July 1, 2012

Church is at 9 and is only half a block away.  The chapel is connected to a cultural hall that is connected in an L shape to the LDS Primary School.  It is an English speaking ward although everyone is Fijian.  Fast meeting was amazing.  Powerful yet humble testimonies from beginning to end.  The singing was amazing.  Worshipfully loud praise to God with all four parts and some counterpoints though out.   Fijian's can sing!

After Sacrament Meeting we went to the YSA class which was in a classroom of the primary school as are all the classes in Sunday School.  It was packed because a youth group from the US is here doing humanitarian work and the YSAs from our ward are providing activities each night this week.  The YSA president is Dan, a RM, and a very poised young man--so kind.  The opportunity to teach is shared by all in the class, and the lesson was wonderful.

RS was warm and inviting as always.  We were talking about teaching our children to work.  The RS president kept saying, "We are not poor people.  We are not poor people.  We can expect great things from our children."  Got lots of hugs and kisses which at first was a little shocking.  In Fiji one hugs, and then kisses each other on the cheek.  I love it!  After the meetings, I did it first to one of the young sisters, Rusili, and she acted like I had given her something wonderful.  I guess we westerners have a reputation for not getting into this hugging/kissing thing.  I think that this one act represents the very heart of Fiji which is acceptance and kindness.

Before we went home for dinner, Scott insisted that we take a ride so he could practice driving on the left.  It seems that everyone stays home, or goes to church on Sundays so the roads are pretty empty.  So we walked up to the mission home/temple parking lot where we leave our car and climbed in.  Let the adventure begin!

Scott did a great job. He only turned into the wrong lane once in 1 1/2 hours of practice.  I don't know how he did it.  He has to drive a standard with the clutch on the left and the brake on the right (or is it the other way?), and remember to stay on the correct side of the street.  I was amazed.  However, because the turn signal and the window washing handle are reversed, we had the cleanest windshield in the entire country.  Too bad the drivers behind us had no idea that we were turning. We practiced getting to the Suva Stake Center and back home over and over, because we didn't want to get lost.  There are few street lights.

At 5 pm we attended a YSA fireside in the Suva Stake Center.  The theme was "finding the one."  The outline for the evening was inspired.  Each ward's YSA rep. bore testimony to the theme (and they were powerful) and then the YSAs in that ward sang a hymn they had chosen with no accompaniment (except for one).  One YSA would sing the first few notes and then start the hymn and the rest would sing with them.  All parts, in tune.  Beautiful.  We heard 9 testimonies, and 9 songs.  I was truly touch and fed.  So glad to be here in Fiji with these wonderful young people.