Sapwalap History, 1985-1990

In years past when the missionary couples helped run the branch, the wives of the branch presidents helped teach the women. One thing the sisters liked learning was how to make doughnuts. As Relief Society president, Sister Mario Nasson continued teaching the women how to do that.

Some of the women who have served in the branch were:

1. Dorkas Simon Ringlen: Relief Society president under Elders Grover and Bagley, Primary president under Elder Bagley
2. Elsida Henry: Relief Society president under President Mark Henry
3. Mario Nasson: Relief Society president under Presidents Albert Helgenberger and Samuel William
4. Rose Helgenberger: Primary president under President Helgenberger
5. Vasko William: Primary president under President William and Elder Bushman
6. Nelsiana Simon Kalio: Relief Society president under Elder Bushman

Sunday School teachers: Moses Simon, Albert Helgenberger

 
Seminary teachers:      Samuel William

Albert Helgenberger

Hewalt Alati

District Pioneer Day celebration, Sapwalap Branch, November 1987. Photo by Devan Jensen.

Alati and Helgenberger and Simon families and many others. Photo by Devan Jensen.

Sarina Saickul family and friends from Mand Branch at Pioneer Day celebration, Sapwalap Branch. Photo by Devan Jensen.

Playing games at the district celebration, Sapwalap, November 1987.

There has been one elder, Henry Henry, and one sister, Nelsiana Simon, who have served full-time missions for the church from Sapwalap.

Some of the events the members enjoy remembering were a Pioneer Day Celebration, a picnic to an outer island, and a young adult picnic that was held at Mand. All of the branches combined for these activities and they really had a good time. These were held during the time when D. Willard Paxman was district president in 1985 to 1986.

Two men were ordained elders 18 Feb. 1990: Etibel Ringlen and John Innowe. Brother Ringlen was set apart by district president Walder Simram and Brother Innowe was set apart by Branch President Bushman. President Simram called former branch president Samuel William to become a district counselor on that day also.

Naped Elias Tribute

First baptisms in Kolonia: Randy, Srue, Kate, Patsy, Alice, Naped Elias, Perden Samson (back), and Peterson Samson.  Photo by Chris Harrison.

From the missionary journal of Chris Harrison:

Our first contact with Naped Elias was the first week of February 1977. Elder Aldric Porter and myself were riding bikes through Sokehs Powe and from off the side of the road we saw a man waving us down with the Book of Mormon and several tracts in his hand. He introduced himself as Naped Elias. He said he had received the Book of Mormon from elders at BYU Hawaii as he went to school there in the summer of 1975. He said he wanted to pay us $.50 for the book of Mormon because the elders that gave it to him asked him to pay for it 1 1/2 years earlier. At this point we set a time to come back and meet with his family. On the second visit, it was a payday and he was very drunk. He begged forgiveness and asked that we pray for him. That was the last time in his life he drank alcohol!

On March 12, 1977, he, his wife Srue and his children, Patsy, Alice and Randy were among the first baptized near Palikar, Ponape. May 14, 1977, was Kate's eighth birthday. On this day his children Kate, Dusty, and a close friend, Asher Lucas, were baptized.

On August 14, 1977, Naped received the Melchizedek Priesthood and was set apart as Kolonia Ponape Branch President. On June 18, 1978, Naped and Srue traveled to Honolulu, Hawaii, and became the first Pohnpeians to be sealed in the temple.

In many ways he was like the first father of the church on Pohnpei. He led with conviction and by example. His family was so supportive. Nohno Srue was his angel that loved and supported in so many ways. She and the other early women of the church fed the missionaries so well and made many handicrafts to take home.

I remember when Naped built his outrigger canoe. He felt like it was one thing he had to do to prove he was a complete man to all the village. He and Perden Samson and Ehlen Edward along with others provided a solid foundation for the church to thrive in Pohnpei.

Kalangan, Naped. You are my eternal brother and friend.

Church History Overview, 1976–1982

The missionaries first arrived on Pohnpei, October 23, 1976. They came at the request of Ohren R. Ohry, a member that was baptized in Hawaii while attending college. The first missionaries were George L. Mortensen and Aldric L. Porter. A short time later two more arrived, Brian D. Tate and Chris Harrison. There have been missionaries on the island continuously since that date. 

The first baptisms occurred at Mand in which several members of the Ohry family were baptized on March 5, 1977, along with Seisero Solomon. A week later, on March 12, the Naped S. Elias family entered the waters of baptism along with Perden Samson in the Kolonia area. 

Elder Abraham Lincoln, Elder Heber Butler, Naped Elias. Photo by Heber Butler.

In June 1977, the Hawaiian missionary couple Abraham and Halloween Lincoln arrived, bringing the missionary strength to six (they served until September 1977). Soon two branches were organized with missionary branch presidents. In August the branches were organized with native leaders Naped Elias at Kolonia and Johnny Bridge at Mand. In May a small group began at Sapwalap, as a dependent of the Mand Branch. By December it became an independent branch.

The first branch was the Kolonia Branch, followed by the Mand Branch and later by the Sapwalap Branch. In 1978 a dependent branch was formed in Sekere, but it was later dissolved.

Near the end of 1980, a building project was started on the island by the church and Wallace B. Heap was in charge or the building projects. Brother Heap had previously served a full-time mission on Pohnpei. Three chapels were built between October 1980 and September 1981, the first at Sapwalap, second at Mand, and the last at Kolonia. The chapels at Sapwalap and Mand were rural-type chapels with a chapel, two classrooms, and a president and clerk’s office. The Kolonia Chapel was a multipurpose building with restrooms, kitchen, and library. The chapel portion could be divided into five separate classrooms, but there were no separate classrooms. There was also a baptismal font in Kolonia. This building could be added to as the branch grew.

In November 1980, Elder John S. DeLeon and Elder Stuart G. Strauss came to Pohnpei and teamed up with Elder Jeffrey K. Merrill, forming a threesome companionship. Ursel and Regina Rhodes were the only missionary couple on the island. Elder Rhodes was the branch president for the Kolonia Branch. These five missionaries spent Thanksgiving together just prior to the Rhodes’ departure for home.

On January 13, 1981, Robert W. and Irene Naef came in to replace the Rhodes. Elder Naef was the new branch president for the Kolonia Branch. With the Naefs came Elder Mark T. Durham.

In January 1982, a special baptism was held for a couple of people. This particular baptism required hiking, patience and devotion. Elders Strauss, DeLeon, Johnson, and Durham, along with the Grovers, hiked up a trail to hold the services. They were held in a thatched roof shack. The candidates for baptism were baptized in the river. In the background was a beautiful little waterfall. In this beautiful setting those in attendance experienced a great spirit of the Lord as it rested upon each of them.

Elder DeLeon began a weightlifting program. This proved very good as it brought some inactive members back into the fold. It also made new friends for the Church and developed good friendships with the youth of Mand area. Much good came from branch president Johnny Bridge’s love and devotion to the Church. Many faithful local members, too, contributed much to the growth of the Church there.