Week 31 - Zone Conference pt 5

The goat!!!

This week we met the Cernys! They got to Pohnpei last Monday and the Zone Leaders dropped them off at the phone store to get their phones and then left. Their phones didn't work. And they were alone. So they went to the store all lost and frazzled and just trying to get some food and on their own. All us Sisters went to the store together and we hear "Ahh! Sisters!! We're Saved!" and turn to see this old white couple, a man with his white shirt untucked his tie loose off his neck and a BYU baseball cap slipping off his head, with a woman who was close to tears and yelling praises at the top of her Texan lungs! What a sight :) Schow and I came and told them it would be okay and we know where everything is. They live in our area so we'll take care of them.

But the rest of this week was fun! We had Zone conference which was AMAZING! Our Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders held an amazing council and President Poston really taught us a lot. Members are really powerful! As President Poston says "Members are like Embers, they just need fired up!"

With Sister Behling at Zone Conference

We had interviews and Sister Schow and I got to go out to eat with President Poston twice. :) It was really fun but also really stressful. I don't like eating with fancy people, you feel so out of place. I'm used to eating with my hands and just getting all comfortable. not the case with the Postons. You have to be all fancy and use forks and stuff. Weird.

Pohnpei Sisters at Zone Conference

Anywho, we have this one less active woman who is STELLAR. She's from Pingalap but has lived in Sadawal and Yap! Her husband is Sadawolese and those were the people I was teaching when I was on Yap. So it's been a really fun throwback! Mayleen is the woman and she's so nice, she's always giving us stuff. I saw her wearing a Lavalava once (the skirt that outer island people wear) and I told her I really liked it. She got happy and asked if I knew what it was and then she said she'd give me one. So she did! Haha That was so nice of her!! I love it :) I've attached a picture. Also I got the okay from President and now I'm starting to Learn Kirinit. A polynesian Language.

Wearing my lavalava

That's about it for this week. We actually haven't been living in our house for a little over a week because we're making the apartment people fix it. It hasn't been fixed in a LONG time. The back door was not on it's hinges, the wall's paint was just terrible, there were termites in the ceiling and cupboard doors, and the celing fan was about falling off, the curtains were gone, and the bathroom was gross.

Our back door

No one's moved out of the apartment in like 4 years. Usually with the apartment complex, when ever someone moves in and out, they come in and fix up the place and update old things. So we moved in, said a big 'no' to the condition of the place, took pictures, showed them to the land lady manager, she gasped and said she'd get men right on it. so we're living in another room in the same complex. Maybe well get to unpack our suitcases soon. 

Love Ya'll! Have a great week! Don't forget to Pray!

Love, Sister Felt

Sunset over Sokehs Rock

Week 30 - May the odds be ever in your favor

The leaves I didn't get a picture of that one time we used one as an umbrella.
They were a little bigger in Kitti though.

This week we've been getting a better handle on proselyting! Got TONS of referrals of people who are just ready to be baptized. It's just a matter of being at their house when they're there. (wow did I just use all three 'there's in one sentence?) So we can meet them and start teaching them.

So most of my mission while I've been on Pohnpei or Yap, and sometimes Guam, people are very VERY nice and so so sweet and happy to see us. BUT. This week something happened. Wednesdays are just bad days, I'm telling ya.

So we're out walking, cuz, walking area. And It's raining pretty darn hard. We basically feel as if we've jumped in a pool. I think my dress got an inch or two longer stretched out with all the water. Anywho, we have 20 minutes before one of our appointments so we decide to go friending in the bottom half of China Town. So we do. and we see this house with a couple woman sitting down so we walk down to see them. It's pretty awkward, and they don't invite us in out of the rain (VERY unusual for a Pohnpeian. Usually they yell at us to come in so we don't get wet, in a loving way). We kind of yell out to them who we are and that we wanted to come say hi (yell cuz it's raining and so it's loud). No one really says anything. It's kinda tense and awkward. So I'm just like, Imma wait for someone to say something to us. either tell us to leave, ask us something or what. Well. This man comes out from the side of the house with this knife in his hand, and he looks a little crazy. He starts walking up to us with the knife pointed at us and immediately I'm worried this contact is going to go down Chuuk style. He kind of jokingly waves the knife at us with a crooked smile and then asks us "What do you want?" (in Pohnpeian) still keeping the knife pointed at us. We said we just wanted to come see who lives in this area as we were brand new to Kolonia. I had lived in Kitti before and wanted to see who they were. Then he said ( I hadn't even talked about the church to him yet) "We have our own church." (In English). "We believe in Jesus, we have our church." And then it started raining even harder. He was all nice and smiley in his face, but he was kinda waving the knife around offensively. And his words were NOT kind. I asked if we could wait just a sec till the rain died down (everyone I've ever met makes us do that) and his response was "do you have an umbrella?" We did. So we left with a smile :) (tbh I was NOT smiling on the inside) Only a little scared for my saftey

We walk a little farther and go up to this one house that gets quiet as we walk up. Before we get to the door, a man stands in the frame. He asks if we're Mormons and I say we come from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints but some people do call us Mormon. It's a nickname. And he says "We don't believe in religion, we don't have that. Just Jesus, we only believe in Jesus, we're not even Catholic" Then the spirit told me he was Protestant. I started to say, that's awesome, we love Jesus too and I guess it's good that we're the church of Jesus then But he didn't let me finish. He started putting on his shoes and said "Lets talk over here" He walked over to the house garage thing next door and walked over to the door and knocked on it. I'm like, okay sweet, this guy is okay with talking. Then this Japanese man opens the door and the man says "Hi, these people want to walk to you" turns around, looks at us with a wicked grin and walks away. HOW CAN YOU BE SO RUDE AND CLAIM TO LOVE JESUS? People are very stupid. Lol My poor trainee!! But it was fine cuz the Japanese man was so excited to see us. He's Buddhist though.

We've also had dogs come running up at us and try to bite us every single day this week. Maybe I'll call on those guardian angels that help missionaries and such and have one of them bring Belle over to walk with us.

We have these three investigators, Chris, Lynn and Olahle. Chris's first language is English and Lynn and Olahle speak a different Pohnpeian. Mukolese or something. So we don't understand each other super great. But they're SO interested in the gospel! They read EVERYTHING we give them and they are so hungry to understand and learn more. Schow asked them to be Baptized yesterday (Yes!) and they asked us if they said no would we stop coming back. I said if their answer was no way Jose, we might stop. But if it was just a maybe, we would for sure still come back! They said they didn't want to answer because they're just not ready. They want to know more. AWwwweesssommme!! They're so Gold. So gold :)

Language Study times 4

There was a baptism on Saturday for one of my old investigators in Kitti!! Her name is Mayleen and she was SO solid and living with an awesome member :) They got married before her baptism because they weren't yet leagally married. Super cool! So yay for Kitti branch! More strong members and strength to help them grow and flourish in the gospel!

With Sister Behling at Mayleen's baptism

Bernie and Mayleen

Bernie and Mayleen and their kiddos

Kolonia and Kitti sisters with Meagan Jonathan

I'll stop there, but i love you all! Hope all is well and that you're enjoying second winter! I've just started Romans in the Bible, but holy cow 1 John is SUCH a Good book in the bible.

This week I've learned the reason why the Bible isn't as amazing as the Book of Mormon. It's still awesome and I LOVE reading the word of god from it. Both the Book of Mormon and the Bible were originally written by men of the spirit, holding the priesthood, and writing pure real doctrine and testimony. The Book of Mormon was then Translated by the same holy priesthood and those doctrines were perfectly translated. The Bible was translated by men doing their best, but without the priesthood authority to do so. Which is why some things in the Bible are lost, misinterpreted, or confusing. Because the Hand and Power of God was not in every translating. But because humans aren't totally stupid, the translations were still sufficient enough to keep the word of God :) Kind of like the Pohnpeian Book of Mormon. Still good, still the word of God, but humans make mistakes translating. That's why it's so important to have a testimony that God divinely helped Joseph Smith translate the Book of Mormon. Because if he did, then the book of mormon is 100% true, and holds and contains the fullness of the Gospel, which has been lost from the bible.

Love you all!!
Sister Nicole

Week 29 - I Don't Know What I'm Doing

Ya so proselyting in Kitti is so different from Proselyting in Kolonia. and proselyting in Kolonia is so different from Proselyting in Guam. I'm training and leading and I have no idea what I'm doing.

I've also taught/conversed with people in 5 different languages this week. Kirinese, Pohnpeian, English, Chuukese, and a throwback to Woleaian. Kirinese is a Polynesian language the people in Pohnrakied from the atoll of Kapingamarangi speak. It's pretty darn cool :) I'm learning that now as well as helping Sister Schow learn Pohnpeian. It's quite an adventure for her, haha listening to me teach in so many different languages! I feel bad... ha

I've never seen spiders here in my whole mission, but I got Sister Schow as my companion and she's terrified of spiders. Has legit arachnophobia. And now I've seen 2 giant ones the size of someone's face, and SO many ones around the Kolonia house. It's kinda terrible.

On Sunday there was a Bishop?? Who showed us around?? Addressed our investigators needs?? Answered our questions?? And set up member presents for us?? What is this amazingness??? It's a good change.

Wednesday was just sad. Neither of us knew what we were doing, it rained all day and we just had to walk around and meet people. That was all we could do. We didn't know where any members lived, we didn't have any investigators. Gee, that would suck to be in a mission with no investigators. @EuropeanMissions #sorrynotsorry

Anywho, not much to report on! Love you all!! Read the Book of Mormon!

Love, Sister Nicole Felt

Week 28 - What's Missionary Work?

Okay so like I haven't done real proselyting in my area for a WEEK. So obnoxious...

Slumber party in Guam

Last Monday after I emailed I hopped on the plane and off to Guam we flew! As the plane stopped on Chuuk, all the Chuukese people walked on and then there comes white guys in white shirts and name tags. Elder Belnap from my district was walking on the plane!! We made eye contact and started laughing and just could not believe what was happening :) Him and 3 other elders from my intake came to Guam to train.

All the trainers together in Guam

Got to Guam and kicked it with the Sisters for a day or two then I got to relive my life 6 months ago watching 14 new missionaries open their '2nd mission call'. Sister Schow, (pronounced Skow) from Alpine Utah opened her letter (us trainers were all hiding in the adjacent room) and as she read "Kolonia Pohnpei with Sister Felt" I came running on in and crowned her with my own handmade flower crown that I made that morning after Yoga on the Beach watching the sun rise :) T'was great!

With her new trainee, Sister Schow

The next couple of days were mostly lots of friending and sitting in cars and houses. But holy cow, Guam is TOTALLY different than Pohnpei. I swear this is 100% true, every island in this mission is like a totally different mission all on its own. It's like serving in Africa, and then getting transferred to Spain. We legit knocked doors. I have never done that. Never been trained to do that, but had a lot of fun! It went pretty darn well though. It was fun to get rejected so much! haha so many people just closed the door on us. People on Pohnpei would NEVER do that. 

God's Army in Guam

But I honestly experienced a little bit of culture shock while I was on Guam. We went to a supermarket to buy some stuff and I walked in and just like got so overwhelmed and kind of folded in on myself, just wandering around with the other sisters who were equally as shocked and only bought like Oreos and popcorn because I legit could not function. I was so confused.

Sister Felt and Sister Schow in Guam

Beach in Guam

Beach in Guam

But Living on Guam is so much fun with 10 sisters all living in one house! The new sisters are all incredible! All the Sisters on Pohnpei are training and the 5 of us have 4 new sisters :) (Behling Wari and Caldwell(new) are in a trio in Kitti, Pehleng). With the 9 of us and Guam sisters in one house, every night is a party. Plus I got to see Elder Ichin on Guam so that was cool!

At the airport before flying back to Pohnpei

On the flight back to Pohnpei, I may or may not have seen snippets of The Proposal... But the landing in Chuuk was TEERRRIBLE Hahah it was quite the crash landing! 

Flight to Pohnpei

Coming in for a landing in Chuuk

I love Chuukese people so much and had the opportunity to learn some Chuukese. I think I'll study it more here in Kolonia. But we got to Pohnpei at 3am Sunday morning, and when to church in an actual Ward!!! oh my gosh it was incredible. I didn't have to worry about there being enough people to pass the sacrament, someone else counted all who was at church, relief society was just AMAZING. Oh my goodness I think the awesomeness of a ward will cancel out my dislike for the city :)

Packing up my things in Kitti for the move to Kolonia

I'll stop here, but all is well! I hope Y'all enjoy my novel :) Life is good! Cant wait to proselyte again tonight!

Love, Sister Felt

Miracle

Hey all! Here's a cool miracle :)

Before my mission, I was living at home and going to my home ward. After I had received my mission call, I learned that one of the Elders serving in our ward was Elder Chiro Ichin, from Chuuk :) Immediately we had the Elders over for dinner and we learned all about Micronesia! He bore his testimony in Chuukese and shared some scriptures with us. It was such a neat coincidence-err-divine design! The last thing he said to me in little ole Wellsville Utah was, "See you in Guam!"

Fast forward 7 months and there we are, meeting again! Roles reversed :) This time, I was the missionary, and he was the less active who had slipped out of the habit of reading his Book of Mormon. I was on Guam for a short while to pick up a new missionary and while I was there, I followed the impression to find Chiro on Guam. Funny thing though, he actually found me! The Talisei sisters forgot which house he lived in so we wandered around for a while before I heard "Sister Felt!" and lo and behold there he was! When we were talking, I had him read Sister Poston's famous Alma 23:6. The spirit was so strong, and he teared up a little :)

Devine Design is so real!! God is in the details and is waiting for us to see these wonderful connections. I know this gospel is so real and so true. Ni mwaren Sises Krais Amen.

I Love you all!
Sister Nicole Felt