August 3, 2014

August 3, 2014

I just had to check my last word  entry,  to see where I had left off from this week’s activities.  I am really glad that I wrote about Sunday because so much has happened since then.  We have attended many events this week and have been so busy that we aren’t sure if maybe we have chased in circles enough to meet ourselves coming or maybe going, who knows.  This week has also been interesting because we have been able to see what the public relations missionaries do.  Their job is definitely different than what we thought.  There is a lot of picture taking and a lot of interaction with the public.  They are briefed extensively about the protocols of the various governments and societies.  The Wallace’s also had lessons dealing with the use of the camera, writing up reports about what they saw and the people they met.  Public relations people need to be able to talk to folks, mingle and enjoy working with the public in a church setting.  I keep thinking of Ted and Connie in this capacity, so I guess my job is to convince them about this opportunity.  The public relations missionaries certainly do a great job.  But then I think any missionary that wants to serve helps in whatever capacity they serve in.  We have certainly had our eyes opened about the possibilities of what can happen in the mission field.

Monday and Tuesday, were miscellaneous chore and errand days, with us trying to put 5 days of work into 1 or maybe 1 ½ days of work so we would be able to be available when the Wallace’s needed us.  We also got caught in some meetings we didn’t know we were having and mixed up on the times of a scheduled meeting.  Lucky for us, the Wallace’s had a car by then and were able to travel to where they needed without our assistance.  They also ended up with new and different assignments during those 2 days so it worked out alright.  We did have a Web Ex meeting with the area directors and the head of the schools in the South Pacific.  The counselor to the area director in Tonga was sick, so that left Steve, Fehi, Maopa and myself representing Tonga.    We were a little concerned about what we were presenting because we have had to make mighty changes in the curriculum’s and classes offered, projects, etc.  We were also informed that any classes that had to do with hands on curriculum, like computer tech, art, agriculture, hospitality, tourism were also being added to the TVET curriculum which makes sense.  We need to finish with the teacher observations for the ITEP classes, then we can concentrate on TVET.  Bruce Yerman, the head dude, told us he had put in a request to President Monson to extend our mission for 3 more years, but hadn’t heard back from him yet.  Yah, right!  It did make us feel good when Fehi, the principal and Maopa, HOD of TVET, cheered about that announcement.  It is flattering that they would want us to stay that long although it really isn’t in the works.  We did have a good meeting, got a lot of issues ironed out and have permission to head in the direction we felt necessary to get the TVET program where it should be.  We have some super teachers who have great ideas about where they want to go with their programs.

Thursday’s cultural event for the Center Stake was expected to be a super event which it was.  We had to be in Havelu (ha-vay-lou) before 2 and the sky was leaking a lot with a strong breeze.  Of course because of the faith of the Tongan’s, the rain quit and the wind turned into a light breeze which dried up all the rain.  The event was a dinner which was cooked by the members of the wards in the stake.  Banquet tables were set up under tents and the tables were full of food that was stacked 2-3 layers high.  The people who attended, like the missionaries who were considered VIP’s, and were treated like the royalty that attended the celebration, ate a magnificent feast.  I just can’t believe the amount of food that was prepared.  It is becoming unusual if we don’t see many people that we know or have met in some capacity who make an effort to greet us.  We love their hospitality and we get to have the best hugs.  We met 2 returned missionaries at the event, one who served her mission in Tonga and lives in Tonga,  and one who served in Richard Smith’s mission in New York, who also lives in Tonga.  They are both exceptional young women, who I hope have a great future in store for them.  Sa’ane,  who served in New York, works at the local bank and is trying to go to school after work, sat us at her table and also presented me with a Lei that was beautiful.  Of course, I didn’t tell her that the local flowers are now causing me major allergy problems, but I did cry because I was so overcome by her thoughtfulness.   Another surprise for us was the event started on time and finished on time.  This is not a normal occurrence.  We had young student dancers from the stake entertain us during the dinner.  We always love watching the young people dance.  Prince Ata attended and even walked into the rows of dancers and gave money to the dancers.  It is so funny to see parents or even strangers walk up to the dancers in the middle of the number and put money on them.  I mean on them literally, because the dancers do coat themselves liberally with oil to make their skin glisten when they dance.  The oil makes the money stick to their skin.  A very good dancer can make quite a bit of money that way.  The Tongans can’t not dance or swing to the rhythm of music when they hear it.  Just beyond where we were sitting was a young couple who had their baby standing on a table and she was swaying and moving her hands in time to the music that was being played.  I don’t think she was very old, walking a little, but she had rhythm.  I couldn’t take my eyes off of her.  Her parents were not showing her what to do, she was just dancing.  I loved it.  I think Steve got a picture of her standing on the table.  She had a dreamy look in her eyes and did all the right moves, swaying her hips, imitating the hand motions.  So fun!

We were able to get to the temple on time that night which was good for us.  For some reason, the session seemed extra special.  I don’t know what was different, but there was a very sweet spirit there.  We love our time in the temple and the wonderful people that we work with.  It is wonderful.

President Uasila’a (wa-see-lah-ah) spoke at our home evening Monday and he is another spiritual giant.  He grew up in a large family, not members of the church.  He was sent to Liahona to school so that he could learn English when he was 12 or 13.  During the time he was at Liahona, his parents and one sibling died from a poisoned fish.  He did not know about the deaths of his family for nearly a week.  President Uasila’a  finished his education at Liahona as well as his higher education to become a teacher, finally a principal.  He was baptized a member of the church at Liahona, his siblings also joined the church after that.  President Uasila’a married, had 12 children of his own, took in many children with no family.  At one time, he had 26 people living in his home.  He credits his wife with all of his children serving missions and marrying in the temple.  You should see his wife.  She is about 4’8’’ and is a bundle of energy that is still full of it.  They have helped many children in Tonga gain an education and have a home when they were homeless.  He has been a mission president, stake president, bishop, whatever in the church, so you know he was gone most of the time.  They are a remarkable couple.

Friday night was the formal ball for the stake.  My goodness, there were some very beautiful dresses there.  I don’t know where the Tongans do their shopping, but they found some beautiful dresses.  We went early because the Wallace’s needed before and after pictures.  The police brass band provided some of the music, which I loved.  There was also a DJ there who played the other music for the dances.  Again, there was a central area decorated for the royal family.  I felt bad when the royal party arrived because the Tongans were their usual late.  I think there was probably only about 20 people when he arrived and 6 of us were missionaries.  However, when the people arrived, they filled up the hall with their enthusiasm and dancing.  Tongans love to jive, so every fast dance was danced.  Elder and Sister Wood are dancers, who have taught dance classes in the states.  They had some pretty fancy dance steps that were pretty amazing to watch.  I couldn’t believe some of the fancy steppin’ that they did.  Steve and I have too many left feet, but we danced.  It was fun to see what everyone else was doing.  We found out later that the dances all have a clown who does funny stuff to get the audience to dance, and to laugh at them.  There was one lady who was dressed in a fitted red, maroon dress,  that looked very nice.  She was a cut up on the dance floor, but as the night progressed, her cut up partners got a little out of hand.  She tripped several times, fell, and had to have help getting up.  One time one of the men, just grabbed hold of her arm and drug her off the dance floor.  I was shocked by what happened.  I was also afraid that maybe she had gotten hurt and a little embarrassed for her.  I found out later, from a very put together, proper lady, Sister Nyaata, that this lady’s role is that of a clown.  I told Sister Nyaata, that I was embarrassed   for this lady when Nesi told me the story of the clown role.  I think she was a little shocked that I had these feelings. 

When Prince Ata and his cousin the princess came to the dance, they had a seat of honor at the front of the hall, with all the things that go along with royal stuff.  After they were both asked to dance and danced with several people, they moved from their place of honor to sit with friends of the royal family.  I was surprised to see them dancing many times; they even seemed to enjoy the evening.  Prince Ata is 27 and wants to be included with the people in the ward.  He is attending the Nuku’alofa 10^th ward, still having the missionary lessons.  From what we have heard from the mission, he is planning on joining the church.  Elders and Sisters Hamblin, Wood and Holbrook have been asked by the mission president to attend this ward on a regular basis to assist the ward with the transition with the Prince and with the teaching of the gospel principles class which Prince Ata wants to attend.  We have been asked to attend the 10^th ward as often as we can.  Because we are palangi’s, we don’t have to do all the ritual things the Tongans have to do so we are better able to teach without all the protocols.  I think Elder Hamblin said that the Prince also has to have permission from the King to be baptized.  Apparently there are other members of the royalty who are planning to join also if he paves the way for them.  That brings up the sticky problem of what to do with royalty at meetings and other church functions.  When the governor of Vava’u and his wife attended the temple with his sister who was attending the temple for the first time and who were asked to be the witness couple, we had no idea that they were part of the royal family.  We just knew them as the witness couple who kept catching my eyes with a thumbs up sign when I worked with the princess. I loved watching the reactions of the princess and the way her face would light up as she sat through the endowment session.  She brought a sweet, honest spirit to the temple.   It was a great evening because they were treated like anyone who is going through the temple for the first time.  They all get special treatment.  We also didn’t find out until this week that I had sat by the governors mother at the cultural event that was held when Elder Neal A. Anderson visited Tonga.  We also sang at the wake of one of the royals that was attended by the governor and his wife. We felt like old friends, when we finally found out all the connections that we had had with Elder and Sister Fulivai.  The more we find out about what is happening with Prince Ata, the more we are finding the hand of the Lord in his life and ours.

We have just spent the last half hour talking with Supi, Bishop Toi’amoana’s(toy-ah-mo- ahna) wife about what is happening in their ward.  They are having many inspirational, faith promoting experiences with the Prince and with the other members of their ward.  Again, the Hand of the Lord working in behalf of his people.  Keep your prayers coming to Tonga.