Easter in Malekula

Dear Family,

Thanks for the letters! I am SO glad you met Sister Waiane! She’s the best huh? She’s shy but full of goodness isn’t she? PS You’ve got another one headed your way. Her name is Axcelline Samuel. She is from the branch I’m currently serving in. She left a few days ago and will be in Fiji a week. She’ll learn English at the Provo MTC and then head out to the Marshall Islands. PLEASE contact her and let me know. She is the cousin of my favorite companion, Elder Samuel and all of her family is here with me.

Ok, another business note. At the Mission Office here in Vila, they are preparing my return ticket. My release date they are aiming for is June 4^th. I found out you guys CAN pick me up here. What they’d do is give you guys a check for the amount of the ticket and I’d be with you guys. Although, I would still be a missionary and have to have a companion. They want me to get back to them. What should I tell them? Personally, I’d rather come home first and get going with work and school and find a chance to come back in a year or so.

As for me here in Malekula, it’s going pretty good. This past week was Easter Sunday and District Conference. I really enjoyed it. We jumped on the transport truck filled with all the members, which did a few trips. We all stayed together in a school classroom here in Lakatoro. Right next to it is the town’s football field and stands with a small meeting house for chiefs and politicians. We met in there. Instead of sleeping at the Elders house we opted to be with the members. I enjoyed lots of good chats, listening to Hymns on my ipod and cooking together. The classroom was filled with people all over the ground. I brought my “mat” (coconut leaf woven mat) which was enough for 4 of us.

I have to say it was probably my best Easter Sunday. We had great speakers. Some RM’s from here who served in New Zealand spoke. We also had nice musical numbers. President Brewer attended and was deeply touched by it all. All the talks were so good. As the talks were going I read 1 Corinthians 15:54-57. The main word and message that came out to me was “VICTORY”. I thought about all competitions. I thought about all sporting events and championships. Some have such fierce competition. But what are the stakes? Bragging rights? A ring? Honor? How about every person ever is depending on this moment. This was a competition against the adversary. He really thought he had won. Little did he know it would only be 3 days and during that time important work would be fulfilled among those who are dead. On the first day of the week, he made an unexpected “come from behind win”. His Victory affects every soul who will ever live. Christ is the best hero, athlete, or competitor of all. It’s almost unfathomable if you really think about someone who is plainly dead to get up again, not only living but perfected. I knew it already but the Spirit clearly testified that this event DID happen.

Afterwards, I got up and translated for President. I did it at Priesthood session the previous day. After I thought I’d let some RM’s who knew English do it. It didn’t go too well. People focused more on the translator and helping him than the message. President gave a 45 minute talk with me. I testify that the Gift of Tongues is real. He talked about every kind of doctrine and read the Doctrine and Covenants (which isn’t translated to bislama yet). With ease and clarity I spoke it all. As I translated I could tell the clear bislama translation I was giving not only could they understand but also made them be able to understand Presidents’ English as well. Afterwards some were almost in awe. President looked at me and said: “You have a gift”. I love this language. It has a very small vocabulary and makes you speak very simply. With it I’ve learned to teach the Gospel in a way that all can understand. It’s made me speak English really simply too haha. This week I also finished the Book of Mormon again. I think that’s 4 times now on the mission. I read the Pearl of Great Price for the first time. Wow. It truly is to be prized. Read about Heavenly Fathers conversation with Enoch. You learn how tender and loving he really is and how we are truly known to him. Moses 7:28- and on. I started reading the New Testament again. I love it and really enjoying it. As for the area, still trying our best. Hope to find some more this week and be brave to invite some new ones. Anyways that’s all I have to say. Love you guys.

 Elder Sears

Dear Family,

Thanks for the letters. Mom, I was sad to hear about Grandpa's passing. I really wish I could have been there for the funeral. I guess it's goodbye for now. Some day we'll all meet up with him again but the only thing different will be that he will look and act much younger as I'm sure you remember him. Be grateful for all that he did for you, look for the positives.
     As for me, I'm doing well here in Tuluwe, Malekula. I love being on the island. It's weird coming into town here. It's so loud and so many people, so much going on. If you guys saw this place, 'lakatoro', you would think it looks like one of those small places to stop off the highway at the gas station. I love being in the 'bush'. It's so peaceful. It's like your in another world. All there is is the people around you and greenery. I'll miss the peaceful feeling of being in places like this. The beauty makes me think of God a lot and the Creation. This morning after we crossed the second river in the transport truck I was thinking these things. To get to our area you have to cross 2 rivers. When it rains (this whole month) the rivers get really big and the road for trucks passes right through them. Sometimes you have to turn back or sometimes the drivers will 'chance it'. This morning crossing one of the rivers in white shirt and all I with others jumped out in the middle of the river to push the truck through where it was stuck. Water was up to the glass on the sides and covering the hood. The truck died 3 times before man power forced it through. The rivers and horrible roads have taken lots of trucks.
So my new companion is Elder Haora from the Solomon Islands. He's awesome. He was baptised in 2008 on the same day when President Monson was set apart. He comes from a small 'unit' with about 40 attending on sunday. It's funny to hear him talk. In Solomon they also use a 'pijin' form of english like bislama. It's very similar but some things are different. This last sunday we fasted for help in our area. Just from yesterday, monday, I can tell this week will be better. We bought a volleyball net in town. We cut some big logs and put them on the grass in front of the church with the net. Now every afternoon slowly more and more are coming. We had a good time yesterday playing with 3 teams. Here, a big thing is winning trust. You can't come up to a random person and talk about dispensations of the gospel and latter day prophets right off the bat. You have to joke around, smile, and chat a few times before you can get to an invitation. Here, you get REALLY good at having good casual chats. Also, I finished both Kolipoki books. They are epic. We held firesides in the branch and the unit and showed the other side of heaven and the restoration dvd. It went well. I feel confident that we can help this area. We have AWESOME members even if they are few including all of elder samuels immediate family. We just have to open our mouths and make friendships.
PS - a big yes to Carpinteria. That sounds great. Full family I assume? Yesterday was P day. We saw one of our buds/neighbors working outside. We helped him tear down his old small house for food storage to build a new kitchen. We started chatting and he asked some good questions about Right and Authority and our Spirits now and after we die. He's a former investigator. I ended up giving him a quad standard works that I brought intending to give to someone who needed it. We're also building the new church in Leviamp, the unit. On friday we walked down (1hr40min) and worked all day shoveling and leveling the ground. It was hard work but rewarding. The new location for the church is awesome, right on the road. Now we're meeting in someones small house. Also, every afternoon we're using the make-shift cement weight with the bench. Hopefully I'll have a decent 'beach bod' for when I get back haha. Also yesterday we bought a HUGE fish! 8 kilo's i think. It fed everyone in our small village with half of it. The other half we'll eat this afternoon. (lucky one dude has a ice box). Anyways, that's how I am. I'm still loving my mission and trying my best. It will be SO hard to leave this place. I've learned SO much from these people. Anyways, Love you all!


Elder Sears

Images of Malekula, March 5,2013

Yikes!

 

 

" We wield the bush knife...."

 

Banana Laplap Sorsor 

The members with President Brewer in front of the church...

The making of Laplap Sorsor

   Elder Sears & Elder Tula

Malekula- A beautiful place with lots of rivers and coconut plantations."

Dear Family,

Thanks for your letters. It took a whole minute to read them haha. Thanks for the quotes from the "Kolipoki" book, I look forward to reading it. Looks like I will no longer be alone in the basement with Sierra's and my bedroom downstairs. Let her know that she can enjoy using the bathroom until I get back when it become's my Personal Bathroom. She'll get used to seeing Dad and I watching baseball.
As for me, I'm really good. I'm having good experiences with my surroundings and my companion, Elder Tula. I'm also enjoying reading The Articles of Faith by James E. Talmage. Such a great book. Especially the chapters on the Book of Mormon about the Ancient inhabitants of America. I'm also about to finish the Book of Mormon in my own studying again. I plan on reading the New Testament again. I really love my area. It's such a beautiful place. Lots of rivers and Coconut plantations. This week we spent a lot of time in Leviamp, a unit organised in our area. They're good members but a little unorganised after their unit leader moved to Port Vila. Yesterday we had FHE combined with members from 3 familes. I think it was the first time in years or even the very first time missionaries did that with them. I gave the message about Example. We read Alma 23:6-7 + 24:21-27 about the people of Ammon. They were converted to such a point that they surrendered empty handed to death even calling the name of their Heavenly Father while dying. Their expample helped more be converted than were killed. Elder Tula did an activity that I'll have to show you when I get back. It's taking a paper and tearing it only once to make a cross. It takes the story of Nephi's family until he came and taught the Nephites.
Unfortunately, missionary work is still sluggish. Contacting and asking Referrals hasn't worked out yet. We have a fireside planned this coming sunday and the next at the branch and the unit. We'll watch the Restoration dvd and after kolipoki. All the members will be inviting thier friends and family. We've been trying first to strengthen the neglected members before we can bring anyone into the branch. We've been doing some service and are constantly looking for more. We wield the "Bush knife". It's kind of funny/annoying, everyone here calls me "Derel". That means white man in language of Northwest Malekula. Custom is pretty strong here. The area here is nicknamed "big nambas". It's the area notoriously known for being the center of cannibalism. Some from those generations are still living haha. In this area when a parents child is married, the parents  cannot communicate whatsoever with their childs spouse. If they want to, they pass it through a little kid. Sometimes it can be an obstacle. Elder Tula calls me "Tuwo". That means brother in his language of Paama.
Now, a funny one. The other day I was in the house reading. As I was reading I hear the sound of someone coming inside. I assumed it was Elder Tula. I had a weird feeling and glanced up and saw a huge cow in my house! You must understand our house is probably the size of a sports boat and it's lifted 2 feet above the ground and made of bamboo. He didn't just have 2 legs and his head in but his whole body all the way to the end of the house. I yelled and he ran outside the small opened door.
Also, on another note, last week on my birthday we celebrated it here with the family. We watched 17 miracles/Labor of love and they even made cake and sang "Happy birthday/Happy Long life". So that's pretty much all for now. I'm content with my area and companion but..... we need more investigators! I'm kind of amazed how in my now 1 month here we haven't been able to find one. We contact people and come when they say and they'll push it back forever. I hope it'll get better. Anyways, Love you all.


Elder Sears

"Focus on the Good Side, because it's progress..."

Family,

How are things? I hope you guys are enjoying cold weather haha. It seems so foreign to think about. I saw that picture of Elder Yunack doing a snow angel. It blew me away. The snow looked so soft. I enjoyed the letters. I'm excited to get those books. I hope they come fast. Now that I'm on Malekula we'll have to wait for someone from Vila to come here with it or at next conference. As far as planning for my return, I think it would be best to get busy as soon as possible. Sister Brewer, the mission presidents' wife gave that advice. I'd like to start working and schooling fast but that doesn't rule out fun or trips. I for sure want to spend lots of time with you guys. I'm looking forward to a baseball trip with dad. I really want to get going with my education. Probably SLCC because of expenses:). The mission has taught me to take things more seriously. Lots of teachings from the Doctrine and Covenants have made me really want to learn more and educate myself, especially about the body.

As for Elder Tula and I in Malekula things are dandy. This past week we went to Zone Conference. It was nice having to not plan or do anything but the invocation. I watched the others busy while I ate lots of laplap. All we eat in our area every day is banana and they make it into "laplap sorsor". Guess what we ate at zone conference? Laplap banana! At first I was disappointed but when I saw them open them up I was happy again. Pounds of chicken and fish in the middle. I didn't eat any laplap, I think I ate a few kilo's of meat myself. I piled up the bones. Zone Conference was a bit of a replay for me. The highlight was being with the Elders. We slept at the Zone Leaders house. All the Elders would come to the house and we'd chat. I really got to know some of them I didn't know before. Elder McNeil from New Zealand. Elder Dilling - Canada. Elder Thurber - US. and Elder Poita, Maukura and Tangarasi from Vanuatu. Most of all my bud Elder Arnett from Arizona. He's a crack up. He's an aspiring Broadway singer. He's schooling at BYU Hawaii. We had some good chats and he gave me some advice for when I went back. It's weird how close it is. I still have lots of work to do here though. We kept quoting the words from the Kolipoki book: "I kept the Faith". We discussed short term goals and long term for when we got back. He's really goal oriented. He's put goals on his mission and worked and achieved them. I have goals but most seem spiritual. I really want to not lose the spirit when I get back. I don't want to stay the same as I am or go back in spirituality. I want to always be in progression. It'll be hard during schooling. I have a big desire to be righteous. My best experience was talking with all the Elders. Each one had different experiences, traits, and strengths. They are all at stages that I remember being at. For some reason I came away with an appreciation and love for all of them. Dad, I thought of you talking about "The day that I loved everyone" on your mission. I would listen to them talk and I would see good things in them and their good hearts. I feel like a big thing I've learned is to look at the good side of people. President Brewer once told me "Focus on the good side, because it's progress". Everyone had weaknesses or negative things but look at the positives even if they're few. I've really learned not to be judgemental. Being Judgemental is very weak. That's whats helped Elder Tula and I to be such a success. We're great buds. We get along well . He's a great teacher. I feel the spirit when he speaks of the gospel. I just hope we get some more success to occupy our minds. I've been thinking a lot lately of the verse in Romans 1:16, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ". I've been using that as my motivation as I talk to others here. I've developed a "who cares?" thinking. If they accept, great, if not, their choice. We're planning a fireside here. No one here has seen "The other side of heaven". I've seen watching it here with them  and 100% of the time it has a profound influence on them. Anyways that's all.


PS I got a small package with the shirt/wallet.



Elder Sears

Family,

Thanks for the letters. Sounds like you guys are well and happy. I always enjoy hearing about you guys. Sierra, you're epic. Keep preparing for your patriarchal blessing, it will help you so much. Thank you so much for encouraging your friends. It is a part of the covenant we made at baptism, (Mosiah 18:8-10). It's weird picturing myself coming back. There are so many things I can't remember. It will be a big shock seeing failure things. This week wasn't great. On Monday we came down to town for P-day. I ate 2 plates at the House Market stalls. Monday night after family home evening I started getting sick. Tuesday I was very ill. I finally got cleaned out a bit and that afternoon we went and taught 2 lessons in the late aftternoon. Elder Tula got Malaria. He was sick friday through sunday. Yesterday after church he got extreme chills and was shaking badly. We found a transport and went to the hospital to get him checked up. All the other days we weren't sick we spent looking for people to teach. We're teaching one man named Walter and a young boy named Leslie. Here in our area it's different. Everyone gets up around 5 and heads to the garden where they stay all day till around 4 or 5 in the afternoon. They come back and eat and chat and sleep around 8 or 9. They days we weren't sick we spent walking around aimlessly trying to find anyone. The villages are so quiet like ghost towns. We're struggling to find people to teach. The branch and unit we look after are small with very few members, only a few families. We got a volleyball net and ball to put up by the church. They like to play in the afternoon. Hopefully we'll find some. This week we'll proselyte one day before going to Santo for zone conference. I spent most of my time this week reading. I'm reading the manual "church history in the fulness of times". It's such an epic book. I've learned so much about church history and awesome stories. I read a lot about the foundation of the state of Utah and building of Salt Lake City. It made me grateful to live in such a historic place. Brigham Young is a man. It made me miss the place. Anyways thats all from me. I love the area though. Mostly just being with the members. Family Nori is my temporary family here.

Elder Sears