is all my stories for now. May God be with all of you. Mom and Dad I hope you both have a wonderful time at your couples conference. Be careful snorkeling.

Love,

Sister Beutler

We had some interesting experiences this week. Tuesday evening we met with a man that told us he is the head patriarch of the Pros Church in Param (an outer island about a 20 min. boat ride away). We started with the restoration and as we talked about Jesus' earthly ministry he stopped us many times with questions. Then he told us we really know what we are talking about and invited us to go to his island to teach Sunday school in his church. We told him we couldn't Sunday but said we would get back to him about teaching the children on Saturday. After our district and zone leaders talked over it for a bit they made the decision that we couldn't go because none of the outer islands of Pohnpei have been opened yet. It was a nice idea though.

The next evening we went to teach an investigator but the boy in the house said she is now staying a few houses over. The one he was pointing at was dark and abandoned-looking, but the one behind had the lights on so we decided to check there. As we came to the porch a young couple and an older man were sitting on the porch drinking expensive wine from goblets. We asked about our investigator and they told us the family was gone for the weekend. As we talked for a bit the older man asked me if I knew who he was. I replied in the negative and then he informed me that his name was Iso Iriarde, King of Nett, and this was his kingdom. He acted rather haughty about the fact that we were talking to him but his niece invited us to come teach her the next day. We went but haven't been able to meet with her yet. 

All six of us missionaries in the Kolonia branch gave talks in church yesterday. The topic was on member-missionary work so it was easy. It can't be emphasized enough how much we need the members in this work. 

Mom and Dad, it sounds like you are staying busy as usual. One of our senior couples, Elder and SIster Vincent just finished their mission this past week. It's always such a strange feeling when a senior couple leaves. They are almost like a mother and father to us out here. 

Well, I send my love. May the Lord protect you and keep all of you.

Sister Beutler

What an interesting week we had. It started out well with Mazuda's baptism on Tuesday and two more baptisms in our branch on Saturday.

Sister Komra touched a frog for the first time. We took a short cut walking home in the dark and went through a grassy place full of frogs. There aren't any frogs on her island so she asked me to catch one for her so she could see what they feel like. She ended up just screaming and letting it go. 

We taught Mayleen the Word of Wisdom the other day and she acted like it was good advice but not something she was interested in living. We decided to show her how much money she was wasting on her drugs every year. I asked how much she smoked a day and added it up to show her that she spent nearly $1,000 on cigarettes every year. She was so amazed and then she got excited and had me add up how much she spent on all her other drugs. We totalled it to almost $5,000. For a Pohnpein that is really a huge amount of money. I think it really opened her eyes and perhaps it's the thing that will get her progressing. 

Yesterday we attended the funeral of one of our branch members. He was only 20-years-old. Saturday morning he was healthy as can be but he ate some food that had rat poisoning in it and he was gone before the night was over. I've walked past lots of funeral gatherings but this was the first I attended. We sang for hours as everyone said their farewells. The older ladies walked around spraying everyone with perfume and before they nailed the coffin shut the ladies all gave their last mourning cries. It was an interesting, but very sad occasion.

Yesterday our investigator, Kenny, saw us teaching at a house close to his and got everything ready for his lesson. He swept out the house and layed out his mats and just sat and waited for us. When we came over he told us to sit down and then started the lesson out for us by volunteering to give the prayer and then went right into his reading assignment. He is a very interesting young man.

It was good to see the reunion pictures. Everyone is growing up so past. Andrew still looks just like me. :) You all take care now and keep doing your own missionary work.

Love, 

Sister Beutler

 

I forgot to add that the thing I'm holding in the picture is a little volleyball Sister Komra taught me to make with coconut leaves.

 

Things Are Looking Up

It's been a nice week. The past few weeks had been some of the darkest and most discouraging of my mission, but things are really improving. We had 5 investigators at church yesterday. None of the people who planned to give them rides showed up but they found their way there anyway. Kenny, a 24-year-old investigator, walked to church all by himself and said he really enjoyed it.

Mazuda is finally getting baptized tomorrow. We've been waiting for almost 3 months because his mom wanted him to be baptized on his birthday. He is a bright young boy and has been really fun to teach. He says one of his favourite things to do is come to church.

One of the investigators I taught in Sokehs is also getting baptized this week on Saturday. She is the one Elder Dylan Beutler taugth years ago. I got to be good friends with her and it's good to see her finally make the decision to act on what she knows is true.

Sister Ioane and I will be starting our dance class this Wednesday. They announced it in church and all the ladies are really excited to come. We also have lots of investigators that want to come too. It's going to be fun watching them learn to dance. :)

Mom and Dad, it was fun to see the pictures you took at the wedding. Looks like Pohnpei. It's always interesting seeing and hearing how similar our missions are even though we are on different sides of the world.

Love you all,

Sister Beutler

This has been an interesting week. Maybe it's the fact that school will be starting soon but nobody seems to have time to meet with us. We have days filled will so many appointments that it looks like we won't even be able to handle them. Then we get out and almost everything seems to fall through. On Thursday we spent 4 hours just trying to find anybody that would let us sit down with them. We made a lot of return appointments but no lessons. Hopefully someone from all that finding turns out to be a good investigator.

I'm sure you all pray for me already but if I could ask anything from all of you at home, please pray for the people I'm teaching in this little part of the world. Some of my investigators really need a miracle.

I don't know if any of you remember me talking about Mither, she's the lady that has been waiting for 20 years for missionaries to teach her. Anyway, she has gone for a whole week now without smoking! Now she just needs to get married but we're in the process of getting that all put together.

Well, have a good week my family. Count your blessings name them one by one.

Sister Beutler

Hello my dear family,

Not much to write today, but I did have a few really good experiences to share from this week. One was just on Saturday when many appointments were falling through and I was starting to feel discouraged. We were walking down the road when a whole group of our young members (13/14-years-olds) called out to us and told us to come sarawi (have a lesson) with them. I looked back and saw they had a young lady with them who usually gives us dirty looks but she was smiling at as this time. We took the opportunity and had a really good lesson. All the kids bore their testimonies at the end. It really lifted my spirits that day.

 Yesterday we taught a young man and woman who had been taught a couple years ago but were eventually dropped. We reviewed the restoration and then I asked if they had ever prayed about out teaching. The boy, Kenny, said he had prayed a long time ago. I asked him what happened when he prayed. He got a bit emotional and took a long time to say anything but finally told us that he knew that Book of Mormon and everything we teach is true. He accepted a baptismal date right then and there and said he is really going to be serious about this. It was such a miracle that we found him. I know he has been prepared to recieve this gospel.
Rachel, I think I may not have joined you in your huckleberry make-up doing. Well, maybe on my lips but I don't think I could bring myself to squeeze it on my eyelids.
Yes momma, the girl in the picture I sent last week is my new companion.

 

Pictures this week:Pohnpei has lots of funny road signs so I thought I'd just share a couple with all of you.

Loving you all more every day,

Sister Beutler