Two Tickets To Paradise for Peela & Papa

DECEMBER 2014

WATER OUTAGES, CHRISTMAS DECORATING AND YSA CHRISTMAS PARTY

December found us busy with Christmas fun and service. It is always hard to be away from home and the snow at Christmas time, but we had a great Holiday. We felt the Spirit of the Lord and felt the true meaning of Christmas. There is something about being away from the hustle and bustle and commercial side of Christmas that helps bring a peace and joy during this time.

I spent a few months earlier on in the year making 27 "bula" back pack bags for the grandkids and filled them up with treats from Fiji. I had such a good time doing this and it helped satisfy my need to make Christmas presents for the grandkids. Finishing them early also helped make the season less stressful.

Sunday night the 7th of Dec. I was sitting at my desk studying and it was raining like crazy. I had a thought (the spirit I think) that I should go fill up our coolers and all the empty bottles we have laying around our flat, in case the water got turned off. This happens sometimes after a big rain storm. Well, I dismissed the thought and went to bed. The next morning we had NO WATER. There was just a little drizzle, enough for me to shower but not Elder Peterson. Well, this was the beginning of 4 days without water.

A main line broke because of all the rain and they anticipated that we would be without water for 10 days to 3 weeks. WHAT????? I should have listened to that "Still small voice". We did have some water for flushing the toilets but not much drinking water. Elder Peterson went over to the LDS Primary School to see if they had water. They did and so he showered in a little shower in the janitor's closet. That was an experience :) As for me, I heated up what water we had and took a "sponge" bath in our shower.

After a few days, we saw the water truck in our neighborhood filling everyone's water jugs up so we ran in and found everything we could to fill up. Sega na legs (no worries, be happy). It worked and we sponge bathed for the next couple of days. Oh ya gotta love this Fiji.

Our wonderful kids sent us Christmas ornaments with our grandkids pictures on them to hang on our Christmas tree. What a great blessing this was. First of all, it forced us to buy a tree and second it was so fun to look at their cute faces. It brought a bit of home into our little humble flat.

We loved our little grandkids Christmas Tree

The Christmas stockings that the Noonan's sent to us last year. ADORABLE.

Our Fijian nativity set that will always be a treasure to us.

We got new neighbors the end of November when Elder & Sister Jackson completed their third mission and went home. Elder and Sister Russell from Clearfield replaced them. We went on a little Saturday outing with them along with the Well's and the Terry's to show them beautiful Pacific Harbor and to have lunch. It was a great day and they were excited to see the beautiful Fijian beach that they had heard so much about. They will be great missionaries and neighbors.

Elder and Sister Peterson, Elder and Sister Russell, Elder and Sister Wells and Elder and Sister Terry

We had a great time decorating the Institute this year. We made giant homemade snowflakes and hug them from the ceiling. We made paper angels and decorated them. We popped popcorn and strung it to make a popcorn garland and hung it on the tree. We added a few wooden snowflakes and a few colored ornaments and voella! It was pretty darn cute if you ask me. Even Elder Peterson got into it this year.

Sneha and Leba helping with the tree.

Even got the missionaries involved in making snowflakes. We love our Missionaries

Elder Peterson is the BEST

Enjoying the final product.

We also made a huge wreath with pictures of all the YSA's and the activities we had done over the past 12 months. It was very fun reflecting over the past year and watching the YSA's get excited to see their pictures. We truly have had a wonderful and memorable year here in Fiji. Vinaka Sister Pew for the great ideas this Christmas season.

We were asked to play my chimes and sing a few Christmas carols down town at the big park. We didn't have much time to prepare, but the YSA's did a great job and they looked so darn cute in their santa hats. Boy, can these YSA's sing.

Now it was time to start preparing for our YSA Christmas Party. Elder Peterson and I baked and frosted cookies for days it seemed. I also made cinnamon rolls for our friends and neighbors. It really felt and looked like Christmas around the flat and it smelled like home as well.

Devin and Hailey and their family sent a box full of goodies and a cute poem for our YSA's. We had a great time putting them together and the YSA's loved them. Vinaka vakalevu to the Twitchell family for thinking of us this Christmas. It was a very generous jester and a very appreciated one as well.

We had a fun Christmas party at the Institute. We had around 50 YSA's attend. We played a "Christmas Ball" game where we wrapped several pieces of candy and prizes in a big ball of bubble wrap and they had to unwrap it with gloves on before someone else rolled a doubles with the dice. Elder Peterson and I spent a whole night making the "Christmas Ball" and it took about 20 minutes for the YSA's to destroy it. It was great fun and it got pretty competitive but in the end, they shared all the "goods" with everyone. We also played SANTA Bingo which was a hit and then musical chairs which they always love. We handed out the bags from the Twitchell"s, ate cookies and hot chocolate and then I handed out little gifts I had put together of hot chocolate, candy canes, chocolate kisses and marshmallows all representing something from the Christmas Story. We sang Christmas carols and bore testimony of the true meaning of Christmas. It was a great night with lots of laughs, fun and the spirit. What a way to end the year 2014. Here are a few pictures of the beautiful, happy faces of Fijian YSA's at out Christmas party.