Art & Marie go to Micronesia & Guam: February 2016

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Two weeks in Chuuk....

We were able to spend two weeks in Chuuk. The senior couple assigned there was in Guam as the medical couple until the new medical couple arrived. Thus, we were able to stay in their apartment allowing us to stay longer than when we stay in a hotel. We were also able to use their vehicle. We were able to do additional training with the District Family History Director Jean Ichiro. While we were there two additional family history consultants were called and Jean is going to follow up with the other branches to get additional consultants called.

Chuuk is truly a third world country. Many people live in the brush (most know it as the jungle), most homes have no electricity or running water, they are shelters from the rain. The missionaries on Chuuk need to be in their apartments by 6:00 pm because it is not safe to be out after dark. When you go to a restaurant (local people don't have the money to go out to eat) many items will not be available because of the difficulty of getting supplies. Many items that we can purchase in Guam are not available in Chuuk. Fresh fruits and vegetables are limited or difficult to get.

We were able to work with many of the branches and able to give them "My Family" booklets in Chuukese. We did a presentation to the youth and even though most knew English they were excited to be able to write their stories in their own language.

Self-Reliance Cooking Classes

Self-Reliance & Family History Class

Missionary's Cabin

Service Project

Life in Chuuk

Roads in Chuuk (Yes, this is a road to one of the churches)!

This is a deserted island about a mile off of Romanum, we were able to go over and walk around the island and collect seashells.

Monday, February 15, 2016

Update on Records

The records at the MARC (Micronesia Area Research Center) are almost finished. We have been digitizing the Underwood Collection but some of the pictures needed to be filmed again.
We are still working on the legal aspect of getting the vital records from Guam.
We have 100 more rolls of microfilm on Pohnpei that will be picked up the end of this week and brought back to Guam to be sent to Salt Lake to be cleaned and digitized.

All the couples from the Micronesian Guam Mission....

The Zarbock's are the leaders of the mission.....

The Guercio finished their mission and left for home the last day of conference,

he was the mission nurse....

The Hamilton's are the office couple.......

The Thomas' are the military couple and are focused on the military personnel serving at the Naval or Air Force base........

The Eliason's are on Chuuk, he works at the hospital, they are staying on Guam to be the medical couple until the new couple comes the end of February......

The Hardy's are on Chuuk, they work with the youth and helping to teach religious classes, he also teaches teachers....

The Reed's are on Chuuk and work with self-reliance, they have helped many start gardens and are teaching business classes, job skills, etc......

The Furstenau work on Pohnpei and help with the leaders teaching them how to manage church issues on the islands....

The Hedgpeth's are on Pohnpei and work with the youth teaching them religious classes.....

The Batty's are on Kosrae and help with the youth, family history, etc......

The Brimhall's are on Yap and help with the youth and anything else needed........

Senior Conference.....

All the Senior Missionaries from the islands come in twice a year for a conference. We do some activities and learn from the Mission President and all the couples do a presentation on their stewardship. On Saturday we went to the village Art & I had gone to earlier but it was fun to be with all the other couples.......