Apostle visit

Today is Tuesday, 21 August, a very special day.  We had the honor of meeting and shaking hands with the Apostle, Gary E. Stevenson.  He is one of the three newest Apostles.  We all stood as he walked in to the chapel with his wife, Elder Johansen an Area Seventy, and Elder Ardern, a member of the Quorum of the Seventy.   I quickly went for my tissue when they walked in.  The spirit was so strong, you knew with out a doubt that he is an apostle of the Lord.   Public Affairs and photographers were also there snapping pictures.  We all got in line row by row, reception line style.   As he shook our hand, he would say our name and ask where we were from and thank us for serving.  It was a tender moment for sure.  He spoke to all of us, especially the young missionaries about the importance of being effective missionaries.  He taught from Preach My Gospel, the handbook that the missionary's use, along with the scriptures. It was outstanding. 

The missionaries were flown in from the islands of Vanuatu; Santo, Malekula, Tanna, and Ambae.  The Anderson's flew in from Santo, where we just returned from.  We picked them up at the airport and took them to their hotel.   The missionaries in the Solomon Islands and New Caledonia (two separate countries), were not brought in because of the expense.  They were all here for training a few months ago. They are recording the whole thing for them to see.  We feel bad that they couldn't be here because  it's awesome. The senior sister missionaries prepared a luncheon of sandwiches, chips, and cookies.  We all pitched in to make it happen.  We also each made three dozen cookies, enough that everyone could have at least two.  Sister Sackley was on cookie guard duty, going up and down the lunch line making it clear to the young missionaries that they were to take no more than TWO COOKIES.  She is such a crack up.  I love her to pieces!  She and her husband served a humanitarian mission in Hong Kong, and Mission President in India.  This is their third mission.  

It's Wednesday evening and we've just returned from the church where Elder Stevenson spoke to the stake.  The members have been preparing for the past month for this special occasion.  They cleaned the chapel, planted flowers and really spiffed things up!  Everything looked so nice.  They had placed beautiful, colorful, woven mats on the walk leading up to the chapel.  When we got there the chapel was completely "fulup," so we sat outside.   Chairs were set up outside for the over flow.  Being outside was the perfect photo op.  As they all came up the walk, I just snapped those pictures!   Young women placed a lei around their neck as they came up the walk.  The central  theme was about treating our family members with love and respect.  There is an abuse problem here in the islands, and they were trying to address it firmly, but carefully.  Elder Ardern, from the  Seventy, spoke on that topic.  He was a missionary in Vanuatu as a young man, and was really excited to be back and speak to the people.  Sister Stevenson spoke next on the importance of having faith and praying often.  Her talk was very simple and sweet.  Elder Stevenson encouraged them to share the gospel with their family and friends.  He talked about who God is and that we are children of a loving Heavenly Father who wants us to pray to him.  He then talked about seven important words; Men are that they might have joy.   It was a wonderful talk.  There were 1,200 members in attendance that night.  There is about 7,500 members of the church in Vanuatu.

The next morning we picked the Anderson's up at their hotel and brought them to our apartment.  We stopped at the Bon Mache (grocery store) so that they could get breakfast cereal.  They haven't been able to get any in Santo for quite a while.  The shipping containers come and they may have the things you need or not!  I'm still waiting for black beans! We're all waiting to get salted butter.  You can only get UNSALTED!  That's okay for baking, but other than that BLAH!  They didn't need to be to the airport until 2:00, so we stayed around our apartment and had lunch and visited.  They are such a dear couple.  They will be going home the first week of November. 

Greg and I will be leaving for the Solomon Islands tomorrow, Friday, 24-28 August, to perform the audits there.  Solomon Islands is another country here in the South Pacific, and part of the Vanuatu mission..  Elder and Sister Sanders, another amazing couple, are meeting us and will help us with the audit process.  While there, we will be going on a history tour.    Guadalcanal is one of the  Solomon Islands in the Pacific. I took the following description of it from the internet. 

The battle of Guadalcanal was the first major offensive and a decisive victory for the allies in the Pacific theater.  With Japanese troops stationed in this section of the Solomon Islands, U.S. marines launched a surprise attack in August 1942, and took control of an air base under construction.  

The Sanders are going to take us to some of these famous places while we are there.  We're so excited! Greg is a real military history buff so he is thrilled! They will also be leaving to go home in the next few months.

You can tell that we have had quite an eventful week.  We are so blessed to be here in Vanuatu, and have these amazing experiences, never to be forgotten.  We want you all to know how much we love and miss you.  It doesn't take long to realize how blessed you are, when you come to a place like this, and see some of the things you see.  They are happy though, they have family, food to eat, and a place to sleep.  It may not be to our standards, but what more do you need.  May the dear Lord bless you all.  We'll be back in touch upon our return from our next adventure.  

We love you.   Love, Elda and Sista Robison  XOXO

Santo

We arrived in Luganville on the island of Espirito Santo, on Sunday morning. We  quickly hopped into a taxi and headed for the church.  When we got there we were greeted by such sweet members of the church.  Whether they know you or not, they are happy to see you, shake your hand, and give you a hug.  As we walked toward the chapel, a sister missionary came racing up to us with a big smile, Elder and Sister Robison!  It was Sister Marava, a sister that we went through the MTC with in Auckland who I've mentioned before.  She was very shy, and I worried about her, but she seems to have settled in quite well.  She just beamed and was so happy.  She told us that her father was going to be baptized, so she was on cloud nine! We also saw sister "O" ( I can't pronounce her last name), and a few other missionaries that were in Port Vila, but got transfered to Santo.  It was fun to see them too.  We went into the chapel and sat down behind these four darling little girls, about eight years of age.  They kept turning around and smiling at us.  Greg discreetly pulled out the Ipad and took their picture as they would turn around.  He would then show them their picture and they would giggle, they were so cute.  As we waited for the meeting to start, we heard the tiny little voice of one of the little girls quieting singing to herself.  She was singing, "Love at Home." Honestly, it brought tears to our eyes.  She had the voice of a little angel. 

We made arrangements with the Anderson's, the senior couple serving on Santo, to help us meet the people and show us the lay of the land.   They are here as education specialists.  They setup seminary and institute classes on the island.   As I mentioned before, Elder Anderson also served in the Utah ANG.    They took us to our hotel after church to get settled in.  Later in the day, they picked us up and took us to their home for a delish dinner.  They were so good to us, and it was fun to be with them.  Elder Anderson knew the branch presidents and clerks in the district and was a big help to Greg.  Greg did the training and auditing of thirteen branches and one district while we were there. 

On Monday, Elder Anderson picked us up and we all went to the church where Greg did the audits for the rest of the week.  Elder Anderson goes to the church on mondays and helps the branch clerks enter the tithing into the computer.  The church put just a few computers on Santo, but they are all at the Luganville branch.  It is the only place they have internet, so the other branch clerks have to come in from the out lying areas to enter their tithing and get their reports.  The computer is so hard for them, it's such a foreign concept, and they are really struggling with learning it.  It seems like everybody has a cell phone and are getting to be more tech savy, so in time we hope things will get better. 

President and Sister Granger also came over to hold a zone conference  for the young missionaries in Santo.  I met Sister Granger and she invited me to join them in their training.  We know many of the missionaries because they come to Port Vila from time to time.  It was fun to see those that were here on Santo.  I sat at the back and enjoyed every minute.  As I've mentioned before, President and Sister Granger are amazing teachers. They have these young missionaries that are from many different cultures and walks of life, so there are unique issues that come with that.  In their training they are very visual and literal, because it's hard for some of them to understand. President Granger really hit it hard on the importance of staying together as a companionship.  I think they've had some problems in that area.  They do a lot of role playing, and have hands on activities to get the kids really pumped up.  They are constantly in the scriptures learning and reading as part of their training.  Their training is very educational as well as fun! 

Sister Anderson came over after a while and picked me up.  We went to the mama's market in town and looked around at all of the fruits and veggies and just mingled with the people.  What a carefree life they seem to lead.   After mama's market, we parked the car and went shopping in the little Chinese shops.  I bought a bunch of cookies to take back to the audit session.  When the audits were finished for the day, we all went out to dinner.

The next day was more work for Greg.  I asked him if he was getting tired and he said, " no, I feel energized helping these good men."  Elder Anderson took me to their home to be with Sister Anderson.  It was nice not to just sit around and wait.  She is so much fun to be around and we really enjoyed each others company.  She decided she wanted to make donuts and get some ice cream to  take to the missionaries at their zone conference.  I helped her make them.  She taught me how to make the dough, which was Brigham Young's favorite recipe.   It reminded me of when I was young, helping my mom make spudnuts.  We got them all made, picked up some ice cream, and made some missionaries very happy that day. 

On Wednesday, we took a break and went on a field trip to where two of the branches are located,  Palon and Fanafo.  It was an amazing trip!  We were treking out through the jungle on some pretty crazy roads.  Adam, the second councelor in the Luganville branch presidency came with us.  He's been great, because he set up all the appointments with the branch presidents and clerks for their audits.  He made arrangements to bring in,  those that live on the surrounding small, practically impossible to get to, islands.  And, the reason that could happen is because it was District Conference that coming weekend, so they would be coming anyway.  Mere Lava is an island, that when you finally arrive by boat, you have to wait for the tide to come in and then jump off the boat on to land.  Then it's a hike straight up a mountain to get to where you're going.  They don't even have missionaries on the island.  There are a few islands that are similar, so  luckily they come in to Santo for their audits!  Anyway, back to our little trip through the jungle.  We arrived at Palon where President Leatham lived.  He became the branch President two years after returning from a mission. He's now twenty six years old.  He is married and has a cute little family. He and Adam took some coconuts, hacked the top off so that we could drink the water and then broke them open, and carved the coconut out for us to eat.  It was interesting, because there are different stages of a coconut and they told us all about it.  Also located on the property was a little bush school.  We got to visit with the kids, and gave them each a sucker.  Before we left, they sang us a song called "We're going to the zoo."  They were so darling singing it that I recorded it.   We also took a group photo with the kids.   

We left there and headed to Fanafo where another branch is located.  The church was located on the property of the branch clerk for Fanafo.  We visited with the him and his family.  People are always congregated outside of the house, and don't normally invite you inside.  They spend most of their time outside and only go inside to sleep.    That trip took several hours that day.  It takes a while to get anywhere on those rough jungle roads, but it's worth it!

On Thursday we did some more audits and training and then on Friday, we were given a grand tour, by the Andersons, of all of the beautiful beaches in Santo. It's hard to describe how beautiful they are.  We first went to a place that they call the "healing waters."  People come to swim in and drink the water hoping to be healed from their ailments.  Apparently there was a  women that had cancer,  made many trips to the pool, and was eventually healed.  Now, others come to do the same, hoping to be healed.     We then moved on to Palekula beach.  It was a beach with lots of coral and only a little sand.  You had to wear shoes to protect your feet for sure. 

We drove a little further and came to Champagne Beach.  The sand is like powder, and the waters are crystal clear.   

We then drove to Port Orly beach which was another gorgeous beach.  What a great day.  I have to pinch myself from time to time as we visit these beautiful places.  If you look them up on the internet you will see what I'm talking about.

On Saturday we attended the adult session of District Conference.  Elder Johanson, who was born and raised in Tonga, was the visiting Area Seventy from Auckland.   He is an awesome leader and related to the people so well because of his Island background. He is a powerful speaker! The meeting was conducted in Bislama, but they had translators for Elder Johanson and the Grangers on both Saturday and Sunday.  It was a very special meeting, each talk was what the people needed to hear in this part of the world.  The Lord knows what we need to learn, and sends his messengers to deliver. 

We were suppose to  leave that evening at 6:00 to go back to Port Vila.  The Granger's and Elder Johanson had flown in on a  charter and were leaving to go back at 3:00 that afternoon.  They invited us to go back with them if we were finished. Greg needed to finish one more audit of a branch not getting along to well. They still have Chiefs in their society and their word is law.  From what we gather, there is a branch that has people from two different villages in the same branch that are not getting along, and it has the branch in an uproar and  not functioning. They have not been collecting tithes and fast offerings for a while, and Adam wasn't able to set up an audit with them, so we're not sure what's going to happen.  We decided to go home early with the Grangers.  The plane was a small one with only 10 seats.  Greg and Elder Johanson, who told Greg he had never been so close to the Pilots, sat next to each other right behind the pilot and talked about flying all the way home.  It was a wonderful trip, never to be forgotten. 

Espiritu Santo is the largest island in Vanuatu.  The town of Luganville has relics from WWII.  It is a very popular place for scuba divers from all over the world.  The SS President Coolidge is sunk there, as well as other war machinery, and the diving is suppose to be spectacular.   

We wish you could all be here with us to share in our amazing journey.  I guess you'll just have to experience it through my attempt in sharing.  You are ALWAYS in our thoughts and prayers.  We love you all so much.   Love, Elda and Sista Robison XOXO

Independence Day

Friday night we attended a ward party in celebration of Vanuatu's independance.  The cultural hall, where the party was held, was decorated with Vanuatu flags.  Their colors are black, green, yellow and red.  We were all suppose to wear "island wear," which means "mama dresses."  Greg is after me to get one of those things.  I guess I need  be a good sport!   He said he would even get a matching island shirt.  If that happens, I'll send a picture!  They had a disc jockey playing their fun music, he also played guitar and sang.  He was really good.  These activities are attended by  mostly  women and children, the husbands don't like to participate. The women, old, and young were dancing their hearts out.  We even joined in the fun.  They had a little program with groups performing different island dances.  The young missionaries were there joining in the fun too.   Sandwiches were served for refreshment.  Everyone had a great time.  

Saturday was a GREAT day, it was stake baptism day.  Seven were baptized Saturday morning, and 20 more were baptized that afternoon.  Greg and I attended the 3:00 baptism that started at 4:15.  We witnessed 20 baptisms that day.  What an amazing thing to see.  Both young and old were baptized.

That night the senior couples got together as we usually do.  We had a potato bar with all the good stuff that goes on the potato.  We all pitch in on potluck night.  After we ate, we played pictionary, which was hilarious.  It was a toss up on who was the most artistically challenged, Elda Sackley or Elda Robison!  Soooooo funny!!!!  

Sunday, 30 July 2017 was Independance Day for Vanuatu.  It is celebrated like our 4th of July in America.  Here is just a short history.   In 1774 the islands were visited by Captain James Cook who named the islands, the New Hebrides.  French explorers also came.

In 1906, France and the UK reached an agreement and began to administer the New Hebrides jointly, both nations were interested in colonizing the islands.  To make a long story short, the people didn't like how things were going so there was an uprising.  The process of decolonization began in the 1960s.  Independance of the New Hebrides was proclaimed on July 30, 1980.  The new republic was named Vanuatu.

That Sunday we had sacrament meeting and was the only meeting held. It was held at that time so the people could go to the festivities.  Many wore their nations colors which are red, green, yellow and black.  Ward's and branch's all over Port Vila started at (approximately) 7:30 am ending at 8:30 am.  There was a flag raising ceremony in the town park that they all wanted to attend, as well as other things going on all over Port Vila.  I'm sure lots of kava was consumed as well.  Those that have a job, got Monday off.

Monday night was family home evening at our apartment.  Greg gave the lesson from a talk given by President Monson entitled, "Finishers Wanted."It was given in conference in 1974.  He found it in a book of published talks by President Monson. If you get a chance, look it up.  It's a great talk.   After the lesson, I served a fruit cocktail cake with whipping cream.  I remember making one with my mother so many years ago, when I was a little girl.  I think of her often and sure miss her.  We have to make simple recipes here because there are things that you can't get.  We've learned to make do.  

We're off traveling again this weekend.  This time we're going to the island of Espiritu Santo,  which is another one of the islands in Vanuatu.  We will be there for a week.  They have 1 district and 12 branches to be audited.  So, if you don't here from us for a while, that's why!  We'll be sure to be back in touch when we get back.  We love and miss you all very much!  Take good care.  Love Elda and Sista Robison XO