The FIRST Stake Conference EVER in VANUATU!!

I love this little island and I’m loving it more and more every day.  I might just have you all move here when I finish my mission instead of me moving back to Utah! Everything about Vanuatu is beautiful!

On Wednesday of this week we had zone training.  Both the zone leaders and sista training leaders give training, so Sista Tagini and I taught about receiving personal revelation.  It went really well!   I shared the story of President Thomason speaking at a stake fireside for the youth.  He was asking questions from the pulpit and then calling out names of people to answer the questions.  I remember sitting in the congregation thinking that there was no way that President Thomason knew my name.  We had never talked and I was just one of many young women in the stake.  After the fireside I went home and forgot about the whole thing.  A few days later, I got a letter in the mail from President Thomason.  He told me that after he finished speaking at the fireside, he sat down and looked right at me.  He said in his letter that he was so glad that he knew me by name and wanted me to know how much he and Heavenly Father loved me.  What an amazing experience, huh??  I talked about how in-tune to the spirit my stake president was to be able to know how much I needed that letter and how, as missionaries, we need to be just as in-tune so that we can help our investigators become truly converted and the only way that is done is through the Holy Ghost. 

Friday, Sista Eron and Rivera came back from their zone conference in Santo.  They brought back everything they own, so that means they will be staying here for a while.  Sista Eron's health is getting worse and worse every day.  They think that it is cancer, but she goes in tomorrow to confirm it.  Please keep her in your prayers. 

My  Missionary District

 Saturday and Sunday was the first stake conference EVER in Vanuatu!  The whole chapel, all the rooms, and two huge tents outside were filled with people.  The mission president talked, along with his wife and the stake president.  Before the conference all the missionaries were given a pack of pass along cards.  During the mission president's talk, he encouraged all the members to take as many pass along cards as the missionaries gave them and give them to those who don't have the gospel in their lives.  We had 40 packs of pass along cards and we gave them all away!  Talk about getting the members involved! 

Saturday night, my district decided to drive around the island.  We loaded up in two trucks and made the 3 hour trip around the island.  Boy is it BEAUTIFUL!!  Here are just a few of the pictures that I took.  The sunset was also incredible that night!  It is sooooo hard not to just jump into the ocean.  Look at how blue and green that water is and how clear it is!  Temptation is real people!  The time with the district was super fun as well.

Papa Pakoa had his baptismal interview this week.  He is scheduled to be baptized on Saturday, along with Mama Sarah, Same and Emily.  One cool story that happened with Emily and Same this week:  We taught them the word of wisdom and when we got to the part about not drinking coffee, Same stopped us and explained that he drank strong coffee while he was on his ship at night to stay awake.  After we explained why coffee is bad and that the word of wisdom is a commandment from God, he agreed right then and there never to drink coffee again.  He they started listing off other unhealthy things he eats and was willing to give it all up if that's what Papa God wanted.  I was amazed.  He has some incredible faith and I have the blessing of knowing him!

Well, that's my week.  I love you all!