Family Home Evening at Ken's house

Monday February 23. 2015

Week 21 on Tanna

Dia Famle Blong Mi,

So last week when you last heard me we went to Tiffany and Ken's house for Family Haos Naet.  We taught them how to make Chimmy Changas and we fried up over 20 of em!  They were dang good!  We boiled baked beans and fried up Mince Meat (Ground Beef) and I made some tortilla dough and we fried a ton! It was a lot of Fun.

Tuesday we had a change of plans again, we were supposed to go to Greenpoint but a perspective missionary and 2 other members needed to fly to Port Vila. We had no money to pay for transports so we decided to walk there.  We walked North on the road and stopped in Lokueria on the way and we taught chief Joe and and Joses about the Sabbath day.

We hope to baptize Joses in a few weeks.  Then we walked most of the way there and a truck helped us out and brought us to the airport. We checked everybody in and then we walked back and another truck stopped and brought us back home.

Wednesday we stayed in Lenakel and we had many appointments cancel for some reason and we taught a former investigator named Tupusi about the Restoration.  His son is getting ready to serve a mission but his father isn't a member yet, we hope to help him get baptized before his son leaves.  During the afternoon we went to Mama Rabi's house and talked with their family and ate gato and drank lemon tea with them. Thursday we walked on our way to Inapkasu but on the way Elder Child
started throwing up for some reason, he felt fine though.  And I forgot to mention, it was DANG HOT!!!

We walked to a village called "Lanluel" and taught a new investigator mama named Mary and her son Peter.  While I was on my exchange with Elder Jensen a few weeks ago, this mama stopped us and said "what time are you coming to see us" so we decided to go see her and they knew everything was true.  There was no questions and she knew it was all true.  Well afterwards we decided since our time was short and it was so hot and Elder Child was throwing up that dehydration would be dangerous and that Inapkasu wouldn't be a good idea for the day.  So we went back home and did our
weekly planning and then we went to teach Henry Yoyo's family but the parents were gone but his boys Roy and Tuga was so we taught them about prayer.

Friday we went to Whitesands for District Meeting and then stayed in Lenakel  and waited for reimbursements to come to pay our transport driver.  We waited a couple hours down by the ocean and talked with some people before we checked the bank again, but the money didn't come.

So as a zone leader we have to buy things for housing for the missionaries and since we have no truck we have to pay lots of transports. And we get reimbursed but only when the mission office receives the receipts we send through the airport.  So sometimes we run low on money because we don't get the chance to send the receipts. And sometimes the mission office receives receipts but it takes time
to process the reimbursements and it takes a few days to come in our accounts. So there have been a few times that we've run out of food but the families here are so nice and feed us wherever we go so we haven't gone too hungy.

Well friday afternoon we saw Rodger and their family and taught them about repentence. They're doing good, such a great family to be around.

Saturday morning we walked all the way to greenpoint (with the help of a truck) and we went to the branch president's house and they fed us some pig and boiled bananas for lunch.  Then for about 4 hours we helped organize church records and organize the branch to help the Branch President out.

Then a truck brought us back to Lenakel and we went home to get the news of Transfers. The AP's called and many missionaries are transferring.  We found out that Elder Child will transfer to Kaska, Gaua!, my old area.  We were sad to hear that he's transferring though.  Me and him get along really well.  We totally plan on hanging out after our mission.  He plans on going to SUU
again.

My new companion is Elder Pearce from New Zealand.  He's coming this afternoon.  I'm excited to see him.  He was a Zone Leader in the Solomon Islands and just got transferred to come serve with me. I'm excited.

All is going well and know I'm happy.  We will still be walking for a few weeks until the truck comes and when it comes, I will be driving it!!! I'm so excited!!!, I haven't driven for a year and a half.
Mi lavem yufala bigwan!

Love,

Elder Beynon
  

Me and my Comp at Greenpoint

Me and a couple of friends in Lokeria

Tanna week 20
Sunday February 15, 2015

 Dia famle blo mi mo "Hapi Valentines Day!"  (i forgot valentines day was coming up)

So first off you are probably thinking "is Elder Beynon still walking or is the truck back?"  Well the truck was origionally scheduled to come back yesterday but a few days ago we received a call from the mission office saying that the truck is almost done but they are waiting for a few parts to come to fix up the body that got damaged when we crashed into that tree in Inapkasu. So it will be another 2 or 3 weeks until the truck gets back, but it's alright. "Yumi mas gohed!"

Also the mission couple who looks over the mission vehicles went back home.  The mission couple is from St. George! Their names are Elder and Sister Duke. (sorry I can't remember their first names).   I think they live in the retirement homes at "Sun River" in St. George, so if any of you hear about anyone just coming back from Vanuatu in St. George, It's them and they know me.

Well so last monday we went to Mama Rabi's house, her family's from Whitesands and we had famle haos naet and we watched a church movie called "the work and the glory," it's about the time of Joseph Smith and there's a story line of family's of that time, I don't know if it's all true stories or not though. We watched it and bore testimonies for the family home evening before going back for the
night.

Tuesday we were supposed to go to Greenpoint but we received a call that 2 more sisters would be coming to serve in the area of "Loweao" by whitegrass.  We changed the plan and it was raining alot and we didn't have any appointments set.  And the people in Lenakel don't expect us to come and teach on tuesday's because we always go south that day.  Sadly enough we planned on going to the airport at 1pm and waiting 3 hours for the sisters to come at 4pm so we could transport them into their area.  Well during the 3 hours of waiting we studied a little and then met all the workers at the airport.  We asked them their names, they all know us missionaries because we go to the airport a lot but they didn't seem to know our purpose.  So we taught them our purpose and how the church doesn't pay us (everyone thinks the church pays us missionaries here) to come work here, we come to
sacrifice 2 years of our lives to help families obtain eternal life.

So we taught them and then we gave out a few pamphlets and book of mormons and then we showed them magic tricks. Then we showed them how to do some tricks and they loved it!  They started doing them to each other and it was so funny!  All of the employees hung out with us and we all became close friends.  It was alot of fun.  The sisters finally arrived and we had a transport take us back to Lenakel so they could buy food and stuff and then we went all the way to Loweao and dropped them off.  Then we got home and it was already late by the time we got home.

Wednesday morning we studied and we walked to Lokueria where we taught Joe and Joses about the Sabbath day.  Joses is almost ready to be baptized, If he continues to progress we hope to baptize him on March 7th.

We walked back and checked up a few appointments which cancelled but then we decided to see Pastor Jefford and his wife.  We told them of our beliefs and they told us of theirs.  And they were so respective of us.  They accepted what we said and said nothing against us.  They are both so charitable and we are slowly reeling them in.  They own a store in Lenakel and a tiny restaurant and everyone from greenpoint and from south stay there over night if needed.  So many members in
greenpoint know him as well. They are such a cool family, we also taught them a little about the restoration which was cool.  And they also let me borrow a bible in their language (the south tanna
language, also known as "Nafe" Language)  So I've been studying in that to try and learn more of the language from south and I understand it very well. It's so cool, I'm gonna come home and speak a language you won't be able to understand at all.  There's just so many different languages here.  I think I know a total of 6 different languages, just the basics it's a lot of fun to speak them to the
people, they are really surprised when you speak in their language. The gospel will be preached in every nation, kindred, and tongue!

Thursday we walked all the way to Inapkasu to find out that a big soccer tournament was going on.  So EVERYONE in Inapkasu and many other villages around were there so we just took the time to meet everybody who was watching and then we walked all the way back to Lenakel and taught Henry Yoyo's family about the Restoration.  They are of the Presbyterian faith and we had a great lesson with them, they seemed to be very interested in what we taught.  We hope help the family come to church in a few weeks.

Friday morning we had district meeting and we went back to Lenakel and all of our appointments cancelled so in the afternoon we decided to do our weekly planning, and we bought cake mix and baked a cake in a pot and made some frosting and it turned out pretty dang good!

Saturday it was really rainy and we decided to press forward walk to greenpoint.  Because of the lack of time we just decided to go to Karimasanga. We walked all the way there in the rain and taught their family how to do family home evenings, and then we stayed a few hours before we had to walk back and we passed by a less active's house named Ben. His cousin just recently died so we shared a small message about the spirit world, life after death, and eternal life.  Then we walked all the way home and I made a chocolate banana cake which turned out amazing!

Yesterday the District President came and picked us up in the morning so we could go to Greenpoint and he could visit the Branch.  The roads were really bad and President was able to drive most of the way.  He just barely got his truck a few months ago and is learning how to drive and the roads to greenpoint are a challenge The President's faith is so strong!  As we drove he stalled the truck a few times on inclines (he's never driven on this road or terrain before because he's from North Tanna) and many times Elder Child said "do you want me to drive?" and president Nalawas said "No, I need to learn!" and he got most of the way there. and then Elder Child drove the last couple miles.

We first went through all the records to find out who can be ordained Elders, priests, teachers, deacons etc... to help organize the branch more.  Because Greenpoint is in the bush,  we didn't even have a branch member list, we went through all the baptism records to find out everyone's age.  They did interviews for everyone who needed them and then we had sacrament meeting and afterwards we ordained 3 Elders, 2 Priests, and 1 Deacon.  It was awesome, the savior sent the District president to help the branch grow and ordain more priesthood leaders.  We stayed just about the whole day there before going back to Lenakel where one appointment cancelled but we were able to meet and talk with a potential investigator family.

This morning we came to lenakel and 2 perspective missionaries came and we filled up some applications for passports.  I think you are all already aware, but back home, each missionary fills out their forms, does medical, and the passport, and everything needed.  But here they don't know how to do it very well so us Zone Leaders take the lead in helping the perspective missionaries with their mission papers and prepare.  We have sooooo many missionaries leaving and recieving mission calls, it's so amazing to see the faith of these people!!!!!

Well even thought the trucks not back yet the work is going forward, slowly.   We haven't had much time to work and teach because of the walking but we've planted so many seeds!  The work is slowly going forward but all is well.  I love this Mission!  There's no other mission like this!  I love serving the lord here in Vanuatu and mi lavem yufala evriwan!

Love,

Elder Beynon

Walking in the rain to Greenpoint

Playing volleyball in Lofetum

   
 Week 19 on Tanna Sunday February 8, 2015

Dia famle blong mi,

Well you all know that i've been walking alot but the truck should be coming back next week!
Last Tuesday morning we had a transport bring us to the airport where we checked in 3 perspective missionaries that would be going to Vila and come back.

After they flew, 1 perspective missionary from saet siwi came back from Vila and also a  returned missionary named Sister Komra from Greenpoint arrived back from her mission in Guam.  We had a truck bring us, Sister Komra, and some of her family back to Greenpoint and we went there and carried her luggage over our heads while we walked up the side of the cliff to Miraweng to her family's house.  We stayed awhile and then taught Sister Komra's aunt named Dora about baptism.
Apparenty Dora was already baptized but there's no record in the church of her baptism or her being married.  So we are trying to set up a time for her to be married and baptized again.

Then we passed by Ikahkahak and ate with President Isaac's family.  Then we had to walk
back, we walked about a 1/3 of the way before a truck came and helped us out.

Wednesday morning we went to Whitesands for District meeting and then went on an exchange.  This time Elder Child went there and Good ol Elder Jensen came with me.  We came to Lenakel and we had many appointments that we walked to that all cancelled.  But we did have the chance to teach our recent convert royal.

Thursday me and Elder Jensen walked all the way through the bush to Inapkasu.  We went there but most of the people we planned on looking for were gone.  We went to a less active member's house named Joy and we taught him and his wife as well as a lot of kids there about the Restoration. During the lesson people from around came and sat down and listened to the lesson.  When we got done there were about 20 people there.  I love how the message of the restoration just brings people together and blesses families! When we got done there we decided to walk to the village Ietafum and we played volleyball with the people there and had some fun but then we had to go back.  We shared a scripture with Elina and we hurried and walked to Lenakel because we had an appointment with a potential investigator family.

We came to their house and let them know our purpose as missionaries and what we do and we taught them how the gospel blesses families. They were all interested and we set up another appointment with them, so we have a new family to teach! We went home  and I made chimmy changa's for the night.

Friday morning Elder Child and Elder Godfrey came back and we ended our exchange and we did our weekly planning.  Then a transport picked us up to go to the airport to have a perspective sister missionary go on a mission to the country of "Kilipus".  And then the AP's arrived to exchange with us.  We exchanged and Elder Petty went with Elder Child and the new AP from New Zealand Elder Smiler came with me and we taught Thomas about the Plan of Salvation.  Then it got late and we
made tons of Chimmy Changas for dinner, the AP's loved it!

Saturday morning the Mission President came and we picked him up in the morning and we went to the Whitegrass chapel for our MLC meeting. It was really cool!  So as I told you before, Port Vila district will become a Stake, and it will all happen in April! We will be flying to Port Vila for a couple days when it happens.  It's going to be a huge change for Vanuatu.  This mission is amazing!  The church is growing so fast!  As a missionary you can see the savior's hands leading his church. It's amazing to see what the savior is doing in these islands!

Well after our MLC we met with the District President and afterwards we dropped the AP's at the airport and dropped off mission president and went home for the night.

Sunday morning we picked up the president again and he came to church with us in Lenakel.  He taught Sunday School and during Sacrament meeting and told many amazing stories. After church we waited for president to finish with his interviews and we dropped him off and we we met with our group leader Nos.  Then we checked a few appointments that cancelled and we went and taught
tiffany how the bible and book of mormon together.

We now hope to try to find more people to teach because many appointments have cancelled and we teach most of the same people. So we pray that the lord will put people in our footsteps as we walk
where the spirit leads us. I'm doing great and happy to be here and Mi lavem Yufala Bigwan!

Love,

Elder Beynon


 

The beautiful view walking back from greenpoint

Week 18 on Tanna February 1, 2015

Dear ol famle blong mi,

Last monday afternoon we walked all the way up to lounilapen to rodger's house and had a family home evening there.  It was their first time having one so we helped papa rodger know how to do it so he can do it with his family in the future.

Tuesday, we walked all the way to greenpoint.  We went to Miraweng and it started raining and we taught a family about the word of wisdom. Then it rained even harder and we walked back and taught an investigator mama named Ellan about the plan of Salvation.  Then we walked all the way back to Lenakel.  It takes about 4- 4 1/2 hours to walk there and it's about a 10 mile walk there, so we walked a total of about 20 miles for the day!  When we got home it was dark and we were tired and hurried and made dinner and went to sleep.

Wednesday we woke up and our bodies were pretty tired.  We studied and then walked all the way to Lokueria which took an hour and a half and then we taught Joe and Joses about "Loa blong Jastiti" (the law of chastity). We stayed awhile and then walked back and then all of our appointments cancelled and we were still pretty tired from the walk from the day before and so we went home a little early so we could get a good sleep to have enough energy to go to inapkasu on thursday.

So we woke up on Thursday and walked through the bush again all the way up to inapkasu.  On our  way we crossed one of the rivers and saw a less active member named Joy. He and his kids were doing laundry by washing all their clothes and bedding in the river (that's how they wash here in the bush).  We taught them a small message about faith and invited them to come to church and then we taught a couple recent converts about the book of mormon.  Then afterwards we taught Elina about the plan of salvation.  We were up there for about 3 hours before we had to walk all the way back to Lenakel.  We had an appointment set at 6:30 but it cancelled so we went home for the night.

Friday we stayed in Lenakel and saw a perspective missionary and his family and taught his father about laws and customs of this world and of heavenly father.  Then we checked by the house and the power was out for some reason.  That is a bad thing.  That house is hot, and we have little fans but there was no power for them to stay on.  We walked up to our Unit Leader's house and met with him and then we decided to go to a resort close to our house called "Tanna Lodge".  We checked to see if it had a restaurant and to our surprise it did.  So my companion ordered chicken fedichini and I ordered fish and chips. It came with a little salad and ranch dressing.  While I was eating the ranch was amazing and it dawned on me that I haven't had ranch dressing since the MTC! It was very good.  We went back to the house and then watched "Singles Ward" on our portable DVD player before trying to sleep in the hot house.

Saturday we woke up and our bodies were very tired, it was soooooo hot the night before, we didn't get much sleep at all, I don't know how I used to deal with it in Gaua, but I couldn't deal with the heat in our house here. We pushed ourselves and went out, we  had originally planned on going up to Karimasanga and then up to greenpoint but we knew we were too tired so we decided to just go to Karimasanga.  We walked all the way there and saw Henry's family and we taught them about the word of wisdom and reviewed the lesson.  Then we all walked back and a truck helped us out and brought us back to the house and we had burritos for the night!

Sunday we woke up to walk all the way to greenpoint to go to church and a truck passed by and drove us about half the way there which helped us out big time.  We made it there and went to church and bore our testimonies for testimony meeting and after church I ordained papa Henry a Priest.  Then we met with the branch president and talked with members before we walked back, the lord prepared another truck which helped us out.

In Lenakel we went to David Jonah's house but he was gone and then we went to Ken and Tiffany's and taught Tiffany about the Plan of Salvation before going back to our house.

Well know all is well, we are walking a TON and we're enjoying it a lot.  I hope all is well and that Puert Vallarta was fun and know that everything is great here!

Love,

Elder Beynon