Last week we were taught the meaning of “strict obedience.” It was a hard lesson for me to learn. Basically, it’s don’t ask for exceptions. Just live the rules as they are written. We had a situation where our Nakawakawa elders had asked the zone leaders if they could come up to Labasa on Sunday night and stay until Zone Training Meeting on Thursday. They got approval and came, but on Monday night the zone leaders called and said they needed to go back to Nakawakawa. Evidently, there is a rule that said elders can’t be out of their area that long. They would have to go on a 6 hour bumpy bus ride down on Tuesday, and come right back on a 6 hour bumpy bus ride Wednesday, costing them each $32 Fijian. The elders ran it past me, and I told them I would call the mission president. When he didn't answer the phone, I left a brief text asking for special permission for them to stay until ZTM. I got a reply text the next day that said the AP’s were working with the zone leaders on the issue. I asked the elders to let me know, but they didn’t. By the time we talked with them, they were on the bus heading home. I was a bit upset. It seemed ridiculous to me, and I felt so sorry for the elders.

Monday and Tuesday, we had been helping Pita, the group leader from Nakawakawa, get into the Family History Center to get names ready to take to the temple in Tonga when they go. We had heard there was a shortcut to Nakawakawa that had previously been was too dangerous to travel. When we asked Pita Monday, he said ongoing construction was making it better now, and it was only 2 ½ hours. He tried to describe where we would turn to take it, but we still didn’t really understand. He said he would be going home on the bus Wednesday.

Rex has taught me how to try to make a good situation out of a bad one so I came up with a plan. We asked Pita if he would like to ride down with us to show us the shortcut. We would also have some one-on-one time with him to learn more about him and the needs of the group in Nakawakawa. We would then pick up the elders and drive them back, getting to know them a little better and saving them the long bus ride. It would be a 2 1/2 hour ride rather than 6. We hoped that would make them feel better about a bad situation. It seemed like a plan that could not possibly fail.

     As we picked Pita up at 8 am, halfway to Seaqaqa, he said he had called a friend who reported that it had been raining, and the shortcut was too slippery and dangerous to take. We would have to go around the long way. That meant Rex would have to drive 8 hours straight. I wondered if we had made a mistake. Maybe it would have been better to just everyone take the bus, but at that point it was too late to change the plan.

We had a delightful 4 hour trip with Pita. We learned more of his story. He is an amazing, dedicated servant of the Lord who serves him and the members with all his might, mind and strength. He is inspiring and makes us want to be and do better.

     In Nakawakawa, we stretched our legs and visited with the Elders for a while, and then started our drive back. It was raining, and the mud was slippery. I said we needed to stop and say a prayer for safety. A few minutes later, we hit some construction where they were trying to widen and build up a narrow road. Rex was passing a big truck that had stopped in our lane. Suddenly, instead of going forward, we were skidding sideways down the steep embankment of loose mud. Out my window, I saw the solid wall of ground on the other side coming up fast. It looked as if we were going to smash into it, wrecking the side of the truck.  No one screamed. It seemed slow motioned and quiet. Suddenly, we just stopped. I asked if we should get out and try to push, but Rex just matter-of-factly put the truck in 4 wheel drive and low and drove us slowly and carefully through the deep, loose mud back onto the road. The driver of the big truck had watched the whole thing. He saw we were going to crash and no doubt was thinking he would have to pull us out, if the truck was still drivable. He just watched us with his mouth wide open as we safely made it out ourselves and drove away. We knew we had the best help ever. Our prayer was answered.

     It gave us a glimpse of how dangerous the driving conditions would have been on the 2 ½ hour shortcut with construction everywhere. Instead of sliding down a steep, loose embankment into a hard wall, we would have been sliding down over a cliff. We know we were blessed.

     Even though we had to drive 8 hours instead of 5, the trip was definitely worth it, That is the fastest, most jam-packed 8 hours driving I have ever witnessed. We had the Nakawakawa elders talk about themselves, and they kept asking questions about us. As we neared home, we expressed how we had loved the chance to get to know them; and we acknowledged that even though their having to go down and back seemed ridiculous, they had followed the rules and passed the test for obedience with an A+. Seeing our act of service in coming to get them and the miracle of our safety had washed away all their sadness. We were happy to help, and everything turned out well.

     I thought it was appropriate that in the next newsletter we received from the mission president, he had changed it from being “strictly obedient” to “exactly obedient.” This experience taught me a good lesson on how following our leaders and the rules of the mission brings us growth and happiness.

     At district meeting yesterday, I was asked to give an insight from the Book of Mormon. The section on Helaman’s Stripling Warriors has always been one of my favorites to share. I love how they trusted the teachings of their mothers, and how their great faith kept them safe as they followed the commandments. In addition to that, as I read through the section today, this scripture jumped out at me and seemed especially relevant:

     Alma 57: 21  “Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them.”

     We just got word about transfers. It will be especially hard to lose our sweet, talented Sister Kora whom we adore; and we have also loved having Elder d’Aquin here. We have just gotten to know Elder Alfonzo in his six weeks here, and I have loved listening to him play piano. Now we need to let them go onward and upward to have more glorious experiences in other areas. They will be a blessing wherever they go.

     The Gospel is true, and we love it! We love serving and helping here in Fiji.

     Take care, everyone!

     We love you!