As we visit our amazing branch members, they share their homegrown food with us. This is a Ladyfinger from Brother Salabogi.It is a tiny perfectly ripe and fruity-tasting banana.

 Rex has a green thumb here in Fiji. He is always out planting something else. We have already picked his beans and cucumbers, and more are coming. He has also planted pineapples and melons.
Tomatoes are scarce here in Fiji, except the cherry tomatoes we find sometimes in the market, and they aren't the best. The full sized tomatoes in the stores are imported, and they have absolutely no flavor. The following picture is of Rex's very tall tomato plants he planted outside from seed with many tomatoes growing. They are to be the full sized tomatoes. He can hardly wait.

Nakawakawa Painting Part 3

We took an hour lunch break. The sisters had each brought delicious food. They dished it out, making sure everyone got some of each item. It was a feast. We even added carrot sticks, cucumber, pineapple, and later passed out brownies for a treat.

She must be part Woodward. She loved pulling faces!

I would love to see her in a melodrama!

On the primer and again on the finish coat, Elder Woodward began on the roller. Each time the man in the green shirt asked, "Can I have a turn?" It was his first time painting, but he caught on quickly.and finished the rest. He is really tall. We thought we would need a ladder, that he could reach the top. He has such great control and is so strong sometimes he painted using only one arm. 

Peta's Wife, Lepania Vakalala, was so photogenic. Every time she saw me pointing at her, she posed.

One of the Elders asked Pita where he went on his mission.
 Pita replied, "This is my mission." 

Nakawakawa Painting Part 2  Miracle of the Primer

When we last visited the saints in Nakawakawa, the chapel had no walls, just uprights to support the roof. The Chapel walls are now timber they ripped into planks with chain saws. I hated to cover the natural beauty with paint, but we had to protect the outside from the heavy rainstorms.

 We fully intended to prime and paint the outside of the missionary flat and the outside and inside of the Chapel; however, we quickly saw that the primer was only half enough, and would only do the outside. It turned out to be a blessing, because I think the inside is gorgeous the way it is, and this gave us an excuse to leave it that way.

 Quite a bit of primer was spilled at first before we taught them how to fill the trays properly, and the rough timber sucked in the primer. By the time we had the last short side halfway painted, the roller trays were completely empty. As the people who were painting with brushes finished their projects, we had them dump all the paint from their containers into the trays. Then they brushed all the paint they could muster straight onto the rollers. No way did it look as if it was going to cover the remaining area.

We told the story of Elijah and how he had asked the widow to make him a cake first when all she had was enough to make one last cake before she and her son died of hunger. She faithfully obeyed, and they were blessed to make it through the drought.

I was working on getting the last of the paint out of the big 6 gallon bucket. Using my brush, I got all I could off the sides and bottom and put it into the tray. It seemed as if there was nothing more to get, but I kept brushing the bucket, then brushing the paint straight onto the roller. It seemed so little at a time, but we just kept brushing and rolling until the whole wall was covered with primer. We felt we had witnessed a miracle. I had to wipe away a few tears as I saw and felt the faith of these great people. I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who hears and answers prayers and blesses us with His tender mercies.

Nakawakawa Service Project, Painting the Chapel and Missionary Apartment Part 1
We learned Nakawakawa means POWER. How fitting and proper for this incredible area. We loved witnessing firsthand the faith of these saints.

The first three pictures will tell why I thought this needed to be painted.

Elder d'Aquin, assistant District Leader

Nakawakawa Elder Lemalu & Elder Kumar

Pita Vakalala and his wife Lepania 

Elder Kumar, our new District Leader

Sweeping the grass after the weed eater came through

Primary President with the children