Dear Mom, Dad, Kris + Jay
Well its raining again here in Chuuk, but it has rained pretty much everyday for 2 weeks now + its harder to go out proselyting when its raining because people here just sleep when it rains and when they aren't sleeping they don't want to let us into their houses because our feet are all muddy, so Elder Peck + I try to wait until it stops raining. But oh well, it always stops eventually. Anywho, my week has been good, nothing interesting going on here in good ol' Wichap. We are teaching some people (it's hard because pretty much everyone who has wanted to hear the Gospel has, so we only have a few investigators + the rest are less active members. One of our investigators is super cool and is liking the Gospel but is having a hard time coming to church because it is a long walk to get to the mwichefen (church in Chuukese, pronounced mwee-chee-fen).
So let me tell you about more about this hot, humid, tropical paradise that I am in. So to start the State of Chuuk is super, super poor. Basically the only income is tourism and there isn't a lot of that either. The only attraction there is that there was a WWII battle that happened here so there are a bunch of ship wrecks and airplane wrecks out in the lagoon that people can dive to but other than there is absolutely nothing interesting in the Chuuk Lagoon.
So with tourism being the only income and the only thing people have to pay for is electricity (so a lot of people don't have that) not very many people have jobs. But they also don't need a job because if they are smart they will grow their own food. Ha ha, even our branch president doesn't have a job.
Now to Elder Payne with the weather... Well it stays a balmy 80 degrees year round with about 80 percent humidity and it looks like we have a 300% chance of rain today. But the good news is that number is lower than it has been in the last couple of weeks, ha ha ha. Other than that not much change in the weather this week.
Back to you Elder Payne...
Well just want you guys to know that I love you all and hope that you all learn to love the Church and understand its teachings. I have an assignment (Yay, homework!!). I want each of you, on your own, then as a family, read and discuss the first paragraph and the last 2 of the introduction to the Book of Mormon. Then read Moroni 10:3-5 and try it, really try it. Even when we grow up in the church we still need our own testimony of the truth, otherwise people can dispute everything we say. On page 199 of Preach My Gospel it states, "People may sometimes intellectually question what you teach, but it is difficult (but I wrote in, impossible, instead of difficult) to question a sincere, heartfelt testimony." Now I want a full report from each one of you on how this went. Now I can't grade you on this because it is a very personal thing to do, but this will help you stay 'petchik coon' (ha ha that's 'strong') in the Gospel anytime you feel like your testimony is questioned. Go and do this activity again and re-strengthen your testimony. And I want a good 5 sentence paragraph or more when you report. (Yes Jay, I'm looking at you! ha ha). But in all seriousness this will help you personally make decisions that others, without a testimony, struggle greatly with. A testimony, even a simple one, is one of the greatest gifts God has given us. Ok, I will really actually wrap this up this time.
I love you Jay, I love you Kristen, I love you Dad and I love you Mom. Stay strong and loyal to one another and never give up on one another, EVER!!!!
Well, love you guys bunches,
Elder Jeff Payne
P.S. The mosquitoes are bug-spray resistant!
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