Transfers

9.29.1014

Hi!

yes I am still here on Weno. It was definitely an unexpected transfer call. I was definitely expecting to leave Chuuk. I was one of the only odd men out so I thought it was a big chance. We were all together (6 of us in Mwan) for transfer calls cuz 14 missionaries were in Guam picking up trainees, 4 on outer islands, and a couple other in the areas. So we were at the District President's house eating dinner and then they called and Elder Plocher (the ZL) answered and put it on speaker phone. So somehow I ended up going Zone Leader here in Chuuk...not sure how ha I haven't even been District Leader. And all the district leaders are older in the mission than me. So it is definitely humbling and obviously the Lord sees something in me that I hope to be able to fulfill.

So I am in the same branch still as before, since Neao and Mwan both go to the Mwan branch. its awesome! So I still get to see all the people I helped in Neao, as well as help out Garae with his new trainee. Elder Plocher and I were already super good friends (he trained elder Daniels) so we get along really well and are ready to work super hard to help the zone as well as teach in our area. It is hard to get teaching in sometimes, from having to take boats to islands or do zone needs or if there are problems and stuff. but with good scheduling and planning we are hoping to get a good system going.

So not a lot happened this week, with all the trainers being gone. They will come in on Wednesday. I am excited to meet the new guys, seven of them! We got to house Elder Ferguson (from MTC) and his new trainee for the night and today they flew out to Kosrae. Today we also got an awesome opportunity to go to Udot and take pictures of the church that might go in a church magazine...Pres Zarbock got the request from Salt lake! Oh and mom, if you have any pictures of the church (the old one made of coconut leaves and stuff) maybe send them or even email Pres Zarbock about it. If they are good enough then they could be in the Ensign!

That is all for me, Saturday we get to go to Guam for mission leader council so that should be a fun experience. Well, I love you all! Miss you all too!

Elder Schroath

Here is a picture of the church 'building' Elder Schroath talks about in his email. It's in Udot, his first area and tiny outer island.  They now have a newer and better church building (it's basically like an army tent with walls, but still an improvement from before when the roof leaked every time it rained!):

Zone Conference & Pictures

9.21.2014

Good Morning mom!

This week was very eventful. I'll start with the Zone Conference we had.

It was awesome. Seriously President Zarbock is a very inspired man. He
had just what our zone needed to hear and we are now going 1,000 miles
an hour. We just talked a lot about exact obedience and the rewards it
does in fact bring. Not just obedience but we talked about a lot of
stuff in missionary work. I think it has changed a lot of my views in
missionary work. Then after conference we had interviews. Mine was
super short and sweet, just talked about how my investigators and less
actives were then he asked me about Elder Garae. And asked me if he
was ready to train. With needing to replace 5 elders this transfer, he
was looking for trainers. And I told him he should be ready! And if he
has anything holding him back language-wise then it would be a good
opportunity to learn it fast:)

So then Thursday we did an exchange, and I went with the Zone Leader
Elder P. One of the first Chuuk missionaries I met because he
trained my MTC comp Elder D. Elder P. is awesome. We were
already good friends but now we are even better, and I can tell how
focused he is on the zone and on working hard.

Saturday we had the baptism! We had 5 investigators and one child of
record. Akapeinna, Nimo, Nefon, Appison, and Katrin all got baptized
after all being way ready. The District President Matasio's daughter
was baptized as well so she joined in with our service. Also, Appison
(only 9) invited his non-member mom to come to his baptism and she
came!! And stayed for all 3 baptisms that happened.

Something interesting also happened Saturday night. We got a call from
the Assistants saying they couldn't get a hold of the Zone Leaders so
they had to call and tell us who will be trainers this transfer.
Everyone was expecting 5 but there are 7 training. 7. That is like
almost every area in Chuuk with a trainee including the 3 new last
transfer. And none of the trainers are white haha just two vanuatuans
(yes, Garae), one Fijian, one Chuukese, one Pohnpeian, one New
Zealander and one Tongan. The trainees are gonna think Chuuk zone is
just brown guys haha. This also means one other thing...that means one
or two might leave Chuuk because there aren't enough spots. And since
my comp is training I have like no where to go so I really hope it
isn't me. We will find out Wednesday night though. But just hold off
on sending boxes and letters till I know for sure!

Well, I love you mom! Thank you for writing me! I will talk to you
next week! Unless I am outer island...:)

Love, Elder Schroath

Hey dad! How is it going?

I am so happy to hear BYU football is 4-0! Man I am going to miss a
good season. Thank you for the update, it is always good to hear about
football haha I don't get a lot of it here. Thank you also for
teaching me so much about exact obedience, with the obedience changes
going on, I feel right at home with all the exact obedience talk haha.
But really it has helped me a lot and I know I can apply it here on
the mission too. I know the church is true, I know I am here to bring
others to Christ and that the Atonement can work for all of us. I love
you dad!

Elder Schroath

The mission president, Pres Zarbock shared some pictures on Facebook from their Zone Conference this past week:

Chuuk Zone - Elder S is right in the middle

Elder S!

Lunch time

Teaching

Studying

Role Playing

In other news....Elder S older brother Garrett just got engaged this past Friday!  Here is the happy couple...Garrett & Rachel:

Quick email

9.16.2014

Mom! So the internet hasnt been working all day and our pday got
switched from yesterday to today because of zone conference tomorrow.
And I don't have a ton of time but I will try to hit the basics.

Last week the assistants came to chuuk and stayed with all the areas.
Elder B. came with us on Friday. Turns out he was born in St Lukes
hospital and used to live on Julian St. And went to Summerwind but has
never heard of the summerwind skippers...haha but anyways now lives in
Rexburg. He is pretty cool, he is in the Marines. Anyways we had a
good teaching.

Um we have a baptism planned this week so that will be good. Hopefully
we get all 5. There is Akapeinna, Anisa, Nimo, Appison, and Katrin.
All super ready to be baptized. I am nervous I will be leaving Neao
next transfer but we will see. If I don't train I will probably be
leaving.

Well, Zone Conference with President tomorrow. We are going to have a
Zone dinner right now so I gotta go. I love you guys! I will reply to
Dad and the siblings next week!

Elder Schroath

Handwritten Letter

9.1.2014

Dear Family,
Well, the internet is down again today so I figured I better write a letter.  How are you doing?  I'm not sure exactly what's going on with you guys since I couldn't check email, but I am sure all is well.  It's amazing how the Spirit calms all worries while I am doing my best to do missionary work!

So, this last week was awesome.  Despite 3 baptisms falling through, we saw a lot of miracles.  We pushed really hard this week to find new investigators as well as teach as much as we could.  We ended the week with 42 lessons, 36 member presents.  Which is way above average.  But when I look at the number, I don't think of just getting high numbers, I think of how blessed Elder Garae and I were with the Spirit to be led to all these people ready to hear about the Gospel.

We have quite a few progressing investigators -- we have over 10 baptisms planned for September.  We put our goal at 6 and we really want to do all we can to reach it after falling short last month with only 1.  We have 3 young women very close to baptism -- Anisa, Caroline, and Akapeinna.  Cool story:  Anisa is Rodrick's older sister that lives across the street and we started teaching her and when we gave her a baptismal date, we told her it was the same day as another girl named Caroline.  She asked "Caroline who?" and we told her a girl from the mountain.  She just got quiet then told us that they were 'Promise Sisters' when they were maybe 6 or 7 years old when they went to school together and she hasn't seen her in a couple years!  So the next time we went to FHE w/ Caroline's family, we brought Anisa and they had a sweet reunion.  Hopefully they will be able to be baptized together as well on the 13th.

It's amazing how following the schedule to exactness can bring such blessings.  I was sick of using Chuuk as an excuse to have a bad schedule.  Even though chaos and coming in at 6 or just whatever, Elder Garae and I pushed to try and be the best missionaries we can be in all aspects.  And after our first day giving it our all, we saw the fruits of it because we met quite a few potential investigators, and I just feel happier which makes me more outgoing which makes me more willing to talk to random people and share the Gospel.  I wish I figured it out earlier...I probably missed out on a lot of blessings.  But not anymore, Elder Garae, myself, and the Spirit will be working harder as a team than ever before!

Things are also kind of hectic here in Chuuk Zone...one Elder went to Guam and another chose to return home, making things difficult for some areas.  Hopefully it doesn't affect me here, but we will need quite a few more Elders after this transfer because 3 more Elders finish their missions.  After this transfer, the oldest ones in Chuuk Zone will only be 2 transfers older than me!  Kinda crazy to think about.  If I'm gonna train on my mission, it will be next transfer.  Which would be awesome because that would mean I stay in Neao!

Well, just know I am still doing amazing out here and learning a lot.  I'm growing up.  Thank you mom and dad for raising me, I couldn't have asked for better, loving parents cuz you guys did a good job so thank you for all you've taught me.  I love you guys!

Love, Elder Schroath

P.S. Uwae oui kapwong me tong ngeni meinisin eknewe josih merika seni ennetin netipei!
(a return missionary from Chuuk translated the PS for me:  Give my greetings with all my heart to all the pretty American girls.  ha ha, he's still my silly son!)

A Way Good One

9.7.2014

Hey mom!

This week was a way good one. Started off on Monday with some service at Ezekiel's- a Melchizedek Priesthood holder that wants to reach the temple. We are just continuing to keep him strong. We have also been working with all of his kids to stay strong (or to come back) about 8/10 are members.

During the week we have been working with a bunch of our

investigators. Here are some ones close to baptism:

Akapeinna- she lives on the mountain and has been to church 3 times

now and the only thing holding her back from baptism is the Word of

Wisdom. She should be baptized either on Saturday or the 20th.

Anisa/Nimo- Rodrick's siblings. Anisa has been "out of town" for a

week and hopefully she will be back soon. They have a date for the

20th of September.

Nefon/Appison/Nana- Aston's siblings. They also have baptismal dates

for this month and they are leaving to an outer island without

missionaries at the end of the month so hopefully they can be baptized

before they leave!

Maria/Ande- husband and wife that used to go to church a lot in Guam.

They love the church, it is just a really far walk from them here.

Maria has been quite a lot, but the trick will be to get Ande there

too!

We have also had a few referrals we contacted this week so hopefully

we can turn them into progressing investigators. The APs come today so

one day this week one of them will be with Elder Garae and I and

hopefully give us some good tips. The transfer is in two weeks and I

am not sure if I will stay or go. But chances are I won't be with

Garae next transfer. Well, I love you!

Elder Schroath

Hey dad! the internet is working again this week. The APs will be here any minute now too and we will start pday activities. This week was a good one, filled with a lot of work both in the apartment and out. We have been doing a lot better in studies and planning which is helping Elder Garae a ton, because he might be a senior companion soon. After Elder Rainey and Elder Selander and Elder Peck go home on the 25th, no Chuuk Elder goes home until next march so we have a young zone again. It should be good though because we have a lot of obedient elders and Chuuk should explode. Well, I will write more to mom too! I love you!

Letter in the Mail

8.25.2014

Dear Family

So, the internet is down at the church.  But the new router should be here this week so I will probably be able to email next week.  But just so you can also hear about the past two weeks, I will write this letter.

First of all, we had transfers a week and a half ago.  Elder Garae and I are staying another one in Neoa, till September 25th at least.  We got 4 new Elders to Chuuk Zone – 3 trainers and one who was serving on Guam.  That Elder is Elder Hokao, from Vanuatu, who is actually cousins with my companion Elder Garae so that’s pretty cool.  They speak all their languages together, it’s awesome.  Him and Elder Selander (ex-Zone leader, last transfer) are opening a new island called Fono.  And it is possible I switch out Elder Selander after this transfer which I would love.  I is a tiny island with maybe 400 people on it only about a mile from Weno.  The other three trainees are cool too, 2 are from Utah and one from Southern California.  The ones from Utah just barely graduated High School, ha ha.  They make some good additions to the zone though.  We now have 26 Elders, and only 1 zone so it is a way big zone.  I heard it could be split soon though, so we will see.

In other news, we had a baptism on Saturday for a kid named Esner, who turns 11 tomorrow.  It is Rodrick’s little brother.  He is awesome and stays all three meetings at church and goes to Primary even if Elder Garae and I can’t go with him.  He is a stud.  Their older sister, Anisa, has been to church twice now and should be baptized on Sept 6th.

Oh, also, Elder Telona is back to my district.  So everyone I have or have had as companions are in my district.  It’s a pretty cool district.  Elder Rainey goes home this transfer though so that’s a bummer.  And I’m only 6 transfers after him.  We got a couple new investigators last week, one that came to church before we even taught her.  She is living with a really strong recent convert named Meysina, so as long as she doesn’t have word of wisdom problems, she could be baptized on the 6th as well.  We might get CN and JR finally baptized on this Saturday (30th) but we still haven’t gotten permission yet.

The 2nd counselor in the District Presidency got a new 32” TV his wife sent from America…pretty much no one in Chuuk has TV’s like that, if even a TV, so all the men in the branch were stoked about that, and a couple went over to his house after church just to check it out.  To Chuukese people, that TV is like a brand new car to an American.

We saw a miracle (well, heard) with the father of some recent converts on the mountain.  His name is Meisi and when I first met him back in May, he was in really bad shape and smoked and drink and couldn’t walk so he never left his house.  We do family nights with their whole family, and I never really thought he paid too much attention.  Well, the other day I was talking to a member (his daughter-in-law) and she said ever since we started doing family night, he has been trying to be better because he is jealous of how good his kids are doing in their lives and now, Meisi doesn’t smoke or drink and walks around and stuff.  And, the Protestants one morning came to his house to give him a paper that said to come to church to get his calling and he looked at it and just ripped it up ha ha and said his church is the Mormon church.  Super big miracle because if you can get the father/grandfather of a family to convert, it makes it 100 times easier for his kids/grandkids.  So this is huge!  Hopefully we see many more miracles with this family.

Well, I love you all!  Sorry internet was down!  Hope you get this!

Love,  Elder Schroath