27 April 2010

Family,

So once again, we had transfers this week. Here's the news this time:

1) Again, I will be staying where I am.
2) My companion is the same.
3) Elder Stanley (my trainer, who has been a Zone Leader for the last couple of months) is being transferred to Guam to be a Zone Leader there.
4) Elder Lyman will become the only Palau Zone Leader and will train a new missionary from the Marshall Islands.

It's going to be weird not being the youngest missionary in the mission. Now I can tell Elder Bano to make me rice and stuff.

This past week we've been trying things a little differently. We've decided that since Palau is so small, and missionaries have been here so long, that every single person has talked to missionaries at least once, and most people have several times. As a result, people are tired of us knocking on their door. Instead, we've decided to walk around in regular clothes, offering to do service for people right there. We haven't been able to try it with non-members yet, but it's been a huge hit with less-active. For example, we walked up to one family's house with our machetes and said,

"Aki el mlei el ngoseu er kemiu. Sebechemam el meruul a ngarang?"

"We're here to help you. What can we do?"

The woman that we talked to told us to wait, went inside, talked to her son-in-law, and then they both came out. He drove us to their family's farm and asked us to chop down three trees that were casting shade on their tapioca plants. So we did, and I have a nice blister to show it. This led to them asking us to come over the next night for dinner (which was super good), and a lesson. Then 2 of them (one is not a member) came to church. It was so cool. Plus, it's way more fun than tracting - let me tell you.

I can't believe those missionaries cover 47 wards [this relates to missionaries in Utah who Clark and Holly had over to dinner]. I guess it's understandable being Utah, but still. My companion and I cover half of a single branch. Not even a ward. So nuts.

Elder Lyman and I have been working on a language packet for future missionaries to learn from, and I think it's finally finished. We were given one when we arrived, but it was poorly made, and everything was incorrect. It's been pretty difficult though, because I want it to be very simple, focusing on learning from natives and your companion, and he wants it to be very complicated with in-depth grammar and what not. We've obviously had to compromise on a few things.

We have our first baptism of the year scheduled for this Saturday. It's the 14-year old step-son of the Branch President. His sister Jenny still refuses to be baptized, despite the fact that she comes to church every week, all the youth activities, plus seminary and family home evening. She's so strange. Anyway, Jay, is pretty ready to be baptized. We still have some lessons to cram into this week, but it shouldn't be a problem. He's been coming to church for weeks.

Last thing. The visa card only works at one store here. So it works fine, but I can't use it anywhere else. Cash is probably a better avenue from here. Thanks guys.

Thanks for everything.

Love,

Elder Barlow