Temple Flowers Today

Lami 2 High Priest Karaoke Social 24 June 2016

Friday night we had a high priest group social, pot luck and singing.  Fijians love to sing, and don't mind embarrassing us a bit in the process.  We had a great time together, Ring of Fire and Pretty woman for me.

We brought quinoa salad, no one else had eaten quinoa before. We also ate Curry chicken, baked chicken, chicken and black beans, rice, dalo(taro) and potato salad.

Bros.Kumar, Bishop Baleinacagi, and Tilley

The Smith's

Srs. Draunbaka and Baleinacagi.

Srs Kumar and Tilley

Srs, Tilley, Shaver and Kumar

Popcorn, our Projector, and Patron Housing

All is well, we've been enjoying the Temple and our Patron Housing friends, for the most part. We have had some busy days in the housing so our sheets are being sent out to a laundry.  We noticed we were losing some new sheets in favor of old ones, so we had a sheet marking day so we could stop the bleeding.

Sr Korrie and Cindy branding our stock.

We have been using a small projector to watch movies on our wall, it works very well. Small speakers boost the sound too.  We couldn't find any popcorn for awhile, but there was some in MH the other day.  Heaven in our flat, popcorn and a movie.

Shake it up.

Alien Vom, Falling Skies

Lami 2 High Priest group is having Karioke night on Friday.  I bought the prizes.  Which one do you think I will likely win?

Navua River Boat Tour, Waterfall and Namosi Village

We Temple missionaries took a day trip to the west for a long boat ride up river to a waterfall, with lunch and art demonstrations at a Fijian village.  We had a perfect day, warm and clear.  The waterfall was a nice cooling swim, maybe 72 degrees F or so.  Like a Florida freshwater spring.

Namosi village was also fun, a Kava ceremony and some singing and dancing.  We saw tapa being made, and leaves being prepped for mat weaving.  A young man taught us how to crack open the nut of a coconut.

25 horsepower outboards, just enough for the rapids.  The river
is also at a low level, so rocks had to be watched closely.

Sr Anderson helps us get ready.

Never far from a cellphone, Fijians stay connected.

One or our group going up the rapids.

A waterfall we passed along the way.

The waterfall and swimming hole we walked to.

Swimmers

Olsens and Cindy return from the falls.

The original river vessel. 

Cracking the coconut

Pre-Field missionaries and my Birthday

We have begun hosting missionaries coming prior to the MTC to obtain visas and go to the Temple. They stay in the Dorm beds, they arrive from Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga, Tahiti, Vanuatu, Marshall Islands, etc.  They bring a good energy, still needing some guidance, but generally very lovable.  Usually three or four at a time, they stay a few days up to several weeks. Elder Araruru, from Kiribati, has been here for about three weeks, now he has his visa, but will stay here another three weeks before reporting to South African MTC, headed for Johannesburg mission.

My birthday came this week, glad for another and hope for some more.  We had cake with the Patron House workers and pre-field missionaries.

Elder Bull sleeps sitting up.  Not leaning
on the wall or anything.

Edit: 14 June 2016:  A sad note to add here, Elder Joshua Bull's father, set apart as Taveuni District President 4 weeks ago, died of a sudden heart attack a week ago on Saturday.  Elder Bull returned home for the funeral, he should be back in Suva to complete his visa applications and still plans to go to Australia soon.

Cindy carving the Rainbow cake.

Patron workers and pre-field missionaries. Missions to: Kiribati,
South Africa, Philippines, Zimbabwe, and Fiji.

Big number.