Halo my dear family. I love you more than words can describe. My morning is made brighter when I open my email and see your emails and pictures. Mi lovem yu tumas. This morning we took the car in for a safety inspection to register (there was a small scratch due to me learning how to back up out of the gate… but it passed! Prayers answered.) It was a funny flashback to working at Grease Monkey. Funny how some things don’t change no matter where you are in the world. One of those things is how much I love you and how grateful I am for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Momma: My sweet beautiful momma. I love you so much. Physically I am doing great. I’m trying to eat healthy (kind of a challenge) but I have found romain so I can start having my salads again. It has taken a lot of time to adapt to the culture. I”ll be honest. It is completely different than my american culture. In fact I’m still adapting. Homesickness is a real thing. I’ve found though that every day I get to discover a little new piece of my home on Vanuatu. Most importantly I’m grateful that I get to be here. I get to be challenged every day. This is challenging but I am so so grateful. Your words are brilliant. It’s so important to acknowledge every emotion. Emotion is a gift. I love you so much.
My people are wonderful. I love them and am beginning to have a glimpse at how much our Papa God loves his children. Edna and Chief are progressing slowly. They are reading the Buk Blong Momon. Two of their small boys were really sick this week and they asked us to pray for them. (The boys names are Kimson and Enuky). I know that God works in mysterious ways. Please include them in your prayers. I’m so proud of the little things that Edna and Jimmy do. It is a risk and a big leap, but little by little they can walk miles! We learned Cindy is going back to Pentacost for school. This sweet girl has light in her eyes and I find comfort knowing she will understand the full gospel. Evelyn is coming to church and is being welcomed as a member. She asks us a lot of questions which I am so grateful for. Small John listens to the stories. I think it will help if he has a friend who he can go to church with. We started storying with his mom! It was a really neat experience. We were on exchange with Sista Papel. I have been praying to be able to wash with a momma. Hand scrubbing. We were about to leave when I heard Natalie scrubbing. We asked if they could help. They said “no yu alright.” So I said “Oh mi mi wantem learn! Yu tujim mi.:” So they taught me! Natalie taught me how to scrub a big towel. We helped only a small time till I think they realized that I needed more practice but Natalie’s heart was softened and I asked her if she wanted to learn what we storied with the pikinini about. I shared a small testimony (IN BISLAMA) and later that week Sista Motuliki and I taught her. It was a tender mercy and miracle. Happy is doing well too. I tink semak withim John. Hem i needem one friend so he’s not alone (He’s got about 20 years)
Rosemary lives in another area (I’m crossing my fingers and keeping her in my prayers that the Elders will be able to story with her). We also storied with Thierry. He’s different than many of the Vanuatu men. There is a light in his eyes when we story with him. He understands. Please pray for him that he will know that what the spirit whispers to him is true and that God loves him. Josephine is a small girl, she is about twelve years old, we story with her and her friend Kasau. They are slowly understanding. I’m learning the importance of teaching simply. When we went to story with them, her papa and abu came to listen too. Please keep them in your prayers. This is a mission of miracles. I know that this is possible. Jessica: Jessica is the daughter of Annette! She came to jos yesterday and said it was different than anything she has ever been to. It was a testimony to me that this really is the true church. Jos Blong Jisas Kraes blong ol-lata dei sent.
Last but not least Annette. We went and visited Annette. Right before we were about to leave our house in Namburu I felt an overwhelming pull of remembering the whole time scenario for the mission. I pushed myself out the door and told myself walking on the muddy paths that this can only get better. I just have to step outside of myself. Afta, we look looked Annette. The first thing she did was embrace me in her arms and kiss both of my cheeks. She said “Mi lovem yu tumas girl blong mi.” My heart melted. She gave Sista Motuliki and I Kokonus to drink and we storied. She was a tender mercy. She is progressing slowly. I pray she comes to Jos this week! She doesn’t have work this sunday so it will be possible.
Sune: We are working with her and her little girl, Echante, to come to Jos. We storied about family prayer and faith. We love her and want to help her come klosup withem Papa God mo Jisas Kraes.
My Bislama is coming! There is still much to learn but I was able to bare my testimony in Bislama. Sista Motuliki has been teaching me and helping me correct my Bislama. Tender mercy blong Papa God.
Your words and analogies are inspiring. Mi lovem yu tumas momma blong mi.
Daddy: Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood morning daddy!!!!! (I’ll have you know my companions hear this every morning, even if they aren’t morning people… haha) I love you so much! Thank you for your humbling words. Angels. I am convinced of the angels that surround us. I pray for them to stap on left mo right hand blong mi everyday. I will outrun the angels this week! I love you so much. As you read I got to feel the rain on my face and help a momma wash! Daddy. Guess what else? I got to roll down the window. My car window works! So many people bask in the air conditioning, but I love to feel Vanuatu air kiss my face. Also there are the most beautiful stars here. I looked up to the sky and gasped because I saw heaven.
Mi lovem yu tumas!!! Have a wonderful week!
Love,
Sista Carter