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.