Oct 1-10, 2010

We have been back for about a week and a half and we have been super busy. I had moved things over to the new house but did not have time to put anything away. So I had to organize and put the food away in the kitchen. We did not have hot water and the kitchen sink was leaking so we spent the night at our old apartment. We got the water problem solved and the leak fixed. The Davidson’s, CES couple came over and the two assistants and my friend Ben the security guard here helped us move the beds, book shelves, TV console, and desk out of our old home. It took a lot of time and muscles! Then they assembled everything here so we could make the beds and sleep here. The assistants moved all of the plants from the backyard of our other place. They will help make things look nicer outside of our new home. I then went back to our old apartment to clean it up to vacuum and clean the bathrooms. Karen who comes to help at the Mission Office and Mission Home said that the woman who lives next two our old apartment said she had never seen anyone clean a place after they move out! So hopefully it will be a pleasant surprise to the landlord!

We went to dinner with the Christensen’s who arrived while we were away. They are going to be such an asset to our mission. They will be working in the Mission Office. The Smith’s had really recruited some wonderful couples to come here to the Marshall Islands that we have had the privilege to serve with. The Christensen’s are from Murray. Elder Christensen is an oral surgeon and his son is filling in for him while he is gone.

Sister Hasu who is from Papa New Guinea had finished her mission so we took her to dinner. We were still in a mess so she stayed with Sister Teichert that night. The next morning we took her to the Airport only to find out that she could not leave because of a problem. She was going to go thru Australia and they claimed that she needed a visa in order to be there, because she had a lay over there and she couldn’t stay at the airport over night because they close it! That would cause her to have to leave the airport and that is why she needed a visa there. We waited until the plane took off hoping that they would be able to make it work for her to go but it was no go. She had had an emotional day saying goodbye to the people and the missionaries and now she couldn’t go. Her Mom does not have a telephone or computer so we had to get word somehow to her that Sister Hasu would not be going home and that we were trying to work out the problems and would let her know when she could go! Her Mom was staying at her cousins which live closer to the airport because her home was six hours away. So they were able to get some missionaries to go to her cousin’s home to give them the news. Sister Hasu helped me put the drawers in the dressers and make the beds and do some cleaning. I guess I worked her too hard because she went into the bedroom and was reading and the next thing she knew was she had taken a huge nap. She stayed with us that night. We popped popcorn and watched The Best Two Years, she loved it. She was so excited to sleep in the big bed! The next day we took her back to be with her companion until we can make arrangements for her to go home. Sister Sahm, her companion, was so excited to see her again! We have now heard that she will be leaving on the 16th of October going a different way. We won’t hold our breath because things can change so quickly! That’s okay with us because we love having her still in the mission field.

On Saturday Tom went to the Mission Office. I was still doing things around the house but then I got a bee in my bonnet to go out to our backyard area and start to clean up. I am pretty sure the one corner was used as a garbage dump. I started to clean that area and before I knew it I had three helpers! I asked if they wanted to help me and I would give them cookies and popsicles. Two of them worked really hard while one of them supervised! It started to look a lot better. They were happy to get their treats and I was happy for the help. The children here are so beautiful, they have great smiles and beautiful teeth! It started to rain a little so I was going to quit, but then Ben came over and helped pick up the leaves and debris in another area. That evening there was a baptism for a guy named Gordon who the assistants had taught. They asked us if we would talk about the plan of salvation after the baptism while he was getting dressed. He seems like a wonderful young man and he shared his testimony after his baptism. His Mom is getting baptized this week.

On Sunday we went to Ajeltake to go to their church. They had Fast Meeting because we could not see Conference because the Satellite was broken. I think each ward is going to watch it together but it won’t be this week. The meeting was super and the testimonies were great. They had several of their children get up and they were so powerful. We also bore our testimonies and expressed our love for them. We then went to Laura and arrived during their Sunday school. We went into a class that was being taught by the Elder’s. There were several young men who looked a little rough. We found out that they were from the college nearby and the guy, who is in charge of them, brings them to church so that he can attend. They teach them good values and then they tell them that if they want to know more about the church that they could have the missionaries teach them. What a great opportunity that man has given to these young men. We hope that they will be interested in the opportunity to be taught the gospel by the full time missionaries. Tom had to go to the office to use the computer since we didn’t have internet hooked up yet. He was able to listen to some of General Conference on the internet. We are a day ahead of you guys so it was Saturday’s conference. He told me about the Temples that were announced and we are so excited for Portugal to have their own Temple. They were so faithful in attending the Temple in Spain. We gained a great love for them while we were in Spain.

Monday I waited for the TV people, the phone and internet people to come and give us service in our new home. Tuesday the phone guy came and set up one phone and then left and said he would be back the next day to finish. Today is Friday and he still hasn’t been back! Today the internet guy came and hooked up one computer for the internet and said he could not do the other because it was not from their company! So at least we are making a little progress, but we have been calling all week for the TV service and have not had anyone come!

The Steed’s are a couple who are in Tarawa but they started here in Laura. They had both helped with some teaching in the elementary school. They said that they hardly had any reading books. So they asked their family to send some books that could be given to the schools in Majuro. They arrived this week and yesterday the Davidson’s distributed them to the schools. Tom and I went to the school that is close to where we live. The kids were outside for recess and when they saw the books they were so excited! What a great service the Steeds provided via their family they sent - books. They were supposed to go to Tarawa when they first arrived but somehow they were assigned in Majuro for four months. Elder Steed is the nurse for Tarawa and they are now blessing that area with their service. They have had five baptisms so far and are such an asset to our mission. They both take such good care of our missionaries with their medical needs. They feel that the mix up of not being sent straight to Tarawa was not by chance but was meant to be as they were able to accomplish much in both areas.

Elder Steele arrived from an outer Island called Lae yesterday. He ate dinner with us and we tried to fill him up with lots of sweets and ice-cream which he hasn’t had in a while. He then slept here last night. We asked this morning how he slept and he said that he had to sleep on the floor because he was not used to having a bed! He is a wonderful Elder and he will be serving here in Majuro again. These missionaries are incredible the way they adapt and how much love they give. We are becoming more familiar with the missionaries which feels so good. We will be happy when we can start seeing them in action by going with them to teaching appointments and District Meetings. We marvel at the command they have of the language. The Lord is blessing these Islands with true Disciples of Christ. We love the Lord for his goodness to us and our family. Thank you for being so supportive and for helping us through your prayers, emails and Skype. When we do all that we can the Lord truly makes up the difference. We love you all and we will be thinking of you Jenacee as you have your special baptism. Please take lots of pictures and email us about your special day. We will be there in spirit.
Love Nana and Papa / Mom and Dad / President and Sister Shaw