Since the last blog-zone conference and more

While we have been in New Caledonia these last few days, much has happened.  We have now attended three sacrament meetings having attended two in one day the first Sunday after our arrival and our first Fast Sunday just days ago.  We have learned how to go to the post office in the center of Noumea, how to add time on our cell phone, where to buy bus tickets and where to go to get permission to stay in New Caledonia for more than three months.  (After waiting all that time for a visa, we learned it was only good for three months and that if we didn't visit the police before a week we could be out on our ear).  Our mission President and his wife were here this past weekend for Zone Conference which we will write about later in the blog.  We took them to the airport this morning.  

We are loving our mission here.  Not sure if we mentioned that Carl has been called to be President Ostler's counselor so he is learning his duties here.  This will help the members and the mission president since he only comes every six weeks and since Carl can take care of temple recommends, setting apart and releasing missionaries from NC, it will free up time with the missionaries for the President.

We love the missionaries.  Great young men and women.  We are losing three of our sister missionaries this month.  One left with her parents this morning and the other two leave on the 18th.  We will miss them.  

I am going to let Carl finish the blog now.  He wants to tell you about the Zone leaders and Zone Conference.  I loved zone conference.  Elder Winget interpreted for me so I was able to understand the whole thing.  I really appreciated his service because I would have missed great training.  

Four Zone leaders teach and oversee the missionaries here in New Caledonia as part of the Fiji Suva Mission. These leaders are missionaries themselves who are quite experienced. They have already served over half of their missions so we will send them home in a few months. Among their responsibilities are to see to the safety of all the missionaries, assure that the teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ by the missionaries is complete so that new members understand their covenants with their Heavenly Father, interviewing all who wish to become part of the Church here. They keep in contact at least daily by phone with each missionary team, exchange partners with the various teams regularly to train the missionaries and to help them with language and teaching techniques and to plan and conduct zone conferences when the Mission President comes every 6 weeks. We note that they have also spent quite a bit of time with us the first few days we were here helping us find our way around, teaching us all the things that we need to be doing with apartments, cars, incoming mail and supplies. They are delightful young men whose faith in their Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ burn brightly in their countenances.

Elder Aiho (pronounced I-sho) and Elder Amundsen are the senior zone leaders. Elder Aiho comes from Tahiti. His mother is a members as are a little brother and sister quite a bit younger. His plans after his mission are to become an accountant. You can imagine we have a few things to talk about! Elder Aiho is a great teacher and leads by example working hard. He recently had the privilege of helping an estranged son return to his family and be baptized. We admire his gentle yet powerful manner. Elder Amundsen is from Sandy, Utah. Played football in high school and come from strong family. He recently saw some great progress in speaking French s he taught a lesson at zone conference. These two have had our responsibilities since our predecessors left 9 months ago.

 

Elder Johnston and Elder Huuti both come from Tahiti. Elder Johnston's father is currently serving as a bishop in the Church there and his next younger sister has just been called to serve in the Temple Square Mission. He and Elder Aiho both finish in October. 

Elder Huuti is the only member in his family. He left behind a budding opportunity as a member of a company-sponsored rowing team to serve. He is a great teacher and leader. And you don't want to be on the other side of a volley ball net from him. 

We have just finished our first zone conference. President and Sister Ostler arrived Saturday morning and stayed for 5 days. We together attended a branch north of here. A delightful Fast and Testimony Service, Sunday School taught by an young elder in very credible French and then I left Sister Mautz and Sister Ostler without translators in Relief Society. They emerged proudly having shared their testimony (Shirley) and a spiritual thought in French. (Correction, Sister Ostler had her spiritual thought interpreted into French).

We enjoyed a meal en pleine aire after meetings before sending the Ostlers back to Noumea while we proceeded to the airport to receive a new missionary whose visa took longer than ours and who arrived from Chicago via LA and Auckland all in 36 hours.

Monday the President interviewed all of the missionaries in preparation for teaching them the next day. Tuesday we met together for a day of teaching and study led in part by our Mission President and his wife and in part by the Zone leaders who were well prepared. 

I sat in on one of these. Elders Johnston and Huuti compared medical doctors to the spiritual doctors that the missionaries are. To develop the theme they compared how one identifies a medical doctor and reminded the missionaries that they too must be identifiable by how they dress and act as well as by their badges! That discussion then moved into the healing that comes from faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and obeying his commandments in prayer, scripture study, and obedience which bring peace, hope, and joy. The tools of a spiritual doctor.

But the best part was watching these young missionaries interact with Sister Mautz, who is adopting them all as fast as she can. And they love having a warm embrace for the sisters and a great handshake for the Elders.. We feel their gratitude that we are here.

We also celebrated President Ostler's birthday with a surprise cake since it was that very day.

A most delightful, edifying experience for all of us.  Sorry for the length but we hope you will enjoy reading about our adventure.