Two baptisms and a birthday

The week slipped away amidst lots of small tasks and efforts. And with much anticipation for the weekend.

Fridays bring for us a meeting with the zone leaders. During that meeting we discuss overall needs in the mission work in New Caledonia and any concerns for individual companionships as well as what we might do to help. We also discuss the overall status of the work. At our last meeting we discussed the status of each new convert during the last 12 months as well as what we might expect for the rest of the year. The number of active friends of the Church attending Sacrament Services and actively studying with the missionaries was almost double the number of baptisms thus far this year. Many of them were families and most had friends already members of the Church. I suggested they put together plans for each one. Our meeting was delightful.

The weekend brought two baptisms in two different places at the same time of day. Senior couples get stressed over such conflict. Nearby pictures show you both baptisms, One in Tontouta and one in Riviere Salee. The first, in Tontouta has been scheduled for some time. Marceline Boa’s young son was baptized just a few months ago shortly after our arrival. Due to the difficulties of tribal customs here, she and her ‘husband’ had never legally married. That was completed last month. He is a good man and attended the baptism. I had a chance to speak with him a couple times. I urged him to prepare himself so that the two of them could then be married forever in the Temple. He is getting himself ready. A few things in life to change. We parted good enough friends that he will invite me to his baptism. A good number of family members were also present.

Meanwhile in Riviere Salee another baptism was taking place. Again with a chapel full of members, friends of the Church and missionaries. This time the baptism was performed by Brigitte’s husband, so we were completing a family. She has been studying the church for some time. They too are looking forward to the Temple in a year. These good people, from different ethnic backgrounds grasp the same universal principles and eagerly anticipate full activity in the Church. Members are eager to welcome them. Home teachers are in place. We want to take good care of these new converts.

We watch the work with wonder. We also observe how faithful these young missionaries are. Two quick examples.

A young elder in Ducos has been thrust into leadership earlier than he might have felt prepared. Conducting his first district meeting with 7 other missionaries present, he has planned a discussion to train us, conducts the meeting entirely in French and suggests some ideas in response to questions that arise from the teaching going on in his district. He successfully navigates the language finding ways to express thoughts when he doesn’t always know exactly the vocabulary he might want to use. He arrived just after we did and is working hard. We are grateful for him.

In the Sunday class for those studying the Church another young elder is teaching a lesson about the importance of families. Among the concepts he teaches is that of families working together to care for their home. Discussion follows with questions about what to do if the children don’t want to work in the home. He sights his own family and how grateful he is for his own mother. At least, he notes, he knows how to clean his apartment, wash the clothes and iron his shirts. Perhaps the only remaining question was ‘Have you thanked your mother and told her you love her?’

The last event of the week was Sister Mautz’s birthday. With her permission, we note it was the 60^th. And we were in a French speaking country just like for mine! On Monday, the missionaries’ p-day, we had cake and a good group of them gathered to sing ‘Happy Birthday’. They are pictured nearby. No sound clip. It was all spontaneous. Birthday cards and all.

Much of our work is seeing what needs to be done and getting it done. Whether that is government visa issues or training local leaders or supporting missionary activities. We do what we do because the Lord has asked it of us. We love Him and our Heavenly Father. What more can we say?