December 17

Cyclone Evan hit Samoa yesterday and made his presence know to us at 3 a.m. The wind and rain were so fierce that is woke us up. I have an awful fascination with this. Having never been in a cyclone/hurricane I want to know what it is like and yet, I am really nervous. I wanted our landlady to put up the window guards that the men made this summer, but she seems in no hurry to do it. We have power and it is humid, so we have the AC on in our bedroom and in the living room. The service center is closed, but no one called us from there to tell us. Elder Wells called this morning to tell us that we should not go in. He found out from the Hogges who serve at mission office couple. The mission office is also closed. FHE for tonight at the Davis home is also cancelled.

The wind is coming from the north west which is where the cyclone is geographically from Fiji. It has rained hard since 3 a.m. and with the wind at tropical storm levels our windows and door on the west side of the house began to leak early this morning. We have louvered windows and when they are shut they do not seal. I can stick my finger between the top/bottom of the glass and the wall around the window. Our living room door on the west side (we also have a door in the carport which is on the south) has had a towel between it and the gate since we got here. I thought the towel was to keep critters from coming into the house under the door until today. I realize now it is to sop up the water from driving rain.  By 6 o'clock this morning we were wiping off the window ledges, and moping up water by the door about hourly.  I washed the first batch of towels we used and then realized that I could not wash and dry towels fast enough to keep up.

We found two really great websites to watch the progression of Cyclone Evan. We had watched them last night and it looked like Evan would stay way out to sea west of Fiji which would mean that high waves and storm surges would be Fiji's only concern, but this morning the cyclone has shifted east and now it looks like the eye wall will be just off the west coast.  People have been evacuated from low lying areas of Lautoka, Ba, Rakiraki, Nadi, and of course all the little villages that no one mentions.  I was surprised to hear that one island resort on the cyclone side of Nadi had sent all the vacationers into Nadi, but all the resort employees had stayed on the island ostensively to protect the resort.

By 10 o'clock we were bored so we started to watch movies.  We would watch, wipe/mop up, and watch again. The wind got so loud that we had to turn up the volume and then we could not hear all the words. It never let up. The beautiful bread fruit tree out our bedroom window lost its top third.  We watched as the tall coconut trees bent until we thought they would break.  Somewhere I had read that palm trees survive cyclones because they move their fronds straight into the air which means they catch less wind.  Yup!  The one palm tree in our backyard did exactly that.

By 5:00 p.m. I had had it with the wind noise, so I thought I would fix us a nice meal to get my mind off it.  It worked and then I noticed at around 5:30 that there was no wind. None. Lots of rain still, but no wind. Now the eye did not pass over us, so I am not sure why the wind stopped, but by 6 o'clock it was really blowing again.

We have had power all day until it got dark.  Right at dark the power went off.  How does that happen?  We had purchased several candles and torches (flashlights) so we were fine except for the humidity and not AC.  We were in bed by 10 p.m. because we were bored.  The wind was still blowing, the rain was still coming down in torrents, but we had had enough.

I am glad that we have been safe.  We have been praying all day the all Fijians would also be safe.  We will see what tomorrow brings.

December 16

Well it is over, finished, completed. We did it.  The YSAs did it. We sang and it was beautiful. Everyone said so. Sister Klinger came up after and told me I had started something that would never be stopped.  She was close to tears. Sister Wells said that it was the best Christmas program she had ever heard which was an exaggeration. However, Bishop Farapapau got up after we were finished and instead of saying anything, he just gave the closing prayer and in it he spoke of gratitude for the strong spirit that had been felt in the meeting, gratitude for the birth of the Savior, and gratitude for the privilege of having been in the meeting today.  Amazing.

I had offered breakfast to the YSAs if they would be to the Sunday practice on time--7:00 a.m. Someone asked if we could change it to lunch. I agreed it was a better idea. So after our program Scott and I went with the YSAs to the young adult class and then to Relief Society. It was interesting that the YSAs did not want to come to Relief Society or go to priesthood; they went to the 2nd Ward Sacrament Meeting instead. I had told them that our kitchen would be open until 1 o'clock. I had made sloppy joes, carrot and cucumber dollars, Fiji koolaid, and chips. Scott bought eight dozen buns thinking that would be more than enough. We had 30 YSAs sing; some had to go to their home wards to fulfill their callings, and yet I fed over 40 YSAs. We did not have enough buns for everyone to eat all they wanted. We had enough meat, but not enough buns. Bummer. We had YSAs sitting everywhere including on the woven mat we had purchased out in the carport. We put the food on the little table in the kitchen so some could eat at the dining table. We actually have enough chairs to seat 11 not counting the couch, two overstuffed chairs or the recliner.

I had good help. Three of the girls helped me get the food on the table and keep the plates full.  I actually just stood around and talked. Afterward when the YSAs asked if they could stay and watch a movie, I started to clean up and two girls gave up the movie to come do the dishes. They washed, wiped, and I put away. It was lovely to chat and I was impressed with their willingness to help.

While we watched the movie, Dan Cegedrau taught his Sunday Mission Preparation lesson out in
the carport, because no one wanted to go back to the chapel.

It was a great day, a spiritual day, a day of gratitude that Heavenly Father helped us sing our very best and allowed the Spirit to attend our offering.

Just an aside. While we were eating two other wards called and asked us to sing next Sunday in their meetings too bad they are at the exact same time. I made the YSAs decide which to say yes to and they hated it. Fiji is made up of the kindest souls in the world and because they are so kind they just detest saying no to anyone for anything. We will be singing in the Samabula 2nd Ward next Sunday and not the Lami 2nd. I hope they will come a second time to sing.

Second aside. I was so nervous. I have never led a choir before, and as always I wanted the job I did to be perfect, but more importantly I wanted the job they did to be perfect. They did great--me not so great. So they could see me, I took the little kid riser every chapel has and put it where I could stand on it. The only problem is that this riser was not flat on the bottom. Someone had cut an L shaped section out of the bottom to fit up and over something. When I stood on it to practice I nearly fell into the choir, so I propped the riser up against the mike control stand which seemed to work until I got too enthusiastic in my leading during Sacrament Meeting. I just about pitched myself into the choir twice. I also forgot to sit the choir down after two of our songs; how does that happen?  And our final number was Oh Holy Night. I got on the little riser and was reminding the choir to sing with their hearts and forgot to stand them up--see I am not cut out to be a choir director. The girls on the back row about had a heart attack mouthing the words "stand up, stand us up." I had to stop Ladonna at the piano, stand the choir up and start over. How embarrassing! We laughed about it all morning. One of the YSAs said that I am the funniest choir conductor she has ever sang for. I am not sure that is a compliment.

December 15

Opened the institute at 5:45 p.m. and at 6:00 no one was there.  I am amazed I did not have a heart attack.  At 6:10 Ladonna's (accompanist) sister-in-law, Maria, came in and told me that Ladonna was sick and would not be attending. WHAT? I did the only thing I could do besides cry; I called Elder Jackson. He said he would come right over. By the time he got to the institute there were 30 YSAs in the room and about 12 of them had never been to practice before. I vowed during the opening pray and the spiritual thought that after Sunday I would never, ever, ever lead a choir again in Fiji. My nerves are not strong enough.

I spoke to two of the choir members who are faithful attenders about what to do with the new singers.  We decided that I would welcome them and explain the rule about two practices before Sunday morning's practice. I made the announcement. Not a great idea. With Elder Jackson's help they sang beautifully--really beautifully. So I said at the end of the practice, "You sang was so well I think we should suspend the rules if it is alright with those who have been coming to all the other practices." Of course they said it was alright.

Scott bless his heart was sitting in the lounge praying that I would come to my senses and allow anyone who wanted to sing to sing. Some days I hate being a second child of two second children. Keeping the rules and seeing that others keep the rules has been my job since birth. Sometimes it is far better to relax the rules. Notice I did not say forget the rules, but tonight I would have been better off just having fun helping these YSAs learn the songs and feel of the Spirit.

Hairspray was the movie tonight. They loved it. Many had not seen it which is unusual.  Because the only movie DVDs you can buy here are pirated they are cheap so everyone has seen most movies, but not Hairspray. We screen every movie we show and if either one of us thinks the movie is not appropriate for the institute we don't show it. We are picky; no sex, no violence, no wear words, etc.
We had watched Hairspray before several times and felt it was OK, but then when I was sitting with the YSAs watching it, I realized how many subtle and not so subtle sexual references there were I was not happy. Why is it we watch movies and do not notice things even when we think we are watching carefully? I love movies. I love suspending real life for a period of time. I hope that there will always be good clean movies to watch.

December 14

I spent the day fixing the choir Christmas program changing the wording and moving songs around.  I can not calculate how long this will last.  I figure five minutes per hymn, three minutes per children's hymn, about ten minutes for the dialog which adds up to 41 minutes, but how long does it take to stand up, sit down, move to the podium, etc.  Bishop Farpapau talked to me today and made certain I understood that we were the whole program and that I needed a whole Sacrament Meeting program.  Gulp!  What happens if we are short?

Attended the Service Center's Christmas Party, the one sponsored by the First Presidency.  The food was excellent.  As usual in Fiji the attendees were the program.  Our table was to sing Away in a Manger.  When we stood to sing it the sister next to me asked me to pitch the song which in Fiji means singing the first measure or two and I could not.  Honestly, how does one forget the tune to Away in a Manger?  We just stood there.  How embarrassing.  I just could not pull the tune out of my tired, over stressed brain.  We are even singing it in our program Sunday.  Finally Scott, yup Scott, got us started.  Bless him.

December 13

Oh dear! Had practice tonight and only 20 showed up and about half of those who came to sing had never been to a practice before. How does one lead a choir when the members come and go? We practiced for an hour and a half; I gave them the come to two practices rule again; and sent them home with a prayer in my heart that I would see familiar faces in Saturday night's practice.

December 12

Elder and Sister Jackson were the fireside speakers tonight. They spoke on goals and education.
We have 26 in attendance. Even though I would say that our YSAs are typical young adults who like to socialize, and play more than work, these kids want meat not mush. We had over 20 suggestions that I teach how to make oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and yet, there were only around ten who showed up for the class. Tonight there were 26 for a meaty discussion. It makes me proud of these kids. They are such wonderful people. What a privilege it is to serve them, to associate with them, and to feel of their spirits.

December 11

I am working on faith.  No one much showed up for choir practice last week, but the YSAs in attendance asked me not to call Bishop Farpapau and cancel.  Today is Tuesday and we sing on Sunday.  We have never had more than 12 to practice and never enough altos and basses.  I have been praying all week that Heavenly Father will inspire enough YSAs to come to practice tonight that we can learn the songs and sing on Sunday.  In the fireside on Sunday with Elder Hamula there must have been 60 YSAs in the stake choir.  Our Stake.  They tell me that most of the YSAs who sang had not practiced and I noticed that they were not singing parts.  We are/have to/must sing parts for our program on Sunday.

Heavenly Father is so good. Forty YSAs showed up tonight. We had all parts. We ended up practicing for two hours. Even the primary songs we sing in unison they needed help on.  We do not have Oh Holy Night down, but the rest of the songs should be OK.  I told them that if they did not come to two of the three practices we were having before we sing, they would not be allowed to sing in the performance.  We scheduled a practice after class on Thursday, another one on Saturday before the movie and one on Sunday morning at 7 a.m.  I will continue to pray that they will come to the practices.

December 10

Talked to Elder and Sister Jackson about the resource center.  We decided to eat together and finish the discussion over dinner.  Sister Jackson was going to prepare dinner, but the day got away from her so we took them to eat at Cafe Victoria or Victoria Cafe; I can never remember which.  It was a wonderful conversation and they came up with mostly positives, but several negatives which I feel should be taken  seriously.  Sister Jackson asked how it would affect a young adult if she is in the institute asking where their payment for their PEF loan is?  Would being behind in payments keep a young adult away from the institute?  Something to think about.  We all feel that there is not enough room in the upstairs part of the institute to accommodate PEF, employment, and institute directors--us.

I need to list here some tender mercies.
  -President Webb's blessing that confirms that we are where we should be is such a powerful help in
       times of trials
  -The Christmas program was stressing me.  At the zone conference Sister Hamula gave me the end of
       the narration.
  -reading a book on the way to the zone conference and the questions at the end of the book included
       social media questions that we used at the YSA conference.
  -my first social media presentation was dying on the vine when Scott steps in and helps which    
       changed everything.

December 9

After dropping Suzanne off last night at 9:30, Scott and I went back to our hotel room sad that Suzanne was gone but feeling so blessed to have her here.  She is great company.  She never complains and even though she is a picky eater, she ate everything offered to her.  Even at camp when the stew ran into the pineapple, and the curry she did not complain.  She just ate it. We laughed and laughed while she was here which we needed to do.  I worry sometimes that we are so into our callings that we forget to laugh and have fun along the way.  It was so good to have her here.

We were tired from camp, but even more tired when today ended.  We got up early and raced to Lami again to make Sacrament Meeting.  We needed to be back in Suva at 12:45 for an interview with Elder Hamula after which we had just enough time to get to the fireside for the seminary and institute instructors at the Suva Stake Center. Again it was Elder Hamula who spoke. He talked about the new program for teaching that begins in January for the Young Men and Young Women--really for the whole church. He started at 3 o'clock ended at 4:30 and began the fireside for the YSAs at 5 o'clock and spoke for another hour and a half. I do not know how he does it, or perhaps I should say that no one could keep up that pace without the help of a loving Heavenly Father. Both firesides were fabulous. It was a privilege to be in attendance. Both Scott and I fell into bed early tonight.

Our interview with Elder Hamula was interesting. We had been told that the Pacific Area Presidency had requested we be sent to Fiji instead of Vanuatu because they wanted a young adult center here.  Elder H. started our interview by stating that he had no idea we were here. Hmmmmm? He asked us what we were doing in the institute and we handed him our summer schedule. He seemed surprised.  He asked us who gave us the schedule, paused, and then asked if we had made up the schedule. We had. It seems the Area Presidency is wanting to start Young Adult Centers like those in Europe all over the Pacific but with a twist. They want them to be resource centers which would include all that we are doing plus education and employment services.  I would so love to use my counseling skills to help the YSAs with their educational needs. I do not know about all of the Pacific, but I do know that in Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga unemployment is high--very high. High unemployment leads to discouragement and loss of hope. Why would one go to the time and expense of schooling when it does not lead to a job or a way to provide for oneself? Elder Hamula asked us if we would be willing to be a pilot program for a resource center for young adults. Would we???? That would be a big 'YES'.

December 8

Woke at 5:00 a.m. just before the whistle went off.  Was hoping to have the bathroom to myself.  No such luck.  I had to chase off three geckos before I could shower.  Breakfast was again continental, but not as good as yesterdays except that I found some sugar so I could have the lemon grass tea.  I actually like a warm drink in the mornings as was glad for it.

Everyone was dressed in Sunday best; white shirts and ties, and real dresses for the most part.  Elder Wakolo had driven up to speak to the YSAs.  Scott and I borrowed some chairs from the dining room and were just getting seated off the deck under a huge tree when we were asked to sit in with the dignitaries on the deck.  We tried to get Sister Wakolo to sit there, but she would not so we ended up front.  It is lovely to be honored as a missionary, but so often I do not feel like we are doing anything special and are certainly not personally worthy of the honor.

Elder Wakolo Speaking
at the Final Fireside

Final Fireside
I am on the left.

Elder Walkolo gave a great talk and it was going so well as he instructed the YSAs about this most important time of life.  He asked if they had any questions and the first one was, "Which is most important education or marriage." Elder Wakolo turned and look at those of us sitting in the front and asked what we thought and who would be willing to answer the question. WELL!!!

I know the attitudes here in Fiji and I found myself raising my hand before I had even thought.  I just bore my testimony that the answer to that question was marriage, but that each one of those sitting there had the right to their own answers.  I testified that with faith, Heavenly Father would give them the answer to that question.  I then told them about Chaya and Rex doing school together and how the first apartment they lived in made me cry it was so awful, but if you asked them now they would say that was a great time in their life.  Then, heaven help us, one of the members of a stake presidency got up and said that I was wrong.  That an education was way more important and, in fact, that they should not only wait to get married until their education was finished, but wait until they had purchased a home. (I wanted to tear his tongue out) Another member of another stake presidency got up and talked about having faith and how he quit a job so that he and his wife could be sealed in the Tonga temple.  Finally a YSA advisor got up (he was sitting in the back) and said that marriage was ordained of God and that the young adults only needed faith, two spoon, two cups, and two plates to get married.  He said other things and then he stopped and said, "If you don't have two spoons, two cups, and two plates share one spoon, one cup and one plate."  I was in tears when he finished.

There is a problem here in Fiji among young members of the church.  They are afraid to get married.  They are being told by their parents to get an education first.  In the three stakes in Fiji there are over 500 single member between the ages of 30 and 45 which is an indication that the youth are waiting to get married and then just do not get married.

I had three of our institute YSAs come talk to me and they were pretty upset.  I just told them to follow the prophet.  What does our prophet say?  What have past prophets said?  Follow the prophet and your life will happen the way it is supposed to happen.  Such a bummer way of ending camp.

Group Picture at the End of Camp

We packed up, took pictures, and headed to Nadi because Suzanne's plane leaves at 11 tonight.

Saying Goodbye to
Jade, Monika, and Susanna

Tevita Cegedrau and Villi Melan 

We decided to take the northern route to Nadi since we had not seen it before.  This route takes us through Rakiraki, Tavue, Ba, and Lautoka.  It was gorgeous and I thought the road was so much better than the one that goes from Suva to Nadi along the southern coast.  Better by far except for the four or five strips of road that had been torn up and left us driving on gravel.

A Fence Line
Some of the poles used to hold up the barbed wire
have taken root

More Growing Fence Line

There is barbed wire between these trees which
I assume previously looked like the
other two fence lines

Waterfall on the way to Ba

Pool at the Bottom of the Waterfall

Branch Meeting House on the way to Ba.

December 7

The get up whistle blew at 5:00 a.m. this morning.

This morning I am found a spider the size of a small salad plate sitting on the little ledge next to the roll of toilet paper.  Since I refused to share the bathroom with it, Scott had to go try to kill it.  The spider

got away.  Needless to say I will not be visiting the bathroom in the dark.

Breakfast was at 5:30 and devotional was at 6:30.  It was a continental breakfast consisting of fruit breads, scones (which they call pancakes), and some dark sweet bread which I thought was delicious.  They also made lemon grass tea which is only good if you have sugar.  We did not have sugar this morning.  Overnight someone had gotten smart and the food was served to us instead of taking what we wanted which insured that there would be enough food for everyone without cooking again.

At our devotional they also read off the names of the members of each group so that the YSAs had to go to the group to which they had originally been assigned.  Good idea.  They were also told that everyone in the group had to be together before anyone in the group could eat which fixed the problem of people showing up for meals two hours late.

This morning each group had four experiences in which they were to participate.  While they were setting off, Scott and I were asked to take some of the leaders into Korovou (45 min) to buy more food for supper.  It was a delightful ride with Suluetta Kama, Sister Deloi, and one sister who was riding with us into Korovou to catch the bus back to Suva.  Korovou is small, but we got what we needed a huge frozen bag (40 lbs) of chicken and one of fish.  While Scott and I were walking along the main road one of our institute YSAs got off the bus from Suva.  His parents had insisted that he stay in Suva for physical fitness testing to become a prison guard.  Had we not been there he would have had to wait for another bus to take him out to Natalie-ra.  A tender mercy.

When we got back, we drove to the furtherest place that the YSAs had to walk for their experiences.  It was a long, long, hilly, hot walk.  We got to the place at noon and four of the ten groups had not been there yet and lunch started at 11:30.  Someone had misjudged the amount of time it would take to do all four experiences.  One experience was to find water in the bush, another was to build a billibilli which is a bamboo raft, and the third one was to make improvements at the local village school which was the one furtherest away.  We stayed at the school until all groups had come.  Scott even went out and picked up two of the groups and brought them to the school.  One trip he had 21 YSAs in the van.

Yard Work at the School

Another Group Doing Yard Work at the School

These activities took so long that the afternoon activities were canceled.  Everyone took a nap.  Scott and Suzanne took a boat out to see the spinning dolphins after their nap.  We then got ready for the dance and dinner.

Dinner was obviously on Fiji time as we did not eat until 8 o'clock.  The dress for the dance was
church dress.  But as you can see, every girls and
many guys just threw on a Sulu which counts as
a skirt.

Suzanne at the Dance

Maggie at the Dance

I knew that sulus were versatile, but had no idea how versatile they really are.  I saw them used as a ground cover for sitting on, in lieu of a necklace, as a blanket to ward off the night chill, as a table cloth, to cover up a swimming suit, as a prop in one of the group presentations, as a curtain, to stay dry in a light rain, and the list goes on and on.  Everyone carries a sulu in their backpack just in case.  I wished several times over the two days we were at camp that I had brought one of mine to camp.  I won't make the mistake again.

BilliBilli Bonfire at the Dance

The dance was interesting.  As no one here has cars,
the DJ came up in a bus on the first day.  He started
the dance and after two or three dances the music
stopped and one group was called upon to do their group
presentation; song, skit, joke, etc.  Then we danced for
a while and had another group performance.  Interesting.

I love Fiji.  Everyone knows that church dances are to end
at midnight.  So-o-o at midnight the DJ announces the end of
the dance.  They have a closing prayer and then so everyone
feels good and no one is disappointed, the DJ says there will
be three or sometimes five more songs.  The dance ended at
12:30.

December 6

Today was get ready and get to Young-Adult-Camp day.  Suzanne had to pack to leave as we are going straight from camp to Nadi so that she can make her 11 p.m. flight out of here.  All of us were nervous about her flight being delayed or canceled.  She has to be back to work on Monday.  I never cease to be amazed at the peace prayer brings.  We can't change what will happen with her flight, but praying about it brought all of us a sense of calmness.  What a blessing.

We are driving our van, and following the bus to Nataliera.  Do not ask me how to pronounce Nataliera.  It is an eco resort on the northern shore of Viti Levu (our island).  When we got to the Samabula Chapel they had ordered only one bus which was about half as many seat as there were YSAs. The boys ended sitting on the floor in the isles, and on the steps for the hour drive out to Korovou and the 45 minutes on the dirt road from Korovou to Nataliera.  Ouch!

Entrance to the YSA Camp
Really the name is Natalie-ra
Suzanne in her sulu chaba that she bought
at the Flea Market.

Road (driveway) into Natalie-ra

Our Bure
Even though you can not see it, the roof is
covered in leaves, probably banana leaves.

Our Mosquito Net

Ceiling of Bure
Covered in woven mats.

Wood Walls With Tapa Cloth Decoration

Our Bathroom
Notice light coming through wood slats.

Cold Water Shower.

We unpacked and then explored the camp.

It seems that on Tuesday when a final count was taken of attendees

there were 200 YSAs who had signed up and paid.  When we got to

the camp there were 261 young adults who got off the buses.  OOPS.

We had a short meeting explaining camp rules and then divided the YSAs into ten groups.  Of course like YSAs all over the world no one went to

the groups they were supposed to be in but to the groups where their friends were.  We were called to everything with a whistle.  Dinner was interesting.  We had been told to bring whatever we needed to eat.  I packed some plastic plates and cups that could be washed and a knife and fork for each of us.  Most of the Fijian YSAs brought a huge bowl, a spoon and a huge mug. Some brought ice cream containers which in Fiji are square and plastic.  We had two spigots with which to wash our utensils; one on the beach and one by the road between two bures.  

When the whistle went off, we qued up with the YSAs.  We were served chicken, dalo, sliced of watermelon and pineapple.  There is a drink they make here that is very much like koolaid but less sweet and less flavorful; it was served with dinner.  After dinner Scott and I were to facilitate a discussion group on social media.  We waited and waited and then realized that it was not happening because kids had not answered the dinner whistle and were still eating.  In fact, the kitchen ran out of food and some of the kids did not eat until after 11.  We ate all the food that had been brought for dinner tonight and tomorrow night.  Some of leaders never did get any dinner.

The Kitchen

The Stove in the Kitchen

One of Two Burners

More Kitchen

Where We Ate All Our Meals
Although they did have an indoor
dining room.

Our View For Every Meal.

We were told that we were to facilitate a discussion on social media.  I had found some questions and some quotes that I thought would be appropriate, so I started the first group.  I was dying on the vine when Scott butted in, thank heave, and got better participation.  I decided that Scott had to do the second group which he started by telling stories that made the group laugh and laugh, but because he was in his entertainer mode, he forgot where the discussion was supposed to go, so I butted in and moved the discussion in the right direction.  Better.  The third group Scott started again, got the YSAs laughing and then I led the serious discussion.  Wonderful.  It was absolutely pitch black by the time we started the fourth group so we had to stand in the light of a---cell phone.  Yup, that's right.  A cell phone.  We were rushed for time, so the discussion was not as good as the second or third groups, but still better than the first one.  After the groups we held a final meeting and everyone was sent to bed.  We were grateful for the fan in our bure which kept the air moving.  Aaaaah.

Official Meeting Place
This is basically a deck.
Because we were so many, most had to sit on a tarp
(to the left) or stand around the edges.

December 5

We went to the temple this morning with Suzanne.  The sisters were so cute with her.  They do not advertise it, but they have clothes here if one is without.  Many of the Fijian Saints who live in outlying
areas can not afford to have temple clothes, many Saints come in from the other islands without clothing, and, of course, people come from elsewhere unprepared to attend the temple; so our temple has clothing to loan out. We were grateful they did. It was cute that Suzanne had one shoe that fit and one shoe that was way too big. She just grinned--a memory of Fiji.

We then spent the afternoon riding around, shopping, and visiting the Fiji Museum which turned out
to be much nicer that I would have supposed.  It was a great, relaxing day.

I was reminded today that people are always watching us as Latter-day Saints. I was wandering around the museum store when the clerk asked me if I knew the Whippys? I said that I knew of them; they are a large family (at least 4 sons + daughters) and the dad used to be the Service Center Director here before he was assigned to Papau New Guinea. The clerk went on and on about how wonderful the Brother and Sister Whippy were and what wonderful children they had. It was obvious that the clerk held the entire family in high esteem. I was overcome by gratitude for this family who had been good examples "in all things, in all times and in all places."  I wonder if we will ever know the power of our example.

December 4

Spent sometime today shopping.  Scott and Suzanne rode around Suva.

Elder Hamula, our Area President, came to Fiji for two weeks on Friday or Saturday of last week.  We missed his first fireside because Suzanne's plane got delayed.  We were privileged to have him speak to just the senior couples at the Mission Home tonight.  To save Sister Klinger who has been hosting him and his wife, we all brought a part of the dinner that went along with the fireside.  A couple of months ago I had the non temple couples over to our flat for dinner after church.  I served BBQ chicken sandwiches.  Chicken in Fiji is touch.  I had reduced the cooking time in the crock pot to 2 hours.  It was delicious.  So I had been asked to do the meat.  I was glad to do it.

I put the chicken in the pots (we fed 37) at 4 o'clock thinking it would be done at six and forgetting that I needed to shred the chicken and reheat it with the BBQ sauce.  Duh!  So at ten minutes to six Scott,  Suzanne, and I are hurriedly shredding hot, hot chicken.  We walked into the Mission Home at exactly 6.  Then we waited until 7 to eat because Elder Hamula was interviewing missionaries and got behind.
I was so pleased.  While I was working in the kitchen, Scott noticed that Sister Hamula was sitting by herself.  He, of course, went over and sat down by her and had a great conversation.  Delightful woman.  I have been praying that we would have five minutes with Elder Hamula.  I am so afraid that all the YSAs will have to do without an institute again unless they replace us.  Sister Hamula asked Scott why we were here and he told her.  Later when Elder Hamula came into the room, I introduced myself as the CES missionary over the institute.  His reply was, "Yes my wife told me all about you and your husband's work."  She had to have left the conversation with Scott and gone right into the interview room to report to her husband.  Amazing.

Suzanne went with us.  Everyone was so kind to her including Elder and Sister Hamula.  Both of them spoke at the fireside.  He told us that our families would be blessed beyond our wildest dreams, because we are serving missions as senior couples.  He even said that if we had children who were wayward they would be back.  It brought me to tears.

It was so wonderful to look across the room and see Suzanne sitting (she chose to sit behind everyone), sharing this spiritual experience, and knowing that the blessings promised us included her.  I am so blessed to have children who want to come visit, and who are willing to make the sacrifice to get here.  

December 3

Spent the day on the Navua River.  The Navua River Trip is a right of passage for every senior missionary.  We waited for Suzanne to do it and I am glad.

The river is about thirty minutes out of Suva.  The trip starts in Navua village.  The company that runs the river is owned by an LDS family.  Basically one rides up the river in a motor boat which stops at ?? village.

Scott on the River 

Me, Our Guide, Scott
on the Navua River

Suzanne on the River

At the village one is greeted by a members of the village and ushered into the village bure (burr ay).

Village Greeter in a
Tapa Cloth Sulu
with a Shell Horn

A very formal Kava ceremony (which is traditional) is held.  One man from the village welcomed us, and one man from the tour who is chosen to lead our clan/tribe accepts the welcome and thanks the village for hosting us.  In the middle each man, and a Ratu (village royal family member) takes a drink of the Kava.  The tour guide told us over and over that the Kava is not alcoholic and therefore fine to drink.  He even state that they give Kava to babies.  After the original three drink, the kava, in the same coconut shell, is delivered to each person.  It used to be absolutely forbidden to refuse to drink, but between the Mormons, Seventh-Day Adventists, and modern thinking one can safely refuse to drink.  I have heard stories that early missionaries-not LDS-were eaten because they refused to drink.  Nice to be born now!

Pouring Water our of a Bamboo Pole
Into the Kava Bowl over dried Kava.

Passing the Kava
Notice that only men are sitting on
front row on the floor.
Women in the back only

I have been told that Kava is not alcoholic; it is a stimulant.  It makes your tongue and lips go numb.  It is against the Word of Wisdom and its use has created major problem for some church members especially ones that are still in villages, or who are tied closely to their village of origin.  Every leader who has come to Fiji in the past four or five years has preached against Kava.

After the ceremony we toured the village, saw woman making tapa cloth, weaving rugs, and men making hats out of leaves.  We also visited the village preschool.

Suzanne with the village preschoolers
in their one room preschool.

We were then fed lunch which was delicious, and watch a short program of traditional men-only dances.  Women sing in the background.  We had a chance to purchase Fijian crafts.  Suzanne bought a Fijian drum, a necklace and earrings made out of cococut shells, and we bought a woven mat.

Dancers.
Notice the ceiling.

More dancing.

Dancing with the villagers.

We then proceeded up the river another 45 minutes.

On the way to the big waterfall

Another waterfall on the way up
the Navua River

Bamboo Trees

We actually went over some small rapids on our way to the waterfall where we would be able to swim.

On the way to the big waterfall.

Still on the way to the waterfall.

Swimming to the other side of the pool.
Scott and Suzanne were hoping to
swim under the falls, but there was
way too much water coming over the falls.

Resting on the other side.

Then we rode a bamboo raft down the river, but not very far as the wind was coming up the river, and blowing us in the wrong direction.  It was funny to see on of our guides jump into the river, grab a line attached to our raft and literally swim down stream pulling our boat.  So after a few minutes of that, we changed to the motor boat and made our way back to the beginning.

Fun day!

December 2

Got up.  Ate breakfast before we remembered it was Fast Sunday. We will make it up next week. Left Nadi by 6:30 so we could make the Lami 2nd Wards meetings. We barely made it on time. Went to the YSA class where we knew about half of the class:  Lillian, Mavis, Sosi, Brandon, etc. All were nice to Suzanne.

Got home, unpacked, ate a cold lunch and then went to the Missionary Christmas Fireside. We had over 30 YSAs come to sing.  Hallelujah!  Now if I can just get them to practices.

YSA Girls Singing at Fireside
Meme, Lillian, Mavis, Maggie
Dreke, Molly, Vani

YSA Guys Singing at Fireside
Filipe, ?, Tavita, Timoci, ?
Lomani, Dan, ?

Suzanne Singing
Olive, Sister Klinger

More YSA Girls
?, Leslie, Mereta, Olive, Suzanne