2019 Week 23 (3-10 June)
This is the view I have as I am writing you this week.
It was a beauti-full week! 😍
We left Wednesday for Solomon Islands.
When we got to the resort where we stay, the girl at the reception desk could not find our reservation. I showed her a copy of the reservation the travel elders had made. The manager came looked at the computer and pointed to something for the girl to look at. Then she proceeded to check us in. We were served the welcome limeade drink and she escorted us to our room.
Solomon Islands zone was the last zone in this series of zone conferences. We had not seen them since April 4th. They had been the first ones then and now the last ones because of the scheduled district conference so we could be there for both. I can see the wisdom in meeting with each zone about every 6 weeks. We all need that time to connect with each other and uplift and edify each
other. It keeps us very busy but Heavenly father is blessing us with the health and energy to do it.
During this zone conference we examined the fact that we work at establishing Zion when we become a member of the Church, whether on a mission our at home and how we can accomplish this important responsibility. We also discussed how to help the people the missionaries teach, the members and the branches we work with how to stay on the covenant pathway( like President Nelson is asking us to do) We also talked about what it means to endure to the end by being careful in all the little things. Someone mentioned that endure to the end should be enjoy to the end. I liked that. It also mean keep following the Savior.
We love being with the members. They are so loving and faithful. What a great example they are to us. The first Sacrament meeting was held in Honiara on February 1995. The first branch was organized on 4 February 1996. By 1998 there were almost a 100 members. There are now 5
branches and about 1240 members. 279 members were in attendance at the Honiara district conference. In both sessions of the conference (Saturday, Sunday) the youth sang. We were impressed by the youth. A lot of them are the only members of the Church in their family. They are faithful in coming to seminary. One young man is now serving on a mission from the district and 3 are now preparing to go serve. They shared their testimonies during the Sunday session. They are the hope of Israel and the choir of youth sang that hymn. It was great! The young woman leading the choir as been a member for one month. Her husband is not yet baptized but he has been coming to Church. She came with her sister who is a member to sing with her at an activity. She received the gospel lessons from the missionaries and got baptized soon after. She is now helping with the youth of her branch and she was so happy when asked to lead the choir. She said can we have a choir all the time and sing every Sunday. YES! Like President Uchtdorf mentioned in his last address at General Conference, she came to see, came to help and came to stay. It is beautiful to see her joy and her enthusiasm.
After conference Sunday, we came back to the little villa to rest and walk around admiring the beauties of nature. I rested but grand-papa kept working. He is always thinking and praying and working on organizing the missionary companionships. We have about 17 missionaries arriving the last week of July and about 3 are leaving to go back home because they are finished with their mission. That takes a lot of organizing and making sure we do it the Lord’s way. Grand-papa's tie kept hitting me in the face because of the wind, even when he tucked it in his shirt. It wasn't hard luckily.😎
Here are some pictures of the sunset we enjoyed last night. In a few hours, we will be on our way back to Port Vila for more adventures to the ends of the world... ( right Jacob?)
We love you all so much. We are always praying for you. We know that if you trust
in the Lord, He will calm your anxieties and fill you with peace and love. He is there to help us repent and develop Christlike attributes so we can live with Him, our Heavenly father and our family again. Yes, it is hard work but it is worth it.
and talk to Heavenly father!
It was a beauti-full week! 😍
We left Wednesday for Solomon Islands.
The only main street of Honiara. The computer picture I took to help us think positive with the internet in the Solomon Islands. It is often a challenge.
We had to take a picture of that guy carrying bags of rice (8 of them) on his shoulder, unloading the truck. We were stuck in traffic for a little bit and we saw him do this three times. Another guy was helping also. The truck was not empty when we left. Sister Sitake said she saw a lady one carrying a big bag of cement on her shoulder and walk about 200 meters with it. She said she had broad shoulders and probably used to hard labor. Keep in mind they are doing this in the blazing hot temperature of the Solomon Islands.
It was a full day with interviews and the Mission Leadership Council (MLC) meeting after. In that meeting, the mission president and his wife meet with the 2 zone leaders, the 2 assistants and joining us for that particular meeting was Elder Sitake who serves as first counselor to the mission president. His main responsibility is with the members of the district but he and his wife also helps the missionaries since we are so far. Before the meeting I spoke with the missionaries and then with Sister Sitake. She reported to me some disobedience issues and I was a bit down when I joined the others for MLC. But I learned a great lesson when grand-papa shared at the meeting that the missionaries shared their struggles with him at being obedient in some areas but they really wanted to be good missionaries. We need to concentrate on helping, encourage and uplift not at checking up and police them. I was not down anymore. I felt Heavenly father’s love for the missionaries. It is hard work here in the Solomon Islands. Missionaries get discouraged but as they unite together to encourage one another and with the Lord’s help they can overcome the difficulties. I hope they felt uplifted and encouraged during zone conference and district conference that was held this weekend also.
When we got to the resort where we stay, the girl at the reception desk could not find our reservation. I showed her a copy of the reservation the travel elders had made. The manager came looked at the computer and pointed to something for the girl to look at. Then she proceeded to check us in. We were served the welcome limeade drink and she escorted us to our room.
We were surprised to find out we were in a villa. There was a big group of people at the resort and I wonder if they needed our room so they upgraded us to a villa.
As you can see it is quite nice and we were soooo grateful for that blessing.
We found out that the hot tub was empty 😕. Oh well!
Solomon Islands zone was the last zone in this series of zone conferences. We had not seen them since April 4th. They had been the first ones then and now the last ones because of the scheduled district conference so we could be there for both. I can see the wisdom in meeting with each zone about every 6 weeks. We all need that time to connect with each other and uplift and edify each
other. It keeps us very busy but Heavenly father is blessing us with the health and energy to do it.
During this zone conference we examined the fact that we work at establishing Zion when we become a member of the Church, whether on a mission our at home and how we can accomplish this important responsibility. We also discussed how to help the people the missionaries teach, the members and the branches we work with how to stay on the covenant pathway( like President Nelson is asking us to do) We also talked about what it means to endure to the end by being careful in all the little things. Someone mentioned that endure to the end should be enjoy to the end. I liked that. It also mean keep following the Savior.
We love being with the members. They are so loving and faithful. What a great example they are to us. The first Sacrament meeting was held in Honiara on February 1995. The first branch was organized on 4 February 1996. By 1998 there were almost a 100 members. There are now 5
branches and about 1240 members. 279 members were in attendance at the Honiara district conference. In both sessions of the conference (Saturday, Sunday) the youth sang. We were impressed by the youth. A lot of them are the only members of the Church in their family. They are faithful in coming to seminary. One young man is now serving on a mission from the district and 3 are now preparing to go serve. They shared their testimonies during the Sunday session. They are the hope of Israel and the choir of youth sang that hymn. It was great! The young woman leading the choir as been a member for one month. Her husband is not yet baptized but he has been coming to Church. She came with her sister who is a member to sing with her at an activity. She received the gospel lessons from the missionaries and got baptized soon after. She is now helping with the youth of her branch and she was so happy when asked to lead the choir. She said can we have a choir all the time and sing every Sunday. YES! Like President Uchtdorf mentioned in his last address at General Conference, she came to see, came to help and came to stay. It is beautiful to see her joy and her enthusiasm.
After conference Sunday, we came back to the little villa to rest and walk around admiring the beauties of nature. I rested but grand-papa kept working. He is always thinking and praying and working on organizing the missionary companionships. We have about 17 missionaries arriving the last week of July and about 3 are leaving to go back home because they are finished with their mission. That takes a lot of organizing and making sure we do it the Lord’s way. Grand-papa's tie kept hitting me in the face because of the wind, even when he tucked it in his shirt. It wasn't hard luckily.😎
Here are some pictures of the sunset we enjoyed last night. In a few hours, we will be on our way back to Port Vila for more adventures to the ends of the world... ( right Jacob?)
We love you all so much. We are always praying for you. We know that if you trust
in the Lord, He will calm your anxieties and fill you with peace and love. He is there to help us repent and develop Christlike attributes so we can live with Him, our Heavenly father and our family again. Yes, it is hard work but it is worth it.
Mifala lavem yufala tumas
Don't forget to :
and talk to Heavenly father!
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