Snail Mail--November 23, 2016 (arrived Dec 5, 2016)

Dear Mom,

I just got a letter from you in the mail today and it made me so happy1 Thank you for your kind note.  You're the best.  Thanks for sending my friend's emails and the packages and everything, too. :)  AND THE PICTURES!  Pictures are the best!  I carry Sam's school picture with me everywhere in my wallet and always show it to all the little boys that remind me of him, and to everyone else, too, because he's such a stud.  I laughed super hard at the Nauvoo picture.  Dad's beard is so awesome!  The other elders think it's way sick, too.

Thanks for the update on everyone's life.  It snowed???!?  I honestly forgot what cold feels like.  I'm so dead when I come back.  hahahaha  That's awesome to hear about Dad and the U of U and that he won!  Super proud.  He's a genius and such a hard worker.  Crazy about Toni Rudolph.  I still can't believe that.  Super sad.  How is their family doing?  They're in my prayers always.  Have you visited him in the hospital?  How did y'alls Thanksgiving go?  I'm sure ours will be very different.  I miss Gary's ukulele!  He's going to be so happy when I get back.  I'm learning lots of songs on the ukulele.  Everyone here plays of every age.  Even the cute little kids.  I'm getting pretty good.  Gary and I can play together.

Thanks for your scripture.  I love it!  People really only can have true joy from the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We really have been so blessed in Sapuk lately.  So blessed!  In the last 14 months in Sapuk before I got here, Sapuk only had 3 baptisms.  in 14 months!  That's so low for Chuuk.  The other areas get lots. The other area in my district had 8 last month.  We have had 4 in the 3 transfers I've been here.  God is blessing Sapuk sooo much.   It's turning around.  Elder Gibson and I are lucky to be a part of it, as hard as it may be at times.  My scripture I have really been focusing on lately is Alma 26:11-12.   I'm sure you know it.  We need to remember that every good thing comes from God.  The work here is not Elder Gibson's nor my work.  It's Gods.  If it weren't for Him, we would be nothing.  God really does help me so much out here and blesses me in so many ways.  He is always there for me and always answers my prayers.  The gift of tongues is real.  I feel like I have been improving lots lately.  I just try and talk as much as I can to everyone and not care when I mess up or what they say about me.  I'm understanding more and more.  Things are starting to make a lot more sense.  I have been trying really hard to be exactly obedient, and God is just pouring out the blessings  I am so blessed.  I couldn't be grateful enough.  I have found that it is so much easier to be exactly obedient and be happy than to break a few (even simple) rules and not have God's help.  Being able to talk to people and say lots of stuff is making it so much easier out here.  I feel like I'm actually useful as a missionary and exist again. haha It's still hard and frustrating, but I have a good base now and God's helping me learn so much.  Thank you for all the prayers and fasts for me back home.  I can feel all the help coming from them, so thank you!  I miss you lots, Mom.  Thanks for being an amazing mother.  You're the best.

Love,
Elder Saylin

 THIS IS CHURCH ON UDOT.  NOTICE THE SACRAMENT TABLE ON THE TOP LEFT.  CAN'T YOU JUST FEEL THE SPIRIT OF THESE GOOD PEOPLE?

"The members are categorized as a group since they are not yet large enough to be a branch. They meet on a tarp, under a canvas tent, and on this day in the pouring rain. One of my favorite moments was when the group of about 15 adults and 40 children sang the closing hymn “We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet.” On what seemed to be a random and small island in the middle of the Pacific, it was obvious that this faithful crew knew God was very aware of where and who they were."

PS:  THERE IS AN AMERICAN TEACHER WHO IS KEEPING A BLOG FROM HER ADVENTURES IN CHUUK.  HERE ARE A FEW INSIGHTS OF ISLAND LIFE FROM HER BLOG:

When in Chuuk, you eat as the Chuukese – no need for individual plates and utensils – you just grab a handful of rice, pass the communal platter of fish, eating it right off the bone and throwing the bones over your shoulder and into the ocean, drinking from your own coconut, while using your rain-soaked lap as your own little table. It was one of those moments when you think, “What is my life right now – this is such a great adventure!”

https://www.facebook.com/john.zarbock.9/videos/1302437893107755/

Here is a wonderful video Keith's mission president posted of recent baptisms and you will see Keith!

My first transfer..... to Udot! This is a small island 2.5 miles by 1.5 miles with population 1,700.

I'VE BEEN TRANSFERED. I'm going to an island called Udot! It's an outer island and it's going to be soooo different. No running water and we have power for lights by a car battery! haha. I boat out tomorrow. I'm soo excited! My comp is Elder Irvien.  He's way cool and will help sooo much with the language. Plus nobody speaks English there. We don't even have a church. haha We hold church under a tarp. It's going to be nuts and soo hot. haha I cannot wait.

I'm sorry I have zero time. I am just able to tell you the update. I can't wait to talk to you on Christmas. I think I can call you and tell you when we are able to facetime, so keep your phones close. But we aren't allowed to talk about anything except the time I will call you.

I will talk to you in a few weeks! I'm so flipping excited. I love y'all!

Elder Saylin

(That is about 80 degrees F.)

-- 

Elder Saylin

Best week yet! (Last week's letter, too.)

Ifousume nei kewe josi?

This has easily been one of the best weeks of my mission. No, I didn't get to go on another boat for days out to some tiny paradise island, but God helped me out so much today and answered so many of my prayers. I have been praying lots for confidence to talk to everyone and not care about all the mean things people say or when they ignore me and don't want to help me learn Chuukese. My vocabulary has expanded sooo much this week; it's been crazy. I can say lots more both in lessons or just street talk. I am finally understanding lots more when people talk and can have decent conversations. Everything is starting to make sense and I actually feel like I exist again rather than just being the guy that can never really say too much. God is just pouring out the blessings and is with me every step of the way. Even though my Thanksgiving was just chicken and rice (*like every other day of my life here) it still ended up good. We had a little feast with just my district. As we ate we went in a circle and talked about the things we are grateful for. As I talked and talked and talked,  I realized how blessed I am. God has given me so much in my life, and I couldn't be grateful enough to Him. From this gospel, to my mission, to my extremely supportive family and friends that I love so much, I realize how lucky I am to have the life I do. Seeing how these people live here having nothing but the wood hut with a tin roof and a bucket of rice to survive in with no blanket or pillow and fishing for food everyday to eat, makes me realize how blessed we all are. Most people only have one or two sets of clothes here. Some kids just have one pair of shorts with no shirt, which is why all the kids are pretty much naked here 24/7. What a great Thanksgiving it ended up being. I have so much to be thankful for! 

So our miracle this week: We have been teaching a little boy named Micah. His dad is super big in the Catholic church and his mom is Protestant. We have been praying lots that when we go and get permission from them for Micah to be baptized that they will say yes. Not only did they say yes, but they want to come to his baptism, too! We would have had his baptism this week, but there's a meeting we have all day, so we are doing it next Saturday! Super pumped!!

On Tuesday, I was hiking down from Winiston's house. It's been raining here every single day nonstop for the last month. It's been nuts. Everything is sooo muddy. Yup. I slipped. Again! This time, so much worse. Literally covered head to toe in mud hahahah.  I was so bummed. We had to go home and change and it was just our first lesson of the day. I didn't want to get in the truck all muddy so I had to sit in the back all the way home. haha and Everyone was outside and was just laughing at me; it was awesome.

Miss you all lots. Happy late Thanksgiving. Super grateful for you all!

-- 

Elder Saylin

NOVEMBER 21, 2016

So it snowed?? I forgot what that looks like! It's still hot as could be here. hah I don't think it ever gets below 80.

This week has been a pretty good one. Our branch had a returned missionary come back from South Africa. His name is JT and he is legit. I love him. He's already strengthening the branch so much and is helping me with my Chuukese which is a blessing because not a lot of people are out to help me learn so much. My Chuukese is getting a lot better in lessons. I can teach a lot more. But on the street its super hard to understand so my conversations rarely go anywhere. They roll their tongue with everrryyytthhiinnngggg-- it sounds like one huge word that makes no sense. I can speak a lot more than I can understand, but it's coming more and more and the gift of tongues is the realest thing ever. God helps me out so much and answers my prayers. 

So remember Mypo? I baptized him back in August. Right after he was baptized he moved away to the other side of the island and went less active. He came back to Sapuk this week and we saw him! We invited him to go teaching with us and he came almost everyday this week! So awesome. He even came to church and is preparing to get the priesthood next week. Way pumped for him. We even started to teach his family with him, too. His sister and her husband are now on a baptismal date. Winiston is still strong and going to get the priesthood as well this sunday. 

We went to a pwupwungu (wedding) this week. It was super crazy. Lots different than America. The weddings are huggeee here. All of Sapuk went. There was so much singing and dancing and culture stuff; it was awesome. Then they came and brought me food. They handed me a plate that was like 3 feet long and a foot and a half wide. No lie. I was first to get it so I thought that it was for the whole table we were at. It was so heavy. So much food. All their nasty chuukese food. Octopus. fish. pig. turkey tail. turtle. turtle eggs. legit everything you could think of.  Then, they bring out another and another and another. EVERYONE GOT THEIR OWN. No wonder everyone is so fat here. I took it all home because I only ate a small dent out of it and thought I was gonna die. Fed the rest to the dogs. lol super gross.

We met this guy that just got deported from Hawaii and doesn't know much chuukese so we were going to teach him in English. He asked me to pray. I prayed in English for the first time on months. It's legit has been forever.  I couldn't remember what to say hahaha i legit sounded like i have never prayed before. "Umm God please help us to feel the spirit." I couldn't remember respectful terms like "will thou, thine, and stuff like that" I started laughing and everyone was laughing. I didn't' know if Is should switch over to Chuukese or not bc I legit couldn't remember anything to say in prayers. So I translated from Chuukese in my head to English. I was so happy. It was the coolest thing ever. I didn't even care if I looked like an idiot --the fact that i just had to translate from Chuukese to English made me so happy.

Hope everything is good at home! Love you and miss you. As hard as my mission is for me at times, I wouldn't trade it for the world. Chuuk is where it's at!

-- 

Elder Saylin

The Lord takes care of me everyday....

Hey, they forgot to pay the bill for internet in Chuuk so we haven't had wifi all day, but they finally just turned it on.  I only have 5 minutes. I didn't get a chance to read your emails but maybe you can send them in the mail?? I love reading them, they help so much out here-- so thank you.

This week has been okay. It's been rough, but I'm learning to deal with it more. Sapuk is super hard. I'm working hard and the Lord takes care of me every day. I'm super safe all the time, too, haha don't worry. Sapuk is the most peaceful place out of all the islands. Nothing ever happens to missionaries anywhere in Chuuk.  They respect us lots. 

I'm sorry I am out of time. I hope everything is well! Sorry, if you had questions I didn't answer because I couldn't read, but when I get it in the mail I will write back and let you know everything you want! 

Miss you lots. Love all the pics!

Have a good week!

I love you

-- 

Elder Saylin

Another baptism! Week 17

Winiston was baptized this week!!!! He's so sick. I love him so much. He says hello to the family.  It's been amazing to be teaching him the last 5 weeks and watch how much he has turned his life around. He has done so much to prepare for his baptism day and has come so far. So amazing and such a cool experience to watch him come so far and how happy he is!

Noen accepted baptism! He really wants to be baptized and I'm really excited to be working with him. Hopefully once he gets baptized we can work with his wife and kids, too, which he still has! It's weird because he's one of the few people in Chuuk I have met that still has a family and cares about his wife and kids! 

Our house is infested with rats haha! They're all in the walls and crawl everywhere. We were planning, and I looked up and just saw one run across the floor. I don't even care any more. They're huge. Like the size of a small dog-- not even kidding haha! They're everywhere so I just have had to learn to deal with it now. When we clog the rat hole, they just bite another hole in the wall so there's no point.

I haven't shared some crazy stories in a while so I thought maybe I would this week. Last Tuesday there was this crazy fight. This guy had a 7 foot pole and was just beating the crap out of this other guy right in front of us, but it's not like we can do anything. The guy was down on the ground and I thought he was done. However, the guy with the pole turned around and was walking away. Somehow, that guy (still alive somehow) got up and ran and tackled the other guy from behind.  They went at it on the ground and he choked the guy with the pole. It was so sad. Then we just had to keep going on with our day. 

Yesterday we were driving and this guy got shot with a filipin in the back. A filipin is a metal arrow that they shoot at each other here.  Drilled him right in the back and the guy dropped. The cops came and just threw this bloody guy in the back of the truck and rushed to the hospital. Oh Chuuk! It's so awesome here. Never a dull moment. Don't worry, though, Mom. I'm always safe! 

Church has been nuts lately. Nobody listens and everyone is irreverent. It's been super frustrating. Elder Gibson and I got so upset about it yesterday, but an Area Seventy is coming this week to church so hopefully things will improve.

I got letters finally! I think they were backed up, but they all came in. Thank you for your nice notes! I wrote you back so hopefully you get that soon!

I also got the package with the Bucees shirt! That's so awesome; thank you so much! That cereal was amazing, too.

Miss you all like crazy! I love serving the Lord.

Sepwapchu oune kan nom! I tong ngedikemy!

-- 

Elder Saylin

A wonderful week....

Heeyy long time no see!

Okay, first off: President Smart and his wife had their baby this week. They named it Saylin Katta!!!!!!!!!!!! He's super cute. I'll have to get some pics for y'all when the wifi is faster here. How dope is that!? So sick. 

Winiston is getting baptized this week. He has had problems the last 2 because his dad died. We've been doing a bunch of stuff for the funeral with him and his family and haven't had much time, but this Saturday he's getting baptized! The funerals here are whack. They last for like a week and there's all this weird cultural stuff, but it's kind of cool! We got to help out a lot with it all. Oh yeah, and everyone buries their family in front of the huts in the front yard here  so it's kind of creepy to think there are dead people everywhere.

We fasted a few  days ago to find a new investigator. While hiking up to Winistons, this guy named Noel was in the bushes and yelled out to us. We ran over to him and he said he has always wanted to talk to us before! Super cool. He's our new investigator and I am way hyped.

I was teaching about prophets in front of 12 people and told them that we have a dead prophet named Thomas S. Monson on the earth today!   hahaha They were super confused.

The language is coming along slowly, but God is definatley helping me. If we don't have God on our side when hard trials come, it will be impossible to get through them without Him. Rely on the Lord because He will be there to take care of you every time.

I miss you all so much. Thank you for all the support!

-- 

Elder Saylin

IF A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS.... THEN HOW MANY WORDS ARE 31 PICTURES WORTH?

 THOSE ARE LITTLE KIDS CLIMBING FOR COCONUTS!

 WHEN THERE IS NO RUNNING WATER THEY BATHE IN A "STREAM."

.