July 1, 2013

There is a wonderful brother who works in the temple.  We noticed him the very first time we went.  He has a 200 watt smile, and is very outgoing.  I don't remember if he introduced himself the first time we saw him, but Brother McGoon did it soon after I am sure.  He is also the one who along with his wife took us net fishing.  I can not think of one time we left his presence that we weren't at least smiling most often laughing.

Brother McGoon passed away last week and his funeral was today.  We love having a calling that lets us attend the funeral.  It is supposed that Brother McGoon had a heart attack; no one is going to check as he is 65 and in Fiji it just is not done.  On Thursday he was working with the LDS humanitarian kids that are here building toilets/showers in villages.  He works with them every summer.  He was laughing with the kids and said that he was going to sit down for a minute.  He walked over to a tree, sat down, and died with a smile on his face.  Really!

It was a traditional LDS funeral mostly.  His son who lives in Belfast, Ireland spoke as a representative of the children.  The Relief Society President spoke as a representative of the sisters in the ward and after a man spoke representing the village from which Elder McGoon came followed by the High Priest  Group leader.  Finally Brother Bahn spoke for the Stake. Everyone loved brother McGoon.  He will be missed.

Drove out with Elder and Sister Wells and Elder and Sister Hogge.  Of course Scott drove.  Bless his heart he does 98% of all the driving.  My guess is that in the 14 months we have been here he has been a passenger in a car less than 15 times.

Ate lunch at our new favorite restaurant ICrave.  After which we raced to several stores for food as we were the sister's dinner appointment early this evening--5:00p.m..  We finished dinner at 6 o'clock and then raced to the Suva 1st Ward to do Family Home Evening with the ward's YSAs.  We had been asked by Sister Tsakia and Sister Bechu to do it.  I taught a lesson on how music affects your body, health and brain.  It was interesting.  I told them about the teenagers in the late 70s who would take raw eggs to concerts and put them on the stage.  At the end of the concert the eggs were hard boiled from the music.  I am not sure they believed me.

Scott then did the activity.  He is so good at punting.  He had planned to do "Name that Tune" with the hymns, but of the 15 in attendance five were not members, so he switched the activity to musical chairs.  They fought hard for the prizes.  It was fun to watch.

We were glad to be asked to help because we met many new YSAs which is always good.  We were, however, exhausted by the time we got to bed.

I love days like today!!!!!