Update on Chuuk

Our kids have asked some questions and so we thought we would post for everyone. We have been swamped here as we try to take over for Elder and Sister Warner. He was the District Clerk doing all the finances for all the Chuuk Islands. So for now I will be doing that also. There is so much to learn and none of the names are easy to remember. Oh, that is not correct, One Branch President is named Sam Roby. We love the people already. They are very warm and accepting of the new couple coming in. They gave Elder and Sister Warner a great send off. They really loved them for all they have done for them over the past 14 months. It was good for us to see that.
We get less rain on this island and therefore because it is their dry season things are quite dry now and water is not as available. Some of the families are carrying water in gallon jugs to sustain life. The roads are in pretty bad shape. Most of our driving is under 5 miles an hour. During the day there are a lot of cars on the road. The Warners said that there has been a tremendous increase in cars in just the 14 months they have lived here. The government has approved a large contract to improve roads over the next two years. So that will help a lot.
We taught the 3rd lesson last night to a woman that has a baptismal date set for April 4th. She has been attending church already. She was very touched and spoke of the feelings she had from the Spirit. It was emotionally good for us also.
We have been overwhelmed with all we need to do and will never recall all the things, but I guess others will help us along the way. The Lord always takes care of those who are really trying.
There is no road around the island like Pohnpei only a trail for about a 3rd of the way around the island. I will put a picture on when we get some time.
The shopping is more limited and the people live much closer together as it is a smaller island; about 4 by 6 miles we understand. So there isn't the dense jungle that we saw in Pohnpei. Maybe when we get out and about more we will see some like it.
There are 4 branches on 4 outer islands and it requires boat trips to visit them of at least a half hour on the boat and some of them and hour and a half.
On the plus side, from where we set typing this, I can see across the ocean and see 4 of the outer islands on the horizon. The temperature seems to be very comparable to Pohnpei, but the humidity is not as high because of no rain. There is a nice breeze blowing in the window beside me and it feels good. It is 86.7 degrees right now at 7:30 in the morning.
We still have much to learn and we will post more as we go.