Training is the Essence of Transformation

Hello everyone!

This past week was amazingly good and very busy. We held our second annual two-day Seminary and Institute training. Our supervisors from Santo, Malekula, Tanna, and Efate gathered on our island with the two senior missionary couples, our coordinator, and his administrator for training. I am always amazed at how quickly an event we have prepared for over such a long time passes. I can honestly say that the two days were very holy, and I did not want them to end.

Mark and I before we 
started the S&I meeting
on Thursday.

This was the perfect week for our training because the schools were on a break. With no Seminary or Succeed in School responsibilities, we could turn our full attention to the two-day training. Monday was a national holiday, and we took full advantage of the day by enjoying General Conference.

General Conference takes place twice a year, and it is one of my favorite times of the year. It is a global gathering of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Church leaders share messages focused on the living Christ and His gospel. I always feel inspired and lifted after participating. It is like fuel for my soul. 

On Tuesday, we had our S&I team meeting to finalize assignments for our 2 day training on Thursday and Friday.  We picked up a few things to finalize our  everyone would be flying in on Wednesday. I arranged to have lunch catered on both Thursday and Friday. Mark and I decided to have some light breakfast items and snacks available for everyone to enjoy.

Katimal picked up the supervisors while we picked up Elder and Sister Palm from the airport. The Palms stayed in the apartment next to ours, which is vacant at the moment. We took them to dinner on Wednesday evening. When we arrived home, I started a batch of cinnamon rolls. I’m not sure what went wrong, but they didn’t turn out, so I threw them away. I asked Mark to stop by the bakery the next morning to pick up doughnuts, and I decided to make quiche as well.

We had fruit, quiche, potato chips, Skittles, and some hard candies for everyone to munch on during the training. I won’t try to fill you in on every detail of our meetings, as this letter would become extremely long. Instead, I’ll walk you through the agenda and share a few highlights, primarily to document the experience for us. I hope this information will also be useful to anyone reading our letter.

Day 1

We began with our coordinator reviewing everything we had accomplished this year and looking back at the things we had tried to implement and how we were continuing to build. We focused on reach, impact, and building capability, as well as ways to fulfill our purpose for Seminary and Institute teachers and students. I believe the discussion was insightful for everyone, and it gave me a perspective I needed with such a short time left to serve here. We will all be released from our callings at some point, so staying focused on our purpose and building capability can help ensure that the work continues, no matter where we are called to serve next.

Our island S&I sisters that joined us for our
meetings this week.   Right to left - Marie, Ruth,
Edna, Brenda, Maklen, & Agnes ... We love them.

Elda Lovelace taught us about being part of the greatest work on earth today: the gathering of Israel. Elda Palm followed by teaching us the importance of loving those we teach, a principle of teaching in the Savior’s way. After lunch, I had the opportunity to focus on strengthening the rising generation by being a covenant-keeping teacher. Elda Lovelace then gave specific instruction on orienting and supporting new teachers. 

Our supervisor from Malekula, Edna, then spoke to us about how holding monthly unit meetings with teachers could help supervisors fulfill their responsibilities. We have many teachers because the members are spread out across the islands. Meeting once a month with the lead teachers to discuss how Seminary and their students are doing could help us stay in touch more consistently. It would also give the supervisor a better understanding of the teachers’ needs.

Agnes and Marie, our supervisors from Tanna, presented on the importance of communication. They taught us ways to use chat groups more effectively. Communication is a big issue, and one problem we encounter is that teachers don’t have phone credit, which makes communication almost nonexistent. Some Seminary groups simply stop meeting, and we may not know about it for months because of the lack of communication. We really needed this presentation as we look ahead.

I led a discussion to review the day. We talked about the highlights and encouraged everyone to set goals. Katimal then concluded the meeting with a brief recap and a message. It was such a good day! We all felt blessed to be called to serve the youth and teachers, and you could feel the excitement and sense of renewal.

Afterward, we took a short break and changed clothes. We met at the dock and took a boat to Erakor Island for a Melanesian night. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner and a string-band performance that told the story of the Melanesian people. As we ate, the performers played music and taught us about the cultures of the people who live on the islands of Vanuatu. They invited us to dance, and we did! A fire show concluded the evening, which is always fun. We had an absolute blast! We sang songs, laughed, and enjoyed being together as a team.

Our Melanesian dinner at Erakor Island.  A good
night with our friends.

After arriving home, I prepared breakfast burritos for the following morning before retiring for the night. Mark helped laminate some scripture mastery markers that we could give to the supervisors while I finished my preparations.

Day 2

When we arrived the next morning, Katimal began our meeting by leading us through an unexpected but much-appreciated experience of discovery. It was a sacred experience for all of us. He invited us to read Luke 22:39–46. He gave us time not only to read the verses but also to study them. Then he asked us, one by one, to share what we had experienced.

Eight verses created a holy experience none of us could have anticipated. In that one hour, we learned how a teacher can invite students to take part in their own learning. Katimal hardly spoke at all, other than to point out a few things. The discussion was beautiful, insightful, filled with the Spirit, tearful, and centered on Christ. At the conclusion, he asked us what had just taken place. We all agreed that he had shown us what a Christ-centered lesson could be and how to help students discover truths for themselves. It was special! What a way to start the day!

I shared a video the Church has produced about the importance of doctrinal mastery. We learned how these scriptures can help protect youth each day and assist them in answering others’ questions about faith. I don’t remember many lessons from my own youth, but I do remember the doctrinal mastery scriptures and the games we played to help us remember them. I then shared ways to mark the scriptures and some fun ways to memorize them.

We have discovered that when we ask the youth to earn their Bibles, they haven’t been focusing on doctrinal mastery. We want to change that moving forward so these scriptures can help protect them during challenging times.

Ruth followed me and taught everyone how to prepare a successful in-service training meeting and a youth gathering. Ruth is our supervisor on Santo and recently had a successful youth gathering. Hearing about her experience excited the other supervisors about holding youth gatherings of their own.

Maklen, our supervisor here in Efate (Port Vila), had the big task of leading a training session on graduation and registration. Maklen is one of our newest supervisors and has not yet experienced a graduation or a registration. She was delighted to learn so much and then share what she had learned.

We had some great discussions about the need for priesthood support for these supervisors. Sister Brenda led the review and goal-setting session for Day 2 and did a brilliant job. We love Brenda so much and appreciate her support for the programs across the island. Katimal shared his concluding remarks and his beautiful testimony of Jesus Christ and of this important work: deepening the youth’s conversion to Jesus Christ and His gospel.

Our Vanuatu S&I Team posing before
we ended the training meeting.

We took a few photos and then headed over to the Vanuatu Temple for a few more. We said our goodbyes, shared hugs, and departed.

Mark & I at the temple construction site.

Palms, Katimal, and us at the temple
site. 

Clouds over the temple were beautiful.

S&I Team at the temple grounds.

Elder and Sister Palm had decided to stay for the weekend to enjoy the company of all the senior missionaries here on Efate. After returning to the apartments and putting everything away, we ordered pizza and gathered with the Meyers to play Skyjo, a card game. It was a great evening filled with laughter.

Early Saturday morning, Mark took Elder Palm out to purchase a laminating machine. After seeing ours, they were excited to buy one and use it for some of the work they are doing on Santo. Mark and I then ran our errands to prepare for the weekend. After returning to the apartment, we took the Palms to Paradise Cove for lunch. We played Zilch while waiting for our food, then settled into the beanbags and lounged in the sun, enjoying the most wonderful sea breeze.

Paradise Cove on Saturday.  

Elder & Sister Palm at Paradise Cove.  We had a 
great week with them.   They are doing great
things on the island of Santo.

That evening, we met the other senior missionaries in the parking lot at our apartment and headed over to the Exotic Thai Restaurant. The meal was good, especially since I didn’t have to cook. The company was even better. I felt as though I hadn’t seen my people in weeks, even though it had only been six days.

On Sunday, we woke early to make a picnic lunch. The Palms came over and helped us put our lunches together before we took off for the airport to send Marie and Agnes back to Tanna. We wanted to send two boxes of Bibles back with them and give them one last hug.

We then took the Palms on a drive around the entire island. We stopped in Paunagisu and showed them the chapel there. We were pleased to find many of the members still there. We went in different directions and chatted with many people. I chatted with Chalene!!!!!!!! Yes, a girl named Chalene, her friend, and Owen and Stanley, who were cousins. They were between 11 and 13 years old. They were delightful and shared that they all wanted to be missionaries someday and where they hoped to go. Owen wants to go to the USA, while Stanley, Chalene, and her friend (whose name I can’t remember) want to go to Fiji.

Me posing with Chalene, my new
young friend.

Sister Palm sat in a chair next to a girl who will be baptized next week. Elder Palm headed to the chapel and spoke with a young single adult, inviting her to Institute. Elder Lovelace spoke with one of the unit leaders and several of the youth. We were happy to see the full-time elders engaged in their own conversations, too.

We then loaded up and made our way to Eton, where the full-time proselyting missionaries greeted us again. The unit members had gathered to watch the second Sunday morning session of General Conference in Bislama. We gave hugs, told them we would see them the following week, and headed out.

We stopped at my beach, just 15 minutes away, and had lunch while enjoying the amazing ocean views and the most wonderful sea breeze. We loved showing the Palms these special places on our island.

Palms enjoying lunch on the beach.

After a four-plus-hour adventure, we returned to the apartments, took a quick bathroom break, and then watched the Sunday morning session of Conference in English together. At 4:00 p.m., we decided to take a short break and gather again at 5:00 p.m. for dinner. We invited Sister Carpenter to join us and enjoyed taco salad and wonderful conversation.

At 6:00 p.m., we headed over to Elder and Sister Hoggard’s home for our senior Sunday gathering. They had put together a wonderful game called “Who Said It?” They had a list of all the modern-day prophets, beginning with Joseph Smith and going through President Oaks. Elder Hoggard would share some information and then read a quote from a prophet. We had to match the prophet to the letter we had been given. I loved it! It was a great review and helped us understand how each man is called to accomplish a different work.

The Palms left us a nice shell collection in the
apartment they were staying on beside us.  Made us laugh.

Looking back on the week, I am so grateful for the spiritual feast and for the companionship of good friends who reminded me how truly special a life of learning can be.

I know that many people reading my letter are experiencing trials and feeling alone. I want to share one thing I learned from the experience Katimal gave us as we read those eight verses.

I love how the Lord invites us to pattern our lives after His. “Come and follow me”—He is the way. I testify that He is the way! As I read, it became very clear to me that, during this difficult trial, Jesus Christ took His friends with Him. He even invited them to pray so they would not fall into temptation.

Mark shared that Jesus Christ knew exactly what His Apostles would face and invited them to pray. They didn’t know what was coming, but He certainly did. Then Jesus went off and prayed. While His friends slept, angels ministered to Him.

In our trials, we can invite others to come alongside us and help us. Sometimes, however, we may be left alone by them—but angels will minister to us. I have found this to be true in my own life. As I pondered the trials of the past, I was reminded of how I was strengthened in those moments when I felt alone.

Jesus Christ is with us and will never forsake us. I want my children and grandchildren to know this so deeply that their hearts burn with this knowledge. I know this truth often comes to us when we are in the midst of trials. The refiner’s fire is real, but we are not alone. We are becoming something more than we ever could have imagined.

I love you so much, and I pray that you will be ministered to and guarded by the angels of heaven.

Nana & Papa, Mom & Dad, Mark & Darleen, Elda & Sister Lovelace

P.S. At dinner on Wednesday night, I felt something on my arm and discovered that it was a lizard! A little boy from the table next to us came over to try to rescue the lizard from me. It was a very kind and much-appreciated gesture. 

Extra pictures for the week

View from our Thursday / Friday training.
Katimal was leading our discussion.

Dancers from the Erakor Island Melanesian
night on Thursday evening.

Mark & Elder Palm at Paradise Cove
on Sunday afternoon.

Mark caught me trying to be a mermaid