Sunday, February 23, 2014

Palon

Picked up Pres. Kelly and his wife on our way to Palon.  They had walked down to the sea ( 1-1/2 hours) in the dark the night before.   He had a friend that had some land on the beach and they slept on the ground until morning and started digging clams to take home to eat and filing empty burlap rice bags with sand to continue working on his house he is building.   Such planning, such self reliance.   











New Caledonia

Spent 5 days in New Caledonia.    Met the new canadian senior missionaries.   Stayed at Le Legon a couple nights near the beach and with the counselor in the stake presidency another couple nights.   Lovely family.   Completed all the audits.  Trained two new auditors. Attended church.   Had amazing food and a special experience getting to know the saints in New Caledonia.   

















Thursday, February 20, 2014

Anniversary in Port Vila at a nice French restaurant!

February 9.    Forgot to include this precious day in my blog.   Love you sweetheart!




Chief Leo

Chief Leo came from Pentecost again.   We had him for dinner and a first discussion with our zone leaders.   Great night!




Monday, February 17, 2014

Elder Joseph and his family

We met up with Elder Jackie Joseph at the Mission Office in Port Vila.  He looked so happy and well.   He was the one we had picked up at his home in Palon, Santo to take him to send him on his way to the MTC.    He wanted us to show the picture to his family so they could see him with his badge, his companion and his smile.



We took this photo and showed his family.   Mama and papa were happy to see it.   We took some banana cake and took a few pictures of his family for Jackie to see.   Yesterday we went to church in Etas, Vila and there was Jackie and his new companion so we were able to show him these  pictures of his family.    They all want copies now.   I need to get busy when we get back home to Santo.  





Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Tanovoli

Tanavoli has a bush chapel so we audited in his home.    They are hoping to go to the Fiji Temple in July so we can go with them on our way home....






I was given the only chair.   Pres. Hingai kept saying to Elder Williams,  "sori tumas, yu no gat jea,
 Elda Williams"



Saturday, February 8, 2014

Revisiting Tanna... February 2014

Did the audit of the Green Point Branch with Pres. Isaac.  Like our office?    We were in Lenekal at the missionaries house.  He had come from his village over an hour south of Lenekal with his backpack full of all his records.    


The Elders in Lenakal..



The Elders drove us up to White Sands......past Mt Yasar.   It was not as active as it had been in July when we visited it before.







The village of White Sands, very close to the chapel.  I got out and talked to the children and the women and walked up to the chapel with the Presidents wife.    



President Nipiko on the left had started walking from his village of Saetsiwi at 8:00am to be at this chapel at Whitesands by 10:00am.    Then because we had spent so much time in the Green point audit he had to wait for us until 1:00.   He said he started to walk home again and then just felt that he should turn around and come back....    They seem to hear the spirit more often that we do.   Perhaps it's because they live amongst Gods creations with  no distractions.   Peace and quiet.   They weren't angry at all that they had to wait.    His son is serving a mission on our island.    


President Isaac is a very young Branch President.    Just returned from his mission a couple years ago.
I will never forget how very happy and proud these men were when we were going over their  records.    They really had been listening to our training and they had receipts all organized with approval forms and everything tied in together almost perfectly.    These are men without much of an education and to see how much of an improvement they had made was amazing over the last several times we have met with them.    It made our mission worth it.   It was like a light of understanding had really happened.   They were true stewards.   



Our View Before Dinner!!!!!



Next day in the Village at Whitegrass.    President Naliwas and Jack.   There had been a death in the village and we rearranged our day so President Naliwas could go and talk to the people at the funeral.


Missionary's house in Whitegrass



Mary's house.   Mary served a mission and when she returned, her father built her a house.    This is custom as children get older.   It really has only a only a bedroom with a mat on the floor.  They all cook outside and the toilet is an outside bush toilet.    She is here with her siblings.   


We gave her an English proficiency test to go with her application to go to BYU Hawaii.   


A very beautiful tree right by the chapel



Friday, February 7, 2014

Zone Conference with amazing Missionaries






Tanna

Whitegrass, chapel
Their church in February 2013.    
They have 200 to 300 members attend!


Their Chapel in Whitegrass, Tanna,  NOW



Sacrament table,  they humbly kneel in the dirt


The NEW Chapel,  yet to be dedicated!!   Should be finished March 2014.  It will eventually be a District Center!    A miracle for this small, bush island!