Week 2 July 9-15, 2018
Olsem wanem evriwan? How are you everybody?
We met some wonderful people this week. Starting Monday, Diane met the cleaning lady that comes twice a week. Her name is Margaret and she is a life saver and her new best friend. We came back the previous Thursday pretty tired from our trips and planning to do the laundry. It was Margaret’s first time cleaning for us. (She was the cleaning lady for the previous mission president and wife). Diane got a text that Margaret was there to clean and since we were in New Caledonia, the guard let her in after we texted back for her to do whatever she used to do before. When we came back that evening, we saw our clothes hanging to dry and the house cleaned. What a relief for Diane to see that she did not have to do the laundry.
Benoit was not as lucky, he had to work on transfers. That was quite an adventure for him since he kept getting e-mails that one missionary was not coming because of visa not ready then two others for the same reasons. All the previously planned transfers were re-visited to accommodate the change. A couple of days later we got another e-mail informing us that those two were coming after all. 😬 That is a lot of “ back to the drawing board”. It is all part of the adventure.
So Diane met Margaret Monday and hugged her for doing the laundry and keeping the house clean. It’s a big house and she is happy she does not have to worry about that. Margaret said she would help Diane learn Bislama by speaking to her in Bislama very slowly and Diane tries to answer her in Bislama. Everytime Diane got it right Margaret would clap her hands and say “ i gud, i gud”😀.
On Monday, coming back home from the mission office, we confronted unwelcomed guests in the master bathroom (ants) with the big vacuum cleaner.🤪
Tuesday we met our missionaries on the island of Tanna and also the district leaders. Benoit interviewed 14 missionaries and Diane visited with them. Benoit also had some temple interviews with members to conduct. We were worried about one of the assistants, Elder Lamont, traveling with us because he was feeling more and more sick (stomach bug). We were all very happy to get him back home at the end of the day. The district of Tanna is growing. They have a dynamic district president. The leaders and some members were waiting for us with laies and the elders sang “Called to serve” as we arrived. There are no sister missionaries in Tanna. So we shook hands with the missionaries and we started our meeting with them. They sang as an opening hymn “ Ye Elders of Israel”. It was so powerful, Diane lost her voice for a minute and the Spirit filled our hearts. These young missionaries are awesome. They often have to walk 2 hours and more under extreme hot and humid weather to teach the gospel and the same distance back to their apartment. They travel on dirt roads and when it rains they walk in mud. The district president picked us up from the airport to bring us to the chapel. It was the bumpiest ride we have ever ridden. It was about a 15 minute ride and on a smooth road it would take less than 5 minutes. All in all a memorable trip to the Island of Tanna,in Vanuatu.
Wednesday we left for the Solomon Islands. One assistant was still weak from being sick the night before so we went solo ( without the assistants). In the Solomon Islands we have a senior missionary couple, the Fuimaono, that have been serving for almost 2 years. They are going back home to Samoa in 3 weeks. They have been such a blessing to the members and the missionaries over there. We are not only sad to see them leave but also a little worried because we do not have another couple replacing them. We pray the Lord will inspire another couple to come and help. With four districts to serve and over 150 missionaries to supervise, it is quite overwhelming. We need senior couples to come and help train and guide the members. Elder Fuimaono is also one of the mission counselors. Unfortunately there is no locals in the Solomon Islands that could take his place which would be ideal! Sister Fuimaono made us a wonderful lunch. We have two elders who have been trained to replace them in the office and when Diane asked one of them if he and his companion will prepare us a meal at our next zone conference, he just laughed. We took that as a no. 😁. Benoit interviewed 20 elders and I visited with them. We had a delicious carrot cake and ice cream as we concluded the interviews. Benoit met with the district president and the Fuimaonos and we were driven to our hotel with a view on the ocean. (Sea Coral Resort). Very nice. We were able to have breakfast at the hotel the next morning since we were being picked up at 10:00 am. We were able to speak to Melanie with Messenger video and wish her a happy birthday (the 12 th for us but the 11 th for her) and briefly say hi to Dylan and Coralie ( who showed us her new braces)👍 We were also happy to visit with Etienne, Melany and Leah also on Messenger video. Those two conversations were a real treat!!!! We then flew back to Port Vila. It was pretty chaotic at the airport. Many people were flying back home after a festival that had just concluded in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
View from our room at the Sea Coral Resort
To the right
We also visited two missionary apartments. We will just say that some improvement must happen as soon as possible. The missionaries put up with a lot more than we could ever.
Some sisters prepared for us the traditional lap lap sorsor, island cabbage salad, a delicious soup and rice. Lap lap sorsor is made of mashed bananas or yams or manioc or taro with meat or fish and coconut milk cooked in banana leaves on very hot rocks. When partaking of lap lap sorsor, placed on the ground, we sit around it, break pieces of the food, dip it in coconut milk and eat. It is a sign of unity and friendship and it tastes SO GOOD.
We also had a sweet experience as we were waiting for the plane to land and pick us up. The assistants were visiting with a family sitting in the shade of a tree and making the children laughed. A lady sitting next to Diane was also laughing at the story they were telling then she asked how old they were and were they were from. We motioned to the elders to come towards us and they started speaking in Bislama with her. They wanted to share the Book of Mormon with her so she could read in 3 Nephi chapter 11, the visit of Jesus Christ in the Americas after His resurrection. I don't know if she could read or not but she insisted that Elder Hable read for her right there and then. The plane was just landing. We were going to board very soon. So he read the first 15 verses. While he was reading, his companion, Elder LaMont showed her two pictures of Christ's visit to the Nephites. Since Diane was sitting next to her she could see from the corner of her eye that she was smiling and nodding. Then she noticed a man standing close by who was listening also. It was almost time to board the plane, and Elder Hable offered her to take the book. She said she could not accept such a gift then the man who had been listening immediately said that he wanted to take it. The elders gave him the Book with a pass along card with the phone number of the missionaries in Malekula. They were the last ones to board the plane but the lady did not. She might have been there waiting with someone who was going to get in the plane. We are not sure. We noticed the man was reading during our flight. Elder Hable told us that when he noticed the man listening he had a feeling he would ask for the Book of Mormon instead of the lady. It was a very sweet experience, listening to Elder Hable read in Bislama and feeling the Spirit as he did.
Malekula huge airport
Saturday was our p-day (preparation day) we did some shopping for food in preparation for the missionaries returning home this week and the new ones arriving. We will have a meal with the departing ones this Tuesday and the new comers on Thursday. We will let you know how our first transfer week has gone in the next blog. We spoke with Arianne and the boys with messenger video. It is always a treat to visit with the family and a boost.
Today Sunday, we have some planning to do, writing the weekly blog and we spoke with Mylene and her family and briefly with Audree and her family. Another treat!! We missed Halle though. Bisous Halle. We will go to bed early so we will have the strength for another busy week.👍
We still have so much to learn and we sometimes feel unsure but it will come and we are loving every moment.
Love you all.
We met some wonderful people this week. Starting Monday, Diane met the cleaning lady that comes twice a week. Her name is Margaret and she is a life saver and her new best friend. We came back the previous Thursday pretty tired from our trips and planning to do the laundry. It was Margaret’s first time cleaning for us. (She was the cleaning lady for the previous mission president and wife). Diane got a text that Margaret was there to clean and since we were in New Caledonia, the guard let her in after we texted back for her to do whatever she used to do before. When we came back that evening, we saw our clothes hanging to dry and the house cleaned. What a relief for Diane to see that she did not have to do the laundry.
Benoit was not as lucky, he had to work on transfers. That was quite an adventure for him since he kept getting e-mails that one missionary was not coming because of visa not ready then two others for the same reasons. All the previously planned transfers were re-visited to accommodate the change. A couple of days later we got another e-mail informing us that those two were coming after all. 😬 That is a lot of “ back to the drawing board”. It is all part of the adventure.
So Diane met Margaret Monday and hugged her for doing the laundry and keeping the house clean. It’s a big house and she is happy she does not have to worry about that. Margaret said she would help Diane learn Bislama by speaking to her in Bislama very slowly and Diane tries to answer her in Bislama. Everytime Diane got it right Margaret would clap her hands and say “ i gud, i gud”😀.
On Monday, coming back home from the mission office, we confronted unwelcomed guests in the master bathroom (ants) with the big vacuum cleaner.🤪
Tuesday we met our missionaries on the island of Tanna and also the district leaders. Benoit interviewed 14 missionaries and Diane visited with them. Benoit also had some temple interviews with members to conduct. We were worried about one of the assistants, Elder Lamont, traveling with us because he was feeling more and more sick (stomach bug). We were all very happy to get him back home at the end of the day. The district of Tanna is growing. They have a dynamic district president. The leaders and some members were waiting for us with laies and the elders sang “Called to serve” as we arrived. There are no sister missionaries in Tanna. So we shook hands with the missionaries and we started our meeting with them. They sang as an opening hymn “ Ye Elders of Israel”. It was so powerful, Diane lost her voice for a minute and the Spirit filled our hearts. These young missionaries are awesome. They often have to walk 2 hours and more under extreme hot and humid weather to teach the gospel and the same distance back to their apartment. They travel on dirt roads and when it rains they walk in mud. The district president picked us up from the airport to bring us to the chapel. It was the bumpiest ride we have ever ridden. It was about a 15 minute ride and on a smooth road it would take less than 5 minutes. All in all a memorable trip to the Island of Tanna,in Vanuatu.
Wednesday we left for the Solomon Islands. One assistant was still weak from being sick the night before so we went solo ( without the assistants). In the Solomon Islands we have a senior missionary couple, the Fuimaono, that have been serving for almost 2 years. They are going back home to Samoa in 3 weeks. They have been such a blessing to the members and the missionaries over there. We are not only sad to see them leave but also a little worried because we do not have another couple replacing them. We pray the Lord will inspire another couple to come and help. With four districts to serve and over 150 missionaries to supervise, it is quite overwhelming. We need senior couples to come and help train and guide the members. Elder Fuimaono is also one of the mission counselors. Unfortunately there is no locals in the Solomon Islands that could take his place which would be ideal! Sister Fuimaono made us a wonderful lunch. We have two elders who have been trained to replace them in the office and when Diane asked one of them if he and his companion will prepare us a meal at our next zone conference, he just laughed. We took that as a no. 😁. Benoit interviewed 20 elders and I visited with them. We had a delicious carrot cake and ice cream as we concluded the interviews. Benoit met with the district president and the Fuimaonos and we were driven to our hotel with a view on the ocean. (Sea Coral Resort). Very nice. We were able to have breakfast at the hotel the next morning since we were being picked up at 10:00 am. We were able to speak to Melanie with Messenger video and wish her a happy birthday (the 12 th for us but the 11 th for her) and briefly say hi to Dylan and Coralie ( who showed us her new braces)👍 We were also happy to visit with Etienne, Melany and Leah also on Messenger video. Those two conversations were a real treat!!!! We then flew back to Port Vila. It was pretty chaotic at the airport. Many people were flying back home after a festival that had just concluded in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
Many stalls along the roads
View from our room at the Sea Coral Resort
To the right
To the left
Friday, we flew to the beautiful island of Malekula, Vanuatu. We find on this island the largest plantation of coconut trees.
The assistants were with us again. It was Elder Hable’s birthday and he was very happy with the adventures we had that day. First we flew in a small plane (about 18 seats). It was a first for the assistants also. When we got there, the district president picked us up with his truck. The assistants had to ride in the cab of the truck. We got to visit the new district building that the Church built in a very nice location.
The assistants were with us again. It was Elder Hable’s birthday and he was very happy with the adventures we had that day. First we flew in a small plane (about 18 seats). It was a first for the assistants also. When we got there, the district president picked us up with his truck. The assistants had to ride in the cab of the truck. We got to visit the new district building that the Church built in a very nice location.
The district leaders of Malekula and the chapel in the background
We also visited two missionary apartments. We will just say that some improvement must happen as soon as possible. The missionaries put up with a lot more than we could ever.
Some sisters prepared for us the traditional lap lap sorsor, island cabbage salad, a delicious soup and rice. Lap lap sorsor is made of mashed bananas or yams or manioc or taro with meat or fish and coconut milk cooked in banana leaves on very hot rocks. When partaking of lap lap sorsor, placed on the ground, we sit around it, break pieces of the food, dip it in coconut milk and eat. It is a sign of unity and friendship and it tastes SO GOOD.
We also had a sweet experience as we were waiting for the plane to land and pick us up. The assistants were visiting with a family sitting in the shade of a tree and making the children laughed. A lady sitting next to Diane was also laughing at the story they were telling then she asked how old they were and were they were from. We motioned to the elders to come towards us and they started speaking in Bislama with her. They wanted to share the Book of Mormon with her so she could read in 3 Nephi chapter 11, the visit of Jesus Christ in the Americas after His resurrection. I don't know if she could read or not but she insisted that Elder Hable read for her right there and then. The plane was just landing. We were going to board very soon. So he read the first 15 verses. While he was reading, his companion, Elder LaMont showed her two pictures of Christ's visit to the Nephites. Since Diane was sitting next to her she could see from the corner of her eye that she was smiling and nodding. Then she noticed a man standing close by who was listening also. It was almost time to board the plane, and Elder Hable offered her to take the book. She said she could not accept such a gift then the man who had been listening immediately said that he wanted to take it. The elders gave him the Book with a pass along card with the phone number of the missionaries in Malekula. They were the last ones to board the plane but the lady did not. She might have been there waiting with someone who was going to get in the plane. We are not sure. We noticed the man was reading during our flight. Elder Hable told us that when he noticed the man listening he had a feeling he would ask for the Book of Mormon instead of the lady. It was a very sweet experience, listening to Elder Hable read in Bislama and feeling the Spirit as he did.
Malekula huge airport
Saturday was our p-day (preparation day) we did some shopping for food in preparation for the missionaries returning home this week and the new ones arriving. We will have a meal with the departing ones this Tuesday and the new comers on Thursday. We will let you know how our first transfer week has gone in the next blog. We spoke with Arianne and the boys with messenger video. It is always a treat to visit with the family and a boost.
Today Sunday, we have some planning to do, writing the weekly blog and we spoke with Mylene and her family and briefly with Audree and her family. Another treat!! We missed Halle though. Bisous Halle. We will go to bed early so we will have the strength for another busy week.👍
We still have so much to learn and we sometimes feel unsure but it will come and we are loving every moment.
Love you all.
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