Talked to Suzanne today. What a blessing Skype is. She has been in the hospital since her Sunday (our Monday). Seems she has had cdiff and another bacteria that has wreaked havoc with her digestive tract for the last 14 days. Kristin took her to the emergency room on Sunday night. They hooked her up to an IV because she was dehydrated and when they discovered cdiff they admitted her.
Tough to be here and not there taking care of her. Kristin did a fantastic job of getting her where she needed to be taking charge of her care. Robert canceled his classes and work so he could sit with her all day Monday and she had visits from Miriam, Keith Bennett, and Leah Cooke. Miriam came again on Tuesday and did Bishop Drake and the RS president from Suzanne's single's ward. Because each bacteria she had is highly contagious, Rex went to our home and cleaned up with clorox and water. What a great guy. Chaya did some shopping so there would be food in the house when she got home. All in all things went so well! We are so proud of our family. It is nice to know that they want to take care of each other. Wonder if anyone missed us?
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
October 3l
Tonight was my last Preparing for Eternal Marriage class. There were only three students in the class tonight. Is there a rule in Fiji that one does not attend the last class? Must be. We had a great class anyway as I took the time to review all the lessons. I was gratified that those three students remembered stuff we had learned.
Teaching this class was such a blessing in the beginning of our mission. Coming to Fiji and finding nothing was ready for us, having nothing to do except what we could think up to do, made having this lesson to prepare and attend each week a blessing. Making friends with the students in this class blessed us in our first days here. It was, indeed, a tender mercy.
Teaching this class was such a blessing in the beginning of our mission. Coming to Fiji and finding nothing was ready for us, having nothing to do except what we could think up to do, made having this lesson to prepare and attend each week a blessing. Making friends with the students in this class blessed us in our first days here. It was, indeed, a tender mercy.
October 30
Today was to be the last chorister class. Eight weeks of almost perfect attendance and I only had two show up for this class. How does that work?
Usa (oo saw) and Mao came. Jone (cho nay) is in the MTC in Uganda. Nunia(noo nee ah) is still in Taveuni (taw vee oon ee) with her folks. Leslie was sick and I have no idea what happened to Ulai (oo lie).
I just went ahead and gave Usa and Mao the final exam which consisted of a written exam, so I could see how well I taught the material, and two hymns to lead. I told them last week to pick a song they wanted to lead, and then I would give them one to lead. Right from the start of the class Mao had a hard time hearing the beat. I thought he would do better as he worked so hard during the classes, and although, he knows all the beat patterns, he was never in the appropriate place in the pattern during the hymns he led. Usa on the other had was right on and I gave him a really hard song to lead. Ah well, no one in Fiji will notice as most who lead here never where they should be in the beat pattern, and many use the 4/4 beat pattern for every song no matter what the time signature is.
It is funny to me that I am the music expert here. Me? Who hardly plays at all and although I can lead any hymn have never had the opportunity to do it in church. Recently President Seru came looking for me. I was home working on a lesson, so he sent Scott home with the children's hymn book with a question about one of the songs therein that he was translating into Fijian. I was grateful that I knew the answer. I even remembered the word descant which created the problem for President Seru. Nice.
Usa (oo saw) and Mao came. Jone (cho nay) is in the MTC in Uganda. Nunia(noo nee ah) is still in Taveuni (taw vee oon ee) with her folks. Leslie was sick and I have no idea what happened to Ulai (oo lie).
I just went ahead and gave Usa and Mao the final exam which consisted of a written exam, so I could see how well I taught the material, and two hymns to lead. I told them last week to pick a song they wanted to lead, and then I would give them one to lead. Right from the start of the class Mao had a hard time hearing the beat. I thought he would do better as he worked so hard during the classes, and although, he knows all the beat patterns, he was never in the appropriate place in the pattern during the hymns he led. Usa on the other had was right on and I gave him a really hard song to lead. Ah well, no one in Fiji will notice as most who lead here never where they should be in the beat pattern, and many use the 4/4 beat pattern for every song no matter what the time signature is.
It is funny to me that I am the music expert here. Me? Who hardly plays at all and although I can lead any hymn have never had the opportunity to do it in church. Recently President Seru came looking for me. I was home working on a lesson, so he sent Scott home with the children's hymn book with a question about one of the songs therein that he was translating into Fijian. I was grateful that I knew the answer. I even remembered the word descant which created the problem for President Seru. Nice.
October 29
Well, it is over! We hosted Family Home Evening with the seniors tonight. We held it on the Whitehead/Whiting deck. They live in a duplex that shares a back deck. It is lovely there with plenty of room for everyone. They graciously let us hold our FHE there as we haven't enough table space for more than 12. Eating out of one's lap is not kosher at these FHE.
I told them we were having a traditional Halloween party which included costumes. They were actually happy to don our dumb costumes. We are blessed to associate with such wonderful people--everyone of them. They were such good sports. The idea was to try to figure out what everyone else was. Because I want to remember them, the costumes are listed at the end of this blog. At the end so it does not interrupt this narrative. Scott had carved three pumpkins one for each table as there were 17 of us. Sister Whitehead picked some different shaped leaves out of her backyard to put under them. We even had candles. We fed them our traditional sloppy joes. I even had cold apple juice instead of hot apple cider. Everyone brings a dish, so we had chips, salads galore, and wonderful desserts.
After we ate, everyone had a chance to stand up and the others tried to guess what they had come as. They guessed all but three. I was hoping for laughs, but I got mostly groans. I was dressed as 'tickled pink' wearing a hot pink rain coat and carrying a long peacock feather with which I kept tickling everyone. They guessed me. Bummer.
It was a fun evening. The food was great. What more could we want. Well, I wish I did not stress so much when I do things like this. Scott and I really had fun coming up with the costume ideas, and we really did not kill ourselves getting it all together, but I still stress. Maybe, just maybe I will learn not to.
Costumes
a dollar taped to each ear = buccaneer Scott
a shirt with 'go ceiling' on it + pompoms (I made) = ceiling fan Sister Wells
a bottle hanging on a string from the neck = bottleneck Elder Wells
picture of a golden calf + american flag = american idol Brother Browne
a corpse + an eye + scrolls = dead sea scrolls Sister Jarman
an orange shirt with a pi sign on it=pumpkin pie Sister Whitehead
white tape running intermittently down pants + a fork=fork in the road Brother Whitehead
window taped on the back = pain in the rear, or rear window, or pain in the back Brother Hogge
a king's crown + a novel + saying "have you read my latest book?" = King Arthur Brother Whiting
a chef's hat and apron + an iron = iron chef Elder Jackson
an empty frame + holding the frame to one's face when speaking = self portrait Sister Fratangelo
calendar pinned to shirt + saying "please you go first" = last days Sister Browne
I told them we were having a traditional Halloween party which included costumes. They were actually happy to don our dumb costumes. We are blessed to associate with such wonderful people--everyone of them. They were such good sports. The idea was to try to figure out what everyone else was. Because I want to remember them, the costumes are listed at the end of this blog. At the end so it does not interrupt this narrative. Scott had carved three pumpkins one for each table as there were 17 of us. Sister Whitehead picked some different shaped leaves out of her backyard to put under them. We even had candles. We fed them our traditional sloppy joes. I even had cold apple juice instead of hot apple cider. Everyone brings a dish, so we had chips, salads galore, and wonderful desserts.
After we ate, everyone had a chance to stand up and the others tried to guess what they had come as. They guessed all but three. I was hoping for laughs, but I got mostly groans. I was dressed as 'tickled pink' wearing a hot pink rain coat and carrying a long peacock feather with which I kept tickling everyone. They guessed me. Bummer.
It was a fun evening. The food was great. What more could we want. Well, I wish I did not stress so much when I do things like this. Scott and I really had fun coming up with the costume ideas, and we really did not kill ourselves getting it all together, but I still stress. Maybe, just maybe I will learn not to.
Costumes
a dollar taped to each ear = buccaneer Scott
a shirt with 'go ceiling' on it + pompoms (I made) = ceiling fan Sister Wells
a bottle hanging on a string from the neck = bottleneck Elder Wells
picture of a golden calf + american flag = american idol Brother Browne
a corpse + an eye + scrolls = dead sea scrolls Sister Jarman
an orange shirt with a pi sign on it=pumpkin pie Sister Whitehead
white tape running intermittently down pants + a fork=fork in the road Brother Whitehead
window taped on the back = pain in the rear, or rear window, or pain in the back Brother Hogge
a king's crown + a novel + saying "have you read my latest book?" = King Arthur Brother Whiting
a chef's hat and apron + an iron = iron chef Elder Jackson
an empty frame + holding the frame to one's face when speaking = self portrait Sister Fratangelo
calendar pinned to shirt + saying "please you go first" = last days Sister Browne
 |
| Elder Whiting as "King Arthur" |
 |
| Elder Whitehead as "Fork in the Road" |
 |
| Elder Browne as "American Idol" Look closely. It is a golden calf. |
 |
| Sister Jarman as "Dead Sea Scrolls" I loved that no one got this one. |
 |
| Scott as a "Buccaneer" |
 |
| Elder Wells as "Bottleneck" |
 |
| Sister Wells as a "Ceiling Fan" I am pretty proud of the homemade pom poms. |
 |
| Elder Jackson as the "Iron Chef" |
 |
| Table Decorations |
 |
| Scott did such a great job of carving these. |
October 28
We attended all of our meeting in the Samabula (Sam a mbula) Ward today. That is our ward. It was lovely meeting with people we know.
After church I was visiting with two sisters when they informed me that government health care workers were coming to the church at 11 to distribute pills. Fiji has mosquitoes that pass the elephantitis parasites. These mosquitoes bite mostly in the afternoon and early evening. Because elephantitis is on the upswing in Fiji the government is sending these workers around to give out the pills that prevent one from getting the disease. Generally one has to go to a chemist shop, pharmacy, to get them. Well we waited until 11 and they had not come. We had an errand to run in Lami Town so we decided to go there and hope that we would find the workers after our errand.
Well, it worked. When we arrived back at the chapel, the workers were across the street banging on someone's gate. They climbed into our car--to get some relief from the heat---and we got the pills we needed to take. We asked if there were any side effects and the answer was no.
We took the pills--all nine of them--at home, finished dinner, and ate. While we were doing the dishes, I told Scott I was not feeling well. I went into the bedroom hoping to rest. The longer I laid there the worse I felt. Scott wasn't sick so I figured it wasn't the chicken I had cooked for dinner. I just kept getting hotter, more nauseated, and clammier. An hour later, I called to Scott. I needed a blessing. It is interesting in the blessing, he said that "my body would react appropriately." Not ten minutes after the blessing I was sleeping peacefully. I am just sure that it was the pills for the elephantitis.
How grateful I am for the priesthood, the power of God on earth. What a wonderful blessing.
After church I was visiting with two sisters when they informed me that government health care workers were coming to the church at 11 to distribute pills. Fiji has mosquitoes that pass the elephantitis parasites. These mosquitoes bite mostly in the afternoon and early evening. Because elephantitis is on the upswing in Fiji the government is sending these workers around to give out the pills that prevent one from getting the disease. Generally one has to go to a chemist shop, pharmacy, to get them. Well we waited until 11 and they had not come. We had an errand to run in Lami Town so we decided to go there and hope that we would find the workers after our errand.
Well, it worked. When we arrived back at the chapel, the workers were across the street banging on someone's gate. They climbed into our car--to get some relief from the heat---and we got the pills we needed to take. We asked if there were any side effects and the answer was no.
We took the pills--all nine of them--at home, finished dinner, and ate. While we were doing the dishes, I told Scott I was not feeling well. I went into the bedroom hoping to rest. The longer I laid there the worse I felt. Scott wasn't sick so I figured it wasn't the chicken I had cooked for dinner. I just kept getting hotter, more nauseated, and clammier. An hour later, I called to Scott. I needed a blessing. It is interesting in the blessing, he said that "my body would react appropriately." Not ten minutes after the blessing I was sleeping peacefully. I am just sure that it was the pills for the elephantitis.
How grateful I am for the priesthood, the power of God on earth. What a wonderful blessing.
October 28
Today was an interesting day. We had so much to do to get ready for the FHE we were hosting with the senior couples on Monday. We (I) had decided we needed to have a Halloween Party with costumes and all. I did not want to make work for the seniors so I decided I would put together last minute costumes. I found an idea on the internet and ran with it. So today was the day to get the last of the stuff we needed for the costumes. Scott, of course, was not up for shopping all day, so I let him plan the day. Well, as nice as the plan sounded in the morning it really did not work well. We worked at home in the a.m., and then were to do the shopping/computer work in the afternoon after lunch with the seniors. When we got to the shopping it was 3 p.m. and all the shops in the city were closed. We had no idea Suva shut down at 2 on Saturday. Oops.
At 6 p.m. I left Scott at home and went to the Service Center to do the computer work (more on this later) for the costumes. I was sitting at our desk really concentrating on what I was doing. I do not know why I looked up, but something moved out of the corner of my eye. I was not too concerned as I am at the age where I have floaters in my eyes which make me think things are moving when I look out of the corner of my eye. However, I did turn to look.......and there sitting on my shoulder (that's right shoulder) was a rather big gecko! I squealed. It ran down my arm, jumped onto the desk, ran across the desk, and dropped onto the floor. I thought I was going to have a heart attack.
Now I have to warn the gecko by announcing myself every time I enter out office.
At 6 p.m. I left Scott at home and went to the Service Center to do the computer work (more on this later) for the costumes. I was sitting at our desk really concentrating on what I was doing. I do not know why I looked up, but something moved out of the corner of my eye. I was not too concerned as I am at the age where I have floaters in my eyes which make me think things are moving when I look out of the corner of my eye. However, I did turn to look.......and there sitting on my shoulder (that's right shoulder) was a rather big gecko! I squealed. It ran down my arm, jumped onto the desk, ran across the desk, and dropped onto the floor. I thought I was going to have a heart attack.
Now I have to warn the gecko by announcing myself every time I enter out office.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
October 25
I have forgotten how erratic Young Adults can be. Yesterday we did not have enough students to hold an opening exercise. There were only two in attendance at 5:30 when Suva Stake starts their classes. I tried to get President Sefeti to teach both of them, but he told me to teach my one. Really????? Last week I had nine in attendance. Well, we started and by the time we were finished there were five.
Tonight at Scott's Mission Preparation class he only had 10 students. Ten! He has not had less than 22 since the third week of the course. Now we have sent three on real two year missions, and two more have been called on mini missions for the next month here is Fiji, but that only adds up to 15. Why is it working with twenty somethings is like herding cats?
We are thankful for those who come. We feel of their spirits. We love their eagerness to learn.
Just in passing. It is hot today in Suva. The power went off, then on, then off every two to five minutes for the entire Mission Prep class. Even the YSAs were fanning themselves. Scott, bless his heart, just kept teaching.
Tonight at Scott's Mission Preparation class he only had 10 students. Ten! He has not had less than 22 since the third week of the course. Now we have sent three on real two year missions, and two more have been called on mini missions for the next month here is Fiji, but that only adds up to 15. Why is it working with twenty somethings is like herding cats?
We are thankful for those who come. We feel of their spirits. We love their eagerness to learn.
Just in passing. It is hot today in Suva. The power went off, then on, then off every two to five minutes for the entire Mission Prep class. Even the YSAs were fanning themselves. Scott, bless his heart, just kept teaching.
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