2019 week 52 (23-29 Dec.)

We had a wonderful week, enjoying the company of the senior missionaries on Efate and taking a little break.  It was so nice to visit with our children with Messenger and my mom.  

Today we spoke with our birthday girl Skylar who is now three. Sweet, lovely girl!  We miss you.  How much we enjoyed hearing her bright laugh.  What a fun birthday she is going to have with her cousins as the children are getting together for a week in Myrtle Beach.  

Comme j"aimerais un Rapidotron pour Noel  (si seulement ca existait)

Christmas Eve we spent with the Senior Missionaries.  I made a pie and some fruit squares and they did the rest.  Great company and great food!

 They made those beautiful sugar cookies      and     I made this apple pie.

We were spoiled this year with the family calendar and other goodies from home.  The Sister Training Leaders of Efate made this tie for grand-papa and bought me this very interesting apron.  Look closer.

We woke up with these stockings under the tree and some beloved elves came to visit.

We received from Elder and Sister Anderson this card game that we have played with them.  Now we have our very own.  We played yesterday and grand-papa was so nice at dealing me with jokers that I won the game.  

This is the air conditioning at Church.                                           Eating our Christmas gift for lunch

I brought with me 4 books of the BYU Women's Conference to read during our mission.
 2000-2003.  I decided this week to randomly pick one to start reading.  And I started reading the 2003 one.  I believe it was not an accident that 1- I finally decided to start reading them and 2- that I picked that one.  I have been pondering these past two weeks about the timing of the Lord.
Last Sunday, the former district president Solomon Islands passed away after a very difficult year.  I think I mentioned before that he had diabetes and injured his foot at the beginning of this year by stepping bare footed on a snail.  This summer he was admitted to the hospital (which is very unsanitary) where it was decided he needed his toes amputated, then his foot then his leg and last month the week-end he was released as a district president the rest of his leg was amputated up to his thigh.  He passed away exactly one month later.  It was supposed to be the Sunday for his release but it was decided because of his health to advance to the prior month.
That same week-end we heard of our beloved President Axelson, stake President in Greenville South Carolina, who had suffered several strokes and the reason is still unknown.  A week later we hear that he has been transferred to hospice.  Both such loving and dedicated men.
We have been discussing the Scripture in D&C 122:9
"Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass.  Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever."
The scripture theme for the 2003 BYU Women's Conference is found in the Book of Mormon Omni 1:26  " And now, my beloved brethren (family), I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation and the power of his redemption.  Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end (keep following Christ); and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved."

The words of Sheri Dew in that same conference "We were born to build the Kingdom" resonated with me.
"None of us comes to this earth to gain our worth; we bring it with us.  We have a specific mission to perform in helping build up the kingdom of God.  And the more we come to really believe that, the more immune we become to the world's distractions.  We were sent now because some of the most trustworthy women (and men) would be needed in the final decisive battle for righteousness.  That is who we are and it is who we have always been.  May we have the courage to do what we were elected to do and what we agreed to do, so that every day, when we wake up, the Lord will say, "Terrific! They are awake again, ready to help me build my kingdom."

Our days are known.  We have a mission to perform.  That is why we came.  And when the time comes for us to return home, will we be found busy building the Kingdom here so we can continue on the other side of the veil without missing a beat.

Mifala lavem yufala tuuumas!