What is your Palm?

 Family and Friends,

Today, I read a post on Facebook that defines this next week:

And so, it begins; The week that changed everything, “Holy week.”  Today, while driving to church Mark and I kept seeing people carrying Palm branches. It was a beautiful sight to witness! There were many traveling on their way to their various congregations to worship Gods’ beloved Son, Jesus Christ. I’ve seen Palms as decorative arrangements on Palm Sunday in our buildings; but never anyone carrying their palms to church.  In my mind I imagined what would take place in the various congregations on the island today. As I pondered the beginning of Holy week, Palm Sunday and not having a Palm myself I wondered what I could do to share my witness. Today was fast and testimony meeting and so I decided that my palm would be my testimony of Jesus Christ.  Mark also took the opportunity to share his testimony; He shared the first two sentences in Bislama.  It was so beautiful; he made me tear up.

Sharing this experience reminded me of an Institute assignment we gave to our students just a few weeks ago.  It was to ponder the significance of the Saviors’ empty Tomb.  This week I begin my letter with an invitation to discover and share your palm and to Ponder what the empty tomb means to you.  We hope that your Easter celebration will be more than joyful, we hope it will be a faith building experience.

I love our Sundays as missionaries, and I am learning lessons I hope we will continue once we are home.  The Whiteboard!  I’ve mentioned the whiteboard before.  Every Sunday Mark and I write down the things we feel inspired to accomplish during the week. This past week was busy, and I loved every minute of it! 

Picture of Katimal from an
earlier training meeting late last year.

Every Monday we have a meeting with our CES Coordinator (CES stands for Church Education Specialist), Katimal Kaun and his assistant Vicky.  We discuss how we can minister to the needs of our teachers and our students on all the Vanuatu Islands.  We are given assignments each week. It is a great way to begin our week.  We love and appreciate Kaimal’s love and leadership.

Me leading the Genesis review in the seminary class on Tuesday.

This week we made visits to 2 seminary classes.  The purpose of our visits is to minister and to observe.  The 1st class we attended the teacher asked us to do a review of the book of Genesis as the class had just finished it.  Nope, we had no prep time, but we must always be ready, right?! We know the story! Mark and I took turns asking the questions. So, we gladly accepted the teachers’ invitation. Mark and I divided the class up into 2 teams with 17 students attending that day. We had the best time!  We asked questions and it was fun to see the students engaged and sharing what they remembered from their lessons in Genesis.  I must admit I am always drawn to help the underdog (The losing team). I would say, I’ll give 20 points instead of 10 to the team that gets the next answer correct. Then I changed it to 30 points instead of 10.  I just can’t help it! I like to give Hope! Before the last question the losing team had made a pretty good comeback.  We allowed each team to bet any amount of their score for the last question.  The team that was ahead was willing to risk 50 points, the underdog bet it all!  The question was this: Serah, Abraham’s wife, was unable to have children and gave her handmaid to Abraham to marry to have children.  What was her name?  Well, yes, that was a hard question.  Mark kept saying my questions were hard; but, to defend myself I was not only reviewing, but I was also teaching.  My underdogs said Rachel… Blah! And lost all their points.  The winning team said Hagar. There were hoots and hollers! We concluded with our testimonies of the scriptures and how Papa God loves us enough to preserve for hundreds of years these precious experiences that teach us of his relationships with his children.  Through these stories our faith and our relationship with him can be strengthened.  We then invited a student to share their testimony of the book of Genesis. We then enjoyed a table of goodies set up by the teacher. I had made Chocolate Chip cookies to add to her table. 

Etas Seminary afternoon class taught by
Sister Hilliman.

The 2nd seminary class we attended was on Thursday in our beloved Etas ward! We enjoy the introduction lesson to the book of Exodus!  The teacher did a great job and the students were engaged.  Mark and I enjoyed adding a few inspiring thoughts along the way.  I made a tropical sheet cake with bananas, pineapple and coconut to share with the class.  They loved it!  My momma’s heart is so happy when I can share a treat that is enjoyed.

This week we really wanted to help a Young Adult complete her mission papers.  She has been working on them since we got here.  We were able to schedule her medical appointment.  We took her on Tuesday and then again on Thursday.  We took her to lunch both days and loved spending time with her.  She had to get a series of immunizations, and it gave us a chance to spoil her a little bit.  This coming week is her dentist appointment.  That’s all she has left to do!  We are so excited to see her ready to finally submit her papers for a mission call. 

Our Teacher for the Foundational SIS math Class has been ill for the past 2 weeks and she asked me to sub for her this week.  So, I taught Math!!!!! Scary!! Once, Mark reviewed a few things with me I took off and it felt good to teach math.  I had a terrible experience in high school with math (that of my own choosing) that set me back. (I refused to ask the teacher for any help after she tore me up in front of the class for not understanding what was being taught).  S0, like I said my fault as I refused to ask her for any help after that. 

View of the Friday night YSA Activity - "Church
Trivia Game" night.   We had over 50 who attended.

I experienced pure joy Friday, as I taught.  I was able to spend time making sure each student understood and was confident about the learning material.  Who would have ever thought growing old could be so much fun?

Mark running the PowerPoint slides for the YSA activity.

Earlier in the week we met with the Young Single Adults in Etas.  They had been given an assignment for the activity that followed Institute class on Friday evening.  A Church Trivia Game.  We met with 7 of them and planned the activity.   We presented an idea and some questions which they liked.  They came up with some additional questions that we added. We received a great compliment saying it was THE BEST activity they have had since we started meeting at the stake center on Friday evenings.  I must give a shout out to Mark as he transcribed every question into Bislama along with putting it into a PowerPoint slide deck. Each question would be flashed on the wall and then a timer would start. Each team had a booklet to write down their answers.  A few sample questions were: Name the Books in the Old Testament Name as many primary songs as you can? Name the Apostles today? What months are General Conference held? We had 30 questions ready for them to answer, but they only got to 16 of the questions in the hour+ we had.  Most of the questions had a time limit of 1 minute.  A few had 2 minutes.  They were allowed to use their phones as we wanted them to go away learning a few things.  It was so much fun to watch them.  I’m pretty sure their laughter could be heard on other islands.  For each answer they got like 10 points.  We were so happy that our Etas ward had such a successful activity.

Saturday cleanup dive that Mark went on.
Posing in front of all the trash with those
who attended.
Mark was able to go scuba diving on Thursday while I took Rachel to her medical appointment.  Then on Saturday he joined about 20 other divers for a service project.  They cleaned the downtown bay area of trash in the water.  I love that he gets to enjoy his hobby while doing something to help keep the ocean clean.  

7 new converts in our Ward from this Saturday's baptism.

While Mark was cleaning the bay I attended 2 baptismal services on Saturday.  Our ward had 7 who were baptized.  Two of the kids that were baptized attend our SIS classes.  We actually thought they were members already.  I was so happy to be there to support them as they made their first covenant.  There were 15 who were baptized during the other service.  There were so many smiles; it was such a happy day for everyone who was baptized and for all who attended the baptisms. 

All 17 of those who were baptized that day in the Stake.

We ended our day with dinner and a movie.  We met the other senior couples at a restaurant and watched the movie Project Hail Mary.  It was a great movie! Well, that is another week in the life of Elda & Sista Lovelace. 

We love you all so much.  Have a wonderful Easter.

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


Additional pictures from the week: 

Baptism clothing being dried for a little bit after 
the 17 were baptized.   All the missionaries helped
to wring out the water.   

One of our YSA from Etas helping with our YSA Friday game.   

YSA Friday game with the YSA's trying to figure out the
answers by using their phones.


Lone bull that was outside of the fence as we drove to
pick up Rachel for her Tuesday doctors appointment.  At 
one point we thought it was going to rush the truck.   He
was massive.  This picture doesn't do him justice.


Not Mark's picture, but he saw two of these "Crown-of-thorn"
star fish when diving.  They are invasive in the Pacific Ocean
and can consume hard coral.  They are destroying a lot of
 the great barrier reef in Australia.    If they find them
they inject them with vinegar to kill them.  Also, if you
touch or step on them they have a nasty sting.  Not good!!


Baptism clothing drying after the event.   

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