Our Time in Vanuatu

  SUPER FULL MOON (26 May 2021)  Picture taken by grand-papa When a Full Moon takes place when the Moon is near its closest approach to Earth, it is called a Super Full Moon.  This is what we saw this week and it was beautiful to behold. "Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart;  And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man;" D&C 59: 18,20 My heart was also gladden and comforted this week by the scriptures and the testimonies of the missionaries. We worked all week to get the missionaries from Tonga (7) to return home as we learned there was going to be a flight from Vanuatu to Tonga.  We were excited to learn this as it would be such a blessing for them to have a direct flight (which does not happen very often anymore).  Three out of the seven are at their release date this week and the other four are scheduled for August.   Unfortunate

  Exciting news this week!  We now can visualize where the temple will be and what it will look like! The dream is getting a little more real for the good Saints of Vanuatu! This week was a good opportunity to say a last goodbye to the district presidents in Vanuatu as they came  at the mission home for a day of training.  We are going to miss these great brethren and the members.  It is wonderful to see what they have learned and the progress the districts have made.  We feel they are on the road to one day becoming stakes.   Life in Vanuatu I just took this picture of one of the guards.  This is Simil.  We will take pictures of the other guards before we go back home.  We love these men.   This picture was taken at 4:30 pm.  The sun is going down and it is now 24 degrees celcius.  We love this weather. The humidity is at 75% and there is a nice breeze blowing at 7 mph.  The sun will set at 5:19pm.  For the ni-vans this is cool.  As you can see, Simil is ready for his shift that will

  MIFALA LAVEM YUFALA TUMAS! This week I want to start the blog with the most important first.  We love you so much.  You are in our thoughts and prayers every day, every moment of every day! I have enjoyed studying D&C 50 this week. I could mention many verses but I will focus on three: "That which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness.  That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.  And I say it that you may know the truth, that you may chase darkness from among you;" verses 23-25 "Charity edifieth" 1 Cor 8:1  In the footnotes edify is build up, strengthen, establish, repair. I experienced both this week.  Events that brought darkness in my heart and other ones that brought light.  I could always choose to look for the light and not stay in the sad darkness.  Charity was always the answer because it edifies.  As you know charity

  This week will be a more visual blog.  We were told that the Pacific Area Travel will be working on our itinerary to return home.  We should know sometime in May what it is.  That news makes it more real and we are trying to internalize Vanuatu as much as we can.   The week started with a little lizard itching a ride on our windshield.  It was holding on for dear life.  Luckily we had to stop for gas before arriving at the mission office.  It quickly made its way on the roof of the car and when we stopped, it was already gone.  Whenever bugs or little critters travel inadvertently with us, I always wonder if they will try to get back where they started or make a new life for themselves wherever they end up ????😔 We started a Book of Mormon scripture chain with our missionary this week. I hope it will last for many weeks to come. We saw all the missionaries coming by the office because it was interview week.  We enjoy these times where we can talk with the missionaries.  Grand-papa t