Aiiii Maingggg!

This week was just weird. hahaha so weird! But GOOD. I'm not quite sure I ever understood how powerful Satan is until I came on my mission but lemme tell ya! That guy is dang strong and he is the WORST hahaha.

But yes life is GOOD. I'm finally getting to the point where I understand how to be a servant of the Lord instead of a missionary with a badge. So I have the cutest story. Last night we were going to a members house to pick up our member present when everyone looked a little down! The oldest daughter told me that her parents had been out getting food for a few hours and the little kids were starting to get HUNGRY. We had lessons planned and people that we needed to go see but knowing exactly what Sises Krais would have done! So we ran home and made a whole lot of PB&J's, grabbed some chips and candy and were off! it was like Christmas morning to those kids!! It was such a tender mercy for me to see Heavenly Father reach out to His children through me. Oh I love love love the calling I hold!

So in regards to the work here in Mesihsou things are going sooooo good! You guys remember Nedleen? oh my heck that lady is the BEST. I can't wait for the day when she's called as the General Relief Society President or something hahha. She's a CONVERT not just a baptism and oh my heck do I love her and her family. I'm working with her husband right now and working with the Welter family has made me truly understand my calling as a missionary! We are constantly pointing them to the temple and helping them see the big picture. Nedleen and her husband call us her children and the kids call us their sisters. I was never quite sure why I got sent to this crazy hard mission until I watched the Atonement work through Nedleen and her family. You truly can feel the light of Christ when you walk into their home! What a tender mercy it was for me to see this lady who has been taught by every missionary ever change her heart when I started teaching her! it's TRUE. There are people prepared for specific missionaries! ALSO because of this family I'm a whole more grateful for the temple and for eternal families! I've always LOVED the temple. and that love has grown so so much since coming to Pohnpei. So many of the members pray in every prayer that a temple will come closer to Pohnpei!  The day they announce a temple in Micronesia will be the best day of my liiiiiife!

I get a whole lot of support from home and I want you all to know just how grateful I am for that! thank you thank you thank you!! On hard days I really can feel the prayers of loved one's at home! Being a missionary is the best. the toughest thing ever. but the best! 

Udahn I poakepoake kumail!

LOVE. Sister Russell

Ayyooo....

Wahoooo! It's Mondayh again! Every missionary would be lying if they said they aren't stoked when it's Monday! But really this week was a good one!! President Zarbock flew in from Guam on Tuesday with Sister Zarbock for Zone Conference! (seeing Sister Zarbock is the best thing EVER) And the training by President was so so good! It was centered on repentance and we can help ourselves and our investigators understand that repenting is such a happy thing! I LOVED that because it's so dang true! When we repent we turn back towards God. It brings light into our lives and prepares us to meet our Heavenly Father again! I love it!

Sooo this week we were our seeing investigators and I had this impression to go see an old lady that me and Sister George used to teach! So we went and saw Ruth, she was sitting alone in here house and invited us in to have a lesson. (she's so dang Protestant so having a lesson is sometimes hard) She then went on to explain to me that for some reason she was really struggling with the death of her husband and 2 daughter but couldn't explain why because it had been years since their passing. So offff course we teach about the Plan of Salvation and how one days she can see them again! Which lead to a baptismal invitation and a "I'll pray about it." Which is GOOD ENOUGH! it was so so sweet for me to see the Lord guide me exactly where I was needed.

So another GOOD day this past week was on Tuesday when I went on exchanges with the sisters in Sekere! And I got to spend the whole day with Grace George as my member present! We laughed ALL day! She's like my family on this island and being with her for the day was the biggest tender mercy! She's a total idiot but I LOVE her.

Another tender mercy I saw was I have this investigator, Roseleen, and on the week of Christmas she yelled at me telling me that she never wanted to see us again and that she hated everyone in this church. hahah OKAY. But this week we were out and she stopped, apologized, and asked if we would come back and see her! Annnnd now she is on baptismal date for next month!! I've been praying and praying to soften her hard and would you look at that!! He sure did!

So boo yah! Life is GOOD right now! Life as a missionary is dang simple and I love it! I know Heavenly Father needs me on this island, at this time! There's no where else that's more important for me to be!

Lessons learned by Sista B, Wari, and Poki

1. Life's way easier when you don't give a crap.

2. Be grateful for running water.

3. As a missionary you literally water the power of Satan and Heavenly Father working against each other every day.

4. Rotten coconut juice is THE grossest thing I've ever come in contact with.

5. HUMBLE YOSELF.

Love you alllll! Xoxoxoxo

Sister Russell

Hey! and Happy New Year!!

Hey! Hey! Heyyy!

Another week done just like that!! Sometimes it freaks me out how quickly weeks fly by! So this week was GOOD. Remember Nedleen?? The lady who was baptized with her son a few weeks ago!  Adas, Nedleen's daughter, was baptized this week! Wahooo! and also the dad is preparing for baptism for the beginning of February! So once he is baptized hen the road to the temple begins!! Nedleen told me that she has already started saving! The closest temple is in the Philippines but just you wait! Soon enough there will be a temple on this crazy island!

So this week I don't have any WAY crazy stories. Didn't hit any pigs, no one was licking my feet, and no frogs were in our toilet! But I do have a funny one! So here's a little background... On Pohnpei, dating isn't a thing!! The guy just kinda says he wants to marry the girl and then the girls just says yes or no! It's SO weird. So this past week Sister Pokipala and I are in a lesson with a guy and I'm in the middle of a sentence and he just cuts me off and asks me if I'll marry him after he is baptized! hahahaha no. But GOOD thing I had a Pohnpeian companion who taught me that if you say yes, even if you are joking, you are obligated to marry them! hahahahah Pohnpei is so weird. & I think the elders might be getting a new investigator real soon!

Oh geez I love this place! Some people are DANG weird but boy do I love them!! The decision I made to serve a mission was by far the best decision I've made. The Lord has blessed me so so much. LIFE'S GOOD.

Lessons learning this week! (by Sister Bowers, Wari and Pokipala)

1. Take everything out of your pockets before you wash your clothes.

2. Don't get butt hurt when your comp calls you fat, just take it.

3. People from Papua New Guinea really don't eat people.

4. But Tongans really do hate Samoans.

5. Sister missionaries make everyone uncomfortable.

Okay peace out girl scouts!! Kasalel Kumaiiiilll!

LOVE. Sister Russell