You may laugh at me, but I am so grateful for a tender mercy today. When we walk to the institute it saves us at least 10 minutes to walk through the LDS Primary School instead of on the road. Right up front we asked Principal Qaqa (ngan gah)if it would be alright to walk through. It was not a problem.
Recently the school has had a problem with the general public walking past the institute, through the parking lot we share with the primary school, and through the school to get to the road our house it on. Not safe for the primary students. So about three weeks ago Principle Qaqa locked the gate that separates the institute and the school which means we have to walk two long blocks around the school to the institute. It is so inconvenient.
With that background, today we drove to the institute and while Scott was organizing his lesson, I was doing some minor changes in our office. I had not come prepared; I needed several items from home. I dreaded losing the time it would take to walk the long way home. As I was leaving, I decided to check the gate and it was unlocked. What a blessing. I hurried home, collected the items I needed, and speed walked back to the school, but I was not fast enough. Someone had locked the gate. Rats! Now I had to walk all the way back through the school to the one open gate, and then walk around to the institute. As I was buoying myself up for the walk and the lost time, a grey van pulled into the parking lot, and as it turned to park, Brother Nuatu (New ah two), the school custodian, waved to me to stay where I was until he could come with the gate key. Tender mercy. Heavenly Father is so much more active in our lives that we recognize. The only excuse we have, I guess, is that life is so busy we do not notice His help.
The Eternal Marriage class was so good last night. Note: I did not say I taught well. I had spent so much time on the Doctrine and Covenants lesson I taught on Tuesday that I did not look at last semesters E.M. lesson to see if it would work, need tweaking, or needed to be thrown out until yesterday morning.
When I read over the old lesson, I did not like it much, because I felt the students in this semester's class were beyond the lesson. I spent the entire morning reading lessons I had not taught last semester and rereading the church's outline for the lesson I thought I was teaching today. Nothing seemed right. I then spent hours looking for inspiration. I even printed copies of Pres. Benson's talks to the single women and the single men. By three o'clock I should have been panicked, but strangely was not. I finally stopped sat for a minute and ask out loud, "What do these YSAs need?" The answer came. "Ask them." So I did.
The lesson was supposed to be on preparing to marry in the temple. All but one student in the class are returned missionaries who are endowed and attend the temple regularly and often.
So I asked. "Why does one want to marry in the temple?" or in other wards "What are the advantages of a temple marriage?" I put them in groups of two and told them the group with the most appropriate answers would earn a treat. The winning group had 15 answers--wonderfully insightful answers. I then asked the other groups if they had answers on their lists that were not on the board; I offered them a treat if they had at least one to add to the board list. We ran out of time at 24 answers. I am so sad they got erased before I could copy them down, however one answer really hit my heart. "With a temple marriage I will not be alone for all eternity. I will not be lonely." I had the hardest time not weeping. I was overcome with sorrow for those of my brothers and sisters on this earth that will be in the telestial or terrestrial kingdoms.
I then asked them what keeps Fijian LDS youth from marrying in the temple. Again they discussed this in groups (of four). We had the best discussion although we did not have time to hear all of the reasons that the groups had listed. The reasons we heard were: clubbing, parental/friend objections, cost of receptions (so they live together), men too busy getting an education. We had a great discussion about what happens to men or women that choose not to marry.
The Spirit was so strong. All I did was facilitate the discussion. THEY taught the lesson. They knew this stuff. They just needed a place and time to review and remind themselves.
Oh I am so grateful to have been part of this!!!
Monday, April 29, 2013
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
April 17
Because they are everywhere, we have been trying to get a picture of a mongoose since we arrived in Suva. We have captured many pictures of empty grass and bushes with nothing under them; in other wards, mongooses are really elusive. Yes, I pluralized that word correctly; according to the dictionary the plural of mongoose is mongooses not mongeese or mongoose. Why oh why must English be so contrary?
Last week we were sitting in our van in the parking lot of the University of the South Pacific talking about an institute problem. As we were talking, we realized that there was a mongoose on the lawn in front of the van moving from place to place sticking his nose into the grass. I slowly and quietly got the camera out; do not ask me why as the mongoose was too far away to hear me or notice my movements.
I got the following pictures. Aah success at last.
Last week we were sitting in our van in the parking lot of the University of the South Pacific talking about an institute problem. As we were talking, we realized that there was a mongoose on the lawn in front of the van moving from place to place sticking his nose into the grass. I slowly and quietly got the camera out; do not ask me why as the mongoose was too far away to hear me or notice my movements.
I got the following pictures. Aah success at last.
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| The Elusive Mongoose |
Although in a family of its own, the mongoose reminds me of an otter; having a long face and body with short legs and long tapering tails. They are not native to Fiji, but came here, I am sure, with the Indians brought here to work in the sugar cane fields.
Here he is poking his head into the grass. Right after this picture was taken, the mongoose lifted his head and in his mouth was a live wiggly gecko. The mongoose turned and swiftly ran into what must have been his home in the ground. Lunch is served.
April 14
We have spent the last two days watching the taped broadcast of the 183 Annual Conference of the church. It works this way. Morning sessions start at 10:00 a.m. finish at 12:00 and the afternoon sessions starts at 12:30 p.m. Last October the priesthood session was shown after the afternoon session, but this time they had the priesthood session at 12:30 and the Saturday afternoon session was at 3:00p.m.
I say this every six months, but this conference the talks were the very best ever given. Truly!!! I love General Conference Weekend. For weeks I anticipate it which is nice in and of itself, then I sit in spiritual rapture for 8 hours and then when it is over, I wonder how those hours could pass so quickly after which I get to discuss the talks and reread my notes until the Ensign with all the talks in it comes giving me the privilege of reading them for 4 1/2 whole months when the process starts all over again.
Scott and I had invited all the senior missionaries over to our house for dinner? lunch? at 3:00 after the last session on Sunday. I fixed the entree and everyone else brought dessert or salads. We had 16 who came. That is a houseful in our little flat. We had to eat out of our laps, but we are blessed to have 16 plates, enough dinner forks of assorted patterns, and 16 assorted glasses which we count as a blessing.
It was so nice to sit around and eat with no restaurant noise, no agenda, and the option of moving into different groups to talk. Both Scott and I had a marvelous time. The food was good, the conversations were even better, and we were with friends. How blessed we are that not one senior couple is hard to get along with. Each is gracious, kind, and truly friendly. A real blessing!
I say this every six months, but this conference the talks were the very best ever given. Truly!!! I love General Conference Weekend. For weeks I anticipate it which is nice in and of itself, then I sit in spiritual rapture for 8 hours and then when it is over, I wonder how those hours could pass so quickly after which I get to discuss the talks and reread my notes until the Ensign with all the talks in it comes giving me the privilege of reading them for 4 1/2 whole months when the process starts all over again.
Scott and I had invited all the senior missionaries over to our house for dinner? lunch? at 3:00 after the last session on Sunday. I fixed the entree and everyone else brought dessert or salads. We had 16 who came. That is a houseful in our little flat. We had to eat out of our laps, but we are blessed to have 16 plates, enough dinner forks of assorted patterns, and 16 assorted glasses which we count as a blessing.
It was so nice to sit around and eat with no restaurant noise, no agenda, and the option of moving into different groups to talk. Both Scott and I had a marvelous time. The food was good, the conversations were even better, and we were with friends. How blessed we are that not one senior couple is hard to get along with. Each is gracious, kind, and truly friendly. A real blessing!
April 12
On Wednesday night when we arrived at the institute building before class, one of our really active YSAs was sitting on the retaining wall with her sister (comes to some activities) and her male cousin. We stopped to invite them to class, but they could not as the cousin was going to his traditional Fijian engagement party--a male only thing. The short version of this tradition is that the male members (uncles, cousins, etc.) of the groom's family go to the bride's home with a (or several) whale's tooth. The groom offers the whale's tooth to the father of the bride who in turns asks the bride if she is willing to get married. If she says yes the wedding is on and in this case to take place in the temple the following week. If the bride says no, her family keeps the whale's tooth but must buy a replacement to be given to the groom. Kava, the cousin told us, is a big part of the ceremony. We asked if he was going to drink the kava. "Yes." was the immediate reply. We politely asked him why he would drink kava if he was on his way to a temple marriage. He told us that as the youngest person at the ceremony that he must drink or offend/disrespect all the older men there. I then asked if his family were members of the church. "Yes, they are." "Is the bride's family LDS?" I asked. "Yes." "Then," I asked, "Who is bringing the kava, and who expects you to drink it?" The perspective groom indicated that traditions required the kava ceremony and that everyone was expecting him to drink the kava. We left it at that.
I, however, was so saddened by this conversation. Elder Ballard came to Fiji and told the Fijian members that they were breaking the Word of Wisdom if they drank kava. Elder Wakolo, the Area Authority Seventy, reminds the members that kava is not to be consumed often. Where is the disconnect? Two families of LDS members still expect to participate in a kava ceremony and then worthily attend the temple shortly thereafter.
We attended the temple with the young adults last evening, Thursday, and there in the temple sat this same young future groom.
Traditions can certainly be a tool in the hands of the adversary.
I, however, was so saddened by this conversation. Elder Ballard came to Fiji and told the Fijian members that they were breaking the Word of Wisdom if they drank kava. Elder Wakolo, the Area Authority Seventy, reminds the members that kava is not to be consumed often. Where is the disconnect? Two families of LDS members still expect to participate in a kava ceremony and then worthily attend the temple shortly thereafter.
We attended the temple with the young adults last evening, Thursday, and there in the temple sat this same young future groom.
Traditions can certainly be a tool in the hands of the adversary.
April 11
Spent an hour and a half today speaking with my mother. It is her birthday is the USA--April 10th. Today she is 92 years old.
What a blessing it is to have a mother with whom one wants to talk. It seemed like minutes between the first hello--I sang her happy birthday--to the last good-bye.
Mother is so positive about everything. She was extremely grateful for those of her children, grandchildren, nieces, friends, etc. that had called or come to visit. She never mentioned nor do I think she kept track of those who had not called or visited. Near the end of our conversation, Brother Dale Burgess (and Afton who stayed in the car) came with a Kentucky Fried Chicken dinner for mother. How sweet is that.
She recounted the blessings of the day starting with her time in the temple. When the conversation ended I felt uplifted, and loved.
I have always wanted to be just like her which I find is a difficult task.
Why is it that those who live with many trials seem to be the most grateful and the happiest people?
What a blessing it is to have a mother with whom one wants to talk. It seemed like minutes between the first hello--I sang her happy birthday--to the last good-bye.
Mother is so positive about everything. She was extremely grateful for those of her children, grandchildren, nieces, friends, etc. that had called or come to visit. She never mentioned nor do I think she kept track of those who had not called or visited. Near the end of our conversation, Brother Dale Burgess (and Afton who stayed in the car) came with a Kentucky Fried Chicken dinner for mother. How sweet is that.
She recounted the blessings of the day starting with her time in the temple. When the conversation ended I felt uplifted, and loved.
I have always wanted to be just like her which I find is a difficult task.
Why is it that those who live with many trials seem to be the most grateful and the happiest people?
April 9
I thought I would add some of the great flora found in Fiji. I never get tired of looking out the car window and almost always I notice some flower, bush, or tree that I had not noticed before. I wish I had majored in Botany so I could name all of these. Ah well, looking and appreciating will have to be enough.
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| Believe it or not this is a variegated philodendron plant These leaves are a good 18" long. |
 |
| The leaves in the picture on the left are a close up of these leaves which are wound around this palm tree. |
When we see
plants that
grow in the
USA here in
Fiji, the plant
is bigger! In fact many of our
perennials flowers are actually bushes here.
 |
| For lack of a better name, this is a fan palm. |
 |
| Interesting Fijian Flora |
 |
| The Whole Tree |
 |
| More of the Tree |
Monday, April 8, 2013
April 3
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.
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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