Fiji

Fiji

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Zi[ Trip June 2015

Zip Line Excursion at the Sleeping Giant Zip Line

Planning our Zip Line Strategy over breakfast at the Tanoa International Hotel, Nadi
With the Deckers, Knights, and Tanners
 
Always fun to see the villagers along the way!

Can you see the Giant?  
The shape of the mountain why this is called the Land of the Sleeping Giant!
Beautiful Orchid varieties on the mountain!
Getting all suited up!

There was a very helpful, happy, friendly staff!


Ready or not...here we come!
Tanners, Deckers, Knights and Terrys

 


Views of the beautiful surroundings!
David found some bananas growing near by!
Last trip to Baravi Handicrafts-- our favorite stops on the way to Nadi

David's last encounter with a Warwick Fijian Warrior!

Some of the fun was taken away from our zip trip as we come upon this sad site.
  Our APs were involved in a head on collision on their way home from the Latouka Zone Conference
So glad Elder's Johnson and Gregory were not hurt.  Angels abound in the mission field.

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

May/June Missionary Moments


.
 With Nabua Branch President Joeli Kalugata, the lone survivor of a South Pacific ship wreck
at age 9, with his wife Elanora.  He has given great service to the church since his conversion..
(see his story in the 2004 October Ensign)

Lautoka Zone Leaders all packed up taking supplies back to their zone
 after their May Zone Leader Council (Backing is  E. Houquin, Driver E. Brower
Back seat-Elder Beniamin with Elder Barnaby burried in the boxes!)
Sunday Dinner with Elders Reeder, Luatua, Barnes and Bennett


Word got out that we were feeding missionaries!
Elders Naivalu (Tomasi), Terry, Malawauki, and Po'ona
Our final Zone Conference, June 2015...with the Suva Zone

Two of our favorite Local Boys
Tomasi (Elder Naivalu) from Fiji Serving in Fiji and 
Willie Irava, from Fiji serving in Tacoma, Washington

With  Elder Painter, his last day as AP
May departing missionaries
Back, Elders Peery, Tafuna'i, Moantewa, Saumaki, Morgan, Moka,      ,Tenny
Front Sisters Itea,       ,Eneri, Uate, Alaga

The US NAVY Hospital  Ship "Mercy" docked in Suva full of donations from LDS Charities.
We were lucky enough to get a tour of the ship!



David was looking for a real American hotdog, but he was too late for lunch!


 The ship's chapel and below the ship Chaplin Lubechek (LDS)
with the "smart kids" from the LDS College.  The Chaplin
gave each one of the kids a small Book of Mormon and wrote his testimony in each one.
The kids were thrilled, it was like Christmas for them!

We toured with Elder and Sister Knight and Frank and Susan Stanford
My piano kids at our final performance class!
Adarsh Pillai, Geraldine Steven, and Ruth Mototabua
They are the BEST!
Below:  Shreya Singh




Sunday, June 7, 2015

Last Taveuni/Rabi Trip May 2015

Beautiful aerial view of a reef in the south pacific on the flight to Taveuni

Some beautiful flowers on Taveuni-we don't see yellow hibiscus too often
We were privileged to be guests at the beautfiul home of Gary and Lorraine Cziep,
from Idaho Falls. The are so generous to share their 2nd home with the
senior missionaries when they are in Idaho.



The beautiful grounds of the Cziep's home.
We saw a Fijian burial. 
 The casket is on the back of the truck on several woven mats.  They take the mats off the truck, wrap the casket then carry it up the hill to the burial site

Beautiful senset as we met the other senior couples for a pizza dinner.
Elder and Sister Vermeeren, Terry, Knight, and Harward



Sunday boat ride headed for church and to check on the missionaries
 on the island of Rabi (pronounced Rambi)
Elder Terry always needs to help navigate!
It was a great 1 hour ride to the island---just got a little wet with sea spray.
Notice there are no pictures posted on our return trip. 
We were holding on for dear life as the sea
was very rough on the way back.  We got a lot wet!  Totally wet!
Elder and Sister Knight
The boat dock arriving in Rabi
Elder Terry thought about a fishing trip...but it was Sunday!
This is for the farmers in the family....plants were growing out of this bone yard Chinese loader
With Elder Vermeeren, the Rabi branch President, and Elder Terry


Walking down the road to the church

And this is someone's kitchen.  They do the cooking outside of the house!


The church in Rabi -- Knights, Terrys, Vermeerens and members of the Branch Presidency
and of course the church dog!
Elder Terry ready for church with his fan!
The missionary flat in Rabi with Elders Talami and Nabuti

Members house near the church
Transport dropping off the people for church
The 2 hibiscus queens!  Sisters Terry, Knight and vermeeren
Rabi branch Primary Children
This is where sacrament meeting is held.  This little girl stared at us all through church.
 I don't think she had ever seen white skinned or blond people in her life!
After our drenching boat ride back, we changed in to the only dry clothes we had and had a nice evening dinner on the Vermeeren's balcony

A village on Taveuni where David had previously taught with the missionaries

The church at Vuna--outside, and in (below)


                                           With the Knights in the beautiful village at Vuna
Behind us is the missionary's bathtub!

Oh my Elder Terry, what big ears you have!
It's laundry day!  
Another Taveuni Sunset

Pineapple growing on the Cziep property.
            Goodbye Taveuni, hope we meet again!