Baptisms and back to Lifou

Baptisms every Saturday have become part of the missionary experience here. And then it was time to send two Elders back to work on Lifou and Mare.

Ten days ago, Saturday the 13th, three of the granddaughters of the Nicholls family were baptized. Each 9 years old. Their grandparents lead the way in December and their parents will follow as soon as common law arrangements can be replaced by legally recognized marriages.

The three young girls were excited and pleased to move forward. they jointly shared their testimonies after the baptism taking turns saying a sentence each at the podium. During the service they sat on the front row with their grandparents and a number of cousins. The children were clearly needed some TLC by the end, so I took the opportunity to go down off the stand and sit down right in front of the them while we talked about the Savior blessing the Nephite children after performing miraculous healings of others in the crowd. The Book of Mormon record tells us that he took the children in his arms and blessed them. And then angels ministered to them. We talked about how much the Savior loves little children including them. And we talked about angels. then pointing to their grandparents, I suggested that they were angels sent to protect and help these dear children learn the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ appeal to children in a tender way that shows the rest of us their great faith in Him.

PIctures below show them in their white clothes just before their baptism.

We left their morning baptism for an afternoon baptism of President Wilfrid Parau's son Stewart. As the pictures indicate, a number of family members as well as much of the Noumea 2 branch were in attendance. As Stewart shared his testimony with a child's faith, we knew he understood a great deal about how to follow the Savior.

The preparations for sending missionaries once again to Lifou finally bore fruit these last two weeks. Elders Livingston and Larkin left on a Monday evening by boat. They traveled most of the night stopping in Mare early the next morning where they met with the branch president there. Then on to Lifou where they will have primary residence. On the boat with them went a pallet of supplies like a stove, refrigerator, furniture including beds, kitchen supplies etc. The Seiko's, whom you have met in earlier blogs, met them at the dock that evening and helped them settle in. We understand that Sister Seiko and the Elders got traffic tickets in Lifou because the Elders were riding with their supplies in the back of Sister Seiko's truck. They were undaunted and have by now ridden over 400 km on their bikes. The Elders report that they are having great opportunities to teach. President Seiko reports that they are working very hard. The work is hard to start again, but they are getting great support from the branch already there. These good saints have been waiting for two years to have missionaries once again.

A quiet baptism as a good brother came back into the Church. He has patiently waited for 5 years to have this blessing once again in his life. Brother Seraphim (great first name!) is shown below with President Parau, his branch president. The faces of these two great brothers tell a wonderful story.

In between times, we sometimes accompany teams of missionaries to help teach families. The experience that comes with age provides increased insights and credibility. We met the Boa family shortly after arriving as Claude was baptized, and then a few months later, his mother. Another brother is about to be baptized. The father is a a great brother. The family lives in a tribal situation which means that they live on land governed by a tribe, probably extended family. The kids go to school at some distance because their parents want them to have good educations. Dad works in a local government job in Tontouta. We had inquired a few times about his progress and finally asked for an invitation to go see the family with the elders. That visit happened last week. The elders had planned a lesson about eternal families and the role of mother and father. As we explained to Brother Boa his role in presiding in his family to assure that they prayed as a family , read the scriptures together and held family home evening, he began to understand just what he needed to do. We saw Sister Boa this week at the Relief Society anniversary celebration. She was full of excitement about her husband's new interest and support in their home with the aforementioned efforts. We hope we can return and encourage him some more.

Surrounding their home and covered outdoor eating area were wonderful gardens including banana tress, ripening papayas and palms with coconuts. A very different way to live! The mountains in the background had fog and rain cascading down the sides.

And then it was Saturday again, and another baptism. Isabelle lives with her grandfather not far from the Riviere Salee building. She has been seeing the missionaries for more than a year and is a delightful young woman. the branch welcomed her with open arms. A new, big family.

Finally, to round out the week we welcomed a new sister, Sister Viriamu from Tahiti. The Tahitians come with no language barrier. Sister Viriamu is a mature, seasoned sister missionary who is well prepared to assist in this great work. She is working in Paita with Sister Ititiaty and seems happy to finally be here.

In the meantime, we are preparing to send off our senior zone leader in just a few days as he has completed his mission. A great example to all of service. We will welcome a new young Elder on Wednesday. And in the coming 8 weeks another 3 will depart. Lots of new faces and opportunities to train new missionaries.

The pace of the work keeps us plenty busy. Everything from assuring that immigration documents are always in order, bills paid, and missionaries fed, to speaking in firesides and Priesthood meetings. We are grateful to serve along side these valiant young missionaries. During a recent visit by one of the counselors in our Area Presidency, he noted to us, 'Just love them. They do what no one else will do.' We love the work.

A Very Long Blog

We have finished District Conference and Zone Conference, attended birthday parties and baptisms, released two returning sister missionaries and sent Elders to Lifou.

The District Conference with Elder Hamula was wonderful for the members as well as the missionaries. He stayed in New Caledonia for the missionary Zone Conference the next day. After meeting with the President of the Government of New Caledonia on Friday morning, we visited all of the chapels. As noted in a previous blog he was not satisfied with the completion of the new chapel to be dedicated in a few weeks. Several other of the buildings are in a state of disrepair that is also not acceptable. I was grateful to have had time to take him to each. He left us on Tuesday, and by Saturday physical facilities people from Tahiti as well as the Regional Architectural manager from New Zealand were on the ground for a week. They left with detailed plans for each building and a member called to lead the project getting ready for the dedication.

Saturday morning, at his request, we visited two families with the District President. The Nicholls family has just joined the Church and is preparing for next year's trip to the Temple to be joined as a family for eternity. He encouraged them through an interpreter and promised to be available to do the sealing. When, several days later, we got a request for the January date the District returns to the Temple, we began to understand that this good brother is serious.

Following lunch, we met as a district presidency with him and then with the Priesthood leaders of the District. Again, significant teaching about the importance of proclaiming the Gospel to all and providing the opportunity for each to receive the saving ordinances as taught by the Savior himself including baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and taking of the sacrament in memory of Him. Followed, of course, by the Temple ordinances to bind us as families across the generations forever as taught by the Savior and recorded in the Gospel of Matthew.

For the missionaries, he observed that while the work is steady, he wanted to see more unity among us. Manifested by the way we sat together and sang together. He used as an example his experience as a General Authority arriving at least a half hour early for meetings and being physically as well as spiritually close to his brethren. Always teaching gently.

Pictures nearby will share his visits. By the time he left, we had a list of 'to-do's' including sending to him photos of all the buildings. 'Remember, Elder Mautz' we want to tell the story.' We also were drafting letters for his signature to President Gomes.

One final piece of advice to us. 'Just love them. They do what nobody else will do.'

Following Zone Conference Sister Mautz hosted a Sisters' Night at our home for the 8 sister missionaries with Sister Ostler, the Mission President's wife. They did a 'craft' designing and decorating the cover of a Book of Mormon. The obvious lesson was the ambiance created during the project as the sisters worked together.

The preceding evening, a Monday evening, we attended a baptism, the granddaughter of the District president, then scurried home where the zone leaders had rearranged our apartment to welcome all 26 missionaries to a home evening setting to view the presentation by President Uchtdorf to the missionaries in Fiji a few weeks ago. We learned more about respect than anything else that evening. The recording was tough, but understandable. Our next conference will be revealing.

Everyone was off to the airport by Wednesday noon and we started completing all there was to be done to prepare to put missionaries back on Lifou. The announcement meant closing an apartment here as we have kept the number of missionaries constant. It also meant preparing shipments of household goods like a refrigerator, stove, washing machine and bicycles by boat. Apartment to rent in Lifou, utilities to activate. And suddenly it was the day for them to leave. The boat departed at 8p well after dark, as you will see in the accompanying pictures. They stopped in Mare the next morning, early. The Elders took advantage of the stop to meet with the Branch President there, and then on to Lifou. Sister Mautz thought it was as hard as sending off two of her sons at once. They are doing well and working hard. And of course, a few transfers were necessary with a couple new zone leaders all pictured nearby.

At the end of the week, we were invited to Chenora Moutham's baptism and birthday party. In fact, the baptism was Monday evening in the middle of zone conference on her actual birthday. She is the granddaughter of President Moutham, the District President and lives with them. Her mother lives in Hawaii and is married to a brother from Tonga. They came, of course, as well as her aunt working in Dubai. Her uncle, a son of the Mouthams who serves as a counselor in the Branch Presidency in Riviere Salee, performed the baptism. Grandfather confirmed her.

Following this event the next Saturday was her birthday party. Largely a family event plus us. An early egg hunt, pinata and lots of food. We were, as usual, enthralled by the beautiful children, and lots of them. A few are pictured. It was a delightful day in warm, rainy weather. The Moutham's have lived in their home for 25 years, have enlarged it and worked hard on the yard (terrain en francais) so that it has bearing fruit trees including lechis and mangoes in the proper seasons. He follows the advice of the prophet.

And finally, two of our sister missionaries serving from New Caledonia in France have returned home this week. One served in Toulouse, the other in Paris. We enjoyed visits with each of them and their families as they were released. Particularly interesting was an update on the Paris Mission where I served 40 years ago. Two stakes now in Paris. However, Le Mans is still a branch. Faithful young women now returning home to work, go to school and keep moving forward in their lives following Christ's teachings as they have learned in the last 18 months.

We now move into a time of significant change in the mission in New Caledonia. At the end of this month, the Tahitian senior zone leader finishes his mission. At the end of April, 3 elders depart and another 3 at the end of June. In May and August we lose two sister missionaries. All being replaced with new missionaries. A very different landscape in a few months.

We close everyday tired and ready to sleep. But also profoundly grateful for the sacrifice of our Savior. And the blessing of preaching His Gospel to these wonderful people.

Home Evening, sister transfers, and a visit with President Hamula

Summer is in full season. Warm to hot days, balmy evenings. Since our last entry, we have welcomed a new missionary. Home evenings with member families are always a treat. In the meantime, preparations for opening the Loyalty islands has proceeded as well as the start of District Conference activities

With only eight sister missionaries in New Caledonia, the arrival of a new sister is an event. In this case, Sister Hurst was supposed to have arrived in late December as we were sending two other sisters home. However, visa problems delayed her for 6 weeks. She has arrived now and is being trained by Sister Leavitt whose arrival we remember just a few months ago. Or can it a be 8 months ago already. They are blessed with some great families to teach and prepare to make covenants with Heavenly Father through baptism. Readers will remember over the last couple entries local sisters serving 'mini-missions' that have helped train them for full time missions as well as filling the gap until Sister Hurst arrived. Pictures nearby introduce Sister Hurst, her companion and the other sisters.

The Tama family invited us for a family home evening. He is the elders' Quorum President in the Mont Dore Branch, a great leader and loving father and husband according to his wife. We began with a hymn and a prayer. A short lesson from the senior couple and then great fun playing some games. All before sitting down to a dinner bountifully provided. We find that we have to prepare these good families that we don't eat quite the quantities that the young elders consume. Otherwise they over-prepare and are disappointed at our disciplined appetites! The family was delightful. We watched a father and Priesthood holder preside in his home directing the evening. Children each had parts in the family home evening including leading the singing and giving a scriptural passage before the lesson. His young sons loved being with their Dad. His wife glowed as he carried out his responsibilities.

From earlier pictures on the blog, readers will have seen the beaches of Noumea. Shown nearby are additional sites of the local harbors for pleasure craft, sail and motor boats. These boats are large enough to take on some of the heavy water and weather coming off the ocean. Popular among them are 30 foot catamarans that allow the owner to live aboard for an extended period of time. Near these harbor is a traffic circle, or 'rond-point' with a large anchor from a ship long gone. This area of town also has a couple older homes, now refurbished, that go back to Noumea's days of shipping and exploration.

We have just started a weekend of District Conference with Elder James Hamula of the 70, also a counselor in our Area Presidency, presiding. He arrived Thursday evening. On our way home from the airport with him, we got a call from the President of new Caledonia's office telling us we would be able to see him the following morning at 10a. A pleasant surprise. We prepared over dinner with the District President that evening and had a delightful, genuine meeting the next day. he was very interested in the Church's relief efforts for disasters including the recent announcement of housing donations. New Caledonia itself had just contributed 9M CPF's for Haiti's relief. President Hamula invited him to the dedication of the Mont Dore chapel next month where he, President Gomez, will speak. A glorious experience to watch and translate these proceedings as the Lord's hand worked quietly to arrange so much to bless his Saints here.

Because of the way flights are arranged in and out of New Caledonia, President Hamula arrived an evening and a day earlier than our mission President which has given us a unique opportunity to be his hosts. President Hamula served as the mission President in the Washington D. C. South mission some fifteen years ago, but still remembered Elder Mautz, who was serving on the high council back then. We have had delightful visits with him over meals and traveling to meetings and visiting chapels. I think we have no idea the sacrifice families make when they are called to positions like President Hamula and other general authorities. When the Savior says, leave your net and follow me, we think Elder Hamula and his family did just that. It is very humbling.

More on District and Zone Conference and visits with President Gomez in coming blogs. We are blessed to be here.

A baptism and the Saints return...

The Saints have returned from their Temple trip to Auckland, we have enjoyed a baptism. Life is returning to normal?

Most of the members who traveled to Auckland for the 3-week temple trip returned last week. We started hearing short reports of the trip then attended a fireside Sunday evening whose topic was that trip. Testimonies were shared. A choir of the youth who went and did baptisms everyday for 3 weeks shared music. Four couples were sealed, 3 were recent converts also sealed to their families. During the 3 weeks, 14,000 ordinances were performed. But more important than the stats is the spirit they have brought home with them: Unity, humility and love.

After the first week, the Temple President recommended to them that they increase the hours they were spending in the Temple. The pattern for a number of years had been to the leave the Temple after lunch to spend time shopping or other activities more like a vacation. Many of the members spend their vacations on this trip. The amount of work accomplished doubled as a result of accepting the Temple Presidents invitation to work from 6:30a to 6p everyday. The blessing from the greater sacrifice overwhelmed all who were there. During the closing session tears flowed freely as they worshipped and prayed together. Abundant blessings.

Saturday afternoon brought the baptism of Brother Louis Luta, an 82-year-old Tahitian. Brother Luta speaks no French, so we were grateful to have a Tahitian speaking sister missionary to teach him and a Tahitian zone leader to interview him for baptism. The entire service was in Tahitian for him. In this part of the world, 82 is quite elderly. You will see in nearby pictures that Brother Luta looks somewhat frail, but his mind is more than sharp. Sister Mautz and I were reminded of Grandpa Mautz’s last few months when he was living with us. Tender moments.

Last week on a Tuesday morning, we drove to Tontouta to visit our missionaries there in their weekly district meeting. A fair amount of mail for them had collected over the preceding couple weeks, and the zone leaders didn't have any plans to go there in the near term. We enjoyed their discussion of their objectives as missionaries to invite the people of New Caledonia to come to Christ by helping them received the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Their insights in understanding how they knew they were doing what the Lord wanted of them were great preparation for several days later with other missionaries. They were also happy to receive letters and birthday packages accompanied by some of Sister Mautz's cookies.

We have been assisting one of the missionary teams in teaching a young couple preparing for baptism. As is often the case here, they are living in concubinage. Via has children from earlier relationships and has been deserted by the children’s fathers. Our involvement has started as we help them understand the Savior’s concept of a family as revealed through his prophets. Fathers who preside and bless their families. Mothers understanding and devoted to teaching and nurturing their children. A child’s right to grow up in a home with both parents present and presided over by a worthy father. When we explained to Swani that he must always keep the commandments to have Via’s confidence and trust, the change in him was quickly evident. We have moved on to such concepts as not making fun of each other in public, working together and that success for one of them is success for both. They can enjoy each other’s successes instead of competing or feeling put down when the other succeeds. How far the world is straying and how much happiness living the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings. Many of these points came from a recent Ensign article. We were pleased to find it and grateful at how much of a difference these principles have made in their lives.

We no longer take quite so for granted the happiness in our home, between us and in our family. We are greatly blessed to have the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the base for living.The Saints have returned from their Temple trip to Auckland, we have enjoyed a baptism. A great blessing to teach others of Jesus Christ.

Two quick weeks

Hardly had we sent the district off to New Zealand...

The day after their departure, one of the grand members of the district passed away. And we learned about new customs and funerals. She was 70, the mother of 8. Affectionately known as 'Mame Coco' by missionaries, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well as all the members of the church. We also learned about some of the local history of the church that we hadn't come across before.

Mame was something of an icon, almost a legend. She was the first convert in New Caledonia, having married a Church member from French Polynesia, the island of Tubai. (Tahiti is also part of French Polynesia, just another island.) She joined the church at some peril as her family ostracized her for many years. This was long before there were chapels or much of anything here.

Legendary also, was her devotion to her family and the missionaries. Among her 8 children, 4 live here. One daughter is the Relief Society President in Riviere Salee, Another son is the former District President, and yet another is on the high council now, the youngest. Two children are in Tahiti unable to get here in time and two others in France. Of course, there were a number of grandchildren and great grandchildren. To the youngest of them, they all knew her and wanted to talk about her. She was known to be quite direct when one of them appeared to stray. A firm invitation to come to Church and dinner afterwards at her house were always forthcoming in such circumstances.

One of our current missionaries confessed that on Sundays, he had but to stand at the exit to the parking lot with a forlorn look while rubbing his stomach to be invited for Sunday dinner. Which he mastered!

One other amusing anecdote was her cell phone which was never turned off and rang at any time, particularly during church meetings. Our Tahitian missionary/narrator noted that he always smiled at this, because it was always somebody in need, usually a family member. And then she would be off to retrieve somebody, give them a ride to Church or other.

The observances for a death are two-staged. A wake in the evening and then a service the next day. But the wake is itself a full-blown service with hymns, prayers and talks. Usually shorter than the service the following day. The main event being for the wake is passing by the coffin to pay respect. The newest feature to me was the frequent touching of the body with strokes to the hair, squeezing a hand, pat on the cheek or a kiss good-by by everybody who was there.

However, the feelings present as well as the response to remarks were identical to what I would have expected in the US. Temple covenants and knowledge of the Plan of Happiness, including the resurrection, are the foundation for hope and joy in our lives for anybody who follows the Savior, anyplace in the world.

Zone Conference followed immediately along with the long-awaited arrival of Elder Harry from Vanuatu.

We had a great few days with our mission president and his wife who were at the beginning of a 2-week trip of zone conferences here and in Vanuatu. We had not seen them since the beginning of December, before the holidays. Lots to talk about and plans to make for upcoming changes.

Elder Harry's long-awaited arrival proved to us that we cannot predict the French visa approval system. I had inquired only two days prior and was told there was no information. And then he arrived. Apparently the heavier than usual winter in Europe is making things a little tough. Elder Harry speaks, as his native tongue, bislama (pronounced 'bish-lama), with some English and some French. We are happy to welcome. In addition we have two local youth serving 2-3 week mini-missions. Immanuel Blucker, the younger brother of Elder Blucker now serving in Hawaii and the second, a recent convert, Sister Tiale.

On a more agrarian note, we are now at the end of a great local fruit season. The mangoes are just finishing. This sweet, juicy fruit grows on trees the size of a large apple tree. The fruit itself is larger than a pear and very tasty. The Tahitian missionaries know how to climb up after them as well as how to slice them around the single, large seed at the center to enjoy the golden fruit. The last of them is being gathered in the following pictures that are taken just outside our office door.

Just before the mangoes were lechis. A strawberry sized fruit growing again in trees in clumps. The tough, prickly skin gives way to a juicy fruit about the size of an eyeball and the same color. But very tasty. You just have to be prepared to get a little messy. We will continue to enjoy the papayas, bananas, pineapple and coconut just about year round, we are told.

In conclusion, Sister Mautz continues her cookie-baking classes. this time with some members who enjoy the results of her efforts enough to want to try themselves. Sister Kartotaroeno's family invites us regularly for family home evening. Their 3 young sons have adopted us. We understand the results of these efforts were quickly consumed while their mother was at work. The whole neighborhood enjoyed them.

She is also assisting the sister missionaries with an English class each week. The three children are the daughters and the nephew of a Vietnamese woman who runs a little store just down the road from the office. The children politely introduced themselves in English giving their names and ages. Each week they copy in their notebooks the things from the blackboard they learned that day so they can study and be quizzed the following week It is apparent the following week that they did. The children love singing "I am a Child of God" at the end of the class. Since learning a new language is ever present in her life she enjoys watching these children take on a similar challenge.

The weeks slip away as we are busy helping the missionaries and members. We are grateful to be here.

Temple-bound Saints, a new missionary ...

The New Year brought a new Sister missionary as well as the departure of 107 of the District's members for a long-awaited 3-week trip to the Auckland New Zealand Temple. An annual event.

But first, a surprise birthday party for Sister Swapp, one of the sister missionaries, on New Year's Eve. The missionaries in her missionary district got together, invited us, and surprised her with pizza, bubbly cider and a cake. The ruse to get us together was preparation for a song for an upcoming worship service in Sacrament Service. But the guitar accompaniment gave it all away. A couple hours of fun before we all hunkered down at home while the all-night reveling passed.

Saturday morning brought us a new sister missionary. Sister Chugg is from Riverton, Utah and has had no French. Her companion is a delightful Tahitian sister who speaks very modest English. We expect they will both make rapid progress.

However, the high point of the last couple weeks was sending off the District of Noumea on their annual Temple trip to the Auckland, New Zealand Temple. Especially wonderful because we know these people well now and were involved in helping some of them get ready for this trip. As you look at these pictures, you will recognize, perhaps, a few of them from earlier blogs.

Alfred Mahuric, for example, is a friend we visited early in our time here last May. With a Priesthood blessing from his Branch President, he has succeeded in giving up tobacco long term and looks much happier and healthier. He has regained the respect of his children and the love of his soon-to-be eternal companion.

The folks from Houailou are also pictured. We drove to Houailou last September so that President Ostler could interview them for their recommends for their first trip to the Temple. The couple will be sealed as well as receiving their endowments. The prospect of being together as a family eternally is an indescribable blessing to them.

An additional tender experience. As you can imagine, the planning for such a trip is significant. The cost at about $1500 per person is quite significant. A family of 6 for example is a real sacrifice. So much so, in fact, that the District President wondered out loud as to the value of the whole effort given that he saw little increase in statistical measures of activity such as home teaching or attendance at Sacrament Service. A difficult question until this experience. The Tama family, also featured in the pictures, requested my giving them temple recommend interviews which I willingly did only a few weeks ago. Sister Tama was particularly appreciative of her husband, the Elders' Quorum President, as he presided in their family and provided for them. He always sees to family Home Evening, daily family prayer and scripture reading with their young family of 3 children as well as spending fun time with them. When he came in, we proceeded. At the end he asked if his wife had said anything. I shared some of her comments since they were so positive. He then asked me for a blessing explaining that he had only recently been back to work after several weeks unemployed. They were sacrificing a great deal to be able to go to the temple. The Priesthood blessing reassured him that he was doing as he should and that all would be cared for in his family. And so they too have departed for the Temple. The lesson I learned is that the next generation of leaders is learning obedience and sacrifice as they prepare to lead the church here. A Zion's camp experience.

President Yannick Hauata is taking his aging parents who will be sealed and then he to them.

The Seikos from Lifou are in the group. Sister Mautz appreciated warm embraces and tearfully told them how grateful we are for their two children who are serving full time missions here in New Caledonia.

And so we went from person to person greeting, encouraging and sharing the joy and excitement of this great departure and trip. We are grateful to have the privilege of knowing these faithful saints whose focus on things eternal and at great sacrifice, teaches us so much of the joys of living the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the blessings of understanding His Gospel in its fullness.

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.