Monday, April 29, 2013

"If you want to know how much you are loved, wait until you leave...."

Dear Family,


Thanks for the letters. I enjoyed hearing about your escapades in Boston. I hope one day I'll go there.As for me, this probably was the hardest week of my mission. I was a little down because of lack of success. Appointments kept falling through so we ended up going to the garden with all of them instead. One day we went with Walter and cleaned an area for him to plant Kumala. As we roasted some wailoo yam on the fire we talked about the Gospel. We talked about the Priesthood and Divine Authority. The whole time he seemed to be in deep thought. We also followed my Dad (branch president) Mark, to his garden and we cleaned a large area for planting peanuts. This week we went to Leviamp and visited Warren and his wife. Warren is one of the pioneer members here in Malekula. He's in a situation currently where 3 of his brothers, all pastors for other churches are forcing him out of his area. They say he must leave the church and come back to the church that they are all in. He wouldn't do so so he had to move. Now him and his family live in a house way up in the bush by themselves. I was amazed by the strength of their testimony. I felt the spirit guide me to D+C 122. I explained the scenario they were facing at this time in church history and read the whole section to them. I felt so bad and really felt as Jesus did when he went to the sister of Lazarus, wben it says Jesus wept. I felt I understood. But most of all the news I have as of late is that I am transferring. Elder Haora and I are both leaving to go to a different branch here in Malekula called Louni. When I heard the news of the transfer I felt horrible. I hardly ate for 3 days. I went back and forth between acceptance and sorrow. I talked to President about it. Heavenly Father has revealed to President Brewer that they need us there apparently. I felt so bad for my family here, Mark and Margret and all their children. We literally were taken in by them. They would cook 3 times a day and call us to eat. They would wash our clothes. I really felt the same as with my own family. When they heard they were very sad. Mama Margret came back from the garden as i was lifting my weight. She came and sat close to me and talked about all the things she wanted us to do but won't happen. She talked about thier son, Brown (my bro) who will come next week (i told him to hurry up and come back from santo) She cried but I cried harder. If you want to know how much you're loved wait till you leave. Everyone in the area came to shake hands and see us off. Some were too sad to watch us leave and went to the garden in the early morning. We ate SO much as they all prepared us last meals and multiple houses. News spreads fast, I didn't tell anyone. Today as we left with all our things as I hugged friends as family I bawled. I love these people. I feel like us whiteys hide affection and aren't as warm. When they love you here it's very apparent. It's impossible not to love them here. Here we didn't have huge success numbers wise but I love them here. I thought of Alma 8:10. Now missionaries will no longer live here but the elders with the truck will come pass weekly. In the near future they should have elders when we have enough missionaries. For the time being, going to Louni with a little over a month to go. Thy will be done.




Elder Sears






No comments:

Post a Comment