Why I am a missionary

To start the week, we had a going away party for one elder and one sister. These parties are pretty big because the members put them together for the missionaries. There was food and island dancing, super fun.

We got ourselves into some service that was way too much work. They asked us to tile a floor. We didn't realize that they didn't have any of the tools we need and no way to get them. It was hard and took a lot of time. Now we know what projects we shouldn't do.

The mission is the most fun, most hard and most challenging part of my life. A lot of the time it is too hot, too early, and too wet to get up. We could choose to sleep in, not study, and mess around all day. No that would be too easy. We get up before the sun, work out, and start studying do then we can go to 8 hours in the hot, wet outdoors. How do we do it? I have wondered the same thing myself. Some people say it would be nice if we got everything without any struggle, we would be weak! Then wehn something hard comes up in our life, we wouldn't know how to handle it! I am grateful for all of the trials the Lord has put in my life because they are for my benefit and for the strength of my spirit and body. I am doing this because I love the gospel, I love Christ, and I love it way too much to not share it.

 Garbage

 Sweet dramatic person

 The flowers here are unreal

 Fish

A full rainbow. You could see both spots it touched the ground

I love the Book of Mormon!

This week was really busy, a lot of non-missionary work to help the APs, DL, and ZL but it was fun.

I tried dog and turtle this week. Dog is really good, tastes like steak almost. Turtle is so good, I can't even describe it. Almost like a pig and a fish had a baby.

I have been teaching a lot more. Mostly the Restoration and Plan of Salvation. The spirit knows so many languages. It is cool to see it help me say what they need to hear. The gift of tongues is so real.

There was a party for these government boats this past Saturday and the ward was supposed to sing at it. Practice at 3 pm and the party starts at 4. We show up at 3 and no one is there. Go to a lesson and come back at 4. No one is there. Go do a bunch of stuff and wait from 6:30-7:30. Then we were like "we don't have time for this." It started at 9 and didn't end until 12, so that is Marshallese time for ya.

We had a few district dinners at the bishop's house and it was good, American food, and then one of their sons wanted to wrestle and I will just leave it at that.

I love the Book of Mormon!

 Food: Top - fish, coconut, dog. Bottom - turtle, hot dog, boiled banana (bleh)

 Marshallese donuts

 My best friend - Lino

 Sunset boi

Elders Mower (my trainer), Tefteller (Day's trainer), Day (intake brother), Me

Still on the island

First off - one of our bikes got stolen, not both just one, which I thought was odd. So now we have to walk. We walked the whole area about 3 times in one day trying to get lessons and we finally got one at 6 and he accepted baptism.

One night we had a family home evening at a really strong member's house. This was one of the first times where I could feel my testimony as if I said it in English. The words flowed and everyone understood. Really cool to see the Lord's hand in my life in that way. My hard work is paying off.

We have the zone leader's van this week because the zone leader is in Kwajilen doing leadership stuff, so we get the car! We are super productive because we can cover lots of land in a day. Then we got a screw in our tire and had to change it to the spare. Shout out to my dad for teaching me how to change a tire.

--Elder Cole Underwood

 My AP with a bag of protein powder

 Fried fish and rice

I am a Ri Majel now

I am a Ri Majel (Marshallese person) now

We had P day on the jungle side of the Island last week, so I got to climb a coconut tree. It was super hard!

My companion and I have started cleanmageddon in our house because it looks like it hasn't been cleaned at all for years. We are using so much cleaner and disinfectant everywhere.

We broke the "lessons in one day" record for our area. We taught 6! One of the people we study with came to us and then we taught him the whole restoration. Usually we split it into several parts because of their attention spans. Usually when we teach the Godhead, it is funny because we ask "who is God to them?" and they say "God". We are like "thanks, genius", haha, but then at the end of the lesson he said he had a question. He said, "when can I get baptized?" We answered, "In 2 weeks." He wants us to teach him everyday until then. So awesome.

I can now tell when the spirit is with us in lessons. When the lesson is smooth and I can speak Marshallese and know what is going on. When it is not - I have no idea what is happening and I stutter in my speech. I testify of the power of the Holy Ghost and how important the Holy Ghost is in missionary work.

--Elder Cole Underwood

This week was a good week

To start out - dogs are the worst, usually when dogs bark or show intent to hurt you, you pretend to throw a rock or throw it near them. This week I have learned a strong hate for a lot of these dogs. This week was a first as in a dog tried to get us while we were on our bikes, so I had to kick it in the face and then my companion jumped off and threw his bike at it. My companion hates the dogs so every dog he sees he chucks a huge rock at them, but now they won't bark at us.

The work is fun here, but it is really hard because I don't understand and a lot of them don't keep commitments. I haven't had much Marshallese food because no one feeds us because it is a poor area. When we do get fed, we eat with our hands and shovel it in. So thank you mom for teaching me how to eat politely, so I know exactly what not to do here. We eat chicken or fish with rice a lot. The big bunch thing I am holding is called bub, and it has a weird flavor. The coconuts are amazing.

I have gained a huge desire to share the gospel because I love it so much. I invite all of you to read and pray about the Book of Mormon! I know you will gain this love for it as I have.

-- Elder Underwood

 The kids always come up to us

 Beautiful sunset

 Coconut tree - the coconuts are amazing!

 Bananas are amazing!

Bub fruit

The First and Glorious Week

We started out by coming on a 12 hour flight to the Marshalls. The view of Hawaii and the Marshalls was so cool from the plane. The humidity hit me like an absolute brick! I'm almost always soaked from a rain storm or just dripping sweat, it is like being in a steam sauna all the time! My trainer is Elder Mower and he is a funny guy. He is from Highland, UT. We are serving in Majuro. That night we went and taught the plan of salvation to a guy. I had no idea what was going on. They speak so fast and slurred I can't even pick out words.

My first real day, a person came to our door and said they needed a blessing. My companion and I promptly did it. I anointed and he blessed. It was so awesome. All the Marshallese kids love the elders, so we talk to them a lot and it is a good way to practice the language. They always ask if you have any magic tricks. They are amazed by anything you do.

We helped a family build a house, or rather build a box out of cinder blocks and cement the bottom ones to the ground. Really old fashioned, but it is all they need. My first meal was from that family and it was hot dogs and rice. So good.

Sunday was so long yesterday. It was fast Sunday, but we did our 3 hours studies until 11:30 and then we reminded our investigators to come to church at 12:30, then we had 4 hours of church. We went home and had a cake for Elder Nelson, then we went out and did FHE at the bishops house.

-- Elder Cole Underwood

View from the plane

Majuro from the plane

Jaki - what we sleep on

Tiny bananas - super cheap

Chaco tan line

Farewell MTC - Trainers are waiting

Elder Underwood left the MTC Tuesday, August 28. Flying from Salt Lake City to San Francisco to Honolulu. Stayed the night at a hotel. Departed to Majuro Marshall Islands Wednesday, August 29. Because he crossed the international date line - he arrived in Majuro on Thursday, August 30. He was assigned to serve with Elder Mower in Majuro. Elder Mower is from Highland, UT. He has been serving for 1 year and has absolutely loved it. While at the Salt Lake airport, a friend from Carey's work - Stephanie - delivered a water bottle and some treats to Elder Underwood. She was flying out to California the same day - in the same terminal - at the same time. Can't wait for the next 2 years of adventures.

 Elders in the MTC ready to depart to the Marshall Islands

 Missionaries in the Marshall Islands ready to train

 At the airport ready to leave

 Nice to see a familiar face with some treats from mom - thanks Steph!

 They have arrived in the Marshall Islands

 New missionaries with trainers

All the luggage made the flight

 He has arrived!

 Elder Underwood and Elder Mower

The missionaries stopped to talk to other elders they knew - Underwood the photo bomber!