Old Pictures

I don't really have any pictures to post of things we have done recently, but I have a couple of thoughts to post and I thought I would put a few pictures on that Wayne has taken on different Boonie Stomp hikes he has gone on. I just picked out a few that would show the variety of terrain here on Guam.

This first picture shows what the jungle looks like in some areas when it has been left on its own too long. There is a vine that is very invasive and eventually covers everything. There are power lines strung across the road where the vines have grown up the pole and is 3/4 of the way across the street on the wire. It has a pink flower that grows on it and is actually quite pretty at times.

From very dense jungle to what looks like desert. I believe this was in the southern area of the island.

On one of his hikes they went along the beach and there is an area where there are some old latte stones. These were the base of the houses in old Chamorro villages.

The orchids grow wild here. I have now had two very beautiful orchid plants that I have proceeded to kill off. I don't know why I can't grow them when they thrive on their own here.

There are little waterfalls all over the island. Wayne has hiked to several and plans on going on another hike to a waterfall this weekend.

We have not taken pictures of the things that have kept us busy the last few weeks. Most of it has been the routine office work but there was a Leadership Training last week for all the Zone Leaders, District Leaders and Trainers. They had four full days of instruction on the materials that have been added to Preach My Gospel. This is an ongoing training which will have our missionaries prepared by May when all of the new missionaries will have had this training while at the MTC. The special part of the training for us was that we got to fix lunch for them every day. I miss doing our family Sunday dinners and so I really was happy to do this but our refrigerator is apartment size and has very little room for planning big meals. We had to go grocery shopping every evening for the next days meal. It was fun, but I was glad at the end of the week. I haven't cooked since!

January had a 5th Sunday and the Missionaries are always in charge of Sacrament Meeting on 5th Sundays. We only have three sets of Missionaries assigned to our Branch and one set was off island so the Clarke's got to speak again. This was the 3rd time since May. I have talked more here in less than a year than I had in 10 years at home. Good experience but I hope more missionaries are in the branch next time a 5th Sunday comes around.

That evening we had a YSA Fireside to show the CES Broadcast that was aired at the beginning of the month. Elder D. Todd Christopherson spoke about Daily Bread. It was a really good talk. I wish more of our young people had been there.

Yesterday was our one year mark. It does not seem like we have been here that long. We miss family but we are really enjoying the work that we are doing. It has been a wonderful opportunity to see how the church grows in these remote areas. The young missionaries are great and they have baptized some awesome people. We have loved getting to know them and it has been so interesting being exposed to so many different cultures. Our mission is very unique with its seven different islands. I would highly recommend going on a mission to everyone who is able. It is an experience of a lifetime.