We have started to do the East Stake that covers the area down where the tsunami was and up inland a bit.  I have been doing a lot of indexing while waiting for Roy to do his training and have also had a chance to visit with a couple of people from our temple shift back in Malaela.  I just love Amy and will include some pictures of her and Tuuu, her daughter.

Tuuu's pig pen

Amy (left) & Tuuu at lunch at Tuuu's home

Don & Rhonda were here for a two week visit in July and we enjoyed our time with them. 

What a pleasure it was to attend the English speaking ward while Rhonda & Don were here.  For two weeks straight I understood the lessons, talks and was able to visit with people in our old ward.  Well, the next Sunday we attended our Samoan ward for Sacrament meeting before heading out for the other side of the island for training and it was such a pleasure to have little Florina come and snuggle up beside me all through sacrament meeting.  The next week Newman sat with me for quite awhile and I love when he puts his little head down on my chest to pause for a moment in his busy-ness.There are pleasant parts of both wards.

The highlights of Don & Rhonda’s visit included eating out at a few restaurants, a picnic at Vavau (too chilly for swimming), climbing to Robert Louis Stevenson’s grave, going to the temple, shopping, RLS Museum, making Rhonda a puletasi (traditional Samoan women’s dress), snorkeling at Matareva, and lots of driving and seeing.  Sauniatu was nice, especially walking through the gardens and interperative rainforest but the water was so dirty from all the rain that it didn’t look swimmable to us. 

oops -I have them leaving before they come - oh well

picnic at Vavau - too chilly to swim - really!

Their first trip to the ocean though was memorable.  It was cloudy and rainy but we thought we would go anyway.  We walked way down the beach from Coconuts Resort, past the fresh water lagoon (we forded over the stream with our things held high) and settled on the beach.  It began to rain so we packed all our stuff in bags and put them under a mat at the edge of the bush to keep the rain off.  We kept a close eye on the things while in the water and couldn’t see anyone even near.  Well, when we got out, we found someone had crawled through the bush and under the mat and stolen Rhonda’s camera and Roy’s retirement watch and food out of the cooler!   We ate a bit of lunch that was left and then the rain was really pelting.  It felt like hail coming down and actually stung our skin.  The wind was really strong and we were quite the sight trying to get back to the resort where our car was!  Wading across the stream was a memorable part of the homeward trek – with our things held high and the wind just whipping the water.  The good part of Coconuts Resort was the dinner and siva afi (fire dance) show later that week.

We had 3 incoming couples last week.  One couple went to Savaii, one stays here and one went to Pago.  They stayed with us for two nights until their flight out so it was fun to get to know the Jordans.  We have one more couple coming in on Monday who will be a temple couple and they have both lived here before - teaching and he served his junior mission here, like Roy did.  We are certainly blessed with the number of Senior missionaries we have.  I have had a little bit of a busy time getting the house ready for the Spencers who are in #16.  The floors were redone and so there was a fine mist over all the dishes and the newly painted cupboards so I washed and bleached everything. 

The training in Malaela is on Wednesdays and is a long day.  I take work to do but also have had a chance to visit with a few people.  The bishop’s wife – Muni Stowers – was so sweet and stayed while we ate the breakfast they had prepared.  She took me over to Amy Latu’s place just past the church and then we visited here at the church for awhile.  I offered to drive her home with the dishes and Amy & I continued up the road to AmyVida Tuuu’s place.  She is Amy Latu’s daughter.  I work at the temple with both these two sisters and it was so nice to visit in their places and feel of their spirits.  The church helped these people get back on their feet after the tsunami, building homes, showers and bathroom facilities and putting in water tanks.  I was able to get a picture of the tree that Amy ended up in during the tsunami and heard Tuuu speak of how her grandson (3 years old) was pulled away from her during the tsunami.  He is buried up the hill in a family plot.  Despite the tragedy that they have gone through, they are such a warm and loving people and I feel blessed to have them as friends. The Stake Clerk's name is Uluau, I believe is the spelling.  His mother was killed in the tsunami as well and he told me his story this week.  What a tragedy for this whole area, yet they are bouncing back and living happily again.

Amy (on right) & Tuuu in front of Tuuu's house that the church build after the tsunami

Tuuu with her cocoa pods

Tuuu with the bathrooms and water tank donated by the LDS church after the tsunami

One Sunday, Lusia Auelua, another shift worker at the temple, made us to’onai as she lives in the house across the street from the Lotofaga ward.  It was lovely and nice to visit with her.  I hope these people don’t feel they need to entertain me as I have things I can do and plan to do while I am here.  

It is a nice place to be in Malaela - I sit in a room in this brand new church with the windows open, a fan going and watching the sea just off the coast of Malaila – right by Namua island.  It is little sad to see the basketball court across the highway, by the sea and the chain link fence marring the view of Namua.  That is one of the most beautiful places in Samoa.

We had a tough week at the mission last week.  Three missionaries returned home early - obviously due to misconduct.  It is interesting that the phone bill is an indicator of some of the problems - kind of a barometer.  The President is such a good man and is really concerned about them when they go home and how they are received and their repentance.

 I just love the happiness of the Samoan people.  No matter what they are doing, they will stop and wave and give us a big smile.  They aren't caught up in the worldliness that we find at home and are just happy.  I know a lot of our young people could learn a great deal about priorities from these people.   I was talking to one lady here who is from the mainland (palagi) married to a Samoan and is so happy to be raising her kids here without the "trips to the mall", the "makeup", the competition regarding clothing, etc.

a truck left from the tsunami and the tree where Amy was in the top when the wave subsided

We have begun our third reading of the Book of Mormon, marking references to baptism and repentance.  This rotation will finish just before we leave our mission.

We continue with our reading program at our ward and with a couple of families.  I am beginning to assess who gets what books when we leave and it will be exciting for them to set up their own libraries in their own homes.  Two families in particular will get the lion's share as they have shown the most consistent use and responsibility with the books.  I am eternally grateful to our Relief Society for sending those books to us.

Well, I must carry on with this day.  Thanks for reading.