A "thanks-giving" of a week!!!

Greetings Family and Friends!!

Some of the wonderful people from
our ward a week ago as we met
under a tent while our building was
being worked on. 

Yesterday, Darleen shared a thought that resonated with me.  She said as we drove home from church that: “I believe Heavenly Father placed some of His most cherished people on these islands to protect them from much of the evil in the world and to help them become who they were meant to be.” I couldn’t agree more. Despite lacking certain things that we may say they don’t have, the people here are profoundly happy; they cherish life and adopt a less stressful approach to challenges, demonstrating immense trust in God and each other. This made me recall a passage from the Doctrine and Covenants that mentions the islanders: “Verily I say: Hearken ye people from afar; and ye that are upon the islands of the sea, listen together.” Church leaders have reiterated recently that the Lord deeply loves the people of these islands, and I feel this to be true. Every time we interact with them, we see how God has positioned them to be leaders in this community.

Some of the families getting around the island.
This truck had at least 10 individuals in the 
back.   A typical view when driving.

As we minister and visit, we always leave feeling uplifted by the warmth of the church members we meet. They greet us with big smiles, eager to shake our hands and say "Elda" or "Sista." We genuinely enjoy serving them and receiving their kindness in return. Each week, I come to appreciate more where we’ve been assigned to live for the next 18 months.

Some youth playing in the ocean that we
talked to on one of our evening walks.  

This week turned out lighter than expected, though we still enjoyed our time here. We overlooked that this week marked the end of the school year on the island, which is different from what we experience in the US.  Here you go up to the next grade at the beginning of the year.   This timing affects the Seminary and Institute calling we have.   For instance, it means that Youth Seminary, Success in School programs, and Institute classes would halt until classes resume in late January 2026. This change significantly affects our focus on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. On a positive note, we now have extra time to work on the YSA Convention preparation for the January 5^th convention kick-off, which is beneficial.

Last SIS math class for the 
year.   Fun experience!!!

Our last Success in School (SIS) math class took place on Monday, and we thoroughly enjoyed teaching the 14–16-year-olds. I usually lead math classes, allowing Darleen to assist those needing extra help (plus she says she gets a good review on math that she struggled with when she was younger).  Our lesson focused on exponents—both standard and expanded forms. I initially thought the lesson would challenge several students, given their struggles with previous topics, but they seemed to catch on to this class.   It was a rewarding class to end on, as they left feeling accomplished. I’ll certainly miss their lively personalities over the next few months.

Darleen and I separated on Tuesday to cover two different afternoon activities; she taught a missionary preparation class at the Etas Ward while I attended the weekly YSA convention planning meeting. Unlike junior missionaries, we are allowed to split up, which is still taking some getting used to. I heard that Darleen did a fantastic job teaching, both from her comments back, and the ward mission leaders’ comments.  I’m not surprised as I know my girlfriend, she is a tremendous teacher, so it is not surprising that they comment on loving what she does.   I know I always enjoy hearing her teach --- she brings so much ENERGY, and joy for teaching the gospel.  

During my time at the YSA convention planning meeting, I had to be firm about our plans for the upcoming January event, reminding everyone we have less than 39 days, not counting the holidays, to finalize many of the details. This includes securing payments to several vendors to confirm their participation.  I know it will all work out, but I won’t relax until it January 12^th when all of them are safely back home, and we have cleaned up the Lycée school we will be using.  

One thing that we found out late this week, in our preparation for the YSA Convention, is that the ferry’s that will take a good amount of our Young Single adults to the conference on this island had a “holiday schedule” adjustment.   They notified us that one island group would arrive on December 31^st, while the other would arrive on January 6^th.   Not good if you are starting a conference on January 5^th that goes through the 9^th.    Either way, you have to feed and lodge one group for 5 days before the conference, and the other misses 2 days of the conference.  So now we are looking at chartered ferries for approximately 250 youth from these three islands.    Unfortunately, the cost is about 9-10x what we would have paid for the normal trip.    Again, I know God will help us here, we just need to have faith it will all work out.

The temple getting it's top on it.
A good example of something that
is taking a little longer than planned,
but what a blessing for the people
of Vanuatu to have in their midst!!!

In Vanuatu, tasks often take longer than anticipated; locals refer to this as “island time.” A recent example occurred at our Ward building. A few weeks ago, the unit leader learned just a day before that the deck connecting the two church buildings would be removed. Without it, they couldn’t hold Sunday services or any meetings during the week due to safety concerns. Initially, they estimated the project would take less than a week, but the construction has continued for two weeks without completion, leading to the cancellation of our SIS class training and Institute activities.

Thanksgiving dinner at the
Ramada Inn. The lobby after dinner.

Thanksgiving isn’t an official holiday in Vanuatu, so we didn’t celebrate it during the day. However, we enjoyed a Thanksgiving buffet at the local Ramada Inn for dinner, which featured traditional turkey, something they called ham (more of a stuffed pork roast, according to Darleen), green beans, cornbread, a variety of fruits, potatoes with gravy, and selection of pies. It wasn't quite like Darleen’s cooking, but it was a lovely evening with her. One of our Thanksgiving traditions is going to the movies, which we also did that night with a few senior missionary friends. The only theater on the island features a unique seating arrangement, with rows sloped upward, allowing us to look up at the screen, which was a bit different but surprisingly comfortable.

This week marked the transfer of missionaries going home and fresh recruits coming in. I believe we had 16 missionaries departing and 18 new ones arriving. On Thursday morning we needed to make a quick trip into the mission office.  While there, we saw several of the missionaries who would be flying out later that afternoon after successfully serving for the past 18 to 24 months. They exuded confidence and joy at the prospect of reuniting with their families and friends. On Friday, we spent some time with the incoming missionaries at the mission home, discussing housing and their responsibility in ensuring they are well maintained. These new missionaries appeared a bit uncertain about what lay ahead but were eager to embrace the challenges of service. It’s heartwarming to see the sacrifices they’re willing to make for the Lord.

Our new friends that we get to serve along side
of here in Vanuatu Port Vila Mission.

On Saturday, we enjoyed a non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner with our new senior missionary friends serving in various capacities. Due to the transfers happening on Thursday, many had been busy at the mission office ensuring missionaries reached their destinations, so we celebrated together a bit late. Since turkey is unavailable on the island, we opted for roasted chicken, and each couple contributed dishes for the feast. We brought Darleen’s famous homemade mac & cheese, layered colorful Jell-O salad, along with Darleen whipping together an amazing gravy for the mashed potatoes I made (my lone contribution).  It was a fantastic evening, allowing us to create memories together and ease the normal traditional family celebration during the holiday week.

Yes the dinner was good as you can see my
tongue is out.   Almost didn't include it.

We ended the week by calling our son Nicholas to wish him a happy 40th birthday. It’s hard to believe we have a son who's 40! It’s wonderful to see our children grow into remarkable individuals. We cherish our conversations with each of our three children and enjoy hearing about their lives. This year, Nicholas and Kristen traveled to Utah to spend the holiday with her family, while Patrick and Brittani took a trip to Ireland using Delta flight benefits. Stephanie and Mark stayed home for what she described as “enjoyable, peaceful time at home”. We miss them dearly but are grateful for the ability to Facetime, making them feel close despite the distance.

This Thanksgiving, I find myself grateful for many things beyond my children and grandchildren. Here are my top ten reflections while serving here in Vanuatu:

1. Air-conditioned apartments and vehicles … it helps to offset the humidity and heat that we feel coming on stronger each day as we go into our summer months
2. Breathtaking ocean views I encounter daily while walking or driving around the island
3. Serving alongside my best friend every day
4. Observing the young missionaries as they teach and serve the people
5. Experiencing the beauty of the residents, especially the little children who come up for fist bumps or warm hugs
6. Enjoying warm weather while knowing our friends in Wisconsin are enduring a blizzard (stay safe, everyone)
7. Ability to go to the local grocery store, Au Bon Marche, many times during the week for something we need — it’s better than we anticipated
8. Indulging in delicious fresh fruit—pineapple, mangos, bananas, and kiwi
9. Mastering navigation to various locations without getting lost
10. Playing morning pickleball with fellow senior missionaries on courts with “Grand Canyon” surface areas and cracks that make the game lively as the ball bounces in directions you wouldn’t expect

Another thing I'm thankful for, the unique 
church buildings we find on the island, but yet
the way they function perfectly for our 
Sunday services.

I could list many more things, but these are the ones that come to mind.

We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving week, filled with relaxation and gratitude. I truly enjoy this time of year and look forward to celebrating the Savior’s birth, focusing on His coming into the world and the Atonement He accomplished for each of us.

We love you all and wish you a fantastic week ahead. Know that you are in our thoughts and prayers.

Love, Elda & Sista Lovelace, aka Mark and Darleen, Mom & Dad, Nana and Papa

Thanksgiving buffet dinner selections
at the Ramada Inn

Some amazing fruit selection from 
the buffet 

The turkey and "ham", which 
we were not too sure about as it
definitely didn't taste like ham.

We give the week a thumbs up!!!!!