I spent the day reading talks by Orson Pratt, George Q Cannon, Melvin J Ballard, and Marion G. Romney. These previous General Authorities talked about pieces of the Gospel that we don't hear about much in General Conference anymore, i.e., gift of discernment, false spirits, false prophets. These talks were just what I needed.
I am getting these talks off a wonderful website I found before we came to Fiji. It is a BYU website called LDS Scripture Citation Index. One can look up scriptures one wants more information about and up comes all the talks by General Authorities using that scripture as a reference. The index takes one right to the part of the talk where the reference was used. So informative. So helpful. And for me these old talks are very interesting.
Ended up doing some counseling tonight at the institute. What does one say to a 34 year old RM who is sure she has received a prompting that she is to marry a 23 year old RM? Coward that I am; I asked for time to think. Praying hard would be more like it. Gulp!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
March 15
Ward Conference is this Sunday and so as is custom here in Fiji our ward had a cultural night tonight. It began with a dinner in the courtyard at the church. It is always a served dinner which we eat out of our laps while sitting on the benches in the courtyard. If there are more people than benches we may eat in the cultural hall.
We were served the ever present chicken curry and rice along with a shepard's pie casserole, and bele which is like our spinach. The shepard's pie was really good as was the bele.
The cultural part of the night were acts--called items in Fiji--done by each organization of the ward. Mostly it is dances from Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, etc. The senior missionaries were asked to do an item that was typical American. Whoa!!! No one was willing to dance and what dance would we do. We tried to get President Klinger to play his teeth which we had been told was really good, but he refused. I am sure that it was wise of him. So we decided to sing, upside down. You have seen it. One lies on the stage, covers ones head from the nose up, paints or glues eyes on one's chin and then hangs one's head over the edge of the stage and sings upside down. It is really a cute thing, however, I realized as I watched the other seniors practice that at our ages our necks do not bend backwards enough for the head to really hang down. Not so good. We did it anyway. Ward members were nice enough to laugh at our participation which was all that mattered.
The Relief Society sisters had practiced a Samoa dance and had sulu jaba's (chamba) made out of matching blue fabric. They looked so nice. Blue is Samoa's color I take it. They had practiced while I was teaching, so I did not buy the material or have a dress made. When Sister Jackson found out, she hung her new jaba on our office door Friday morning. She has another blue jaba and was willing to let wear it instead. Nice. However I didn't want to lie on the stage floor in her new dress, so I am saving it for tomorrow when I direct the sister's choir for Sacrament Meeting.
The cutest dance was done by the primary. They did a dance from Kiribati. At the end each child was given a small sack of candy and were supposed to throw the candy into the audience. Most did. It was cute, however, to see one little boy who watched all the other children throw candy. He walked around watching and then when everyone else's candy was thrown, he just walked out with his full bag. Too cute.
After there was a dance, but we were ready for peace, and our beds.
We were served the ever present chicken curry and rice along with a shepard's pie casserole, and bele which is like our spinach. The shepard's pie was really good as was the bele.
The cultural part of the night were acts--called items in Fiji--done by each organization of the ward. Mostly it is dances from Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, etc. The senior missionaries were asked to do an item that was typical American. Whoa!!! No one was willing to dance and what dance would we do. We tried to get President Klinger to play his teeth which we had been told was really good, but he refused. I am sure that it was wise of him. So we decided to sing, upside down. You have seen it. One lies on the stage, covers ones head from the nose up, paints or glues eyes on one's chin and then hangs one's head over the edge of the stage and sings upside down. It is really a cute thing, however, I realized as I watched the other seniors practice that at our ages our necks do not bend backwards enough for the head to really hang down. Not so good. We did it anyway. Ward members were nice enough to laugh at our participation which was all that mattered.
The Relief Society sisters had practiced a Samoa dance and had sulu jaba's (chamba) made out of matching blue fabric. They looked so nice. Blue is Samoa's color I take it. They had practiced while I was teaching, so I did not buy the material or have a dress made. When Sister Jackson found out, she hung her new jaba on our office door Friday morning. She has another blue jaba and was willing to let wear it instead. Nice. However I didn't want to lie on the stage floor in her new dress, so I am saving it for tomorrow when I direct the sister's choir for Sacrament Meeting.
The cutest dance was done by the primary. They did a dance from Kiribati. At the end each child was given a small sack of candy and were supposed to throw the candy into the audience. Most did. It was cute, however, to see one little boy who watched all the other children throw candy. He walked around watching and then when everyone else's candy was thrown, he just walked out with his full bag. Too cute.
After there was a dance, but we were ready for peace, and our beds.
Monday, March 25, 2013
March 12
Making the Institute Building into a resource center has come to an absolute stalemate. CES Auckland is waiting with, I think, the hope that if they stall long enough nothing will happen and this whole idea will go away. Welfare Auckland is just waiting to see what is expected of them. Everyone else wants a piece of the ERC building or the institute building. Rumors are floating everywhere.
Today we watched Elder Wakolo, our Area Seventy, decided something needed to be done, so he asks to have a conference call with Auckland Welfare, Facilities Management, and CES. Bless Elder Wakolo's heart; he was masterful at starting the conversation--Elder Hamula wants a resource center for YSAs started and it is time for us to make it happen--and then summing it all up. In the middle some tough questions were ask. The first one from Welfare asked if the computers for PEF could be put the back of our classroom and the question was directed to me. Easy answer. Absolutely not. We use every inch of that classroom three nights and one morning a week. I could hear a sigh of relief from CES Auckland. It was determined that the move would be made quickly--by next Monday. This is Fiji so that means within the month. CES agreed to pay for the internet, Welfare would send computers, desks, etc for the Jacksons, FM would get us desks, etc, and Welfare and CES would share the supplies cost. When asked if CES was going to provide Scott and me with a computer a "yes with conditions" was given. Which means they will stall awhile longer.
Sometimes I think it is hard for Elder Wakolo to wear two hats; Service Center Manager which is taking care of the temporal side of the Church here and a paid position, and Area Authority which is ecclesiastical, but wearing both hats really worked here.
We are thankful for his leadership.
March 11
We spent the day studying and then were invited to a movie by the Whitings. The Whitings love movies and keep track of what is showing here in Fiji at our one movie theatre. (notice the British spelling).
The movie was "Oz the Great and Powerful" I read some reviews to make sure that it was okay to see which ended up making me ambivalent about seeing it. I love "The Wizard of Oz" with Judy Garland. I never tire of watching it, so I was excited for a new take on the story, however, this movie received mediocre reviews.
Eight of us met for dinner and then walked to the theatre together. It was very entertaining. It was clean. It was a nice break in our routine.
The movie was "Oz the Great and Powerful" I read some reviews to make sure that it was okay to see which ended up making me ambivalent about seeing it. I love "The Wizard of Oz" with Judy Garland. I never tire of watching it, so I was excited for a new take on the story, however, this movie received mediocre reviews.
Eight of us met for dinner and then walked to the theatre together. It was very entertaining. It was clean. It was a nice break in our routine.
March 10
Today we were asked by Sister Tufoga (two fonga) to serve on the activity committee for the YSA conference next December--after we have been released. We are excited to do it for two reasons. We felt that there was much room for improvement in the activities part of last year's conference, but mostly we are excited because we love Sister Tufoga so much. She is the sweetest person. She teaches the other institute class for the Samabula Wards. She told me when she knew we were teaching that night also that it was OK if all the YSAs came to my class. She was willing to prepare for and teach just one student. It didn't happen. She has 20 on her rolls and has from 15 to 18 attend each week. They attend her class, because she is so loving, loves the Gospel so much, and prepares diligently. It will be fun to work with her.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
March 9
Scott has been experiencing some pretty severe back pain. Watching him walk is painful. Yesterday he got a priesthood blessing from Elder Hogge and Elder Whiting. Today the pain has decreased so much that he is only in pain if he twists wrong and then pain is just sharp and momentary. We are grateful for honorable priesthood bearers, and the power of God here on the earth.
This morning we attended our monthly training with the seminary and institute teachers in the two Suva Stakes. President Sefeti, our boss, is in charge of these meetings. This month he asked if Scott would give a demonstration lesson. CES has for several years tried to change the way their paid and volunteer teachers teach. Because of the lack of computer access, teachers in Fiji do not have the option of seeing demonstrations of the new techniques, so Pres. Sefeti tries to demonstrate each month a different piece of the better way to teach. Scott did it for him this month.
Scott's lesson was masterful. Teaching is such a huge labor and an art. He had to cover all of Mark 8 in less than 30 minutes and covered context/content, principles/doctrines, understanding those principles/doctrines, and helping the students see how to apply that understanding in their lives. One has to weigh every word one speaks, every question asked. Crafting questions that help students think, feel and apply requires so much thought on the part of the teacher. No ad libbing here. Scott did such a great job. I was so proud. He worked hard at the lesson. He reviewed his questions over and over until I was about ready to hide. Because he worked so hard, Heavenly Father blessed his efforts.
We practiced a new baptismal song in Institute tonight--When I am Baptized. It is the song that starts with "whenever I looked for rainbows." We played the music for the YSAs from the church CDs and then sang acapella filling in the parts as there are no written parts. After two or three tries it sounded wonderful. It will be nice to have a second baptismal song. The other one was getting old.
40+ in the institute. Home shortly after 10.
This morning we attended our monthly training with the seminary and institute teachers in the two Suva Stakes. President Sefeti, our boss, is in charge of these meetings. This month he asked if Scott would give a demonstration lesson. CES has for several years tried to change the way their paid and volunteer teachers teach. Because of the lack of computer access, teachers in Fiji do not have the option of seeing demonstrations of the new techniques, so Pres. Sefeti tries to demonstrate each month a different piece of the better way to teach. Scott did it for him this month.
Scott's lesson was masterful. Teaching is such a huge labor and an art. He had to cover all of Mark 8 in less than 30 minutes and covered context/content, principles/doctrines, understanding those principles/doctrines, and helping the students see how to apply that understanding in their lives. One has to weigh every word one speaks, every question asked. Crafting questions that help students think, feel and apply requires so much thought on the part of the teacher. No ad libbing here. Scott did such a great job. I was so proud. He worked hard at the lesson. He reviewed his questions over and over until I was about ready to hide. Because he worked so hard, Heavenly Father blessed his efforts.
We practiced a new baptismal song in Institute tonight--When I am Baptized. It is the song that starts with "whenever I looked for rainbows." We played the music for the YSAs from the church CDs and then sang acapella filling in the parts as there are no written parts. After two or three tries it sounded wonderful. It will be nice to have a second baptismal song. The other one was getting old.
40+ in the institute. Home shortly after 10.
March 8
If Scott and I ever sell our home, I want to move within walking distance of a temple. It is so wonderful to be close to a temple and tonight was the very best of the best.
We had been invited by Milika Taito to come to the temple to witness the endowment of her daughter, Grace. Grace attends Scott's Mission Preparation Class and has her call to--we are so excited--Temple Square. We were honored to attend. When we got there we realized that two other of our young adult woman were also there for the first time; Nola Sefeti and Allison Penjueli who are soon to serve missions in the Philippines. What could be better than to see these fabulous woman make sacred covenants with the Lord. I wept through most of the session.
Fijians for the most part do not ask friends or family to attend these things; Allison only had a woman in her ward with her , and Nola had only her great Auntie, but they were not alone. Nine of our YSAs knew what was happening and showed up to support them; three of whom were recently returned male missionaries. I can not adequately describe the spiritual power and love in that room, so I will not even try.
Sister Jarman, one of the temple missionaries, waved me to the front of the room at the end of the session even though I was sitting on the back row. Later she told me that she wanted me to be where I could welcome these wonderful young woman. What a thoughtful thing to do.
We are so blessed. Every time we think we am sacrificing to be here Heavenly Father overwhelms us with blessings like today in the temple. We are so grateful.
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