February 27, 2012

The Samoan people really live close to the spirit and have tremendous faith.  Last week in Sunday School one brother was giving his feelings about the picture of Christ on the cross between the two thieves and I couldn’t understand what he was saying but the tears were quietly running down his cheeks. Through translation I found out he was so overcome by the atonement and said how he wished he could have taken the Savior’s place on the cross himself.  It really touched me to hear him speak of that.

Afalua Tuivaiti, the mission cook.  What a sweetheart!

Elder Erekson, Public Relations, told us that a couple of weeks ago they were doing some filming up at Sauniatu for a film for the anniversary of the 50^th year of the first stake in Samoa.  It was a very drizzly, overcast day and the crew said “We can’t film in the rain – it has to be clear”.  The Stake President asked to be excused and went over to the chapel and had a prayer.  The clouds parted, the rain stopped and the sun shone.  As soon as they were done, the sky closed in again and the downpour continued – a true manifestation of faith.

The Seventh Day Adventists here in Samoa are a bit divided due to the jump across the dateline.  Some insist that they need to worship on Sunday now as that was the 7^th day that week and some continue to worship on Saturday.  The problem has also manifest itself at least once that I know of in the LDS Church.  The temple president was speaking with a temple worker who said he still has a testimony but no longer goes to church because it really isn’t the Sabbath.  He stays home and reads his scriptures.  Ummmm, what about the 12^th Article of Faith that says we sustain & obey the laws of the land? It doesn’t matter what day – I know in Saudi Arabia our friends used to worship on Fridays as that was the designated day in that country.

Misimoa - one of the security guards at the Mission Home - everybody's friend.

I have been busy the past little while getting things ready for the new senior couples that come.  We make a packet of information with maps, phone lists, temple schedules, hymn books with the song lists in Samoan and English in the front, etc.    The new office couple came on Saturday.   We will miss the Merrells and know the good work they have done here.  The Gertschs have been here for a couple of weeks now and are settling into the Institute at Magiagi ok.  They will work on PEF as well as teach classes and I have been asked to work with the PEF to help keep track of the students and their payments.

Elder Johnson, Roy, E & S Hanson

Sister Johnson, E&S Merrell, E&S Gertsch

Last week we took the Gertschs to Vavau – it was our own private beach and was lovely.  There seems to be a lot more rock in the little bay since the tsunami in 2009 but it is still lovely.  We snorkeled around a bit and had some lunch.  I just love the peace of that place. 

Roy has many concerns with the work he does.  He knows things are improving a bit but there is so much to be done in each unit and stake.  Some of the things he comes across are just head shaking.  He said he could write a book about some of the situations he finds but he would be asked to not print it!    And then he meets with some fantastic people – new Stake Presidents that are just on fire and doing great work. 

This wee we will are ½ way done our mission.

We attended the Service Center Devotional this am and I just can’t get over the beautiful choir we are, sitting in that conference room and singing praises during the devotional.  Amazing voices.

Today is the first day the Merrell’s aren't  in charge of the office.  They will be here for another 2 weeks helping the Partridges who came on Saturday but they are on the way out.  It will only be another week  before Rachel leaves for her mission in Provo.  I am excited for her but we will sure miss her, especially at the temple. 

I have been asked to work with the PEF but I need some direction.  I have attended one meeting so far and will have another one this week.  The Gertschs have had training prior to coming here and will  be of help as I don’t want to overlap what they are doing.  Oh well, time will tell. 

Neko sent us a card she made – so nice that she does that. 

Thanks Neko!

I have had a really sore neck lately – I think typing at the computer doesn’t help and carrying my big bag around.  Elder Bonilla put his back out in Australia last week and is still having difficulty walking around – kind of like what Roy does to his back.

I went to Mutual last week in our ward and helped the youth learn a song called “Arise”, the theme song for the 2012 mutual year.  I played it on my ipod for them and then the next day we made a CD so they can play it whenever they want to practice. 

Temple last night last week was so busy – I have never seen the sessions, sealings, baptisms, etc. so full.  It was Rachel Leota’s last time as the temple is closing for 2 weeks maintenance and we will really miss her.  She will be leaving in a week’s time for her mission in the Provo Mission.  The Webers and Fonoimoans will both be leaving next month too so we are going to have some adjusting to do.

Rachel Leota - the life of the mission!

We did the bulletin board for the mission office last week.  Sister Leota was excited to make it her own so we began over a week ago.  I cut backing and made labels for the mission president’s pictures and we put up the fine mat on Monday evening and mounted the pictures on Tuesday.  It was really hard to watch the mat being cut – it was probably 30 feet by 10 feet.  Those take years to make and Sister Leota got it from her family.  It was older as it had some holes in it but still was in pretty good shape.  We put all the pictures on black matting.  They had black frames around them and were about 6x8 in size but some were horizontal and some were vertical and just didn’t match.  We put them all on a uniform sized backing and it just straightened things up so well.  There are 50 pictures up and the most recent are in the third frame with the Samoan artifacts.  Sister Leota bought a to’oto’o (wooden staff) and fue (talking chief uses it for ceremonial speaking – wooden handle over his shoulder with the afa (sennet) hanging down over his back) and a small kava bowl to be put up in the display and it looks awesome. 

Saturday  we went to meet a family that was baptized about 2 years ago.  Brad & Becca, who stayed with us before Christmas for a couple of days, sent a package and wanted us to take it to them. There was a DVD in it that they had made so we took a computer and showed it to them.  They are so poor – 7 children and he works as a security guard in the church compounds (we didn’t realize until we saw him and it clicked).  They are so humble and so happy. What would our North American kids do without a TV, any electrical devices, furniture?  They had only a bed frame that they had things stacked on so we all sat on the floor.

Opening their package

watching the DVD

Before we went to visit that family, we went to the airport to greet the new office couple – the Partridges.  My camera gave out after one picture so we aren’t in it.  FHE tonight is a pot luck supper and we will greet the Partridges officially and say tofa to the Merrells and Rachel.  We are actually  having a kind of goodbye shower for Rachel.  It is called "Wishing you well" and I have a well I made that people can put money in to help her buy winter clothing while in Utah.  She is going to have a surprise to what she really will need.  Any excuse for a get together is nice but this is especially nice for Rachel.