La Veille de Noel et Noel

The blessings of being a full time missionary were particularly abundant during the days surrounding Christmas. Gifts, good food, wonderful company with missionaries and members and a baptism Christmas Day.

At the open market on Wednesday as we did our shopping for the long-awaited watermelon (our Christmas gift to each other) the Likau family, who are fishermen across multiple generations, presented us with three large very fresh lobsters and 2 pounds of fresh crevettes. What to do?

Our Tahitian senior zone leader knew exactly how to proceed including securing several gallons of fresh seawater in which to cook them. Sister Mautz thought you just put them into boiling water and cook them until they stop crying (her words) but the process was even simpler. Done when they turn from brown to red. Cleaned the crevettes and froze it all for dinner on Friday. Pictures nearby will give you the flavor of the events.

Sister Mautz baked lots of cookies, 4 varieties, to make individually gift-tagged plates of cookies for each of the missionaries. Those gifts were assembled Thursday morning and gratefully received on Christmas morning with such exclamations as: 'This will probably be the only present I get this Christmas' or 'All for me?' There will definitely be more cookies.

Prior to our dinner appointment Christmas Eve, the combined District and missionary choir presented its second Christmas concert en pleine aire at a local community center in Mont Dore.

In French tradition, Christmas Eve, La Veille de Noel, is the big family gathering and dinner. Every missionary companionship was invited, so we accepted an invitation to dine with the Gayas who returned in July from presiding over the Madagascar Mission. Dinner was delicious and lasted 3 1/2 hours in true French tradition including salmon hor d'ouvres, foie gras with red cabbage, roast duck and a wondrous raspberry dessert enjoyed while watching the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and a presentation of the Nativity. We dined al fresca and poolside with a gentle sea breeze. So much for traditions of snow and fireside coziness. But for the absence of our own children and grandchildren, the setting was perfect. Lengthy dinners provide great conversation times as we learned of their conversion over 35 years ago and the significant contribution (our words, not theirs) over those many years in building and leading the Church in New Caledonia. Missionaries found them, or actually her mother, in going door-to-door. Within 6 months their family, his brother's family and the grandmother had all joined the Church thereby providing the base for the growth of the branch in Magenta.

Noel dawned warm and breezy. Technology provided the chance to talk 'face-to-face' with all of our children and grandchildren in the morning. They were each happy and safe and making great progress in their lives. We are grateful.

By the time we distributed the aforementioned cookies at the office and finished the conversations with the family, we almost missed our breakfast out on the beach with fresh squeezed orange juice, bacon and eggs, toast, hot chocolate and a very large croissant.

The baptism took place at 5p. Pako Kilama is a retired senior police officer. He has been studying with the missionaries for some time. We were delighted to spend part of the day observing the peace promised at the Savior's birth coming into Pako's life through faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ, repentance and baptism. What more could a missionary desire of his Heavenly Father than such a blessing?

Of our 24 missionaries, only three teams had no place to go for Christmas dinner. So we sat down to potato salad, pork chops, lobster and lightly sauteed-in-butter-and garlic crevettes. And the non-traditional dessert of watermelon. Shared experiences of the day and testimony. Went to bed grateful for our Savior, and happy to be serving Him in New Caledonia.

We send our love this holiday season to all and testify that Christ lives as a resurrected Being, the Savior and Redeemer of the world.

The days before Christmas

The weeks before Christmas blur across Seminary graduation, the missionaries' Christmas dinner and Soiree de Talent and Branch activities including a Relief Society Cultural evening. The combined District of Noumea and missionaries presented two Christmas musical soirees. And of course a few preparations for Noel including baking cookies.

Following the visit of President Callister, we settled into Christmas mode. Ten days later was the missionaries' Christmas dinner and talent night. These are for just the missionaries, but the members know how much fun they are and hope to find a way to attend. Our Mission President and his wife were expected, but a potential strike by the firemen at the airport made flights dicey for a few days. Although the strike was resolved before their scheduled arrival, their tickets had already been cancelled. But the show must go on.

Musical numbers, clog dancing, jokes, a rap presentation, native dancing by the sisters and then a war-like 'dance' from Tahiti from the Elders made the evening move right along. All in great taste. Pictures nearby will share some of the atmosphere.

Just after these festivities, three of our missionaries departed for home. Sister Richards from Virginia, Sister Carter from Utah and Elder Manarani from Tahiti. Tender departures. Sister Richards lives just a few minutes from us, so we hope to see her again. She hand carried needle work finished for grand child number 11 in the Mautz family.

The following weekend the Noumea 1 branch hosted a Relief Society Cultural evening focusing on several native cultures. Sisters in the branch representing these cultures arranged displays of fabrics and clothing, prepared food indigenous to the culture and then did dances from that culture. Included in the collection were African, Tahitian, Melanesian and Wallisian and Vanuatuan. Even the Elders' Quorum rose to the occasion to present a Wallisian war dance. We were particularly entranced by the children who sat on the floor in front to have a good seat. Every once in a while they had to be moved out of 'harm's' way. A delightful evening with variety of food and dancing. In one particular dance, we learned that a woman who had a blouse extending well down over the top of her skirt was a sign in the native culture of a hard-working, loved woman. You will notice in the pictures a particularly long, lavender over-blouse.

That Saturday, December 19, was the baptismal service for the Nicholl's family. They learned of the Church through the Bluckers whose son has now left to serve a mission in Hawaii. The extended family is likely to follow in the foot-steps of the family patriarch and matriarch. Brother Nicholls has lost a foot due to diabetes. A tender moment observed as two brethren helped him into the baptismal font and unhurriedly got him situated comfortably and just right. The broad smile following told the whole story. His wife and a grand daughter joined the Church with him.

The major Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter are great opportunities to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ through music. This year was no exception. The combined choir of missionaries and the District Choir comprise just over 50 voices. We presented a Christmas fireside to a full chapel and cultural hall of over 300 people. The music presented all fit into a narration of the birth of the Savior and his Atoning Sacrifice. Images of these sacred events were projected. We were delighted to have friends of our own from the apartment building where we live in attendance. Preparing the music takes several weeks of Sunday evening rehearsals giving ample time to contemplate the mortal life which commenced at Bethlehem and whose purpose was realized at Gethsemane and Calvary.

Before we knew it, the week of Christmas arrived. We were concerned that our missionaries were all cared for. But all worked out wonderfully.

Here are two clips from the talent show. The missionaries worked for weeks on P-day to get ready for the show.

What does a missionary want for Christmas (and other news)

So we find ourselves a few days before Christmas, 2009. In spite of music and the Town Christmas tree and decorations, the 90 degree temps can't fool us! And the missionary work continues apace.

On December 2 Noumea officially welcomed the season with a lighting ceremony at the Place des Cocotiers (Place of the palm trees) downtown. The music, including traditional carols, was provided by a small group of singers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The evening was balmy, who could resist. We were en plein aire for the evening with small children laughing and running everywhere blissfully safe without being guarded by their parents. The choir sang and the mayor spoke. We walked leisurely afterwards visiting with missionaries who had come with their 'amis de l'eglise and we visited with these amis. A lovely evening. We are grateful to have Christmas in the summer!

The children of Noumea are in summer vacation which started at the beginning of December. That includes Seminary graduation for the lycee attenders. Some attend early morning, others a weekday evening class. The evening was to have been presided over by the CES superviser from Vanuatu, but the airport strike complicated matters so that he could not come. Several of them spoke sharing testimonies and appreciation for their teachers. Tender moments. I enjoyed the opportunity to address a few remarks to the youth of the district. The evening included presentations of graduation certificates as well as certificates for all those participating. The District President and I shook hands with and congratulated each of them.

We have been helping one of our missionary teams teach a young woman. She is also something of a cook and very interested in learning to make new treats. Elder Huuti concluded that he could get more of Sister Mautz's chocolate no-bake cookies and teach his amie de l'eglise a new recipe. So one afternoon they arrived with ingredients and Sister Mautz conducted a cooking class. Julia Child would have been proud. The results weren't quite up to Sister Mautz's standard as the cook wanted to substitute brown for white sugar. But the elders certainly did not complain!

We attended our first branch Christmas party last night. We enjoy this branch for its unity led by a great, young branch president. The evening began in the chapel with some songs, the reading of the Christmas story from Luke and the Book of Mormon and the sharing of a wonderful experience from Madagascar told by the recently returned mission president who is a member of the branch. The talks developed around the Christmas star as a representation of the light of Christ that leads us all to welcome the Savior into our lives.

A poor, humble villager who worked long hours raising rice, met the missionaries in Madagascar. He could only come to Church on foot until he was blessed with a bicycle. Soon he would ride the 17 km to Church with one child, then return for another, then his wife. Sometimes as many as 5 precariously perched on the beloved bicycle. He joined the church. His family followed. His fellow villagers wondered what had happened to him as he no longer worked on the Sabbath. Soon they asked questions. He talked about his new faith and its blessing to his family and his life. Some of them wanted to come to Church. He was authorized to have a small service in his front yard 3 Sundays a month. Then the rainy season came and his small home couldn't accommodate the growing congregation. The church provided a small tent. They outgrew it. On the hillside a larger tent structure was erected over a plat carved out of the hillside and proudly bearing the name of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Directed by local leaders, our humble rice farmer, now the branch president. We were grateful to be there.

After this time together, we moved to the cultural hall for a feast of local dishes and gifts distributed to the children and each family by several wisemen who had somehow come into possession of Christmas stockings loaded with cookies, candy and a picture of the Savior. They bore a strange resemblance to the missionaries serving in the branch.

A final set of pictures shares views from our morning walks. Early now as it is pretty warm by 7a. Blue water, palm trees, nearby mountains but no snow.

And so what does a missionary want for Christmas. A package from home. The long awaited only twice-a-year phone call with the family. All wonderful. But best of all is the blessing of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and serving Heavenly Father's children in whatever way he or she can. And should one of these children of Heavenly Father accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ, how great is the joy of that missionary for the worth of a soul is great in the sight of God.

Baptisms, birthdays and bienvenu...

A very full couple of weeks. New missionary, the last of the branch conferences and 4 baptisms last Saturday.

We welcomed Elder Maker to the New Caledonia part of the Fiji-Suva Mission. Elder Maker comes to us from Tahiti. He is a calm, mature young man and is serving with Elder Styles in Bourail in the northern part of the island. Pictures nearby show him with his district as well as with his companion.

Last Thursday brought a service day at the Noumea wildlife refuge. In tropical settings large plants grow quickly. In this case, we were removing for the 'zoo' woody-leafed plants. Their root systems were large tubers from which the upper part of the plant had to be freed, then hauled up a hill to a refuse point from which they would be hauled away. Under one of these we found a resting local peacock who didn't seem to be disturbed by our chopping. And when we removed one set of cover, this bird calmly walked over to another. The day was hot and the work heavy and dirty. But service to the community here. What a contrast to the daily routine of the work 40 years ago. Pictures nearby will show some of our elders and sisters in the middle of the work as well as a shot of our bird friend if you can find her.

Ward conferences continued in our largest branch with a 'ball' as the Saturday evening branch activity. A dance with a member DJ and a great collection of music. Sister Mautz couldn't resist

The twist and a few other foot stompers. We had a great time and could even walk the next day.

Tuesdays each week bring missionary district meetings. This week we slipped up to Tontouta to attend a district meeting. These missionaries are a little further away and don't see the rest of us very often. And it was birthday week for two of their missionaries. We also wanted to see how Elder Maker was getting along with his new companion.

In addition to the last of the branch conferences last Saturday, we had two baptismal services with 4 new members of the Church. A busy and delightful day. The first were the three daughters of Sylveste who was baptized just a few weeks ago. His daughters have now followed him . Following the service, he had quite a party along the lines of a local 'coutume' or traditional tribe/family gathering to celebrate such events. We missed the event as we had a second service to attend in a neighboring branch.

Bella Lean is a student in the local college. A pair of our sister missionaries found her walking across a park in the opposite direction enjoying music through a headset and not at all welcoming. however a quick hello opened a conversation which interested her since she is largely without family having lost her father at a young age. She is now quite at home in her new branch family.

We close our blog this week with Christmas holidays in view as well as a short zone conference with our Area President and our Mission President and their spouses. The weeks are full. We are grateful to be busy and to see the joy and peace that come into the lives of new members of Christ's Church.

Departure, branch conference and a baptism

We sent our senior missionary leader home after p-day events and transfers. Then a baptism and a branch conference to round out the past few days. And the work continues.

Elder Johnston has been the senior zone leader these last months. He and his companion are the right hand of the Mission President in moving the missionary work forward here. He is gifted in seeing talents in others, in using music and fire sides to invite others to 'come to Christ' and in administration of all the details of keeping things going. He is also a great eacher.We miss him dearly although the work seems to progress nonetheless. He left a week ago on Wednesday morning. Just before his departure, many of the missionaries gathered for a p-day picnic and kickball game. Pictures are nearby as well as a film clip of the old man in the hat running the bases.

Then it was transfer day as other missionaries moved into their new responsibilities with his leaving. Lots of tender emotions as teams that had worked hard together were sent off to take on new opportunities. we marvel at how these young men and women work together learning to help each other, take advantage of each others strengths to the mutual benefit of the companionship, and then move on when asked without missing a beat. We will see a little more of this just before Christmas as we send two of the sister missionaries home as well as another elder. We anticipate the arrival of new missionaries to replace them.

Evidence of the work's progress was another baptism, Madeleine Tui on Saturday. She is a young, educated women from Vanuatu where she was a teacher. To re-certify here is a 3-year process. With her young children she is challenged to take that time. An avid reader, she was anxious to learn about the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Read everything she could find including the Book of Mormon. She was eager to be baptized and is anxious to serve her friends and family with her new faith. The newly found joy in her life is evident in the accompanying picture.

In the midst of all was another branch conference. These annual events bring the district leadership into each local congregation for training. This weekend it was the Noumea 2 branch which meets in the chapel in Magenta near our little office. Events started Friday evening with a snack provided by the branch and then teams formed between branch leaders and district leaders to visit those less active or otherwise in need. Elder Mautz was paired with Frere Bearune, a counselor in the Elders' Quorum Presidency. Also the son of the Branch President in Mare. He is a returned missionary and young father. A delightful evening getting to know each other and some of the branch members.

We rejoined the branch leaders Saturday morning with a petit dejeuner of hot chocolate, croissants, then leadership training for the morning. A sports day followed all afternoon and then a Soiree de Talent that evening. Quite a day. Pictures and film clips nearby will share presentations from each of the auxiliary organizations including the Primary and Young Women as well as the Relief Society and the Elders' Quorum. The entr'act was provided by a 'Tahitian' band which the branch president plays in also. The weekend's events were dampened by the Friday night car accident involving a branch member and his young family. A head-on. They were fortunately in a pick-up truck that protected them. The German-make sedan that hit them in their lane head-on exploded on impact killing its four occupants. Prayers for those who lost loved ones as well as gratitude for the protection of family were evident throughout the weekend.

One event from Branch Conference also stands out. Elder Mautz visited the Aaronic Priesthood young men during their hour. Inasmuch as there was no Priest present, the younger Teachers' Quorum President conducted with no advance warning. He capably stood, selected an opening hymn and someone to direct it, welcomed us all, called on another young man to share a favorite scripture as the spiritual thought. Then thanked everyone for what they had done and called on the visiting District Young Men's President to give a lesson. Delightful for a 14-year-old boy. A picture of the group is at the end of the 'Soiree' slideshow.

The weeks slip away with lots of activity. We will welcome a new missionary shortly as well as celebrate holidays and a zone conference with our Area President. One at a time Heavenly Father gathers his sheep back into the fold.

Some fun clips from the P-day picnic and a traveling Elder Morrill.

Missionary departure and Travels

Scarcely time to update the blog these last few days.

A week ago we sent Elder Blucker off on his Mission serving in Honolulu, Hawaii. We enjoyed a family home evening with his family at home, set him apart as a missionary and sent him off. Our son, Chris met him in SLC amidst a snow storm and 2 1/2 hour late flight. Elder Blucker was traveling with another missionary not from our District, also going to Hawaii who spoke no English at all. They were on a shuttle for the MTC promptly. Chris reports they were quite animated even after the long flights and layovers. And their first experiences with snow.

The Bluckers are a delightful family. Elder Blucker is the oldest of their 5 children. Another son is a year younger and then 3 daughters. The younger brother will depart in a year and before his brother returns. Their father served a mission when he was in his 30's. So he is now 66 and sending his oldest son off to serve. In the meantime, they are building, largely themselves, a new home quite large by local standards. They have moved into it although it is not yet finished. Mild climates facilitate unfinished ceilings as long as the roof is tight. Kitchen and bathrooms are moderately functional. I admire even more their clean white shirts each week!

Pictures nearby present the family and our time with them. We will have left before Elder Blucker returns from his mission, but we hope to be able to help his younger brother.

We are in the branch conference season here. The first was in Tontouta 10 days ago. The usual agenda for the conference weekend is a reactivation effort with branch leaders on Friday night

followed on Saturday morning with training by district auxiliary and Priesthood leaders with the local branch leaders. These are adapted to local needs. In the afternoon or evening the branch hosts an activity of their own planning for the branch members. We do know how to party. Nearby is a film clip of the Samoan group doing some singing as the activity begins.

There is a video clip at the bottom of the blog.

We split forces for the weekend while Elder Mautz traveled to Mare (pronounced mar-ay) and Sister Mautz attended a baptism in Noumea. the pace of the missionary work seems to be picking up a bit. These good missionaries are working quite hard. The sister who was baptized this week is a caregiver. She had been attending many different churches over the last few years trying to find the truth. One of her 'patients' is a member of the Mont Dore branch. She noted some pictures of latter-day prophets and asked about them when she visited this patient at home. Six months of study with the missionaries ensued culminating in her baptism last weekend. Her children, all young adults, attended both her baptism on Saturday afternoon and her confirmation on Sunday. Her first contacts with the Church were in the Mont Dore branch where her patient lives. However, she lives in the Riviere Salee Branch and was taught by the missionaries there. We are grateful for the co-operation between these teams of missionaries

In the meantime, Elder Mautz was off to Mare, another of the 'Loyalty Islands off the east coast of New Caledonia. Like Lifou, the island of Mare is largely flat, heavily wooded and sparsely populated. A small branch of the Church continues under the faithful leadership of President Bearune. He runs 3 small retail establishments on the island as well as a small towing business. His large family, primarily grown now, has served missions. Some of them are in Noumea, others in Mare. On his property is the small meeting room as well as his own home with an apartment for his aging parents.

He met us at the airport at 7a as we landed and spent the day visiting with us various members of the branch and friends of the Church who were desirous of learning more. His commitment and personal testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was humbling. No expectation of any reward or blessing for what he does. Just love for the people around him. True charity.

We checked into our 'hotel' just after noon and prepared for a fireside we would present that evening. The hotel was a step up from the one in Lifou with a small separate building for each room. Ours had its own bathroom and was air-conditioned if we needed it. Normal beds, although the Tahitian zone leader put his mattress on the floor! Sister Mautz would have been more than comfortable there including the nearby restaurant. We will have to return.

Our visit including the fireside, Church meetings on Sunday and then a presentation of the recently released video on President Monson, filled the days particularly when filled in with visits to homes of members and friends. We slept hard each night. Now catching up on some lost sleep.

An interesting physical characteristic of Mare is that the surround reefs are much closer to shore than either Lifou or where we live in Noumea. As a result, the surf crashes close to shore and can be heard all the time. Here in Noumea, by contrast, the reefs are many miles from shore and the breaking waves are a mere ribbon of undulating white at the horizon. We never hear it. So Noumea has large lagoons with moderate water action other than the tide. We were lulled to sleep both nights by the breakers.

We are grateful to see the work progressing and to be strengthening Heavenly Father's Kingdom in this part of the world.

Conferences

We are at the end of a two-week period of General Conference followed immediately by our District Conference and a Missionary Zone Conference.. In the middle of all this, at home our stake presidency was re-organized and our ward was divided. Life in the Church certainly moves on!

General Conference here follows by a week the conference itself. A re-broadcast on Saturday and Sunday, October 9 and 10, bring all of the sessions into one of the buildings. We start Saturday with the Saturday evening Priesthood meeting and them both Saturday sessions with one-hour breaks between them. And the Sunday sessions the next day. The building was full on Sunday. Re-broadcasts are in both French and English in separate rooms. Encouraged to study in their native tongue, the English-speaking missionaries watch conference in English unless they have 'amis de l’eglise’ who are also attending.

The universality of the Gospel message including the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins and receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, through appropriate Priesthood authority, is evident. Our members and their friends are eager to listen to living prophets.

One of the speakers, a native African, spoke of the liberation to his people by the Gospel because the very-expensive custom of dowry, which forces many in his country into co-habitation makes marriage too expensive. Temple marriage eliminates all of that. The people here understood those issues very well. Some of the tribal customs still exist in the northern part of the country.

District Conference for the Noumea District loomed much larger for us. Priesthood leadership meeting Saturday afternoon. For the Priesthood leadership session, I spent 40 minutes in front of a ‘white board’ leading a discussion on branch councils and presiding over them. Then talks Saturday evening and again Sunday morning. A deep breath when all was finished. And a delightful luncheon provided by one the branch Relief Society organizations. Pictures nearby don't begin to catch the flavors of the cold repast. Raw fish marinated in lemon juice then added to a salad of cream and raw vegetables. Perhaps one day I will learn...

But the highpoint of the entire district conference was Sister Mautz’s testimony Saturday evening. She had 5 minutes and she prepared well and worked for hours on her pronunciation. As we always do on this island, she started with 'Cher Freres et Soeurs, bonsoir' with the congregation responding likewise. And then a small child’s voice responded just enough too late to be all alone and clear. There followed complete silence during her entire talk. Nobody wanted to miss a thing. After the session, the choir of sisters also on the stand crowded around for kisses. ‘No more English for Sister Mautz' from one of the branch presidents. Still talked about a week later, and these wonderful missionaries were proud of her and grateful for her efforts.

We enjoyed a zone conference following. We move to a support role in those meetings. We were bidding farewell at the end of this conference to two of our seasoned leaders, both from Tahiti. It is interesting to watch those who remain and know that they will be asked to step up and take on leadership roles they have not had before. These new leaders will be non-native French speakers and know the challenges they face both with the language and leadership. However, they also know that with Heavenly Father's help, they will grow into these new roles and provide the great leadership the work of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ requires. One of the departing Elders, Elder Aiho, was of great help to us as we arrived a few months ago getting us settled and then learning our office duties. He was asked in the last 6 weeks of his mission to work with a branch where the missionaries aren't always well received and turned things much more positive. We have worked together, counseled together and now will likely not see each other again. Sweet associations because of the opportunity to serve Heavenly Father's children.

We did take a morning to visit a local cultural center dedicated to the memory of M. Tjibaou who has done much to preserve the local, Melanesian culture and support the political kanak movement. The architecture catches the eye with delicate symmetry of wooden rib-like trusses in the air. In the morning sun they look like metal glinting in the sun. The center includes these structures as well as a 'typical' Melanesian village with a chief's 'case' and other related buildings. Pictures below will give you flavor of the place. The political overtones are unmistakable