Baptisms and Bucket Showers....

September 25, 2016

Sooooo FIRST OFF PUMALINE WAS BAPTIZED!!!! wahoooo! I'm pretty sure there is not a better feeling in the whole wide world than hugging your investigator after they are baptized. It's a different kind of happy than I have ever experienced. My testimony is strengthened every time I watch these people completely change their lives and turn to Christ! Being a missionary is the bomb!!!!! And plus this little girl is the sweetest thing ever! It was the bessssttttt! OH and at this baptism I gave my very first talk in Pohnpeian so wahooooo we're getting places people! WE ARE GETTIN PLACES! But for reals! The language is starting to come and I'm finally beginning to understand the whole "Gift of Tongues" thing! Like we will walk out of a lesson and I'll think back and realize that I can't remember anything I taught! I mean don't get me wrong, I still freakin hate this language but at least I can say more than "Edei Sister Russell, Ngehi men Utah!" So BOO YAH. 

Okayyyyy sooooo sometimes I forget that I live in a third world country but this week most definitely wasn't one of those times! The whole island was out of power ALL WEEK. all freakin week. And because our water comes through a pump that meannnnnnsssss NO WATER = BUCKET SHOWERS!!!! wahoooo. Honestly they aren't as bad as they seem! They totally just wake you up! But the biggest problem with no power is that at night nooooo one has lights and no lights = no lessons which is like a super big problem, ya know?? HAHAH but hey it's all good! It supposedly got fixed this morning and it's working right now so pray pray pray that it keeps working!!!!

So this week was filled with saying "So what do you remember from what the Elder's taught you?" and let me tell you guys, I'm sooooooo not a fan of whitewashing!!! Like this one guy came up and went off on us about how Brigham Young had lots of wives and how we should only have one wife and blah blah blah. And I literally just started laughing. I didn't even try to explain anything (mostly because I didn't know how to in Pohnpeian) hahahahah I'm the worst and I MISS SAPWALAP. 

Life as a missionary is about 1000000 times different than anything I could have ever expected! It's the hardest thing I've ever done and most days I say "just make it through this day" and yet I've never been SO happy. Watching the Atonement completely change people's lives is unlike anything I've ever experienced. I'm SO grateful to be on this mission. I know without a doubt that this is where I am needed and I know without a doubt that there are people here who NEED me! I sure do miss Cafe Rio, Fizz, Chick-fil-A, Nordstrom Rack, and slurpees though hahahah! 18 months isn't that long right? 

I ese me Rongamwahuen Sises Krais pwung oh mehlel!!! I kapingki ansou mwahu en wia dodoak en miseneri!!! I poakepoake kumail koaros!!!!

LOVE. Sister Russell

Language Training????

September 18, 2016

Kasalelie Kumaillllll!!!! Udaun! This week was good!

Soooooo to start off this week Sister G. and I got a nice phone call from our Zone Leaders (who are bomb) who told us that we would be getting another sister from Palau and that I would be language training her Pohnpeian HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH okay (ask me how it's going) BUT thank the heavens because the new sister is WHITE. bless up. I sure do love Pohnpei and I love the people here but it's been the bessssst being around a white girl for a few days!

So this week was so great! Welsit was FINALLY baptized. And the spirit was SO strong as he entered the water. This realization hit me, this message is SO important! Missionaries change lives! Oh how I love being a missionary. Sooooo after the ordinance the bishop comes up to me and Sister G. and Sister Leslie and asks if we will sing a special song for the baptism HAHAHAH I was like "You're kidding right?" So we sing Come Follow Me and it took everything in me not to laugh though the entire thing. I was dying. If you wanna know how bad it went, ask my mom! She knows how good of a singer I am!

ALSO. On Friday we got lost in the jungle for liiiiiikkkkke 3 hours HAHAHAH so just imagine that. I've never prayed so hard hahahahha.

Kupromahk Kumail! This email is so so short!! But I promise I'm doing so great! I'M SO HAPPY. I absolutely LOVE being a missionary. I love everything about it (besides the stupid language and the freakin spiders here) But HEY. We're all good!!!

I poakepoake kumail!!!

Limpoake, Sister Russell 

Whitewashing? For reals Prez?

September 11, 2016

OKAY so transfer calls were last night and Sister G. and I are OUT of Sapwalap  Worst day ever. We are both being transferred to Mesihsou which is an area that sisters have never been allowed to be in till now!! We are the first sisters to go to Mesihsou and I'm STOKED. and nervous. and scared as crap! When my district leader told us we would be in Mesihsou we both just laughed and were like "HAHAHAH Sisters aren't allowed in Mesihsou!" I guess Heavenly Father had something else in mind. ALSO. We are whitewashing the area! Which means that both previous missionaries are leaving and two new missionaries are coming in. So this week will be filled with checking the area book and lots and lots and lots of finding! HAHHAHAHA also lots of prayers will be said this week, that's for sure! I'll be saying "Kasalehlie! Edei Sister Russell, Ngehi men Utah!" a WHOLE lot this week. 

Soooooo this week was a "refiner's fire" kinda week. At all times I was just praying "Heavenly Father can you teach me what I need to learn faster? Because I'm real sick of this." HAHAH  Just a rough week! I think half of our appointments fell through, a guy who is supposed to get baptized on the 24th confessed that he is addicted to smoking Marijuana, our car broke down hahahahha, Sister G. and I both had the flu, and to top it all off Welsit didn't show up to his own baptism! WHO THE HECK DOESN'T SHOW UP TO THEIR OWN BAPTISM??? Welsit. 

So here's the story. Friday night he was interviewed by our district leader and things seemed to be going so well! Sister G. and I had fasted on Saturday that everything would work out and up until the time of the baptism it had been a pretty good day!! We had gone to see Welsit and he explained how excited he was and that he would be at the church at 5:30 (the baptism was supposed to begin at 6 BUT "local time" means everything starts an hour late) Sooooo at 6 Welsit still wasn't at the church and so our ward mission leader went to go pick him up! So everyone is just sitting in the chapel waiting for Welsit. and we waited. and we waited. and we waited! And at 7 we decided to go find Welsit! So we went to his house (hut hahahahha) he wasn't there! So we went searching!!! NO LUCK. We went back to his house and his sister had come home and told us that Welsit didn't want to get baptized on Saturday because he had to work on Sunday and wanted to receive the Holy Ghost the day after being baptized. FOR REALS? ugh. I was so mad! hahahahha Heavenly Father definitely was teaching me patience with this one! But luckily Welsit agreed to be baptized this Saturday and promised that he would actually come! HA. And also, even though we moved area's we still get to work with him this week! BLESS UP.

Though this week was filled with difficulties I have never felt so close to my Father in Heaven! I KNOW without a doubt that there is something to learn during every trial. He didn't put us on earth just to watch us struggle but to shape and mold us to become the person he needs us to become in order to return back to him. 

I LOVE POHNPEI!!! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!! Not gonna lie, I'm a little sick of fish eyeballs looking at me during dinner but HEY it's all part of the experience! 

I ese me Mwomwodisowet mehlel oh Rongamwahu en Sises Krais wia kitail peren!! Inou!!!

The church is true!! So so so so so so true!! promise!!

Xo/ Sister Russell

#MadiinMesihsou

The fish in Pohnpei is 39743048148347 times better than the fish in Utah

September 4, 2016

Hellllllooooo everyone!

It's been a great week on Pohnpei and lemme tell you, I'm one happy happy missionary! I LOVE being a missionary! 

OKAY GUYS. MIRACLES HAPPEN.

So  if you remember from last week I was quite frustrated with this Welsit! He's been meeting with missionaries for 4 years and has yet to get baptized because he can't get over chewing beetlenut. UGH. When I first met him I was determined that I was going to be the missionary who baptized Welsit! I've prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed and fasted and fasted and fasted for him. So on Thursday Sister G. and I went to go see him. Something was different this time! I could immediately tell that something was very, very different! We started the lesson and before we even got into what we had prepared with tears in his eyes he says..."I'm done with Beetlenut, I realized last night that I need to change something in my life and I'm done with Beetlenut!"
I just sat there. I was SHOCKED. And then I cried. hahahahha!!!! I'M SO HAPPY!!!! So Welsit will be baptized this Saturday! YAY. 

One thing I know for sure is that our Father in Heaven is indeed aware of His children. SO so aware. He hears our prayers and is aware of the trials, temptations, and struggles we are all going through!

So last week at our meeting with Elder Yamashita and President Zarbock, President challenged us all to invite our investigators to be baptized in every single lesson! When he said it I literally laughed. I thought he was insane!!! But knowing that he's inspired, we did it!!! And now we have 6 investigators on baptismal date!! 6 FREAKIN PEOPLE!!!! Crazy huh? Being a missionary here on Pohnpei is the besttttt! 

Things I love about Pohnpei #2

1. There's no speed limit and the one paved road is currrrrrrvy so driving here is always an adventure! (Sister G. and I ALWAYS pray hard before driving hahah)

2. The people here have NOTHING and give everything. I'm learning so so much from them every single day.

3. Doing your hair isn't a thing here! THANK THE HEAVENS!!

4. The fish here is about 39473048148347 times better than fish in UTAH.

5. Everyday is an adventure! hahahahaha

There's a bajillion things I love about Pohnpei! I'm learning so much every single day. About myself, the gospel, and about our Heavenly Father's love for His children!! Being a missionary is one of the sweetest blessings EVER. Watching the Atonement transform peoples lives is absolutely incredible!

I poakepoake kumail koaros!!!!

Xo. Sister Russell

A Familiar Face....Angels Singing

August 29, 2016

What a greeeeeat week! Oh my, I LOVE being a missionary! And I LOVE being a missionary on the island of Pohnpei. 

So on Thursday we had district meeting in Kolonia! I walked into the room to hand one of the Sisters something and I look up and see a FAMILIAR FACE. I about died! I haven't seen someone I know since I said goodbye to my family at the airport 3 months ago!! RYAN CRAWFORD is on Pohnpei and he's in my zone!!!! He's a friend from back home and when I saw him tears were coming. BIG TIME. I was SO happy. And then he goes "Sister Roloff says hi! I saw her right before I left the MTC" Oh myyyyy it was the best thing I've heard since getting here on Pohnpei! What a tender mercy! 

And then to make Thursday even better Welsit got married!!! Wahoooo! And lemme tell ya, Sister G. and I planned a dang good wedding! Call us up if you need a wedding planner anytime soon! But on the reals. It was the BEST! But also it made me so so grateful for the temple and our knowledge that families can be together forever!!! Even though the marriage was so so special and so sweet to be at I couldn't help but feel something was missing! I'm SO grateful to have temples close to home and to have the opportunity to be sealed to my family for eternity!

So as good as Thursday was, Friday was rough.. SO rough. So before this Welsit asked if we could move his baptismal date back to this Thursday so that he could get baptized on his birthday so he was scheduled for baptism on Sept. 1!! And I was SO happy. Well on Friday we went to go see him and I immediately could tell something was wrong. For about a week he had been off of beetlenut and was going strong! We started the lesson and he wouldn't look at us! So I just asked him if something was bothering him and he went on to explain to us that he had started chewing again and was back up to chewing 20 a day!! That's where he was when I met him! NOOOO. oh my I was so mad. I didn't understand WHY. He had come so so far and yet was right back where he started. However, this situation taught me a lot of patience! No one is perfect and everyone is striving to be better! And it's our job as missionaries to guide those people, not force them! But WOWZA it'd be a lot easier if I could just force him to quit beetlenut HAHAH.

So yesterday the missionaries on Pohnpei had the opportunity to hear from Elder Yamashita of the seventy!! What a blessing! Also our sweet mission President and his wife came from Guam which is always so great to see them! 

Elder Yamashita told a story of when he first was called to the seventy that stuck with me and was exactly what I needed to hear. He had just been called to the seventy and was having a meeting with President Packer. As he left President Packers office President Packer could tell that something was very very wrong. Elder Yamashita then went on to explain to him that he was nervous that his english skills wouldn't be good enough and that he felt inadequate. President Packer gave him the advice "Heavenly Father has already brought you to this point, He's not going to leave you now. Have faith in Him and have faith in yourself".

I can't even tell you how badly I needed that!! The Pohnpeian language has been so difficult for me. SO difficult. However, I KNOW that Heavenly Father sent me here for a reason and He's not going to leave me now! What a sweet blessing. 

Love you alllllll! Have the best week!

XO/ Sister Russell

Slippery Rocks

August 21, 2016

Sooooo this week was a good one! (I say that every week but I'm so serious about this week!)

OKAY so I have some funnnnyyyy stories this week! So on Thursday mine and Sister G's recent convert wanted to take us to a waterfall that is right next to her house and have a lesson there! and OF COURSE we said yes. So we start walking and we get to this river and lemme tell ya. This river wasn't just like a slow, peaceful river. This was a river that was going FAST. And I'm with these Pohnpeians who just hop right across it and I'm like GUYS I can't do that hahaha! So we are walking across these big rocks and I get about half way across the river and realize that I have NO idea where to go! So I'm just sitting there laughing because I'm stuck and Akaline yells in Pohnpeian "Sister Russell, just jump!" HAHAH OKAY. So I just jump and before even getting both feet on the rock I'm DOWN. And I fell down HARD hahahah! I'm seriously laughing just writing this. I just sat there on the rock and laughed because I was certain that I had just broken every bone in my body! But don't you worry, I'm good!

Soooo another funny story! So we had district meeting on Thursday and Sister Alanzo, a Pohnpeian sister, comes up to me and Sister Bowers and tells us that she needs to ask us a question! She then goes on to explain to us that she needed us to teach her how to kiss a boy because she was worried that when she went home that she wouldn't be able to kiss HAHAHAHA LIKE WHAT?? I was laughing so hard. So Sister Bowers used an apple to teach her how to kiss a boy. I've never laughed so hard in my life!!! Oh geez. Pohnpeians are so funny!

Soooo in regards to missionary service! Welsit gets married and baptized this week and I couldn't be more excited!!! me and Sister G have invested so so much into him and I just can't wait to see that hard work pay off as he enters the waters of baptism on Saturday! ALSO. he's done with Beetlenut like THANK THE HEAVENS!! Also, Brother Orlando (Esther's dad, the little girl in all my pictures) is on baptismal date for the 13th of September!!!!! WAHOOOO! Missionary work is the BEST!

Things I love about Pohnpei:

1. Garments are only 25 cents here on the LDS store! I'm not kidding. 

2. Everyone is ALWAYS home because no one has jobs or does anything else all day! Which makes finding and teaching eassssyyyy!

3. The people are SO loving. like so loving that sometimes it freaks me out. And are willing to give everything they have to the missionaries!

4. There is only one paved road and then small side roads which makes directions super simple! 

EX: Take the third side road, go past the 5th coconut tree, and the hut is on the left! HAHAH I'm not kidding.

5. They LOVE white people. Like the little kids just come up and touch my skin!

6. Pohnpei is BEAUTIFUL.

Okayyyy those are just some things but seriously I LOVE this place and am so so grateful to be a missionary here! The gospel of Jesus Christ is so so true! I promise!

I poakepoake kumail koares!!!!

Love, Sister Russell

Akaline's Baptism...Yahooooo!

August 14, 2016

Sooooooo some weeks in the mission field just drag and some ROCK. This week ROCKED! On Saturday Akaline and her daughter Revone were baptized and it was the sweetest experience I have yet to experience on my mission. As we visited and taught Akaline I won't lie, she FRUSTRATED me in the beginning. So first off she lives in the middle of the freakin jungle and it's like an hour hike through mud to get to her house and if we ever didn't go see her she would get soooooo upset! Oh annnnnd she's a little bit of a know it all! But as we taught her about the Gospel of Jesus Christ I watched as the Atonement changed her. The hardness of her personality slowly was softened and watching her eyes fill with tears just before entering the waters of baptism was so so sweet! As a missionary I think the best moment ever is hugging your recent convert just after they are baptized! Being a missionary is the BEST!  

Okayyy and remember Welsit?? he's the guy that I make bets with so that he will keep his commitments!!  Well on Wednesday we had a lesson with him and his family (who are all members) and we talked about faith unto repentance! Sista G. & I hadn't planned on inviting him to be baptized in this lesson but the spirit slapped me in the face so I invited him and he said YES! so yayayay!!!!! Welsit will be baptized on August 27th and I couldn't be more excited! When people say that you will come to just love your investigators they are SO right. 

Sooooo the funniest thing happened this week. So the Mand Sisters (the sisters in the area right next to mine, Sister Bowers & Sister Alanzo) were at our house for lunch because we were cleaning out and filling up the baptismal font together! And Sister Alanzo was making something on the stove while me and Sister Bowers were sitting at the kitchen table and Sister G. was in the other room. So we are just sitting there talking and the stove top blows up and a fire starts! HAHAHAH Sister Bowers yells "HOLY SH*T!!" and jumps up on her chair and I just ran out of the house laughing HAHAHAH I'm dying just writing this. Don't you worry! The fire was controlled and no one was harmed! HAHAH oh my goodness...too funny!

I LOVE this place! I LOVE the people here! and I LOVE being a missionary in Pohnpei! I told this to a member the other day and she assured me that she would find me a Pohnpeian husband so that I would never have to leave! HAHAH okayyy I don't love it that much! But I sure am grateful for my short 18 months that I have to serve the Lord! 18 months is so short when you think about the blessings that come from missionary service! Those blessings extend into the eternities!!

I kapingki kapai kumail koares oh I poakepoake kumail koares!

Rongamwahu en Sises Krais mehlel!!

LOVE YOU ALL!

Love/ Sister Russe