Elder Hamilton training our new missionaries on August 28th. 

We have 13 missionaries joining the forces this transfer.

On the right is one of our honorable assistants, Elder Striplin.

We have been so busy the last two weeks.  We have worked in the office Monday through Friday each week as usual.  We have also attended 5 different baptisms.  It was transfer week this week.  Wow.  How crazy and busy and wonderful.  Several flights were delayed and some missed their flights.  But we are flexible.  We adapt. 

President Zarbock says that you have to laugh or you would cry.  I don't know how he and Sister Zarbock keep up and do all the wonderful things that they do.  They are amazing.

Training for the trainers was delayed for a day.  We had 12 newly arriving missionaries delayed one day because their flight was delayed in LA and they missed their connection in Honolulu because of it.  While there, one left his passport in the motel. One left his wallet on the plane before he left LA.  Luckily he had his passport so he could go on to the island but the other one is on Guam until his passport comes.

We have a great new group here and I know they are chosen missionaries for this mission at this time.

We also said goodbye to 6 wonderful missionaries and our office couple.  Our crutches left and now we have to stand on our own.  We love you all and pray for your continued growth in God's kingdom.

I have seen miracles happen this week.  Things like, Sister Hamilton can you make my flight for Thursday instead of Friday so I can come and do some shopping before I transfer.  I said, it's a good thing you called because your plane is scheduled for Thursday and not Friday.

Elder Hamilton called a mother about the lost passport and she said you are a miracle.  I just picked it up off the front porch and was wondering what address to mail it to and you called.

President Zarbock decided to go to Saipan at the last minute and I was able to book his flight when he wanted it but didn't think to rent a car for him.  At 10:30 P.M. the night before he was leaving I looked at the phone and saw a text he sent earlier asking if I got him a car.  I couldn't find a car for him.  I went to bed feeling terrible.  I woke up about three in the morning thinking about it and couldn't go back to sleep so I thought I would try again.  After trying Expedia and Kayak and other web sites I thought to try the car rental agencies individually and I was able to find him one.  I texted him at maybe 6:00 in the morning and he was at the airport and told him I found him a car.  God is watching over all of us.  He truly is in charge of this mission and we are so blessed to be able to watch the work unfold. 

A new senior couple arrived on August 18th.  Elder and Sister Williams are assigned to work in family history.  They are from North Dakota.  They are wonderful and it is a blessing to get to know them.  The senior couples work hard and work together to keep the mission running and we love and appreciate each one of the.  We miss the Martins deeply. 

I will attempt to post some pictures of the last two weeks mission experiences.  I hope you can feel the great spirit of the mission.  It's great to be instruments in God's hands.

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After the baptism we went to this peace garden.  It is to honor those who died in the World War II battle that took place on Guam.  There are Japanese caves below.

We attended two baptisms yesterday.  One was a convert baptism and one was a baptism of record.  The awesome thing about these two baptisms is that they were both baptized by their fathers or husbands that either have been recently reactivated or recently baptized. 

           Elder Tafuna giving a talk on the restoration.          

Cathreen and A-reen were baptized by Brother Nameta.

Elder Tafuna, The Nameta Family, Sister Talakai, Sister Muamoholeva.

Back:The Jimmy family.  Front: Elder Striplin and Elder Gibb.

The awesome thing about this picture is that Isak gave the talk on baptism and he was just baptized two or three weeks ago.  He spoke with much conviction.  Sister Jimmy also gave a very heartfelt talk on the Holy ghost.

A beautiful sunset in Guam.  You can see the effects of the sunset in 360 degrees here.  It looks like it just drops into the ocean.

We went to visit President and Sister Mathew (sorry if it's misspelled).  While we were walking up to the house we saw these ladies sitting under an awning on wood floors weaving.

While in the house we were invited to sit on the cardboard so we wouldn't have to sit on the cement floor.  I was able to sit on a cooler.  Sister Mathew was wrapping thread around these pipes to prepare it for weaving.  She kindly agreed to set up her loom to show us how she weaves the thread to make fabric peaces.  She said she sells the lava lavas so she can get money to pay her tithing.  How amazing.  It takes her about a week to make one and she sells them for $35. 

This was a post by Elder Martin on his blog.  I tried to copy the video clip but couldn't so I typed the question.

I was asked an interesting question in the office the other day from the sisters.
Can you give us the keys to the Yaris so we can get our machetes out of the trunk?

They found what they were looking for. Only in Micronesia...

 Rose is a self reliance specialist.  She travels around teaching groups the church programs.  She is from Guam but traveled to Yap when we did.  We went to the leadership meeting presentation to meet the members in Yap and ended up going to all three of her presentations.  She asked Elder Hamilton to give a talk at the branch presentations because he made comments at the leadership meeting that were very motivational.  We saw the District President, President Jim, the next day and he asked us to come as well.  We went to both of the branch presentations but he didn't end up speaking. 

                                                    Members of the Thol Branch.

The Colonia Chapel is on the island of Yap.  They set up chairs and use it for a chapel.  They use it for a cultural hall as well.

 

Stone money is historical.  It was brought on canoes from Palau. You find it all over the island.  

Some were so big that when it changed ownership they didn't move it. 

It was just owned by the next person where it was.

There are many stone paths around the island.

 

Community Center.

Storage area for a store.

The Ayin family welcomed us to their home.  They were so kind to us.  They don't have a car.  They walk 5 miles for their church meetings each Sunday and in between as well.

Sister Ayin and Tracy

The Ayin family gave us coconut juice and oranges.  Another thing checked off our bucket list.

Brother Ayin built this house himself. He and his wife sleep here.

The rest of the family sleep here.

Elder Hamilton, Sister and Elder Brimhall, Sister and Elder Guercio.  Elder Brimhall is related to me.

Elder Hamilton, Sister Hamilton, Sister Brimhall, Sister and Elder Guercio.

This Equinox had two broken keys and so another one got ordered but had to be reprogrammed.  Elder Hamilton looked instructions up on the internet and gave them to these Elders and they got the car running.  Gm look out.

Just some of the things to see in Yap.  

 This is a privately owned yaght with a helicopter on it.

Elder Hamilton was given three of these during our visit to Yap. It is a symbol of affection presented when arriving or leaving.

 This is a Zone Conference.  We went there to meet the missionaries,

We attended our first mission leadership conference.  The assistants attend and the zone leaders from all the islands and sometimes sister trainer leaders.  They meet at the mission home.  The mission nurse and the office couple also attend for the first part of the meeting to give instruction.  Unfortunately we could not get flights for the Pohnpei or Kosrae zone leaders for this month's conference.  A couple of the missionaries from Guam were asked to fill in for some of them.  We heard from Pres and Sister Zarbock and several of the Zone leaders.

Elder Fabiano conducted the meeting.  Sadly he left for home the next week.

Elder Gibb is the new assistant who will be working with Elder Striplin.  They are all strong, fantastic missionaries.

The Martins also bore their testimonies.  They will be leaving the end of August after their superior service as the office couple.  We have enjoyed getting to know them.  They have spent long hours trying to train us in the office.  Their thoughtfulness has reached far beyond the office training as they included us in many fun activities outside the office as well.  We will surely miss them.

Sister and Elder Martin

 We met Elder and Sister Brimhall on Wednesday morning in Yap.  They graciously spent most of the day  showing us around.  We went to two of the missionary apartments to inspect them.  We also met with a very nice family.  They took us around to show us stores and Sister Guercio took pictures of available food.  She and Elder Guercio have spent many hours putting together eating plans to try to get the missionaries to eat better.  There have been several that have been sick and even taken to the hospital for things that could have been avoided with proper diet.

Elder Hamilton, Sister Brimhall, Elder Brimhall, Sister Guercio, Elder Guercio.

 It turns out that Elder Brimhall and I are related through Grandma Radmalls line.  Another missionary, Sister Eliason, is also related through the same line.  We go back the the family of Sylvanus Brimhall.  We each come from a different one of his son's lines.

Meeting Sister Calder and Sister Taumoefolau.