Saturday February 21^st

    Rex wrote: Naduna heard of the fun youth activities in Labasa and asked when we were going to have an activity for them. Saturday morning we took the Hindi Elders with us, and the second counselor met us there. He had already set up a circle of chairs inside the shelter and was just leaving for a meeting in Labasa on how to teach seminary. We sat there alone until we saw a little four-year-old came walking up the lane. Then three seven-year-olds came. Betty and I were thinking, “What are we going to do with these little ones?” Eventually, nine youth came with only two over twelve. It was raining a little. We made a small circle of chairs and taught them “Pussy Wants a Corner.”

   Rules: One person stands in the middle. Everyone one else sits in a chair in a circle. The one in the middle goes up and asks, “Pussy wants a corner!” If the person on the chair says, “Next door neighbor,” Pussy moves to the next person and again repeats, “Pussy wants a corner!” This continues until someone yells, “There’s a mouse!”” at which time everyone has to switch chairs, and the one in the middle tries for a chair. The one left without a chair stays in the middle as Pussy. 

   They loved the game. The four-year-old -- not as much at first. She refused to talk so we showed her how to point to the person next to her, which in this game meant “Next door neighbor.” When everyone switched chairs, Betty helped her get to another chair. The result was Betty ended up in the middle a lot. After a while, the little girl caught on and was doing well and smiling. Betty left her on her own, and all went well until the little girl had to be Pussy. Then she had to go off to the side and cry a little. Betty put her arm around her, told her it was okay, brought her back, gave her her chair, and Betty took her place in the middle. After that, everyone made sure the little girl got a chair. 

   When I was Pussy, they got an extra kick when I pulled really sad faces and begged like my father used to do when my children were young.

   In the middle of the game, it started pouring rain. The trenches around the shelter quickly filled with water, and the floorboards near the edge were wet and slick. As one boy dove onto his chair, the back legs went over the abyss. We all watched helplessly as he spilled out of his chair. He was prone and flailing. A split second before he hit the water and mud, strong Elder Palelei grabbed the boy’s shirt with one hand, the chair with the other, and brought him back up safe, dry, and sound. The chair not so much. There was no way he shouldn’t have had a muddy bath. It all played out in slow motion as if we were witnessing a minor miracle. Elder Palelei didn’t say a word. 

   We put the big blue tarps down on two sides, and the game resumed with dry chairs closer to the middle.

   Next we played The Bomb game. A person thinks of a category, pushes the button, and passes the bomb around the circle. It ticks for a random time and then explodes. When the bomb goes off, the person holding it has to think of the next category. We went the first two rounds saying our names. The youth chose things like, animals, trees, scripture names, things in the ocean, birds, etc. The little girl was allowed to just pass the bomb to the next person in the circle.  It is amazing how hard it is to think of a new bird when the person in front of you said yours, and you have to come up with a new one with a bomb ticking in your hand. We had a lot of laughs.

   Last we played Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. By this time there were thirteen of us. The little girl played and, we made another rule that whoever said her number went to the back of the circle. It made it extra fun. The young man who started out as Matthew was very good and never made a mistake. In his perfection, he took pleasure picking on me; and since my timing is bad anyway, I was #9 often. The little girl made it up to Mark. One time when someone said Mark, she actually said a number. That was the only word she spoke the whole time, but she seemed very proud of herself. After the games, we passed out chocolate chip cookies and cold water. 

   We said “Moce” to the youth and took the Elders to the home of a recent convert in Naduna named V Jay. He takes care of his feeble Grandmother. They live on a twelve acre farm that they rent for about $900 a year Fijian money. ($450 US) He raises sugar cane and rice as cash crops. Most of the work is done by hand. They are lucky to break even after paying for fertilizer and laborers. They live on what they grow in their garden and orchard.  

   He told us his story. His mother was deaf and mute. His father, according to his Grandfather, married his mother for the land. When the Grandfather did not deed it over to him as soon as he thought, he left his wife, his little girl, and his unborn son. V Jay said, “My Grandmother was the first one to hold me when I was born. She was the one who heard me cry and took me to my mother. She is the one who told me stories and sang me songs. She is the one who raised me after my mother died. Now I care for her. 

   Even though he has little money, he hires a neighbor lady and her daughter to watch Grandmother while he works. The little girl talks to her and makes her laugh.  He, as far as I can see, is not planning to marry until after his Grandmother is gone.  He is totally selfless.  He has trouble making it to church because he is afraid to leave his sweet Grandmother alone. He comes when he can get someone to watch her. 

  Take care! We love you!

   Feb. 20, 2015 Rex wrote: For our youth activities this week, Betty made chocolate chip cookies. She had mixed the dough and was taking out the first batch when the power went out. She said, “The power’s off. We can’t bake cookies.” 

   I said, “Yes, we can. It’s a gas stove. We’ve got gas; we’ve got spark; we’re ready to go.” We were able to finish making the cookies, but the house got so hot that without air conditioning or even a fan, it seemed we had died and gone the wrong way.

   For the Friday evening activity at Labasa, the youth trickled in a few at a time, but by 7 PM we had a good crowd. I joined in the basketball game for the first while. Josephine was on my team. She can outshoot any of the boys.

   The branch president had gone to great lengths to make sure the broken outdoor light was fixed so we could have the full court lit up to play volleyball. Something like that usually takes months here in Fiji, but he expedited it because he knew how much it meant to the youth.

   Josh Bull came early, but he was limping from a fight.  He works in a bar. A drunk has tried to hit him with a beer bottle. He was able to avoid the hit, kick the leg of the drunk to get him off balance, and then finish the fight with a right hook. (Balance and drunk are seldom used in the same sentence.)  Josh’s leg was his only injury.

   Daniel Bull came at dusk with the keys, but the key to turn on the lights was missing. It had been taken off the chain to give to the man who fixed the lights.  It looked like no night volleyball.  They called their dad, the first counselor in the branch presidency.  He drove to the church, picked up Daniel and took him home, gave him the key, and brought him back. I do not know why he didn’t just bring the key to the church, but in Fiji I have learned to watch and smile.

   When they were ready to turn the key, I said, “Let there be light.” The lights came on, and they were great. The volleyball game hadn’t missed a beat. They had kept playing even after dark. I could hear it before, but now I could see it.

   After a while Betty and her group, who love to play the card game golf, came and joined us. I sat by her, and we watched the fun. There were enough youth for three teams with some playing basketball on one end, and a few watching.  Then tragedy struck.  The ball went over the fence into a private yard.  The fence is fifteen feet high to prevent this, but it happened anyway.  They call this neighbor Oscar, because he is a grouch. The laughter and happy sounds of youth having fun are like noise to him.  Once in the past, he even called the police.  The police came, looked over the situation, and told him since it was not after eleven at night, he had no grounds, just deal with it.  At this party, when the ball went over the fence, Oscar came out of his house and picked up the ball.  He told them he wasn’t going to give it back, but finally after about ten minutes of sweet groveling, he threw the ball back over the fence with a warning that if it came over his fence again, it would be his ball, and he would not give it back.

   The games resumed.  I thought it time to hand out cookies and gave the cookies to the team that lost, and then to the team that won, and then to everyone.  As I did, I noticed five young men in the shadows.  As I approached them, they ran into the dark, probably around the church buildings and out the gate.  I asked the girls watching the game if they knew them.  They were boys from the area, not members, who had heard the fun and had come to see what was going on.  I watched, and in a little while, they were back. Without moving towards them, I asked if they wanted a cookie.  Then I walked towards them slowly.  Only one of them ran away this time, and I gave the rest a cookie. I invited them to join in on the fun, and the four did.  The one came back later, and I was able to give him a cookie as well, but he didn’t join the fun. He stayed in the shadows and watched the rest of the night from there.

   About 8:50 when I was about to tell everyone it was time to clean up, shut down, and go home, the youth quit playing and gathered around me.  I thought this was strange, since they don’t usually stop on their own.   Then they told me that the ball had gone over the fence again.  They were not going to ask for it back that night.  We finished off the cookies, cleaned up, and went home.

Love you all!

We fought through extra heavy morning traffic, as the children were all going to school, and battled our way back to the Registry Office. This time we were fully prepared and armed with complete birth dates for the members who had died. Amazingly, there was no line this time. We only had to wait for one person. The man at the front desk was actually smiling, happy, and helpful as we went through. We were convinced this was going to work this time! When we showed the government official the revised list and explained to her what we needed, she informed us that it was against the law to give us any personal information unless we were directly related. (The man we had talked to before had not said anything about that, or we surely would not have gone back.) She kept explaining and stating the reasons. We told her we understood, assured her that we did not want to make her break the law, and promptly excused ourselves. We felt a little defeated, as if we had fought a battle for nothing, but at least we never have to go back there again! The bad news is that now we have to try to find family members and personally ask them for the death dates. We had tried to avoid the sadness that might cause. Wish us luck!

Another assignment was to go to a neighboring town, Seaqaqa, to help a girl who barely returned from her mission the same day Sister Heitonga left. We showed her how to get online and begin her BYU Hawaii application. It was painful for her, as she does not type; but we got her started. 

Brother Petero is her Branch President, as well as a counselor in the District Presidency. He and his wife, two of the most knowledgeable people I know in Fiji, were there to support her. They have also been helping her prepare for the English Proficiency Test she took Saturday. If she passes, they will help her continue her online application. 

The main thing we need to encourage here in Fiji is English skills. All the exams are written in English, and students have to write essays for these exams in English. We have been told this is most difficult for them since many think of their essays in Fijian, and the direct translation does not bode well in English. Many seem unprepared to pass their final exams in secondary school to let them go on to University. We have set aside a time to help the youth on Friday nights just before the youth activity. One thing I tried to teach my children is that if you can tell a story, you can write it. All you have to do is put the words down on the page. Fijians tend to skip words as they speak in English. We need to help them fill in the gap to make it smooth and understandable.

We appreciate all your prayers in our behalf. We can feel them, and we know the Lord is blessing us as we try to help these people.

Thanks for all the news from home.  We love hearing from you.

Love you all!

Feb. 17, 2015

    We have been going to the little branch in Naduna for 9 weeks. Each of those weeks Rex has given both the Priesthood/Relief Society lesson and Sunday School lesson. He creates them on Powerpoint. One of our assignments here on our mission is to help encourage English literacy. We are giving these members an opportunity to do just that during our lessons. We sit in a semi-circle around the computer and take turns reading the scriptures and quotes. They seem to appreciate being involved in the lesson, and it makes me smile to see how much they have improved their reading ability by doing that one small thing.

     For the first few weeks, we also gave the Sacrament Meeting talks. One day, Rex told the 2^nd Counselor he could assign someone else to give the talks.

     He said, “Do I have authority to do that?”

     Rex replied, “Of course, just the same way you have been asking us to speak.”

     We haven’t had to give a talk since. He has assigned families to speak. It has actually gotten more people to come to church. The last few weeks, we have had about 20 there, and children have actually come so they broke off and had Primary. A 16 year old girl, Adi Arieta Belewa, conducted Primary all by herself for 3 weeks, including singing, lessons, etc. Last week the branch president’s wife was there to teach the younger children. Arieta had asked if she could have an MP3 player to help them learn the new songs. We bought her a player and loaded all the songs for the 2015 Primary Program, plus many other favorite Primary Songs. She was excited when we gave it to her. She takes all the children with their chairs off to the side in the shade of the trees, and their singing is background music for our lessons. One thing about Fiji, they sing loudly, and they all have magnificent voices, mostly a Capella! One day as we were visiting Labasa before we left for Naduna, I heard beautiful singing coming from a classroom. I thought they were playing a recording of a choir. As I passed, it was 5 young women and their leader singing the opening song. Wow! Impressive!

     Rex wrote: Sunday we got there a little early. In all the weeks we have gone to Naduna, we have never met the Branch President. His family went to his village from the last of November until the last of January to celebrate the holidays and summer break. He had come last Fast Sunday when we went to Labasa. I asked the 2^nd counselor if the Branch President was sick. He didn’t know but had heard that’s why he didn’t come the week before.  He pointed down through the trees and said, “He lives just down there. Just go down that trail, and you’ll come right to his house.” I started down the trail. It had been raining, and I hadn’t gone far before it got very steep and very slick. They had cut a few steps in the clay bank and put cut branches as the landing, but it was really wet and muddy. I was thinking, “It’s good I didn’t bring Betty through here!” The trail got steeper just before it got to a ten foot wide river. They had built a 1 ½ foot wide cement dam across the river, and with the heavy rains, the water was running 5 inches deep over it. I lifted up my Sulu a little and walked across. The bank was steep as I got in and steep as I got out. I grabbed some tree limbs to help me pull myself up the slippery bank. His house was 20 yards further. I stood outside as I had been instructed to be polite, and called, “Bula! Bula Vinaka! Is anyone home?” His wife came to the doorway and invited me in, saying that her husband was not feeling well. As I took off my shoes and came in, he rolled out of the bed and sat by me on the floor. While we visited, he painfully lifted up his t-shirt and showed me two huge boils under his left armpit. I told him I had never had any, but I knew in the Bible how painful it had been for Job to have boils. His friends had told him to curse God and die, but Job had said he wasn’t going to curse God because even if worms ate his body, he would see God in the flesh. I asked if we could have a word of prayer before I left. He invited me to say it. I asked Heavenly Father to bless him and his home and his family. I hurried back up, slipping a little on the way. When I got up, Betty took a double take and said I had mud on my Sulu. Evidently I had caught myself from falling and wiped my hands on my Sulu. I cleaned it off, and we started the lesson just a few minutes late. I felt seeing the Branch President and visiting him was doing the better part. It was good to finally meet him.

Take care everyone!

Love You!

Feb. 14, 2014

   Happy Birthday to Rose tomorrow at home!

   The last 2 days have been assisting missionaries with transfers and transportation. Thursday we picked two sisters up from the bus station. We were to drop one sister off at the sister’s flat, take the other to the airport and make sure she got her ticket, leave her in care of the zone leaders who would also be at the airport with other elders, and be home for another appointment. However, her companion wanted to go to the airport and be with her until she departed. We were at the airport visiting with all the missionaries for over three hours. We were excited, however to see Elder Gregory from Mapleton arrive on the plane. He will be our new Zone Leader. He looks good! It will be great to work with him!

   We were finally able to connect with our appointment to help a sister with the PEF. The leaders needed a complete list of her college courses with the total cost so they could approve and process her loan. She was coming here to scan it in and email it to them. She arrived dripping wet after walking a mile in the rain. When we asked for her paper to scan it, she told us she had gone to the university and asked for it, but it would cost $5 so she didn’t get it. She had come all that way, and she didn’t have anything for us to scan. When she left, we just shook our heads. Sometimes it is hard to help these people. We just keep trying.

   Later that evening we gave the sisters a ride to a lesson across town. We dropped them off and and looked for a place to turn around. There was nowhere except driving on people’s sopping wet lawns, and we didn’t want to tear them up. We kept driving down the road and were happy to find a great turnaround. On our way we saw people decorating a yard, seemingly for a big party.

   After dark, I wrote and asked the sisters if they were safely home. It was still pouring rain. The sisters usually walk, and I was concerned. They said they had just finished teaching and yes, please, we could come pick them up. When they weren’t already waiting on the roadside, and a taxi was pushing us from behind on a narrow one lane road, we decided to turn around, feeling pleased we had already scoped it out.

   The party turned out to be a religious revival. The preacher had a microphone and was “talking loud and fast.” People were lined up on the road, staying out of the deep puddles in the grass. When they saw us, they just looked at us. We sat there for a couple minutes. The people in the middle of the road reluctantly moved closer to the edge, but still stayed on the gravel out of the water. The ones already against the sides didn’t wiggle. I was scared we were going to “step on their toes.” It was really close! The preacher didn’t miss a syllable. The people were just as uncooperative after we turned around and came back. Rex had the window open and said, “Sorry…Sorry.” They just looked at us. Not every day do we get to crash a revival!

Our District Feb 2015 Rex is taking the picture.

   Friday was a day set apart as a special fast to help the missionary work in our district, but that was not all. We picked up our beloved Sister Heitonga and drove her to the airport for transfers. She had been crying off and on since Tuesday when she got the word. Labasa was her first area, and it was tearing her apart to have to leave it. She visited as many as she could to tell them “Goodbye.” Many of them cried to see her go, as did I. She was always smiling and laughing, and she had the cutest dimple. There is a steep drop off as we turn down to their flat. Rex taught her to say “Yee Haw!” with gumption each time we went over it. We will miss that. Her father wrote to her and said to feel good she left the area stronger than she found it, and that is definitely the case. She will be missed! As we sat at the airport, when I told her I would miss her smile, she said she never smiled before she came on the mission. Brother Woodward had taught her how to smile and enjoy life with all his stories and jokes and taught her how to tell jokes. Now she tries to emulate him. (My first thought was, “Oh, oh!) When he came over, I had her repeat the story of how she never smiled before the mission. With a straight face, he said, “Neither did I.” She knew him well enough to laugh again. It was hard telling her goodbye.

Sister Heitonga, we love you!

   We returned to the airport two more times to pick up a new sister and drop her off at the sisters’ flat.  I love how the sisters all bond and enjoy each other when they are together, even when they first meet-instant friends.

   We had a two hour break, which gave me time to make treats for the activity before we had to take two sisters to catch the bus to Savusavu where they would continue their trip to Taveuini. We learned to never try to catch a bus at 4 PM. Besides all the adults, hundreds of school children in uniform were waiting for buses. It was a mass of humanity. Local buses were going with full loads then coming back for more. It was like a school bus stop but in a town of 28,000 with everyone wanting to go home at the same time. It was raining. Umbrellas everywhere, and a mass of people solidly packed under any kind of shelter. Amidst all the chaos, we finally found parking, and the sisters got on their bus in time to get good seats. The good news is while everyone was at the bus stop, the restaurant was nearly empty, and we were able to break our fast.

   We had another successful youth activity last night. Most of them spent the evening outside playing volleyball or shooting baskets. They are full of excitement. A few of my friends stayed inside to play the card game golf with me. They absolutely love that game. Oliver says he thinks about it all the time during the week and can hardly wait to play it on Friday night. It is their joy.

   One of our less active fathers, a good man who used to be the branch president, promised he would come to the party with his youth, and it would be his birthday. We made cake for the treat just in case he came. He did not, but the youth loved the cake. Rex saved three pieces to take to them today.

   Our days are busy and happy. We are doing well and just trying to serve where we are needed. We love the people and our prayer is that we can make a positive difference in their lives.

   We love you all.

   Last week we were messengers unto the Chief. The Chief with the bulls whose field we cleared is also the father of a missionary who is soon coming home. When we asked if he was going to college and if he needed help, they told us to email him. The wife brought out a few letters to find his email address. We could tell by the careful way she handled them that they were her prized possessions. We communicated with him two Mondays. He asked if they were going to church. I replied “No, but we love them anyway.” He asked us to remind them of what he had told them in the Christmas call. He also said he had little correspondence with his family as they are without Internet.

   We visited the Chief and his wife after Church Sunday and delivered his message. They told us it takes three weeks for them to get a letter. We felt inspired to tell them if they would like to write a note, we would type it and send it on email and print out his reply and bring it to them. They wrote a note in Fijian. The penmanship was hard to read, and I have no idea how to read or spell in Fijian. Who knows what I actually wrote! I expressed to the missionary if I made mistakes just try to know what they meant. When we got the reply, he began by saying, “Hahahahaha!”

   He told his parents he is coming home Feb 22 instead of March when they thought. The Chief will be going to Nadi on the main Fiji island to meet him. We asked if he would be flying, and he said, “No, I will be going by boat.” I said, “You’d better get started.” He looked back a little incredulously. I smiled and said, “Just kidding.” I guess I shouldn't have tried to tease a Chief. No one believes my teasing anyway. Then Rex jumped in, “That will be a lot of paddling!” The Chief smiled.  We felt really good that we had done a service to help them prepare for the coming home of their son. They are raising a couple pigs for a big feast they will have when he arrives.

   They have been less active. We invited them to church. He said, “I will come, and I will bring my daughter.” It will be wonderful if they come.

   Love you all!

Rex wrote: Friday afternoon, after much searching, we found the registration office and had our first dealing with officials in Fiji government. We were hoping they could help find the death dates of about twelve members who were still on the branch records. It seemed better than trying to find family members and causing them anguish by asking them when their loved one died. 

   As we entered the building, there was a long line. Betty asked one of the ladies in line if this was where we could find information on when people died and showed her our list. She pointed us past the line into the next room and said just go up to someone in there and ask for help. I felt a little weird crowding ahead until I got to the next room and found it was crowded with about forty people sitting and waiting. Realizing we probably would not see anyone before closing,we walked right back out.

   We returned to the registration office bright and early Monday morning. The doors were not yet open, and only a few people were waiting ahead of us. When the doors opened, it was like the bell for the sixth grade lunch. Everyone ran to get in line. We were the exception and let others go first. Betty found a bench and sat down while I stood in line, and I mean stood. After a half hour, I had moved ahead six tiles. There was only one person at a counter asking the needs of the people lined up. After talking to them for a long time, he gave them a number. They moved on into the great and spacious room and sat down waiting for a person to help them, but there was no one at the computers for the first 45 minutes. I finally made it to the counter and explained what we wanted.  The keeper of the gate looked a lot confused, but after a ten minute discussion, he gave me a number “R5” to advance to the now great and crowded room. 

   Betty came with me, and there we waited. The front of the room was equipped with five computer stations, but only one was occupied. We now understood the impossible backlog by afternoon! We spent our time discussing more efficient strategies on their part. The winner was to hire four more people to assist and report to their stations promptly at 8 AM. That would not only meet the needs of the people, but also it would lessen the Fijian unemployment rate by four.

   Finally “R4” was called.  No one answered. “R4” was called again and still no one responded.  I stood up and said I was “R5.” Just then “R4” appeared and took his rightful place. 

   Next it was our turn. We showed our list and asked if the worker could tell us the death dates. He typed in the first name, and the screen filled with people of the same name. We only had their birthday without the year, taken off the church records. He said we would have to come back with the full birth date and parents’ names if possible. Right! We had finally gotten to the front of the line, and we were not prepared. It reminded us a little of the parable of the 10 Virgins. If we ever go back there again, we will be fully and completely ready. Asking the family for the death date doesn't seem as distasteful as before. We will keep trying before we resort to that.

    Love you all!

 Rex wrote: Roxi's little baby Titus Maverick Patten will be named and blessed in Preston. He is such a handsome, sweet baby. We are grateful so many family members are there to support them. They will try to Facetime us after the blessing to let us visit with everyone. What a wonderful day. 

     That reminds me of another day of blessings. A week ago, Sunday evening Feb. 1, we went to Siberia with the Elders and visited three homes. The first home was that of investigators. The husband was building a gym, and the Elders had helped him mix and pour most of the cement for the floor. I remembered how tired they were one day. When I asked what they had been doing, they said cement work; and I knew they had worked hard.  Then I saw the pad they had worked on. It was about an 18 X 24 foot pad almost 3/4 done. There was a pile of sand to finish, but no mixer. Then I really knew how hard they had worked. They had mixed, poured, and finished the cement in the heat of Fiji.

     The husband was busy and had a good excuse not to listen to the lesson. A ten wheeler truck had driven up the road and broken their sewer line. He was digging a septic tank hole by hand to take care of the mess until the line was fixed.  They don't have regular shovels. They are usually 3 inches wide and 15 inches or so long. While he was digging, the Elders, gave his wife a lesson on the restoration of Christ’s Church in these latter days. As we finished the lesson, we told her how cute her 1 1/2-year-old son was. She announced he was sick, and she was taking him to the doctor on Monday.  We explained a little more about the restoration and asked if she would like us to give her son a blessing.  She said, “Yes.” I was chosen to anoint and Elder Palelei sealed the anointing.

     The next home was that of a member, Brother Prasad. He is 57 and had been very active until he lost one of his legs. Ten miles to church and ten miles home on crutches was too much for him. The Elders were there to tell him that the Branch was going to use some of their budget to hire transportation once a month to pick up the people in his area and get them to church and then back home. They will actually hire a long-bedded truck with benches on each side and a tarp over the top. Going down those bumpy gravel roads will not be pleasant, but better than walking. Brother Prasad had a bad cough, and he asked for a blessing. I was chosen to give him the blessing.

     The last home we went to was a very busy less-active farmer.  He has ten milk cows, no milking machines other than his two hands, and about 45 acres of land that he works by himself, mostly without machinery. As we came in, Betty was drawn immediately to the crocheted doilies and crocheted runners that were much the same pattern her mother had made from the same cream-colored string. The husband said, “Yes, my wife is very smart.” She had decorated the home with much care.

     Brother Chetty offered us an Ice box bar. He said it was made from all natural ingredients, except the coloring, and very little sugar. Betty even ate one.  It was a very good homemade strawberry flavored ice cream bar on a stick. He served it with a bowl. That is the first time more of the bar melted then I was able to eat. So I ate some and drank more. Ice cream is so good on a hot evening.

     He has one son and one daughter.  The son is going to the university in Suva on a Topper, that means Full Ride government scholarship in veterinary science. He must be very smart. His father noted that the 10 year-old daughter is even brighter than her brother. The Elders asked if they could leave a message and were told, “Only after you eat dinner.” Sister Woodward told them that they didn’t need to go to all the work of fixing a meal, remembering the 1 ½ hours we waited for the last members to get a meal ready when they knew the sisters were coming. They said, “No, you eat. It is all ready!” The elders hadn’t told us they had been invited to eat. The three went into the kitchen and almost like magic reappeared with a full meal deal. There was rice with fish and potato soup to put on top; watermelon and papaya wedges neatly arranged on one plate; and thinly sliced tomato, cucumber, and pumpkin arranged on another. Betty noted the presentation was beautiful. Each dish was a work of art. The food was all good and all raised on their farm, except maybe the fish, and that could have been from the river.

     They have a custom in Fiji that they don’t eat with us. They just sit and visit while we eat. Actually the husband visited. The wife and daughter hardly said a word, which seems to be their role. When Betty asked them to come eat with us, Brother Chetty said, “No, this is our custom.” She couldn’t argue with that, but she still wanted to. We ate our fill and there was much left over. Hopefully we left them with some spiritual food that was just as glorious. After the lesson, we each bore our testimony. Betty talked of eternal families, which led the Elders into the purpose of their visit. The ten year old daughter has not yet been baptized, and the Elders asked if they would like her to be taught and prepared for that special blessing.

Take care, everyone!

We love you all!

Jan. 7, 2015

     Our great friends the Roths from Savusavu wrote and asked us to do a favor that they knew would be difficult. They sent specific instructions, address included, and asked if we would try to find a man who is in an old folks home and needs a new wheelchair. We were delighted when she wrote his name Roop Chand. Yes, it is our Roop we go see and play with once a week. Rex got the needed signature & stamp, and we emailed a scanned copy that very day back to the Roths and sent the original back to them yesterday with the Zone Leaders. The order had been in since August, before we got here, but it needed the extra verification before they could move on it. It will still be a while, but when the wheelchair comes, they will bring it up, and the four of us will deliver it to him. That made us smile a lot!

     Brian and those who love the gym would be impressed with the young men here. We see them playing rugby or soccer in soccer fields along the road, and most people here walk miles a day. Groups of young men, probably in their twenties, walk along the road as we drive past. They are tall and lean with perfectly toned muscles bulging on their arms and legs. They look as if they live in a gym, but it is from working hard and playing hard. I can imagine any team in the US would love to have them, but they do it all here just for fun.

     I was sick three days last week with sore throat, fever, dizziness, congestion, sneezing, and cough. Ironically, I had felt a little overwhelmed last Sunday, and Rex had given me a blessing. Even though I was sick when I woke up the next day, I must say it is the most pleasant sick I have ever known. I had the symptoms, but really not the pain or discomfort as I would have expected. It came and passed unusually easily. It was a little hard on Rex to have to stay home with me. He loves to be out and about, but he did a splendid job taking care of me. The fourth day, we drove out a couple times to take missionaries to Siberia, get the signature for Roop, and drive the Elders home.

     While I was down, Rex did go out into the yard and check on his little plants. We have had 3 meals so far from the long beans he planted just before Christmas. They are delicious.The cucumbers are getting blossoms, the tomatoes are up again. (It seems some little rodent likes to eat them,) the pumpkins plants have just popped up, and one of our banana trees has a big bunch of baby bananas coming. It is so fun to see how well things grow here in Fiji, and we don't have to worry about frost or watering them. 

     Today we were able to attend Zone Leader Training here in Labasa. It was spiritual, motivating, and uplifting. One emphasis was doubling the number of investigators the missionaries visit and creative ways to find people. Our district came up with the idea of having a juice or lemonade stand in town. They likened it to Christ and the Woman at the Well with the living water.

      Sister Harward was struggling with the heat so we broke off from the Elders and went with them to an air conditioned Chinese restaurant called the Banana Leaf. We had a good visit. They are amazing people with such energy and spark. Their testimonies radiate. When they arrived here, they hit the ground running! In their 3 weeks here, they have made an incredible difference. Besides MLS, he is a counselor in the mission presidency.

     We had just enough time when we got home today to make brownies, Facetime Brian and Chelsey, and get to the youth and young single adult activity. We had the most fantastic turnout ever. It was hard to count in the outer shadows of the field, but we guessed at least 27 youth. Dad had numerous games planned, but the bulk of the youth wanted to play basketball or volleyball (simultaneously) on the Church playground behind the buildings. Another small group was playing touch rugby off to the side. The youth organized their own pick up volleyball game where two teams played to seven, and the third team watched. After each game, the loser sat out, and the winner stayed in. The Elders loved the volleyball. They were all smiles. They even turned on the lights so they could continue playing when it got dark.

     While they were playing outside, we had table and chairs set up so a group of us could play the card game Golf inside. Seventeen year old Oliver wants to be a doctor. He told me he thinks of the game Golf all the time even at school and asks all his friends if they play it. We had a great time. Instead of keeping score, we just note who wins each hand. That way everyone gets to win, and it doesn’t matter if people are coming or going between hands.

     Later a group came in, and we played Smile if You Love Me and Situation, which Sharon had taught us. Everyone loved the brownies and the cold water, and Lily St. John brought bread with honey butter and pop. Every crumb and drop were gone. The Sister Missionaries brought three young girls who were investigators who asked if they could bring more of their friends next time. Yes, indeed.

     We took the Sisters home, and Rex and Heitonga put together a puzzle, actually a wire bookcase that had numerous parts, but no instructions nor picture. There were only a couple pieces left over.

     We love you all!

Long String Beans Rex planted and are just starting to produce.

This is what a banana blossom and baby bananas look like. Our very own from our yard.