Faces of Fiji

Over the past two months, we have been blessed with the opportunity to see and be a part of the Fijian culture as we have served our Heavenly Father as full-time missionaries.   We have found them to be friendly and loving.   We thought you might enjoy just a few of the ones we have met in the past few weeks and tell you just a little about them.

This "fearsome warrior" and the man standing next to her were part of the cultural celebration presented to Elder Neil Anderson and his wife as they visited Fiji and the surrounding islands.   Elder Anderson's message to the missionaries was "cement your testimony into your heart so that it becomes a part of your DNA".

These youngsters represented the Hindi and Korean island cultures represented here in the Suva area.   They greeted the apostle and his wife as they entered the Church College for the cultural celebration.

These three beautiful sisters found time to reacquaint themselves as the two bookends have been part of our Young Single Adult program and are now serving in Fiji.   The sister on the right has been called to Canada but is starting early to get her feet underneath her doing the Lord's work full time.
The sister in the middle is a great example of enthusiasm and energy.   They absolutely love her her.  I do too!

This group of YSA's was today's visit.  They attend a small ward in Wailuku.   It is located in a little valley just a mile or two from our flat.   The setting for this chapel is absolutely peaceful and serene.  There was a breeze blowing through the windows during sacrement meeting and we could hear the roosters crowing in the yard next door.  The chapel is located next to a river that has been known to flood in the heavy rains.   So, what did they do to prevent flooding?  Nothing!  But they did build a two story structure just in case.   (note the two elders on the left from Idaho and American Fork, UT in their sulus.   Yes - I had mine on as well)

This woman was preparing coconut shaving and milk for our lunch as we visited Yanuca Island.   Lunch was yummy.   One does need to be careful with the chicken though.  They just pound it up and throw the bones and all in the pot or broiler to cook.   Then, you pick out the bones as you eat!

This little family showed us how to make tapa cloth.   They do so much of their work sitting under a canopy in the shade.   The children learn at a young age the arts and crafts of their native country.

These young men got a real treat as Sista Petterson pulled them all together for a photo opportunity.   You know what they said?   "Hey Sista, put our picture on Facebook!"    Teenagers - the same no matter where they come from.  

Here are the same young warriors relaxing after shucking some coconuts for us.   Did I mention that the Fijian culture practiced "cannibalism"  in the past centuries?    Glad they got that out of their system.   I did purchase a "neck breaker".   It is mean looking club used to "tenderize" the meat.  

Last, but not least for this weeks post, is photo of lunch preparation at the mission home for 145 missionaries.   This job had everyone busy and working fast to get it all ready in time for the conference.

Well, it’s been two weeks since we have posted anything so this may be a long one.  Elder Peterson is great at posting when it’s his week, but I seem to take two weeks to get to it.  Oh well, here it is.  Better late than never right?

We have had an eventful two weeks.  Lets start off with the important stuff.  Mark was able to watch “live” mind you from Fiji the Super Bowl here at the Institute.  He was pretty excited about that.  Technology is so amazing.  He didn’t watch long however because you all know, the game wasn’t very exciting.

Fridays are our day off so we went on a little snorkeling excursion to another little island.  We had a great time.  It was good to get out from town and relax for a while.  The water was incredible.  When the sun is out it is the most beautiful color I have ever seen.  The fish were beautiful and just getting in the water was great.

We brought one of our Balzac balls from home for activity night here at the Institute.  I knew the YSA’s would love it.  We played until the dark and we will defiantly do it again.  We have a pretty good crowed watching us and pointing to us and wondering what this big thing was that we were playing with.  It is so fun to introduce these kids to new things they have never seen before.

                                       We had to go to the car wash to get this thing blown up.  Oh this carwash isn't quite like the "FireHouse"

We sent our 4^th missionary out last week.  This in Penne and he is an incredible young man.  After he received his endowments, he made a commitment to himself that he would attend the temple everyday until he left on his mission.  HE DID IT.  What a spirit he has and what an incredible missionary he will be.  It is so bitter sweet to have them go.  We love them all so much and we know we will probably never see him again.  We MUST come back here in a few years for a wonderful missionary reunion.

This is what Elder Peterson does most of the time here at the center.  Not really, but he does play a lot with the kids and they love it.  Last week he was on a ping pong janga kick.  It was fun.

Before my class last week, this cute girl Sanaila gave Mark and I a gift.  She was so excited to give it to us.  She had made me a bracelet and necklace and gave Mark a nativity figurine.  She smiled all night she was so proud.  She is a doll and we love her so much.

We had our first Valentines here in Fiji.  They don’t celebrate it quite like we do, but we certainly got spoiled from home.  Boxes of cards, pictures, letters, pillow, decorations, and candy made our Valentines Day wonderful.  Thank you to all for making it a great day.

I made valentines cookies for the YSA’s.  I looked all over Suva for a heart cookie cutter.  I wish so badly that I had brought my cookie cutters from home.  I finally found a senior sister that had one.  I missed decorating the cookies with the grandkids though.  I may have cried a little that day because I was homesick.  Reality is setting in and I am missing them like crazy.  I hope I can make it for 15 more months without hugging them.

My good friend Karen sent a package with boxes of candy hearts.  We passed them out to the YSA’s on Valentines Day.  They had never seen anything like this before and they loved them.  Thanks miss Karen.  You ROCK

Last Friday, we tagged along with our neighbors and fellow missionaries and their son and his wife on a river boating, cultural, and waterfall excursion.  We had a great and memorable experience.  The weather changed on us pretty quickly and we found ourselves in a torrential down pour and lightning storm.  We were up a canyon on a trail to see the beautiful waterfall.  The rain was so heavy, that big rock and debris was coming down along with the water in a fall we had to cross to get back to the boat.  I made it across and then the guide stopped Mark and 3 girls from coming across because it wasn’t safe.  They ended up swimming across a raging river to the other side, climbing straight up the mountain and back down to the boats on the begging of the canyon.  This doesn’t sound like much, but it was pretty scary.  I said many, many prayers I know Heavenly Father was watching over us that day.  Several things could have happened, but we got home safely.  Our guide broke his toe (they never wear shoes around here) and cut his foot pretty good, but those things can be fixed right?  We will do this trip again but we will make sure it’s on a good clear day.

 Kava Ceremony and we did not partake.  The man on the right in the red shirt is the one that saved us all and broke his toe in the process.

 A thorn amongst 4 roses

           This was our lunch. It's called Lovo.  Yummmm

                            This waterfall is incredible.  Can't wait to go back and see it on a nice sunny day and swim in the pool underneath it.

The weekend was crazy busy.  We had a special conference where we had Elder Anderson of the 12 Apostles with us.  He was amazing. We had a missionary meeting with all 144 missionaries in the Suva Fiji mission. There were 3 senior couples that came over from other islands to attend the conference.  We have a van, so we picked them up from the airport and shuttled them around all weekend.  It was so fun to be with them.  We were happy for that job.  On Friday, we helped Sister Klinger, the Mission Presidents wife, cook lunch and Dinner for them.  Went to meeting after meeting being fed spiritually by an Apostle of the Lord was makings for a great weekend.  We were grateful for the opportunity of being here with these beautiful and faithful members of the church and see how pleased and proud they are of their FIJI and their membership in this wonderful LDS Church.

  Chapel full of Missionaries is a pretty amazing sight.  It is great to be amongst them.

                   

                             This big guy in the middle is one of or YSA's  he is a quiet giant.  We love him.  He lives right next to the Institute.

 Moca Mada everyone.

Sota tale nia mataka

  Lolome Elder and Sister Peterson

            

Pulling in the Nets and Beware the Chickens While Praying

 This past weekend, we, along with Senior Missionary couples the Jacksons, Wells, and Collins traveled to Nausori Beach.    It is about 1 hour from our flat and past the Nausori Airport.  It is not exactly remote because there are little villages all the way there but it is away from civilisation that's for sure.  Pictures do not do it justice - but I'll try.  

We set up a blanket here for our picnic spot. 

We understand that the first plane to land in Fiji, landed on this beach.   We can see why.   It is wide and the sand is firm.    In fact, driving on it made me want to spin some donuts.   But the van is top heavy and I knew that call to the mission president to explain why the white rhino was on its side on the beach might be rather difficult and uncomfortable.

After paying the couple living in the shack by the only road in we found, we ditched our shoes and took off.  Down the beach was a grandfather, his son and 6 or 7 kids (they would't hold still long enough to count them) fishing with nets.   Well, that looked like fun, so we joined in.

Hauling in the catch.   

The cast operation moved further down the beach about 200 yards every 45 minutes or so.  The children would help their dad and grandfather as they pulled in the nets of the seaweed and fish.

We helped them straighten out and fold the nets on two casts.  

While the grandfather and father waded out to set the nets, it was play time for the kids.   Yep, and us too!   Hard to resist playing tag and splashing these little Fijian cuties.  They loved playing with us.

Hey - you taken my picture?

Played a game of running broad jump - hey, she got some pretty good air.

Play time over - time to gather the catch                               Catching one that almost got away.

                                   

Ahhh - Nothing like a good run on the beach to clear your head and rejuvenate the spirit.

Hamming it up - 

Cute Huh?  They are always so happy!

Well - Almost all the time. . . . 

Sack Lunch?  Nope!  Dinner for the Matavuvale 

Hey!  Don't forget this one.

I wonder if we were of any help or were they just tolerating a bunch of pelages?  

Io - this will do just fine in the fish pot.  

Papa - always up for a game of tag with the wee ones.

Upside down - right side up - it's all fun1

We laid out a blanket for lunch under a palm tree.  Before we ate, we asked a blessing on the food.  Just as the prayer was ending, I was about to open my eyes when, suddenly, I sensed something coming at me.  I open my eyes to blur of brown feathers flying in front of my fact.  One of the hens decided that the egg salad sandwich I was holding in my hand was for her!   While still in the air, she took a chunk of my sandwich about the size of  50 cent piece and ran off clucking like she was laughing.   And yes, we were laughing too.    Kind of reminded me of the seagulls at Sea World.  

See the light brown hen just above sister Well's arm?  That't the culprit. It flew in from my back between Sister Peterson and I.  

It was almost a perfect day - Until . . . . . . . .

The White Rhino with a flat tire.  

Well - to all of our loved ones and friends, we say Moce for this week with this salutation below . . .