Micronesia/Guam - Reports to the Mission President April 1984

4/1/1984 - 4/7/1984
Dear President,
This week was a "sick" week. I got sick the Sunday you were here (4/1). I guess nature played a practical joke on me, but it wasn't too funny, because I still feel the effects of it. On that Tuesday (4/3), my companion went with Elder Bennett's companion and worked, and I stayed home and had a good talk with Elder Bennett. We started planning our weeks out more and implementing the yellow planner, and we're going to inform all the other Elders to use it because it does help! For me my mission has been a great big "school" because I learn many lessons. For instance, lately I've seen a lot of comparing together of a lot of the Elders. And comparing ourselves to someone else doesn't help us at all. Then I picked up the January 1984 Ensign and read an article about our comparative thinking. All I need to do is just measure myself against myself and not against another person. Because if I worry about catching up to others it really just gets me frustrated and I give up. That's how it hurts us. The article says we always look at ourselves as the worst, and that is true for me. I figure myself as the worst missionary and it hasn't helped me too much to think that way. So I'm going to try to change that attitude.Thanks for the days you spent with us here. I sure love you. Don't do anything Spencer W. Kimball wouldn't do! Love, Elder Monson
P.S.: Sorry all the reports are late!

4/8/1984 - 4/14/1984
Dear President,
This past week was kind of bad, but not really. We lost quite a bit of time in our area but really helped out Uman. We had kind of a rushed zone conference Monday (the 9th) so we could make the Uman yama (boat) in time. But we were late and didn't make it. So we went the next day Tuesday. After meeting with them for several hours that night, I decided to leave Wednesday morning. But we missed the Wednesday morning boat so we stayed and split with the Elders there Wednesday, and had an excellent day with them. The first half of the day I went with Puleiku, the second half, Christensen. I sure do love them. They are doing real good. They're happy about the work, but Christensen is nervous about teaching them. For me, teaching is easy; its contacting and getting appointments I'm not so good on, while Christensen is really good at it. I guess that's why they put us in pairs, right? We didn't teach as many as we wanted that week (in Sapuk), but we did make a couple of new contacts.We also helped Sister Carlson with a primary party all day Saturday. It was sure a riot. My companion's back has been hurting lately and we went to the hospital and he got x-rayed. The results: he has a bad back, but there's nothing they can do about it, and its just a condition he'll have to live with. I don't know why, but I slightly still have the cold I had when you were here. It's taking its time going away. Take care and "stay in":! (In tune, in time, and in spirit!)
Love, Elder Monson

4/15/1984 - 4/21/1984
Dear President Keeler,
Well, we have a scheduled baptism, but having a hard time to get her to come out to church. Her mother on Uman, Elder Christensen and Elder Puleiku will bring in and they can be baptized together. Her husband even has the priesthood so we'll have him baptize her. She at least seems happy about that.

This past week went well, especially the visit to Dublon. We only stayed one night and a meeting about the yellow planners and planning and goals, and also a meeting on the gospel subject "Faith". Faith is interesting. Its a key, but also power, and its something you can grow and cultivate.

I'm really loving the job of visiting all the Elders and it helps me understand their situations a lot when I get to work with them. Thanks for the opportunity.

I would also like to thank you for 2 other things. The organ was a big surprise to me, and to the members on Sunday. I'm the only one this side of the island who knows how to play it. I practiced for Sunday and it went well. Only thing is that it could be a little louder, but that's okay. We've been waiting a long time for it and we sure love it. I'm going to start giving lessons right away. Thanks also for the Japanese pamphlets. There is a half-Trukese here (an older man) that has been schooled in Japan, and can read Japanese a lot better than Trukese, and he sure loves the material.

They probably already know, but could you tell the office staff thanks, and then also ask them can they get a Book of Mormon in Japanese. Also, I requested quite a few mantles for the Coleman lanterns and they need them badly. If what they have breaks, they can't buy any more now because there's a shortage. Thanks, and I sure love you. Elder Monson

4/22/1984 - 4/28/1984
Dear President,
This last week I'm writing for, was interesting. I got to visit Elder Mote's island, Romanum. The people there were really friendly, and the work I did with Tauki Uvea was really excellent. That island is probably the most beautiful I've ever seen. They are handling things very well despite their circumstances. You know; slow water supply, no privacy, and other things.

Their island is sure small, and it took about a half day for both pairs of us to circle it and talk to everyone on the way. I also helped Elder Carlson haul some materials for a water tank. It will be very beneficial for them. One of the members told me "Now, you see how bad it is, so go back and tell them how bad it is". Its kind of bad. Its getting kind of dry right now and so their little trickle of water is going slow. But Elder Carlson is getting things going. Right now, for a lot of my investigators, I'm doing fellowshipping work. That's been one of my challenges, so I'm trying to correct it. That's kind of a dumb problem, isn't it? I should be doing that automatically.

I'm still having those "fun days", where one day I understand everything said, and the next [day] its like I don't even know the language. Blea.

One thing I'm really learning to conquer is the journal. It sits there, seemingly laughing at me for not writing in it all that I should. You know how it is. You get behind and you just say to yourself, "tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow", and it never gets done. I bet your journal doesn't laugh at you!

Love, Elder Monson

P.S. Please tell the office to hurry on the things I've ordered. Especially the mantles for the lanterns. Mote got his that he requested, but I haven't received the ones I requested.