Jenga Master

First Talk

Jonathan gave his first Bible reading last week. It was from Ezra 7 with a zillion Hebrew names in it. He practiced and practiced and it paid off.

Paipel Study and Punkin Pie!

Over the course of time, we've shown you various members of the Peter family. Last night, they came to our home for their study and some pumpkin pie. The interest started with the oldest daughter, Imalia. Then Merlina, her mother, began to study. Then all the other girls. Now, Peter, the dad, and Callen, his nephew who is attending college here, have rounded out the group. We've started over at the beginning of the Bible Teach book so that all can get to know Siohwa. It is a beautiful thing to see a father taking the lead spiritually for the first time. Callen reads the paragraphs in Ponapean since he is the best and fastest reader. This is wonderful since some of the paragraphs take up a whole page! The Bible Teach book in Ponapean has about 50 more pages that the English one.
Back row: Imalia (17), Peter (dad), Callen, Maylene (13)
Front row: Merlina (mom), Karen (8), Merianne (5), Emily and John

Great affection!

Great smile!

First Time at the Kingdom Hall

We just met these children this week. When we introduced ourselves the their mother on Friday, she asked why we hadn't offered her a Bible study before. She lives near some of our other students and had seen them studying. We invited her to the Kingdom Hall. She wasn't able to come, but her older kids attended. They were so well-behaved. Diana and Marbelta, the older two, looked up every scripture during the public talk and Diana commented during the Watchtower study. From left to right: George, Marbelta, Marjean and Diana.

Casamira

Helen was going to Casamira's home looking for others that had shown interest, but most of the time, Casamira was the only one home. So Helen asked if she'd like to learn about the Bible. Of course did! Her family opposes her to some extent, but she has Helen come when they aren't there. She is making plans to attend a meeting at the Kingdom Hall, even though she already knows she will have opposition.

This is a gentle way for Casamira's baby to sleep and get air circulation all around.

Good Association

Susan came to the meeting last Friday evening and made fast friends with Kym. Meanwhile, her neighbors we're making and drinking sakau. They ridiculed her for going to the meeting most of the day, but she said that she needs to make new friends that help her have good habits. This was not an easy thing for her to do as most of her neighbors drink sakau on Friday nights and she enjoyed doing it too. The parts of the pepper bush are flown in from Pohnpei so they can make it here in Guam. The bush doesn't grow here. The lower photo is of Susan's neighbors cutting up the limbs and roots before pounding them into sakau. After that weekend, the landlord of the apartments told them that they could no longer make it there. What a blessing for Susan!

He will make you strong!

Don't you love her smile! Karen is such a delight to spend time with. In service last week, we were talking about sharing a scripture at the door. She wasn't sure which one she'd like to read, so John 17:3 was suggested. She read it beautifully and pronounced it a "really good one"! After practicing how she would read it at the door and what she might say about it, she said she was nervous. Karen acknowledged that prayer would probably help. She excused herself and prayed right away. When she was finished, she said she was ready to share the scripture at the door!

So Long, Perez Family!

Our congregation had a going away party for the Perez family. They are in the large photo in the middle of the collage. Armando and Denise are moving to the States and Vince has already left for Ebeye. He is part of the Kingdom Hall Construction crew. We will all miss them.

Maipe Hot

Double decker cars come to Guam

Future Pioneer Partners

Sunday's Watchtower study was just for young ones. These young ladies attended with us. Each one is getting to know Jehovah on their own.

Cassie

Cassie with her cousins and brother and her new book.

On Wednesday, Cassie received a December Awake! and was shown the last page for kids. When we returned on Saturday, she handed us this. She's 10.

The Truth is Free, but Lies will cost you Money.

The next pictures are of a custom we'd only heard about.
While Veronica and Rachel discuss Bible truth, a bizarre Catholic church sponsored fleecing takes place around them.

Bell ringing to alert the government-subsidized, poor neighborhood that THEY'RE COMING!!!

Equipped with bell-ringer, a donation box, and a big, baby Jesus doll, the priest goes house-to-house, inviting householders to kiss the doll and give money.

On the street where our sisters are studying, comes an equally equipped group.

As the baby Jesus handlers pass by, this householder is learning the truth and saved a lot of money.

Sheep on the right/Goats on the left

After the doll is passed around inside the home, donations are collected as the doll moves on.

Everyone gets to learn.

Even the littlest ones.

Rachel was discussing what knowing the Messiah means for each one of us in our daily lives while the doll went by.

I know you. Let's study.

I was checking on Karen's (the cutie on the left) parents to see if her dad would be working late or if they would be studying later in the evening. They said to give them one hour and they would be ready.
As I was leaving, the lady in the background waved me over and said that she met me once with someone else visiting her kids. (Usually, I can remember someone's face, but I still can't place hers.) She said she would like to study the Bible and wanted her daughter, Angelisa, to have a study too. So, I went back to our home, got the books needed, came to them and we studied. This is Angelisa with her new book. She came to the meeting this Sunday.
As for Karen's parents, we had our study. It was her parents, cousin, her and her two sisters all studying together. At the end of a very lively discussion of the appendix telling about Jehovah's name, her dad said, "Every morning I pray to Koht (God in Ponapean), but tomorrow morning, I will pray to Siohwa (Jehovah in Ponapean) and see if it is different."

Making Progress

Thanks to our guest photographer, Megan, we have a photo of Susan and Pete studying together--that's the two adults in the background. They usually study in the evening with John and me, but Pete was home during the day and they wanted to study when I went by. We were discussing the prophecy about Babylon and what it means for future prophecies. Susan was so excited to explain that because of the prophecy about Babylon coming true, we can trust what Siohwa (Jehovah in Ponapean) says about the future will come true. Then Pete, who is a man of few words, said, "We can trust Siohwa." It was the first time he talked about Siohwa as someone he knows.