Island Tour: Lautoka and North

After leaving The Garden of the Sleeping Giant, we headed for Lautoka, a town with a sugar cane plant. We stopped and visited Sister Wright, a sister missionary that was in our ward for the first three months of our mission.  We saw their church building (had to have a police lady draw us a map--very detailed), bought them drinks, talked awhile about their new area and the work.  They love it there!  (The sign for the Methodist Church is just to show how long most of their names are...)







Then we headed North along the ocean side.  We stayed at the Tanoa in the Raki Raki area that night (won't stay there again...not nearly as nice as the one in Nadi).  Our travels took us to the ocean on the Northern side of the island.





We stopped at Voli Voli Beach Resort, walked around the pathways and down to a beach front. One can go on deep sea diving and/or snorkeling trips from here; and there were kayaks to take out free if you stayed there! Not too expensive...we would like to go back and stay one day!









We headed back to Suva; and since we were very short on gas--we didn't stop too many more places. These are some of the other sites we saw along the way.










A great trip! We now know more about the island we live on!

Wailoku Falls

After our unsuccessful try to find the Wailoku Falls, I returned with a couple of the other senior elders, and successfully found them. Access to the falls is controlled by the water company. On our third trip to the company, a manager went with us, and guided us to the falls. Elder Christensen and I went for a good swim – it was nice. Couldn’t get Elder Watling (the Englishman) in the water!

"I've Gone Native!"

I’ve gone NATIVE! I now wear the sulu and sandals! Man, they are cool, in temperature and style. I have two that were given to me by Elder Tennis just before they went home. I’m going to buy at least two more. I haven’t worn it to church yet, but I will!

Missionary Christmas Dinner and Party

On Friday the 13th we were invited to attend and help feed 120 Elders and Sister Missionaries, at the Mission President's home. Ham and all the trimmings!

After dinner, we went to a ward building and had a “Talent Show,” presented by the various districts within the three zones in the immediate area. Some of them are very talented and creative! President Klingler even got involved! Sister Aiona and Sister Roko (black shirts), the Sister Missionaries that serve in our Suva 1st Ward are in the first picture singing with their district. Sister Trammel is featured here with her group (she is the grand daughter of our friends, the Cutlers, that are presently serving their mission in New York).  It is always fun to be part of the single missionaries!

Mission Conference Tour

On Dec. 6, we were invited to attend the Mission Tour Conference. Elder Pearson, of the 1st Quorum of the Seventy, and a member of the Area Presidency, was our speaker/teacher. He was great, as General Authorities usually are. We had a morning session with singing (our own Sister Aoina conducting), speakers (President Klingler and Sister Kingler, and Elder and Sister Pearson); lunch was served; and then in the afternoon, we had another session--mainly Elder Pearson as our teacher. We were well fed.







Received a hug from Sister Trammel who is now in Lami Town, here on our island instead of on the island of Taviuni.


Cream bars!! What could be better for a break!!

Family Home Evening with the Raman Family

Brother Edward Raman is the manager of the LDS College Farm; works hard; supplies us with fresh eggs, green beens, bok choy, greens, and cucumbers. Such a treat! Agriculture is one of the curriculum offered to students here. We have become good friends with Brother Raman; he invited us for Family Home Evening with his cute family. They had us participate with them in singing and answering questions about "service"; they are planning as a family to share loaves of bread to a group of needy people for Christmas. We had supper with them--full table of chicken, salads, local vegetables, fried rice, lots!

Jared and Jethro loved having their pictures taken among the plants in front of their home. Their was also a garden in front and back...tomatoes, casava, eggplant, carrots, dalo; these vegetables from their small yard supply their family and their neighborhood. He is also the Bishop in the ward in his area. She likes to work on crafts; made this cute Christmas tree from the telephone book.

Their courtship was truly arranged by our Heavenly Father--great story! After his mission, he wore a mustache for several years and was counseled to get married--nothing! Then counseled to shave off the mustache and he would find his wife (he was in his mid thirties). Finally after awhile, he shaved his mustache, believing! He traveled shortly after that to the Philippines with a friend who was getting married; walked into a hotel and saw his "wife to be"; told his friend that she was the girl he should marry (she was 32); he told her and because she firmly believed that she was to marry a worthy priesthood holder whom could take her to the temple, she trusted and traveled all the way to Fiji. They had known each other for two days! And she didn't really like anything about him (he was black, had a gold tooth, was a welder, and the list went on!) Upon arriving in Fiji, she thought his house clean and maybe... but she knew he could take her to the Temple! They were married civilly the first day she arrived; and traveled to Tonga to be married in the Temple. You had to be in the room with them as they told their story; we laughed and cried! Many more details than I have shared. They are truly blessed and are happy! How about that for having faith in what we believe?