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.

The sign at the Vaiola campus in Savaii - a church school obviously

Can you see the rainbow in the cloud?

I am beginning my blog entry this time with an entry from my journal from June 24, 2012 (Sunday for us, Saturday for you)

"My interest today is in miracles.  We experienced one today that really isn’t one when you look at the fact that miracles are just things unexplained, usually done through natural laws and things that we don’t understand, thus a miracle.  But seeing we do know some of the laws, it still seems like a miracle to us.  There are technological miracles but the actual birth of a little spirit into the world is one of the greatest miracles of all.

We arrived on the 12:00 ferry from Upolu and headed straight up to Faaala to set our computer up in the clerk’s office.  We skyped through to Brooke and were able to be apart of the baby blessing of Silas Alexander Wutzke.  Brooke & Aric had arranged with their bishop and it was a Saturday evening there (Sunday here) and they did it in their home in Edmonton, Alberta.  The miracle part was to be sitting in a stake center in Savaii, a tiny speck in the vast Pacific Ocean and listen and watch while the bishop, my dad, one son, another son in law, plus a few friends of Aric’s were in the circle while Aric gave this dear little boy a name and a blessing.  As we were waiting for the proceedings, one of the Faaala wards was having sacrament meeting and were singing (in Samoan) “Hail to the Brightness of Zion’a Glad Morning”.  They couldn’t hear it at their end but it was a nice tone for us.  While the blessing was being given,  the congregation was singing “I Know That My Redeemer Lives”.  Believe me, there is nothing quite like a Samoan congregation singing their testimonies!

Aric gave a very thoughtful and sincere blessing to Silas.  You could feel his love for this little boy and also a reverence for what he was saying and doing.  The most important part of the blessing is of course, giving him a name that he will be know by on the records of the church.  In addition, he blessed him to have a strong testimony, to be an example to his family and his brothers & sisters, to be healthy, to serve a mission and I can’t remember what else.  There was just a nice feeling and he is a lucky little boy to be in a family that loves him so much. 

We were able to have a small chat with 8 of our grandchildren, my dad and the adults.  What a blessing.  The times we have been here before are such a contrast to today.  When Brooke was blessed we just did it with friends at the ward, here in Samoa with no family or contact.  They did know she was born though!"

Elder Gertsch trying his hand at making tapa

The Taga Blowholes were awesome! - rainbow and all

We are now finished in Savaii and have been waiting to meet with the stake president in the East Stake.  That meeting is now for a week from tomorrow so we are trying to keep busy with my little projects as well as preparing for next week.  

We had 3 other couples come over  for one of our trips and we showed them around a little

Roy coming across the Canopy Walk at Falealupo

My sister Rhonda and her husband Don are on the plane right now coming for a 2 week visit.  We should be able to be really good hosts for the first week and will adapt the second week to what schedule Roy comes up with.

This past month included my birthday.  The Roth's were so kind and invited us out for supper at the Aggie's Resort by the airport.  It was really nice of them but I wasn't feeling well and couldn't eat more than two bites.  I did bring it home to eat the next day.  

birthday dinner

The weather has chilled out a little bit for Samoa - enough that sheets at night are really appreciated.  The guards in the morning have hooded sweatshirts on and sometimes t-shirts wrapped around their heads for warmth.  We have just enjoyed it and I think I have only missed one day of swimming because of the chill.  There have been times when I have gone by myself and that is quite interesting - but enjoyable too.

Now that Rhonda is on the plane and can't turn back, I have to tell you my horrifying experience one night.  I was going out the back door (it was dark) to take some trash to the bin.  I no sooner opened the door and stepped out and I felt something plop into my hair.  It was a HUGE lizard (mo'o) and I did the head shaking-get off me- how dare you - I am grossed out- and you were not invited! dance!!!

He was knocked off and landed on the rolled up sheet I keep at the door to keep the creepy-crawlies out and then he ran into the house.  Roy came to the rescue and managed to pin him with the broom against the top of the wall (there is actually a dent there now) and he ran down the wall and pooped on the window as he went.  Roy got him outside and then cleaned up the bit of blood on the wall and the poo!!!  I was in washing my hair and trying to get myself under control.  What if he had pooed in my hair?  I can't stand thinking about it even now!  I don't think he died as I think I saw him the next day with a bit of a scab or bruise on one side. 

tofa Erickson's

The Gouldings have been gone for about 6 weeks now and the Erickson's left a couple of weeks ago.  This month the Lata's leave and then it will be our turn.  We are also having 4 new couples in the next month and we have a couple here visiting for 1 month and helping in the school.  Whew - we are so blessed to have so many seniors.  Most places consider themselves lucky with 2 couples, or even 1.  As we were discussing this at the 4th of July celebration (food! - what else) Roy brought forth the point that the Lord really loves Samoa and is determined to help them make it.  

I am enjoying some licorice herb tea (cold) at the moment and what a treat!  Sally Goulding left some with me and it is such a lovely flavor.  I do enjoy the lemon grass (laumoli) that they have here and I actually have some lemon grass that I planted just outside the door.

Our friends we often see while on our way to the airport

P-Day with the Ericksons before they left

Roy has two more stakes to cover and then we will be finished.  We continue to have our reading program on Saturday am at our ward, we take books to a few families and I continue with Lance and all the little projects I am involved in (including an occasional PEF meeting, etc).  The phone bill this month was about 300 pages shorter than last month (it was evident that the President's involvement stopped one of the major offenders as I could clock the change in his phone to the exact day the Pres.  "discussed" it with him).  Isn't there a song that goes "when will they ever learn? Oh, when will they ev - e - ver learn?"

The gospel is true and I can't begin to go into the lessons I have learned here.   I am grateful to those who respond to this blog and to those we keep in contact with.  We know the prayers and wishes of you all keep us going and we really appreciate it.

Opelagi on the left (a former guard and now a police at the jail) and Levala Jr on the right (a guard and YM Pres in our ward)

We have had a very eventful month since I last blogged.  Savaii has been a big part of our life and Roy has about 3 more weeks of training there and then we will be back on this island (Upolu).   He has been getting a report ready that may be used to shape a little bit of missionary work here.  The training he does with the clerks and bishops is just a drop in the bucket of what is needed.  They really should have a missionary in each stake, working with all the units but to be realistic, maybe one on Savaii and one here doing the same thing that Roy does.  We have 6 months left, which will mean 2 more stakes will benefit from the training. While he is training, I have been keeping busy with indexing names on Family Search and tracking records to find any recorded deaths to try and diminish the unknown file a bit.

This is at Siufaga in Savaii - a reflection in the pool there

Our reading program continues to go well.  The part I like the most is when people come to our home to choose books to take home for a week or so.  We also do reading at our ward and it was a pleasure to have our friends Jerry & Lynne Perkins from Orem Utah here and join us.  The more parents or volunteers we have the better the session goes as we can divide into smaller groups.  I began last week to read to some of the older girls a chapter book that we will continue with each week. 

fale in Savaii by the side of the road

We took Jerry & Lynne with us to Savaii the day after they arrived here and I was able to show them around a little while Roy did his teaching sessions.  The last day we were able to all drive together right around the island and get back in time for the ferry.  Since we have been back on Upolu we have had some great laughs, some spiritual moments and some more bonding to this friendship that began in Samoa about 34 years ago.

Jerry & Lynne at Taga Blowholes

We treated ourselves (well, a treat for me) by attending the English speaking ward the second week the Perkins were here.  We both attended that ward years ago and we attended in 2007 as well.  For me, to be able to hear everything and understand everything was wonderful.  In the evening we attended a fireside that Dr. Preece gave on the heart (a cardiologist here for a short time) and again, what a pleasure.

The next night, Jerry presented our Senior Family Home Evening – a presentation about the Prophet Joseph Smith.  It was by far the best FHE we have had for a long time.  Being a Professor of Religion at BYU Provo has given him the opportunity to come to know and feel the Prophet Joseph’s life.  Jerry was also privileged to play the role of Joseph in the Hill Cumorah Pageant twice and we all shared the spirit of that.

Elder Watson of the area Presidency was here for a week and had a special meal with the Senior Missionaries and they also attended the mission conference one day.  Unfortunately, we were not able to attend due to Roy’s work in Savaii but we were able to be the luncheon deliverers for the conference over there (burgers from Uncle Bill’s) and were able to sit in for about ½ hour of President Leota’s talk.  We certainly are blessed to have such a wonderful man at the head of this mission.  One of the points he made was from N. Elden  Tanner and that is

“It is better to be trusted than to be loved”.  As far as missionary work is concerned that is so true.  As seniors or junior missionaries, we need to be so careful with what we say and do and to be trusted for knowing answers to gospel questions, treating people with love and dignity, etc.

painting the tapa at the end of the demonstration

This weekend is the celebration of 50 years of Independence here in Samoa and there are many activities and displays downtown.  We chose to not go down to the parade as it was really not settled by anyone as to exactly where and when it would take place (6:00 in the morning isn’t our idea of a good parade time! And besides, I go swimming at that time).  We did attend the fireworks that were launched from a barge in the harbor – awesome.  They must have been donated by the Chinese, I am guessing. 

While Perkins were here, we had some interesting times and funny times.  We tried to go over to the Aleipata region last week but there was such a torrential downpour when we got over close, we chose not to ford through the stream that was coming across the road and making a waterfall just to the left of where we would have to drive.  A missionary was lost a few years ago when that happened.  We did go back a few days later and the evidence of the water was still all around with weeks hanging from fences, logs swept up to the road, etc.  We came back on fumes in the tank as there was no place to fill up where we went and it was an answer to prayer to make it home ok. 

logs on the road down at Aleipata

The next evening we invited the Roth’s and Partridges to come with us to Coconuts for dinner and the fiafia (dance entertainment with the firedancing, etc.)  It was raining so hard that I know at least Sister Partridge was wondering why on earth we didn’t just go to a restaurant right close.  Well, she was very satisfied after the evening unfolded and it was such a pleasant night.  The rain stopped and the show continued on as usual.

President Leota met with us this week and asked if I could accept a calling to be on an Open House Committee, these to be presented in conjunction with stake conferences throughout the year.  Sister Leota, Sister Johnson and I would work with Elder Erekson (public relations) before he leaves in June to figure out what we want and use the film that he assisted in making about the coming about of the church here in Samoa.  It could be quite exciting and as our mission has unfolded and I have worked in many different areas, I see the wisdom in Sister Zwick’s words when she was here – “Don’t limit yourself by your own capacity.  Allow the Lord to stretch you”.  So, I am being stretched!

fisherman at Taga

There was a fireside Sunday night (last night) with President Hamula and President Pearson of the 70 speaking.  Their parts were in English and President Fitisimanu and President Schwenke gave theirs in Samoan.  The reason for the fireside is to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the first Stake in Samoa (again, as it was done in March too).  It was broadcast through all the stake centers on the 3 main Samoan islands but we attended in the Pesega Gym where it was actually happening.  Their message was clear – we are blessed to know the past and we need to build on it and pass of what we know to the upcoming generations.  Take your children in your arms and bear testimony to them.  Teach them. 

 

One of the blessings of the evening was visiting with old friends.  Lori and Delsa and Sam Atoa were there as was young Sam who just went home in December from his mission.  Helen was  there also but we had spoken with her at the airport when Jerry & Lynne were leaving and we have seen her a couple of other times since.   Roy also met with an old mission companion and his wife, who he knew in Hawaii. 

Here is a picture of Helen Atoa with us.

Roy left after sacrament to go to Savaii on Sunday the 22 of April.  I stayed home that time as it was FHE and we should be here once in awhile as we are Senior Zone Leaders.  We had a quartet arranged consisting of  Elder Preece (who used to sing in the Tab Choir (bass), I am tenor, Sister Roth (dentist’s wife) is alto, and Sister Partridge is the soprano.  We did Christ of the Islands again as most people haven’t heard it and it fit in with the theme for the evening, although the evening changed because  Elder Zwick was here (from the 70) and they presented the lesson. What a pleasure to have them with us. 

This turtle was swimming in the Rock Pool at Lucia's

She bore a powerful testimony about sharing the gospel and the influence her handicapped son has on everyone, including a couple he presented a Book of Mormon to in Thailand while he was able to serve a one week mission with his brother while his parents were on assignment in another part of Asia.  The couple actually joined the church and said they would never have accepted the book from anyone else but this young man had said to them  “I can’t read, but my parents read this book to me and I know it is true”.   One statement she made and I can’t remember who she was quoting was an answer to the question “What makes people happy?   “Happiness is when body and mind are stretched to limits to accomplish something worthwhile, voluntarily”.    Does that describe a mission?  Does that describe raising a family?  Does that describe a lot of the things we undertake in life?  The Lord will expand our capacities if we will just allow him to.

Elder Zwick was talking about the missionary statistics of senior couples and they now have applications from 80 couples per week that pass through the missionary department.  He emphasized that rescue is as important as the actual conversion. One of his main responsibilities is the missionary department of the church.

Tuesday morning we had a devotional at the Service Center with Brother Paul Coward who has worked as the DTA (?) out of Australia or NZ – I can’t remember where he was serving.  He will be replaced and he will go on to another assignment.  He was also involved somehow this week with the Mission President’s Conference held here in Samoa. 

Part of the choir at the Mission President's Conference

Elder Ormsby - doing missionary work as soon as the choir was finished while the rest were having photos taken!

We (office couple, nurse couple, housing couple and Sister Tuivaiti and us) were asked to join two zones of junior missionaries to sing our mission song at the Mission President’s Conference.  We practiced at the Navu chapel and then went to Aggie Grey’s to sing.  We were able to visit a tiny bit with some of the presidents, including Elder & Sister Smiberg (John & Mereda’s current mission pres) & Dr. & Sister Burton – the South Pacific Area Dr. who we took around Savaii in December. 

The next day we had arranged with the Roth’s (dentist & hygienist) to bring Johnson, Felicity and Nance in to have their teeth checked and worked on.  They had never been to a dentist before except that Felicity had a bit of a filling on the front of one tooth that someone had come to the school and done.  They had extractions, cleanings and fluoride treatments and will return for more work in a couple of weeks.  Nance has advanced gum disease and was given instructions on the use of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide and will come back later.  The twin’s older brother Lennie came in with them to check out the dentist and kind of shadow a bit to see if it is something he would like to go into as he is going to be going to Pago shortly.  Well, the Roth’s were impressed with him (his English is excellent as he went to Colorado on a mission) and he came in to volunteer at the dental office this past week and will help for a few months before he leaves.

We did a reading at our ward last Saturday am (all agreed this was the best time) and only one other parent showed up besides us.  It is frustrating but just the way things are here.  We also stopped by to see the twins and to exchange books with them on Saturday.  They did fairly well post-dental and are willing to go again, even though they had needles in their mouth.  This is such a major thing for them to have their teeth fixed.  Most people just carry on until their teeth rot out (like Nance) and it is sad.  We hope this can make a difference in the lives of at least a few people.

We had a nice weekend with a bit of visiting with friends (Partridge, Gertsch, Roth).

I was reading Nathan Innis’s blog this weekend and was so surprised at his entry stating that he was going to talk about what he had learned the past week.  I had been focusing on the same article in the Liahona (Ensign) and that was Elder Bednar’s talk about the Atonement, given at a BYU Devotional given in 2001.  The most inspiring part is realizing that the Atonement is meant to strengthen and empower, not just redeem and cleanse.  This is a powerful article.

OK – Thursday, April 26 at 5:56 pm, Brooke and Aric met little Sylas Alexander Wutzke.  He was born c-section after over 24 hours labor.  I was able to skype with Brooke before she went in and then the long wait began.  Thank goodness for cell phones as we were able to text back and forth and I was able to call over skype to her cell phone.  He was 9 lb 13 oz and 22 inches long.  As we were driving to the wharf on Sunday we were able to use the modem and call Brooke over the computer and meet little Sylas in person. What a sweet baby!  He looks a little more Harker than Naomi did but we will wait and see.  His eyes were closed so we look forward to see an awake look sometime.  Sylas shares Benson’s birthday – who turned 5 on Thursday. It was very hard for me to not hop on a plane and go help Brooke.  Her Relief Society has already arranged some meals so that is good. we sure love this cutie.

Yes, he is a boy - see the blue blanket, although the dominant color is pink in this photo. 

The trip to Savaii was fairly nice.  I went with Roy to each of the sessions and did some indexing and also searching the records for death dates.  It was a couple of very long days but nice to be with him.  We spent some time talking with Lucia, the owner of Lucia’s Lagoon Chalets where we stay – very nice woman.  They certainly have staffing difficulties and the ones they do have are overworked.  They begin about 7:00 in the morning and go until after the last dinner customer at night – sometimes up to 10:00 and if they are lucky, a break during the day.  This goes on for 7 days per week.  Sometimes Tui (a very likeable young man) just doesn’t come in but can you blame him for just wanting a rest?

We like to ride outside up top to get the breeze and view

It is phone bill time again – over 900 pages this time (700 last time).  Why don’t they learn to obey the rules?  Obedience is the first law of heaven and some have not learned that yet!   

We just had a meeting this am with the FHE District Leaders (for the Senior Couples) and it was so good to get everyone's input for organization and activities.  We really appreciate all the wonderful people we have here.  More are coming (The Fifes will be temple missionaries) and we will have an exchange of a few couples with about 3 going home before June is finished.  We are so blessed to have so much strength here.

April 25, 2012

 I am trying to put in some of my journal entries for the past couple of weeks. I really shouldn't let so  much time pass between postings but time does keep marching along on this mission.

We finished painting the outside walls of AhMu Academy today. We did the remaining two outside walls and all the metal posts. Only two zones were brought in and we had a brush or roller for each one and we were finished by noon – then lunch from Afalua.  I was so pleased with how they worked and we sure have some awesome missionaries.  Roy and I left about 10:45 (we began at 8:00 am) to go to Sose Hunt’s funeral. Elder Erickson came to relieve us and it was so nice to know they were in good hands.

Sose died of cancer. We certainly loved that little lady and will miss her. We took over some trays of panipopo (coconut buns) and a card I had made, the day before the funeral. The Sua’s (Sose's daughter) were not home but we left the things with Angel and Pioneer. For the funeral, they had a family meeting at 8:30 in the am, followed by a lunch and then the funeral. We went only for the funeral part and then Roy went back to the school. I walked down the road with the other mourners to their home where they had some tents set up outside and the cement vault in the front yard was under one of the tents. The pall bearers are exactly that – they carry the coffin from the cultural hall to the chapel and then from there to their home. They don’t have the wonderful gurneys we have in our country. I would imagine that if it was a large individual, they would have had to put the coffin in the back of a truck. It was nice to join with the choir and sing at the graveside with the other ward members. I wasn’t able to get one of the sheets but I had practiced it on Tuesday night so I was able to follow along somewhat. After the prayer, they put her casket in the cement vault – painted white  inside and draped with white lace and then put a plywood lid on – to be finished later with a cement top, I am sure. There was a bit of fa’a Samoa when a man started into a speech and another man came up with something that he gave the family at various intervals – it looked like either money or small pieces of paper or something.  I was standing by Renae Moreli (Bishop's wife) and she didn’t know what it was. When they started to bring the food out, I left and walked down the road to the traffic light. They had just eaten less than 2 hours before and were at it again. Food is very important in the Samoan society – for every occasion, for every non occasion and sometimes just because! Sister Utai and her children stopped and picked me up and gave me a ride to AhMu – I was already a puddle of butter by that time but it was nice to have a little reprieve. It was a very hot day and I was absolutely soaking wet from having been working with the missionaries. I had an apron on and when I took it off to attend the funeral, my dress was soaked. After we came home I had a difficult time untying the knot in the back of the dress it was so wet.

I invited Sister Fatu Tumanuvao (who we give a ride home from the temple each week) to come in and choose some books for her grandchildren to read. It is nice to have a few families that do that and exchange the books each week. Her son came back last week with the children to exchange books and are they ever sweet kids. 

some of the Vaitoloa gang who come for reading

When I travel in the car I keep books handy and this was one group in Savaii that we had an impromptu reading session with

What a wonderful evening we had a couple of weeks ago. Roy brought Ulanita, So’oga, Johnson & Felicity (Amuia's daughter & children) over to make cookies. I surprised them and made spaghetti and we had supper too. They had a blast making the cookies – snickerdoodles & gaggies.  It was the first time they have ever made cookies. After, we checked out a whole lot of books for them to look at and I read Hop on Pop to them – the twins are so fun to work with.  It was such a good reading session and Felicity surprised me and was very good at picking up the words. So’oga was a real cook – he loves doing anything to help. We were talking about foods and Ulanita said she didn’t like mushrooms. Oh-oh, they were in the spaghetti sauce. I didn’t say anything until after we had finished eating and she expressed that she liked the spaghetti. When I told her there were mushrooms in it, she pulled a face but didn’t say it was awful. It is just the thought of the mushroom that disturbs her. I sent home a lot of books, traded with the ones they brought back. I asked Ulanita if the kids turn off the tv to read and she said yes. That makes all the things I have done for them worthwhile. Anyway, we had a great night.

Johnson, So'oga & Felicity making snickerdoodles

Ulanita and kids having spaghetti

We have been staying at Lucia’s in Savaii – Sunday through Wed. so Roy can work with the South Stake. I have gone one time and filled my time with searching the dead for the Service Center and I have started indexing for Family Search. It is nice to have something I can do and that modem he has from the church makes it so I can do something worthwhile while I am there with him. I won’t come the weeks we have FHE because I can take care of our duties there. It was so nice to have dinner with the Gouldings at Siufaga the last time we were both there – the food took FOREVER but was good. Roy is coming home on the ferry today as I stayed behind this week for FHE, etc.

Random shot of Roy on PD sitting in Amuia's wheel chair in their fale

One time at Lucia's, I came back in the afternoon and went out to look at some of the other apartments to see if the upstairs ones had new air cons (the one on the main floor is great but there were so many bugs that crawl in on the main floor). The room we liked on the second floor doesn’t have a good air con so we want to try another room. We may as well have the best we can get for the money. As I went out, I grabbed some keys, but alas, it was the car key, not the room key. Would you believe they don’t have any master or extra keys? The maids only use the same key they give to us. They had to get a fellow from just across the road to come and he assured me he had opened the doors before but it took him 3 trips to get the right equipment. He used a chisel to pry back the door stop and used a knife to stick in and release the lock. A hammer knocked the stop back in place after! 

For FHE this week, Elder & Sister Zwick of the Seventy presented the lesson. It is such a privilege as Senior Missionaries to occasionally have such nice guests. We had a quartet arranged to sing before we knew the program was going to be done by the Zwick's so we sang anyway.  Elder Preece used to sing in the Tab Choir (bass), I am tenor, Sister Roth (dentist’s wife) is alto, and Sister Partridge is the soprano. We did Christ of the Islands again as most people haven’t heard it and it fit in with the original theme for the evening. It was fine and we baked cinnamon rolls for treat (yes, and carrots and cukes for those who don't like/can't have sweets).

me peeking through the window at Sili at some Elders (Malaga is an AP who was on a split)

Saturday we went to the RLS pool (apond and waterfall at the base of the trail to his grave) for a cool down about 2:00 with the Gertsch’s & Roth’s. We played Rook with the Roth’s that night too and it was fun to have someone to relax with.

The Service Center had a devotional on Tuesday and it was Brother Paul Coward from NZ and it was his last time as his assignment is being changed. They presented him with a to'oto'o (staff), kava bowl and fu'e (fly switch) (symbols of the Samoan culture) and it was a nice time. The part they liked the best and that I always marvel at is the wonderful singing of the hymns. At the end we sang Tofa my Feleni - just wonderful.

Last night I went to Young Women's and helped them make a Mother's Day Card. I knew I was going to do it sometimes but just found out the day before that it would be the next day. I made up kits for each of the girls and leaders and we had a great time. I borrowed the Roth's car so I didn't have to walk in the heat for 25 minutes.   

Mother's day card - purse

The Mission Presidents' Conference for the South Pacific is here in Samoa this time and began yesterday. Friday, Roy & I spent quite a bit of time helping Sister Leota fix up 30 carved kava bowls they had purchased from a new supplier that will be the gift for the presidents. He had shown her a wonderful example of his work, but unfortunately, he had skimped on the kinds of wood and the workmanship was really shoddy. We spent hours sanding the inside and oiling them, Sister Leota re-etched all the wording on the bowls and sprayed them with a finish on the outside to make them look at bit better. I think she won't be using that carver again!

Roy is continuing to have bits of success in his training. He is marvelous at overcoming the challenges he faces and just hopes they will continue recording, transferring, sorting out, etc. the memberships when he leaves each stake. Occasionally he will receive a call from one of the prior units he has worked with asking additional questions and that makes it all worth while.

Maybe next blog posting we will have grand baby #11!