The day after their departure, one of the grand members of the district passed away. And we learned about new customs and funerals. She was 70, the mother of 8. Affectionately known as 'Mame Coco' by missionaries, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well as all the members of the church. We also learned about some of the local history of the church that we hadn't come across before.
Mame was something of an icon, almost a legend. She was the first convert in New Caledonia, having married a Church member from French Polynesia, the island of Tubai. (Tahiti is also part of French Polynesia, just another island.) She joined the church at some peril as her family ostracized her for many years. This was long before there were chapels or much of anything here.
Legendary also, was her devotion to her family and the missionaries. Among her 8 children, 4 live here. One daughter is the Relief Society President in Riviere Salee, Another son is the former District President, and yet another is on the high council now, the youngest. Two children are in Tahiti unable to get here in time and two others in France. Of course, there were a number of grandchildren and great grandchildren. To the youngest of them, they all knew her and wanted to talk about her. She was known to be quite direct when one of them appeared to stray. A firm invitation to come to Church and dinner afterwards at her house were always forthcoming in such circumstances.
One of our current missionaries confessed that on Sundays, he had but to stand at the exit to the parking lot with a forlorn look while rubbing his stomach to be invited for Sunday dinner. Which he mastered!
One other amusing anecdote was her cell phone which was never turned off and rang at any time, particularly during church meetings. Our Tahitian missionary/narrator noted that he always smiled at this, because it was always somebody in need, usually a family member. And then she would be off to retrieve somebody, give them a ride to Church or other.
The observances for a death are two-staged. A wake in the evening and then a service the next day. But the wake is itself a full-blown service with hymns, prayers and talks. Usually shorter than the service the following day. The main event being for the wake is passing by the coffin to pay respect. The newest feature to me was the frequent touching of the body with strokes to the hair, squeezing a hand, pat on the cheek or a kiss good-by by everybody who was there.
However, the feelings present as well as the response to remarks were identical to what I would have expected in the US. Temple covenants and knowledge of the Plan of Happiness, including the resurrection, are the foundation for hope and joy in our lives for anybody who follows the Savior, anyplace in the world.
Zone Conference followed immediately along with the long-awaited arrival of Elder Harry from Vanuatu.
We had a great few days with our mission president and his wife who were at the beginning of a 2-week trip of zone conferences here and in Vanuatu. We had not seen them since the beginning of December, before the holidays. Lots to talk about and plans to make for upcoming changes.
Elder Harry's long-awaited arrival proved to us that we cannot predict the French visa approval system. I had inquired only two days prior and was told there was no information. And then he arrived. Apparently the heavier than usual winter in Europe is making things a little tough. Elder Harry speaks, as his native tongue, bislama (pronounced 'bish-lama), with some English and some French. We are happy to welcome. In addition we have two local youth serving 2-3 week mini-missions. Immanuel Blucker, the younger brother of Elder Blucker now serving in Hawaii and the second, a recent convert, Sister Tiale.
On a more agrarian note, we are now at the end of a great local fruit season. The mangoes are just finishing. This sweet, juicy fruit grows on trees the size of a large apple tree. The fruit itself is larger than a pear and very tasty. The Tahitian missionaries know how to climb up after them as well as how to slice them around the single, large seed at the center to enjoy the golden fruit. The last of them is being gathered in the following pictures that are taken just outside our office door.
Just before the mangoes were lechis. A strawberry sized fruit growing again in trees in clumps. The tough, prickly skin gives way to a juicy fruit about the size of an eyeball and the same color. But very tasty. You just have to be prepared to get a little messy. We will continue to enjoy the papayas, bananas, pineapple and coconut just about year round, we are told.
In conclusion, Sister Mautz continues her cookie-baking classes. this time with some members who enjoy the results of her efforts enough to want to try themselves. Sister Kartotaroeno's family invites us regularly for family home evening. Their 3 young sons have adopted us. We understand the results of these efforts were quickly consumed while their mother was at work. The whole neighborhood enjoyed them.
She is also assisting the sister missionaries with an English class each week. The three children are the daughters and the nephew of a Vietnamese woman who runs a little store just down the road from the office. The children politely introduced themselves in English giving their names and ages. Each week they copy in their notebooks the things from the blackboard they learned that day so they can study and be quizzed the following week It is apparent the following week that they did. The children love singing "I am a Child of God" at the end of the class. Since learning a new language is ever present in her life she enjoys watching these children take on a similar challenge.
The weeks slip away as we are busy helping the missionaries and members. We are grateful to be here.
