Week 53 - Over the One Year Mark

Walking home from Sepleena's house

This week went a lot better. On Tuesday, the day after I emailed, Sister Taunauta had to come into town from Uh and she and I drove all the way out to Kitti to go visit the Sisters. Sister Manu, the brand new missionary from Tonga, decided that she hates her companion and she wont do anything with her. Sister Bennett was driven to mad crazy depresson and anxiety because of it. She was trying, but Manu wouldn't say a word to her. Wont take food she makes her, won't make descisions, wont invite the spirit. We spent ALL day with them.

Sister Felt at the Kepirohi Waterfall

There were many tears, hugs, and finger pointing and we tried to make the companionship work. President Poston recieved such great huge revelation that those two NEEDED to be together. So I was like, ya, not being companions is NOT an option. Because like, it's not. But somehow Sister Manu got the idea in her head that they could just not be companions and so she wasn't budging at all. So Sister Bennett kinda gave up and just felt like the only thing we could do was call president. Great. So eventually that's what we did. After about 8 hours of talking and being with them. When night time was come, President was still unavailable and we had to go. We had to leave the two sisters in the house alone. I told sister Bennett about the story of President Evans emergency picking up the companion who ran away from his mission in Europe and how the assistants told him he could not sleep until they called and so he was awake, babysitting, for like two or three days. couldn't sleeep cuz his companion would run away. But then something happened while they were(well, while evans was out friending. his companion was tagging along like a slug) out friending and they met someone from the other missionaires mission. So they were able to go in and then Evans asked his companion to teach in his mission language. the memorized stuff. HE seemed a little shocked but he did it. afterwards they were walking away and evans lost his companion. he turned around and saw him walking out of a bush wiping tears from his eyes. He said that was the first time anyones ever let him teach in his mission. He'd been out for a year. Never got to teach cuz none of his comps trusted him, so he ran away. I told bennett how he would scoot his bed in front of the door at night so his companion couldn't leave, I told her to do the same if she has to haha but it was cool how that story just came back! It totally helped her and it was very spirit directed. Go pres evans for telling me the story in our interviews!

At the Kepirohi Waterfall

Hiking to the Kepirohi Waterfall

But ya, the next day we got a text and bennett said they cant go out proselyting again. I told their district leader and he called president. Finally got a hold of him and he talked to them. Two days later we had an emergency transfer and sister manu was shipped off to Saipan!! Sister Schow got sent to Kitti with Sister Bennett :) I am very excited to have her back in our zone, it felt like a weight got lifted and our zone will fly now with baptisms.

So ya. When I got back from hanging out in Kitti, the next day I was done. So done with not doing missionary work and so I flew the racing track gate open and proselyted like mad. As a result our numbers are crazy good :) And next week the numbers that take time to develop should follow. It's been a better week.

This morning we went and got our handiwork items from a Kirinese member
named Sepleena (pronounced like Sabrina in English) She's old and cute! :)

We got 3 people on date and 3 at sacrament meeting. THose numbers should double by next week. We taught 31 lessons and had 29 approaches this week.

We got 8 new investigators and 2 less actives at church too. YES. WE WILL WIN. WE ALSO GOT A NEW WARD MISSION LEADER. He was a DL on Guam and jsut finished his mission. He's Kirinese. And he's ACTIVE. I have never had an ACTIVE ward mission leader in my mission excpet for Yap. So ya, that's cool. 

I'm sitting on a rock in the river by the waterfall

We met this family who asks us questions. They're from an outer island and speak pohnpeian and English. we friended them a few months ago and didn't seem like they'd budge from their religion. So we didn't go back to see them. UNTIL THIS WEEK. We stopped by and they had been to another church (philipino church who's founder is an apostate mormon and claimed to have his own Joseph Smith experience.) and they claimed to be the true church of jesus christ. So when I said that to them too, they got really interested and wanted to know ":Well, which one is the true church???" So we've gone back to see them twice and they're really cool :) 

We have this other family of Less Actives that live down by the water in POhnrakied, the Kirinese people. We've been going over and reading the book of mormon with them two or three times every week and they have a 12 year old son who reminds me so much of spencer and he's not baptized. But he really likes the church and he wants to be baptized this next month!! He always gathers his fmaily together to read and really wants to go to chruch. He's the one who taught us how to fish the local way :) I probably sent pics of him a while ago, his name is Nui.

Here's the landing into Chuuk from last MLC coming into Pohnpei

Love,
Sister Nicole Felt

Week 51

Well, this week was great :) at MLC we had some amazing cool experiences and I loved it. I got to see Chiro (Elder Ichin) again! He's doing alright. He left all his mission stuff (PMG, BofM) on Chuuk, so I'm having the sisters get him all of it again. He works at Taco Bell... on sundays... and is therefore, less active. But he really enjoyed talking about his mission, and when the sisters asked if he had come to church he said "no.. .Dont tell sister felt!" slightly under his breath hahahah

On Guam

MLC lasted from 8am-5pm with a lunch break and pushup break inbetween. After MLC at about 6:30, those of us who were left had a little, life-counsel, with President and Sister Poston. Just those two and maybe 20 missionaires. it was sooo sweet. At the end of it, President said, "Will you join us for Family Prayer?" Oh my gosh I bawled. I haven't had Family Prayer in ONE FULL YEARRRRR. It's been a long time, but wow it was oh so sweet! I maybe cried a little.

With Sister Memmott at MLC

At MLC

Transfer calls happened. I'm still in Kolonia with Caldwell. Sister Bennett (transferring from Kosrae) is white washing Kitti with a trainee who is from Tonga.

President is on island, so i think we're all going to do something together. I don't know.

I don't have much to email about this week. The flight I had was good! I met a really cool lady and I got to talk about learning languages with her. Fun! She also did my nails.

On the plane back to Pohnpei with Sister Taunauta

Oh! And in the chuuk transiting airport, a man was sitting in the back by the little shop. The postons flew to Pohnpei with us for Zone Conference and sister poston was looking at bracelets. Just looking. So we walked over to look with her and she began to walk away. I picked up one and was like "oh this is so cute. How much is it?" The lady said $10. I said oh and then put it back down. The man, who was drinking a beer, said "Do you like that?" I said "ya it's cute" He said "Oh I'll buy it for ya. and one for your friend too" Whahhahhatt??!? He bought me and sister taunauta the bracelets. and said "It's my good deed for the day" Ha! Funny

That's it. I'm going to go now. I love you! But I need to get the island prepared for the sisters that are comin

Sisters' wall sit competition at MLC
(with Sister Jenkins and Sister Memmott)

Love you!!!

Week 50 - Woleaian Flash Back!!

Whoaaa what a great week!

We have so many prepared people that have just been eating UP the gospel! One of them is a new family we met from Woleai :) Like, Legit Woleai. That's pretty hard to find. It was the first language I started learning on my mission, so that's pretty cool.

This week I've been learning so much about the reality of this life. Everything we touch, hear, read, see, do, and think has an influence of God, and has an influence of Satan. Everything!!! It's kinda cool to think about :) It's like, if you have two lights. A dark blue light, and bright white light. They're spread apart, so where they are is completely blue, or completely white. But in the middle, they mix a little. And alll along the range of the light some is more blue influence and some is more white. That is exactly what this life is :)

Some books, movies, people, and religions are along the lines of close to the white light, but the blue light is still shining on them. But things like General Conference, the Book of Mormon, Sincere Prayer (that has been developed over years), Sacrament meeting, and the goodness of this church, have No blue light at all. Not a single speck!!!! It is one hundred percent, white, clean, pure, light. Some other churches may be pretty close to the white light. But if they do not have God's divine direction given through power and authority, they will still continue to always have the influence of the blue light. Satan has an influence, weather great or small.

In this world and in this life, we all have to seek to recognize when we're allowing this darkness to influence us a little. In church this week, a summer camp of like 50 kids came and visited. They visit a different religion every week. They asked Bishop if they could give a musical performance. So they did, after sacrament meeting was complete. They just stood up and sang some upbeat christian songs with a fancy guitar and ukelele. It was fine, but I could 100% see how it defiled the way God has asked us to have sacrament meeting. That's just not how we're commanded to worship our Heanvenly Father, and if we stray from his command, even a little, we can know and feel through the power of a guilty conscience, brought to us by the Holy Ghost. Isn't that great :) Haha I love this gospel!

Anywho, Albert has been progressing okay. He wont give up Chewing Betel nut or smoking, even though he really wants to. It's probably just because he doesn't have a plan to do it, and he want's to cut it all TODAY. But you just can't do that. We're going to work with him more. But we're hoping for a baptism this Saturday!! Dera-Jane and Depleen. Delwin and Jean's kids. They're so cute and mature and ready to be a light in their family and bring the gospel into their home. Go kids!!!

Weeeelllll I guess that's it? It's been a good week. I'm going to Guam tomorrow, and then I'll be back on Friday, then Saturday (or Monday) is Zone Conference, Sunday night is transfer calls. But we've gotten all the flight schedules emailed out, so everyone knows if they're training or not. I am not. I think I'm just staying with Sister Caldwell. So ya :) Busy fun times

Giant fruit on the run home

Shoot I just realized if there's Zone Conference on Saturday, AND Youth Conference at the same chapel, AND A BAPTISM?!?! How the heck is this suppose to work... I have no idea. Kupwuren Koooohhhttt.....

Love you soooooooooo much!!
Sister Felt

Week 49 - Now I'm Twenty Too

All that's next is 30 and flirty and thriving #Oooollld

With Sister Taunauta at MLC

This week was a lot of good great work!! I've changed my approaching method to be a little more extreme. It's worked out pretty well :) This is what I say (translating from Pohnpeian to English):

"Hi!"
hi
"how are you?"
strong, strong, and you?
"Strong! What are you doing?"
nothing nothing.. where'd you come from?
"A little over there. We've just been preaching around, spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. We come from the church of jesus christ of Latter day saints. or, the mormon church. Have you ever met missionaries from this church before?"
uuuummmm.. I don't know? What church?
"The Mormon church."
Oh ya, I think I met a few of you a while back.
"Cool :) Well we've been chosen by Jesus Christ to spread his teachings that have been lost and share them with you . He's restored his gospel that has been lost for years, and we're here to tell you that."
Okay. Ya, I'm Catholic.
"Cool. I'm glad you beleive in Jesus. Would you like to hear our message about his gospel?"
Sure sure, come sit
"Oh, thank you :)"

Da da!!

And that's about how we do missionary work here. And then we have a little lesson, or we make a return appointment if we're busy. When we come back we invite them to be baptized and we see where there at. If the people are good and truly interested, we keep coming back. if not, we invite them to church and continue to apply the atonement to their hearts, but we focus on preparing them for the next transfer I guess ;)

Loaded in the tiny fishing boat to go out to the island.

The blue starfish from last week

I'm standing in the water. The island is a good 100 yards out.

This week I went on an exchange to Uh and it was so fun!!! Sister Schow as been trapped with just Pohnpeian and Tongan (she has two tongan companions) 24/7 so I just let her talk my ear right off! And then I picked it back up and sewed it back on so we could tell more jokes and talk about boys ;) Haha that girl is my life line and joy out here!

Albert is doing well and progressing towards his date to be baptized. Everytime we teach him it's at a members house and they're all awesome. Fellowshipping him and for the first time in my mission, a family is giving someone a ride to church. Really!!! They offered to drive him and it's amazing. He still is struggling with the word of wisdom, and there are NO recovery programs out here. So he's really on his own just God and the church... I hope he gets off drugs in time to be baptized!! Shooting for July 14, but we'll see.

My district

All is well out in paradise!! Thanks for the love you all show me and the happiness you have in your beautiful faces ;) I cant wait to squeeze 'em all when I'm home! Love you!!

Sister Nicole Felt

Week 48 - I cant see the line where the sky meets the sea

The ocean looks like glass in the morning with no break where it hits the sky. gorgeous!

I have zero time. But today was great!!! We went out to an outer atoll of Pohnpei and it was amazing. Took a speed boat and then had to wade in 2 feet of water for about 100 yards to get to the island. I grabbed blue starfish out of the ocean, caught wild fish, saw a wild manta ray and ate wild coconuts. Twas splendid :)

This week we had a lot of great lessons with SOLID investigators who are getting baptized next month for sure. A couple investigators who dropped us. And a bunch of hilarious inside jokes with other missionaries. Fun fun fun #ElderCharltonTriesToBeSneakyAndFunnyButHe'sNot #HeKindOfIs

Well. Love you! hahahaha soroooorrryy I cant write. But it's been a good day :) Still dosen't make me miss horses any less though, I'm still excited to be a cowgirl again! Moana's fine for now i guess too :)

WATCH GENERAL CONFERENCE OR LISTEN TO IT EVERY DAY. If you do this, you will be okay. And the spirit and perfect happiness will be with you TEN FOLD! I promise it :)

Don't forget to pray ni omw pirida ni menseng.

Love,
Sister Nicole Felt

Week 47 - I Like Your Face

This week was FULL of such fun amazingness! I'll tell just one story. Maybe two.... ;)

On Saturday we got a call from the Mand Elders, Elder Pilimai and Elder Towea. They said that they have a referral for us. A Man had called the Mand Chapel phone (It's on the other side of the island) just because he felt like he really should. So he did, and talked about how he's frustrated with his life. He just wants peace. So the guy who answered the phone, A recently returned missionary, basically taught him about the restoration and the gospel of jesus christ. CRAZY! So he told the guy they'd send missionaires over to his house. He told the Mand Elders, Mand Elders told us, We spent three hours trying to find Albert Solomon in Ohmine. wow. That was rough. But we found him! And the first thing he said was "I'm the guy who called". when we walked up to the house, there were 6 little girls speaking in English?!? weird. Turns out, Albert has lived in the states for 20 years for his job in the military. He's been having issues with his life and family and wife and everything and he's just darn dead sick of not feeling peace. He's so sick of jumping from one high to the next and never being satisfied!! He was just blunt, honest and real with us. Talking about his life and family and the mistakes he's made and how he's just done. Done walking from one temporary solution to the next for his problems and never EVER seeing any real results. Everything just always falls back into it's purposeless depressing slump. Going to his families Protestant church doesn't work, smoking doesn't work, nothing works. But we know what will... 😏

We told him, swore to him, and promised him, the most blunt and real I've ever been in my life, that nothing else will give him peace except for this church. I promised him the peace he's been missing would be at church the next day. I promised him, and it happened :) he came to church the next day and said he's felt the peace.

When we met him he told us everything in his life had pointed him to this church. He said it was crazy (and his story kind of was) But I beleived it :)

Anywho, this week was pretty good. Had some really good days, and some really funny experiences. I shared the gospel with a banana tree. It was pretty receptive.

Also, one of the members likes sister caldwell. After church he said "See you next week Sister Caldwell" We ignored him and he said "I like your face".

I went fishing last week :) And some bozo's swimming in the water were splashing and telling us "There's no fish here!!" But badabing badaboom I caught a lil fishy! Showed those kirinese boys.

This little boy with the fish is Nui, he's 11 and exactly like spencer!!! he taught us how to fish with just a line a hook and another dead fish. it's been pretty fun.

The gospel is real. It's the only thing that brings us real peace, real comfort, real happiness. Nothing else in this life will give us the calm that we all want. There are many things that appear like they bring relief from the stress of the world, but Satan is the master of deception. Don't get deceived!! Follow the prophet and stay happy healthy and wise :) I love each and every one of you!! Stay strong, and don't forget to pray.

Ahi Limpoak Koaros,
Sister Nicole Felt

Week 46 - Plot Twist!!

So on Monday I told you nothing had changed for transfers, right?

Wrong.

Tuesday morning I got a call from our beloved Zone Leaders. And they told me, the assistants just called and said they forgot to tell them I'm the new Sister Training Leader. So the Zone Leaders told me I need to pack my bags and get ready to fly out to MLC in two hours. Yay!!!

Missionary Leadership Council was A-MAZ-ING! Holy cow it was just as awesome as I thought it would be! It's amazing the spirit and purity that enters a room when people are united in a cause of helping others and becoming pure. I'm so excited to be able to share what we learned at MLC with my fellow missionaires on Pohnpei :)

I was on Guam from Tuesday until Saturday night/Sunday morning. So I spent a lot of time with many different missionaries proselyting/friending/tracting with them. I learned so much and began learning Chuukese as well. It just felt more right to learn Chuukese instead of Kirinese. And It came so fast!!!!! I began learning on Tuesday, and by Friday, I could have a simple conversation in Chuukese. The gift of tounges is real. When you're dedicated and excited and work hard with the spirit, God gives you the fun blessings of learning truths in the world, and giving you new talents and skills. I love it!!!

Sisters at MLC

Saturday night, as the Sisters were shuffling around trying to figure out companionships to get me to the Airport, we grabbed some Micky D's and headed to the airport. I checked in and I was alone. All alone :) Sister Taunauta, my fellow Sister Training Leader, had flown to Pohnpei with the Zone Leaders on Friday, and there wasn't enough room on the plane for me to go with. So solo on Saturday it was!!! It was so fun. I sat next to some chuukese ladies, and it turns out, I had sat by this lady before!!! In Jaunary when I went to pick up sister Schow, I had sat by this woman who was returning to Guam from Chuuk. She had got to her fathers funeral and had cried to me and I loved her. It was very sweet. This time when I saw her, she was a fair bit more worldly and it made me sad. But I got her info and I'm going to try to get her referred to the Chuuk Elders.

Well, I think that's it? It's probably not, so I'm sorry. But I don't really know what else to write. Oh! We got to pick lice out of a bunch of Chuukese girl's hair for church on Saturday. It was on Guam in the sketchy poor part of it. I'm only a little worried I'm going to get lice as well.... We'll see. My head is starting to itch now..

I love you all!!

Sister Nicole Felt

Sister Felt