FirstHand2013

Well it's been a minute since my last post! 2012 was a great year, perhaps one of my best. I feel that each year, month, week, even day should be better than the last. This feeling comes from a book called The Alchemist that contains a line which reads, "when each day is the same as the next, it's because people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises." As I go through 2013 I hope that I can enjoy each and everyday. I will strive to have each day be the best. 

I've picked the theme First Hand 2013 this year because I want to be able to go out and experience things for myself. I hear people always talking about things that they've done and I'm always wishing that I could do things like that. This is the year that I want to make things happen. I want to go out and take in the beauty around me. I hope that I can also help others to have first hand experiences and do things things they never done or even thought possible to do. 

As we all work together we can accomplish so much. I love bouncing ideas of other people. Of course not every thing you talk about gets done but the more you talk and the more ideas you come up with the more you will do! I'm excited for this year and know that it will be a true adventure:)

Time and Memories

Time is flying by. Today was my last day teaching at the school because next week I will be going around the island to see more sites. It has been fun teaching the kids here!

As I've spent time in Sapwalap the memories have flooded in. It's been awesome to walk around the streets because as I do my mind is just filled with the experiences that I had. I've been thinking about it a ton because normally I can't remember things I've done or people I've meet just a month ago yet as I see houses and people I can vividly remember who they are and what happened when I met them if it was only once or for just a few minutes. A smile comes across my face every time it happens!!

Sorry that I stink at writing. I hope my pictures speak more words to you.

The Island

As many of you know I'm always changing my plans. Well I bet you can guess then that they are changing once again. I'll be coming home on October 10th. When vacationing you can only do so much until you have done all that you wanted to do. I'm loving my time here and feel that a month will give me plenty of time to do the things that I want to do.

This morning as I was driving into use the internet I was on a road that runs right along the ocean. Since Pohnpei is surrounded by a reef there are no beaches and no waves. This morning the water was pure glass(better than any lake I've seen in Utah)!!! In the water I could see the reflection of an outer island, the sun and clouds, and the blue sky. The first thought that came to my mind was how beautiful a creation this island really is! I was so blessed to serve here and now blessed to be back and spend time among the people I love.

Last night I have the great opportunity to go out with the Sisters. We visited one man that I referred to them. I taught him a few times when I was here and I see him every morning on my way to the school. They taught him about the Book of Mormon and how he can know the truth! The next people we saw were a few ladies that I also taught when I served in Sapwalap. We talked about the temple and the sealing power. As we taught them so many feelings ran through my heart. I was excited to see them again and it's great they are meeting with them missionaries but it's sad to see that they are just at the step. I was here 4 years ago!! The thing that really broke my heart is that they know it's true! They knew it was true when I taught them and yet they haven't acted. It was a pretty powerful lesson that will  hopefully change how they act. They said they would be a church on Sunday so we will see.

So each morning I great up around seven and get ready for school. School starts at 8 and it's about a 15-20 minute walk to the school. I teach for about an hour and a half and then we play a game for the last 30 minutes. As I've taught English I've realized how little I really understand the language I speak!! But it's still fun to teach.

After school I can do a variety of things. It ranges from sleeping to fishing to climbing coconut trees to going to waterfalls. It's been a blast to be back!!!

A Week Has Past

All I can say is WOW!!! It's so crazy to be in the land of my mission! It such a surreal feeling to think I lived here for 9 months while serving my mission! It's great to be back but I'm not going to lie the first couple of days it hit me how long two months was going to be!! The days tend to go by slow. Their lives are so much different than ours back at home. When they say 9 o'clock they really mean 9:30 or 10, even maybe 10:30. They don't worry to much about time but that's nice is some ways. They are all so laid back.

So what's it like here? The weather is usually hot and cloudy with rain! Think of running a mile or two in burning hot weather and sweating. That's how you feel all the time here!! Night and day. It's only around 80 degrees but extremely humid. The only time it really feels good is after it's rained and if it remains cloudy! If the sun comes out after it's jut rained it's even hotter!! Hot Hot Hot.

Where am I staying? I live in a humble house with Darney and his family. There is his wife, Shirley, and their 5 daughters! Mihanta, Darsha(Baby), Darnsihann, Darneysha(Lihalaud), and Darshell. I've finally go them memorized!

What have I been up to? So far I've been spear gun fishing, swimming, visiting people, lots of eating(everyone feeds you), and just enjoying my time here. I love playing games with the kids! There is a lot of sitting so I've been reading a book called Think and Grow Rich, along with the Book of Mormon, the Sunday School Book of Mormon manual because I've received the assignment to teach the youth Sunday school class, my institute manual (yes I'm enrolled in institute), The Infinite Atonement, and now some English manuals.

Why the English manuals? So I wanted to do a little service here so I thought I would see if the school need help. They've thrown me into the water all at once. Starting tomorrow I will be teaching English for two hours a day on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to 8th graders. I'll keep you updated on how it goes!

I'm lovin my time here! It's great. I've posted pictures on Facebook. I hope you enjoy them!! Click here for pictures.

#SeiloakEnPohnpei

For the next couple months I will be residing on the beautiful island of Pohnpei. Pohnpei is part of The Federated States of Micronesia, which is located in the North Pacific Ocean. (Click HERE for a map) As I explore the island I will be posting pictures. You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram @TWJ4Life for select pictures or all of the pictures will be available on my Facebook page. All of these links are also located on my website that can be found at www.thewhiteheadjourney.com. I hope you enjoy them!!

What Am I Taking?

As I've been getting ready for this trip many people have asked me what I am taking. I'd like to share with you all some of the gear I will be taking and who it is made by. I feel that what you bring along on a journey can influence the way it goes. If you have any questions about how the gear is holding up, where I got it, the cost, or anything else feel free to ask.

Here is a picture and a brief description:

Vaude Astra 55+10 II

Vaude Jura 20

Waterproof Cases

Pod Sacs- Waterproof cover for bag

Drysack

Vaude Deluxe Sleeping Pad

eno slap straps, rainfly & hammock

Armadillo Pillow

Sleeping Sheet

Towel

Knife

MacBook Pro 13"

GoPro Hero 2

Apple iPad 2

Logitech Mini Boombox

3M Mobile Projector MP225a

Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits
Think and Grow Rich
One Up on Wall Street
Pohnpeian Dictionary
The Miracle of Forgiveness
The Infinite Atonement
The Intelligent Investor

The What If's of Life and The Now

“Go for it now. The future is promised to no one.” -Wayne Dyer-

This week I feel like I’ve learned a very valuable lesson that I hope I can always remember!! I would like to share it with you. This past weekend I was put in a situation where I had to make a pretty important decision. As I was trying to choose what to do I kept having thoughts that started with “what if.” “What if this happened?” or “what if that worked out?” As I thought about these concerns I noticed that they were focused on the future and things that I don’t have control over. I realized that there were no answers to the “what if” questions and that I needed to care about the now and the things I already had and could change.

Steve Jobs once said, “you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something- your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”

As I was reminded of this quote I thought of how we only have a say of what happens in the future by making wise choices now. We never know what those choices will bring about but we can make the best decisions by seeing what we have now in the present time.  If we make our choices based on what we think will happen in the future we will quickly find out that the future is always changing. Now I’m not saying to forget about the future and the consequences our choices will have on it but don’t base your decisions on the future because we never know what will come about.

            It was put best by Ralph Waldo Emerson, ”With the past, I have nothing to do; nor with the future. I live now.”

            Live and choose in the now. The only thing we both know and have control over. And the journey continues!!!