Thursday January 2, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

I was happy to send you one last email before I came here.  After I emailed you, I went on the same dinky plane that took me to Santo.  I flew over Gaua because the place had to stop on the island of Vanna Lava first.  Gaua has a volcano too, but only smoke comes out.  I haven't heard any eruptions or felt any earthquakes yet.  There's a big lake next to the volcano with a waterfall.  We hope to go there next P-day.

I landed on Vanna Lava on a grassy runway and the air plane picked up passengers.  Then the plane took off and I landed in Gaua.  It had a grassy runway too.  I met my new companion Elday Velly and two other elders.  Elder Echols from Georgia and Elder Passey from St. George Utah!  We stayed at Elder Passey and Elder Echols house because it's close to the bank and the bank opened the next day.  The bank doesn't have computers, so you give them your name and your ATM card number, and they call the bank in Santo to find out your balance.  Then you fill out a withdrawal form and then they give you your money.  Next to the bank is a store.  I was worried to see what it had, because I didn't think it would have much, but it has the same foods as Tanna.

Afer shopping we called one of the two trucks on the island and it brought us home to our area.  The name of our area is called Kaska.  It's only about a thirty minute walk to the other Elders house.  We went to our house and it's pretty nice.  It has four rooms.  One kitchen, one place to study, a room to put our clothes and books, and a bedroom.  Once again, there's no running water, and we have a solar battery for power.  We have a bathroom outside and it also has a place to shower.  The water doesn't run inside, so we pour a bucket of water down the toilet and we use a bucket of water and a cup to bathe.  We hand wash our clothes here, or one of the mama's here does it for us and we pay them.  We have another water tank outside.  It fills up from the rain water.  Water runs off the roof after a rainstorm, it catches all the rain and the water flows into the tank.  We have a hand pump for drinking water.  Our tank is a little low, if our tank runs out of water, we're allowed to bathe in the ocean.  It's just a last resort if needed, and it's been raining on and off.  It rained a little bit the other day and it felt good outside, but after the storm passed, the humidity was killer!  The heat here is pretty bad, but it's better than I thought it would be.  Everyone talks trash about Gaua and they make it sound like it's horrible.  But it's a lot better than what everyone told me.  It's not complete man bush, it's actually pretty civilized for a small island.  The only problems here is there is NO email.  There's quite a few stores here and they have what you need.

Alright, about my new area.  My area (Kaska) is on Northeastern Guau.  It has about forty members.  Only about thirty come on Sunday.  There's one BIG problem here in Gaua and it is Kava. (Kava is a plant, used to make a drink with sedative and anesthetic properties).  The people drink it to get intoxicated.  Me and Elda Velly heard that many of the members drank during Christmas and New Year's.  We have a lot of straightening up to do!  Elda Velly is the District Leader here and he finishes his mission on February 11th.  He thinks that I will be the new District Leader when he leaves.  The teaching is slow because we have a small area, and the Mission President wants us to strengthen the members.

Once again, I am happy.  It was hard to leave Tanna, but I'm where the Lord wants me to be.  I love that we have a bigger house, now with LESS cockroaches!  But we do have a rat problem! The Zone Leaders sent us rat traps and rat poison.  Our traps are glue traps.  There's a big plate full of glue and you put bait in the middle.  When the rats come at night they step on the plate of glue because they want the bait, but they can't move because of the glue.  We've caught three rats already and killed them.

The Zone Leaders came here today and did Zone training.  We met at the branch and had a meeting about what the Mission Presidents goals are.  We met at the church there.  Their branch is just a foyer with lots of benches.  Our unit meets under a small bush foyer with a few benches.  It's really cool though.  The people here are very nice.  They give us fish, sweet potatoes, green beans and other foods.  Today I cut up some sweet potatoes and fried them, then we cooked some fish.  We ate fish and chips for dinner and I was so happy.  There's even ketchup here so I had that with my chips.

I like it here a lot and I'm still very happy to be serving the Lord.  Know that everything is going well.  I hope everything is all right with yufala (bishlama).

Mi lovem yufala tumas!

Wetem Lav,

Elda Bainon

January 1, 2014 This is our last email before he heads out to Gaua:

Dear Family & Friends,

I am in the city of Luganville on the island of Santo.  I'm going to the airport in about an hour to fly to Gaua.  This will be the last email you receive for a while.

So this week I still hung out with Elda Jones and Elda Leva.  We didn't do anything fun for the New Year but it's all right.  We got tired and went to sleep. I think it's the first time I haven't stayed up for the New Year.  We've been running back and forth from the airport because of all the transfers.  Yesterday I flew from Tanna to Port Vila. It was hard to leave Tanna.  I was hard to leave my area, the people, and the other Elders. Elder Jones is my brother in this mission.  

So I flew to Vila and saw the Zone leaders there and then I took a plane to Santo.  It was a dinky plane but it was fun to fly in. The flight here was a little over an hour.  I stayed at the Santo Zone Leader's house. They are very cool and I like them already. Santo is very nice, it has just about everything you need. I think it's nicer than Vila.  Me and Elder Sutton hung out today. He's going to Ambae today so he was my companion for today. I knew him because he served on Tanna before last transfers.  

My new companion (Elda Velli) is in Gaua right now.  This morning I did some shopping here. I have to buy stuff you can't get in Gaua.  Elder Sutton showed me a good restaurant and we ate breakfast there. We had french toast and a slushy.  It was very good! It's different than the U.S. but it was one of the best meals I've had here in Vanuatu. 

So I found out that there are only 4 Elders that serve on Gaua, not 6. And I heard there's more than 1 truck so that's nice.

Just so you know my packages came. Kenzies package, Grammy's package, and Mom and Dad's package.  Thanks for all of the chocolate and gum. Oh and thanks for the ties Kenzie!  I was very happy for what I got and I loved the letters you wrote.

So Zone Conference will be on January 28-31.  I plan on emailing you guys sometime during it but continue to plan on writing me. The Zone leaders should be coming to Gaua sometime this month and I plan on giving them letters to send to you.  I know it sucks that I can't email but I've heard from other missionaries here that there is always a point in there mission where they can't stay in continuous contact.  I plan on writing every week so you can know what's going on in Gaua.  But just remember that the only way I can send them is if I give them to the zone leaders because there's no postal service in Gaua. So you will probably go a few weeks without receiving letters but you will probably get a few at a time.

I love you all and hope everything is well with you while I'm in Gaua.  I think I will like it in Gaua. Saet Siwi was pretty much man bush so I think it won't be a huge change for me.  And it will be kind of cool to be away from everything because this island is so far north and it's so small. I love you all and hope to stay in good contact.  But just know that I have been so happy on my mission and I know I will like Gaua.  Don't worry about me. I'm on the lord's side and he will keep me safe and bless me. I love you all so much!!!

Love,
Elder Beynon

Dec 30th, 2013 This an email that I received:

Dear Families,

We are the Larsen’s.  We are a senior couple doing education and self-reliance in Port Vila.  For the holiday, Pres. Brewer asked us to go to Tanna to be with the missionaries.  We had a wonderful visit with them.  We had a service project in the morning.  Then we had a buffet lunch catered by a local restaurant.   The missionaries had more than enough to eat.  After lunch we played volleyball and some basketball.  At the end of the afternoon, we gathered to share some council and our testimonies with the missionaries.  And – we gave them any mail or packages that they had from home.  We are sending you some of the pictures that were taken during the day.

Your young men and women are doing well!!!!

Elder and Sister Larsen

Smith is on the back row in the burgundy shirt

T-shirts and Stockings from Santa Christmas 2013

Week 13 Island of Tanna December 29, 2013

Both Districts together for Christmas

Dear Mom,

It was so good to hear your voices. Thanks for paying for that 1 hour call. It meant so much. After the call, our district cooked up a big meal. We ate rice, noodles, and beef. It was really good.  I stayed with Elda Jones and his companion Elda Leva because I didn't have a companion.  On Friday we went to their area Greenpoint and the district leader made a baptism interview for one of their investigators. We came back to Lenakel and went shopping. We found bottle rockets! We lit some off and had some fun.

On Saturday, we went back to greenpoint and Elda Jones baptized their investigator.  I shared a spiritual message about baptism.  We then climbed up a big hill because a family planned on having us come over and eat dog. But they weren't there so we came back down. The view up there was incredible!  We got back to the house and made pancakes for dinner(yum!). We waited for the district leader to call about transfers. Elda Jones and Leva were freaking out that they would transfer. I wasn't worried at all, I was positive that I would stay in Saet Siwi.  The call came and Elda Jones and Leva are staying here. But the district leader said that I need to transfer to the island of Gaua.  It's the northernmost island with missionaries. I didn't think I would transfer and I didn't want to transfer yet because I love Tanna. I will tell you more about Gaua in this email.

On Sunday we went to sacrament meeting in greenpoint then we went all the way to Port Resolution because I needed to fill out some baptism records.  The President of the Saet Siwi branch was there and was about to hold sacrament meeting. I spoke and bore my testimony and said goodbye. It was very hard because I will probably never see these people again.  We then went to Saet Siwi and packed up my stuff and I said goodbye to my friends. (P.S. I don't think the water will be fixed for a long time.) But the new missionaries will have to find a way to fix it now. Last night we came back and now I'm emailing you in Lenakel. 

Alright, now I will tell you all that I know about Gaua and my transfer. My new companion called me this morning, he's in Port Vila now.  His name is Elda Velli. He is a Nivat (Native to Vanuatu). He is 27 years old and this is his last transfer before he's finished with his mission.  I believe I will be flying to Gaua on Thursday but I don't know for sure. I think I will fly to Port Vila (where I will meet Elda Velli), then we will go to the island Santo, after we will go on a dinky plane to Gaua.

Gaua island is as bush as you can get. It has 1 truck on the entire island (I've heard).  There is no place to email and it doesn't have a postal service.  Now just plan on writing me for now on. Whenever the zone leaders come, they will bring me your letters and I will give them yours.  Gaua is part of the Santo Zone and the Santo Zone Conference is on January 28th I think.  I hope to try to send an email to you during zone conference. 

I've heard that I will be living on the beach in Gaua.  I think it's a bush house and I think it might have solar power but I'm not sure.  there has to be some source of power to charge our phones and Portable DVD players.  I don't know the name of our area but our area is a unit.  The island is very hot I've heard (not excited for that) but I've heard many good things from missionaries who have served there.  I believe there will be 6 missionaries on the island. I think that after I serve with Elda Velli, I will be training, we will just have to see.

I hope that I like it there. The only thing that I am not happy with is that we have no email, and the heat will kill. I didn't want to transfer but the lord needs me in Gaua.  It will be a new adventure and many blessings are in store for me.  I hope to email you sometime but for now plan on writing me and I will write you. (just know that it will probably be a long time until until you will hear from me again unless I'm able to email at zone conference.) I will continue to take lots of pictures. 

I hope while I'm in Gaua everything will be alright with all of you. I know everything will be alright because I am where I'm supposed to be and My father's blessing blesses me with safety. I will continue to serve with all my heart, might mind, and strength. Mi lavem yufala tumas. ale

Love,

Elda Beynon

P.S. My packages haven't come yet and I think that they haven't because they planned on transferring me. I think I will get them in Vila before I go to Gaua.

I forgot to clear up a few things about Gaua.

It has a few stores so I will be able to buy some food and things I need. I think I will be eating a lot of island kakae though. Lots of fish and rice I've heard.  I do like fish a lot now.  I think that I will be bathing in the ocean but I'm not totally sure yet. I think we will have an outhouse for a bathroom but we will just have to see. That's all I know and I hope to answer questions if I email you at zone conference. Mi Lavem yufala tumas!

Love,

Elda Beynon

Me and Elda Jones in Greenpoint

Messing around at a store with Elda Jones & Leva

Me and the beautiful view of Greenpoint Dec 2013

Week 12 Island of Tanna December 22, 2013

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm in Lenakel and want to send a small email before christmas! Tomorrow is christmas eve here and we will be doing a small service project in the morning. We will be tending someone's lawn in Lenakel.  The senior couple came today and tomorrow afternoon a restaurant will be catering for both of the districts here and we will be having cake, ice cream, and many other great foods!  Christmas morning, we will be bringing everybody back to their mission flats.  But me and Elda Samuel will stay in Lenakel with Elda Jones and Elda Leva because Elda Samuel is finished with his mission.  The day after christmas we will take Elda Samuel to the airport and I will stay with Elda Jones and Leva.  Then I will wait for my family to call me!!!! I'm so excited!

This last week was slow but great!  I was able to fix the water on Thursday so we had running water.  How the water works here is their are pipes running down the mountain and water runs through them.  We have a water tank on a wooden tower. The pipe fills it up after it goes to the house. The tower helps because the gravity gives the water in the house pressure. I climbed on the tower and put a pipe on the top of it and it started to fill up! I've done it before but it never fills up.  That night I was able to have a nice shower! It was cold because we don't have a water heater but it was good!  The next day I was watching a church movie on our portable DVD player with one of the people here. Then all of a sudden we heard a big creaking sound and a huge thump which shook the whole house! We ran outside and the tower holding the tank broke and the tank was on the ground and all the water spilled out.  The tower was somewhat rotten and I think from that it wasn't able to bear all of that weight.  Nobody was hurt thank goodness but we made a good memory! I will send
 a picture. 

Saturday was an awesome day! We woke up at 5:00am and got dressed and walked all the way to Port Resolution.  We had 4 baptisms planned there but only 2 showed up. We baptized them in the ocean! I baptized one and Elda Samuel baptized one!  We then walked all the way back up to Saet Siwi.  Our branch had a small activity. Everyone had a friend and they were supposed to get a gift for each other. My friend was a 12 year old boy named Patrick and I gave him marbles and Lastic to make a sling shot.  He then gave me a chicken with manyoke. Another lady gave me a pineapple.  I was so happy and the chicken was so good. The pineapples here are awesome! I never liked pineapple until I came here.

After the activity, we went down to the river and baptized 7 people!  I baptized 2, Elda Samuel baptized 3, and the Branch President baptized 2. It was an awesome day!  Then Yesterday(Sunday), I confirmed 2 and Elda Samuel and the Branch President did the rest.  It was so cool. I could feel the spirit so strong!

The week turned out better than we thought. We baptized 9 people! Mi Glad Tu Mas!
Mi lovem yufala mo mi wantem lo wishim yufala Merry Christmas!

Love,
Elda Beynon

A relay race that we did as an activity

Teaching in Port Resolution

My second Baptism!

A cultural gathering we went to

The water doesn't work anymore :(

Baptism in Port Resolution

Baptism in Saet Siwi

Our Church House

Our house on Tanna Island

Our Bedroom Dec 2013

Week 11 Island of Tanna December 15, 2013

Dear Mom,

Sounds like everything is crazy but good with you guys. Christmas is always crazy! I desperately need a flashlight by the way. They have some here but they are all big and expensive.  My hard drive and flash drive came this week. (Thanks for all the sweets too!) I wouldn't send any more syrup, it broke in the package so when I opened it up, things were sticky but my flash drive and hard drive were okay.  So this is how things will work for christmas. I will be calling you on the 23 or 24th to set a time for you guys to call me. I will give you the number to call. We will set a time and date for when you guys call. So if you get a call from an unknown number, answer it. 

A senior couple will be coming to Tanna and our district will come to Lenakel next Monday for P-day and tuesday(christmas eve here), will eat a big meal with our district. Then we will hang out on christmas day and the day after.  After christmas, transfers will be happening next week. So I will stay here all next week.  Elda Samuel goes back home on the 26th. He's done with hes mission then.  I don't think that I will transfer, but I should get a new companion during transfer week.

It doesn't feel much like christmas because of the snow and I'm really jealous by the way!!! 

These last 2 weeks have been great!  We made activities for the branch and held a fireside.  We did three legged races, relay races, and other fun activities.  So now President Brewer has decided to let us go to Port Resolution more often. He has decided that when we baptize enough people, it can become a branch, and a house for new missionaries will be built. I think it will happen in the next couple months.

Last Monday me and Elda Samuel and some friends decided to go to the Volcano because Elda Samuel has never seen it.  It was about an hour and a half walk.  Now I've been to the volcano 3 times!!! It's not as cool as it used to be. It doesn't fire up as often but it's still cool.  Oh and that night I made fried chicken!!! I made it myself and it was so good!

The people here have never eaten fried chicken before and they loved it!  I have also been making pancakes. Kenzie gave me her recipe and once again the people love it!  There's no syrup here but I put on peanut butter and sweetened condensed milk and it is very good. 

Me and Elda Samuel have found many investigators these past few weeks and my teaching has improved a lot! Elda Samuel is a great trainer. We went to Port Resolution last week and we taught many lessons. Last Saturday I had my 2nd Baptism!  It was for a guy in Saet Siwi.  We baptized him in the same river but different place.  Kids were swimming at the other area and the water was too dirty to baptize so we walked upstream and found another place to baptize. Elda Samuel baptized him.

So we got good news!!! We hope to baptize about 6-8 people this Saturday. We have 4 investigators in Port Resolution and 4 in Saet Siwi.  We just need everyone to be interviewed.  If things work out, we will go to Port and baptize them in the ocean!

Just know that things are going well and I can't wait to talk to you guys! I love you and hope all is well. I love you so much!!!

Love,

Elda Bainon