February 23, 2014 Letter

Hey Everyone,

Well its good to hear from you guys, and I can definetly send pictures this time, last week the computer didn't have enough memory for the pictures so I got on a different computer and can send pictures, so I will get those sent after this email.

Well This week and last as well were quite eventful. Our house here in Wichap got broken into while we were gone to zone conference and we lost a bunch of stuff. But the good news is that some of the local guys went a caught the guy who is always breaking into houses and he is (at the moment) in jail. I am praying that it stays that way because Chuukese justice system is super weird and sometimes they only spend 2 days in jail then say they are sorry and go back to doing what they were before.  So we will see what happens.  But so basically Elder Peck and I had to buy a lot of food on not a lot of money because the kid stole a lot of it. 

Ohh and it has been raining all week I am very wet and soggy haha.

We are doing good. We are doing a lot of work with the less-active members here in Wichap because everyone that wants to hear the Gospel and be baptized pretty much has been, so Elder Peck and I are working on bringing old members back into the church and they are helping us to find new people to teach as well.

Well I will wrap it up now by saying to everyone; HELP THE MISSIONARIES!!!!!! There are only 2 of them to cover a lot of area, they can not do it without the members help.  There is a great section on it in Preach My Gospel page 160 (there is a reason why it is available to everyone not just missionaries ;) ). My favorite part is the quote from President Gordon B. Hinckley:

"So many of us look upon missionary work as simply tracting.  Everyone who is familiar with this work knows there is a better way.  That way is through the members of the Church.  Whenever there is a member who introduces an investigator, there is an immediate support system.  The member bears testimony of the truth of the work.  He is anxious for the happiness of his or her investigator friend.  He or she becomes excited as that friend makes progress in learning the gospel." 

You guys can read the rest in Preach My Gospel. I gotta wrap it up.  Just know that I love you all and I want the very best for all of you guys!

With soggy love,
Elder Jeff Payne

(sorry to report - but no pictures were sent with this letter from Jeff).

All about food in Chuuk - Feb 16, 2014

Dear Everyone,

Well this is going to be the 'answer questions I have received from you guys back home' email, haha.

Hopefully I can get the general ones answered.

1st - The plane flight. I flew from Salt Lake to LA, then from LA to Tokyo, then Tokyo to Guam.
What did i think of flying?  It certainly wasn't a bad experience, it felt like a long car ride with a whole bunch of people.  I was flying for my first time and I was all by my self!! No other missionaries on that plane!!

2nd - What island am I on?  I AM ON CHUUK NOT GUAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and I am on the island of Weno.

3rd - What food have I tried? I don't guarantee that all are spelled correctly!!!!!  Most food they just boil
and/or mash up and usually doesn't have much of a flavor. I have had Puda, which is a large root or potato.
Tapioke, which is another root that they boil and mash. Dog (yes I have had dog) it is kind of tough and stringy here in Chuuk but other than that it doesn't taste like anything really.   Mai or bread fruit, is a fruit that grows every where and again they just boil and mash it. Nu or coconut (this is my favorite).

  Now for the Chuuk Zone Classic (Jace and Moms everywhare, this is for your recipe books). You make rice for however many people you are feeding, then make enough Raman for however many people, then add some sort of meat (or we call it Sedi here - SPAM is the referred sedi) and you just fry it, then you put it all on a big platter and then - the best part - you eat it with your fingers! haha No utensils required hahahaqhaha.  And there it is folks the Chuuk Zone Classic, the best meal a poor college kid or any other person could want!

So i think that Answers the general questions people would have, if there are others just send them over and I will try and answer them!

Well better end this email so my dad isn't up to late putting this on my blog, haha.

Love for everyone,
Elder Jeff Payne

Pictures of Jeff at Chuuk Zone Conference

Here is the whole zone:

Jeff is right in the middle.

Elder Jeff Payne, Elder Peck and the Crisps celebrated birthdays!

Elder Jeff Payne studying the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Thanks to President Mecham for posting these.

Letter from February 10, 2014

Dear Everyone,
Well It has been a good week and no Mom I have not received the box yet. So to answer some questions, our little chapel does not have a font it is just big enough.

So the guy that we were going to baptize pushed the date back to this coming Saturday, so... Well a little about him, we call him Papa G, he is about 73 years old, and that is super old for a Chuukese person, but thats only because their lifestyle is super hard on their bodies and lives.  He is super solid in the church he has been living the Word of Wisdom since he was young because "he could see the difference" in his life and his other friends lives. So now he is old but he really wants to be baptized so we are excited.


Hey all of you that might end up reading this, I want all of you guys to go and read and study the Book of Mormon in line with the Bible and it will bless your lives so greatly because they give us the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  This will bless you and all of those around you. Keep reading and living the Gospel.  I testify of the Truth of the Gospel and the dangerous power of the Adversary (this sounds awful but i am going somewhere with this), because he does have real power in this awful world that he controls. But when we believe and stand firm upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ we can withstand all that Satan throws at us, and when we are wounded it can be healed through the Atonement of Jesus the Christ who is our Lord and Savior and the Redeemer of the whole world.

With Love and Respect,
Elder Jeff Payne

First Zone Conference and Chocolate Cake

Hey so my week is doing a lot better my stomach isn't bothering me a whole lot as long as I try to avoid eating this Chuukese food. It is basically anything boiled or mashed then served, oh and it is always super bland. 

We have all of the "outer island" missionaries here on Weno for a zone meeting and there are only 3 computers that we can use so it is super hard to get a computer haha the only way I am on now is that a bunch of the other guys went to go play basket ball.  hey its okay about the package as long as it gets here I will be fine. 

Yeah that first chapter of PMG is great its super important to have good relationships with everyone
because the first time you meet that is how they will perceive you and if you gave a good impression you need to keep holding that so they know that that was the real you.

I love you guys too and let everyone know that as well!

Make sure that Kris and jay keep emailing and writing its nice to get letters cause I don't have to wait for people to get off them to read them haha. Tell Kris that I loved her letter and that it almost made me cry (her picture that she drew is super legit tell her to keep improving)

With all the love one can muster,
Elder Jeff Payne


Jeff's first zone conference.  All the missionaries in his zone were brought to Moen.  Jeff and his companion Elder Peck are bottom left. Sister Crisp made them chocolate cake (Jeff is loving her, I'm sure!) The Crisp's update