Two Tickets To Paradise for Peela & Papa

May 25, 2015

FINAL BLOG FROM THE MOST AMAZING EXPERIENCE EVER

Before we leave Fiji, we wanted to take a few pictures of some of our favorite people and places and sites that we loved so much while serving here. We will never forget the people, foods, places, smells, sounds and sites that we grew to love over these past 18 months. Here are some of them.

This is Jr. who Elder Peterson took tennis lessons from at USP. He has been a blessing for Elder Peterson and has kept him in great shape.

This is Lee at the bread shop. We bought 100's of bun loaves from her to feed the 10,000's at the institute. When we first met her she wasn't very friendly and wouldn't talk to us much, but over the 18 months, we became very good friends. She even shed a few tears when we said goodbye to her.

We will miss this bread shop and our friend Lee.

Standing on the front porch of the YSA institute, our home away from home.

This is Liki Liki at the little fruit stand that we always went to.

Wahleys Meat shop where we bought all our beef. The only place to buy roasts for Sunday dinner.

The out side of Wahleys Meat Shop

We spent tons of money and time here at Cost-U-Less. It was the only place we could buy a lot of the American items that we used for baking treats and preparing lunches for the YSA's. The locals call it Cost-U-More because it is very expensive.

Inside Cost-U-Less

Elder Peterson and I swam here at this swimming pool 3 times a week to help keep us in shape. It worked for him, but not so much for me.

Shami and Avinish are our landlords. We love them so much. They took us out to a wonderful Indiann restaurant for our farewell dinner. We will truly miss them.

This adult playground equipment is in the park along the sea wall that I would go walking in. I love this beautiful part.

Rubbish bins along the walk. Fiji has some pretty artistic rubbish bins.

other fun sites along the sea wall path.

Don't think we will miss these crazy buses.

Yes, we frequented these little ATM's almost daily. Fiji is run by CASH.

We were so blessed to be members of the Tamavua Ward. We loved the members there and they gave us a wonderful and thoughtful farewell dinner and party. There are some of the youth and YSA's of the ward.

We ate, played fun games and even danced a little. Elder Peterson was lucky enough to get his lips (face) painted by a cute little boy with a blindfold on. Such a good sport.

Our YSA's were so amazing the last week we were in Fiji. They farewelled us for a whole week. We received gifts, letters, flags and sulus. Here are a few pictures of the last few activities before went home.

David and Chelsea sitting at my desk.

Sesi and Mere signing our laundry bag

Elenoa and Lulu

James and a new girl from the Help group

Famoana, Ace, Timoci playing cram board

Frannie and Namoni

Lots of hugs

Lots of singing

Smeet, Epeli, and Rachell brought us the wonderful farewell cake. Oh how we are going to miss these three.

Sosi and his peeps singing, singing and more singing. They know this is our favorite thing.

Cute Sesi gave us a beautiful Sulu that she had everyone sign.

Shelby from Canada. She is one of the HELP across America that we became close to. Darling girl.

Wednesday night before we left, Sister Bogidua invited us over to dinner with her family. She is the mother of two of our YSA's that we love so much. Edwina and Filipi. They put on quite the Fijian lovo spread for us. Chicken, fish, and all the trimmings. It was delightful. This is a wonderful family and we will miss them terribly, but we will keep in touch with them forever.

These next pictures are of the rest of the week before we left. We had YSA's coming in all day long every day saying goodbye. It was fun but emotional as well.

The day that we left Fiji, Elder Peterson taught his last Mission Prep Class. After class, many of the YSA's came back to the institute one last time to say goodbye. President Safiti brought pizza and drinks for lunch. They gave us these beautiful Salusalus and sang the Fijian Isalei (goodbye) song to us. There were many tears shed as we said our last and final goodbye as YSA Missionary's for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Chelsea

Anna

Bali

Elder and Sister Terry who are the mission couple.

This is one of our YSA's grandmother, Sister V. She wove this beautiful mat for us. We love her.

Timoci Tapua

James Johannson

Pena

Corina, our newest baptism

Corina and Timoci

President Safeti who has been our boss for the past 18 months. He is wonderful but a little noisy when he plays pools with the YSA's.

Penia (Pena) gave this susu to Elder Peterson. He received it as a gift on his 21st birthday as a birthday tradition and he wants Elder Peterson to wear it when we speak to the Perspective Senior Couple Missionaries.