First Baptism: Savesea Engkichy

On September 15, 2012, Eric baptized Savesea, a 19 year old young lady that he taught. He has come to love her and her entire family. Her mom is very wonderful to Eric. He was so happy and excited. He hopes to be life long friends with her and her sweet family that he has come to love.

         Brother Norton, Eric, Savesea, Elder Kata and Sister Norton

                 Her sister got baptized by Elder Norton


Savesea is very special because she is Eric's first non-family member baptism and he got to teach her and watch her grow in the gospel. Her family dynamics are not ideal and sometimes her family is in physical danger. They fled from the offending family member, only to fear his return. Normally baptisms are held on Saturdays, but for some reason the baptistry was not available. So the baptism was held on a Friday night. It just so happens that Friday that the family member they had run from decided to show up drunk with some of his friends to cause trouble for the family. But no one was at their home, because all had attended Savesea's baptism! Eric said "The Lord took special care of this family. Welcoming a member into His fold, as well as protecting the rest. It just shows that the Lord DOES know us individually. He honestly is aware." Eric says his life has forever been changed by the love he feels for this family. Watching them overcome the trials of abusive family members and poverty to grasp the gospel. Watching their lives change for the better - he says it has been a very humbling experience. I think he will always love this family and have tender memories of his time with them.

My prayer in Chuukese (Ua iotek non fosum Chuk)

Semach,        kot         won       nang,
(Our Father) (God)  (in/on)  (Heaven)

Alla   kinisou        chapur         ngonuk   ren     ei      ran    ikenei
(we) (thankful)    (very much)  (to you) (for)   (this) (day) (today)

Me      om     Kapas allim, me    ei       tu fich     pwe    sia   
(and) (your)      (gospel)   (and) (this) (opportunity) (that) (we)     

tongeni    kaeo      fengen
(can)       (learn) (together)

Aua   kinisou      chapur      ren   ewe Puken Mormon
(we) (thankful) (very much) (for) (the Book of Mormon)

Jises Kraist        achasefan     me      an    tongeikich
(Jesus Christ), (Atonement)   (and)   (His)    (love for us)

Kose kan Mochea kopen       efeiocha kem ren      ewe Ngun mi Fel
(Please)            (will you)      (bless)  (us) (with) (the) (Holy Ghost)

me     miret,       me     kinamwe, me    Pecheku non manauem.
(and) (wisdom) (and)   (peace)    (and) (strength) (in) (our life)

aua apasa    ekkei   mettoch non    iten      Jises Kraist, Amen.
(we) (say) (these) (things)   (in) (his name) (Jesus Christ), (Amen).

God Loves Us

Eric wrote this to us September 9, 2012:

"The fact that my family has been watched over so much...how many cases do I need to prove to me that we are loved? The Pharasees and the Scribes constantly asked Jesus for signs or manifestations of his Messiahship, yet if they were to only look around and see all the good He did, and all the blessings and miracles that He performed, they would have known. I have two parents that have been preserved despite medical circumstances [both have cancer]. I have seen people's hearts and lives change directly in front of me, sometimes in the middle of a lesson. Is this not enough for the convincing?

An Upcoming September 2012 Baptism

Dear Family:

I am doing excellent! Our P-day lasts until 6 pm but we are going to cut it short to go to investigators and teach them. They are three Chuukese girls, 17, 15, and 12. They are Pentecostal, and are extremely shy (as almost every Chuukese girl is). So its hard to teach them, but after 2+ months, the 17 and 12 year old accepted the invitation to be baptized on the 15th of September. You have no clue how happy I was when they said yes. I was overcome with the Spirit. It sounds cheesy, but I truly have come to love them, and want nothing but the best for them, whom are my sisters. I talk to them in Chuukese (they are from a different island than the dialect I am learning, so it's a bit difficult) and I try my best to help them understand and learn.

I have learned so much since I have been on my mission on the subject of religion as well as just human interaction.

Transfers are September 23 (Bryanna's birthday). It is so strange to say a sentence in Chuukese, and someone else understand, and respond.

There are black butterflies outside my apartment. They are everywhere in the South. BTW I love reading now. all that time I wasted playing games....(not to say that I won't play games anymore) but I have come to love reading. I am on page 464 of the Book of Mormon, I have read Our Heritage, True to the Faith, and Our Search for Happiness, and now I am on page 108 of Jesus the Christ (HOLY cow its a very hard and informational book). If you read that book your thoughts and mind will be so opened. I have learned sooooo much from the first 100 pages of that inspired book. It's extremely fascinating. It's 800 pages, so I'll be busy with that for awhile. All of that and I started on July 10 [note: this note was written September 2, 2012].

Here on Guam there are so many languages. So far I have collected how to say "Thank you" in 11 languages.

I always pray for you and Dad. It brings me close to you. Love you all. Thanks again for all the love and support.

Elder Hadder

A note home and President Mecham

Eric says the language is hard, but he is trying his hardest to learn it well. He loved getting Bryanna's senior picture and one from Max. Max loves Pokémon, and we decided that Eric's evolved form was PikaCHUUK. Hey, we like bad puns.

We have been sending Eric lots of stuff in the mail, because we can use the flat "if it fits it ships" postage. The big box is only $15 and we like to stuff it full. I send stuff for his companion Elder Kata too. Eric said he kept pulling things out of the box and giving it to Elder Kata and he said "Fakkun?" which means Really? in Chuukese. Eric gave Elder Kata his suitcase to use. We can always buy Eric another one. Eric's Mission President pulled him aside and told him he put in Eric's name, my name and Dad's name into the Temple. What a wonderful man is President Mecham! Eric loves him and so do we for all the tender care he has shown Eric and all the missionaries in his stewardship. Thank you President Mecham.

Letter Home August 26, 2011

"Sorry today was a really weird day. It was a Zone P-day. They always happen after a transfer (at least here on Guam). SO by that last statement you can probably deduce that I am still on Guam. This was to be expected, because I am in the training phase.

That is cool Dad got a high tech phone. LUCKY.

Oh, I am doing GREAT. Not hurt or sick or anything. I now weigh (a healthy number) with all my proselyting clothes on. We have had a car for the last week and a half because the lady who sells the older cars was off the island on vacation for a week. So we are using an old car for the moment. But this will come to an end soon, and we will go back to the bikes. Well, I got your packages numbers 2 and 3. They both came in today.

I have not written Bryanna back yet, because well I just got the letter today. So next Monday I will send her my reply. I sent the picture card last Monday, so it should be there soon.

The weather here is something else. I thought it was rainy before..oh I was wrong. It POURS daily now, and we will soon lose our car, so we are going to be in misery soon. But hey, the more hours and doors I knock on in the rain... the ...well you know.

I love you very much Mom. I am so sorry that you were upset on account that I wasn't able to get on earlier today. I know you will get through Chemo well this last time. You start it on Thursday, so I will fast on Friday (your Thursday). So know you will be watched over and protected. Both you and Dad have the strength and power to overcome your respective cancers. I know it.

There will be an ocean baptism on Saturday, August 25, 2012, and I will get to be a witness :0) I am soooo excited for it. His name is Frances. It will be so amazing.

Well I love you all very much.

BTW Bryanna, thank you so very much for your choice to respect and keep the Sabbath Day holy by your choice of playing soccer for a non-Sunday team. You are opening the opportunity for blessings.

Elder Hadder"

Funny Stories for a Best Friend

Eric and Bryanna are brother and sister by birth, best friends by choice.

Eric goes out of his way to remember funny or amusing incidents and tell Bryanna the stories. In August 2012 he wrote home these two stories for Bryanna.

"hahaha, OK this is really funny. We walked into a convenience store to buy water and there was a Korean teller. He looked at us and said "Oh, you Mormons". We put on our missionary faces and said "Well, yes, however our actual name is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints", and he goes "Oh Mormons....plenty wives". We laughed so hard and tried our best to fix his assumption of us."

"We also have an investigator who has five kids, all with a different mom. He says "She no good. I come home, house not clean, no food on table, so I run away." Eric and Elder Kata tried their best to explain why that wasn't the right thing to do. Not sure they succeeded.

Eric also told Bryanna that they were teaching someone from the Marshall Islands and he lives in the jungle out of an old broken down bus - and he is happy. And there is an operating McDonalds out of an old shipping container! Not sure I want to eat there.