Our first P Day!

Preparation day is always something to look forward to. We took a long walk to Central Suva, 4.6 miles.  We visited a tailor to order some pants and found some plug adapters.  It was cooler when we started but it warmed up.  It is also uphill on the way home.

View from my seat in the Samabula Chapel Sunday.

Walk along the seawall with the Anderson's

Temple grounds selfies.

We found a house to rent when family comes to visit.

The Dead of Winter

It is our summer time, so often rainy and humid. Especially after the cyclone.  I took a few flower pictures for you to enjoy in your winter time. 

Pictures from yesterday's walk:

This big ficus looked no worse for the storm.

Our apartment

The interior view of the flat we live in:

Arrival, Cyclone Winston and Temple dedication

We arrived tired but eager on Friday morning, everyone here was very busy with preparations for the Cultural Celebration and Temple dedication, so we didn't get the usual orientation. We didn't even know there was a big storm headed this way until someone from the Salt Lake group showed me his computer of the expected track straight into Suva. Winston was category four on Friday, a strong 5 when it hit.  We did what we could to help get the Temple ready, mostly we just had to stay out of the way.  We knew that Pres Eying, and Elder Cook and Area Presidency were all here by Saturday morning, and that Pres Eyring said to go ahead with all plans, that he was at peace.

The weather was already windy and rainy on Saturday, we had a Missionary meeting with the visiting Authorities on Saturday at 11 am, then we had a nice group lunch with all missionaries, as many as could make it in from the outer regions,  almost all did arrive before the storm, Suva turned out to be the safest place in Fiji so that timing was a blessing.  After lunch, we bussed to Vodaphone arena for the cultural event, it was moved from the outdoor ANZ stadium because of the weather.  The youth groups were awesome to see, the dances from the different islands reflected some of the different character of each group.  Some calm and soothing, others more energetic.  The event was cut short by the government curfew, curfew started at five pm Saturday, most of us weren't home by then...  It was very windy, maybe 50-60 mph by then, and raining hard.  Our buses weren't ready for us as we stopped the show early.  We were a wet mess of senior missionaries by the time our bus arrived.  Then we had a flat tire,  some opted to walk, but we stayed put and another bus arrived right away.  The walkers also were picked up by a bus so no one learned lesson.  We made it home from the nearby Chapel drop off, the Samabula Chapel.

Our apartment is served by a generator, as we saw the surrounding buildings outside the gates go black we were glad to be here.  The winds were strong, many branches and palm fronds were falling, one or two thunked on our roof.  The only trouble we had during the evening was water being blown under the seal on our main door, I mopped and used towels at first, finally I put towels on the outer door edge and shut the door against them.  This stopped the water so I could go to bed, luckily it worked the rest of the night.  Our water pressure was gone at first, but returned when a cord was run from our apartment to the water pump at our cistern. City power is being restored bit by bit, the Temple is still on the generator though.

The Temple dedication was an experience to savor, strong talks and the spirit of the building was changed.  We have been able to work in the Temple this week, there are so many details that can only be done after the dedication, right when you are trying to get everything going smoothly.

These are some of our pictures, LDS.org has many better!

Arrival in Fiji

Patron housing quilt

Sunday after the storm, Suva Harbor.  We got sent home

from our walk by police, still a curfew in effect.

A tree down on a teeter totter near the Temple

The start of our Sunday walk

Suva Harbor

More Suva Harbor on Wednesday for lunch

Tiko's Steak and Fish Grill

Temple Pres.Yee's lunch.

Training in the Salt Lake Temple

We had training for two days in the Salt Lake Temple with Bro and Sr. Aldridge, former Temple president.  Very informative discussions going over the standard training DVDs.  Beautiful inside that old building too.

We ran into Billie Coelho, from Beacon Light Ward on Temple square.  It was a tender mercy to run into her on Tuesday, we had looked for her on Monday but Family History was closed for President's Day so no one was around.

Right now we are waiting in LA airport for our flight to Fiji.  How Awesome is that?

Getting ready for the Fiji trip

We have been selling cars, cleaning garages, and preparing our farewell talks. Laura and her kids came over for the last weekend. We had lots of fun, Kid Charades, ATV ride and a Boise basketball game with Amos, Josh and Levi.

On Sunday we were set apart by Pres. Stafford and the kids were there to listen.  Today, Monday we flew to Salt Lake and spent the afternoon with Meg.  She is off work for President's Day.

Allison and Levi

Rodger and Amos

Maserati leaves for Las Vegas

Rodger and the small grandkids.

Iversons,Hornes and the new missionaries.

Boise airport.

With Meg in Salt Lake.  We report for training Tuesday at 7:15am.

We fly to Fiji on Wednesday for the Cultural celebration on Saturday

Sunday the Temple will be re-dedicated and will open on Tuesday!!!