Two weeks ago we attended church for the first time in the Seaqaqa branch. It is about a half hour to the west of Labasa. The ride there is beautiful. Labasa and its outlying area is a delta with countless fields of sugar cane and some of rice. Palm trees and flowing trees are everywhere, and everything is green and growing. We see goats, cows, sheep, and an occasional horse staked out in fields and often very close to the highway. I laugh to see a bird or two sitting on a cow’s back to get a tasty meal. It is a little disconcerting, however, when we brush by a huge bull standing almost on the highway.

     We always love visiting with President and Sister Patero. They are so knowledgeable. President Patero fills a double roll as Branch President of Seaqaqa and also counselor in the District Presidency.

     They say the two biggest problems with church attendance in Fiji are transportation and communication. Most people walk, and many members are over a two hour walk from the chapel. In fact, Nakawakawa, 4 hours away by truck, is a group that meets in its local area but is part of the Seaqaqa branch. There were fewer than 20 in attendance at Seaqaqa for the Sunday meetings. The same man gave both the Sunday School and the combined Priesthood/Relief Society lesson. The few other women were all involved in Primary or Young Women. Only one woman besides me attended with the men, and she was a visitor from another island. Even though we were few in number, the Spirit was strong, and we loved being there.

     Between the meetings, I talked with a man who had made many insightful comments. He is a young father who has moved to Seaqaqa from Nakawakawa. He was converted only 8 months ago. I asked him what we could do here to have the contagious missionary spirt that exists in Nakawakawa. He simply said the priesthood there fasts and prays every week to be strong and to find more investigators. He radiated the Spirit. He was a man like unto Pita and Kolougata who are like unto Moroni.

     Last week we went to Naduna again and showed General Conference! What a miracle that can be shown all over the world, if not in real time, on DVD. The members loved it. We have such amazing General Authorities!

     This is going to be an incredible week!

     Take care everyone!

     Love you all!

 To get off the wet ground.during a rainstorm, some of the Naduna chickens roosted 
on this old cement porch where a house use to be.

This picture shows a little how even though it is dark on the ground and lights have to be on to see, the sky is still bright blue with white or gray clouds. I love this about Fiji.

Rex's Tirade April 2015: 

     When I came to Fiji, I was told I had to wait 6 months before I could get a Fijian driver’s license. At the March Zone Conference, Elder Smith showed me his new Fijian license. He came out the same time we did and served on the island of Taveuni. He had read through the driving manual and went in just before noon to take his tests and get his license. Just as he started talking to the official, a worker handed the official a sack of hot food. The man looked at his lunch and then at Elder Smith and said, “Did you drive here?” Elder Smith acknowledged he had. The official hurried and filled out all the paper work and said, “Here, go get your license,” and he started eating his food.

The day after the March Zone Conference, we had awakened at 4 AM to take three Elders to Savusavu to catch a bus. We had to turn around and come right home. We were just three miles from our flat when Betty, thinking about trying to drive, asked me if the pedals on the truck were in the same location as at home. It came out of nowhere and short-circuited my brain, and I had to look down at my feet to tell her that the answer was, yes. When I looked back up, I saw cones in the middle of the road and a car pulled off the road.  It was a speed trap.  A policeman signaled for me to pull over. He came to the window and showed me his radar gun. While I was looking down, I had missed a decreased speed sign. We were going 73k/hour in a 60k/hour zone.  (In other words, we were going 44 mph when we should have been going 36 mph.) He gave me my first Fijian ticket and hopefully my last. The officer asked how long I had been in Fiji, and I said five months. He said, “You have only one more month to get your license.” I had been told wrong. I guess the ticket was a blessing in disguise, and the fine was only $25 Fijian or $12.50 US, but still getting a ticket makes me feel sick. The only way to feel better is to pay it. It is like repentance. The officer said to pay the ticket in the office building across from the New World grocery store. On Monday we went to pay.  We found the city office building by New World and stood in line where people were paying their bills.  When I finally got to the front of the line, I handed the teller my ticket and the correct amount of money. He handed it all back and said, “This is not where you pay traffic tickets.”

I asked, “Where do you pay?’

He said, “In the police station behind the post office.” We went on the other side of New World to the Post Office and asked where the police station was.  A man said his relative worked there and escorted us to the place. This time before I handed anyone the ticket and the money, I asked, “Is this where you pay traffic tickets?

The answer was, “No!”

I questioned, “Where do we go to pay?”

The answer was, “At the courthouse across the river by the hospital.”

We drove to the courthouse.  As we got out of the truck, I saw a man in a long black robe carrying a white wig. At first I thought he was a preacher, and then I remembered the old English judges and lawyers from the movies who wore wigs like George Washington.  Since Fiji used to be under English rule, they had carried on the tradition. That was like going back in time. Cool for a history teacher.

We went into the courthouse to the payment desk. I showed the ticket and asked, “Is this where you pay traffic tickets?” She said, “No.”

I just started laughing.  Seriously?  How many places could they send us and still be the wrong place? I had made one little mistake and now I had confessed it all over town.

When we questioned her again, she said, “No, your ticket has not been processed. It takes 21 days to process a ticket. Wait 21 days and then come back.”

Betty jumped in, “If we wait 21 days, the ticket says we have to go to court. We don’t want to go to court. We just want to pay the fine.”

Hearing this, she said to go to the LTA, the Land Transit Authority, behind the Post Office. (We had been close.)

This time we paid for parking so we could be close.  Our feet were getting sore from walking.  When we got there, the LTA was closed. They were gone for 1 ½ hour lunch.  We had missed them by 5 minutes.  We just shook our heads and said, “Let’s go eat.”  

At least we had found the right place.  We went back another day and paid the fine without any problem except it took 20 minutes, and we were first in line. I had finally paid my debt to the Fijian government, and my repentance was complete.

We had learned this lesson the hard way: Don’t ask regular Fijians where to pay a traffic ticket.  Unless they’re taxi drivers, they don’t drive; and they have no idea.

While we were paying the ticket, we bought a driving manual to learn the rules of the road.  They have their own terminology. They say “over take” a vehicle instead of pass. They say “carriage-way” instead of highway.  Their signs are different. Luckily, most of them have obvious pictures on them. I studied for the oral test and read what they watch for in the driving test. But nothing prepared me for the real thing.

My brother, Bill, took the driving test in England several times, but they always found some nitpicky thing and flunked him every time. He never got a license, and I had that fear in the back of my mind. “What if I don’t pass? What if I can’t drive?”

What I had to go through was nothing like Elder Smith described.  While Betty stayed in the truck, I stood in many long lines to make an appointment to take the test. I filled out the paperwork, I got pictures, and my TIN (Tax Identification Number). While I waited for my turn to take the test, I talked to a lady who had a son in California. She was getting her license so she could drive in the USA.  We had fun talking of the driving differences in the two countries.

A man called me into his office. He was very stern and business like. (He talked just like a tech support person from India we had spoken to at home. “Hello, my son. Is there anything in life you want knowing about?”) When he asked a question for the oral test, I had to translate it into American English and then answer in Fijian road manual English. I had to get 27 right out of thirty to pass. I passed. I knew all the signs except one. I was excited when he pointed to the upside-down triangle with the exclamation mark I knew meant other danger. The sign I didn’t know was a round red sign with a white blank horizontal rectangle in the middle. I had no idea. (As we were driving home from the test, I saw one. They had deleted the words “No Entry” from the rectangle. If they had left the words in, I would have known it. )

During the driving test, I had more trouble understanding what he was asking.  He had me pull off the road on a hill.  I thought he wanted me to show him how to park on a hill, and I made sure I did everything correctly. That was not what he wanted. He had me drive a little farther and stop on another hill.  This time I understood and was able to stop and then start on a hill without rolling back. I did a three-point turn in the middle of the road and headed back to the LTA office. Near the top of one hill, there was a traffic cone blocking the middle of my lane. The road was narrow with a double white line in the middle and a big drop off on the left. I pulled up to it, not remembering anything in the book that described this situation. I thought, “This is my Billy moment.” I chose to cross the double white lines and pass it on the right.  (My other thought had been to pull off the road and move the cone.) As I pulled back into the left lane, I was afraid I had made the wrong choice, but the LTA officer said, “That’s a stupid place for a cone!”  I felt a wave of relief. I had thought it was part of the test.

When we got back to the office, the officer sternly said, “Follow me,” and went up the stairs into the building. The lady I had made friends with asked, “Did you pass?” I didn’t know but I said, “Well, we made it back alive.”

In the office, he started writing on a small piece a paper. He made checks, marks, wrote dates, signed his name and handed me the paper saying, “Go get your license.” We drove to town and had sweet and sour to celebrate.

I told you I was competent! At least Fiji thinks so!

A few days later we went to the LTA to get the license. At least we knew where it was. We went early so they would not be out to lunch. There were some people ahead of as so Betty sat down, and I got in line.  Twenty minutes later, the lines had not moved. Five minutes after that a man came in and crowded in front of me in the nonmoving line. After what seemed like an hour, I got to the teller window. I handed my Certificate of Competency.  The lady looked at it for a while, checked on her computer to verify it and asked for my TIN number, then my passport.  I do not have my passport on me. They kept the original in the mission home. I gave her a printed copy of the passport. She asked for another form of ID with a picture on it. I looked in my zippered pouch where I always keep my Idaho drivers license. It wasn’t there. I looked again, still not there. I looked in my wallet. Not there. I had had it at the driving test. I had shown it there. I looked in my pouch again. Not there. I looked in my wallet. Not there. I felt panic flowing across my body. I had lost my Idaho drivers license. (On my first day in Fiji I had lost a Credit Card. I had almost lost the other one in a store but Betty saw me drop it when I thought I had put it in my pouch.) The lady demanded, “Sir you need a picture ID!”

Betty sensed my impending melt down. I was inches away from getting my Fiji license, and now it was not going to happen. Betty said, “Let me look.” She took my wallet, found it, and handed it to me. My license had been hiding with the Monopoly-colored money. I had evidently put it there at the driving test to make it handy because they kept asking to see it.

I paid the lady and got my license. I told her thanks. She gave me back my license, and I started to put all my stuff away. I told her she had not given me back my copy of the passport. She said she had. I sat down by Betty and went through my stuff, no passport. I asked the lady again and she said she gave it back. I looked again. Betty looked with me. I had both licenses but no copy of my passport. Betty showed the lady her passport copy and said, “It looks like this.” She left and came back with the passport. Yeah! Done at last! Done at last! Done at last!

Betty never wanted to drive here, and now it is confirmed. She is not even going to try for a Fijian license. If for some reason I can’t drive, we will pay for a taxi!

Church in Seaqaqa

Last week April 19, we attended church for the first time in the Seaqaqa branch. It is about a half hour to the west of Labasa. The ride there is beautiful. Labasa and its outlying area is a delta with countless fields of sugar cane and some of rice. Palm trees and flowing trees are everywhere, and everything is green and growing. We see goats, cows, sheep, and an occasional horse staked out in fields and often very close to the highway. I laugh to see a bird or two sitting on a cow’s back to get a tasty meal. It is a little disconcerting, however, when we brush by a huge bull standing almost on the highway.

We always love visiting with President and Sister Patero. They are so knowledgeable. President Patero fills a double roll as Branch President of Seaqaqa and also counselor in the District Presidency.

They say the two biggest problems with church attendance in Fiji are transportation and communication. Most people walk, and many members are over a two hour walk from the chapel. In fact, Nakawakawa, 4 hours away by truck, is a group that meets in its local area but is part of the Seaqaqa branch. There were fewer than 20 in attendance at Seaqaqa for the Sunday meetings. The same man gave both the Sunday School and the combined Priesthood/Relief Society lesson. The few other women were all involved in Primary or Young Women. Only one woman besides me attended with the men, and she was a visitor from another island. Even though we were few in number, the Spirit was strong, and we loved being there.

Between the meetings, I talked with a man who had made many insightful comments. He is a young father who has moved to Seaqaqa from Nakawakawa. He was converted only 8 months ago. I asked him what we could do here to have the contagious missionary spirt that exists in Nakawakawa. He simply said the priesthood there fasts and prays every week to be strong and to find more investigators. He radiated the Spirit. He was a man like unto Pita and Kolougata who are like unto Moroni.

The night after his granddaughter was confirmed, Brother Salabogi invited us to come for Family Home Evening at their home. He wanted Rex to talk to his sons on why they should come to church. They a currently coming only once a month if even that much. We are trying to help Brother Salabogi’s community get a water tank, and he looks up to and respects Elder Woodward. Their home sits on a hill and seems to be its own hidden paradise. The air seems cleaner. The stars are brighter. The Spirit in the home is strong and peaceful.  We always feel welcome there.

For Family Home Evening, Rex gave a lesson on keeping the Sabbath Day Holy, on the importance of attending church and honoring the Lord on His special day, and how partaking of the sacrament helps us remember the Savior, renews our baptismal covenants, and is a way of being forgiving of our sins. He showed a short video expressing why we should go to church each week and how incredible it is that we are made clean each week as we partake of the sacrament.  After the lesson, they served lemonade and lemon pie made for the lemons they grow.

We played the bomb game with them. They loved it and laughed when the bomb exploded on me three times in a row. Next we taught them the game Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They had never played it before. They missed almost every other time a name or number was said. They laughed so hard. Josefa was having a laugh attack. He was literally rolling on the floor for five minutes before we could go on. They got better as we went on, laughing each time someone missed. They loved having us there and didn't want us to leave. Brother Salabogi said he wanted us to come back again. It was a wonderful evening.

Rex Wrote: We were called by President Patero of the District Presidency to find a family who had moved from Seaqaqa to Labasa. He said the father worked on a big farm near the Labasa Airport. On Thursday, April 16^th we took Sister Kumar with us to find this family. She is fluent in Fajian and Hindi, and she would talk to the people for us. 

The directions Patero gave us were to drive past the airport road and go to the right on the first big road. Then drive for a while and there would be a big sign with the name on it.  The problems started as we passed the airport and left the paved roads. There were lots of roads going to the right, but all small.  We took the one that looked the largest and followed it until we saw a person.  Sister Kumar asked if he knew the family or the farm.  They didn’t know the family, and he said that the name the family had given us was not the name of the farm, but was the name of the whole area such as Franklin.  We drove many a strange path, and Sister Kumar asked many a farmer.  They all pointed to another place farther down the road to ask someone else. We went down one road that was less traveled.  It was a grassy lane that obviously had not been used by a car or truck in over a year. We found a sweet family at the end of the trail.  They tried to help, but they didn't know the family.  A five-year-old girl came out to the truck with her mother to visit. I asked Betty if she had any Smarties to give the little princess.  She had taken them out of her bag when we went to Suva, but she did have a beautiful red apple.  She gave the little girl the apple, and she bounced and skipped back to the house.  I would be very surprised if she had ever had an apple before in her life. The father and grandfather didn't know the family, but they directed us to the Sector Office where they sign up workers to cut sugar cane. By this time, we had already been looking for three hours. When we saw the sign on the office door saying it was closed for lunch and would not reopen for an hour and a half, we went home.

We had to look on the bright side. We were successful in that we found a lot of places where the family didn't live, and we made one little girl very happy. 

Do something that will make you happy today!

Love you!

As we were driving the other day, a "Mobile Home" passed us. 

We stopped as soon as we could to take a picture. The house behind the truck is not on the side of the road. It is on the road. It is loaded on a flatbed trailer and is being driven down the highway. The white truck behind it with barrels in the back is a warning.for extra wide load.

Our very own bananas growing on our banana tree, from blossom to harvest.

 Feb 4- April 21, 2015

Banana blossom with  baby finger-sized bananas

 More layers growing

 More layers, getting bigger

 Gorgeous Bananas with blossom cut off so they could mature!

 Something started eating the bananas. Fearing it was fruit bats, Rex covered them with a sheet; but something climbed up from the bottom and kept eating our sweet bananas. Rex cut them down still green and brought them into the house. We are sharing them.

Our banana harvest minus about 7 already eaten by us & critters.We were intrigued watching them grow. Every day, as we backed out of the yard, I would yell in honor of my father, "Good Morning, Bananas! Blow your tops off!,"

During church Sunday, April 12, Brother Narayan asked Rex to go to the hospital that evening at 6 PM and give his wife a blessing. She was very sick with low blood pressure. It was our first time at the hospital. Instead of describing it, I’ll just quote Rex, “Let’s not get sick. I don’t want to come here.”

   We thought Brother Narayan would be there to greet us, but he wasn't even there. We just kept navigating different wings and asking people for directions. It didn't help that she was admitted under her maiden name. “Narayan” wasn't even on their list. We were looking at the numbers above the doors, but nothing matched. Finally we found her, not that we found “Bed 14” in the Women’s wing, as her husband had described, but that she had seen us and was sitting up and waving at us. She was in the back corner of a room with five other women. A tiny sign above her head said, “Bed 14.”

   We had a nice visit with her. The IV has helped, and she was feeling a little better. Rex gave her a beautiful blessing. The Spirit was strong.

   On our way out of the hospital, we saw Marica’s daughter-in-law who had helped with the branch luncheon. She and her husband were waiting to be admitted. They told us their baby was going to be born. That was exciting, but we couldn't help think how disappointed the Sister Missionaries would be that she wouldn't be baptized the next Saturday as planned. They thought they could make it happen before the baby came. They had just cut it too close. Rex had warned them, “Babies come when babies come.”

   We left the next day for the Retreat in Suva. When we got home, we asked about the baby. Tima had stayed in the hospital for 2 days before all contractions stopped, and they sent her home. On Thursday, the sisters asked me to type the program for the baptism. I was surprised when Tima’s name was still on it, but they had no doubt it would happen. I must admit that I waited until the hour before the baptism to print out the program, but Saturday, April 18, we had 2 baptisms. One was Brother Salabogi’s granddaughter Vaseva Disele Maroci baptized by her uncle Josepa Salabogi, and the other was Tima Nawaqavolau baptized by her husband Asaeli Nawaqavolau.

   Tima was radiant! She bore a fervent testimony after the baptism! She had to cry a little as she told how in the hospital she had prayed, and she knew that she was to be baptized before the baby came. I was blown away by her faith and the faith of the Sisters. It was a very special day. The baby is due today. We pray that she and her baby will be healthy and strong.

   We hope everyone is well and happy at home. We are well and happy here!

   Love you all!

Sister Kora, Tima, Josepa, Vaseva, Asaeli, Sister Eneri.
Behind them is our baptismal font -
outside between the church buildings in what I call the quad .

Brother and Sister Salabogi and daughter joined the group. 

When the mission office staff talked of taking us on a river trip during our Senior Missionary Retreat in Suva April 13-5, 2015, we were excited! However, when we saw the final itinerary, it was a day and a half of solid classes and training. That did not sound fun at all. We changed our minds, though when we got there. 

They had us staying in a 5 star hotel on the ocean’s edge. The view was breathtaking. 

Sunrise view taken from our Novotel hotel room window

Our retreat began with a lovely dinner with President and Sister Layton and all the Senior MLS Missionaries at the Novotel Hotel. It was Sister Harward’s 70^th birthday. At the end of the delicious meal, a group came with a mandolin and sang Happy Birthday and brought one of the biggest birthday cakes I’ve ever seen. It was bigger than a sheet cake, three layers high, encased in thin chocolate sheets half again as tall as the cake, decorated with more chocolate and maraschino cherries. Sister Harward was so excited. I loved watching her smile from ear to ear as she relished the food and enjoyed every moment. It’s a birthday she will never forget.

After dinner, we stayed in the lounge and visited with the Smiths until 10 PM. They have been transferred from Taveuni to the main island. We took advantage of the time together since we might never see them again. They are new to the city, and they always wanted us to be their passengers in downtown busy Suva because, even though we got lost a couple times, we always ended up where we were supposed to be. He circled the roundabout a couple times, not just to have fun, as Rex does, but to decide which road to take. Rex loved it.

Rex and I went for a refreshing swim early both mornings before breakfast at the hotel. It was fun looking up at the clouds as they swirled and moved. At one point, the dark clouds were moving one way, and the fluffy white clouds were moving the other. We saw two huge birds like black ibis weighing down the prawns of the palm trees as they pruned themselves.

Ready for the day after a glorious swim

If our sons were judging the vacation by the food, it was an over the top success. I think I gained 5 pounds. We had a fancy all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet at the Hotel each morning. During the training, there were always treats and water on the conference table. The first day lunch was at the Mission Home with perfect chicken salad sandwiches on croissants, served with fruits, and lemon bars. Dinner was at a café the Laytons love. We filled a long row of tables and were having so much fun visiting that the hour and a half wait for the food didn’t seem so long. We both had tenderloin steak and French fries. The last day, the Laytons had fruit and muffins for a break, and lunch was taco soup, salad, homemade bread sticks, and Rocky Road Brownies. Rex loved them. The Laytons were the perfect host and hostess. Besides the training, they wanted to show their love and appreciation. We definitely felt loved and pampered.

Dinner with all the Senior Couples & President & Sister Layton

 In a garage between the Mission home and the Suva Temple, which is being renovated, behind a blue tarp, are the 12 oxen that hold up the baptismal font, plus chandeliers, etc. from the temple. While we were waiting for training to start, we asked permission from a construction worker to see them. It turns out he is the head of construction of the Suva Temple. His name is Bill Naylor from Midway. We told him our son works in Midway for the Local Book. Brother Naylor is a huge Family History buff and works with people to make family connections.  I also told him we were related to the Mahoneys in Heber, and that we are all related to Isaac Morley from early Church History. Brother Naylor took us to his flat, introduced us to his wife, and gave us a booklet.  He had also helped build the Winter Quarters Temple, and he and his wife served in Winter Quarters. He found that five sister missionaries who served there were all related through Isaac Morley.  He knows exactly where Lucy Gunn, wife of Isaac Morley, is buried. I have seen the huge plaque in the Winter Quarters Memorial Cemetery with her name close to the top. We felt honored to meet him and his wife. 

Suva Temple under renovation

Suva Temple under renovation at night

Back Row: Woodwards, Vermeerens, Smiths, Tanners,
Front Row: Mission Presidency - Vuatakis, Laytons, Harwoods

During the Senior Missionary Retreat, we had amazing speakers and learned many details that will help us in every area of our mission.  

In his mission newsletter, President Layton summed up the training better than I ever could:  "This past week we enjoyed a wonderful seminar with our Member and Leader Support (MLS) senior missionaries at the mission home. We talked about their role with the Young Single Adults, recent converts and returning members, helping individuals prepare for the temple, education, and other areas they offer support in. They all mentioned how much they enjoy their relationship with each of the missionaries they work with. We are so blessed to have the senior couples in our mission."

That was sweet. I'm not going to include all the training details. I have them elsewhere, but I do want to include the following from my notes: Resist becoming overwhelmed and reverting to natural man. Make it simple and know with the Lord’s help, we can do it. It is His work. Miracles are happening on a daily basis. Let go of our wanting to be in control and let the Lord direct us. What is Thy will? I will work hard today. Please guide me. Put the thoughts in my mind. Let me have the faith to make it happen. Let go. Soar. Let Him be the wind beneath my wings. Look back and see what a great experience we are having. I feel closer to God than I ever have before. We are mentoring the next generation to rise to where the Lord has helped us grow to be.

Besides the good training, we learned a few other things:

• I loved this: “God created Fiji on His happiest day!”
• The Oakland Temple is a beacon of light to ships.
• Brother and Sister Tanner are in CES working with 8 Seminaries and Institutes. Before their mission they lived in Washington, and Sister Tanner traveled to Salt Lake to escort one of her seminary students to the temple. She forgot her recommend, and as she was crying and talking with the temple presidency, they told her that they would issue her a new recommend. They said, “You reek of righteousness.” I could see what they meant. She and her husband radiate the Spirit. She is always smiling and happy. She is related to Dotty Casperson in Preston. Her father is a brother to Owen. I told her Dotty was one of my mother’s closest friends.

• As Sister Layton spoke to us, she told us she looked at the calendar that morning and noted the date. She and President Layton were with their two granddaughters at the finish line of the Boston Marathon April 15, 2013 when the first bomb went off, then the second, blowing the fronts off two buildings. They scooped the girls into their arms and started running with the crowd. They were doing everything they could to protect their little ones, fearing that more buildings might explode as they passed. It was the 2^nd anniversary of that frightening experience. 
• We are blessed that they are our leaders. They taught us, pampered us, and showed us all the love in the world!

We are armed with more knowledge and now it’s Ready, Get Set, GO!

Love you all!

From back deck of Mission Home
View of Ocean - the dark blue strip between the trees and the sky

At the end of the very long day going back and forth to the airport for transfers & getting the Conference DVDs, Rex played with the youth before the activity, and I went to the chapel to play the piano and relax. (I can play a little with one finger.)

Marica (pronounced Maritha), Cicilia, and Sister Latianara came in, and we visited for a while. They had come to clean the church to prepare for the Branch Conference Priesthood Meeting the next morning. I helped them stack chairs and sweep floors with a Fajian broom. Marica is the Young Women’s President and director over all the seminaries & institutes in the area, and she has just been called to teach the Temple Prep Class. I feel a real kinship with this lady. She is the sister-in-law of President Joeli Kalougata, the one Rex said is a combination of Nephi, Moroni, and the Stripling Warriors. He is a counselor in the District Presidency, and he called to ask her to make a luncheon for all those attending priesthood meeting. The Relief Society President was in Nadi, and her counselors were too busy. She has a lot on her shoulders.

To top it off, someone had thrown most of a roll of tissue in a toilet & plugged it; and after a week, it looked worse than an outhouse at Willow Flats. When I saw it and mentioned it to the Sisters, they said Marica was coming back with supplies to clean it Saturday morning. I just shook my head. She didn't need that, too! I knew I should do it for her, but I hate cleaning toilets even when they aren't disgusting. I fought it; but on the way home, I told Rex we had no choice. I plotted all night to get a good plan of attack and woke up smiling and ready to go. We went early so no one would see us and no one would ever know who did it. Rex said I was giddy as we drove to the church. While I cleaned the bathroom, Rex raked the grass and then came and cleaned the sinks for me. It was crazy, but I felt it was one of the best service projects I had ever done, and I didn't even get my hands dirty. We drove home feeling like the elves surprising the shoemaker, but we didn't get caught.

We rushed home and got changed, picked up the Harwards from Ascos where their truck was being serviced, and got back to the church in time to visit with the leaders before Marica came. I had a great visit with President Joeli Kalougata.

The church has no cupboards and nothing is left there for fear it will be stolen. When Marica brought all the food, she asked if we had plates…. We quickly realized she needed about everything except a knife and grater. 

We raced home and gathered all the supplies as if we were in charge of a luncheon, including tablecloths. Rex was a little late for Priesthood meeting, but he said it was okay. It was mostly in Fajian anyway. 

Sister Marica had planned well. Tima, her daughter-in-law whose baby is due April 23, came to help her.

The food was fantastic -cut up fruits - bananas, oranges, watermelon; an orange drink with the passion fruit she had grown; cookies; and two kinds of sandwiches- boiled eggs shredded with finely grated carrots, and tuna with chopped onions and shredded carrots. We were making sandwiches forever. I asked if we should put some of the filling in the fridge for the next day after meeting, but she assured me that all the sandwiches would be eaten. 

By the time the brethren came to eat, everything was perfectly prepared and beautifully presented. They loved the food. 

Afterwards, Marica said, “I told you they would eat all the sandwiches!” She was right. She had pulled it off. It was incredible.

We helped clean up the kitchen and got our supplies into the truck. We were exhausted, but Marica stayed to make beautiful fresh flower arrangements for Branch Conference and to clean the church again before the Sunday meetings. I am in awe of her.

Take care everyone!

We love you!

Another Fiji First: We love to watch as mongooses (Shouldn’t they be called mongeese?) run across the road. We have never seen one yet as road kill. Now we know why. We were sitting at our intersection waiting to get onto the main highway. The traffic was thick coming from each direction at 25 mph. I saw a mongoose shoot across the grass and not even pause as it ran full bore into the road and right in front of the back wheel of a car. I didn’t even have time to look away before the tire would crush it. I couldn’t believe what happened next. As if by magic, the mongoose recoiled, waited for the tire to pass, and ran on across the road. I had heard a mongoose is quick enough to dodge the strikes of a cobra and indeed kill the snake, but I got to witness it firsthand. When I told Rex about it, he teased, “Did you get it on video?” I laughed and said, “Right! I was lucky to see it myself let alone get a camera out.” He knew.

Love you all!

Every transfer, we assist in picking people up for the airport and putting them on a bus or picking them up at the bus station and taking them to the airport. It usually takes most of two days to get it all done. It is always a pleasure meeting these young missionaries who are leaving home, friends, and family to serve the Lord. Friday, April 10 was especially busy. We got up at 5:30 am to make brownies for the youth activity. We picked the sister up at 7:20 and stayed with her until she got on the plane an hour later. We returned at 10:30 to pick up two more sisters. We had to have them in town for the bus that left at 10:30. We sacrificed and treated them to a relaxing lunch at the Chinese Restaurant. Then put them on the bus.

We borrowed the church key and took 9 big bottles into the Church fridge to get cold for the youth activity. That is their special treat.

We got a call from Suva asking us to go back to the airport to pick up Conference DVDs to be distributed to all the many branches and groups in the district spread all across our island, Taveuni, and Rabi. We raced back to the airport to pick them up. As we were driving, our zone leader Elder Peary called and said he was still waiting in Labasa with all the elders involved in transfers and please let them know when we got them.

Rex wrote: When we got close, I said, “The last flight left a half hour ago. They’re going to be closed down. We’ll be lucky if they’re still open.”

As we drove in, the gate was open, but the airport doors were barred shut and only two vehicles remained. Our special airport security guard was walking towards his car to leave. I ran to him and said, “I’ve got a package that was sent. Is there any way I can still get it.” He said, “Sure, come over here.” He took me over to the yellow van. They opened up the back and handed me the package with Elder Woodward in big red letters. I thanked them profusely. I felt it was a tender mercy that we are such good friends with the security guard.

We met Elder Peary back at the Labasa church. He took all the DVDs but Labasa, Naduna, and Seaqaqa. There was a whole stack of them. It was an act of sacrifice on their part to wait for them before they headed across the island; but it would make it easy, as Elders were here from every single area. They could take them home to view without having to drive extra miles over bumpy roads or send them by boat.

We raced home, picked up the brownies, balls, etc. and hurried back to the youth activity which took the rest of the evening. It had been a full and fulfilling day.

Love you all!

When we saw the two signs together, we wondered why they would be warning of a single lane bridge and a railroad track together. 

It all made sense when we saw it --The first single lane bridge we have seen that accommodates pedestrians, animals, vehicles, and trains. Only in Fiji!

April 13, 2015
Rex picked our first banana off our tree today. We wanted to share.

We love you all. We are flying to Suva for two days of training. 

I know more now than ever that the Gospel is true, and I love it with all my heart. I am ever grateful for Joseph Smith for having the courage, strength, and dedication to restore the church and give us the Book of Mormon. I am grateful for living prophets and for the gift of personal revelation.  I love my Savior who set the perfect example for me and suffered and died for my sins. I know because of His ultimate sacrifice that if I can live a pleasing life unto Him, our family will be together forever. I am grateful for a loving, caring husband who is indeed my eternal companion. I am grateful for loving friends and family who love and support me. I can feel your prayers as the Lord strengthens me to do this great.work.

 

We are happy and well and loving the people of Fiji.

Have fun and take care!

We love you!

Bite sized banana. Rex said the others aren't quite as big.

 We met the Roths to talk with Brother Salabogi about helping his neighbors get a water tank. He is part of a group of about 8 families in Karim Point, Siberia, with 44 people. Seven of the houses are fairly close together. Most are on the public water system, but 2 homes are each only on a well. During the dry season - May through September - the well is usually dry, and they have no water. They wash their clothes in the river and come to this member’s house to get drinking water. He always shares unless his public water is gone, too, which happens during high usage before and after school. His water bill gets really high, but he never charges them. He is hoping they can have access to a water tank to fill their needs that they may be more independent.  I had a good visit with a neighbor in his little secluded tropical paradise while they walked down to see the well. They were not impressed. They visited with some of the other neighbors, and the Roths believe a water tank would be a good solution. We will help submit a written application and see how it goes.

After the visit, we treated the Roths to lunch at the Chinese Restaurant where we eat once or twice a week. A Chinese couple owns the restaurant. They don’t speak much English. When we first came, the wife was always solemn and cross, almost to the point of wanting to throw something or someone. She never smiled, and the waitresses complained about her bad attitude. It seemed to help when we spent $300 ($150 American) there for the food for Zone Conference and that we smile when we come in and thank them profusely every time as we pay after the meal. Now whenever she sees us, she is all smiles. I love that we could help change her countenance and make her happy.

     Sister Eneri and Sister Kora were invited to the Narayan’s for Family Home Evening and dinner. We had the pleasure of driving them. The wife and Sister Eneri are both from Christmas Island. They had a blast talking to each other in their native language. We had a lesson on Christ as the Good Shepherd. Afterwards each of us bore our testimony. We played the Bomb game going around the circle the first round saying what we were thankful for. Then we named kinds of trees, and finally people from the Book of Mormon. We had dinner, and as with the Chetty’s, I invited them to eat with us as a family. They graciously accepted, and we ate together. She is a great cook. After dinner, Rex pulled out the Toss Up game and helped Brother Narayan, his daughter Jessica, and his brother play. (The brother is mentally handicapped. Many have insisted that Brother Narayan put him in the home with Roop and the others, but he is devoted and will care for his brother as long as he can.) They all loved the game. It makes us feel good to see someone play and enjoy who probably seldom gets to play games. It was a good night. As we walked back to the truck, we were greeted with a full moon and a sky full of glorious stars.

Have fun everyone!

Love you!