YSA Plays Night Whiffle Ball–July 5, 2014

Elder and Sister Peterson have had some really fun activities since they arrived.  But I think that this last Saturday they probably topped even their own best! 

They wanted to teach the YSA how to play whiffle ball and to treat them to s’mores.  And they planned to play it at night – lit only by glow sticks.  They ordered whiffle balls and bats from the US and looked all over Fiji for glow sticks, marshmallows, graham crackers and Hershey bars.  They reported that the easy part was the glow sticks and the Hershey bars – good old Cost-U-Less to the rescue there.  Harder to find were the marshmallows and graham crackers.  Marshmallows they finally found, not quite like home, but close and they finally gave up on graham crackers and settled for “Nice” cookies.

They found two large drums that had been cut in half to build their fire in.  How convenient that the pig that was roasted for the Wakolo’s farewell party had to be cooked over large drum fires. So now they had all the pieces in place.

And so Saturday night they met at the park across from the ward and with glow sticks wrapped around heads, wrists and ankles they were prepared.  The balls and bases also had glow sticks inside to make them visible in the dark.  And so with a three minute explanation of whiffle ball they were off.  Some of the finer points of the game went over their heads, but they quickly figured out you hit the ball as hard as you can and ran as fast as you can and oh ya, you had to run around all the bases not just up and back.

We went over to take photo’s at 6pm and then ran home to eat and intended to go back and take pictures of the s’more eating at about 8pm.  And so at 8 we went over expecting to find the park empty and everyone over toasting those marshmallows.  But they were still playing ball – and we got it from a reliable source – Elder and Sister P. that they had a great time.

So our pictures of the s’mores didn’t happen, but we understand that they quickly learned to burn the marshmallows, and that faces and hands are meant to be gooey, sticky messes.  What a fun activity!!!

		YSA Plays Night Whiffle Ball VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

4th of July in Fiji–July 4, 2014

So does Fiji have a 4th of July?  Of course, there is a 4th of July everywhere, every year.  Sorry for the old joke!

But we can testify that the Samabula 1st Ward does indeed celebrate the 4th of July.  The YSA were in charge and decorated the rec hall with red, white and blue streamers and balloons and organized a dance.  Everyone was told to dress “America”.  I had to ask exactly what was meant by that – seems it meant they could wear jeans.  I have a whole closet full of American clothes and there is not one pair of jeans in it!

But it was a fun evening and after we oldies left and the YSA’s arrived they tell us it was a good evening.

As we went over at the appointed hour – you know that hour when no one else comes for a least another hour, we found another celebration taking place just outside of the church grounds.  There was a group all dressed in Indian gear with a statue in the back of a pickup truck and drums and marchers all parading past the church. We asked what they were celebrating and they told us they were celebrating the birthday of their church.

Evidently it was quite a birthday because Elder and Sister Terry reported that it was a church just down the hill from their house and that they celebrated all week-end long.  Lots of drums!

		4th of July in Fiji VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

President and Sister Layton (New Mission President)–June 29, 2014

The farewells are done – for now, and the welcomes begin.  The new mission president and his wife arrived.  President and Sister Layton are now here and working hard.  And Sunday evening we had a little get together at their house.  A pot luck dinner – and a get to know you night.  Enjoyable! 

 

Handover Ceremony at Nasinu Prison–June 28, 2014

Just when we thought we had seen all there was to see in Fiji…we went to prison.  Literally. 

Last week the Stanford’s asked if anyone was interested in helping them with a welfare handover ceremony at the prison on Saturday morning.  We volunteered.  And so early Saturday morning found us trying to find one of the prisons here in Fiji.  It only took a couple of wrong turns and asking for help a couple of times and we found it.

The Church welfare was donating hygiene items to the prison. Usually the put the items are put together in kits, but the prison wanted the items separately so that is what they did.  We delivered a truck load of toilet paper, bars of soap, coconut oil and other supplies.  And of course no handover is complete without treats.

We went inside to the mess hall and set up the goodies on a table.  This is a prison for first offenders and while we set up they all sat quietly at the tables.  And all of a sudden they started to sing…hymns.  Wow, their voices were wonderful.

This was an interdenominational group handover so a Baptist minister spoke, then the stake president for that area spoke, and then Elder Johansson, our new Area Seventy spoke.  And he hit it out of the ball park, so to speak.

He told them they sounded like angels and asked if they had noticed that every time the Lord spoke with men the angels sang.  Wow.  And then he told them that this was a place where men go to repent for things they do wrong in the community, but to repent of their sins they go to Jesus Christ.  It was a wonderful, short, hit it on the head message.

After the ceremony pictures were taken and then they made short work of refreshments.  It’s funny, as they stood up for pictures I told Sia, who was sitting next to me that they looked like they should be coming in to get a PEF loan to go to school!  Maybe someday!

This was a rare experience, one that not too many foreigners get and I am glad we took the opportunity.

		Handover Ceremony at Nasinu Prison VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

President and Sister Klingler’s Farewell–June 27, 2014

The farewells are almost over.  The ward held their farewell party for President and Sister Klingler on Friday evening.  It was another evening of joyful entertainment.

This time the groups did island dances.  The Primary set the bar very high with their Hula dance from Hawaii, the YSA men were very traditional with their spears and war clubs, the Relief Society looked wonderful and those sisters still can swing it!  And of course you were waiting to hear how the High Priests could out do their “Bunny Hop”, well they managed it.

All dressed alike in their yellow sulu’s they did a Rotuman dance and the two gray haired white guys almost managed to keep up…Almost.  Their dances go down in the “Did you ever think your Dad would do that?”  category.

Fun evening!

And Saturday morning President and Sister Layton arrived, and Saturday afternoon President and Sister Klingler flew out.  Here’s to new beginnings and fond farewells!

		President and Sister Klingler’s Farewell VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL