Christmas on a Tiny Little Island

What Christmas is Like Away from Home!

We are so thankful to be on this humble little island as we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.  The people on the Island of Pohnpei live so humbly.  There are very few lights or decorations.  If there are lights it is one strand.  Only a few businesses have decorations up and no advertising or any big sales to convince you to buy.  It has been such a wonderful celebration of Christ’s birth and life here. 

We had an incredible Devotional Seminary class before the Christmas break!  We had four Sisters and two Elders come help us.  Elder Chandler narrated from the scriptures the birth of the Savior, the Sisters and Elders were the choir, (with one Elder playing the keyboard) and Sister Chandler running the short video’s. The Choir was so amazing.  The Seminary kids loved it so much, they clapped and clapped!  We hang curtains up over the windows each class to keep the jears and shouts of the outside world from coming into our classroom.  That morning, we purposely left the curtains half way down, so the outside world could hear the choir, the narrator, and watch the short video’s.  They were watching  & listening at every window along one side.  It was a wonderful picture. (Sorry we forgot our camera that day)  Seeds were planted in many hearts inside and outside the classroom that morning.  We had 37 students in class that day!  Heavenly Father is so at the helm in all this work!!

We travelled around the island showing Polar Express to six branches and two groups.  After eight showings and twenty one cake mixes later, I think we can say, we know the entire dialog in the movie.  The children loved it!  So did the parents. 

We then had an activity with the Institute youth December 21st.  What fun we had playing games and celebrating the birth of the Savior.  We laughed and laughed.

December 24^th we were blessed to feed 28 hungry missionaries a delicious Christmas dinner.  We had ham, potatoes & gravy, green bean casserole, snicker salad, frog -eye salad, green salad, fruit tray, rolls, 6 pies and 1 pumpkin dessert cake!  We were stuffed to say the least.  I hope you enjoy the pictures.  We have included each companionship and pictures of the evening we spent together.

It is tradition at Christmas time after our dinner to go to a very poor part of town called Pohnrakied.  They have amazing skills in handicrafts and each Christmas the members in the area give a handicraft to every missionary.  We have grown so large in size with 30 of us!  But they love to give of themselves to God’s servants on their tiny Island.  They number each handicraft and they have each missionary draw a number.  Then you are presented with the handicraft that matches your number.  It was so fun!!  We all loved it so much.  This year the missionaries surprised them with a skit about the birth of the Savior and singing.  It was funny, touching, and beautiful.  I hope you enjoy the pictures. 

Then there were the Christmas phone calls home!  How we loved watching our twenty-eight amazing hard working Elders and Sisters have a touch of  home with their families via Skype, Face-time, or calling their families.  Many happy faces and red eyes were seen after their hour spent enjoying their family.  We then fed them, loved them and sent them back out to work!!  What a tender experience for us.  We prayed so hard the power would stay on and that the Internet would be working.  Again, Heavenly Father is at the Helm of all the work on this island.

The best part of Christmas was Christmas Day, with baptisms all over the island.  One of our Seminary students was baptized.  (We have seven or eight more taking discussions. We pray they will also have the Holy Ghost testify of the truthfulness of the Restoration of the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to their hearts).   I think there were 12-14 baptized Christmas day.  We were able to attend 10 of those baptisms and have some pictures for you to enjoy. 

We continue to love our mission, our calling with the youth, being Nono (Mother) and Papa on the island. We are eternally grateful for one Christmas season in a lifetime humbly celebrated on the beautiful Island of Pohnpei.

Love to All,

Elder and Sister Chandler