9 August 2016 - Week 39: Back from VANUATU!!!

BONJOUR TOUT LE MONDE!!

Je suis revenue de Vanuatu ce matin! [I returned from Vanuatu this morning!] I'm actually super tired right now--running on about 4 hours of sleep... We had to be up at 4 am to go to the airport this morning and then traveling just takes it all out of you. (Which is weird because you literally just sit around a bunch...) Anyway, we had an amazing time in Vanuatu with the leadership of the Great VPVM!

We had the transfers, and now I'm officially back in the South Zone and back in the Magenta Ward. It's weird to be back in the ward where I started because in the beginning I still couldn't speak French or understand everyone and now I can. The funniest part was that on Sunday this Brother got up to bear his testimony and I was so surprised that I could understand him because before I couldn't at all. Haha yay for progress! And so far Soeur Caress and I haven't been able to do much work in the secteur because we had two days and then we left for Vanuatu. Now that we're back we can really dive in to the work here in Magenta. It's a small secteur (the smallest I've ever been in) but that doesn't mean there isn't any work to do! I'm excited to get going again and start seeing those miracles come! And it is a little weird to have an American companion because we can speak English all the time, but I really don't want to lose my French so we're gonna work on only speaking French together!

Oh yeah, I don't know if I mentioned it last week, but in our mission we had 162 baptisms during the month of July! That's a record for the mission! :) And we want to keep going like that and even better!

I think y'all can probably tell that I'm pumped up and motivated after our MLC [Mission Leadership Conference] in Vanuatu with President and Sister Granger, the APs, and all the Zone Leaders and STLs in the mission. It was super fun to be with everyone and to learn from President Granger together. We talked a lot about the vision for the mission and how we can help our zones reach that vision. Vision = BAPTISMS :)

So Sunday night, we flew to Vanuatu and when we got there the APs/the travel elders who were supposed to pick us up weren't there yet, BUT luckily there was a bishop and other members who called them for us! Honestly I had the feeling that Vanuatu is like Utah a bit--there are members all over! During the trip, all of us STLs stayed with the STLs in Vanuatu again. All 8 of us in one house! They're all so nice and I love them and I really enjoyed getting to know them better! Then Monday morning, we wanted to do some shopping at the market in Port Vila before MLC started, so that's what we did! The people in Vanuatu are so nice and so willing to talk! I can see now why the work moves so fast there! And we would come across some members randomly and it was fun to meet them!

We did some shopping again on Tuesday morning, and we saw a little parade of Vanuatu women marching for Jesus Christ. They were all in their island dresses and had mini Vanuatu flags and were singing! I took a video and it was the coolest thing! Part of the culture of Vanuatu is belief in Jesus Christ! Isn't that so amazing? I love it!

I'm running out of time to write, but I'm sending tons of pics!! Vanuatu was awesome and I love my mission and I love you all!!!! Have a great week!

Love

Soeur Matheson :) 

Moi et Soeur Rooarii avec Soeur Bourgine avant que je sois muté.

The view from our apartment balcony.

Our apartment kitchen.

William's baptism!!

Getting off the plane in Vanuatu.

New companions - Soeur Matheson and Soeur Caress

Time in Port Vila enjoying the shopping and the views and the super friendly people!

STLs from New Caledonia in Vanuatu - Soeurs Matheson, Caress, Rooarii and Casuga

Views of Vanuatu

View from the mission home.

The leaders of the Great VPVM! 

Outside the place where we ate a really nice dinner last night with all my STL friends.

I ordered fish, and it was delicious!

2 August 2016 - Week 38: TRANSFERS! And my 9-month mark!

Bonjour tout le monde!!

So the big news is that the tranfer call came and I'm leaving Koutio and Soeur Rooarii! SAD!  But I'll be going to Magenta with Soeur Caress and we're the STLs for the South Zone.  Soeur Rooarii is staying in Koutio and she'll be with Soeur Casuga. So as of Friday morning, I'm with Soeur Caress in Magenta. Other big news! We're going to Vanuatu (AGAIN!) for MLC with President from Sunday to Wednesday! Yay vacation!! Haha not really but it feels like that for us! :)

I'm sad to be leaving Koutio and Soeur Rooarii because we've had so many crazy and amazing experiences here together. But I know that the Lord needs me in Magenta, and I know that that's where I'm supposed to go. 

Last week, we had our district activity! We went to le parc Fayard in Dumbea and ate lunch and played some volleyball. Then we went and played Laser Game en ville [in the city] and our ami William came with us! We had invited others, but they couldn't come. But we had a blast quand meme [all the same]!! And William totally beat all of us. I was 2nd to last, haha. Soeur Rooarii was last :( But she got a free pass to come back and play for free. Now we just want to go back and play again! 

William is totally ready for his baptism, and his testimony is TRES FORT [very strong]! He's already looking forward to going to the temple, going on a mission, and being sealed in the temple one day! Wow! It's amazing to see how fast an ami can progress in just a couple weeks when they have a strong desire to learn and change and have the blessings that are there in store for them! Ahh!! The thing is that the transfer happens the day before his baptism, so now I have to make sure that there's an ami, recent convert, or inactive member from Magenta who can go to the baptism, so that I can go to the baptism.... I will make it happen!!!

Saturday night, there was a talent show for the Societe de Secours pieu and it was awesome! All the relief societies in the five wards had learned dances from countries around the world and showed them for the talent show. It was so fun and our ward, Riviere Salee, had country dancing and it made me miss Texas, haha :) I took videos (which is a miracle because my camera was supposed to die, but it made it through to the end). Y'all will just have to wait to see them until I get home. 

Soeur Bourgine, an inactive sister that we visit who's coming back to church, invited us to have breakfast with her on Monday because I'm leaving. Aooouu she's so adorable and I'm gonna miss her! We had milo and baguettes and pain au chocolat. Mmmm!

I'm really gonna miss all of the people that we visited here in Koutio, but I know I'm supposed to go to Magenta. Mission life is hard sometimes, but I think it's the hardest when transfers come around! But I'm happy and loving my mission and it's crazy to think that it's halfway over already!! WHAT! 9 months already?!? I still feel like a newbie, but now I'm one of the oldest sisters! Life passes by so fast, people! Don't blink or you'll miss it!

As of right now, I don't know if I'll be able to email next Wednesday because I don't know when the cyberbase is open down in Magenta and when we'll actually get back from Vanuatu. So for now, JE VOUS AIME BEAUCOUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Bonne semaine!! 

Soeur Matheson

Pics!!

1) Laser Game with the Dumbea District and William!

2-3) Lunch after a lesson with William and Moise... Watch out for Soeur Rooarii!!

4) Soeur Rooarii and I with a giant stuffed bear at our ami Manu's house.