Iokwe! I am doing great! Sorry that I have not emailed in a while. I love the Marshall Islands the people are so nice. It is hot here but not really humid. It is nice, it seems like every other day it rains here. When it rains or when it is really hot the Marshallese people usually sleep, but not all of them. Marshallese people are so nice. If you want to make an appointment to study with they will say yes even though they really don't want to study. so they set up a time when they are working or gone. But it is still good.
Me and my companion are getting along! Since he is an AP (Assistant to President) some days he works in the mission office with the other AP, so I go out with Elder Wakefield. There are four missionaries living in the apartment; Elder Hart, Elder Wakefield, Elder Helgenburger, and me. They are all nice, and cool. We live in the apartments in Long Island by the Mission office. I have not eaten any weird things because we have not had a lot of dinners with the members. But we usually eat rice, ramen, spam, and tuna almost every day. The hot and spicy spam is the best! On a good week we have around 15 lessons a week. we have 3 progressing invesigators, and we got 4 new potential investigators last week.
I am happy, and heathly. I just dont understand when people speak. It seems like everbody has their own accent, so it is really hard to understand. When you speak marshallese you use your tongue a lot. For thanksgiving we went to Bishop Ackleys house, he is the bishop for Uliga. When he was young he moved with his family to the Marshall Islands, and then back to the States. He even lived in Arizona. He served his mission here and married a Marshalese girl. It was nice, we had turkey, corn, stuffing, and mashed potatoes.
At church I pass the sacrament and help teach. There are two deacons in my ward. The reason for the emergency transfers is because of certain missionaries who do not get along with their compainions. I love the Islands, Majuro has more stuff then the outer islands. Majuro has electricity, cars, air conditioning, and other stuff like the us. The thing I was surprised about was that the ward has a lot of less actives, and a small number who are active members. The reason for that is because the members do not fellowship the new converts. When there is a new convert in your ward please fellowship them, and go out of your way to get to know the new convert, and be there friend! The members now are trying to fellowship more, so it is getting better. have a great week! I LOVE YOUS, sorry for the short letter, and the spelling mistakes. Please tell all my friends and family thank you for the birthday emails.
Elder Sien
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Friday, November 25, 2016
Photo Update
The Internet has been very spotty for Jacob. He does not have much time to write and the Internet is very slow. We have been able to chat with him on IM a few weeks in a row on his Preparation Day; and he sounds very optimistic, happy and healthy.
He told us he really likes his companion, who is an Assistant to the Mission President, and they live in Majuro near the mission home. He lives with three other Elders. The other companionship is Elder Hart and Elder Wakefield. When the AP's have office work to do, he serves with Elder Wakefield.
He eats ramen, tuna, spam, and rice the most. He said spicy spam is the best. He mentioned he cannot really see the sunsets because he is in the middle of the Island. On Halloween a ton of Marshallese kids came to his apartment complex and knocked on all the doors and sang, "Happy Halloween" over and over again. When they teach investigators he shares his testimony in Marshallese. The language is very difficult and the work is pretty slow. They have about 4 investigators. Often when they go to teach them, the people are busy. He said the Marshallese has their own accent and it is really hard to understand them because they use their tongues a lot when they speak in the back of their throats, so he said it is hard to get used to that.
He ended the chat, "I love the Marshall Islands, I love the people even though I do not understand them yet and I love and miss you guys."
It is amazing to be able to live chat with him for a few minutes from far across the world, technology is amazing! Thank you to all of you who e-mailed him for his birthday, which is this Friday December 2! He mentioned he received a lot of e-mails and was very happy.
He told us he really likes his companion, who is an Assistant to the Mission President, and they live in Majuro near the mission home. He lives with three other Elders. The other companionship is Elder Hart and Elder Wakefield. When the AP's have office work to do, he serves with Elder Wakefield.
He eats ramen, tuna, spam, and rice the most. He said spicy spam is the best. He mentioned he cannot really see the sunsets because he is in the middle of the Island. On Halloween a ton of Marshallese kids came to his apartment complex and knocked on all the doors and sang, "Happy Halloween" over and over again. When they teach investigators he shares his testimony in Marshallese. The language is very difficult and the work is pretty slow. They have about 4 investigators. Often when they go to teach them, the people are busy. He said the Marshallese has their own accent and it is really hard to understand them because they use their tongues a lot when they speak in the back of their throats, so he said it is hard to get used to that.
He ended the chat, "I love the Marshall Islands, I love the people even though I do not understand them yet and I love and miss you guys."
It is amazing to be able to live chat with him for a few minutes from far across the world, technology is amazing! Thank you to all of you who e-mailed him for his birthday, which is this Friday December 2! He mentioned he received a lot of e-mails and was very happy.
Photo Update
The Internet has been very spotty for Jacob. He does not have much time to write and the Internet is very slow. We have been able to chat with him on IM a few weeks in a row on his Preparation Day; and he sounds very optimistic, happy and healthy.
He told us he really likes his companion, who is an Assistant to the Mission President, and they live in Majuro near the mission home. He lives with three other Elders. The other companionship is Elder Hart and Elder Wakefield. When the AP's have office work to do, he serves with Elder Wakefield.
He eats ramen, tuna, spam, and rice the most. He said spicy spam is the best. He mentioned he cannot really see the sunsets because he is in the middle of the Island. On Halloween a ton of Marshallese kids came to his apartment complex and knocked on all the doors and sang, "Happy Halloween" over and over again. When they teach investigators he shares his testimony in Marshallese. The language is very difficult and the work is pretty slow. They have about 4 investigators. Often when they go to teach them, the people are busy. He said the Marshallese has their own accent and it is really hard to understand them because they use their tongues a lot when they speak in the back of their throats, so he said it is hard to get used to that.
He ended the chat, "I love the Marshall Islands, I love the people even though I do not understand them yet and I love and miss you guys."
It is amazing to be able to live chat with him for a few minutes from far across the world, technology is amazing! Thank you to all of you who e-mailed him for his birthday, which is this Friday December 2! He mentioned he received a lot of e-mails and was very happy.
He told us he really likes his companion, who is an Assistant to the Mission President, and they live in Majuro near the mission home. He lives with three other Elders. The other companionship is Elder Hart and Elder Wakefield. When the AP's have office work to do, he serves with Elder Wakefield.
He eats ramen, tuna, spam, and rice the most. He said spicy spam is the best. He mentioned he cannot really see the sunsets because he is in the middle of the Island. On Halloween a ton of Marshallese kids came to his apartment complex and knocked on all the doors and sang, "Happy Halloween" over and over again. When they teach investigators he shares his testimony in Marshallese. The language is very difficult and the work is pretty slow. They have about 4 investigators. Often when they go to teach them, the people are busy. He said the Marshallese has their own accent and it is really hard to understand them because they use their tongues a lot when they speak in the back of their throats, so he said it is hard to get used to that.
He ended the chat, "I love the Marshall Islands, I love the people even though I do not understand them yet and I love and miss you guys."
It is amazing to be able to live chat with him for a few minutes from far across the world, technology is amazing! Thank you to all of you who e-mailed him for his birthday, which is this Friday December 2! He mentioned he received a lot of e-mails and was very happy.
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
No Internet Service in the Islands
We received this letter from the mission office this week:
Dear Friends,
Dear Friends,
The underwater internet cable between Guam, Ebeye, and and the Marshall Islands will be undergoing some major repairs. During that period of time we will have no internet service and consequently our missionaries will not be able to communicate via email with family.friends. The repairs are due to begin Saturday, October 29 and it is hoped they will be completed by November 6. However, there is always the possibility (even likelihood) that the repairs will extend beyond November 6.
So please do not worry when you don't hear from your missionary for 2 weeks. The silver lining to this inconvenience is that without internet, folks will be less distracted and perhaps more inclined to take time to visit and study with our missionaries.
Please be assured that your missionary is well cared-for.
Christmas Package Information
We recieved the following instructions for Jacob's Christmas package. The mission has asked that he only recieve one Christmas package.
If you have any photos or a letter you'd like to include in Jacob's Christmas package please e-mail it to josephsien@gmail.com or contact us. We are planning to send his package out by November 7, 2016.
If you have any photos or a letter you'd like to include in Jacob's Christmas package please e-mail it to josephsien@gmail.com or contact us. We are planning to send his package out by November 7, 2016.
October 2016
Dear Parents and Family of Marshall Islands Majuro Missionaries,
Thank you for supporting our missionaries as they serve with us
as full-time missionaries in the Marshall Islands Majuro Mission. It is
our desire to help them become the missionaries the Lord needs them to
be. We love and appreciate them and their service.
As we approach the Christmas season we are aware that many of
our missionaries will be receiving Christmas packages from home. That is
wonderful; however, we would ask you to be aware of the very modest family
circumstances of many of our missionaries. Being sensitive to those
economic disparities, may we ask you to consider your son or daughter’s
companion in your gift plans.
There is an additional consideration for your gift giving.
Packages will NOT be forwarded from Marshall Islands to
Kiribati. It would not be appropriate to pay those fees from the sacred
tithing money used to administer our missions. Please use the appropriate
address when mailing your package and we ask that you send only ONE Christmas
package per missionary. It creates
negative repercussions when a few missionaries receive multiple packages and
others receive none. Furthermore, please limit your box size to no
larger than 12”x12”x6” or 30 cm x 30 cm x 15 cm. Thank you.
For those in the USA mailing to the Marshall Islands, the most
effective method for mailing packages is USPS Priority Mail. The Flat
Rate boxes are the most economical.
The address to use if your missionary is serving in the Marshall
Islands (Majuro, Ebeye, Jaluit, Lae, or Wotje) is:
Elder/Sister____________
Marshall Islands Majuro Mission
PO Box 1107
Majuro, Marshall Islands
96960
Finally, in case you
might need a gift idea, here are some things our missionaries have suggested:
small flashlights, head lamp and flashing backpack light for nighttime use,
Leatherman tool, a waterproof backpack, batteries, shampoo, especially dandruff
type (very expensive here), copies of General Conference talks, Christmas
stories, and the most popular gift suggestion was letters and pictures from
home.
Thank you in advance for
your kindness and cooperation.
The Marshall Islands Majuro Mission
Sunday, October 23, 2016
Letter 7: October 23, 2016
Iokwe!
I am doing great! It is beautiful here in the Marshall Islands! I love the weather here it is way better than Utah. A lot warmer , it is nice , and humid. I like the humidity, it is nice. I am serving in Long Island which is an area in Majuro. there is a lot of trees here. There are Pandanus trees, breadfruit trees, banana trees, and other trees. I will send pictures next week. I live with the assistants to the presidents, they live in an apartment close to the mission office, and to the president Larkins house. My trainer is Elder Helgenburger he is one of the assistants to the president. Monday is my new p-day. I have mostly eaten rice, ramen, tuna, and spam. There is a ton of children everywhere, there is also a ton of dogs, and cats.
Hawaii was good, when we got to Hawaii it was around 3:30 p.m. We took the hotel bus to the hotel, which was 15 minutes away from the airport. right in front of the hotel is a highway then a freeway right on top of it. Since Elder Uitu leaves on Thursday, Elder Kendrick was my temporary companion. once we got our luggage in our room. Me, E Kendrick, E House, E Dunn took a taxi to Costco. To fix E Kendrick, and I glasses, we also ate there, I had a Hot dog, and a chicken bake. I wanted to see the USS Arizona memorial but it was already closed. At around 8:00 p.m. I went with E Hansen, E Barrow, E Koleni to a grocery store to get fresh fruit. E Hansen got a pineapple, and a dragon fruit. the dragon fruit was disgusting, and the pineapple was not ripe enough. Hawaii is beautiful, and green.
I love you guys!
Elder Sien
Arrival in the Marshall Islands October 20, 2016
Just to let you know that your wonderful son, elder Sien, arrived safely in Majuro today. We had a wonderful orientation meeting and lunch with all our new missionaries followed by a brief tour of Majuro.
Tomorrow we will hold our "Train-the-Trainer" meeting for all trainers and new missionaries, after which, the "work" begins.
Elder Sien has been assigned to the Long Island area and his trainer is Elder Wakefield.
We are so grateful to have your son serving in our mission.
With love,
President and Sister Larkin
Photo taken at the airport
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