The sunburn I got at our ocean spot Thursday Oct 1 was probably the most painful I have had in my life. I hadn’t even worried about getting burned since it was still morning, and we weren't going to be out there that long; but the extra hour Rex had me stand as a marker while he looked for his lost sandal put it over the top. Since we weren't even thinking sunburn, and with the fact that I hurt all the time with the tingling I have, we didn’t even realize I was burned until night time, and by then the burn was deep and going deeper. We tried about every remedy including applying and reapplying fresh Aloe Vera from our garden and using burn cream, but nothing seemed to cut it. For the next couple days, I stayed close to home, but I couldn’t lean back against anything, and even sleeping on my shoulder killed.
     Saturday, I went with Rex to help the elders, but every tiny bump on the oiled road rubbed my back against the seat, and I winced in pain. I couldn’t even think of going to Siberia with the bumpy roads there so I had Rex drop me off at the church while he took the Elders. I barely made it home. My biggest concern was that we had a 4 hour drive each way to Nakawakawa the very next day on terribly bumpy roads, two hours each way would be like driving on the gravel road to Willow Flats.. It hurt to sit. It hurt to lie down. It just plain hurt. The burning was still unbearable. I don’t know why I waited so long, but I finally asked for a blessing. Right before Rex gave the blessing, he thought maybe he should just leave me home, but he blessed that my back would not hurt at all on the trip.
     I absolutely love priesthood blessings. What power! What tender mercies we receive. It was a long trip there and back with some extra surprises Rex will write about later, but my back did not hurt at all.

This is how the sunburn looked after two days.

     Yesterday was a indeed a monster day. We woke at 4:30 AM and picked up the Laytons by 6:00. We met the Brother Harward, with two members of the district presidency, at the turnoff near Savusavu. We had to wait there for the APs who were bringing Brother Petero, the other member of the district presidency and his wife. A pig was staked out on the side of the road eating grass, and we had to take some pictures. 

Ray's family's nominations for best caption to put under this picture. (To our grandchildren Rex is known as "Grandpa Big  Bad Wolf.):Which do you like best?

*And grandpa big bad wolf said, "Little pig, little pig, where do you live?"

*The big bad wolf said, "I will call you pork chop."

*And grandpa big bad wolf said, "Do you have any brothers by chance?"

*The big bad wolf said, "If I blow your house down, can you run away when you are staked down?"

*The hungry wolf said, "If you say oink one more time, we will have a Fijian feast"

*The wolf who had awakened early in the morning said, *"Maybe you would like to come down my chimney"

*The wolf said while licking his chops, "I love grass-fed pork!"

*Then grandpa big bad wolf said, "You would go very well with garden tomatoes"

*Then one of the grandchildren of grandpa big bad wolf said, "Is there such a thing as Italian sausage in Fiji?"

Waiting for the Peteros amd the APs

     We arrived late in Nakawakawa for the meeting, but we were able to give everyone hugs and handshakes while we waited over an hour more for the rest of the transport trucks to arrive. They had invited nonmembers and people from other villages. Pita’s grandfather and aunt, and his wife’s mother were there to support them. There were over 200 people in all. All the little children sat on big mats on the floor in the front tp fit more people in.
     It was a “glorious day in Nakawakawa” as pronounced by President Layton as he proclaimed it a branch. Pita was beaming and humbled with tears in his eyes as he was sustatined as Branch President, and some other strong men we know are in his presidency. I have never seen it done before, but President Layton and the district presidency sent the whole bishopric apart in front of everyone as part of the sacrament meeting . President Layton spoke and then they asked Pita and his wife to bear their testimonies. They spoke in Fijian so we couldn’t understand, but Sister Petero told us later they talked of their conversion, the growth of the church in Nakawakawa, and their testimonies. The Spirit was there in abundance.

New Branch Presidency

This lady grabbed the bucket of flowers, sat on a chair, and asked us to take her picture

      After the meeting, was the huge feast. One lady and her husband had caught 200 fish, and she had stayed up most of the night frying them all by herself to go with the cassava, dalo, and many other Fijian dishes. They dished up the plates for the children first, then for the men. As is the custom, the women ate last. I had made four batches of brownies. They were cut into 216 small pieces.

Pita's wife & the lady who caught and fried the fish

Pita’s wife had made a totally different meal for us and the VIPs. It was chicken chop suey and beef chop suey, cole slaw, bottled water, cassava, dalo, and other nice dishes, including pint bottles of bottled water. Rex had driven Pita's family in the truck to go get that special food. Most of the rest were finished before they returned about an hour later. The brownies had all miraculously disappeared, except four pieces that hadn’t cut quite right, and saved t for Rex. He ate one, and was holding the pan when an older lady asked if she could have one. She said, “Tasty, very tasty!” Rex gave the other two away. One little boy broke it in two and shared with his friend.

We had brought some big bottles of filtered water. After the meal, I refilled our little bottle and poured filtered water into the waiting cups of youth gathered around me. One girl was especially intrigued by the big bottle. I gave it to her to keep. She carried it for the rest of the day, never setting it down. It was her special gift.

Still visiting after the dinner

  After the meal, while President Layton was training the new presidency, President Joeli Kalougata related his story to the group.  He told of the storm and the boat wreck at sea, being the only one in his family who survived. 

 Inside the church, Sister Layton visited with young girls, mostly mutual age. There was a lot of smiling and laughing. She was very good with them. We stacked the 17 chairs we had brought from Labasa, and Rex arranged them in the back of the truck. Before we left, the ones still there, posed for a picture. It had indeed been a glorious day for them and for us.

Goodbye!