Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas kumwail!!! 

Christmas in Pohnpei is definitely different. It almost didn't feel like Christmas without the snow and cold, hot cocoa and caroling, sledding and pine trees. But it was still fun! We went to the ward Christmas party (soooo different from home, but still lots of fun... They sang songs and shared their talents). Then we all ate all this local food. And hot dogs are a thing here, apparently. And no, they aren't dogs.... hot dogs just like from home haha. It was pretty good. Then we went to this place and the missionaries did a nativity scene for the locals. Then they laid out all these really cool gifts the locals made and had the missionaries draw for them. I got this super cool carving of a manta ray and two fish things made out of some kind of plant and seashells (Tyler White, if you are reading this, I think you would have a blast here. So many cool things they make out of plants and things. Also, I was talking to a local guy, Jones, and he said that people come here and tell them they have lots of food and all these plants that grows here naturally that is edible... but they don't teach the local people how to cook/make it. Kinda crazy.)

I keep forgetting to mention, but bangs are no good in humidity!!! Just sayin'.

Today I think homesickness finally hit me a little bit. Funny thing is, talking to and seeing my family is what did it. I realized how much I miss them. I was thinking and praying about it while we were driving, and a thought occurred to me (thank you, Spirit). I told Heavenly Father the other day that going home is not an option for me. The thought I had was, there is a reason I am on Pohnpei right now. I cannot go home, and I cannot focus on myself and what I want. I HAVE to focus on the work and serving the people here. It is hard, so hard sometimes. But I "have trusted in [the Lord] and I will trust in [Him] forever." (see 2 Nephi 4)

I don't have much time today (ok, ever), but I just wanted to say thank you for the prayers. They are felt. 

Ok, so this week's attribute of Christ was Charity. Learned lots, don't have time to say it all.. But here it is in a nutshell. Charity is teaching and serving, and not being proud of the service you give. Charity is turning out from yourself, completely. Scriptures: Alma 32:28-29, Moroni 7:44-48. 

This week I will focus on Hope. 

Merry Christmas again everyone!! I miss you all and think about you often. 

Kasalel!

Sister Springer

Lizards, Rain, and Pohnpei

Kasehlelie kumwail!! (Hello everyone)

This week has flown by, but the days have gone slow. The language is kind of a struggle, but I am learning to be patient with myself. I know that with my Heavenly Father's help, I will learn it and understand in time. Patience is HUGE!! I still have a lot to learn about patience, but I have also learned a lot. A lot of it is just relaxing, and recognizing you are in the Lord's hands.

This week will be... Charity. Fitting, I think, for the week before Christmas. I encourage all of you to go out and serve, help someone-- anyone. I know as you do, you will be blessed just as much as those you help. #LightTheWorld

I don't have a lot of time today. We are going to go on a hike to a waterfall!! I will send pics next week. 

I don't know if I mentioned this in my last email, but Elder Pond is my district leader. He is pretty cool. He cares very much about the people and is dedicated to the missionary work.

Sister Fehoko is my companion. She is from Tonga. She is hilarious! She loves to have fun (as you can tell in the picture of her with her face painted like a clown haha), but is also very good at teaching: Teaching me, and the investigators.

I love the people here. They are so kind. The only really hard part is that I cannot understand what they are saying most of the time. It's hard to know what to teach when you don't know what they are saying... But that's what the Spirit is for, no? I continue to learn every day how to listen to the Spirit, and how Heavenly Father talks to me, personally.

Oh!! Speaking of Sister Fehoko though.... It was hilarious. She hates lizards. Last week, we got home and we were setting stuff down in the kitchen. I looked down and saw a lizard. I was like, "Don't look!" She ran to the other side of the kitchen. I tried to catch it but those buggers are fast! He ran towards her and she screamed and ran to our room and shut the door. I chased it up the wall and it went to the window. The cup I had wouldn't fit behind the bars, so I grabbed a magazine and guided it back down to the corner. Then I nudged its tail and it climbed onto the magazine. I took it outside, hoping it wouldn't jump on me haha. It was super funny though.

I got my first taste of Pohnpeian rain this week. When it rains, it pours! It can be sunny, then within like 20 minutes it'll dump rain suddenly. Then, just as fast, it stops. It's crazy!

Anyway.. I am out of time. I poakpoakekumwail!!​

Sister Springer

Hello from Micronesia!

Kasehlelie! Hey all!! Sorry I did not have a Pday last week, so I couldn't email home. 

So the flight to Guam was super long. We flew from SLC to LAX (had to deice the plane, which added almost another hour to the airplane time.. yuck). Then from LAX we went to Hawaii, then the super long flight to Guam. So we left at 6am on Monday and landed at 6PM on Tuesday. So I lost a day, but that's alright. I will get it back when I go home. 

Once we got to Guam, we went to the President's house and ate dinner (Nothing crazy, just pizza). We slept there too, the first night. Wednesday we went to the chapel and had training. We also got to meet our companions and find out where we will be serving. Guess where I am?? Pohnpei! It is beautiful here!! I see the ocean every day! Not so much the beach though, because Sister Fehoko and I are serving in Sekere, which is a driving zone and doesn't seem to have too many beaches. It's very much a jungle here. I will get a machete eventually, so I can drink from those coconuts that are everywhere here!

I love the people here! They are so friendly. They are very humble too. You are well off if you have solid concrete walls instead of plywood and metal, and can paint those concrete walls. Very few have any kind of furnishing, so we sit on the concrete/tile floor mostly. Some have chairs we can sit on, or a bench or something. It puts things in perspective for sure. Be thankful for what you have, because it is so much more than many people have. 

#LightTheWorld. Look into it it, then do it!

I haven't seen any huge spiders yet. Lots of lizards though!! You would love it, Maddy! I will have to get some pictures of them. And then there are dogs... everywhere. They are not pets though, not really. Many if not all of them have some kind of disease. It breaks my heart, and I wish I could help them, but we can't really touch them. If we do we can't touch our face, and we have to wash our hands. 

So last I emailed the Christlike attribute I was working on was diligence. I don't have a lot of time, but 1 Nephi 10:19 talks about how the mysteries of God are unfolded to him that diligently seeks. To be diligent means to study. You have to have a purpose(Jacob 1:7). When we take upon us the name of Christ, we are diligent in keeping his commandments (Mosiah 1:11). Moroni tells us we have to diligently search in the light of Christ so we can know good from evil (Moroni 7:19). To be diligent is to be constant. To be diligent is to endure. So don't give up, ever. Just take one step at a time, and rely on the Lord. Pray. Read your scriptures.

This next week will be Patience. 

I only have an hour, sadly.... So I am almost out of time. I am staying so busy, but I am loving it here. The weather is beautiful. It has yet to dump rain on us, but I know it is coming. The language is slowly coming along, too. I am learning a little be at a time.

Thank you for your prayers! I feel them. I am praying for you all, too. I hope all is well back home. 

Here is my address:

PO Box 2203

Kolonia, Pohnpei 

FSM 96941

I poakpoakeikumwail (I love you all)

Sister Springer

Arrival on Guam

Hi everyone!! Just wanted to let you know I arrived on Guam safe and sound. Longest flight ever, but made it =) Love you all! Talk to you next week.