Am I really transferred today???

July 21

What's up what's up! So a couple of random things you should hook alina up with an email account or something like that haha because she told me to ask you that, and you should let eric buy a blowgun, because they are so fun, and I'm definitely gonna buy one when I get home, he'll be responsible with it and it's just cool!!  How's life with you?? I'll probably send you some more love once I actually get an email from you but I'll let you know a little bit about my week so I thought I was going to get transferred on wednesday so I was getting ready and saying good bye to everyone and then turns out the assistants called and said I wasn't get transferred until Thursday so just kind of had that awkward day where it's like "why aren't you gone yet?" No worries and so Thursday was the transfer and that was good, Trina the lady I was able to baptize threw me a nice little going away party where she brought us some pizza and then had a marshallese tie made for me, so that was nice. I'm really going to miss her, and hope she stays strong, she said she might go to Hawaii and the states because her son is sick and so I'm not sure if I will be able to see her again, but hopefully juon iien juon raan imaron bar loi e maybe one time one day i can see her again. That was kind of sad leaving and then I went to the green side, the west side or the darkside as Elder Ingalls calls it I am replacing Elder Ingalls so all his stories that he's been telling me I get to now go see that's kind of cool. RIght now I'm working with Elder Parente, he's 6'4 and I think I probably weigh more than him, he's a good guy and he's just being himself can't complain. That's my new comp and I definitely will say that I miss working with Schmidt that guy was awesome, and we got along very well, but yeah I'll probably only be working with Elder Parente for 3 and a half weeks or so, we'll see what happens. Cool experience, on Saturday I was able to witness a baptism in the ocean, I'll send some pictures of it later on, but yeah that was cool, I was pretty much soaked at least my pants were and stuff but hey, totally worth it! If I stay in this area long enough hopefully I can baptize some people in the ocean! That would be unreal! I'm excited for that, then on Sunday met all the new people in the ward and stuff, and they were telling me that my marshallese was pretty good and that I learned it pretty fast for the short amount of time I've been on the island which was nice. Then the bishopric in this ward is super legit, the members seem to be really solid and hopefully will 

be good at fellowshipping any investigators we have, which will be nice. The bishopric all rolled up in suits and stuff and I was blown away, and the people in this ward actually sing, it's crazy!! Like they belt it and I was able to really feel the spirit there, the ward in rita was good but the bishop was kind of relaxed. They had a pretty relaxed attitude, which made it a little harder, the problem on this side though is that the area is so long that they will have problems getting people to church they have a van that goes and picks people up but it is too full sometimes, and can't get everyone, so we'll see how that goes. Oh my goodness it has been a while since I have ridden a bike, I might have almost biffed it when I first got on, but no worries, it was pretty funny! We all have to switch over to side bags now, which is sort of inconvenient but oh well ejjelok joraan, it makes us look more professional I guess. The investigators in Rita that I was studying with will hopefully get baptized within the next couple weeks, anxious to hear how that goes, because they were all pretty solid. What else is exciting in my life right now, there's a bunch of drunk guys that always want to talk to missionaries, some of them are just so ridiculous and make it hard to study with people but hey that's kind of just the way it is in Marshall, but I think that's about I'll for now, I'll send some pictures and answer anymore questions when I email later today, thanks bye!

Part II

July 14 part II 

Gotta a lot of emails to read, life is good and the baptisms went really well the first girl who was baptized is Crystal she's a ysa aged girl and has a way strong desire just super solid doesn't understand everything but really had a desire to be baptized and to keep coming to church. Then the second girl also ysa aged is named Heniko, she was just super solid, got her as a referral and was ready to be baptized. Another Elder baptized her and it was kind of different but still good and she is also really ready to be baptized, I hope she will stay strong! I love working with Elder Schmidt, he is the man and we are playing rook together when we get home, I got him to love that game I never ever wear the cotton pants or socks, I die in them, so hotttt!! That's why they're guaranteed to last 2 years haha because I'll never wear them the other one's are good. No worries for pants shirts or socks at this point, and yes I got transfered as I said in the last email, do you get the newsletter's and stuff that Sister Shaw was making?? I don't know what the new mission presidents wife will do, but that's got like  a ton of pictures and stuff on it and it's pretty good. I think that's about all for now, hope life is good and your having fun!! Try not to miss me too much and sounds like you've been having fun at the lake!! I hope your doing well and I hope I answered your questions, you should be getting a letter here pretty soon, so maybe that will help explain a little bit more about the islands and nope you just get soaked, you can't really prepare for when it's gonna rain, you just have to get soaked and that's the way it is! I think that's all. Love you a lot, and I should be able to continue emailing every week although I'm not too sure! 

Lots of lovin from your son elder Michelson

Didn't have power so here's the news

July 14, 2013

I'll read the other email to respond to it but the computers were all closed down so I couldn't email home last week.There was a pretty crazy lightning storm and it screwed some stuff up on the island, but no worries. The church is really close, its walking distance for my whole area so no worries, anyone can come to church it's just if they want to or not. I got a transfer call, I'm officially moving out of my birthplace which is kind of crazy. I didn't expect it at all,but I'm working in Arrak now, which is more jungle and a huge area. I am going to be biking  mostly that's news for me. On august 15th there will be 8 new elders coming in and because i just got moved it's possible that I might be training, that would be crazy,I don't know if I'm quite ready for that. I guess it's just a speculation so I don't really have to worry about it but hey I mean if it's god's will it'll happen right?? That's something they say in the marshall islands all the time, if it's god's will. I feel like when i come home I'm going to have all these weird sayings that I get from my mission, like if food falls on the ground here, at home it's like "5 second rule" but here it becomes kijun satan, which is like satan's food. So funny some of the stuff they say, and let's see had a pretty interesting story, I had a lady ask me and Elder Schmidt if we had diarrhea and we were like... nope? and then she proceeded to tell us how she did and how she pooped herself a little but it's fine because she showered haha. Just random funny stories like that happen all the time! I think I'll read the other email and respond to that too, and see what else I have to say, maybe talk about the baptisms that happened, thanks talk to you in an email that will come fairly shortly 

Trina's Baptism explained

Well that sounds like it was quite the insane week!! High River is destroyed?? What the heck!! This week nothing super exciting, just chilling. That family I told you guys about, the dad is going to America for a month so he won't be baptized for a while but hopefully when he comes back he will be. Most likely I won't still be in this area, so we’ll see how that goes, but hopefully this Saturday, three of his family members will be baptized. A 16 year old, a 14 year old and a 22 year old, which is pretty exciting. Their names are Darren, Rishilla and crystal, I'm pretty excited for them, and they’ve had their interviews already and passed.  Yes the new Mission President is here and he seems awesome. We went to a fireside last night where they had that broadcast, and then he spoke after it. I did watch the broadcast, but because it was in Marshallese it was a little tough to understand all of it.  Talking with people and having conversations where I can get things clarified I can do, but just sitting there listening to people speak straight  Marshallese is a little difficult still, so frankly I didn’t really understand what they were talking about.  The new Mission Presiden, President Weir seems like a really awesome guy, just ready to work and seems very friendly, same with his wife, so I’m excited to see what changes they will make and if the work will be any different. Not that it was bad before but just see how different personalities influence the work in different ways.  That’s nuts that Taylor leaves here pretty soon, is he getting excited or nervous or what? I’m excited to hear how everyone’s missions are different when they come back home. My companion is doing good, same as always. Oh funny story, I was walking down the street the other day and this little kid comes to give me a high five or shake my hand or something and then goes and kisses my hand and says “I love you Michael Jackson!” haha and then kisses my hand again Elder Schmidt thought that was pretty funny, apparently the little kids just love me :p He said it in some pretty good English as well so I was pretty impressed. Just this past week they opened a new supermarket here, and it reminds me of home a little but it was weird walking around in it and hearing some normal music see how organized everything was, with prices on everything and just like way ship shape, frankly that doesn’t happen a whole lot in the Marshall Islands, that was kind of cool and weird at the same time. Oh and I guess I should tell you about Trina’s baptism. Well first they started out with a prayer and then we sung some songs… hahaha just playing,  I was able to baptize her and the spirit was so strong and then after her baptism she went up and bore her testimony and it was so powerful. It’s testimonies like that, that make this work worth it, the fact when you can see it in someone’s eyes when they are truly converted.  A big problem here is baptizing people who don’t really belief or understand what your telling them, and sometimes they tend to fall away and are not that strong for a multitude of reasons.  It’s so comforting to see when someone goes up, who is scared of large groups of people, hates public speaking, and goes and makes everyone feel the spirit about how this gospel truly has changes her life, and how grateful she was that we were able to find her. As a result of her testimony, she brought some non-member friends who studied with Elder’s long ago but now has that desire  rekindled and wants to study with us as well, she was crying and told us she also knew it was true. It’s amazing the difference that one person can make!! That was a really successful baptism I would say, I hope the one this next week is just as powerful. That’s been my week, we have a new district leader who just started working here and I’m excited for that because he’s just an awesome guy, right now our district is so awesome. Just a bunch of awesome guys, Rita is the place to be right now, minus the fact that I’m still stuck in the prison cell house, even the senior couples here call our house the prison cell! Oh well, but life is good, still alive and having success. The work is frustrating at times when people make excuses and don’t come to church, but I know that’s just the way it is.  Ssome times when you have those high expectations and everything seems to be going your way, you need a little dose of reality. Everyone still has their agency and it is our job to INVITE not to force people, so it’s hard sometimes to have the a great attitude all the time. I had sort of a rough Sunday, but during the sacrament meeting felt the spirit and had that realization. I think that’s about all for now.

Lots of lovin from your son Elder Michelson

He didn't get my email :( So this is what we got

I'll just write you a quick one, Trina was baptized and it was a good week, I'll probably get your email later, but I'm emailing now and don't have anything I'll send you some pictures, thanks mom, hope life is good there! 

Mom's note in my defence. He usually doesn't write until 9 or 9:30, he was several hours early :( I was very sad. I even had one almost finished and then supper needed to be made.I wrote a couple and sent pictures to make up for it!!

Here are the pictures he sent. I wrote the  captions, he only ever sends pictures without explanations. 

This is obviously a beautiful sunset on the Island

This is Trina who go baptized on Saturday. He has been working with her for a few months now. He was really thrilled that she committed and followed through!

His companion is on the left of him. His name is Elder Schmidt. Notice Jordan's classy tie. Nice tie eh??

Islands in the Marshall Islands Majuro mission. He is on Majuro right now

These are the islands of the Marshall Islands mission. Jordan would love to serve on one of the outer islands at some point is time. He is currently serving on Majuro the main island. I sent an email last night but apparently it was later then he was in the email category. I felt bad because I started it before we started making supper but was interrupted and didn't get it sent in time. He sent a few pictures.

Mission Conference and what Jordan is learning June 17, 2013

Thanks for the email and before I answer your questions and what not, I want to say that we had a mission conference and Elder Pearson our area 70 came. It was incredible, the spirit I felt from him was amazing.  I didn't feel tired I just felt like I could do anything and talk to anyone and spread the gospel through the power of the Holy Ghost. I guess he helped me realize moreso of the magnitude of what I'm doing here, and then after the conference he randomly picked a couple elder's and sisters to have a one on one interview with. I was kind of nervous at first, but we just talked and one thing he asked us in the conference was to write down, before our missions what we were, and what we had to give up to become a true disciple of Christ.  The spirit was able to tell me some things I need to work on in order to become the best missionary I can be and the missionary that my mother thinks that I am! haha I know that that is very important and also his wife gave a very good talk in mission conference as well. She said that her parents served as mission presidents in Norway, but they didn't know my dad,  but oh well still cool and got me really inspired. I always try my best each day, but it just gave me more of a drive I guess, which is important.
Sometimes that's what I lacked before my mission I didn't have the drive.  I would just let life happen as it would, it's good to be laid back but if you are too laid back you can be your own worst enemy.  I guess the spirit was trying to tell me I need to be a little more driven and motivated which is good, so that's what I'm working on right now. Just way excited to be working where I am right now, and it is hard  to get motivated here because the people just have an attitude of laziness but I have to rise above that  and show them what the church can do for them. Hopefully I will still be working with Elder Schmidt because I'm really liking working with him and we get along really well.  On to answering your questions, all the islands are pretty much inhabited other than Bikini atoll I think, they moved them all to Edjit. The food people eat here besides spam are..... rice... lots and lots of rice, but they also eat chicken mostly fried legs and stuff like that. They eat corned beef from a can, sometimes they eat pig if they can get it. If we're lucky we'll get coleslaw and that's about the greenest we can get, although at mission conference the other day we had like mexican taco salad and that was like heaven, oh baby!! Well I've made fajitas and chicken and then just whatever spices I can get I'll throw on some chicken and make like a chicken alfredo or spaghetti or whatever else I can throw together from what I have, but its good. I can mix it up and I'm way glad I know how to cook as is my companion, it just takes a long time on one electric burner that can't even get water to boil!  So no, recipes probably won't do a whole lot. Nope no crock pot, our house has like literally nothing, the other Elders have them so maybe later in the mission I will use a crock pot. Yeah I've got some letters from Aunt Deanne and I'm working on replying to them. (the letters I get) The language is actually coming way good, it's nice being able to get into a taxi and just bwebwenato with the taxi driver, it's way nice! I understand mostly what people say to me, I just have to add little words in now that I dont' know, but I can have real conversations now and I feel like I don't need a senior companion to lead me everywhere, so that's nice. It's crazy how fast we can learn! Trina has not been baptized yet, but she will be this week, her mom has come now and for sure this saturday she will be baptized which is nice. I will send you pictures and tell you all about it. I guess I'll tell you how a baptismal service is run, sorry if I  stink at explaining things, I just tend to assume you know everything.  Seeing as you're not here you don't. I spoke at church a while ago, I  might have forgot to tell you that, I don't remember, but I  spoke at Easter and talked about the atonement and that was good. There are some solid members in the ward, they have enough people to run everything, Rita was the first area that missionaries had success they have like 7 high council members in Rita and none in Delap or Uliga which is the more city area. Seems like there is not a ton of solid memebers when you go to church on Sunday, but when we go out and meet members we find out they are all High Priests. Right now there's only one outer island open, there is Ebeye, Majuro and Lae open right now. Ebeye isn't really an outer, but Lae is moreso. My new companion, he's just awesome, way easy to get along with is sarcastic and at the same time knows how to work and work hard. We're having some pretty good success right now and hopefully if all works out, we could have a whole family baptized. Tthe guy is just way solid and reading in the Book of Mormon a ton. We didn't even commit him to read it and he had already read up to the end of second Nephi,  just way solid!  His name is Jillia and if all goes well we could have the whole family baptized but his wife is in Hawaii right now going to BYU but is also not a member, so if she got baptized there and he got baptized here that would just be awesome! I think that's about all for now, I'm loving the work right now, I'm way happy and excited to see how the work will change when the new mission president comes! Thanks for all the love and support, and I pray for you aelop iien! 
Lots of love
from Elder Michelson!

Mom's note. It was so good to get this email. Usually they come on Sunday sometime in the evening. We didn't get one on Sunday and I was worried he hadn't gotten ours because we sent them while we were driving. I guess it was just because of Mission Conference. Whew everything is good! I love hearing how he is realizing what the important things in life are!!!