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 2^nd 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 17^th 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.