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).
Monday, February 24, 2014
Monday, February 17, 2014
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
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
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
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.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
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
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
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
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
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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
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
Monday, January 27, 2014
Wichap
Hey all the everyone,
Well it was another week here on the island of Weno in Chuuk lagoon!
It was altogether an alright week, me and my companion haven't gotten very far with our investigators but that because here in Chuuk the people think that as long as you worship god it doesn't matter what church you are part of or how you worship so it makes it very difficult to teach them about the true church. We are definitely going to have a baptism on the 8th (haha that's my birthday but the investigator wont pick me to baptize him because I haven't been able to say anything to him).
Well church in Wichap is super depressing because like 20 people ever show up, none of them investigators, and rarely will the people who are set up to give talks show up! So we went and had a super long talk with the branch president, because he is super bummed out about the branch and came up with that Elder Peck and I will start doing a ton of service in the hopes that it will get people to come to church. but we will see what happens.
I have the runs something fierce right now its awful. I have to get up out of bed about every hour to let everything out then try to get back to bed. Apparently that is what Chuukese food does to your stomach and it just never gets used to it so we will see what happens.
Well I hope everything is going well at home and email me some pictures of the family and stuff like that. And let me know how everything is going and how everyone is doing because I miss everyone so much. Well better wrap it up others are waiting for the computers now.
With all love
Elder Jeff Payne
Well it was another week here on the island of Weno in Chuuk lagoon!
It was altogether an alright week, me and my companion haven't gotten very far with our investigators but that because here in Chuuk the people think that as long as you worship god it doesn't matter what church you are part of or how you worship so it makes it very difficult to teach them about the true church. We are definitely going to have a baptism on the 8th (haha that's my birthday but the investigator wont pick me to baptize him because I haven't been able to say anything to him).
Well church in Wichap is super depressing because like 20 people ever show up, none of them investigators, and rarely will the people who are set up to give talks show up! So we went and had a super long talk with the branch president, because he is super bummed out about the branch and came up with that Elder Peck and I will start doing a ton of service in the hopes that it will get people to come to church. but we will see what happens.
I have the runs something fierce right now its awful. I have to get up out of bed about every hour to let everything out then try to get back to bed. Apparently that is what Chuukese food does to your stomach and it just never gets used to it so we will see what happens.
Well I hope everything is going well at home and email me some pictures of the family and stuff like that. And let me know how everything is going and how everyone is doing because I miss everyone so much. Well better wrap it up others are waiting for the computers now.
With all love
Elder Jeff Payne
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Mail, Apartment, and Sick...
I have everything I need so far. The letters you sent haven’t come yet. The zone leaders have it so we just need to
go over to their house and get it all. I’m
super excited to get my birthday package.
Oh and one other thing is don’t send fragile things because Chuuk mail
is super rough on boxes.
Oh and that’s another thing right now I am in the state of Chuuk on the island of Weno and my house is in the town of Wichap (so you guys can show everyone where I am on the globe haha).
I met the Crisps the other day. They were like ahhh you know about
Ramah. We had a good time talking about
it.
My house is a little place right next to the Wichap church
building. It has a kitchen, bathroom,
and one air conditioned room about the size of the TV room back home that has
no windows. This is where we sleep, eat,
study and occasionally play chess. Elder
Peck is super cool. He know Chuukese
super well and is doing almost all of the talking. I can only say hi my name is Elder Payne, I
am from New Mexico.
How we get mail is it gets sent to the Chuuk post office and
our zone leaders go and pick it up and hold it till Monday when we come in for
pday. I get to check emails every Monday
in the Mwan chapel (haha me and my companion live a good hour walk from Wichap
to Mwan). So it takes letters and packages about 2 weeksish to get to us. I very much look forward to getting letters
and packages though.
It hasn’t rained a lot because they have been having this
dry spell. But it is still super humid
and rains more than has in a New Mexico year.
I’ve been sick from the food and worrying about filtered water all the
time is hard but oh well.
Love you all and I look forward to the letters and packages. Here’s a fun picture of where I am.
Elder Jeff Payne
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Elder and Sister Crisp
As we looked for other Micronesia Guam missionary blogs, we came across the site below. The missionary couple posted a picture of Elder Payne, fresh from Guam (on the left). He looks great!
Elder and Sister Crisp's Site. The Crisps are CES Missionaries. They give critical help to the local schools and aid the young missionaries.
Elder and Sister Crisp's Site. The Crisps are CES Missionaries. They give critical help to the local schools and aid the young missionaries.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Kindness in the airport
Dear Familia,
Sorry I didn't email like at all whilst in the MTC my muse for writing just was not there (hahahaha). Hopefully I can make it up to you guys with this letter.
Well I hope that the letter that had my other sd card for the camera made it to you guys it had some pictures of my MTC district and a few photo bombers haha.
Well basically my flights were ok from SLC to LAX was a couple of hours and I slept pretty good on that flight. Then I went to go get food in LAX at Mikky D's there and a 6 foot 8 guy in army fatigues walks up and says "let me buy you some food Elder" and I said (hesitantly) "ok"? So he bought me food and we talked about how his son was on a mission to south Africa and just a bunch of stuff. Then he walked me to my gate and we talked for a while at my gate then he said he had to go so we exchanged good byes and he left!
Then I flew to Tokyo. It took 11 hours. I was in a middle seat and couldn't watch any movies! It was KILLING ME!!! Hahaha oh and I couldn't fall asleep for some reason. I got to Tokyo at 1 am and got to Guam at about 2 am. I met President Mecham and drove back to the mission home to get some
sleep. It was ridiculously humid. Then the next night we flew to Chuuk (it was even more humid than Guam) and is super similar to the native american reservation. But everyone is super nice and super humble.
I did get super homesick last night and I am still trying to get over it but we will see what happens. I smell like sweat and campfire. Everyone here on Chuuk live in little corrugated tin huts that just about roast everything inside when the sun is out. I got to have real coconut water. That coconut water from Walmart or Smiths is a lie those are old dry and husked. Nothing compares to fresh coconut water. I also have had these small bananas that were the most flavorful bananas on the face of the earth but other than that I'm still getting used to it. The language here is Chuukese and it sounds like gibberish to me but I am slowly getting hold of it. Some Chuukese for you-
Ran Ananim = Good Day (ohh and they roll there r's super heavy)
Kiddy so = is thank you
Eo tek = prayer
So that's about all I can catch in a conversation but oh well. But the weather and landscape is similar to the deep south. Basically imagine a picture of the rain forest with some corrugated tin shack villages interspersed on both sides of the cabin road. And that is Chuuk.
Hey well it is now time to get off the computer so i say good by till we meet again.
Love,
Elder Jeff Payne!
Sorry I didn't email like at all whilst in the MTC my muse for writing just was not there (hahahaha). Hopefully I can make it up to you guys with this letter.
Well I hope that the letter that had my other sd card for the camera made it to you guys it had some pictures of my MTC district and a few photo bombers haha.
Well basically my flights were ok from SLC to LAX was a couple of hours and I slept pretty good on that flight. Then I went to go get food in LAX at Mikky D's there and a 6 foot 8 guy in army fatigues walks up and says "let me buy you some food Elder" and I said (hesitantly) "ok"? So he bought me food and we talked about how his son was on a mission to south Africa and just a bunch of stuff. Then he walked me to my gate and we talked for a while at my gate then he said he had to go so we exchanged good byes and he left!
Then I flew to Tokyo. It took 11 hours. I was in a middle seat and couldn't watch any movies! It was KILLING ME!!! Hahaha oh and I couldn't fall asleep for some reason. I got to Tokyo at 1 am and got to Guam at about 2 am. I met President Mecham and drove back to the mission home to get some
sleep. It was ridiculously humid. Then the next night we flew to Chuuk (it was even more humid than Guam) and is super similar to the native american reservation. But everyone is super nice and super humble.
I did get super homesick last night and I am still trying to get over it but we will see what happens. I smell like sweat and campfire. Everyone here on Chuuk live in little corrugated tin huts that just about roast everything inside when the sun is out. I got to have real coconut water. That coconut water from Walmart or Smiths is a lie those are old dry and husked. Nothing compares to fresh coconut water. I also have had these small bananas that were the most flavorful bananas on the face of the earth but other than that I'm still getting used to it. The language here is Chuukese and it sounds like gibberish to me but I am slowly getting hold of it. Some Chuukese for you-
Ran Ananim = Good Day (ohh and they roll there r's super heavy)
Kiddy so = is thank you
Eo tek = prayer
So that's about all I can catch in a conversation but oh well. But the weather and landscape is similar to the deep south. Basically imagine a picture of the rain forest with some corrugated tin shack villages interspersed on both sides of the cabin road. And that is Chuuk.
Hey well it is now time to get off the computer so i say good by till we meet again.
Love,
Elder Jeff Payne!
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Jeff's address
For those of you who may want to write to Jeff, his address is below. They have standard US mail so letters are the standard .46 cents they are here in the US. As far as we know, mail doesn't have any problems reaching them.
Elder Jeffery Payne
P.O. Box 861
Moen, Chuuk FSM 96942
Elder Jeffery Payne
P.O. Box 861
Moen, Chuuk FSM 96942
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Elder Payne has arrived in the Micronesia Guam Mission!
Jeff is in Guam! We thought he was going to fly out on Wednesday January 15th, but never heard any details from Jeff. A call to the MTC Travel office let us know that he left the MTC at 5am this morning (at least that's what they said). With a little detective work on the Internet, if had a pretty good idea he was supposed to fly out of Los Angeles International Airport at 12:30 today, connect to a different flight in Tokyo, Japan before arriving in Guam.
When we received our US Mail we found a letter from Jeff that included the itinerary for his trip. HE FLEW OUT YESTERDAY!!
The mission president called us this evening to let us know that Jeffery arrived safe and sound at about 1am Guam time. Tomorrow he joins his companion, Elder Peck, and flies to Chuuk. He will live in the town of Nechap.
We will have to rely on 'snail mail' since they have very limited Internet on the island. Since Jeffery seems to prefer hand writing his letters, it should work out fine for him.
He did include some pictures from the MTC. Below is one of his MTC District.
When we received our US Mail we found a letter from Jeff that included the itinerary for his trip. HE FLEW OUT YESTERDAY!!
The mission president called us this evening to let us know that Jeffery arrived safe and sound at about 1am Guam time. Tomorrow he joins his companion, Elder Peck, and flies to Chuuk. He will live in the town of Nechap.
We will have to rely on 'snail mail' since they have very limited Internet on the island. Since Jeffery seems to prefer hand writing his letters, it should work out fine for him.
He did include some pictures from the MTC. Below is one of his MTC District.
Here is a Google Maps link to the Chuuk islands. Nechap is on one of the Eastern islands of the group.
Monday, January 13, 2014
1/2/14
I love you all so much! I just wanted to say that to you all because I feel like I didn't say it often enough at home.
Well after you guys dropped me off at the MTC, the host missionary and I went to drop off my stuff in my room. I was the first one there and kind of got to meet some of my district. I didn't get to meet my companion till later cause he was late. My companions name is Elder Calinzales he is from Maryland and is super cool. We met our teachers yesterday and we met the MTC presidency. Then we had dinner and it is just like EFY food haha.
Then we did what they call teaching experience. Where they brought in recent converts and we (we had about 30 of us in this class) had to teach them
the first discussion. That was super hard mainly because very few of us were on the same page as to what to say to them but oh well.
Then we met our zone leaders. They are all super cool. It's kind of weird though like even though they are the same age as us, they act and talk older and they seem like they've lived here for years. When they've only been here like a week, it's kind of funny.
Well I'd better start wrapping it up. I love you all so very much and hope you guys all stay safe. Jay, stay strong and I look forward to your first letter.
With all love,
Elder Payne
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