Waterfalls, Nakavika Village school, and Family in Fiji

Well we are back and in business again after a wonderful 9 day “time-out” with two of our kids and their spouses.  Heather and Jason Noonan and Jesse and Stacy Peterson were wonderful guests who embraced the Fijian culture and people whom we love with all our hearts.  It was so fun to share our new family with our old family for 9 glorious days.  Here is a recap of our adventures.

Day 1 Aug.

The kids arrived at 7:45 a.m. at the Nasori airport.  They were 15 minutes early so we watched their plane fly over us.

We hugged and hugged them and it felt so good.  They had a TON of luggage  because they brought books and school supply’s over for a village up in the Namosi Highlands.  We could hardly get everything into our huge 12 passenger van.  We made it though and off we went for a great time together.

After going to the flat to freshen up, we took a tour of the Institute  Service center, and mission office.  It is always fun to show our family off to all the other senior couples here. 

We then headed to town.  I took Stacy, Jason and Heather to town on the “bone crusher bus”.  This is a must when you visit Fiji.  We headed straight to the market.  There we let them experience the amazing fruits, vegetables and fresh fish.  We even had a pineapple popsicle.  The market is always a favorite place to take our guests.  It is busy and crazy but oh so much fun.  The kids were able to practice their Fijian by saying Bula, Vinaka, and Moce.  They got really good at those words.  Sounds like they are having a hard time getting the Americans back home to understand them.

 

The boys didn’t last as long as we girls did at the Market, so we took a taxi home.  That is a story of itself……..

The bus ride was crazy but it is a must here in Fiji.  You haven't visited Fiji until you take the bus to town.

  



Stacy giving lollies and toys to the kids at the market.  Heather and Jason's girls made bracelets out of rubber bands to give the kids here in Fiji.  

We love the pineapple popsicle here in Fiji.  It is such a treat and a great way to eat a pineapple.

The fish here at the market are beautiful, well some of them are at least.  Stacy found some beautiful teal blue and green ones.  Her favorite colors. 

Day 2

Saturday, we got up and headed to the temple. All three of our guys put on their sulus and looked great.  I think they liked them a little to much.  We girls all wore our jabas and boy, did we look Fijian.  It was great.  The temple is always wonderful. 

After the temple, we girls headed back to town on the bus.  Just didn’t get enough shopping in the day before.  These girls know how to shop.

 

That night, we had activity night with the YSA’s.  What a treat this always is.  Games, singing, and dancing were the menu for the night.  Our kids loved this night the best of all.  They were welcomed like family.  They were able to see first hand why we love these YSA’s so much.  Jason gave the boys who are going on missions a tie that he brought with him.  What a nice gesture and one that was much appreciated.

                                 Kremboard game with Stacy, Pena, Lai and Heather

Jason giving Lai one of his ties.  Lai will be serving his mission in Phenix Arizona.







Famoana, Tui, Stacy, Jesse and Delana duke it out over a game of Farkle.  I think Delana
won this game.

The singing that goes on at the Institute is by far one of the favorite things about our YSA's.  They love to sing and they have amazing voices.

 Crazy YSA's

Day 3

Sunday, we went to church and were able to introduce the kids to our wonderful ward.  We went to the primary to give the kids “lollies”.  They sang to us and it was another wonderful Sabbath.

After church, we headed to Pacific Harbor for our 3 day stay there.  We stayed at the Uprising Resort again and we love it there.  We relaxed and had dinner and went to bed early so we could get up bright and early to go up the Navaua River on the long boat tour.

Day 4

This was another fabulous day on the lower Navua River long boat trip..  We have been on this tour 3 times and we love it every time.  We have made some friends at the Discovery Fiji Tours and also at the village.  Margarita does the Tapa painting in the village and she painted me a tapa of the Angle Moroni.  I gave her a picture of the Fiji Temple in hopes that she can make me a tapa with the temple on it.  Keep your fingers crossed.

The tour was great again.  Our kids loved it. The weather was great (a bit cold) but it didn’t rain on us.  We headed straight up to the waterfall.  It was much colder than the last time we were there but just as beautiful.  We all had a refreshing swim before we headed back to the village for a program, kava ceremony and a visit to the preschool.   

Day 5

Another wonderful day today.  This is the day we have all been waiting for. 

The kids have been gathering books, school supplies, toys and lollies for the Nakavika Village.  They brought 2 large boxes and a huge suitcase full.   Elder Peterson and Jesse and Jason took Moses to Vinodpatel to buy a toilet for the village also. 

The drive takes about 1½ hours on a very steep, bumpy and winding road but it is beautiful. We we welcomed with open arms by Moses and his cute wife Alamina.  We had a sevu-sevu ceremony where we gave the village chief sugar, a bucket of biscuits and some cava :( to the chief.  This is a tradition for visitors coming into the village.  During the ceremony, the chief told us that we were considered family and that we were welcome back anytime.  It was a life changing experience for the kids.  They played games, read new books, gave out lolls and toys, and sang "I am a child of God" to the kids.  We will definitely go there again.

Day 6

Today we were off to Malolo Island for a well deserved relaxing 3 days on the beach.  We just canoed, snorkeled, ate, tanned, ate, jet skied, and visited.  It was a great way to end their visit. 

What a wonderful time we all had.  Memories were made and lives were changed forever.  We loved how our kids embraced the culture and loved the people here.  Vinaka vaka levu.

 I even managed to get a hair cut out of this trip.  Not a bad view eh.

 Boat ride over to Malolo Island

 

 Last super in Fiji.  All good things have to come to an end.

Oh how we hated to take them to the airport.  Goodbyes are so hard. We love you all.  Moce Mada

Sista Peterson Gets Her Fiji Drivers License

After weeks of practice, worrying and fretting, more practice waiting in endless lines and being told “go here”, and “go there” and “no we don’t have drivers tests at this location – you will need to go here” etc., But, She Did IT!  

It was a rainy Monday morning.   We had tried to accomplish this on our P-day last Friday, but they were just too busy to work us in.   We had been told that the soonest she could get a drivers test was late August.    Too late for us to be able to use a second license to document our local residency for the upcoming visit of Heather, Jason, Jesse and Stacy.   Local documentation means deep discounts for hotel and sea transportation costs.   

 

One of the 18 windows at the main LTR Building

OK - We're Getting Close

This nice man who worked there like my sulu.   If he had his way, we could have just transfered Paula's Utah license for a Fiji one.   But, alas, because we drive on opposite sides of the roads in Fiji verses the  U.S.., a drivers test was required. 

She Did It.  She Did It. She Did It. 

The Fiji International

This week, the Fiji International Golf Tournament will be held here in Fiji at the Intercontinental Resort located at Natadola Bay on the Western side of the island.   The course is being prepared to host a group of international players including the ViiJay Singh, a native of Fiji.   We know that Nick Price will be here as well as several other PGA tour professionals. 

We stopped in our way back to Samabula from visiting the Navala Village in the mountains above Ba.  

Tough to see the white caps on the ocean in the background - but they were really big.

A beautiful course that we are sure to come back and play a round or two.

The resort hotel, beach and amenities look very inviting for a couple senior missionaries looking for a new golf venue to share with their visiting children.  Hint. Hint.   

 On this day, the wind was really whipping up a storm and the workers putting together the venue were having a tough go of it trying to keep everything in its place. 

Hold on to your hats!

 

The course looks very appealing to those of us who like to golf among the coconut and palm trees, the ocean and beautiful beaches.  

"Defining Moments"

August 3, 2014 - This evening was another fun night with the YSA’s.   We had our monthly YSA FHE.   This month we held it on the temple grounds.   We were anticipating winds and rain but the elements held off until it was over.   Elder Brian Whatling from England is here in Fiji serving as a councilor to the temple president, spoke to 44 of our YSA’s.   He is a former Seventy for the  Northern Europe area.    

He told the YSA’s to be vigilant to “defining moments’ in their lives where they would have choices placed before them and the importance of having made the correct choices BEFORE that moment came.   He told of the importance of having a strong root structure as related in the Book of Jacob chapter 5.   He told them that the four strong roots he felt they needed were:

1-    A deep and unshakable testimony that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and our Redeemer;

2-    Each person needs a strong friend they can rely on to help them in times of crisis.

3-    Have a spiritual moment every day.

4-    Obtain, listen and follow our patriarchal blessing.

Great advice for all of us.   Afterwards, as always, they sat on the grass and sang hymns.  There as very peaceful spirit and inviting spirit there around the temple grounds.   Afterwards, Lario, (the YSA I baptized a couple of weeks ago), came up to me and told me that he had been experiencing several defining moments in his life since he has joined the church.   He is a great young man and I can tell he has been prepared for this time in his life for the Gospel and its blessings.   He is diligently preparing to obtain temple recommend so he can participate in baptisms for the dead and to serve a mission.   Sad news though.  He told me tonight that he might be moving to Australia with his family.   We would miss him but I am sure he would be all right.   It is so cool when one of your students come up to you and can’t wait to share a special scripture they found that has special significance to them and has provided answers their questions – especially when they find them in the Book of Mormon.   That is Lario.  

 May we always recognize those defining moments in our lives as opportunities to grow and learn.   Thanks Elder Whatling. 

Mosiah 2:17 - Beanies for Babies

Over the past several months, the YSA's under the direction of Sister Peterson, have been knitting beanies or "pom poms" they call them here in Fiji.  Thanks to the generous donation of looms, yarn and needles from Paula's sister Debbie - and more yarn from our very good neighbor Kristy Farley, and daughters-in-law Molly and Hailey Sant,  the YSA's and Sister Peterson knit over 75 beanies.   There were countless hours put into this.   The project was entitled "Beanies for Babies".   On a rainy Sunday afternoon, we met 18 of our faithful YSA's at CWM Hospital Child and Maternity wards to distribute the caps to small children and new infants. 

The Gang is all Here

This was a labor of love.   Many hours were spent in instruction, knitting, trimming, and having great talks while creating these works of art.









As we gathered in the hallways outside the large and crowded dorm rooms, the YSA's sang primary songs.   It was awesome the way the noise in the rooms stopped when they started singing.   When they were done, the parents and guests applauded. 

"I Know My Heavenly Father Loves Me"

Just one of the cuties we crowned

It was such a great opportunity to serve and show our love and support for these families in their times of happiness for the newborns and challenges for those who small children were in need of hospital care. 

Aw yes, the Grandma Peela New Baby Pose

An anxious father - glad that his son will have a warm beanie to keep his little boy's head warm.

Edwinna knit many hats by herself - she is waiting for her mission call

This little gal really loved Sista Peterson.   She stopped crying the minute she put the cap on the baby and picked her up for the typical "Grandma Peela New Baby Photo".

Two of these young men, Isi (R) and Rexx (F) leave for their missions very soon.  This new born baby girl was up for adoption

Some babies were so new and tiny  that they will need to grow into their beanies.  

This little girl was really sick.   We were glad to be able to provide a little boost for her family. 

 

 Elder Anare Easi Ratavula (We know him by Rexx).   He will be leaving for the Cebu, Philippines Mission very soon.   He was the first to go a pick up an infant and hold them for comfort. 

Elder Lai Balenacagi (L) leaving for the Phoenix Mission in a few weeks.

 

Our Little Rachel (Rachie we call her)    She is our right hand at the Institute.   She has the ONLY  100% attendance record for all of her Institute Classes.  She is finishing her Form 7 and will submit her papers for a mission. 


We love the YSA's and when we see them performing Christlike service, we know that they are not only blessing the lives of others, but their too.   We just have the very distinct privilege of being their Institute "Grrranndparents".   We love them.   Our hearts will always be here in Fiji with these wonderful people and Young Single Adults.  We Ask Heavenly Father to Please Bless Them.