Growing and Serving in Chuuk: Four Latter-day Saint Young Adults Teach Kids on Weno 

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The Teachers 

For about 8 years, Kyle Ahlstrom had been contentedly working for Home Depot Corporate in Utah. “My life was a little stagnant, and I hadn’t grown at all,” he said. 

All that was about to change. 

He began socializing and getting out more —"Dipping my toe a little bit out of my comfort zone,” as Kyle puts it. At a young single adult activity, he met an energetic young teacher named Launi Brent.  They fell in love, eloped and at Launi’s behest departed immediately for a small island group in the Pacific called Chuuk.  

At this point, Kyle went from just dipping his toe out of his comfort zone, to full immersion. 

On August 16, 2024, Kyle and Launi arrived in Chuuk in Micronesia, a place that neither had previously heard of, having committed to teach together at Akoyikoyi School on Weno, Chuuk’s main island. Joining them was Launi’s good friend Jenna Watson from Payson, Arizona.  

Jenna Watson was attending BYU-Idaho and teaching art education when Launi recruited her to join them for a teaching adventure at the Akoyikoyi School. “It was totally uncharacteristic of me to commit to travel halfway around the world to live and teach on a distant island which I had never heard of,” explained Jenna, but she decided to consider the invitation. 

Of particular concern to Jenna, her brother James was about to return home after having served an extended military deployment in the Middle East. She had been looking forward to being there with the rest of her family to celebrate his safe homecoming. If she committed to teach at Akoyikoyi, she would miss this reunion.  

Jenna prayed for guidance on what she should do. When she spoke with James about the matter, he strongly encouraged her to go to Chuuk and take advantage of such a great opportunity. “Why not take a chance on something that’s going to be an amazing experience,” she decided, “and this will help me see if I truly enjoy teaching.” She then began making arrangements to meet her friends in Chuuk. 

Meanwhile, Chad Hall from Southern Utah, who 5 years previously had served as a young missionary on Chuuk, was feeling that his life was “stuck in the same place,” and was looking for an opportunity to grow. He had worked as an FSY counselor and was trying to figure out his next adventure.  

His former companion from the Micronesia/Guam Mission, Logan Thompson, reached out, asked if he missed his mission area, and suggested that he go back to teach at Akoyikoyi School. “I thought about it and was impressed that this would be the best place for me to go for my next growing experience,” Chad said.  

The Island and the Experience 

Two aspects of Chuuk stood out to the newly arrived teachers: The beauty of the island and the friendliness of the islanders. 

They enjoyed the beauty of the lush jungles, the fresh local produce, and a little swimming in the warm, tropical waters. “It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever been,” said Launi. “I was surprised by that.”  

But the friendliness of the Chuukese islanders perhaps made the biggest impression. 

Each school day the teachers travel down a narrow road that cuts through dense tropical vegetation to the school. Islanders greet them with smiles and friendly waves as they pass by. On Sundays they walk to the Mechitiw Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to gather and worship with local Church members. 

At Akoyikoyi, the students and parents are sincerely grateful for these enthusiastic, positive young teachers who are willing to leave the comforts of home and serve.  

“Utah is a friendly place, but here it’s a whole new level of friendliness, with everyone wanting to say hi to you and be your friend,” explained Launi, who teaches 7th grade. "The kids and parents bring us gifts, like earrings and skirts. They are very interested in us. They want to know all about how Kyle and I met. The students like to draw pictures of Kyle proposing to me. It is so easy to like the students and their parents!” 

During breaks, Launi plays guitar and sing songs with the students. Islanders love music and love to sing. She also teaches a music class at the school. 

Jenna, who teaches 3rd and 5th grade, describes how important it has been for her to make personal connections with her students. “I care about the students,” explained Jenna. “I let them know that I care about them, that I want them to succeed, and they trust me.” She notes that they are typical kids and can have normal classroom issues, but when you connect with them personally you create an environment where learning can happen. 

Jenna’s students reciprocate the compassion and love that she shows to them. “If I’m having a little bit of a down day, they sense it and try to make me feel better,” she explained. “Even a tiny cut will bring sympathy. They offer to do things for me all the time.”  

Kyle, who teaches 1st and 4th grade, learned a lesson about classroom management and island culture at the same time. He had decided that a consequence of failing to follow proper class procedures and rules would be staying after class to clean up the room, assuming this would be perceived as a negative consequence. 

To his surprise, it turned out the students saw cleaning the classroom as a positive and would fight over who got to clean up at the end of class.  

Kyle made adjustments to his classroom management plan. “Now cleaning up is a reward,” he explained. “The good students get to clean and use the broom and the mop.” 

Kyle also learned another striking difference between the Akoyikoyi students and students in the U.S.  

One day early in the semester at the end of one week, he taught them the acronym, TGIF (Thank goodness it’s Friday). The Chuukese students were confused . . . “Why would you be happy that it’s Friday?” they asked.  

While students in the States celebrate Fridays and the coming weekend with no school, Kyle found that his students were definitely not thankful it was Friday. They were sad to miss school and their teachers. “They would love to go to school every day if they could,” said Kyle. He was pleasantly surprised at this positive attitude displayed by his young students. 

 Chad says that his teaching experience at Akoyikoi has changed his whole outlook on kids in general. He has learned that when you show that you are invested in each of them, they respond positively – They become interested in being in school and learning.  

Chad is unique in that he has returned to a place and people that he grew to love as a young Latter-day Saint missionary several years before. The first time he came he was a young man living away from home for the first time and trying to learn a new language, a different culture, and how to avoid Chuuk’s aggressive dogs. “It made life a little hectic,” he explained with a smile.  

He has been happy to have the chance to return with his prior knowledge and experience and take the opportunity to relax and enjoy Chuuk more. “I’m learning that I can go and do things that seem a little crazy at first,” said Chad. “I’m learning that I can teach in front of a classroom.”  

Both Chad and Kyle expressed the personal growth they have experienced. “I’ve gained confidence that I can survive and even thrive out of my comfort zone,” said Kyle. Jenna says that she has learned to appreciate more the blessings she has enjoyed in her life, and strive to share those blessings with others. Launi is determined to travel the world with Kyle, teaching and serving people in new and different places.  

It goes without saying that all the teachers have grown spiritually as they have experienced a new country, culture, and climate. Their courage in being willing to leave their comfort zones and serve others has helped them to grow and prepare for a successful and meaningful life of service. 

The group recommends for others the opportunity to serve at Akoyikoyi. Anyone interested can find Akoyikoyi School’s contact information online. https://www.ship-hoops.org/