Christmas in Vanuatu!

A super happy me because I got
pretzel M&Ms for Christmas!

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas!!!  The highlight of my week was definitely having the chance to talk with my family, even if it was only for a short time.  I love my family soooooo much!

Christmas Eve, Sista Tagini and I went over to the mission home to help make gingerbread with Sista Granger and her two daughters.  We've spent a lot of time cooking with them lately!  We just enjoyed the day together sharing what we do at home for Christmas and preparing for the next day.  That night, Sista Tagini and I went back home and had two sistas from our zone over to our house.  We cooked an authentic Papa New Guinea Christmas dinner:  stuffed chicken and spaghetti noodles in soy sauce with juice.  It was actually pretty good! 

Sista Tagini and me at the mission
 home with the mission pet (Elda Rex)

 Christmas day in Vanuatu was very different, but in a good way.  I woke up nice and early (because I can never sleep late on Christmas!) and had the chance to read the Christmas story again in Luke chapter 2.  One thing I have loved about spending Christmas outside of America, or any place for that matter where Christmas is a big deal, is that I have had a lot of time to study the life of Christ and focus on what CHRISTmas is all about.  After reading the story, I made my family's traditional Christmas Morning Casserole.  It must have smelled amazing, because it got Sista Tagini out of bed!  After a delicious breakfast, we went for a walk along the beach and collected sea shells.  Once we got home, we opened presents and then headed over to the mission home for games, secret Santa, acting out the nativity, eating and even a sing-off!  We took turns throughout the day skyping our familes.  

December 26th is Family Day here in Vanuatu and because of all the drunk men everywhere we weren't allowed to go to our area. So, a few of us missionaries decided to jump in the mission bus and drive around the island again.  This island never ceases to amaze me by how beautiful it is!  Now that we've had more rain, every thing is turning green and it's just stunning!  I just can't believe that I live in such a paradise!

This week we didn't get to teach heaps, but we did have the chance to teach Doris and her daughter again.  They are progressing really fast because they already come to church and love to read their scriptures and pray as a family.  She even said that her husband said he might be interested in taking the discussions as well- WAHOOOO!!  That was our Christmas present!  

Thank you to everyone who sent packages or letters for Christmas!  It made my first Christmas away from home a special and memorable one.  I love you all.  Have a great week!

Photo on right:  Carving our roasted Christmas pig!