Missionaries

President and Sister Granger were in Tanna for a zone conference this past week, so they were unable to meet new missionaries coming to the mission.  They asked Greg and I if we would represesnt them, and greet them at the airport, along with the travel elders.  Sister Granger asked me to take pictures and video of their arrival.  When they saw all of us waiting to meet them, they started to waive and hurry toward us.  They are so excited to be here.  You can tell their going to be successful.   Two sisters are from Tonga, and two from Samoa.  One of the elders is from New Zealand, not sure where the other two elders are from.  All I know, is that they are happy to be here, and we're glad they're here too!  The day after new missionaries come, they are taken to the bank to get their finance stuff taken care of.  The banks here are a source of GREAT FRUSTRATION.  Vanuatu deals only in cash.  They don't have direct deposit,  so everyone has to go to the bank if they want it deposited.  When they go to the bank, they wait forever to see a teller.  You have to take a number, then sit and wait until your number appears on the board.  It's like going to the DMV years ago.  That's why if you aren't one of the first in line when they open, you could be there a good two hours.   They use an ATM card to get cash out.

One of the fun things we get to do is make breakfast for the new arriving missionaries.  We make it for them the morning they go to the bank.  We prepare it in our apartment and take it to the mission office.  They take it with them and eat it while they wait in line. The breakfast consists of; an egg sandwich, piece of fruit, cookie, drink and a scripture. We want it to be a hardy breakfast in case they're there all day!  I'm really on one about the banks aren't I ?  The scripture we chose for the meal was D&C 68: 5,6.   The one we chose for last month was D&C 84:88.  I just type it up and put it in their sack.  They're both great scriptures.  D&C 84:88 is my favorite scripture.

Every morning you can smell the fires that people start as they get ready to make breakfast.  On our way to play pickleball, we see people walking along the road with their three loaves of french bread for $1.50 from one of the local bakery's.  They are taking it home for breakfast.  I've mentioned before that the Chinese have a large presence here in Vanuatu.  They have introduced white bread, white rice and maggie noodles (ramen noodles) into the diet of the people here.  As a result, there is a  diabetes problem here among the people.  The people are selling alot of their produce, instead of eating it, and buying rice.  Rice is filling, and they eat LOTS of it.  It's not that these things are bad to eat, but when they become a staple in your diet, they aren't good for you.     

Yesterday, the senior couples went to the airport to met a new couple coming into the mission.  They aren't assigned to Port Vila, they will be serving in Santo.  They are replacing the Anderson's who will be leaving in a couple of weeks.  They are an amazing couple just like the Anderson's.  They will be in Port Vila until Wednesday,  getting some training from Brian King, the head guy in charge of Seminaries and Institute.  We had a welcome dinner for them at the mission home last night.  They are the Ipson's from Sandy, Utah.  They live on about 160th South and 13th East.  We've met several of the young missionaries that are also from Utah.  It will be fun to attend missionary reunions and see them from time to time.  We love you all and think of you often.  

We'll write again soon.  Love, Elda and Sista Robison XO