Our First Trip to a Beach!

We have been along the coast, walking, looking,and anticipating. Saturday we got to go to an actual beach, and to a really nice lunch in a restaurant afterwards.  This beach is about 40 minutes from us, in the area of where we went to the Village, just north of Suva past the Nausori airport.  An MLS missionary couple, the Smiths, met a group of us out there, and led the final drive onto the beach.  It is very isolated, and undeveloped.  Lots of seaweed piled up but very nice sand and warm water.

Paying to park on "his" beach.

We took a long walk  and saw no one and no buildings.

I was able to get out and body surf a few waves. 

Navatuyaba Village and Chapel, Relief Society Birthday Celebration 25 Mar 2016

This weekend was busy, we were fortunate to be invited, with the Andersons, to visit a village to have a tour and attend the Ward Relief Society anniversary celebration.  Village life is the old way, historically clans have lived together with an hereditary chief.  The clan and chiefs decide things in council, final say to the chief.  Land is owned by the clans, new couples can get permission to build a home on a clan lot. They live with relatives at first.  A bus usually serves each village to take workers to jobs.  Some men stay in the village and farm, selling their crops to retailers.  The villages near Suva were not damaged much by the storm.  They have water and usually electricity.  Navatuyaba is on a small stream so there are some fish, and fresh water mussels.

Some Fijians now have left the village behind to live in towns, some return often to the village and some do not return at all.  Movement of people between islands, and to other countries, is common for economic opportunity.  In addition to not having many jobs the villages have other traditions, like kava ceremonies, that are contrary to wise living.

The chapel in this village is awesome, the jewel of all surrounding structures.  The ground was raised up about 4 feet and the chapel is very well kept.

Random pictures from drive, these give a feel for the green countryside and the homes. 

Rainy season muddy water. 

   
























The village and chapel:

Alice and Elders Vanroosendaal and Ransom outside their
apartment.

The Methodist chapel, and village houses.

Village boys playing ball,that is a white rugby ball.

The Methodist ministers child, a candid camera shot.

Bugs swarm the light as we are ready to leave.

The Relief Society celebration was fun.  The sisters sat at the front and each husband came forward to say what he valued about his wife. Almost all is Fijian so I missed the words but not the spirit of love.  I was even encouraged forward to share my thoughts.

Bishop Savu,before he changedfor the meeting, the
Andersons, Cindy and I.

Alice and Cindy.

Sr Tukana and two of her children, sealed
this week.

Almost a grandchild.

Getting set to sing happy birthday.

Links to amateur video of these activities on you tube:Singing Happy Birthday to Relief Society
children dancing          More children dancing

Busy days and a slow Monday

 We were busy last week and on Saturday in the Temple, but we had some time to be around town a bit. Fiji is crazy about Rugby 7's, their team is one of the best and hopes to win Olympic gold in Brazil.  I don't understand rugby but they are some tough guys.  This pick-up is proud of the team, the Toyota Hilux with a turbo-charged diesel is one strong, small truck.

The Alldredges new truck, we are just back from Church
with them on Sunday. It is a Hilux too.

Ready for Easter at Cost You Less, Pez and Peeps

Sunday I awoke to find a leaking ceiling in
Patron housing.  A blocked AC condensation drain.

We had a rainbow behind the Temple yesterday, by the time I got my camera it was almost gone.

Elders and Sisters here for the Temple last week, they are leaving for
Provo MTC today. 10 from Kiribati, one from the Marshall Islands,
one from Tahiti, and one from Tonga.

Most of the rural roads aren't paved,so these big tires
keep the Elders going.

Relief Society Birthday Celebration

Since we are a day ahead of the USA we could call Morgan, turning 9, on her birthday yesterday.  A day early for her. We are also looking forward to a bit cooler weather as we head into fall. I am not quite thinking straight yet.

Samabula First ward sisters came to the temple to celebrate the Relief Society anniversary, and they had three sisters coming for their first time.  Also they had a new member to do baptisms for the first time, pretty exciting. We worked with Sr. Rakitia.  After the Temple closed they came to the Patron housing kitchen area and had a birthday cake and ice cream. A couple from Vanuatu that came alone to be married were also invited to the celebration and the bride helped to cut the cake!

A good spirit through out.  The Temple computer has been slow the last two days, this slows down the paperwork and therefore our work. A few delays that only seem to bother the non-Fijians.

The Temple yesterday morning.

Like children everywhere, Cake and ice cream.

The Stake President's wife, Sr Qaqa, the three new Temple
sisters and our Vanuatu bride.

Suva sights

This is another P day, so we have been walking early, then to the big vegetable market downtown, and finally over to Patron housing. Church was only Sacrament again yesterday, because families are still living in the chapel classrooms.  That meant we could take a tour with the Alldredge's to see some different parts of Suva.  We saw some humble neighborhoods for sure.

At Lami 2nd ward for church.

Lami chapel building.

Replacing lamps in the Temple parking area.

View from our grocery store, MH, to the east,

View from the second floor.  Tomatoes and lettuce are just coming to market.

Everything in bulk, even the kava roots and powder.

We walked in a drizzle today, it is clear now.  

Salt Lake just a little behind.

Adjusting to this time zone, both mentally and physically has been a slow process.  Last night we were up until just after 11 pm, by far our latest night.  We had curry chicken with a young couple staying in the Patron housing.  She started cooking, after a trip to the store, about 9.  Maybe this "late night" will shift us into our Pacific pattern.

Monday and another week flew by

We have been busy in the Temple, so we are ready for a partial down day on Monday.  We drove ourselves to a shopping area to get some groceries and to exchange my mobile modem for one that works. The English-style driving is getting more comfortable, I still need some practice though.  We have an 8 passenger Hyundai van.  It has a quiet diesel engine and is an automatic.  I hope the driving becomes more routine soon, so we can start to get about a bit more.

We have had two watermelons, the one in the picture was bigger and better.  The long green beans are also very good.  Papayas are good now, mangoes are out of season,  boo hoo.  The various breads we have tried are good.  So all in all we are eating well.

Our going away gift from the Iversons, a projector so we

can watch some movies!

Our grapes have seeds and so does the watermelon.

The green beans are very long, but taste very good,

even to me.

The Temple tonight.  Many interesting and unique things have already happened to us working

in the Temple.

Sunday at our Ward and a Drive to the West

Today we attended our assigned Ward, the Lima 2nd.  Our Bishop was off doing hurricane relief, but we met his wife.  Their son is serving in Arizona and we met him at Anna's for dinner once.  Our Ward had sacrament meeting only as there are 4-5 families living in the classrooms. Almost all testimonies were in English. 

This afternoon we drove west on the Queen's Highway to the Pearl Resort.  It looked nice, the beach and pool looked nice, but we only walked bit.  We did see a fruit bat there.