The Last Entry

I am writing this from our home in Oakton, Virginia. We left New Caledonia on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 after a very full two weeks including lunch with all the missionaries, a zone conference followed by a farewell soiree, district conference and a final p-day. We are enjoying being with our family again but miss dear friends and missionaries with whom we served. The entire mission experience continues to be a blessing from a loving Heavenly Father far exceeding anything we could offer Him.

Before actually entering the final two weeks, we had a number of dinners with families in the District. Meals were 'en famille' with wonderful food and great company. We have come to know these good people, their challenges, disappointments and successes. So time with them was even more precious.



Shirley Ann Munikihaafata, named for Sister Mautz, was born Monday, February 14, 2011. Just days before our departure. She is a beautiful little girl with a full head of black hair. We visited her and her mother Wednesday morning.



Eight days before our departure, we enjoyed a final p-day including a last birthday cake. With more than a week ahead of us still. Time was slipping away. That Tuesday, we took all the zone out for lunch at a favorite pizza, burger/ steak place around the corner from our apartment. We had eaten there a number of times with missionaries after stolen back packs, to plan upcoming events etc. This time, we had the whole group. The owner always greeted Sister Mautz fondly and this time exclaimed, 'Oh, you brought all the kids.' After lunch we came upstairs for cake and ice cream and a final birthday cake. We should note how impressive our group of missionaries was to the local shop keepers whom we avhe come to know during our stay. Everybody recognizes the black name badge and knew who we and they were.
We are always grateful for the way they conduct themselves.





Friday brought both a last zone conference as well as a farewell soiree from the District. We particularly enjoyed the zone conference and then shared testimonies with the missionaries before departing.





Saturday as District Conference started, we also had a last baptism, the son of President and Sister Parau of the Noumea 2 branch.





The Farewell Soiree was in our honor and was larger than we could ever have anticipated. One member commented to us that we should understand how much we were loved. Some couples had left with nothing at all. Each branch shared a cultural tradition in music or dance. The final branch was Tontouta who brought a Tahitian band made up of members with them. They sang and danced and then presented us with traditional Vanuatuan clothing as well as a hand made bed spread.



District Conference and an evening youth fireside brought our member activity to its close. A wonderful spirit at the District Conference as we taught priesthood leaders about branch councils and then in the general session spoke to the theme of 'following the prophet.'



Our last p-day brought rain. We had much to do that day as we helped a Samoan elder who had come in from Vanuatu. He had 4 impacted wisdom teeth, and nobody in his part of the mission could help him with this dental problem. So our Mission President asked us to set up time with an oral surgeon in Noumea. That required panoramic x-rays that had to be taken early Monday morning preceding his pre-op visit with the surgeon that evening. In between, we finished packing, helped one last member with a BYU-H application. Joined p-day during a rainy day for a few minutes and then suddenly the day was passed.



And so we have traveled home via New Zealand with minimal discomfort to find all well in our home in Virginia. We were surprised to be met by dear friends at the airport. We have been officially released by our Stake President and have reported to the Seminary classes. On Sunday Shirley Ann Munikihaafata was blessed by a member of the branch presidency in her branch.

We are grateful.