2019 Week 3 ( 14-20 January)

When I think of this week, it is a mixture of happy and sad moments, of absolute beauty and some foolishness.  And mostly moments of feeling pure love then feeling more love.

First let me talk to you about the green oranges of Vanuatu.  I know I spoke about it in a previous blog but there is more...

The secret with green oranges is to make sure you ask the mamas before you buy them what they are.  In July and August they were mandarines.  In October they were lemons. And in January they are oranges but they taste like sweet grapefruits.  They all look alike, but the inside is very different depending on the season.  There is an object lesson in this.  I am sure papa/grand-papa will be able to use that someday.

The bounty of Avocadoes

 These pictures were all taken different days.  and I have been sharing them, cutting and freezing them, eating them and still it always look like I have the same amount.

It takes a long time for them to ripen.  They fell from the tree a little too soon.  February is the harvest month for avocadoes here.  I can't leave them in the sun because they burn.  If I leave them inside, it is not warm enough for them to ripen.  So the next best thing is to put them outside on the patio where it is warm and they are protected from the sun.  I expect  another week of sharing, cutting, freezing, eating avocadoes.  That is the happy moment.  The very sad one is the reason for the early falling from the tree.  The following pictures and the date they were taken explain it all.  The avocado tree died.

December 23, 2018                                                                         January 19, 2019

The absolute beauty we saw this week is this amazing rainbow.  It was a full half-circle.  I could not back up enough to capture the size.  And I could not capture the luminosity of it either.  As soon as I got back into the house it was gone.  Papa/grand-papa saw it first and I rushed outside to take some pictures.  I am posting only two here.  It would have been so easy to miss seeing it.  I am thankful I was able to admire its beauty.

                        The next day I saw this foolish sign driving behind the bus it was on.

We held our mission wide Mission Leadership Council.  It is the second one since we got here .  Because of great distances (three countries in our mission) no reliable internet on all islands, we cannot hold a mission wide MLC every month.  We do meet the leaders of each zones every time we have zone conferences.  These missionaries are wonderful and our heart fills with so much love for each and everyone of them.

This one is my favorite

Three teams of Sister Training Leaders, five companionships of Zone Leaders, the two Assistants and us, trying our best to be instruments in the hands of the Lord to guide the Vanuatu Port Vila Mission.  😁😁  

 I am amazed at all the love that is poured in our hearts for all the missionaries, with their strengths, challenges, personalities...  Everything, the whole package deal.  LOVE is THE ingredient.  I am understanding more and more the grandeur of charity.

"And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works."
Alma 7:24
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Mifala lavem yufala tumas