Hey family/friends

07.28.2014

Another week down here in Neao. Still two more weeks to go in this
transfer since it is an 8 week transfer. Which I am completely fine
with because I love this area. And all the people in it!

We had a baptism on Saturday for two 9 year old boys-Sanfa and Kevin.
Well, technically Kevin was 8 when he was baptized but 9 when he was
confirmed! Sanfa is Desneen's little brother and Kevin is Arfian's
little brother (Recent Converts). They were both so happy to be
baptized, I have never had two kids be so pumped for a baptism haha.
There was only one pair of pants their size so they just shared so it
was funny cuz we baptized one, he got out, took his pants off and gave
it to the other boy! haha it was great.

We also did a lot more service this week, I can tell Garae loves it
cuz it reminds him of Vanuatu I think. He is a beast at it. All of the
Chuukese people are jealous cuz he cuts grass better than them. Haha.
On Sunday, Kevin's mom invited us over to eat and celebrate Kevin's
birthday a little. It was awesome, we ate dog haha. Kevin's sister is
also a singer and her religious songs are a favorite among the Elders
here haha. Now we just gotta convert her to our church so she can do
hymns and stuff! Stay tuned with that one.

Tomorrow and Wednesday I am doing an exchange with Elder Roque, from
the Philippines. He is already one of my good friends so we will get
some good work done. We will be in his area-Wichap. No truck or
anything, it is pretty much outer island cuz of how far away it is.
Should be fun though. And we don't have a whole lot of food since it
is the end of the month...but we will manage:) It's awesome because
out of Neao and Wichap I am the only white guy and then a Vanuatuan,
Tongan, and Filipino that all learned English so I think my English is
getting worse by talking to them all the time haha.

We ended up with 6 baptisms this month which was our goal. Our Zone
only got to 18 total though...and the goal was 40. That's a lot of
Satan this month but hopefully those 22 that weren't quite ready this
month will be next month. I hope I stay in Neao a few more transfers!
I love you all!

Elder Schroath

Hello again everybody

7.20.2014
 
Today has been another good week. It was mostly straight teaching with
little interruptions. So we had one investigator who has been to
church every week that I have been in Neao because I invited  him
every week so he came with us and he had told me before his dad didn't
want him baptized. But we had been teaching him anyway. Last Tuesday
he came up to me and said "when are you gonna visit my dad? Cuz I
wanna be baptized" and so I was like right now! And we went over and
talked to him and it is amazing what just sitting down with someone
can do to soften their heart. I could tell he was thinking hard about
it then the Holy Ghost must have whispered to him "why not?" so he
gave permission. So we were able to baptize him on Saturday. His name
is Rodrick and he is 13. Soon to be a deacon.

That gives our area 5 baptisms for the transfer and our district 11
baptisms so far. The goal is 20 and we have 2 more planned for this
week. That is really good for our district because before the
transfer, this district had only had like 2 baptisms in two
transfers...so they brought some new guys to the district and our
motto has been "do work and stuff" haha and that is what we have been
trying to do. This is turning out to be one of my favorite transfers
in my mission!

One area is called Kapich inside our area with a less active family
and also some recent converts and investigators. That area is blowing
up. We got like 20 of them to church yesterday, compared to maybe one
or two that usually go. We have been doing lots of service over there
which has been helping I think.

Well, that was about it for this week. It has been raining a lot and
our house has a leak so that is fun. halfway through this 8 week
transfer and one transfer after that we lose 4 elders. So a lot of
changes coming ahead. I love you all, thank you for the love!!

Love, Elder Schroath

 

 

 

 

Zone Conference July 2014 pictures

Elder Schroath's Mission President took some pictures from their recent Zone Conference in Chuuk.  See if you can spot Elder Cameron Schroath!



 

Chuuk Zone (Elder Schroath is standing on the far right)

Hi mom/family!

7.13.2014

This was another awesome week in Neao. On Monday we did a lot of
service...that usually happens when they reschedule our pday haha
because we already have service planned anyway. Tuesday we did more
service...but on Udot! They were finally getting the tent set up for
their new "church building" and Elder Garae and I went with the Zone
Leaders to help clear a space and set it up. It was fun seeing all
those people again. I missed them.

On Wednesday we got some good teaching done and also all of the outer
island missionaries came in for Zone Conference so we got a little
help teaching too. Friday we were supposed to have Zone
Conference...but it got rescheduled to Saturday because President
Zarbock's flight was cancelled and he wasn't coming till Friday
afternoon. So we taught all day Friday which was much needed because
we hadn't had a ton of teaching time this week. So I got to see pretty
much all of our investigators and less actives.

Saturday was an awesome day. Met President Zarbock and got started
with Zone Conference at 8 in the morning. President Mecham was a kind
of up in your face lawyer style mission president (think Elder
Holland) and I am glad to say that President Zarbock is the same way
haha just a little gentler and upbeat which is awesome and I am stoked
for this zone now. He is pushing us to be a lot more obedient which
will help a ton. After Zone Conference, President found out his flight
got cancelled again and he wouldn't be leaving till Sunday instead of
Saturday and guess what he wanted to do! Go teaching with some Elders.
Haha and right when he asked the ZL's where he could teach I happened
to be standing right there and Elder Selander said "you could go to
Neao!" so that was cool but it ended up being so awesome and that is
so awesome President wanted to actually get the feel as a Chuuk
missionary and see what it is like. I thought just because he was
there that the Spirit would just be there all the time-and it was. But
not just because he was there but because what he did to bring it
there--follow all the rules, say heartfelt prayers, prepare, and just
do everything a missionary is supposed to do and the Spirit just wants
to be there! With us and the investigators. I know what kind of
missionary I wanna be all the time now! There are always stuff I can
work on as a missionary and I am so glad President was there to help
me realize it. He is the man and I already love him!

Sunday we had church and a couple investigators came and I ended up
teaching the youth class again. But it was way good. And Priesthood we
had 22 people there, it was sweet! Well, I think that was all for this
week, we are hoping to have a couple more baptisms on the 26th so pray
that they will be able to happen! We started filling out Peter's
papers, hopefully we can get him teaching with us too. That should be
it. I love you mom!

Love, Elder Schroath

Hey dad!

My week has been awesome. The new mission president will help out our

zone a ton. He is a lot more involved with the actual missionaries so

he can get a better feel for how things happen in Chuuk Zone. He is

also going to ask for more missionaries to come to our mission--since

there are 250 missionaries in some US missions when here has tons of

potential areas to open that just need missionaries and we are only

sitting at 110 or so missionaries.

Chuuk is still working to becoming a stake...President Zarbock has a

focus of not only baptizing new members (still 1,000 goal) but also

reactivating less actives. We actually are reporting our numbers on

Less Actives Reactivated-which is like getting a baptism almost haha.

My companion did his teaching part in all Chuukese the other day-the

first time. So he is learning and quicker and quicker. I am doing what

I can to help him out. Thank you for emailing me dad! I love you!

Elder Schroath

Zone Conference Pictures

The senior couple serving a mission in Chuuk posted pictures on their blog from the mission Zone Conference this past week.

Here are a couple of Elder S!

Elder Schroath (doesn't he look handsome!) & Elder Garae 

learning and teaching

Pres & Sis Zarbock -- new mission president

Hey!

7.9.2014

First of all, sorry I didn't get an email to you guys on Monday, we
have Zone Conference tomorrow so they had our Zone P-day/shopping
today so that is why I am emailing today. I am excited to meet
President Zarbock tomorrow!

This was a crazy week...it is so different being inner island than
being on outer island. And the fact that I have a truck means that I
get asked a lot to go "run errands" haha. It cuts into proselyting
time sometimes but it is just something I gotta work around!

Auston was finally baptized! We walked over to get him on Saturday and
even got his little brother (investigator) and two other investigators
with us! We combined the baptism with the Zone Leader's baptism so we
had a good show. Elder Garae was stoked to baptize him and he is a pro
at the baptismal prayer in Chuukese. But Auston didn't come to church
on Sunday cuz he was "sick"... but we have been pumping him up this
week to come to church and hopefully get his little brother and sister
there too.

We have quite a few investigators ready to be baptized, but they don't
yet have permission from parents. So pray for all those kids or young
adults that their parents hearts will be softened! It is the worst not
being able to do anything about it...just takes time.

We are also working with a young man named Peter that almost went on a
mission a year ago but ended up getting sick and went to the
Philippines for surgery and was there for almost a year and just
barely got back a few weeks ago. It was crazy because when I first saw
him I recognized him...after thinking about it I finally realized that
my very first week here, the Elders in Neao had asked me and Rainey to
give a member in the hospital a blessing, and it happened to be Peter
and I just barely put it together! It is a miracle that I got moved to
Neao right as he got back so I could continue to help him. Pray for
him that he will stay strong!

That is about it I think...I am excited for Zone Conference tomorrow.
Thank you all for your love! I love you all!

Elder Schroath

Thank you for the box you will be sending! Or already did. Just send
whatever haha I am usually just grateful for anything haha.

So my branch is the biggest in Chuuk. there are probably over 400
members in our branch...usually only 100 or so go. We have church in
the main church building in Chuuk that even has a baptismal font. The
chapel is just like chapels in the states just tile instead of carpet.
We are not allowed to pick people up and bring them to
church-missionary rule. So we always walk and go pick people up that
way.

Thank you for writing mom! I love you! Talk to you on Monday!

Elder Schroath

Hey Dad!

My area is doing quite well! We have a goal for 6 baptisms in July and
we already have 3. Apparently before I got there, my area had only had
one baptism in the last three months. So we got a lot of work to do. I
am doing good, we cleaned our whole house the other day because the
last elder to live there never even touched it haha. It is good though
cuz we get the Chuukese kids to help us!

That's awesome about the guy who served in MGM. He didn't by chance
tell you his Chuukese comps name? There are a few guys with callings
here that served missions back in the day in MGM.

Sounds like you guys had a fun week for 4th of July, I didn't see one
single firework haha cuz they don't celebrate it. Half the Elders here
too aren't from the US so they don't even know what 4th of July is
haha. But I actually did eat some ice cream that day!

Well, thank you for writing Dad! I love you!

Elder Schroath

Elder S and new companion