A man I grew up with served in a place I had never even heard of but after hearing this story it sounds like a very very awesome place!
I was called to serve in Micronesia Guam mission in November of 2006. This was rather funny to me because I could hardly pronounce Micronesia. I was so scared to have to learn a second language because of my failed experience in seventh grade Spanish class. I received the letter from my mission president soon after receiving my call which said most of the missionaries do not have to learn a second language because most missionaries will serve on either Guam or Saipan which are U.S. territories and both are English speaking areas. After I landed in Guam my mission president took us to his house. On the way there he asked if we wanted to know where we would be going. He turned to me and said that I was going to be flying back out the very next day to Pohnpei Micronesia. It is the capitol of the Federated States of Micronesia and is an Island of about 33,000 people. I was so scared of learning the language that it took me several days just to learn how to say Hello. I remember crying in a testimony meeting two months into my mission because I felt I would never learn the language only to realize that I just spoke a perfect lesson in Pohnpeian. The experience that mostly stands out with me is towards the end of my mission, after much success in my several areas I was sent back to the area that I had first started in. Its a small kingdom, because they still have kings in Pohnpei, called U. Yes that is spelled with only one letter. That was my favorite place and as I would speak to people I would all ways say that I was from U because of my accent that I had picked up while I lived there. I was asked one day why we missionaries didn't love anyone? I was so confused as to why this woman wondered that. She said that we never went to funerals nor did we ever care about their traditions. At the time I was reading Ammon in the Book of Mormon and realized I was failing to follow his council of becoming one with the people and following their traditions, and to serve them. That next day I went to the local leader who's title is called Soulik which means chief. I asked him to let me earn a title from him. My first title given to me was Nahnso which stands for protector. He then took me a week later to meet the Nahn Mwahrki which is the king of the kingdom of U. He gave me a title that I had never heard of. It was Luhk Dolohn Katau. I thought it sounded cool at least but didn't think much of it until I got back to my area. I was asked about the title and I told the member. He just looked at me and asked "Really?" I said of course. He then proceeded to tell me that the Luhk Title is 12th in line to become king someday if I pass certain tests. This allowed me to not only attend funerals but to actually conduct them. It allowed me to go to feasts and teach and made it so if anyone treated us with disrespect, they were treating the king with disrespect. this opened the door and even allowed me to teach the King of U and give him a Book of Mormon. He to this day is a very good friend of mine.
Tony Kent
I was called to serve in Micronesia Guam mission in November of 2006. This was rather funny to me because I could hardly pronounce Micronesia. I was so scared to have to learn a second language because of my failed experience in seventh grade Spanish class. I received the letter from my mission president soon after receiving my call which said most of the missionaries do not have to learn a second language because most missionaries will serve on either Guam or Saipan which are U.S. territories and both are English speaking areas. After I landed in Guam my mission president took us to his house. On the way there he asked if we wanted to know where we would be going. He turned to me and said that I was going to be flying back out the very next day to Pohnpei Micronesia. It is the capitol of the Federated States of Micronesia and is an Island of about 33,000 people. I was so scared of learning the language that it took me several days just to learn how to say Hello. I remember crying in a testimony meeting two months into my mission because I felt I would never learn the language only to realize that I just spoke a perfect lesson in Pohnpeian. The experience that mostly stands out with me is towards the end of my mission, after much success in my several areas I was sent back to the area that I had first started in. Its a small kingdom, because they still have kings in Pohnpei, called U. Yes that is spelled with only one letter. That was my favorite place and as I would speak to people I would all ways say that I was from U because of my accent that I had picked up while I lived there. I was asked one day why we missionaries didn't love anyone? I was so confused as to why this woman wondered that. She said that we never went to funerals nor did we ever care about their traditions. At the time I was reading Ammon in the Book of Mormon and realized I was failing to follow his council of becoming one with the people and following their traditions, and to serve them. That next day I went to the local leader who's title is called Soulik which means chief. I asked him to let me earn a title from him. My first title given to me was Nahnso which stands for protector. He then took me a week later to meet the Nahn Mwahrki which is the king of the kingdom of U. He gave me a title that I had never heard of. It was Luhk Dolohn Katau. I thought it sounded cool at least but didn't think much of it until I got back to my area. I was asked about the title and I told the member. He just looked at me and asked "Really?" I said of course. He then proceeded to tell me that the Luhk Title is 12th in line to become king someday if I pass certain tests. This allowed me to not only attend funerals but to actually conduct them. It allowed me to go to feasts and teach and made it so if anyone treated us with disrespect, they were treating the king with disrespect. this opened the door and even allowed me to teach the King of U and give him a Book of Mormon. He to this day is a very good friend of mine.
Tony Kent
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