January 2023

January

A much anticipated and important event here was the YSA (Young Single Adult) conference here in Suva the second weekend in January. The stakes and wards spent months in planning and preparation. The original date, in mid-December, had to be changed due to pretty much everything in Suva getting shut down for election nerves. All the senior mission couples were invited to the talent show. Steve and I had a very busy day, which included shepherding a young missionary through a medical visit. We were a couple of km from the USP campus when we dropped him off. We literally stopped at the corner and had the discussion "Should we go to the talent show or should we head home?"  Somehow, the car turned toward the campus, and I'm sure glad it did! We didn't get dinner, but the show was worth waiting for a late evening snack when we got home.

This was a very energetic number

The girls from Nausori 

You can spot us if you look closely!

The USP (University of the South Pacific) campus is a beautiful place, and a few days after the talent show, I had been asked to do a health presentation at one of the workshops. I found it very challenging to prepare material that would interest and engage that age group (18-30) about health. I had LOTS of ideas, but no format for delivery. Then, 3 days before the event, I was sitting in the temple during a quiet moment, and the answer came. "Use the Word of Wisdom." I was able to put together a very comprehensive PowerPoint, recruit Steve to do the exercise portion, and invited Elder Hatch, our senior missionary dentist, to give some dental hygiene advice. A few weeks after our presentation, a young man that we met on one of our Sunday adventures told me he had been there and really enjoyed the presentation. I said "Great! Tell me one thing you remember from our presentation." He didn't respond, and the ebb and flow of the members moved me on, so I was kind of worried that he was unhappy about being put on the spot. An hour or so later, he came back to me and said "I remember you told us to never drink sugar!" I could have hugged him! Anybody who has ever worked with me in clinic knows that is one of my main and oft repeated themes. Since doing that presentation, I have gone back to my other health presentations and formatted them in the context of the Word of Wisdom (D&C 89).

The USP campus

Our Presentation was in the Australia Building

The Himle's on the left.

The second week of January one of our senior couples, the Himle's, were scheduled to go home. They came on a 6 month service mission at the request of the Nausori Stake president, President Qoroya (Go-roy-a). They had hosted the president's sons in southern California while they attended high school, so were well acquainted with his family. President Qoroya assigned them to the Nausori Stake Center YSA program. There is a large room on the second floor of the building set up like an institute, with ping pong tables, computers, and kitchen access--a good place to hang out! The Himle's became much loved grandparents. The Himle's served two previous missions, one in South Sudan, and the other was in Africa as well, I think Uganda, but can't remember for sure. 

One of the greatest things about serving a mission is associating with the amazing people who choose to be senior missionaries. I'm going to include a few of our fellow missionary pictures here, because they each become dear friends. And, when we meet again back home, there is an indescribable bond---we have Fiji. All someone has to do is say a word--like potholes--and we all get the giggles and wish we were back on this beautiful island!

Elder and Sister Baldwin.
They serve
on the north island, in Savusavu. They
travel all over the island, supporting
the branches and the missionaries. 
They keep a box of medical supplies 
in their flat so I can direct medical care
remotely!

The Patton's.
They are ITEP missionaries
and work with the teachers at the church 
schools to get the training and continuing
education they need.
They have also been working with with the
Verata branch as MLS. They are so gentle
and kind as they guide the leaders and members
of the branch. They truly have a talent for
shadow leadership.

Steve and Elder  Patton
They try to sit behind the
group, so the meeting
is truly being conducted
by branch leaders.

  

Elder and Sister Walker
They serve humanitarian, and
are just as likely to be decked out
in jungle gear inspecting projects as 
they are to be in skirt, shirt and tie. They travel
to some very remote places, with very basic 
living conditions.
They also meet with a lot of government, NGO reps
and Area church leadership. 

Sister Call (front left) and 
Sister Mildenhall (back right)
run the mission office. 
I love to see their smiles when I 
walk in the door.
They also take care of all the 
immigration paperwork, and
lend support to all mission
activities like zone conferences,
baptisms, devotionals, etc.

Elder and Sister McBride
They serve as housing coordinators, and 
they are always on the move. 
They also serve in the Korovou branch
as MLS, and Elder McBride was branch president
for a few months.
After the Korovou district was moved back into 
Nausori Stake, he was shifted to ward clerk.
Sister McBride works closely with the branch
Relief Society, and has the most active and effective
RS group in the district.

Elder and Sister Thevenin
They do a little of everything! They were the first
missionaries to greet us in Fiji, because they were
based in Nadi and met all the flights with new
missionaries. They also do a lot of MLS (Member Leader Support)
and they attend a different unit almost every week. 
They have lived in 3 different locations since coming to Fiji,
which is very unusual for senior missionaries.
It is very lucky for us, because their last move was
into the flat next door to us!

Elder and Sister Jerrett
He is mission finance secretary and she is vehicle
coordinator. Sister Jerrett stands at about 5'2", but she 
has made it her business to be able to drive ALL the 
mission vehicles including the trucks and the 15 
passenger vans. I think that except for the 
Mission President, she gets the most phone calls
of any senior missionary. She often excuses herself from a 
gathering to take a call from a missionary on the road.
If it is a distress call, she goes into action immediately.

Elder and Sister Roper (left)
Elder and Sister Hatch (right)
Roper's served as ITEP  with the church
schools, MLS with Korovou branch, and were our
next door neighbors until they went home in December. 
They were here in Fiji with us pre-covid, and they are the main
reason I know that the mission bond is strong at home
because they live part time in St. George and we get together for
lunch once-in-a-while. We sure miss them right now.
Elder Hatch is a dentist, and in the mission, Sister Hatch has been serving 
as his dental assistant, hygienist, receptionist, etc. 
They also serve full time in the Fiji Temple. Their original call was 
to Tonga, but there are visa difficulties, so they came here to wait
for the visas to be issued, instead of sitting at home.
Elder Hatch went through all the steps to become licensed in Fiji, 
and he has been serving missionaries, students, and members with
dental services. It is amazing to watch him restore smiles!

Elder Hatch brought a completely portable dental office with him. He can do an amazing amount of work on his own, but he has also met and formed working relationships with several dentists here in Suva, so he can refer work that he is not able to do himself. He sets up his "office" where ever he is needed, which sometimes includes the church building on Sunday. Recently, we were relocated out of the Country Service Center because they are doing some repair work, and he set up shop on the back patio of the student dormitories at the church college. That was only for one day however, as he does prefer to work in air conditioned spaces!

Senior couples in the FSM in January 2023

When you see a picture of lots of senior missionaries, understand that there is a lot of talent, dedication, experience and testimony in the group. In the picture to the left, the two sisters seated #4 & #5 from the left, Sister Solomone and Sister Kama, were the sole office support for President and Sister Marcus when they first came to Fiji during Covid. All four of them get tears in their eyes when they recount the stories of mission survival during that difficult time. We sure are privileged to be associating with these wonderful people.

Steve's birthday dinner--
dessert phase
The wait staff sang 
Happy Birthday 

We celebrated Steve's birthday
at the Grand Pacific Hotel. It's a 
very well known landmark location with 
a lot of history in the South Pacific.

With all the health teaching that
I do, I try to set a good example 
about food choices when I'm out and about.
The refreshments for this Stake meeting actually
included fruit, which is pretty unusual. I have 2 plates 
because one is for Steve.

Brownies and Ice Cream!

Sometimes we just have to go for it!

Sending Lots of Love from Fiji