We have now been home from our mission for 5 months.

Rex is teaching again for one more year, making this his 38th year.

He wanted to share pictures of his first and last year teaching.

Becky wrote:

April 17, 2016 We had the most amazing day yesterday. It started off very early. I woke up on the plane and could not get back to sleep. I looked at the time (2am in Fiji) and realized that it would be 8am in Utah. Obviously my body didn't transition automatically. I looked at the flight path and saw that we had recently crossed the equator but not the international date line so I did get a little early Saturday morning in as well. I watched Night at the Museum all that morning and into Sunday morning. It took forever to finish that show. The airplane food was good and filling enough. We arrived in Nadi about 5:40. Customs went smoothly except Roxi had an apple and an orange in her bag that she forgot about. She had to declare them, sign a paper and throw them away. All the bags checked through nicely. The carts in Fiji are free so we grabbed two and headed out to the domestic terminal. The cab drivers descended quickly to try to get us to go somewhere, but we just wanted to get cleaned up and checked in for our flights. Our weight was too much because of the donated clothes. We had to pay $137 Fijian (about half that American) which we thought was quite reasonable considering that our carry on bags also needed to be checked. The overhead bins in Fiji are tiny. Having our backpacks only, we were free to wander the airport a bit. The domestic terminal is tiny and everything around it was outdoors with ridiculously beautiful trees, flowers and walking paths through grassy fields. Everyone was super nice! They're renovating the airport, and even the construction workers were friendly and respectful. We found flowers that had fallen from a tree and put them in our hair for a picture. Everything was perfect! It had been raining in Labasa for three days. When it rains, the planes cannot land. They told us when we checked in that we may not be able to fly to Labasa today. I had faith that we would be able to get there just fine. We had a prayer. Everything went off without a hitch. The flight took off and landed on time. The person sitting next to me had his wife call and tell him that the roads were flooded so she didn't know if she could make it to pick him up. And a man in Labasa had his flight cancelled that morning so he wasn't able to fly out until our plane arrived to take him. Yet we didn't even have a delay. Mom and dad were waiting for us. We could see mom's #1 sign through the window. We ran to hug them, so wonderful to hug them again! They were surprised that we were all dressed and ready to go to lunch. We stopped by the flat to get the hot spot so we could email which we did quickly. Driving on the other side of the road feels so backwards. Dinner was fantastic! We ate on mats on the floor. They did give us forks and spoons, but I alternated eating with my hands. We had fish and chicken and cassava and lettuce and cucumbers which are a real delicacy because they are out of season. The Vosa family has five children ranging from 14 to 2. The four older children are girls and the little boy was dressed in the cutest black sulu. The parents and grandmother ate with us which is a great honor because that means we are considered family. In fact they told us we were family and could come to Fiji any time and stay with them. They have a place on a little island where they fish and grow vegetables and live the very traditional Fijian life. We are invited there as well. In fact, when I said Stacey was at University, they offered for her to live with them and do University here in Fiji. The offer is wide open. We all felt loved and honored. After dinner we showed them pictures of our family, the mountains where we live, snow and other fun things. We laughed and danced. They tried to teach us some traditional dances. I tried to follow, but couldn't well so sometimes I would improvise with over exaggerated movements that were very wrong. Everyone was cracking up. Dad said I reminded him of Lucille Ball. Roxi and Rose and Dad joined in, and it got even more hilarious. Brother Vosa was laughing so hard. We were sad to go, but it was time, and we were exhausted. They drove us around a bit and showed us the swollen river, the sugar factory and the church. It's lovely, and all doors open onto an internal courtyard. The font was outside just under a canopy. This layout so wouldn't work in Utah. Back at the flat, we visited but started dropping off quickly. Mom set up beds for us and woke us up long enough to get in them. I just died. About midnight I was awakened by the neighbors having a raging loud party. I put in my earbuds and it drown out the noise so I could sleep. I woke up at 4am, which is quite a bit better than 2am. Still not quite Fijian time. There's a symphony of roosters outside. Good morning Fiji!

April 25,2016

I’m sorry it feels as if we have dropped off the map. Life was crazy preparing for our 3 daughters to come to Fiji. Several days before they came, we were in a tropical depression. There was pouring rain, flooding, and the forecast showed no break in sight. The whole first week they would be here was predicted to have 100% solid rain. Since the Labasa airport has no lights to help the planes land, if it is raining hard, or the pilot can't see through the clouds to land, the protocol is to circle and fly back to where they came from without landing. We have seen that happen many times. When the girls landed in Nadi on the other big island, the lady said the flight to Labasa had not been cancelled yet, but there was a good chance it would be. She would let them know. The girls were praying hard on their end, and we were praying desperately on ours. We had seen firsthand the flooding and the damage. President Bull said he had gone out at 1 AM to rescue his fishing supplies. The tide was so high that his boats that were tied down were starting to fill with water and his freezers that held his fish were starting to float away. It rained hard all night, and it kept raining in the morning. We kept praying. We hadn't heard any news of cancellation so we drove to the airport at noon. The clouds had parted and the rain had stopped. They said the plane was on its way so we waited. We visited with a man who had been waiting at the airport since 7 am. His flight had been cancelled. Instead of flying straight to Suva. He now had to fly to Nadi and then to Suva. The girls arrived right on schedule at 12:15. As always, when blessed with the Lord’s tender mercies, we said a prayer of thanks.

Since they arrived April 17, it has been nonstop fun and games. They have been laughing and playing a great deal of the time. Those who have been following them on Facebook have seen a few of our adventures. I love watching them interact with one another, and it is priceless seeing them serve and interact and teach the people here in Fiji. With the time change and the rigorous schedule, even Becky dropped in bed really early the first nights.

During their week here, they have met many of our members. Brother and Sister Vosa are new converts. They invited us to Sunday lunch, and we stopped at their home right after we picked up the girls at the airport and dropped their suitcases at our flat. Talk about a feast. They are fantastic cooks! They kept saying, eat more! The girls could hardly eat the ice cream they brought for dessert, which is pretty unusual for our daughters! They love ice cream! They had a party dancing with the girls. Rex said it reminded him of Lucy trying to dance with the chorus line. It was hilarious! Besides that, Sister Ana and her mother are tailors. After the meal, they took measurements to make the girls new outfits while . Yeah, right? We bought material Monday and delivered it to them Tuesday, and they had their outfits ready for them to pick up on Friday. So cute! We love that family.

Monday we took them to meet all the people at the Ashram, the old folks home. It was a little disconcerting as we arrived. There were two police vans full of people, and I could see the one we call Mona Lisa looking out the window. We parked the truck, and I went to see what was happening. We were told the Ashram had been evacuated because of the flood water. The residents had all been taken to higher ground and were now being brought back. They looked so hurt, helpless, and disoriented as the big policeman literally carried them back into the home. Finally, their wheelchairs arrived, and then we were finally able to play with them. 

The girls fell in love with them, especially The Little One. Becky played with her and even gave her a white flower to wear in her hair. They had brought 4 new Toss Up games we played with and then left with them, along with the one we already had. It was even harder than I thought it would be to tell them goodbye for the last time. The girls were even crying.

Later Monday, while I was teaching keyboarding, helping Bernadette, Lucy and Delilah Vosa, and Salesi, the girls played volleyball and basketball with the Elders for P Day and went visiting members Wednesday. So much laughter. Everyone loves them!

Tuesday we went to Savusavu. They loved the beautiful drive. It was raining a lot of the time, but it was great. It just made everything look greener, and the waterfall across the valley was the biggest I have ever seen it.

We stopped at a District Activity to drop off a few things. They were at a rich person’s mansion and private resort. They let us go out and walk the beach. What a joy. It was low tide. The girls wanted to walk out a few blocks to a little island with three palm trees. They went running off and giggling like little children. I watched them. They were making really good time. Then the rain started coming, and I could tell it was going to come hard. I gave the high sign, and they came running back, but not before they were dripping wet.

We took them to the Captain’s Table where they met the Roths and the Harwards, our wonderful friends. They could see why we talk so highly of the senior couples. Next the girls went shopping; but we had little time, and many of the stores were already closed. We got home to Labasa in time to let them see what a wonderful job President and Sister Bull do with the Young Single Adults. They invited us to have dessert and visit. Roxi showed off her waving eyebrow trick. She said Daniel Bull could do it even better than she could! I don’t know if that is possible. Then Rex and the girls taught them a little about melodramas. They had never heard of such a thing. Rex told the story from years ago of how Rose had come to him with tears in her eyes and said, “Do you realize I am 5 years old, and I have never been a heroine in a melodrama?” Rex wrote a mini 5 minute melodrama the next day, and the kids performed it for the video and played it on the TV for her. She giggled with joy. Upon hearing the story, Silvia Colonata said she was over 20, and she had never been a heroine in a melodrama. Rex resolved to fix that situation.

He later found a spontaneous melodrama and let Silvia and some of the others perform it before we left Labasa.

We are in Suva. We go to the temple this morning and start flying home this afternoon. We will get to Salt Lake Tuesday night and stay with Rose a couple of days to catch up on some grandchildren.

We are so excited to see everyone.

We will be reporting our mission in Franklin on May 15. Words cannot express how much we have loved and been touched by serving this mission to Fiji!

Our joy is full!

Love you!

April 15, 2016

In answer to everyone’s question, the two girls are going to the Philippines and learning a new language. They report to the Philippines MTC June 3. Josh is going to Australia and will be speaking English. He reports July 14.

A few things are starting to wind down. Taito came Wed. and we handed over our PEF and Self Reliance materials and our church laptop to Lucy Bulewa, our new Branch Self Reliance Specialist. We still need to take an hour or two and train her a little. Taito is an impressive man, tall, strong and in charge. Before he came to work as the Manager of the Suva Self Reliance Center, he was the General  of the Fijian Army. He is very personable. He doesn't demand respect, it's automatic. After his training, he took us and Lucy out to dinner. Yesterday he met again with Lucy and took her to the universities.

We also had our exit interview yesterday with New Zealand, our Self Reliance Bosses. They previously asked for our input, and they have received quite a few letters from me expressing concern over the present PEF program and it’s implementation. It needs some reprogramming in the financial record keeping department and needs more positive strokes in writing reminder notes to those paying back the Perpetual Education Fund loan and more specific instructions to help students get the incentives. Yesterday, they assured us that they have acknowledged our concerns, and some of our suggestions are being implemented and others are being looked into. They were very gracious. They said they were glad we were the first of the “Education Specialists.”

They had sent me the exit interview questions beforehand. Since we have red eye, and I didn’t feel good enough to leave the apartment for a couple of days, I wrote answers to all the questions and sent them early to the team. That way they wouldn’t have to ask all the questions again or type up everything we said while we were talking. Yes, it was a very long tirade, especially on the question of things we feel need to be changed. The interview that usually lasts at least 1 ½ hour lasted 50 minutes, much of which was their large team taking turns expressing thanks. We actually haven’t helped that many people get a PEF Loan, but hopefully something we have said or done has made a difference.

Marica and Sylvia came yesterday and spent over 3 hours wiping out cupboards for us, many of which we hadn’t even used. We are separating and distributing the many things the mission had stored here. We are excited for the girls to come in two days! The people here are so excited to see them!

Everyone take care! We love you!

Rex wrote: Saturday the 2nd day of April was a day from Heck.  Both Betty and I had Red-Eye. Mine was about two days in, and Betty was just starting. In the USA it is called Pinkeye, but in Fiji it is much worse with straight red eyes, swelling around the eyes and chills and fever. The stores were out of eye drops and the local cure, mothers milk, we were not yet desperate enough to use, even though we had been offered some. We had some people we wanted to visit, but we canceled all plans to leave the flat. We were just plain sick. At about five in the evening Sister Bull called and invited us to a YSA gathering where three were going to open their mission calls. These were the first three of the seven young people we had helped fill out their mission papers. The youth had requested that we be invited. Of course, we had to be there for them! From six to seven we took pictures, predicted where they were going to serve, visited, and waited for all the families to gather. Lorenzo Snow Baliwasawasa conducted the meeting. (Betty fell in love with him as soon as she heard he had the same first name as her father.) They were so excited as they opened their calls. As each read the letter, and announced where they were going, everyone cheered! They each bore their testimonies, Betty and I were asked to share our testimonies, then the parents and siblings got their turn.

It had to be one of the most joyous days of our mission. The next day in church they all got to tell the branch about their calls and bare their testimonies. The air was charged and the spirit strong. What a heaven blessed day it had become! It is good to see some of the fruits of out labors. We love Labasa Branch!

Joana Kauloa,  Josh Bull, Arieta Bulewa get mission calls the same day

Waiting for opening of the mission calls

Our Labasa 7 all applying to serve missions

Sister Bull sets a colorful table

Red Eye put us down

This just hurts!

My heart is full. Last night, we helped Vani a little more with her missionary application. She is a sweetheart. Then we pulled Joji out of the YSA Activity and asked him if he had two songs prepared that he could play for the YSA. Joji is the only member in his family. He walks a great distance and comes to church faithfully all by himself. He is one of my favorite people. I have met with him a couple of times to teach keyboarding theory, but he has been mostly teaching himself. He had one song mostly ready. He practiced for a little while, and then we asked all the YSA to come listen to him perform "How Great Thou Art!" The Spirit was strong, and he did such a great job. If he comes Sunday, and is prepared, he will play another song during church and pass off the requirement of playing two songs in church from the "Hymns Made Easy Book" to allow him to keep his beloved keyboard. He plays with chords and has played for parties and bands. One of my goals before leaving this mission is to pass him off, get the signatures, and send in the application that will allow him to keep his beloved keyboard!

We made it through Zone Conference here yesterday. The meal went well. Everyone was filled and grateful. It is always a privilege and an honor to hear President and Sister Layton speak to us. We feel renewed and motivated to do better after listening to their words. We have much left to do and less than 3 weeks to do it. Since it is our last Zone Conference, we got to share our testimonies. I had to cry a little. We have loved working with these missionaries, and we love this wonderful Fiji Suva Mission.

We found out yesterday that President Petero, a counselor in the District Presidency and Branch President of Seaqaqa and his wife will be replacing us. Our people will be in good hands.

Sister Marica and Silvia are here cleaning a little to prepare for the girls to come a week from Sunday. We are over the top excited!

Rex wrote: I didn't get to enjoy the conference as much as I wanted to because President Harward and I had to inspect all the trucks. We did have fun doing that. It was great getting to inspect our own trucks. They passed.

 As we were serving the brownies and ice cream, Sister Layton leaned over the table and whispered. Betty thought she was going to give her a compliment, but instead Sister Layton said, “There are ants all over the brownies!” Both pans had been waiting in the church kitchen. The pan from on top of the fridge was good, but the other pan from the counter was absolutely covered with sugar ants. Betty kept her cool. She took them outside on an old broken table. She swished off as many ants as she could with a plastic bag and swished them off the table so they wouldn’t climb back in. Then she pounded the brownies upside down on the table soft enough for the cut brownies to still stay in the pan, but just hard enough that the ants were knocked out. She did this again and again for about 5 minutes. In this latest reenactment of the Battle of the Little Big Horn, Betty fought alone against about 500 ants and when the sun set, Betty stood triumphant. When the last ant was gone, she brought the brownies back in. They were the hit of the conference, literally.