2020 Semaine 2 (6-12 janvier)

It was a busy preparation week :

Monday I worked to prepare a final list of all the missionaries who will need either a booster or both vaccines for the measles.  Since November there is an outbreak of Measles in certain areas of the Pacific.  It has not come to Vanuatu yet but we need to make sure all missionaries were vaccinated before they came on their mission.  I have narrowed down about 11 missionaries in Vanuatu need a booster and 4 cannot find any dates when they might have been vaccinated.  This coming week I have to coordinate with the insurance company how we are going to do this.  I have asked the sister serving in Solomon Islands to make sure the missionaries serving there receive their booster.

This is very comforting to me to know the Lord is watching over his missionaries.
Tuesday I went to the dentist for the yearly exam and cleaning., and Wednesday I took care of a yearly tax report.

 Thursday our Sister Jones had to go home to hopefully find some relief for her back pains.  She was serving in New Caledonia and doing a great job.  We are very sad to see her go but we could not let her push herself to do missionary work in all that pain.  If all goes well, she could even resume her missionary service in a timely manner.  We are not sure if she will come back to our mission but anywhere she can go, she will be such a blessing.

 Friday we had the office meeting before transfer week.  I am amazed at all the good work the hosting elders and sister Carlson in charge of flights accomplish so that all goes … well semi-smoothly.  It is not from lack of preparation, it is always last minute changes ( missionary coming last minute, another not coming last minute, flights cancelled, flights delayed, missionaries missing their flights etc.)  It is a good thing they are very well prepared, they go over these road blocks with amazing grace and know how ( even if they are the first ones to be amazed on how it all came together).  That is the blessing of being prepared.  The Lord guides us to iron out the kinks.
What a treat to work with the young and senior missionaries in the office.  We love them all so much.

It has been pretty wet these past three days and that is what the forecast looks like for the next week.  It sure looks like the rainy season which is good.  We hope  Australia will get some too.

 I wish I could capture on a picture how very hard it rains sometimes.  We can barely hear ourselves think when it happens.

Today, we went to Church at the Port Vila Numbawan Ward.

They have been meeting in this one room building waiting for the nice Church building that should have been completed last fall.  I asked the bishop today, when the date of the dedication of their new building will be.  I had heard through the grapevines (our bishop who is also the FM) that it would be in January.  Bishop Abraham answered that the building was not complete yet.  I asked what needed to be done still and he answered that he wasn't sure something about waiting for the grass to grow a bit more.  His answer surprised me and I started laughing even though I was not sure if he was joking or was serious.  Grand-papa talked to him also and he told him that some painting needed to be done still.  So I assume he was joking when he talked about the grass.  😆

It is quite interesting to do the classes when we are all in the same room.

Primary                                                                                                                  Priesthood

 Relief Society.  I was sitting at the back, between Primary and Relief Society.  I could not hear very well, plus it was in Bislama, but I was touched by two things:
1.  When the sister read the very first verse of 1 Nephi: " I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents," I thought: I could write that about my parents.  I have been working so my children could write this about me.  I pray for our children that our grandchildren will write this about their parents and that our grandchildren's children will write this about their parents also etc...

2. A sister gave a personal experience and the only thing I heard was "grandchild (bubu) and him telling her I know this is true."  Her joy was full!  and my thought was on a scripture 3 John 1:4
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."  My joy will be full as I hear my grandchildren, each one of them, telling me "I know it's true"
I want to tell each of them:"  I know for myself, more and more everyday, this is the Church of Jesus Christ.  It was restored so we can prepare for His second coming.  He will come back.  He has shown us the way to find joy now (amidst the hardships here) and eternal joy with our Heavenly Father, His Son and our family.  The Book of Mormon  is the word of God and these "words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." 2 Nephi 32:3

As we were studying 1 Nephi 8-10 today, grand-papa and me, I read in the lesson of Come, Follow Me :
Improving our teaching __ How do the scriptures apply to our lives?
After reading a passage of scripture, invite family members to share how the passage applies to them.  For instance, when your family members read 1 Nephi 8:33, they might talk about how to give no heed to those who "point the finger of scorn"
I invite you to discuss this with your families.😘

 We were sitting behind this brother.  We often see members without any shoes.  Even the bishop, I noticed had no shoes today.  We do not realize how much we have until we see others who have so little.  They do have what is most important:  The gospel and each other.
I also liked the shoes on this little one.  Children are so adorable!

We received this picture today.  A shout out to Etienne!  His wife posted  "He is a keeper"  We all agree.  These three daughters of our Heavenly Father are blessed to have such a choice son of God in their life.  And vice versa.

Mifala lavem yufala tuuuuumas!