Sourdough Waffles and Swimming!!

We decorated two small trees this year; and on Christmas Eve Day, we opted to deliver the bigger one to the Solomone Family in the downstairs flat for their Christmas.  They are leaving for Kerribati after the New Year where Brother Solomone will be the new Vice Principal; and they weren't really planning on being here for Christmas...hence, no tree.  The two boys loved it! (and we loved doing it!)

Not the traditional Collins' pull.a.part, but a sourdough waffle party with two other Senior Missionaries (the Hogges and the Wells) started our Christmas Day! Pineapple, maple, and strawberry syrups, flavored whip cream, blueberries, and jams to top our waffles, egg/bacon and cassava casserole, and juices, and lots of gabbing took up the morning.  We do enjoy these couples!

Later in the day, we joined the Christiansens and the Watlings for a trip to Pacific Harbor for swimming and dinner!





Great food and entertainment!  Elder Watling thought that the other Elders' Fish Platter Appetizers just looked awful!  And they thoroughly enjoyed it (clams, oysters, shrimp, etc)--along with two more courses! All of the food was yummmy..and nicely presented!




Not your normal Christmas Day!

"The Old People" .. Special!

Sister Limburg and Sister Newsom organized a Christmas Eve Program for "The Old Peoples Home". (That is really the name used.) The program included readings (one by Elder Collins), music (with the North Suva District of Missionaries), the Nativity, gifts, and treats.



The people that lived in the home participated in the Nativity Story. They did such a good job and LOVED doing it!

Mingling was the best part! Elder Collins found the kids :)



Special Moment in our lives! Great way to spend Christmas Eve.

Sealed for Eternity!

Our “Head of Department”, Brother Kete, and his wife and five kids, went to the temple and were sealed. It was beautiful!

We left the temple about 9:00 PM and went home, about 25 miles away, with them for a celebration dinner. It was awesome! In their living room there was no furniture, we ate in true Fijian fashion! They first brought out a mat and set in front of us, and begin filling it with food. We both proclaimed that we weren’t going to eat without them. They were concerned that we had to get home, like the young elders do. So they spread mats the length of the room, about 24’, the mats then were filled with about 30 bowls of food, probably 7 different varieties. There were only about 14 of us eating, and the food disappeared! The food was all traditional Fijian food, and eaten in the traditional manner – with fingers! We used utensils! After dinner we were given the beautiful mat we sat on – also a true Fijian tradition. Loved the entire experience.

Ward Christmas Party

A fun ward Christmas party was Friday night, December 19th.

A POT LUCK DINNER--------- always lots and lots of food!











A FUN PROGRAM---------AND A VISIT FROM THE GREATEST SANTA EVER!!  (AND SNOW!!)


As it usually goes, the little kids are so enthralled with Santa, that they don’t see into the costume at all, they just see Santa Clause! One little boy wouldn’t even come close! Others would come right up and sit on his knee and declare their goodness, and receive their gift!










Two couples raced each other "making reindeer antlers" out of balloons and panty hose...hilarious!  This is Cecelia and Luna, two young adults.  (both in our temple prep class)



Peter and Marie Housain...They were all such good sports.



Can't get enough of Santa!



Interesting Christmas Tree (reminded us of our tree in our State Street home, in Draper...lol); Sister Shereen O'costa and Willie Quang Sing were the parties best helpers!



Cute picture of our Bishop Manueli and his daughter Tiffany. She attends the college where we serve.



We are beginning to know these sweet people in our Suva 1st Ward. Christmas time!! Love it!!