Me and the Missionaries departing

Port Vila Week 4 Monday April 13, 2015

Halo Famle Blong Mi,

Yufala i olsem wanem? Mi mi gud nomo. Last was Busy Busy Busy!!!  Especially with all the departing missionaries. So when you last heard from me we ended up going back to the airport to check in a sister who was going back to Tahiti.  I ran a little fever and when we got done it was 9:30pm and we went home and I went straight to sleep.

Tuesday morning we woke up, I felt better, but just had a sore throat. We did our studies and met with President Brewer and he confirmed his plans for Tanna.  Then we went to the "Air Vanuatu" building to get some flight tickets for missionaries transferring.  That's another job as AP, to get tickets for missionaries transferring throughout the mission. We ran around most of the day gathering luggage, grabbing keys to houses, missionary phones, and such, and then at 6pm we checked in 9 elders and sisters. Some going to their new reassigned missions and some finishing and going home. 

We checked in the Elders very quickly, one of them was Elder Brough, from Gilbert AZ if you remember him.  He will serve a couple more transfers in Hawaii before returning home. We
checked in the rest of the sisters and because of excess luggage it was a hassle to get through the check-in at the airport, but everything worked out.  That's all that happened that day.

Wednesday morning we ran around again and hoped to meet with President Brewer but plans changed and at 1pm we checked in Elder Petty to go back to Australia.  He was the AP before with Elder Smiler, I'm taking his place.  He flew at 3pm and then Elder Jones and Elder Ormond brought 5 Elder's and Sisters from Tonga to check in.  We checked them in and at 5pm they flew. Two new missionaries named Elder Oten (from Kilipus) and Sister Lape (from P.NG.) arrived to the mission.  It was a big burden lifted off our shoulders, all the international flights were done,  the 22 missionaries all flew safely.

That afternoon we did some shopping that night (we didn't have any time to shop on Monday.) And then we stayed home and cleaned the house.

Thursday morning we picked up Sister Lape and the sisters she was staying with and we drove to the mission home for Breakfast with President Brewer, Sister Brewer, and the 2 new missionaries.  We had good French Toast Sister Brewer made, oh and we also had grapes!! I can't remember the last time I had those.  Afterwards we went to the mission office with Sister Lape and Elder Oten and me and Elder Smiler ran them through an orientation of the mission. (that's another thing we do with new missionaries, give them the orientation.) We just go through a Presentation Slideshow of the mission to help them know what to do and what's expected. Afterwards it was our job to bring them to lunch so we went to "Seaview Takeaway" and all had a good burger and fries.  I'm excited for Elder Oten, he will be going to Kaska Gaua and Elder Child will be his trainer.

After lunch we had the chance to go to our church house at Namba Tu and we taught an investigator named Melissa about Tithing. Elder Petty and Elder Smiler already invited her to be baptized and we hope to baptize her in a couple of weeks.  We went back to the Office and President Brewer told us to come meet with him.  He said there was a change of Plans for going to Tanna.  He said that he will still be going but we wouldn't because it was important that Elder and Sister Smith (In charge of doing Audits) to go.  He wanted us to go as well but there was no more room on the flight so Elder and Sister Smith had to go with our tickets.  I wanted to go really bad, but it was alright. If the lord wanted me to go there he would make the means for me to go, but he had something else in mind.  I called everyone I could in Tanna to arrange a meeting for President so he could meet with all the Branch Presidents and District Presidency so they could come together and he could give them direction to help them after "Cyclone Pam".

Friday morning we woke up early and checked in Elder Oten and Sister Lape at the airport at 5:30am so they could fly to their new areas. Afterwards we drove our bus to North Efate where we picked up 4 Elders and Doctors who visited the North Islands and treated people.  It was a special assignment of President Brewer.  4 Elders along with 3 or 4 doctors went to 3 islands just north efate for 10 days to meet with chiefs and treat people.  They helped many people and it was a really great way to gain trust with many people.  There's a bright future for missionary work up there.  Oh and I forgot to mention the drive there. It took about an hour and it was a beautiful drive! On a paved road too!  You would've all loved it. I will try to send pictures.  We all drove all the way back to Port Vila and We went home for lunch and Then at 3pm we checked in Elder Mason Sutton in the airport to fly
back home.  Elder Jones took his place in the mission office.  Elder Sutton is from Northern Utah.  He flew at 5pm and we went home for the night.

Saturday morning we went to the Church house at Namba Tu to see general conference!  They set up projectors inside the chapel, outside under big shades they put up and many people came and they put in DVD's of General Conference from last week.  They had them translated by the people in Bislama and in the Primary Room they had a TV where they showed it in English.  I've seen General Conference in Bislama before but I like it better in English because you feel more of the emotion.  So from 9am to 11am we watched the Saturday mornion session, then had an hour break for lunch, then from 12pm to 2pm we had the afternoon session.  Then form 3pm to 5pm, they had the Priesthood
session.

I really loved President Monson's talk about the missionary handbook, and his story. I love our profet, he's so funny!  It was cool to hear Henry B. Erying talk about Vanuatu as well. Afterwards we talked with members and went home for the night. Apparently this is how they do general conference on this side of the world.  I talked to Elder Smiler about it and they do it the same way. A week after the actual conference they meet at their stake centers to watch conference.  I told him how we have it on a TV channel and we watch it on TV.  But also General Conference happens in the middle of the night here, so they kind of have to do it this way.  It's pretty cool though, it brings everybody together.

Sunday morning we had to check in an Elder to transfer to the Solomon Islands and afterwards we went to church where they broadcasted the Sunday Session.  We had lunch afterwards and then they played the afternoon session.  Wasn't it funny when Deider F. Uchtdorf spoke in his language while conducting?  I also loved Elder Pearson's talk about "Stanap Strong Kasem En" (Endure to the End).  It was weird hearing him speak because I talked to him on the phone that one time. I also loved Elder Holland's talk.  It's all true, the resurrection is one of the best things to happen that world has ever known.  I didn't realize that last week was easter, so uh  HAPPY EASTER!  After the conference we talked with members and a few gave us some referrals.

This week we will be getting lots of work done in our area.  Last week was just crazy with all the transfers.  We are excited to see what is to come.  A change we've seen after the cyclone is that lots of
missionaries went home, but there are tons of investigators now who want to know about the church. Now many people know who us Missionaries are and our purpose.  Many blessings are in store for
these islands.

So far I love my new calling even as busy as it gets and I'm excited to work with the missionaries and people here.  Know all is well and that I love you all so much!

Love,

Elder Beynon

The drive to North Efate