2021 Month 2:4 (21-28 February)

February 28, 2021

The best way to end a week, a month is to be with family. How we love you and miss you!

It was a week of growth and learning. Plans fell through. Problems kept coming up. And through it all the comforting Holy Ghost was there teaching and guiding.

We heard the voice of the Lord every day this week, one way or another, through family, comment on Facebook, studying with the missionaries, studying our scriptures and quiet inspirations coming as we were pondering and trying to find answers, that kept us going.

"Our Father in Heaven gives good things even His only begotten Son"

My prayers were answered and I saw the hand of the Lord even after our plans fell through.

We had just been to the airport and our sisters who were supposed to leave were not able to. We had made an appointment that morning with the sisters in Erakor to join them for part of their scripture study. I was disappointed with the event of the morning but I knew that I would find solace in our study with them.

As we were studying Preach my Gospel chapter two the importance of obtaining a spiritual knowledge brought me comfort: - to grow in the gospel, - to stay on the path, - to develop a habit of gospel study

that will bless us spiritually and help those we teach grow in their faith in the Savior.

It is our responsibility as parents to develop this habit. It does bless us personally and we can help our children come unto Christ as we stand by Him.

President Boyd K Packer shared a parable to help us understand the importance of the Atonement and of repentance. A young man who takes a loan to buy a farm. The date to repay is far in the future and so he works a little but goes with his friends to play and soon the day comes to pay the debt and he does not have the money. He will lose his farm and go to prison because that was the agreement he signed. His friend comes and pays the debt to the creditor and asks him if he will accept him as his creditor and how to make the payments. The young man is so thankful that he will not lose everything and go to prison that he gratefully accepts his friend's offer and the conditions.

The thought that came to my mind is that when we do not include the Savior in our repentance, it is like putting the money in a jar and not giving it to the creditor at all. We would not fulfill our obligation to the creditor. It is not a payment. So it is with repentance. Without the Savior it is just stopping a behavior. It is not changing our heart. Only the Savior can help us do that.

Friday, we had a training with Elder Nattress who is in the Pacific Area Presidency. He asked us to find and share a scripture in the Book of Mormon that had a fundamental impact on our testimony of Jesus Christ. I would like to share mine with you. These are the words of Jesus Christ when he spoke with the brother of Jared:

"Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters."

Ether 3:14

Life in Vanuatu

I have seen this sign many times. It is the name of one of the apartments where the senior missionaries used to live. But when I saw it this time, I heard from the past Mylene saying:" Ginger, ginger, ginger"😆

Outside some sister missionaries' house is a tree with carambola fruit also known as starfruit. They are now in season and part of their breakfast every day.

Look at this handsome fellow. The reason for the picture though are the lines on the ground. They used blue painter's tape for the lines in this parking lot.