Mother's Day

I hope you all had a wonderful week!  Over here in Vanuatu things are going just great!  We've been working with Tony and Pricilla. They didn't go through with their wedding this week, so we'll move it to this Friday and that means their baptism to this Saturday.  The same thing happened with Aru and Cicilia.  We thought Lean would get baptized this Saturday and had everything arranged for him, but when Saturday morning came around Lean was nowhere to be found!  Turns out she was at "sports day" for her school, and forgot that she was supposed to get baptized!!  Please keep them in your prayers as we try and do everything we can to work with them this upcoming week.  They all mean so much to us and we want to help them in the best way possible--giving them the chance to accept the gospel and receive all the blessings that go along with it.

On Tuesday this week we had zone training.  It was a little bit of a frustrating experience for me.  All the training we received was on basic rules that missionaries should know and should be following.  The training lasted for close to four hours, and I didn't feel like I learned anything from my peer leaders that I couldn't have learned from reading the 'White Handbook".  This zone has a long way to go, and it all goes back to what the individual missionaries are doing.  It has improved a lot, but we still have a long way to go.  The good thing is we have a good group of missionaries to work with. 

Transfer calls came this week as well.  Sista Tonga and I will be staying here but we have a new zone leader, Elder Iloa.  Sista Tagini (my trainer) will be moving out to Santo and be training another American Sista!  That means there will be four American Sistas in Vanuatu- Wahoooooo!!!  Yeah for white men!! I know that sounds funny, but I think I know how black people feel in Utah!  It’s so strange being the minority!  Haha that reminds me of a funny story that happened this week:  I was teaching a mama the plan of salvation, and she told me that it was easier for me to get to the Celestial Kingdom.  I asked why and do you know what she said?!  She told me that white people aren't as easily tempted as black people are!!  Haha I wanted to laugh, but held it in and explained that, no matter our skin color, Satan knows our weaknesses and is trying to tempt us where we are weakest.  Those are the lessons I wish I was a black person . . . .

Sunday this week was incredible! We started right on time again, but because we started on time the sacrament meeting speaker wasn't there!!  So I got to throw together a talk super fast.  My talk went well, but Relief Society was even better.  The four of us Sistas:  Sista Manly, Tonga, Rivera, and I taught Relief Society.  We talked about the stripling warriors in the Book of Mormon and their mother's example and impact.  Then we all shared how our own mothers had affected us.  After the lesson ended the young women came in and gave the mamas flowers and cards and we all ate cake together.  There wasn't a dry eye in the room.  These mamas never get appreciated.  To get a simple card and flower made their day.  I love my Mom with all my heart and am beyond thankful for what she has and continues to teach me.  I'm so blessed to be able to call my best friend my Mom!

Well, I love you all!  Have a great week and Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there!