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!