La Veille de Noel et Noel

The blessings of being a full time missionary were particularly abundant during the days surrounding Christmas. Gifts, good food, wonderful company with missionaries and members and a baptism Christmas Day.

At the open market on Wednesday as we did our shopping for the long-awaited watermelon (our Christmas gift to each other) the Likau family, who are fishermen across multiple generations, presented us with three large very fresh lobsters and 2 pounds of fresh crevettes. What to do?

Our Tahitian senior zone leader knew exactly how to proceed including securing several gallons of fresh seawater in which to cook them. Sister Mautz thought you just put them into boiling water and cook them until they stop crying (her words) but the process was even simpler. Done when they turn from brown to red. Cleaned the crevettes and froze it all for dinner on Friday. Pictures nearby will give you the flavor of the events.

Sister Mautz baked lots of cookies, 4 varieties, to make individually gift-tagged plates of cookies for each of the missionaries. Those gifts were assembled Thursday morning and gratefully received on Christmas morning with such exclamations as: 'This will probably be the only present I get this Christmas' or 'All for me?' There will definitely be more cookies.

Prior to our dinner appointment Christmas Eve, the combined District and missionary choir presented its second Christmas concert en pleine aire at a local community center in Mont Dore.

In French tradition, Christmas Eve, La Veille de Noel, is the big family gathering and dinner. Every missionary companionship was invited, so we accepted an invitation to dine with the Gayas who returned in July from presiding over the Madagascar Mission. Dinner was delicious and lasted 3 1/2 hours in true French tradition including salmon hor d'ouvres, foie gras with red cabbage, roast duck and a wondrous raspberry dessert enjoyed while watching the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and a presentation of the Nativity. We dined al fresca and poolside with a gentle sea breeze. So much for traditions of snow and fireside coziness. But for the absence of our own children and grandchildren, the setting was perfect. Lengthy dinners provide great conversation times as we learned of their conversion over 35 years ago and the significant contribution (our words, not theirs) over those many years in building and leading the Church in New Caledonia. Missionaries found them, or actually her mother, in going door-to-door. Within 6 months their family, his brother's family and the grandmother had all joined the Church thereby providing the base for the growth of the branch in Magenta.

Noel dawned warm and breezy. Technology provided the chance to talk 'face-to-face' with all of our children and grandchildren in the morning. They were each happy and safe and making great progress in their lives. We are grateful.

By the time we distributed the aforementioned cookies at the office and finished the conversations with the family, we almost missed our breakfast out on the beach with fresh squeezed orange juice, bacon and eggs, toast, hot chocolate and a very large croissant.

The baptism took place at 5p. Pako Kilama is a retired senior police officer. He has been studying with the missionaries for some time. We were delighted to spend part of the day observing the peace promised at the Savior's birth coming into Pako's life through faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ, repentance and baptism. What more could a missionary desire of his Heavenly Father than such a blessing?

Of our 24 missionaries, only three teams had no place to go for Christmas dinner. So we sat down to potato salad, pork chops, lobster and lightly sauteed-in-butter-and garlic crevettes. And the non-traditional dessert of watermelon. Shared experiences of the day and testimony. Went to bed grateful for our Savior, and happy to be serving Him in New Caledonia.

We send our love this holiday season to all and testify that Christ lives as a resurrected Being, the Savior and Redeemer of the world.

The days before Christmas

The weeks before Christmas blur across Seminary graduation, the missionaries' Christmas dinner and Soiree de Talent and Branch activities including a Relief Society Cultural evening. The combined District of Noumea and missionaries presented two Christmas musical soirees. And of course a few preparations for Noel including baking cookies.

Following the visit of President Callister, we settled into Christmas mode. Ten days later was the missionaries' Christmas dinner and talent night. These are for just the missionaries, but the members know how much fun they are and hope to find a way to attend. Our Mission President and his wife were expected, but a potential strike by the firemen at the airport made flights dicey for a few days. Although the strike was resolved before their scheduled arrival, their tickets had already been cancelled. But the show must go on.

Musical numbers, clog dancing, jokes, a rap presentation, native dancing by the sisters and then a war-like 'dance' from Tahiti from the Elders made the evening move right along. All in great taste. Pictures nearby will share some of the atmosphere.

Just after these festivities, three of our missionaries departed for home. Sister Richards from Virginia, Sister Carter from Utah and Elder Manarani from Tahiti. Tender departures. Sister Richards lives just a few minutes from us, so we hope to see her again. She hand carried needle work finished for grand child number 11 in the Mautz family.

The following weekend the Noumea 1 branch hosted a Relief Society Cultural evening focusing on several native cultures. Sisters in the branch representing these cultures arranged displays of fabrics and clothing, prepared food indigenous to the culture and then did dances from that culture. Included in the collection were African, Tahitian, Melanesian and Wallisian and Vanuatuan. Even the Elders' Quorum rose to the occasion to present a Wallisian war dance. We were particularly entranced by the children who sat on the floor in front to have a good seat. Every once in a while they had to be moved out of 'harm's' way. A delightful evening with variety of food and dancing. In one particular dance, we learned that a woman who had a blouse extending well down over the top of her skirt was a sign in the native culture of a hard-working, loved woman. You will notice in the pictures a particularly long, lavender over-blouse.

That Saturday, December 19, was the baptismal service for the Nicholl's family. They learned of the Church through the Bluckers whose son has now left to serve a mission in Hawaii. The extended family is likely to follow in the foot-steps of the family patriarch and matriarch. Brother Nicholls has lost a foot due to diabetes. A tender moment observed as two brethren helped him into the baptismal font and unhurriedly got him situated comfortably and just right. The broad smile following told the whole story. His wife and a grand daughter joined the Church with him.

The major Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter are great opportunities to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ through music. This year was no exception. The combined choir of missionaries and the District Choir comprise just over 50 voices. We presented a Christmas fireside to a full chapel and cultural hall of over 300 people. The music presented all fit into a narration of the birth of the Savior and his Atoning Sacrifice. Images of these sacred events were projected. We were delighted to have friends of our own from the apartment building where we live in attendance. Preparing the music takes several weeks of Sunday evening rehearsals giving ample time to contemplate the mortal life which commenced at Bethlehem and whose purpose was realized at Gethsemane and Calvary.

Before we knew it, the week of Christmas arrived. We were concerned that our missionaries were all cared for. But all worked out wonderfully.

Here are two clips from the talent show. The missionaries worked for weeks on P-day to get ready for the show.

What does a missionary want for Christmas (and other news)

So we find ourselves a few days before Christmas, 2009. In spite of music and the Town Christmas tree and decorations, the 90 degree temps can't fool us! And the missionary work continues apace.

On December 2 Noumea officially welcomed the season with a lighting ceremony at the Place des Cocotiers (Place of the palm trees) downtown. The music, including traditional carols, was provided by a small group of singers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The evening was balmy, who could resist. We were en plein aire for the evening with small children laughing and running everywhere blissfully safe without being guarded by their parents. The choir sang and the mayor spoke. We walked leisurely afterwards visiting with missionaries who had come with their 'amis de l'eglise and we visited with these amis. A lovely evening. We are grateful to have Christmas in the summer!

The children of Noumea are in summer vacation which started at the beginning of December. That includes Seminary graduation for the lycee attenders. Some attend early morning, others a weekday evening class. The evening was to have been presided over by the CES superviser from Vanuatu, but the airport strike complicated matters so that he could not come. Several of them spoke sharing testimonies and appreciation for their teachers. Tender moments. I enjoyed the opportunity to address a few remarks to the youth of the district. The evening included presentations of graduation certificates as well as certificates for all those participating. The District President and I shook hands with and congratulated each of them.

We have been helping one of our missionary teams teach a young woman. She is also something of a cook and very interested in learning to make new treats. Elder Huuti concluded that he could get more of Sister Mautz's chocolate no-bake cookies and teach his amie de l'eglise a new recipe. So one afternoon they arrived with ingredients and Sister Mautz conducted a cooking class. Julia Child would have been proud. The results weren't quite up to Sister Mautz's standard as the cook wanted to substitute brown for white sugar. But the elders certainly did not complain!

We attended our first branch Christmas party last night. We enjoy this branch for its unity led by a great, young branch president. The evening began in the chapel with some songs, the reading of the Christmas story from Luke and the Book of Mormon and the sharing of a wonderful experience from Madagascar told by the recently returned mission president who is a member of the branch. The talks developed around the Christmas star as a representation of the light of Christ that leads us all to welcome the Savior into our lives.

A poor, humble villager who worked long hours raising rice, met the missionaries in Madagascar. He could only come to Church on foot until he was blessed with a bicycle. Soon he would ride the 17 km to Church with one child, then return for another, then his wife. Sometimes as many as 5 precariously perched on the beloved bicycle. He joined the church. His family followed. His fellow villagers wondered what had happened to him as he no longer worked on the Sabbath. Soon they asked questions. He talked about his new faith and its blessing to his family and his life. Some of them wanted to come to Church. He was authorized to have a small service in his front yard 3 Sundays a month. Then the rainy season came and his small home couldn't accommodate the growing congregation. The church provided a small tent. They outgrew it. On the hillside a larger tent structure was erected over a plat carved out of the hillside and proudly bearing the name of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Directed by local leaders, our humble rice farmer, now the branch president. We were grateful to be there.

After this time together, we moved to the cultural hall for a feast of local dishes and gifts distributed to the children and each family by several wisemen who had somehow come into possession of Christmas stockings loaded with cookies, candy and a picture of the Savior. They bore a strange resemblance to the missionaries serving in the branch.

A final set of pictures shares views from our morning walks. Early now as it is pretty warm by 7a. Blue water, palm trees, nearby mountains but no snow.

And so what does a missionary want for Christmas. A package from home. The long awaited only twice-a-year phone call with the family. All wonderful. But best of all is the blessing of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and serving Heavenly Father's children in whatever way he or she can. And should one of these children of Heavenly Father accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ, how great is the joy of that missionary for the worth of a soul is great in the sight of God.