Baptism, birthdays and a new Branch President

We start our second year in New Caledonia recording a baptism, celebrating the birthdays of 3 of our missionaries and welcoming a new branch president in the Tontouta branch.

Integrating new members into the the branches here commands as much effort as does finding those who are ready to hear the Master's voice. Sometimes one falls way to be found some time later. Such is the case with Emilienne Bealo. When she found the Church again she brought with her her granddaughter Romanella a nine-year-old Primary child already surrounded with friends from her Primary class in the Mont Dore Branch. For her baptism she and this class sang together 'When I am baptized.' She shared a sweet tender testimony of happiness and peace found in her new membership in the Church. She was baptized by Brother Tama, formerly of the Elders' Quorum Presidency and now a counselor in the Branch Presidency. A delightful Saturday evening.

The next morning in the Tontouta branch Adolph Bearune was sustained as the new branch president. The branch has recently grown, now double to 120 attending Sacrament Services from only 6 months ago. The chapel accommodates about 80 people, so the rest sit in chairs outside with the windows all wide open so that the meeting is 'en pleine aire' for everybody inside and out. A great spirit with wonderful enthusiasm singing the hymns of Zion. Just released President Bondonneau attributes the increased size not to anything he has done as the Branch President but to the great efforts of the branch leaders.

President Bearune is a returned missionary and father of a young family. He joins a growing group of young Church leaders here who have been blessed to have grown up in the Church. His father is the branch president in Mare. His wife, also a returned missionary, will be a great support as he cares for the needs of this growing branch.

Monday brought P-day. At our Mission President's request, the missionaries here only get together every other week now. This allows for the Districts to be together in smaller groups on the alternate Mondays. However, we had 3 birthdays to celebrate this week. Everybody gathered for some sports, lots of catching up, washing the mission cars and cakes to celebrate. Birthdays were Sister Leavitt and Elder Payne on the 17th and Elder Wilcox the 27th. One of the unique parts of this component of the Fiji-Suva Mission is the camaraderie between the missionaries who very much enjoy getting together in a relaxed setting from time to time.

And so we start our second year in New Caledonia. Looking back at wonderful experiences, we also look forward knowing that in the coming weeks we will say farewell to yet more missionaries with whom we have served during this first year. The group of missionaries has been relatively stable over these last 12 months, but great changes are on the way. Five new missionaries arrive in just a week as we send four home. And another 3 leave in just a few weeks after that. By the end of August half of the Elders will have been here less than 8 months. A similar change among the sisters will occur before the end of the calendar year. We are grateful to have served with these faithful servants of Heavenly Father and look forward to helping those are to arrive.