The Mixed-up Files of the Micronesia Missionaries (#11)

On Monday, our preparation day, Sister Johnsen decided that she would get a haircut from the inactive member that we found last week. Although the place she works is a barber shop and she is the only haircutter, it was decided that this would be a good way to sit down and have a conversation with her. She is from the Philippines, but speaks English well enough to be understood. Somehow though, something got lost in translation, and Sister Johnsen ended up with a LOT LESS hair. She happened to mention how hot her hair was on her neck (during the power outages) and we guess this was misunderstood to mean that the hair should all be cut off on the neck. Besides being too short, it looked really terrible.

New "missionary" haircut

Luckily, we had another place on island that looked like it was more modern, and we went (ran) over there. Their haircutter was much better, but eventually, Elder Johnsen had to assist to make further alterations in the hair to have it be presentable. Elder Johnsen says, “What do you expect from a $5.00 hair cut…or 2 $5.00 haircuts.” (He also reminds us of his favorite carpenter joke, “I’ve cut this board three times, and it’s still too short.”) We got a haircut, a pedicure and a facial for only $25.00. (a scout is thrifty) Elder Wright, our Zone Leader, says I got my “missionary haircut.” Now I am official!!

We went back on Monday evening to see Randa, the one and only one we thought we got right last week, only to find that she wasn’t the right Randa after all. We eventually did meet up with the correct person.

For Thanksgiving we bought a small turkey and put it in the oven at exactly 2:00 when the power comes back on. We wanted to eat about 5, but probably didn’t start until 5:30. We were watching the clock. At 6:00 all six of us, (the four Elders were here) had to finish our Thanksgiving dinner by a small lantern and flashlights. We played “I Never”, and then started a game of “Oh Heck”. We all had fun, and finally the lights came back on at 8:00. It was a mixed up, but enjoyable day.

We held seminary at 5:00 this week because we can’t hold it at 6:00, the regular time, until the power comes back on. At 3 minutes to 6:00 we said a really fast prayer and exited the building. It gets really dark in there when the power goes out.

Elder Johnsen spent Saturday morning making 50 bags of popcorn on a butane stove! Now that’s camping! We took all 50 bags to the church for the Branch Thanksgiving activity. We watched 17 Miracles with about 40 people but were able to pawn off, I mean, give away all 50 bags of popcorn, but Elder Johnsen says it was famous Johnsen popcorn so the sacrifice wasn’t that great.

Sunday, Sister Johnsen had her first choir practice. We had about 10 people there BUT we didn’t have any power, so we brought our little keyboard all equipped with batteries. We also don’t have a pianist, so Elder Johnsen played and tried to sing the tenor part (he did better singing than playing). He had helpers on the tenor part but they really don’t read music. If that isn’t mixed up, I don’t know what it. We chose “With Wondering Awe” because the piano does play it (it only plays about 160 hymns) and on Christmas when we sing it we will have to sing before 10:00 because that’s when the power goes out.

Speaking of hymns, for our opening hymn on Sunday we sang, Hymn #52, The Day Dawn is Breaking. We were OK until the chorus, but instead of reducing the pace to a quarter note at 60, it moved the pace up to 180, the piano played the chorus SO fast that no one could sing it. So the young man running the piano, tried to slow down the second verse so we came in a little slower, but we were still almost unable to sing the chorus. A few brave souls tried. So the young man slowed it down again for the 3^rd verse and we came in even more slowly Still…… let…..us…..be…..doing….in….our…..lessons ……reviewing…..(you get the idea.) We were never really able to sing the chorus together, and all of us were laughing! So much for preparing us for a spiritual feast!

Life is interesting here, a little mixed-up, but interesting!