Bird Island and The Grotto

We visited Bird Island and the Grotto on a recent P Day. Bird Island offers a magnificent view of the ocean reef below as you gaze out toward Bird Island.

The Grotto is supposed to be the deepest grotto in the world as the ocean sweeps underneath the rocks and forms a beautiful and natural swimming hole. It is a haven for scuba divers and snorkling folks from all over the world. The steep, narrow stairway leading down to the grotto is very slippery and treacherous but Mom was very brave.

Suicide and Bonzai Cliffs

Nov. 28, 2011

Today Mom and I went to Bonzai and Suicide Cliffs,The Grotto and Bird Island. These sites are about a 30 minute drive from our apartment.
In June of 1944 a major and decisive battle took place on this island of Saipan. Over 40,000 soldiers and civilians lost their lives in the battle to control this small Pacific island. The Japanese had control of these islands after WWI and moved many people here to colonize the islands and produce sugar cane and other commodities for the Japanese Empire. Saipan was controlled by Japan and the local Chamorro people worked for the Japanese and were treated well by them. After Pearl Harbor in Dec. 1941 the Americans had to regroup and try to push the Japanese west through the Pacific Islands and back to Japan. These battles to control these islands were some of the most ferocious battles in the history of warfare. Major battles took place in such islands as Iwo Jima, Wake Island, Midway, Leyte, Guadacanal and many more. Much American blood was shed and many lives were lost. Saipan was the last major island as a defense to prevent American marines and soldiers from invading Japan. It also had an airstrip which was necessary for the U.S. in order to send aircraft toward Japan.  The Enola Gay bomber that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima actually departed from the neighboring island of Tinian.

In June, 1944 American troops landed on the beaches of Saipan and pushed the Japanese troops to the northern most part of the island.  Many of the Japanese civilians retreated with them. They found themselves caught between the Americans and the waters of the Pacific. The Japanese had a code of honor which required them to loose their lives rather than surrender. Japanese propaganda also warned the civilians that the Americans were evil and would commit great atrocities against them if they were captured. Thousands of Japanese soldiers and civilians took their own lives rather than be captured. They did so by jumping off Suicide cliffs from frightening heights to the ground below or from  Bonzai cliffs into the beautiful blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. Children and infants were often in the arms of the mothers. The sight has become a place of reverence and solace for visiting Japanese who have erected memorials at the sight. It was a moving and  spiritual visit.

Service Project on Thanksgiving Day

Our District Leader Elder Early and his companion Elder Allred were trying to walk to an appointment in a neighborhood called Gualo Rai.  They were on middle road which is a very busy road and the sidewalk was completely grown over by the jungle.  With machete's and hedge clippers and coconut brooms we answered the call of our District Leader and cleaned this long sidewalk.  Everyone driving by saw a sight of young and old missionaries making Saipan more beautiful and useful.  We worked for two hours in a satisfying yet sweatifying project.  We plan to do more work like this and become a recgonized force for good in the neighborhoods; in white shirts and ties or in shorts and t shirts.

Thanksgiving 2011

Here we are in our apartment getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner.  The pictures are deceiving,  I didn't do all the work to get ready and Dad didn't do all the eating.  We both did lots of work and eating. 

Our apartment felt like home when we celebrated Thanksgiving dinner there with the missionaries that we have learned to love.  Sisters Vano and Ika are on the chairs.  Above Sister Ika in l to r order is Elder Allred, Elder Jones, Sister Jones, Elder Cook, Elder Early and Elder Butler in on the floor.  Brother Dolon, our wonderful ward mission leader is taking the picture.  He also surprised us this morning with a turkey already prepared which cut the work in at least half.  The other missionaries brought pies, salads and drinks. 
After eating and visiting we played UNO, then we laughed and visited some more. 

Since we had worked SO HARD at a service project this morning and some of the missionaries had eaten more than one Thanksgiving dinner we were glad to hear reports the following day that all had survived. 

Finasisu Inside and Out

Interesting accomodations at Finasisu Terrace Apartments. Most of the tennants are Filipinos.   Alot of very nice people including a wonderful couple who live exactly across the parking lot from.  They are Lito and Cherry Labana and four children, Li, Eli, Kelli, Keliv.  Lito (or Brother Lito - the Church members here often use "brother" or "sister" and then the first name) is 2nd Counselor in the our ward Bishopric.   One evening two of the little children came to our apt with their Dad; they remined us of Eliza and Cohen being about their ages.  They touched everything in our place and so I finally sat them down and read them some of the books Eliza sent along with us while Dad visted with their dad.  It is so nice to be near them, they have helped me (mom) especially in the adjustment here. 
It took some effort, time and money to furnish the apartment as it had no basic necessities.  We image it will be the apartment for Senior couples for years to come.  It does have filtered water, nightime security and excellent maintenance people. Anxious to see our electric bill projected to be around $300.00 per month.  Have tried to improve it and make it homey. I think the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright would categorize it as "early american adequate".  (says Dad)

Tennis in Saipan

 

There are only three public courts in Saipan and they are at the American Memorial. An inactive young adult named John Sario wanted to play and we play on Friday mornings. Good way to blend mission and tennis interests.

Clouds and Sunsets

Clouds and sunsets are marvelous to behold on this island. Seems like every time we turn around we see beautiful vistas of the sun or the sky. Diana and I are amazed at the beauty of the island skies.  We saw a brilliant double rainbow one morning, and we didn't have the camera.  We can remember it, but are looking for more rainbows in the sky.  Here's a partial one:

The Church

This the Church in Saipan. There are no addresses in Saipan so we refer to it as the Church next to McDonalds.

Morning Walks

In the mornings we go walking either on the beach or around the lagoon near the American War Memorial. We walk for 40 minutes and spend the time memorizing our scriptures from our scripture mastery lists. Diana also loves to add to her growing collection of sea shells which now dominate our apartment decor. We often dodge the raindrops but see some beautiful sights of Saipan.

American War Memorial

Saipan has a very important role in the history of World War II. After Pearl Harbor was attacked and devasted in December of 1941 the Japanese controlled all of the Pacific from China to Hawaii.  The U.S. gradually pushed west into the Pacific in an attempt to remove the Japanese from some of the islands they controlled. These islands were critical to the U.S. because they had landing fields that were necessary as bases that were needed to lodge war against the Japanese. Many of these islands became famous because of the bloody battles that were waged. Iwo Jima, Midway, Wake Island have become lasting resting places for many American soldiers. Saipan was one of these strategic islands. It was the westernmost island on the way to Japan. If the Americans could gain control of Saipan they would have a back door into Japan. In June of 1944 American troops and naval ships attacked the Japanese army on the western beaches of Saipan. Over 30,000 Japanese  lost their lives in these ferocious battles in Saipan. Many Japanese soldiers and civilians with children were pushed into the northern part of the islands and rather than surrender to the Americans they jumped off of steep cliffs into the waters of the Pacific. These cliffs are now named Bonzai and Suicide Cliffs. An American Memorial was built in Saipan to pay tribute to the heroic efforts of the U.S. soldiers and marines in defending our freedoms. If not for their efforts we could all be speaking Japanese.

Teaching and eating at Valenzuela's

Here are Dad and I going with the sisters for new member lessons to the Valenzuela's home in a village near the ocean called Dan Dan. Sister Valenzuela had invited us to plan to have dinner when we came. They are the most lovely and wonderful people.  
Dad is teaching Brother V. about the preisthood because he is soon to receive it.

Halloween

Halloween party at the Church. This ends October pictures! More late!!

Jungle people

Some people in the jungle!

  First one of course is Dad and I, the second one is Sister Bernie Ferjeren in her own private jungle. From these trees and bushes she makes "wmaremares" which she made for us when we arrived her. She makes leis and many other things. She and her husband are some of the neatest people we've ever met. They may be poor, but I'm not sure they think about that as they serve everyone and share all they have. We have met in the day time and at night by lanterns at their home with the Sisters who are laboring patiently with "Brother" Ferjeren to help him overcome word of wisdom problems. He wants to be baptized so badly, and we all pray for that day.  There we have been fed the delicasies I've spoken of, fried bananas and spam, and original coconut pudding.  Sister has fed the missionaries in her home since 2006 when she was baptized every time they visit her.  We have been blessed by her hospitality.

Scenery and Sisters

Heading north on an early morning walk on a walkway built by the American government for Saipan. This walkway goes for miles along the beach. Most of the time we walk down on the sand. Sister Jones is in a taro patch with Sister Tennant. We had been visiting a woman at her home  in the village of Kagman.

Baptisms

Here we are, after a month here, we may have made a break through in publishing on the post. I will try to upload pictures at 2 baptisms that happened the first week we were here. And if they show up, we will write about them.

The first picture is of some happy ward members and the Sister missionaries gathered around Lou and Able Valenzuala. They were radiant and so happy to be baptized. The next day, Elder Cook, the zone leader worried that Lou's name had not been correct in his baptism. Prayerfully, the missionary came to the newly baptized and said, "I feel we need to do this again." So we had a second baptism for this good brother that very night. We will never forget the fervor of the Elders in filling up the font, with buckets and hoses as the tap trickled it's water into the font. Then in a private baptism Lou was baptized a second time. The Spirit was strong and we all bore testimonies to each other. The second picture is of Perry's baptism night. The picture is blurry, but it was a bright night! This man is poor, his family away in the Philipines. But he smiles always and we all love him. He is in a striped t-shirt, but he has been given a white shirt, and a new tie.

Lush greenery of Saipan

Here we are trying again........The words come, but not the pictures. Wait, here is a picture I think.....it is taken at a golf course we drove by days and days ago. We were surprised to see some land that was manicured and orderly, but no one was in sight. This is a land of lush green beauty.

Japanese bunker on beach

Here is a picture of a Japanese bunker on the beach....left over from World War II. We enjoy walks along the beach every morning. We see blue sky, clouds, rainbows, sea shells and one old bunker. Glad we aren't here for the war! We are glad to be here for Missionary work, it is great and we'll post more about that soon we hope.