Another Life Changing Experience

Today I want to tell you about another life changing experience we had last week as we drove high into the Namosi Highlands to visit and give a Priesthood blessing to a friend’s wife that we have made here in Fiji.  Let me start at the beginning.

I have shown pictures of the fun river trips that we have had the privilege of taking in the last 6 months we have been here.  We have experienced breathtaking scenery, wonderful food and people who have stolen our hearts forever.  We have made friends with many of the river guides as well as the owners of “The Jewel Of Fiji” Navua River Adventures.  Scott the owner is a member of the church and takes such good care of the Senior Missionaries.

Elder and Sister Jackson have been so kind to invite us along on their family trips and the Upper Navua River Rafting trip was one of our all time favorites.  We have become very good friends with Moses (the guide) and have had discussions about the church with him.  He asked us if he could come to church with us when he comes to Suva.  Now I’m sure you remember him from prior blog posts.

When our kids were here, we took them down the Lower Navua River trip.  It was then that we took a box of church DVD’s, pamphlets and other reading materials which he had requested.  Also, the Jackson ‘s son Kent sent him a pair of shoes with Damon and they were in the box as well.

That day, Moses told us that his wife Alavina was really sick and had been in the hospital.  They found that she has cancer and the Dr. told Moses to take her home and give her what she wanted.  Not very encouraging.  We asked if Elder Peterson could come and give her a Priesthood blessing and he was more than grateful.

Last Sunday after church, we headed off with Elder and Sister Jackson for a day we will hold very dear in our hearts forever.

We were supposed to pick Moses up in Navua town and give him a ride back to his village.  It is a 2-hour car ride up a very large mountain.  When we arrived at our meeting place, Moses asked us if we could also give his cousin a ride.  We told him sure and then he asked if his cousin’s wife could also have a ride.  No problem, we had the white rhino with lots of room.  Off we went to the village.

 

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t had been raining for 2 days straight and we were afraid the roads would be very bad, but we were pleasantly surprised thank goodness. We didn’t have any problem. What a beautiful drive it is.  These pictures just don’t do it justice.  The greenery and foliage is absolutely spectacular. 

As we arrived at the village, we were welcomed with open arms.  Moses and Alavina have four small children ages’ 14 mths to 7 years old.  They are beautiful and well behaved children.  We sat on woven mats on the floor and visited with them for a while.  We brought with us a big box of food and some goodies and somehow the kids found the goodies and were in heaven.  They don’t eat much sugar in the villages. 

Moses has 5 brothers and they and their families were all having dinner at one of their homes next door.  I had to use the bathroom (which was an outhouse) so I walked past the brother’s home.  They called to me to come in so I visited with all of them for a while.  In the Fijian custom, there is no furniture in the homes.  They eat on the floor sitting on mats.  It was such an amazing thing to experience.  The Fijian’s take such good care of each other.  Families are everything to these wonderful people.

Elder Peterson stayed back at Moses’s home and talked to them about the Priesthood blessing that he would be giving to Alavina.  He pretty much gave the first missionary discussion to them.  There was such a strong spirit in there home.  Elder Peterson and Elder Jackson gave her a wonderful blessing.  How grateful I am for the Priesthood and for a husband who is worthy to call upon our Heavenly Father in times like this to bless the sick.  I think it really made an impression on Moses.  I don’t know how much he understood, but I know he felt something. 

                                                       

We played with the kids (all the cousins heard about the goodies so the whole house was filled with beautiful children) and they sang to us also.  One of Moses’s daughters was fascinated with my glasses and wouldn’t take them off.  She was such a doll. 

                                                         

We played for a while and then it was time to go.  Many hugs and kisses were exchanged that day.  We were invited to come back and visit and we will do that for sure.  We asked if there was anything we could do for the village and Moses asked if we knew anyone who could put a toilet in the little school there in their village.  We will look into that also.

We decided to go a different way home that would take us a little longer, but were glad we did because we came upon this beautiful waterfall right along the road.  Have you ever seen such beauty?  Fiji is an amazing, amazing place.

We arrived home safely as the sun was going down.  It had stopped raining and we were all tired, but filled with such love and gratitude for the opportunity to be serving our Heavenly Father here in this beautiful and loving country of Fiji.  We have made friends and memories that will last through all eternity.