An Amazing trip to Tanna -- Visits, off-roading, sounds of the volcano, and testimonies strengthened

Hello Again!!! 
I'll apologize, this letter will be longer one, but it will be worth it if you read through it.   Most weeks our mission follows familiar routines we’ve often described. This week, however, brought something special: leaving our home island of Efate and traveling to Tanna on Tuesday morning. At first, Darleen and I thought the trip might give us a little time to relax while visiting seminary and institute teachers and classes across the island. In reality, it was far from restful, but it was deeply rewarding. Let me share how the week unfolded.

Welcome to Tanna

Monday was filled with preparation before departure. We oversee six different Succeed in School (SIS) classes that meet two times per week for Reading & Writing and Math.   As part of what we help with we provide healthy snacks for the students to have after class. Normally, we bring snacks with us when we teach at three different locations. Since we would be away, we needed to prepare containers that would last through the week. After assembling them, we delivered the containers to Etas Ward, Erakor Branch, and the Stake Center so the teacher would distribute them while we were gone (some 180 prepared snacks for the week).

Beyond playing delivery service for snacks, Monday also included our regular morning meeting with our S&I team (Katimal and Brenda). Later, we met with Peniette, the Area Education & Self‑Reliance Leader visiting from Fiji. Together we discussed education needs across Vanuatu, including the new Learning Center at the Stake Center. A key topic was how best to administer the Fiji SOCS entrance eligibility testing outside of Efate. We agreed that Elder and Sister Palm, serving on Santo, would administer the testing there with training from Peniette, while we would work on arranging testing in Tanna. The challenge is finding a suitable building large enough, with tables, to accommodate the expected turnout. We are exploring the possibility of using a primary school where one of the bishops on Tanna serves as principal.

On Tuesday morning we flew to Tanna. After checking into our hotel and having lunch, we began our visits. Before describing them, let me give a sense of Tanna itself. It is one of more than 80 islands that make up Vanuatu, with about 30,000 people spread across many small communities on the island.  And I emphasize SMALL. The largest town, Lenakel, has a few small stores, a mama’s marketplace selling in‑season vegetables, and a local soccer field. That’s about it.   Tanna has many languages spoken, but they do speak the traditional Bislama common language along with what they call “Tanna language”, which is quite different.   When they spoke the latter, I had no idea what they were saying.  

Island of Tanna.  We stayed to the West at the White Grass Resort.
The black lines are the estimated routes we took, some several times.
In blue with stars are the different church locations we traveled to.

Tanna is also famous for Mount Yasur, the world’s most accessible active volcano, erupting for over 800 years. Visitors can stand at the crater rim and watch glowing lava blasts at night. We didn’t attempt to visit it on this trip, as our schedule was too full, but we could hear the volcano rumbling as we visited nearby villages.   Last time we were on Tanna, we did visit it, but it was raining and there was a gale wind that wanted to blow us off the mountain.  I think Darleen was a little nervous about going back.  We will do it at a future time.

We worked closely with Marie, the Tanna Seminary Supervisor, and Agnes, the Institute Supervisor. On Tuesday afternoon we met Marie in Lenakel and drove across the island to White Sands Ward, near Mount Yasur. There we found Agnes, two teachers from Enima Branch (who had walked 40–50 minutes across the ash field), several seminary students, and the White Sands bishop, Agnes’s husband. We encouraged the students to attend seminary regularly and to learn scripture mastery.

White Sands Ward in their building being built,
with the students who came to meet with us that afternoon.

Beyond encourage our teachers to get classes going, where they had stopped teaching, one of our goals was to explain the requirements for earning a Bislama Bible. With Area S&I funding, we purchased 600 Bibles to distribute to seminary students. But we don’t simply want to hand them out. Students must attend classes, pass off at least 12 scripture masteries from the Old Testament (or as many as they are capable of), and participate actively. If they meet these requirements, they will be awarded a Bible by their bishop or branch president. We showed the students and teachers the Bibles and gave each teacher at least one for their class. Their excitement was clear, we want every student to have one, not for the Bibles to sit in boxes.

Afterward, we drove Marie and the Enima teachers back to their homes so they wouldn’t have to walk the long distance. Transportation on Tanna is limited, and many members walk 45–60 minutes to church regularly. Their dedication amazed us and gave us perspective on why daily seminary may not be feasible. Even meeting once or twice a week is a significant commitment.   For Marie, it would have been impossible to get to where we drove her to visit the White Sands Ward, as it would have taken her a good day of walking, and her being pregnant probably wouldn’t be a good thing for her to do, let alone having to turn around and walk the other way.

On Wednesday morning we picked up Marie and then Agnes, who met us in the volcano ash field. Together we crossed the river to the entrance of the Yasur Volcano visitor area (an exciting drive where I hoped the truck didn’t stall in the middle of the river), where we met the Saetsiwi Ward seminary teacher. We encouraged her to hold regular classes and left her with a Bible for her students.

Meeting with the Saetsiwi Ward Seminary Teacher
right at the wall of the entrance to Mount Yasur.
L-R: Darleen, Ruth (Seminary Teacher), and Marie.

The top picture is Marie, Sister Ruth, Agnes, Darleen, and me...

From there we drove to Port Resolution Ward. The roads were rough and “bushy”, far beyond what a normal car could manage. Sister Susan, the seminary teacher and wife of the new bishop, and Sister Nancy, the institute teacher, welcomed us warmly. After our visit, Sister Susan shared baked fish and breadfruit. Breadfruit, cooked over the fire, has a bread‑like texture but tastes more like sweet potato. Darleen skipped the fish, but I tried one, confident it was more sardine rather than reef fish (which can be dangerous and have been known to cause death to those who consume it). Thankfully, no ill effects—whew!

The fish I ate.  Still no bad effects.

Cooked Breadfruit.  

Port Resolution Ward Building and meeting with 
Nancy and Susan (Institute & Seminary Teachers)

Our final visit was to the Green Point Branch on the southern side of the island. We planned to meet with the seminary teacher and the Branch President. Arriving a little early, we met a woman with her young children. One of her sons was named Russell, after President Russell M. Nelson our past Prophet of our Church. It’s not a typical Vanuatu name, but she wanted to honor him with his name given she had a love for his leadership. Her other son, Charles, was equally delightful. They were lively, playful boys, and we captured some wonderful photos of them that we’ll share with this post.

Russell and Charles.  Russell is the older on in 
the front of the top picture.   Charles was a character.

Soon the Branch President and his wife arrived, though the seminary teacher was absent. We learned that her husband had passed away just a few weeks earlier. She was still working through her grief but doing remarkably well. While we didn’t meet her that day, we were able to connect at the Friday In‑Service meeting. Darleen had a heartfelt conversation with her, during which she shared that she and her husband had been planning to be sealed in the temple. His sudden passing, from what began as a sore on his leg, was a sobering reminder of the limited medical care available here compared to what is routine in the U.S. Yet her faith was inspiring. She expressed confidence that she will see him again and remains determined to go to the temple to be sealed to him. Such faith is humbling.

Green Point new chapel being built.

Although we missed meeting the seminary teacher that day, the Branch President was thrilled to receive a Bible for their seminary program. He embraced it with joy, saying it would be a great blessing for the youth and that he looked forward to seeing his students receive their own copies. We were deeply touched by his enthusiasm. Across Tanna, we continue to see remarkable growth. Both White Sands and Green Point are building new meetinghouses to accommodate expanding congregations—and those are just two examples of the progress we witnessed.

After the visit, we brought Agnes and Marie back to town and did some shopping for Friday’s In‑Service light lunch. Agnes needed rice and ingredients to go with it, which we found at the market and a small store. Once finished, we gave them both transportation fares to return home. We felt bad about not being able to drive them ourselves, but the distance was too great, and we had a dinner appointment that evening we couldn’t miss.

That evening, President and Sister Ball flew into Tanna for Zone Conference, visits, and missionary interviews. They invited us to join them for dinner at the hotel where we were both staying. It was a wonderful evening, an opportunity not only to share a meal but to get to know them personally. We learned more about their families, how they met, and the unique challenges of leading a mission spread across so many islands. The Lord truly sustains them in their service. Now two years into their three‑year assignment, they have accomplished tremendous work in guiding the mission. It isn’t often we enjoy such relaxed time together, and the evening was a blessing.

Thursday was the Tanna Missionary Zone Conference, and since our schedule was open that morning, we were able to attend and meet all the missionaries serving on the island. The conference gave us a wonderful opportunity to hear young missionary leaders teach and testify of their love for Jesus Christ.

Sister Ball has introduced a tradition at Zone Conferences: she draws a companionship’s name from a bowl and invites them to share a brief 3 to 5-minute gospel lessons of their choice. Because they know they might be chosen, each companionship prepares in advance. This time, two of the four drawn were companionships with brand‑new missionaries, fresh in the field. It was inspiring to watch these 18+ year old young adults grow in confidence, standing to teach—something many of them had never done before their missions.

After the conference, we visited Marie in her ward, MitMit, and then stopped at the Lamtavekel Branch to meet their seminary teacher. I love the Lamtavekel location. It has one of the most beautiful banyan trees I’ve ever seen. These trees are massive, with branches that send roots down into the ground, anchoring them firmly. To me, they create a living image of the Tree of Life.

My favorite tree I've found on the island.  I call it the
Tree of Life.  It is huge!!!

We met with the seminary teacher, Serah, and then drove her back toward her home—though “road” is a generous description of the path we traveled. Along the way, we bought cabbages and carrots from her for Marie to use in making Tanna soup for the upcoming In‑Service meeting. While we waited, several children who had tagged along began chatting with Darleen. She noticed some tiny piglets nearby and told the boys she wanted to hold one. At first they looked at her in surprise, but when she insisted, they began chasing the squealing piglets around the yard. After several near misses, one boy finally caught one. It squealed loudly as he handed it to Darleen, who held it with a big smile, saying she had always wanted to hold a piglet. Its little heart was racing, but she calmed it before setting it down to rejoin its family.

Darleen's short video of holding the piglet.  Wish
I taped them chasing the pigs.  That was funnier.

Later, we returned to town with Marie to pick up more ingredients for her soup, including frozen chickens. We then drove her home, where her seminary class was already gathered, waiting to be taught. We stayed to watch her teach and to help the students with scripture mastery. They had already memorized seven of the 24 scriptures, and together we worked on number eight:

Isaiah 1:18 — “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”

Darleen explained what it meant for sins to be scarlet and how Jesus Christ, through repentance and trust in Him, makes our sins white. The class had about seven students, all girls—a trend we noticed in many of the classes we visited. Their enthusiasm and faith were a joy to witness, and we quickly fell in love with their desire to learn and eagerness to be present.

Darleen reminded them not to forget to serve their teacher. On Saturday we learned that they had asked Marie if they could help her in any way. She replied, “Sure, you can help me clean my garden.” They showed up to serve, which was especially thoughtful since Marie is pregnant and her husband is working in Australia for nine months to earn money to start a transportation business on Tanna. She is caring for the children and managing the household largely on her own, so their willingness take up the challenge to help was a tender act of service.

The girls were also thrilled about the opportunity to earn Bibles. One young woman who hadn’t been attending—Melissa—came that evening, encouraged by the promise of receiving one. We urged her to keep coming, and she returned for the next class on Friday. Their faith and willingness to obey touched us deeply. They have so little, they come from so far, yet they want to learn how to be better disciples. I realize I can learn much about faith from each of them.

It was actually quite endearing to watch Melissa sit between Darleen and me, bouncing back and forth as the class sat on mats listening to Marie. On the other side of Darleen, another young woman was rubbing her clean‑shaven legs and touching her soft hair—two things not common on Tanna. These small moments reminded us how unique and precious each student is.

The MitMit Ward Seminary class that Marie teaches.
Melissa is the one right beside Darleen, closest to the camera.

Friday was our Seminary & Institute In‑Service training meeting at 9 a.m. We had 18 teachers attend, representing all but two units—a wonderful showing, especially since the meeting had been moved from Saturday to Friday (only a few days before) to ease transportation challenges as transportation doesn’t typically run across all locations on Saturday’s. We met at the Stake Office, as a Stake building has not yet been completed. It is one of five buildings currently under construction on the island.

In-Service attendees.

The meeting was conducted by Marie, with both she and Agnes speaking on how to help learners come unto Christ and strengthen their relationship with Him. Darleen then taught a powerful lesson on knowing their role as teachers. She began by showing her mission call, explaining how it continues to guide her service today. She had prepared name tags and personalized Seminary & Institute calls for each teacher, reminding them of the program’s purpose:

“To help youth and young adults deepen their conversion to Jesus Christ and His restored Gospel, qualify for the blessings of the temple, and prepare themselves, their families, and others for eternal life with their Father in Heaven.”

She emphasized that they fulfill this purpose by Living, Teaching, and Leading those they serve. The teachers loved the message, and many expressed gratitude afterward, saying they felt energized to teach with greater strength.

Darleen having the teachers stand and recite their
calls as teachers.  They loved it and all did it willingly.

I then shared two things: first, the detailed requirements for students to earn the Bislama Bibles, and second, a message on ministering. That morning, while walking on the pier near our hotel at 5 a.m., I observed a black‑spotted eel about a foot long. For 45 minutes I watched it weave in and out of coral and across the sand, tirelessly searching for food—typically crabs, shrimp, or small fish.

I recorded a video and used it in my message. I asked the teachers: “Do we seek our students with this same intensity? Do we look under the rocks, the sand, and wherever they may be? Or do we just do a casual seeking?”.  I challenged them to minister like the eel—persistent, focused, and resourceful. Not to consume their students, of course, but to give their all in finding and nurturing them, involving other students in the effort as well.

The little black spotted eel I watched for 
some time.

I felt strongly that this message was inspired by the Spirit. It was exactly what needed to be said.

Darleen capturing me teaching during In-Service

The Stake Second Counselor did the closing for the meeting, followed by a meal prepared by Marie and Agnes. The lunch—Tanna soup, rice, vegetables, chicken, and sauce—was delicious. I admit I’m always a little nervous about unfamiliar foods, but I was grateful I tried it. Even more humbling was knowing that both women had risen at 4 a.m. to finish cooking and then found transportation to bring it to the meeting. Their sacrifice touched me deeply.

Because transportation is costly, we provided funds for round‑trip fares so teachers could attend. Many of these women live on just $10–40 every two weeks, including our supervisors. Without this support, they simply could not afford to be there. It is a tender mercy that we can help in this small way, thanks to approved budget that is provided from the Area S&I leadership to cover such expenses.

After the meeting, we drove both women home. Marie lives about 30 minutes from the Stake Office, while Agnes lives another hour beyond, near the shore beside Yasur Volcano. Her small concrete home sits in a beautiful location.   As we drove up to her home, which again was not an easy drive to get to like many homes we visited on the island, she had new mats drying outside that she had woven for her floor. Visiting their homes felt like a privilege, a reminder of the strength and devotion of these sisters.

Agnes in front of her home after In-Service Meeting.

Saturday was our final day of visits on Tanna. Marie had arranged for us to meet the Green Hill Ward seminary teacher. We picked her up at 9 a.m., and two of her children asked to come along, of course we said yes. The drive north took about an hour along dirt roads to the new ward building being constructed in the bush area of Green Hills.

Green Hills new building being built.  Old one is
on the left.

Part of Sister Jack's seminary class.  She's on the top right.
Marie has her two children on the right of her.

There we met Sister Mary Jack, the seminary teacher, along with three of her students. We gathered in front of the building, still under construction, and talked about how the class was going and their excitement about earning new Bibles. One young man, Jimmy, stood out for his faithfulness in attending. At just 15 years old, he shared his desire to prepare for a mission when he turns 18. It was inspiring to see his commitment at such a young age.

After the visit, we drove Marie and her children back to town to pick up a few things for Sunday’s meal. Darleen wanted to treat them, so she bought Oreos, drinks and some chicken sausage for their Sunday meal (meat is a luxury) to go with the cabbage and root vegetables.   I also picked up some small candy suckers for the kids. Their gratitude was touching, and we enjoyed watching them savor the Oreos on the ride home.

This trip gave us the chance to know our two supervisors—Marie and Agnes—so much better. They often feel discouraged, lacking strong Stake leadership support and struggling with the expense of visiting teachers across the island. Our presence allowed them to reach most of their teachers, and they felt renewed. Darleen and I left with a clear sense of the importance of visiting often, and we’ve already discussed with our leader how we might return sooner rather than later.

Saturday evening we ended our trip with a dinner shared with the two companionships of sister missionaries serving near our hotel. It was a joy to provide them with a nice meal and spend time getting to know them better. Two of the sisters are from the U.S., and the other two are from Kiribati (pronounced “Kee‑ree‑bas”).

Their dedication impressed us. One companionship doesn’t have a car and sometimes walks an hour and a half to reach appointments. One of the sisters, Sister Holland, will be returning home in just a week after completing her 18‑month mission. We first met her months earlier on Efate, where she served as a Sister Training Leader. She has been a wonderful missionary, and it was special to spend this time with her before she departs. The dinner was delicious, but the company was even better.

Sister missionaries after dinner (Sister Holland is to the left of Darleen). 
We brought a gift of toilet paper to be left in the senior apartment next to theirs.

As we returned home Sunday to Efate, I felt changed by the trip. The week on Tanna reminded us that even in places where resources are scarce and distances are long, faith flourishes. We witnessed youth eager to learn, teachers devoted to their callings, and members willing to sacrifice for one another. Their dedication renewed our own commitment to serve with greater love and persistence. This trip was not just about teaching them—it was about us being taught. The Saints of Tanna showed us what it means to walk with Christ in humility and strength, and we carry their example with us as we continue our service.
Love,
Darleen & Mark Lovelace (aka: Nana & Papa, Mom & Dad, Sista and Elda Sista Lovelace)

Additional Pictures from the week

Darleen spotted this tree while
leaving Port Resolution.  Looked like 
an old man with a mono-brow.

Mount Yasar in the distance as we drove
through the ash field.

Port Resolution Village right beside the church building.

Road to Green Hill church building.   This is 
the nice part of the road.

Had to get a picture of a cow on the side of the
road.  This is a scene played out many times
as we drove around Tanna.  They tend to just leave 
them tied up next to the road to fend for themselves.

The road to Port Resolution.  Again, this is a good
section of the road.

More of the road to Port Resolution.

Mount Yasur ash plane with the mountain in the
background.   

View from our hotel room.  Not a bad place to 
stay, even if the beds were like rocks!!!

This was a group of villagers we came
upon as we traveled to Green Hill
Saturday morning.   They are doing a 
traditional "Coming of Age" (reed whipping).
You should go on the web and read about it.

Road to White Sands area and the volcano.  We
traveled this section for probably 6 different times.