White Christmas

Birthdays, baptism and the Savior's birth. Where better to celebrate than New Caledonia.

The Monday before Christmas was birthday celebration for Elder Olsen. Traditional cake and 'singing' from the whole zone.



Then the Christmas holiday arrived. Like France, New Caledonia's major celebration is Christmas Eve. Families are together and invite friends in for a relaxed evening of eating. We joined the Fichter family this year, from the Riviere Salee Branche. Sister Fichter is quite a cook. We were invited to prepare a home evening of scriptures of the birth of the Savior accompanied with Christmas carols. Dinner included salmon and foie gras canapes, 'fruits de la mer' including fresh spiny lobster (langouste) moules and crevettes. Then crab farci and pork. All capped with buche de Noel. the evening after a very hot 90+ day cooled nicely with a gentle breeze making the evening unexpectedly delightful. Would such a moment occur again in our lives? Stayed out too late.



Christmas Day dawned early as we drove an hour north to Tontouta for the first of two baptisms that day. The new member, Andrew, is the 9-year-old son of members coming back into activity. He was baptised by his grandfather Parau who is the patriarch of a large family here. His uncle is the president of the Noumea 2 branch and his cousin Stuart, also 9 years old, shared a tender testimony of his own baptism during Andrew's baptismal service. This family's return will be a great blessing to the Tontouta branch. And never again will we complain about a Christmas day baptism.




On the way home we stopped at Georgi and Rachel Guidi's home for lunch. We had our first experience with frogs' legs. Not much really, but the garlic and olive oil you put on them makes it really good. A delightful visit before we slipped away to the second baptism of the day in Magenta.



Sister Taga met the missionaries in September and is now reading the Book of Mormon for the 3rd time. Her husband, from Vanuatu is becoming interested himself.  Sister Temaina, who is also the branch Primary President. has become a good friend.




Since much of the holiday festivities here occur on Christmas Eve, the missionaries got together Christmas evening for a dinner they cooked themselves by assignment and then had a game night. Great fun with spaghetti and brownies for dinner and then a game created for the occasion by the Ducos sisters. The game was laid out on the floor and each team advanced square by square by finding clues hidden outdoors and then performing the assigned task in the clue. Pictures nearby will give you the flavor. Lots of laughing. And not much time to pine for home! The Paita sisters, Hurst and Baxter, won the event. One of the zone leaders noted,'I hate to lose but my companion won't let me cheat.' Life is hard! Floors were mopped clean before we left and sidewalks outside swept. They are learning delegation.




In the midst of all of this, our own travel plans home have arrived. Our time is getting shorter than we can really imagine. Like those who have gone before, we are both excited to see our family and unable to imagine not being with our friends here. We don't entertain these thoughts often.

And so continues this wonderful experience with great young missionaries, strong members and leaders. Heavenly Father desires each of his children to have the opportunity to hear His word. How blessed we feel to play a small part in all of this great work.