Week 10 (3-9 September 2018)

I am writing today lying down on a bed in a bungalow (hut) on the island of Malekula. 

 It is Saturday night and we are relaxing at the sound of waves right next to the bungalow.  A French speaking lady rents these bungalows ( about 4 of them). for 5000 vatu a night ( $50 USD) breakfast included.  

This rock in the water next to our bungalow looked like a crocodile

I was really glad it was only a rock →😀

She also serves dinner for 1000 vatu per person ($10 USD).  We just came back from eating a wonderful meal.   She is a good cook.  We had a meat stir fry with white rice, manioc fries, a cucumber salad and laplap (mashed banana, pumpkin and coconut milk). She asked us if we would like “ des crevettes de rivière ( river shrimp) for tomorrow.  🙂

 Fried Yam

Salad

So we are here in Malekula for a district conference.  Because the members have to travel a long distance, conference is held on Sunday with two sessions.  First the general session from 9:30 to 11:30 then leadership session from 12:30 to 2:30.  I just found out that I am the only one doing the training for the sister leaders.  I think I will divide them in 3 groups and I will teach them how to counsel together to prepare training in their different auxiliary.  I had prepared something but I did not think I had two hours to fill.  It will all work out.  I am not worried.  I will let you know how it went at the end of this week’s blog.
It is interesting how the weather can be so different from one island to the other.  It was very hot and humid in the Solomon Islands this week ( 31C 90F), it was about 5 degrees less when we came back to Port Vila and now in Malekula it is 22C or 72F but it feels cooler.  I should have brought a coat or sweater.  Even in the Solomon Islands where it was so hot, it gets cooler at night which is a nice relief for sleeping.
I always feel so grateful for our family and this week family was a sweet balm .  Thank goodness for  technology.  A nice talk here, a few pictures and a video with a song on Nixplay, some funny comments from our grandchildren that our children share on messenger and  singing a grandson’s song for his second birthday all these and many more small and simple connections with their prayers for us are precious and very much appreciated.  Thank you, it makes a big difference because it brings joy in any circumstances.  Nous vous aimons au boute de toute.
Back from district conference, I am amazed at the dedication of theses faithful saints.  Almost everyone was sitting reverently in their seat an hour and a half before the meeting started.  Many travel by bus, and when I say bus I mean pick up truck.  Most of them crammed in the back as you can see in the picture.  And some will ride this way on very bumpy roads for one to two hours before they get to their village.  I had prepared my talk in Bislama and the members really appreciated my efforts.  Some here speak French so it is nice to converse with them.  One sister told me that my Bislama was clear and slow that the older members were able to understand me very clearly.  Slow is the only speed I can communicate right now.  It made me smiled because their district president  speaks so fast even by their standard.  When it came the time for the training, the sisters where expecting me to do it in Bislama.  I managed to say it would be to slow and even that small part needed to be translated, keeping me humble.  Maybe next district conference in 6 months I will be able to do the training also in Bislama.

I have been reading in Gospel Library under the topic Church History the Volume Saints which is a narrative of Church History.  I am really enjoying it.  This week I was touched by this scripture in Doctrine & Covenants 42:61
" If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things--that which bringeth life eternal"
I have experienced first hand that we need to ask with a desire to do and we will receive.
Mi save Papa God I bin helpem mi fulap laef blo mi.

Have a great week,

Love y'all