Week 6 6-12 August 2018
Bonjour à tous!
Our brain is in French mode. We have been in New Caledonia since last Thursday and returning to Port Vila tomorrow night. See the beautiful view from our hotel room.
Before we left to go to Solomon Islands last week, I spoke with Alerd the daytime guard at the mission home about the boxes that were shipped from our home in Utah last May and seemed to be stuck at customs. He told me he knew someone who works with DHL, a courrier company in Vanuatu and would talk to him about it. So when we came back from the Solomon Islands, I asked Alerd if he had heard of anything concerning that matter. He told me the person was going to check it out the day before and that day. Then Benoit gets an e-mail from a brother David the next day, Wednesday, about our boxes that had been released and they should be delivered that afternoon. I told Alerd and we found out that brother David was his friend, a member of his ward. David told Alerd that it was a good thing he told him about our boxes. It would have taken several weeks before we could have received them. There is a backlog of work and he was able to expedite the process for us. I am telling you all these details for this reason: We had been worried about our stuff not being delivered for some time now. As we communicated with the moving company several times we would get different messages from them. Our things were at customs and it would take 3 days to release them. Then we were told our stuff was still in New Zealand, the freight invoice was missing, they were looking for our things, etc.. So I was worried and a little annoyed with all of it and I prayed to Heavenly Father that He would have to send an angel if we ever had hope to see our things this year if ever. Then Alerd came to my mind. It was a few days later that I was able to speak to him about it. Alerd knew the angel who could take care of it. Actually Alerd was also the angel who took all the boxes inside the house. We were at the airport welcoming a new missionary when the big wooden container was delivered to the mission home with the 10 boxes and 4 packages that were shipped. The company just dropped the container and left. 😳
I unpacked all of it that evening. I needed a coat that I had sent for our trip to New Caledonia the next day. Another desire of my heart that was granted. Heavenly Father is mindful of even the smallest things. I am so grateful!
What a great zone conference we had on Thursday. The couples serving in New Caledonia are wonderful and we appreciate their service so very much! The Jithames and the Hunters.
Friday was such a busy day for Benoit. After the excellent 2 hour presentation of brother Herewini Jones from New Zealand to the missionaries, and Benoit was doing the translation in French, it was time for the interviews of 34 missionaries, then another little meeting. We got back at the hotel at 7:30 pm, tired and thankful for a productive and inspiring day.
Saturday Benoit worked with a team of missionaries and I worked with two teams of sister missionaries. One in the morning and another one for about an hour in the afternoon. It felt like being a young missionary again but our legs reminded us that we were not 20 anymore!😆
We went on a little tour of the area with the Hunters after working with the missionaries. It is very beautiful and we will probably come here for a little vacation (incognito) at one point during our mission.
The taxi to cross over to " L'Ile des Canards"
It was great today to be in church and enjoying the meetings in French! The members are happy to have French speaking mission president and wife.
Another big event that happened this week is that 200 members from the Island of Ambae were relocated to the island of Santo because of volcano activity that left the island covered with ashes. 300 members had already been relocated previously. District conference for next weekend has been postponed to allow the incoming members to settle in with the help of their priesthood leaders. We will be in Santo next weekend to assess the needs of food and shelter and hold the last of this set of zone conferences.
It is so sad what has happened to this island. We can also see the great humanitarian help that is going on. We will show you more after our trip to Santo next weekend.
Au revoir de la Nouvelle Caledonie! Bisous a tous
Our brain is in French mode. We have been in New Caledonia since last Thursday and returning to Port Vila tomorrow night. See the beautiful view from our hotel room.
Before we left to go to Solomon Islands last week, I spoke with Alerd the daytime guard at the mission home about the boxes that were shipped from our home in Utah last May and seemed to be stuck at customs. He told me he knew someone who works with DHL, a courrier company in Vanuatu and would talk to him about it. So when we came back from the Solomon Islands, I asked Alerd if he had heard of anything concerning that matter. He told me the person was going to check it out the day before and that day. Then Benoit gets an e-mail from a brother David the next day, Wednesday, about our boxes that had been released and they should be delivered that afternoon. I told Alerd and we found out that brother David was his friend, a member of his ward. David told Alerd that it was a good thing he told him about our boxes. It would have taken several weeks before we could have received them. There is a backlog of work and he was able to expedite the process for us. I am telling you all these details for this reason: We had been worried about our stuff not being delivered for some time now. As we communicated with the moving company several times we would get different messages from them. Our things were at customs and it would take 3 days to release them. Then we were told our stuff was still in New Zealand, the freight invoice was missing, they were looking for our things, etc.. So I was worried and a little annoyed with all of it and I prayed to Heavenly Father that He would have to send an angel if we ever had hope to see our things this year if ever. Then Alerd came to my mind. It was a few days later that I was able to speak to him about it. Alerd knew the angel who could take care of it. Actually Alerd was also the angel who took all the boxes inside the house. We were at the airport welcoming a new missionary when the big wooden container was delivered to the mission home with the 10 boxes and 4 packages that were shipped. The company just dropped the container and left. 😳
I unpacked all of it that evening. I needed a coat that I had sent for our trip to New Caledonia the next day. Another desire of my heart that was granted. Heavenly Father is mindful of even the smallest things. I am so grateful!
What a great zone conference we had on Thursday. The couples serving in New Caledonia are wonderful and we appreciate their service so very much! The Jithames and the Hunters.
Friday was such a busy day for Benoit. After the excellent 2 hour presentation of brother Herewini Jones from New Zealand to the missionaries, and Benoit was doing the translation in French, it was time for the interviews of 34 missionaries, then another little meeting. We got back at the hotel at 7:30 pm, tired and thankful for a productive and inspiring day.
Saturday Benoit worked with a team of missionaries and I worked with two teams of sister missionaries. One in the morning and another one for about an hour in the afternoon. It felt like being a young missionary again but our legs reminded us that we were not 20 anymore!😆
We went on a little tour of the area with the Hunters after working with the missionaries. It is very beautiful and we will probably come here for a little vacation (incognito) at one point during our mission.
The taxi to cross over to " L'Ile des Canards"
It was great today to be in church and enjoying the meetings in French! The members are happy to have French speaking mission president and wife.
Another big event that happened this week is that 200 members from the Island of Ambae were relocated to the island of Santo because of volcano activity that left the island covered with ashes. 300 members had already been relocated previously. District conference for next weekend has been postponed to allow the incoming members to settle in with the help of their priesthood leaders. We will be in Santo next weekend to assess the needs of food and shelter and hold the last of this set of zone conferences.
Au revoir de la Nouvelle Caledonie! Bisous a tous
I always enjoy reading about your experiences every Sunday evening. It is great seeing your photos of the missionaries & the beautiful island scenery. In fact, we watched “The Other Side of Heaven” in your honor tonight! You’ll probably be able to write a memoir like Elder Groberg’s by the time you finish your 3 year mission. :) Keep up the good work! ~ JaeLeen
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