Micronesia/Guam - Reports to the Mission President November 1983

11/6/1983 - 11/12/1983
Dear President,
It's still going great. I'm teaching the discussions without a translator now, and it is interesting. I seem to be able to speak with less problems, but I still have trouble understanding what they say back. I've talked to the other Elders and they have the same problem. This is going to be my greatest challenge. Its easy to memorize words, and lines of a discussion, but there needs to be a good program to help understand what others say. I guess it just comes about by memorizing lots of words and listening. It was good to see you and Elder Marvin J. Ashton. It was also very thoughtful of you to bring and give us some cookies, filmstrips, a church film cassette, and also General Conference. We watched 2 sessions, and the next time we went to see another session, the machine we had broke so it might be a couple more weeks before we can see the rest of the conference sessions. I hope you don't need those tapes again soon.
The Huffs told us we might be getting a new couple to replace them soon, and even an additional couple. We have looked a little for another apartment. I don't know how much the Huffs have looked. I talked to Herta (our land-lady) and she said she might make the big storage building next to our houses into an apartment. I told her we might need to find another apartment to rent for an extra couple. Then she said "I'll build that into an apartment then." Then I told her not to do it just for us because we weren't sure if we'd get another couple or not. All the Elders around the various outer islands here are going to come in the 21st of this month for our first zone conference. We'll have it every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month. Will you do me a favor President? Please drop me a note and tell me how one of those meetings is supposed to run. I remember you saying we should start and end with a song and a prayer and bear our testimonies in the meeting. What else? (besides a business account from each elder). Does that make me a "zone leader" because I'm the most senior on this island? Just joking! Love, Elder Monson


11/13/1983 - 11/19/1983
Dear President,
The work is so great. I'm speaking and understanding so well! It's pretty fun. We all went to a special meeting (a FHE) at the Mwan chapel that was so neat! The spirit was so strong there. It was at that place I realized that the Lords spirit is here on this island and he wants us to work at it. We're sad to be having the Huffs leave, and glad that they could serve here. Just yesterday we had our very spiritual first zone conference on Truk. It was super! I love what I'm [doing] here! I found a book of the first 24 lessons of the Gospel Principals book and I would like to send it soon so we could get more copies. Also, there are I think other things we've found that are Trukese that we'd like to get copies of later. Thank you and lots of love, Elder Monson  - Be a Smiler- I try to be :-)


1120/1983 - 11/26/1983
Dear President,
I sure wish we had more materials translated for our meetings, etc. The distribution center in Salt Lake in not answering our letters for additional copies of our small hymnbooks. They have printed up the copies we have now, and they're taking an awful long time printing up more. With all of our expansions, etc, we need so many more hymnbooks. this week I sealed an anointing and gave a blessing in Trukese! It was hard, and I did it a little slow, but it came out alright. Who is going to be the next president in Sapuk? Will it be long before another is selected? They're going to need one bad now that Elder Huff is gone. Love, Elder Monson


11/27/1983 - 12/3/1983
Dear President,
This week was sure busy, and sad, the Huffs leaving. It sure seems empty, not having them here. We still hold our devotionals where we have a song, a prayer, spiritual thought, and of course, our Trukese thought. We had a special zone meeting the 30th (the day the Huffs left) where everyone from the outer islands came. We have planned our next meeting to be the 19th of this month, where the elders will get to meet the new couple and we'll have a special Christmas dinner that night. It should be great. My seminary class went great. I taught them about Moses and the tabernacle, and that they followed the cloud when it moved. It's fun teaching seminary, especially when the students help you. Its really strange; there are some days I understand everything everyone says in Trukese, and some days I understand beans. I've been doing more bible study lately (Trukese bible) to work on the language. The bible itself is not a doctrinaly correct, but it helps a lot more with the language because its newer. The language actually changes over the years. Anyway, take care and I'll write again soon. Love, Elder Monson