Friday, April 26, 2013

Tanna children walking to school

On our morning walk we encountered some darling and very friendly children walking to school. They love to have their picture taken and then I show it to them and they all giggle and smile. It is so fun.
Also on our walk in Tanna that morning we saw a poor cow with his rope all wound around a tree so that the only thing his mouth could reach was the bark on the tree. He was nibbling away at the bark and Elder Williams felt sorry for him so he unwound the rope so he could reach some grass to feed on. One happy cow!
We also found a sign posted above a group of cows, take a look. They use to be a top producer of beef in Tanna but lately hurds have been diminishing so they are trying anything! I find it interesting it is posted in English, not Bislama.







Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Human Tie Downs in Vanuatu!

We followed this truck carrying metal girders being held on by young human tied downs. You see this all over. We wondered what would happen as they turned the corner by the mission office fence...you guessed it.....







Friday, April 19, 2013

A good story..

We were at the little airport in Tanna and noticed a couple of men that had stayed at the same bungalows we did. The younger man started playing his ukulele and playing "hang down your head Tom Dooley". Well, of course Elder Williams sits right down and joins him in song! I snapped a picture. After looking at our badges he said. "We are both ministers. But I'm in a different ministry. I was the former Minister of Finance for Vanuatu." We talked for quite a while about what we were doing and about the politics of Vanuatu.
It was about a month later that we read that the current Prime Minister of Vanuatu resigning to avoid a vote of no confidence by the Parliament and our ukelele player was appointed by the opposition party who now controlled Parliament. So here is a picture of the new Prime Minister of Vanuatu and Elder Williams in their singular performance of "Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley"!

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

New Caledonia dedicated for missionary work in the 60's

We went to the place President Monson dedicated it and who did we run into but the previous District President of New Calidonia and other missionaries from New Zealand.
Somewhere in this picture, just beyond the green is a spot that has been purchased for a temple some day. Amazing place for a temple. Well isn't any place an amazing place for a temple!






Friday, April 12, 2013

Nouvelle Caledonie

First settled about 2000 years ago by the people of the isles of the sea, they brought their Melanesian culture. Later in the 1800s Napoleon took possession of it and their was great mining of copper, nickel and cobalt. It was later used as a convict settlement by the French and the prison still remains today but it has been turned into a large and quite excellent University. The Americans also had a presence here during the war.

There is one couple serving here, the Syphus's from Utah . She was born and raised in Paris and he served a French mission in Tahiti. They are about to go home in a couple months. A stake was just formed here about a year ago, so compared to other parts of our mission it is very strong but still not like home. We had a meeting with the stake President as well as the Stake clerk and auditor. So we did do work while we're were here.....as well as a little sightseeing directed by the other senior couple.

I have been having problems with my shoulder and I spent a part of 3 days here seeing various medical people and getting a diagnosis, getting tests and having some therapy. All is well, it is some pulled muscles, and frozen shoulder. So it will be a long, slow recovery.....but no surgery!!
We will come back to this lovely place in a few months and at that time I will get more directed therapy.











Food of New Caledonia!

Ok, with New Caledonia being French we have had a true culinary experience feeding ourselves here. Seafood (tuna, parrott fish, deer meat, lobsters, shrimps, etc) kebabs, quiche, breads and PASTRIES! Take a look....
The weight I lost traveling to the outer islands of Vanuatu seem to be finding its way back!



































Thursday, April 11, 2013

Flying Fox!

Finally met a flying fox in New Caledonia! I was so afraid to see what they looked like because they eat them all the time in vanuatu and all I could envision were the Halloween bats I had grown up being afraid of. When we actually saw I changed my mind and think they are to cute to eat! You decide!





New Caledonia....!

A whole new world! They have great roads, any kind of store you would want, a newly formed stake, and they speak French!
We were met by Elder and Sister Syphus at the airport and they helped us with appointments and showed around this beautiful country.









Wednesday, April 10, 2013

The market in Port Vila. Great place for veggies, fruits and other strange things....

They sell all kinds of snacks.....fish laplap ready to eat... Yuck! The ladies sit there all day with their fans trying to keep the flies off...

Ok, here is some amazing food we had at a recent District Conference with the young elders. You can tell by the quantity it was great!