June 29

Ate a wonderful breakfast of yogurt or yoghurt, Fijian bananas, and juice.  There was also a fresh pineapple in the fridge.

Met with President Klinger. He is a listener.  He has assigned us to the Samabula ward.  He will include us in zone conferences, etc., but since we are CES will leave us to the job they have given us.

Met with Pres. Sefeti who is over all of S&I in Fiji.  He went over what the area presidency wants us to do and then gently explained the problem.  The only place the North Suva Stake presidency has to meet is in the institute building that we are to make a YSA Youth Center.  They use it for high council meetings, presidency meetings, interviews, etc.  We toured the institute.  The ground level (basement) is walk out, but is filled with who knows what from who knows where.  We are walking a fine line here-- do what we have been called to do, and not offend anyone.  Our Samabula Ward, stake president is the one using the institute for his office.  Pres. Sefeti has invited us to a YSA dance tonight in his stake. 

Got the keys to our car which turns out to be an 11 passenger, standard transmission van.  Since Fiji drives on the left, I am pretty sure I am not going to be driving for the next 18 months.  I love life too much.

Our Car.  So much for anonymity!

Elder and Sister Barfus took us to "Cost U Less" to buy supplies.  It seems this is the store that supplies stuff American's can't live without. We bought groceries there, bread at a separate bread store,  meat in a small shop, and juice in a quick stop place.  The Barfuses took us to a restaurant called Nandos for lunch.

Elder and Sister Barfuss
who have spent hours helping us get settled in.

By 4 we were finally home, unpacking ourselves and our groceries, and while doing it realized that our flat is quite dirty. Every surface is covered with black dust.  I am not sure whether that comes from the months the flat has been empty or some other reason.

Outside our flat.

I fixed my first meal in Fiji.  It took 40 minutes for the water to boil so I could cook the noodles for spaghetti.  I am not a fan of bottled spaghetti sauce and as this was a NZ brand I added meat, onions, and fresh tomatoes.  Not bad.  We also had fresh pineapple.

Went to the YSA dance.  Young adults are the same all over the world.  The dance started at 7.  No one showed up until 8 and most didn't come until 9.  The Stake President's Counselor had to strongly suggest that they get dancing before anyone would and then they had a great time.  Many YSA never came into the dance but stood outside to visit.  Felt just like home

In bed by 11.  Long day and then because our feet were so dirty, we had to wash them in the shower before going to bed.  We have an air conditioning unit in our bedroom, but we just opened the windows to catch the breeze.