2019 Week 51 (16-22 décembre)
The last week of the December Zone Conferences. We enjoyed being with the missionaries of the Efate, Tanna and Solomon Islands zones. We felt such a wonderful Christmas spirit with them. We were well fed. Our spirits and tummies were full. We had pork twice this week. BBQ pulled pork and pork cooked the Polynesian way! Quite the feast!
The highlight of the week was speaking with Jaden who turned eight years old on Monday. We wished him a happy birthday and it was a happy day for us to see him and talk to him. We wanted to give him a super duper hug but we have to wait a little longer before we can do that. You better watch out all our grandchildren. We are going to hug the stuffing out of you when we come back!!!
On Monday we also saw a beautiful rainbow coming back from meeting with the missionaries for interviews and Mission Leadership Council. The rainbow made me think of the covenant Heavenly Father made with Noah. This is what we read in the Bible Dictionary about the rainbow:
“ An outward token of God’s covenant with Noah (Gen. 9:13; see also Ezek. 1:28; Rev. 4:3; 10:1). The rainbow no doubt existed before the Flood, but with Noah the rainbow took on a new significance as the token of the covenant. JST Gen. 9:17–25 enlarges the terms of the covenant to include not only that the earth will never again be covered with a flood of water, but also that the Zion of Enoch will return and the Lord will come again to dwell on the earth.”
On the news this week we saw the terrible fires going on in Australia. Watching the blaze eat everything around it I thought of this scripture in D&C 86:7
“ Therefore, let the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest is fully ripe; then ye shall first gather out the wheat from among the tares, and after the gathering of the wheat, behold and lo, the tares are bound in bundles, and the field remaineth to be burned.”. It made me feel the urgency to share the gospel and gather Israel on both sides of the veil like our prophet is admonishing us to do.
In the Solomon Islands, the Sitakes, the senior couple serving there, added the shepherds with their sheep to the lovely nativity they built last year.
Grand-papa had the opportunity to go teach with the Elders on Friday. He traveled by bus like the missionaries do.
This is what washing day looks like in the Solomons.
I took a few pictures of around the church building. Right outside the gates of the property, you can see the little kiosks where people sell. They are there 24/7. At night, they are often intoxicated and play loud music. They should not be there but nothing is done by the authorities to change anything.
The beautiful Christmas tree in the Sitakes apartment.
On the road at one point we saw these cars all decorated with balloons. I do not know what they were celebrating! It was a very long line of cars.
Red bananas in the Solomon. They taste really good. Kind of like a banana and apple taste to it.
If you want to imagine Grand-papa in any down time, this is what you would see.😍. What is a down time for a mission president?.
We heard from one of our first assistant and he had a picture with him and Halle. His brother is in the same class. We also enjoyed pictures of these two sweet sisters, our granddaughters. Mifala lavem olgeta tumas.
This plant must be so excited for the nice Christmas decoration. I hope it grows leaves after the season when it’s time to remove the ornaments.
Coming back from the Solomon Islands people were coughing all around us. I hope breathing through my blouse will help me not to catch their colds.
I have been thinking of the Kermès the Persian syndrome lately. That is what I call it.
I was reading Jarom verses 11-12:
“Wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence; teaching the law of Moses, and the intent for which it was given; persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was. And after this manner did they teach them.
And it came to pass that by so doing they kept them from being destroyed upon the face of the land; for they did prick their hearts with the word, continually stirring them up unto repentance.”
I was thinking that our soul is composed of both our spirit and our body. When working out, we exercise both sides of our bodies to be well balanced. Not like Kermès the Persian. When we focus on only one side of our soul that is what we are doing. Feed the Spirit and neglect the body or concentrating on the body and forgetting the spirit. That is what I call the Kermès the Persian syndrome.
I love the promise the Lord makes when we obey the Word of Wisdom:
“ And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;
And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;
And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.
And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.” D&C 89: 18-21
A well-balanced soul.
The highlight of the week was speaking with Jaden who turned eight years old on Monday. We wished him a happy birthday and it was a happy day for us to see him and talk to him. We wanted to give him a super duper hug but we have to wait a little longer before we can do that. You better watch out all our grandchildren. We are going to hug the stuffing out of you when we come back!!!
On Monday we also saw a beautiful rainbow coming back from meeting with the missionaries for interviews and Mission Leadership Council. The rainbow made me think of the covenant Heavenly Father made with Noah. This is what we read in the Bible Dictionary about the rainbow:
“ An outward token of God’s covenant with Noah (Gen. 9:13; see also Ezek. 1:28; Rev. 4:3; 10:1). The rainbow no doubt existed before the Flood, but with Noah the rainbow took on a new significance as the token of the covenant. JST Gen. 9:17–25 enlarges the terms of the covenant to include not only that the earth will never again be covered with a flood of water, but also that the Zion of Enoch will return and the Lord will come again to dwell on the earth.”
On the news this week we saw the terrible fires going on in Australia. Watching the blaze eat everything around it I thought of this scripture in D&C 86:7
“ Therefore, let the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest is fully ripe; then ye shall first gather out the wheat from among the tares, and after the gathering of the wheat, behold and lo, the tares are bound in bundles, and the field remaineth to be burned.”. It made me feel the urgency to share the gospel and gather Israel on both sides of the veil like our prophet is admonishing us to do.
In the Solomon Islands, the Sitakes, the senior couple serving there, added the shepherds with their sheep to the lovely nativity they built last year.
Grand-papa had the opportunity to go teach with the Elders on Friday. He traveled by bus like the missionaries do.
I took a few pictures of around the church building. Right outside the gates of the property, you can see the little kiosks where people sell. They are there 24/7. At night, they are often intoxicated and play loud music. They should not be there but nothing is done by the authorities to change anything.
The beautiful Christmas tree in the Sitakes apartment.
On the road at one point we saw these cars all decorated with balloons. I do not know what they were celebrating! It was a very long line of cars.
Red bananas in the Solomon. They taste really good. Kind of like a banana and apple taste to it.
If you want to imagine Grand-papa in any down time, this is what you would see.😍. What is a down time for a mission president?.
We heard from one of our first assistant and he had a picture with him and Halle. His brother is in the same class. We also enjoyed pictures of these two sweet sisters, our granddaughters. Mifala lavem olgeta tumas.
I have been thinking of the Kermès the Persian syndrome lately. That is what I call it.
I was reading Jarom verses 11-12:
“Wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence; teaching the law of Moses, and the intent for which it was given; persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was. And after this manner did they teach them.
And it came to pass that by so doing they kept them from being destroyed upon the face of the land; for they did prick their hearts with the word, continually stirring them up unto repentance.”
I was thinking that our soul is composed of both our spirit and our body. When working out, we exercise both sides of our bodies to be well balanced. Not like Kermès the Persian. When we focus on only one side of our soul that is what we are doing. Feed the Spirit and neglect the body or concentrating on the body and forgetting the spirit. That is what I call the Kermès the Persian syndrome.
I love the promise the Lord makes when we obey the Word of Wisdom:
“ And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;
And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;
And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.
And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.” D&C 89: 18-21
A well-balanced soul.
Meri Krismas evriwan.
I also wanted to send you the
ReplyDelete12 Days of Christmas in the South
Twelve chickens frying
Eleven footballs flying
Ten porch swings swayin'
Nine preachers prayin'
Eight hunters hunting
Seven pickups honking
Six biscuits baking
Five mason jars!
Four fireflies
Three jugs o' sweet tea
And a blossom in a magnolia tree!
Merry Christmas, and a wonderful New Year!!
Debi Rouse