Had a little trauma yesterday. Okay, a big trauma. When the YSAs come to the institute to play they love the pool table the best, and the ping pong table second. While we were at the Eco Park we got a call from Dan C. asking if the Elders Quorum could borrow our volleyball and net for their Quorum Activity. No problem. Then he asked if they could borrow the ping pong table. As soon as I figured out what he wanted--yes I was eavesdropping--I told Scott to say "No". The table, a wood one, is heavy and old. It is already broken and we can not afford to replace it. Of course, Scott said yes. Why do I even bother?
Well this morning Dan came over to tell us that instead of putting the table legs (the table pieces are too heavy to steal) inside the Institute Building where they got them from, the Elders had just put them behind the table pieces on the front porch and that this morning sometime between 7:30 a.m. when they were seen by Elder Jackson and 10:00 a.m. when Dan got to the institute to put them inside someone had stolen them. No legs. No ping pong. Scott was so distraught. He tried to be nice when Dan came to class this evening, but I could tell he was really upset. He felt awful that he had loaned it out when he really should have said "no." He worried about who should pay for the replacements. He fretted about how long it would take someone to make the replacements. Today was not a good day for Scott.
In the continuing saga of the missing ping pong table legs, Scott decided that Dan/the Elders Quorum should pay for the replacement of the legs. With that in mind, Scott decided this morning to drive around the neighborhood of the institute looking for the legs and if he did not see them, he would go to the Service Center and talk to Lote which is exactly what happened.
When he explained to Lote about the legs, and asked how long it would take to make new ones, Lote called Jese (Chess ay) to ask. In the process of the conversation he told Jese that the legs had been stolen and Jese replied, "How could that be? I am looking at them right now."
It seems that Lote and Jese has talked several weeks ago about replacing the legs as they were not made well. Yesterday morning Jese was at the institute and saw the legs and thought it was a good idea to start making the replacements, so he just took them from the institute. Nice ending. Everyone has had a good laugh about it except Scott. He does not think it is very funny---but he is relieved.
Tonight included an addendum to last Wednesday's post (March 27). As a reminder, I taught a little lesson about honoring parents. Well, not one of the people I felt were meant to hear the lesson were in attendance last week. On Sunday We talked to two people who had missed class and in the conversation Scott told them I had taught a lesson just for them. Both of them asked if I would teach it again. I said that I would do it after class today. Hence the addition to last weeks story.
The two YSAs that I spoke with on Sunday must have called all their friends in the class because I had 10 show up to class tonight that missed last week. After class was over, I just announced that I would be teaching this lesson again and if anyone was interested in hearing it I would do it in our office. All ten came.
Because it is such a sensitive subject here in Fiji, we started with a prayer again. I sat to teach which made it more of a discussion which was good. By the time we were half way into the lesson (5 minutes) one of the YSA men and two women were in tears. By the time I was nearly finished one young man was silently sobbing. When I had finished I asked if there were any questions. There were none. I bore my testimony and asked for a closing prayer. After the prayer no one moved. No one! It was so intense. Finally I got up, got tissues for everyone, and moved to stand by the door waiting to give each of them a hug as they left. Four, the four I felt the lesson was really meant for, never did get up. I then went around the room giving them hugs, and Scott and I left.
I have said it before, but these Fijian young adults are so spiritual. They want to do what is right. They want to do what Heavenly Father wants them to do, but it is not easy with some of the customs here. This was a hard thing for them to hear, because not doing what a parent tells them to do is not acceptable. Parents rule. Children from 2 to 62 obey. That is just the way it is. Bucking this custom is going to be hard for them. It is going to take courage. I know these YSAs can do it. They can change this custom for their children and for their children's children.
Heavenly Father loves these young people. It was so evident tonight. What a privilege to a part.
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