Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Another week in Vanuatu

Family,


Another week here in Vanuatu. Good old Etas and her 'sofmud'. The highlight of this week was definitely the mission tour that went down. Elder Hamula, an area seventy came to visit the new mission. He's pretty epic. So is President Brewer. Both of them gave incredible talks. President Brewers got me pretty pumped. He talked about good vs. evil and beating the adversary. He made an example with Lord of the Rings haha. He enthusiastically described the scene where Gandalf stood on the bridge as it was collapsing and the evil monster/spirit was going to consume him and he shouted "Thou shalt not pass!". He talked about being strong and winning against  temptation. He focused our thoughts on our weapon we were to use, out of the hymn book, "Let us oft speak kind words to each other". After Elder Hamula went in depth on the gospel. His first words were, "Why are you here?". Some shared their ideas. He went into 3 nephi 27:19-20
  ( And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom: therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in his blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end
Now this is the commandment; Repent, all ye ends of he earth, and come unto me and be baptised in my name, that ye may be sancitified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.)
. He helped us get in depth on each principle. He asked us to think about how we would feel, being unclean, in the presence of holiness. He told a story of him being late for curfew and missing family home evening. He got home late opened the door and his mom was sitting in the doorway. He talked about if we got back from our missions and saw our family for a minute and then were separated forever to go live somewhere else. He focused more than anything on the "WHY" of the gospel. I was also chosen to have a personal interview with him. It was awesome. We chatted about the mission and then he answered some questions I asked. We talked about good scripture studying. Later that evening Elder Hamula spoke to the members of the Port Vila district. He put a goal of having a stake here in 2 years. He detailed what had to happen. He talked about a gigantic swamp. Countless members are in there and need help out. He talked about home teaching.
 So here's another S/E update. We talked to them about desire. We asked them about their life goals. It was really good. After, the next day my companion, while on an exchange, saw him drunk. He said," I want to see you at church tomorrow." Sunday morning we saw his wife and kids come but he wasn't there. Just as sacrament meeting was about to start we saw him come in the back. I smiled and looked at Elder Kalomtak. I was glad to see him not give up. Our former branch president, now elders quorum pres. had a good long heart to heart chat with him during sunday school class.
 We've been doing weekly service projects for him and praying for him a lot. We're doing a lot of fun service projects the last few weeks. This week we did 3 on our day for service, thursday. Firstly, we tied down 10 pieces of long tin roof about as long as our truck. We then transported it for a member. After, we went to Elder Kalomtak's village, Pango and cut 10 pieces of bamboo for Sam. Afterwards we painted the whole inside of our elders quorum presidents house. His name is Andrick Vano. He served his mission in Tahiti. We've become good friends and we've had some great chats. I gave him the Infinite Atonement book and the newspaper pictures of Mitt Romney. (He was very interested) This week we'll be helping build a house for a less active family, famle Beri. So we're teaching a mama from Tanna, Rose. She is so awesome. Unfortunately she has a bad situation going on. She works on a large plantation/farm/garden owned by a infamous millionaire from Vietnam. She's worked for him for 15 years. She is the manager of all the work boys. This guy is the worst. He makes everyone work 7 days a week. He doesn't want them to leave and go to town. Every day he'll pass in his truck and honk the horn and everyone has to run and greet him. In the evenings he'll come do somewhat of a family devotional then he gets 4 or 5 massages. They'll cook for him and he'll make jokes. He has a wife from vietnamn but he comes with diffrerent ones all the time. If someone asks to go to church on sunday, he'll make them dress up in church clothes and go hunting and bring back birds. Before, if you drove on his property he would shoot the tire on your truck. There are bullet holes and targets all over the coconut tree's. He is in every way the modern KING NOAH. Now he's tamed a little and we're fine to come in the morning because rose has some leverage. Rose really wants to get baptised and come to church every sunday but he doesn't let her go. Twice she has gone to church only to have this guy come pick her up church clothes and all and take her back. Rose is great though and she will find a way.
 We also had another interesting experience. We went to teach S and S the other day. They are from Tanna. Tanna is a pretty well known and interesting island here. We started chatting with them and they started to tell me that I and all other Americans were in tanna before. Then thousand of years ago everyone left to all the big countries. He then proceeded to tell me that Noah's ark landed in Tanna and that the paint used to paint the ark is there. Mount Sinai is here and the place where Moses came down and pieces of the golden calf are broken and in pieces. Also there is an area named Nazareth. They said Jesus' tomb in there as well. There were 100% serious and explaining all the places. It was pretty awkward. I was polite and showed interest but not belief, that's for sure haha. Anyway that's all I can think of. Just want you guys to know I love you and I appreciate everything you have done for me.



Elder Sears

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