December 1, 2012

Got up at six to drive out to the airport to get Suzanne.  Getting through customs is Nadi takes some time.  When we walked into the airport we checked the arrivals and wouldn't you know it, Suzanne's plane was delayed.  We had to wait in line until we could speak to a check in agent who told us that her plane had not left LAX yet.  WHAT?  She is still in the U.S.?  The agent also told us that her plane would not be in Nadi until 5 p.m.  We went back to the Mercure to see if we could get on line with Kristin or Chaya to find out if Suzanne was OK.  I had talked Scott into leaving the laptop in Suva.  Things left in locked cars are not safe in Fiji.  I ended up in the back office of the Mercure on a computer.  Kristin had, indeed, emailed us that Suzanne was worried about us, but OK.

We decided to spend the day on one of the cruises we had learned about the day before.  We changed clothes, raced to Denerau, and just made a 3/4 day cruise.

Our Cruise Ship
Looking towards similar cruise ship

Spent the morning on this island.

Island Along the Way
This Island was home to one resort,
plus a native village.

Island We Cruised By

Our cruise ship was also a ferry
for Islanders, and island visitors.
This is how they got to our ship.

We spent the morning on an island which had a class bottomed boat for those of us who did not take a swimsuit, kayaks for exploring, snorkeling gear, a wonderful lunch, and great entertainment.  The island was about 200 yards long by 50 yards wide.  The main building had dorms on the top floor.  I visited with a young lady from the UK who was spending twelve days (2 nights on each island) on different islands in the western/northern ocean off of Fiji.  Her ticket allowed her to travel by any ferry/cruise ship to six of the islands.  It seems that there are twenty or so that have dorms like youth hostels in which one can stay.  The ticket includes three meals a day, activities on the islands, and a bed.  We met several young people who were doing this.

Sadness of the day.  I talked to two Norwegian students who had spent the last semester in Australia studying and had decided to do the island hopping thing in Fiji before they left for home.  I offered them a pass along card that would give them a free DVD.  When I offered it to them they recoiled as if I were handing them a poisonness snake.  I obviously have to perfect my delivery.  It bugged me all day.

Happiness of the day was Suzanne's safe arrival at 7:45 p.m.  Our hug made everything better.

Nadi Ward Bishop's Son.
Arrived on same plane as Suzanne from a
mission in Spokane, Washington.

We missed Suzanne coming out of immigration, because we participated in welcoming home this elder who had served in Spokane, Washington.  They found her out on the curb waiting for us to pick her up.  They brought her into us.  Cute family.  We have the best experiences because we are wearing our name tags.

November 30

Left Suva around to drive to Nadi.  Suzanne comes in at 5:15 tomorrow morning.  Scott decided we would take the day so we could stop along the Coral Coast, southern shores of Viti Levu, to look at the resorts there for places to visit with our kids when they come to visit.

It was a lovely day.  The drive was beautiful.  We did not, however, see any places that I thought were worth the price they charged.  We arrived in Nadi around six o'clock.  We stay at the Mercure which is relatively inexpensive and gives us a great breakfast.

Water Lilies at Pacific Harbour

The Sekoula Tree
Exact translation is Blooming Like Gold
Real translation is Ostentatious.

Close up of the Sekoula Tree
It starts blooming right before Christmas.

Spent some time on Denerau Island asking about the day cruises that leave from there.  Lots from which to choose.  We ate the best pizza we have had in Suva at the Mercure.

I have no idea what this is, but the bush was gorgeous
as in the flower.

November 19-23

Gosh, I hate it when life moves too fast.  This week was so busy it is just a blur now.  Another example of why writing in one's journal or blog as the case may be must be done every day.

Tuesday the 27th stands out as I had set it as our first institute choir practice.  We had been asked by Sister Klinger to have YSAs prepared to sing two songs at the Mission Christmas Devotional.  The President is bringing all the missionaries into Suva (save 4 who are so far away it takes days to get here) for training, and Christmas celebrations.  So I show up at 5 for the 5:30 practice.  At 5:30 no one is here, including the pianist.  GULP!  By six I had four sopranos, one alto, and five tenors. GULP!  GULP!

We practiced Oh Come all Ye Faithful and Joy to the World which were the songs Sister Klinger said she needed.  Does not sound to hard, I know, except in Fiji most congregations sing without accompaniment as few play the piano.  When one sings without a piano one can just sing parts that sound good which are not necessarily the parts played by the piano.  Everyone except the sopranos were singing parts that were not correct.  We worked a whole hour learning the parts for these two songs.

I set another practice on Thursday and asked everyone to bring a friend.  Thursday we had 15 singers and most of them had not attended on Tuesday.  UGH!  We practiced the two songs again, and then I added two songs for the Christmas program we were to do on the 23rd (explanation in next paragraph)  One out of the children's song book which they did well (unison) and another one which no one could sing as the accompaniment did not play the parts.

Both President Seru and President Sefeti had asked me if I would start an Institute Choir.  They want that choir to sing at stake conferences in April.  OK, I can do this----maybe. Many of the seniors had noted that last year at Christmas, Christmas was never mentioned in Sacrament Meeting in any of the wards they attended.  I decided that preparing a Christmas program would be a good way to get this new choir started.  Bishop Farpapau agreed to let us sing on the 23rd.

Thank goodness we have three weeks to prepare.

November 22

Tuesday morning as we were walking to the institute on of the teachers at the Primary School called to me.  I left Scott to continue on to open the institute.  The teacher asked me if we were free on Thursday morning and I indicated that we were.  She then asked if Scott and I would be the honored guests and the end of the year awards ceremony for the kindergarten (kindie) and classes 1 through 3.  I told her we would be honored.  She told me she would bring us the official invitation before we left the institute at 2:30.  Well she missed us.  We did not get the invitation until early on Wednesday morning.  We opened the invitation and sure enough we were the honored guests.  We had not, however, anticipated that there was a speech to the students included in that position.  

What does one say to 5 to 8 year olds on the theme "The glory of God is intelligence, in other word light and truth?"  Scott was so busy getting his Book of Mormon lesson prepared for later today, I knew I would have to come up with something---fast.  Yesterday before we went to the institute at 6 o'clock, I threw some ideas together.  Fleshed it out after we got home at 9.  Thought about it all night, and then made Scott sit down at home early today to go over the ideas I had trying to come up with the perfect talk.  We then rushed to the Service Center to type the outline up and then raced to the LDS Primary School.  What was I worried about we had a whole five minutes to spare.  I was fine with everything until I came around the corner and saw all these parents sitting in the back of the chapel (Samabula Ward chapel is also the auditorium for the primary school) and out into the cultural hall.  Indeed, the entire cultural hall was full.  GULP!!!!  Of adults.   

Our View from the Stand.
Graduates in front
Parents filled the Cultural Hall.

They gave us the most beautiful leis.  Fijians do not use the word lei, but I do not know what they do use.  We gave our talk which was short, interactive, active, and funny (thanks to Scott's subtle humor).  Then we were privileged to give each child his/her award and shake her/his hand.  The kids were so darling.  The girls curtsied to us and then the audience.  The boys bowed instead.  The parents were so proud of them.  As they were coming through I got all teared up.  Here, here is the future of Fiji, but more importantly HERE is the future of God's church in Fiji.  I was honored.

The Leis Given Us at
the Primary School
Graduation

A Closeup of the Leis

Class 1(1st Grade) Graduates
Almost all wore leis which
were not made of fresh flowers.

Scott Awarding Certificates of
Completion.

The Speech (both of us at the podium)

LaNae 
Bula brothers and sisters.  Bula vinaka, children.
Congratulations to all students for a great year, and for these awards
We understand your theme is "The glory of God is intelligence"  Do you know what intelligence is?  It means smart and wise.

Scott
Who knows where you lived before your were born?  (They knew--with Heavenly Father)
Why did Heavenly Father send you here to earth?  (little harder--to get a body)
Raise your hand if you have a body?  (Scott's humor here.)
Lets see how this body works.
     touch your nose         put your hands on your head             shake your neighbors hand
     wave good-bye          look up
Aren't we grateful to Heavenly Father for our bodies.

LaNae
There is another reason Heavenly Father sent us to earth 
Do you know what that is?  (to learn; to learn through experiences)
Heavenly Father wants us to learn!  He wants us to be smart.
There are things we sometimes do that make us bad learners.
In America a thumbs up=good (demonstrating) thumbs down=bad (demonstrating)
I am going to name some actions that make us good or bad learners.  
Will you tell me which is which by using your thumbs.
    listening quietly in class          getting to class late                            doing your best in school
    missing school                          helping others do well in school      talking out in class
    praying that H.F. will help you learn                   not completing assignments
    learning from your mom/dad                                being reverent in Sacrament Meeting
    readin a book during the summer holiday         reading your scriptures

Scott
Even though you are not in school, you can please Heavenly Father by learning everything you can this summer.

November 21

Our speaker tonight was President Sefiti.  He is the seminary and institute coordinator for all of Fiji which makes him our boss; he is the president of the Suva Stake, but more importantly he is our friend.  I just love him.  He is fun to be around.  He and Scott play pool after our Monday meetings; they are battling it out for the best pool player award.  He has a great sense of humor, and yet I have watched him lead with the Spirit.  Sometimes he almost glows with the Spirit.  It is an honor to associate with him in every compacity.

He has a wonderful conversion story which we wanted him to tell. He also had a miraculous experience getting his family to the temple. In brief, he and his wife had told his Bishop, who had set up a ward temple trip, that he, Sister Sefeti, and their two children would go to the temple in Tonga to be sealed as an eternal family. He began saving, but he did not earn much and it was slow going.  Some time before the trip his boss at the LDS Primary School asked him if his salary was sufficient.  No Fijian is going to say "no"to a question like that;  they do not want to lose their job. He told the principal that his salary was OK. The principal never mentioned it again. Two months before the trip President S. realized that he would not have the money to get his family to Tonga, but he told no one.  The school year ended and when President S. had cleaned up his room and done all that was required of him, he went to see the principle as is customary. They had the final interview and the principal handed him his pay check in an envelope. President Sefeti went home and it was night before he opened it. Inside was way more money than his normal pay; the principal had given him a raise and paid him that raise all together in his last check. It was more than enough to get his family to Tonga and the temple.

November 20

Today was our second Temple Tuesday.  We had seven in the baptistry and two in endowments.  We are so grateful for these wonderful Fijian young adults.  Two of the girls doing baptisms for the dead were so excited to have a recommend which they informed me with enthusiasm and wonder were good for a whole year---a whole year!

Scott did not need to worry.  Word had spread and we had 19 in Mission Prep.  

November 19

After thinking and praying over the weekend and much discussion, we decided to move the Mission Prep class to Tuesdays right after the temple session.  I just felt that following that wonderful spiritual experience with pool was not such a great idea.  Scott was worried that no one would come to the Mission Prep class as we had not announced any of these changes, although as soon as we made the decision Scott made up new schedules to pass around.  We also decided to have Scott teach Book of Mormon on Thursdays at 5:30 to replace the Mission Prep class.  He has been out of sorts because he isn't doing enough with this summer schedule unlike me who is glad for the easier schedule.  I am only teaching piano.  Oh yeah, leading the new choir.  

Today was Scott's first real Pday.  We have not had any Pdays as we just do what needs to be done when it needs to be done, or when we are invited to do it.  Since we arrived in Fiji we have not had one whole day free.  So today with the APs and Elder Whiting, Scott went golfing.  He had a great time and came home so happy although the grass on the golf courses (that should be spelled coarses) is sup par.  I just went to the office and worked on the computer all morning.  

We were just about to go to bed tonight when Scott said he had to go up to the office.  We have one of those credit card keys that lets us in anytime.  I tried to talk him out of it, but up he went.  He was gone for quite a while longer than I had thought and just as I was getting worried, he came in and told me he was taking Usa who was sleeping in temple housing and leaving on his mission early in the morning and several other YSA men to President Seru's home.  It seems that President Seru was supposed to go to Temple Housing after 8 o'clock to set Usa apart for his mission, but at 9 he had not shown up yet.  Scott told Usa and the other YSAs that President would show up and went to do his work.   When he was done and leaving he checked on Usa and President Seru had still not come.  He drove all of the YSAs to the president's home, sent Usa in and sure enough, the president had forgotten.  The president told them to go back and he would come which he did slowly and so by the time the setting apart had been done, and Scott had driven everyone home that was going home including the president, it was well after 11:30 p.m.  So nice to have a husband who hears and obeys inspiration.