Pohnpei

So this past week Mark, Jackie, Troy and I were on the island of Pohnpei for the two day circuit assembly and pioneer session. It was beautiful. The island, the people, the session, the assembly- all of it.

So here's some info about the island. It's the largest and most populated island of the FSM (federal states of Micronesia). 129 square miles and about 35,000 people. It is also a very rainy island. It's actually one of the wettest places in the world, with areas that get up to 300 inches of rain a year. With rain like that you know that it's a very luscious and green island. There are many mountains and vistas, it's really gorgeous. Ofcourse with rain like that though, comes mud. Mud+ field service= greeeaaatt (sarcasm if you couldn't tell :D )

Field service in Pohnpei is like hiking. Seriously. The territory I did on Thursday was like going up Heart Attack Hill during the flood in Noah's day. Haha ok maybe it's not THAT bad, but it's still pretty intense, and nothing like I've ever experienced. We would walk up and down hills, through mud and puddles, through bushes and weeds, through just about everything. It was great! I have to wash all my pants and shoes cuz of all the mud, but it was a lot of fun. And it's totally worth it cuz all the people are really nice. At one door a brother and I approached, the people living there saw us from a distance. By the time we got to the porch (and before we even said a word) the man had set up chairs for us and himself, and told us to sit down. I was very surprised, but the brother told me that's common here haha. A good discussion followed (as they always do in the islands) and he took literature :)

The Pioneer Session and Circuit Assembly were awesome. There are a lot of brothers and sisters from the states and other places where Pohnpeian is not their first language. In fact of the 19 at the pioneer session, only two were locals. Yet the entire session (other than Mark and Troys parts) was in Pohnpeian. It was amazing to see how much work is devoted for the benefit of just those two pioneer sisters. During the circuit assembly there was one baptismal candidate. She got baptized in a small water container right next to the Kingdom Hall. It was very touching as she and her study conductor were crying together as the hugged after the baptism.

The demonstrations during the pioneer session wee amazing! All the people here in the islands, including the young ones, are great actors! The play their roles so perfectly and to the tee. I'm amazed each time.

Monday some of the friends took me on an adventure. When I say adventure, I mean adventure haha. First we went to one side of the island to swim at a waterfall. It was gorgeous. Then we drove some more to a place where we rode a boat with the king of the island to a small island off the coast where "the Ruins" are. According to some lists it's one of the few wonders of the world, because of the large boulders stacked on top of each other. Next we drove all the way from one side of the island to the other to catch a boat to Nalop, a small island where you can swim and play volleyball and BBQ. It's was so much fun!! And there was an unbelievably gorgeous sunset!!! It was a great day :)

At the airport a bunch of the friends came to see us off. You can see our picture at the airport. The brothers and sisters in Pohnpei were so funny and great to be with, and they know how to laugh and have a good time!!

The group seeing us off at the Airpotrt