Episode 5: Return of The Members - the weekly email

So, this week marks the return of the first group of members that went to visit the temple. Once a year the members here take a large group trip to visit the New Zealand Temple (the closest one here). The sacrifices they make to take themselves and their families as often as possible is truly inspiring. They go without gifts all year, simple food, no new appliances, etc. just to visit the temple once a year. Back home it was a 15 minute drive. for those who live close to temples, take advantage, there's nothing better you could do for yourself. 

In other news, we found Tony again finally! He's been hard to get in contact with since Christmas and New Year's, he lost in job and was a little upset over it, and did his normal thing, he sought ought parties and alcohol to cope. It's sad, but he's calmed down enough now and we finally got so see him on Sunday. It's actually a cool story, we left the apartment after studies and said "we'll look and see if Tony's car is there" since he lives just down the street. It was finally there, and we went over, and he had just gotten home like 10 minutes ago. #miracles. Maeva and Gabriel also came to church again on Sunday! We're hoping to fix a baptismal date with her this week, I'll keep you posted.

I really do love this country. It's a study in contradictions, but that's what makes it fun. I'll be sad to leave, but I'll make it count while I'm here.

Love you all!
Elder Miner

Not much in terms of photos this week, but here's a gorgeous view we found while tracting!

The Exodus - Elder Miner

So, this weekend has been a doozy for us here in the Bureau. We had 6 missionaries leave the island on Monday, 3 were going home and 3 had been transferred to Vanuatu. With the total number of missionaries world-wide going down, the mission has fewer missionaries so President is deciding where we need to be. So things are changing here in the mighty VPVM, as usual. Here in Magenta we had a sector whitewashed again, 3rd time in 3 transfers, which can be a little tough. It'll work out though.

The other awesome thing that happened this week was that we started finally teaching Maeva and Gabriel! Gabriel is a member returning to activity, and Maeva is his girlfriend. I saw them occassionaly at church ever since I've been in this area, but they were moving around and trying to find a place to live and life was crazy until just last Saturday, and we finally sat down and had a lesson. Their goal for this year is to really become stronger spiritually. Maeva wants to be bapized by Gabriel, and so they're working towards marriage and full activity. I'm so excited to help them on this pathway towards baptism and the temple and basically just happiness! Missions are great!

Something I've noticed this week is just this immense love that I can have and that God has for everyone. EVERYONE! Whoever you are, wherever you are, God loves you. 

And I love you all too.

Elder Miner 

Last day together as a district!

Picture I forgot to include from Madeline's baptism on New Year's Eve.

Elder Estall and Elder Taoutaha left this transfer. Those two have been a great influence on me during my mission, and I hope they have a great homecoming and life after the mission.

Through Heat and Rain and the End of The Fêtes - The Weekly Email

This week has been downright awesome. Everyone is coming back from their vacations for the holidays (les Fêtes) and we've been seeing so many investigators again. Although the weather has not been kind, super hot last Thursday through Saturday, and the rain from then on, but still hot and humid. 

First order of business, our mission hit it's goal of 1,000, yeah 1000 baptisms in 2016. We acutally had 1019 if you believe it. The work goes forward here as we establish the Church in these beautiful islands, and I couldn't be happier than to be a part of the great VPVM. 

We've had some great experiences finding new and old people to teach. We tracted into a middle-aged woman and her older mother and have begun teaching them. They live in an area that recently got reassigned to our area, and we figured it had never really been worked since it was far away from the home of the old missionaries who would have worked there, and voila, we found them. They have accepted the message of the Book of Mormon and prophets and revelation so quickly, it's been amazing. We've also been able to get in contact with Patrice again, he was working two jobs during the holidays to get some extra money for his family, but now his work schedule is dying down a little, so we'll visit him again now. And then the miracle, one of our old investigators, Max, whom we had dropped a while ago because he wasn't progressing, recently got some great news. He and his wife are going to get married this year! Marriages can be really long and complicated and expensive because of the Melanesian culture surrounding them, but he was able to convice his family to let him get married before his older brothers, and that will allow him to finally get baptized! :) Really excited for that. 

That's about it for news here, I hope you are all doing great at home, I love you all, stay safe in the cold!

Elder Miner

Found this cool house while tracting. There was one apartment at street level, two below street level, and then two more on the bottom. Space is at a premium here on an island.

This is a giant pizza that one of our members got us for dinner. His name is Frère Babel and he is fantastic.