Missionary Calls and Missionaries Leaving, Elections and Weddings.
Sept. 24,
2014
Can’t believe it’s already the end of September. Where is the time going. We hit our half way mark this month. The plan was to burn something but we got to
busy and caught up in the craziness of the work so that the day went by without
much celebration. We have learned many
things over the past 9 months however, and are so bless to have this experience
in our lives.
I remember the
first few days after we arrived here in Fiji. The culture shock, the flat
situation, and the not knowing where to start at the institute, just about did
us in. I remember trying to be so brave and positive but being so scared
and homesick. I remembered saying to my boys, “Coming home is no option”
so I knew that I had to stay here and stick it out. I remember calling
Karen and crying to her for an hour just to get it all out. I remember
being on my knees more those few weeks than any other time in my life. I
remember feeling the peace come over me from Heavenly Father that I could do
this, and that everything was going to be ok. And now we are half way
done and I can’t imagine my life without this experience.
We have been
challenged physically, emotionally and spiritually. We have grown closer
to our Heavenly Father through more diligent scripture study and temple
attendance. We have learned that we must always be prepared to stand and bear
our testimonies or to teach a lesson. We have learned to love people of a
different culture through serving them. We have learned to depend on each
other for support and encouragement. We have learned that our kids can
and will take care of each other in our absence. We have realized what an
incredible family we have and how grateful we are for their faithfulness in
doing what is right. We have realized how bless we are to live where we
do and to have what we have. We have also realized that you don’t have to
have things to be happy. In fact that “stuffs” is sometimes the cause of
our unhappiness.
We know today, that
we can and will make it through the next 9 months and we are happy to do
so. We know that when the times comes for us to go home, we will be happy
to see our own family, but that we will be so sad to say goodbye to our new
family here in Fiji. But for now, we will just keep going and doing and
loving the best we know how and with all the energy and love that is in us.
We have had several
Missionaries leave for their missions which is such a sad but happy time for
us. We are thrilled to watch them
prepare, fill out their papers, then receive their calls, and then leave for their MTC experience. They seem to always face some kind of
opposition during this time. Satan is
working on them harder than ever.
Sometimes the challenges come from their own doings, but mostly from the
mistakes or oversights of others in preparing their Visas, but they seem to be resilient and continue to endure to the end.
Here are a few of
our Missionaries.
Our Granddaughter Edwina Bogidua receives her temple endowments
Saying goodbye to Anere (Rexx) Going to the Philippines Mission
I was honored to be asked to put the "Salusalu" on Rexx at church for his farewell
We went to the temple with Manoa Vuetibau and Tomas Naibalu when they received their endowments
Lai Bellenacagi is going to Arizona and Katherine Brown is going to New Zealand
One of our goals is to get these YSA’s married off. Well, we got to see our 2nd Fijian
Wedding. Cute Ben and Ana were married for
time and all eternity and what a beautiful couple they are. The reception
afterwards was simple and classy. One more down and 50000 more to go.
Vika and Ulita decorated their get-a-way car with colors or their wedding. Cute girls anyway.
On the 17th of September, Fiji had it’s first democratic vote
in 8 years. It was a big day for the
Fijians. Every Fijian who is 19 or older
is required to vote. Most of our YSA’s
were not real excited to vote but did their duty anyway. The lines where huge in the early morning,
but by the time I took this picture, they were much smaller. We closed the institute that night because
there were rumors or possible riots or disturbances and it was a national
holiday. Nothing happened however, so
that was a good thing.
