Catching up

 Talofa!

It was nice to have a little more normal routine this week after the crazy week we had last week.  I needed to have a few days in the office to try to catch up on all the charting I didn't do last week and answer some emails and follow-up with missionaries to see how they are doing.  I also had a chance to meet with the Mission Leaders and to have our first health council meeting with the Area medical advisor (AMA) and Sister Reid. That's a zoom meeting that we have where we can discuss some of the missionaries that have health concerns that we feel we need some help or direction with.We got a new AMA in June.  His name is Elder Merkley and I really like him!  He weighs in on the difficult cases and gives me suggestions on what to do. It's like having an online doctor at my disposal!  I try not to bother him too much because he's over all the islands in the Pacific Area, but he's been very helpful in a few cases.  I like learning from him too.  

Last Monday we had a meeting with the Mission Leaders and the other Senior missionaries in the office and President Reid gave us another assignment.  He wants each couple to be assigned to a certain zone in the mission and get more involved in helping out the missionaries.  We are supposed to go to district meetings, try to get with each companionship at least one time per transfer for companionship study, attend their baptisms and attend church meetings at wards in the zone on Sundays. So guess what zone we got assigned to?  The furthest one away from the mission home!  Ya, it will take us over an hour each way just to get there for things.  I'm not sure how we're going to fit it all in, but we'll just have to do the best we can. We're trying to have a positive attitude about changes.  Change is good, right?  The Reid's are changing up quite a few things, which is fine.  Hopefully it will be good for the missionaries.    

Elder G. put up a few more nets last week.  Making missionaries and kids happy!

That's been fun for him to do so thanks for mailing them to us Stokes's! 

We are really looking forward to this upcoming week because we'll get to spend some time with Bayli and Ethan!  Can't wait to see them on Wednesday!  

I was asked to give a spiritual thought for our office staff devotional so I'll share that with you all as well.  I shared a quote I'd heard once by Henry Ford (founder of Ford Motor Company).  He said "If you think you CAN or you think you CAN'T, you're probably right." Sometimes I doubt my ability to do things, and so I don't try because I don't want to fail at it.  Kinda like it took me until I was 38 years old to run my first marathon because I doubted myself and I was afraid I might not be able to run that far or finish the race.  When I finally decided "I can do this", I did it.  I trained hard and prepared myself and I did better than I ever imagined I could do. Satan wants us to doubt ourselves, because then we won't move forward in life.  Heavenly Father wants us to do our best, never give up, and keep moving forward toward the goal of eternal life.  He is our biggest cheerleader in the marathon of life, and he will be there at the finish line to say "Well Done"!  I liked the story Elder Renland told in his last conference address about struggling on a kayaking trip he went on.  He stopped moving and a couple of big waves flipped his kayak over twice!  When the guide came to help him and offer advice, he told him that he needed to just keep paddling, maintaining momentum and forward progress. Elder Renland urged us to row toward the Savior. Pray daily, study daily, reflect on the goodness of God daily, repent daily and follow promptings of the Holy Ghost daily. These five things will help us maintain momentum and forward progress in life. 

Don't doubt yourselves. You CAN do it!

Love you all!!!

I'll try to send lots of pictures next week when Bayli and Ethan are here visiting!!

Whirlwind 3 island tour

 Malo (Hello)!

This past week was crazy!  We took four ferry boat rides and two plane rides. We were on four islands in one week.  Upolu, Savaii(twice) and American Samoa. It was the most traveling we've done in one week, that's for sure! I don't want to do that every week. And I KNOW Elder G. is not anxious to get on a ferry or a plane again any time soon. HAHA. He did survive the rides without ever throwing up, so that was a miracle.

We headed to Savaii Monday in a mission van (nine of us--all Senior couples) .  When we arrived, we headed straight to the church house where the island zone conference was being held.  We did the same schedule as the Upolo zone conferences last Thursday and Friday.  Gave our little 15 minute classes 5 times.  We had just enough time after that to drive to the Savaii temple sight and then had late lunch and headed back to the ferry for the trip back.  

Tuesday morning we had to be at the small airport to catch our flight to American Samoa by 10:00 AM. The plane ride is a little over 1/2 hour usually but it was stormy and raining so it was a little longer than usual and a pretty rough ride. I'll send pictures of the 15 seater plane we took.  I checked first thing for my flotation device under my seat and it wasn't there, of course.  So I just said a prayer.

Tutuilla (American Samoa) island is much smaller than Upolu and Savaii and there are more mountainous areas that are uninhabited.  They're just like huge green jungles.  There is a national park there.  Most of the population lives in the city of Pago Pago, with other small villages around the outer perimeter of the island and one main road which stays mostly along the coast.  We were able to do some shopping there at a couple of stores that had bulk American goods( kind of like a Sam's club,

but not nearly as big). We found Red vines licorice, m&m's, Honey-nut Cheerios, Pretzels, granola bars, and Wheat thins, still no diet Mountain Dew or Diet Dr. Pepper). We bought some stuff there and Elder Tagg, the Senior missionary for Tutuilla) is shipping it over with the next mail shipment.   

We ate dinner at a really good restaurant called Sadie's the first night we were there and then the zone conference was on the next day. It was a great conference.  The missionaries there are all so fun.  We played a game called ZOOM-ERRT.  Elder Godderidge and Elder Christensen were in the small group of winners so I took a picture of the Cache Valley Zoom/Errrt champions.  We stayed in the house that the Tagg's live in, it's like a small mission home for the island.  They have two extra bedrooms so we stayed in one of them.  The other senior couples stayed in a vacant apartment where another senior couple will be living when they arrive later this month.   After the conference, we did some sightseeing in the van,and we ate dinner at a fun outdoor restaurant by the sea. There was a BYU flag hanging on a wall . I took a picture of it for Ted.  We flew back the next day and arrived home at around 3:00.  Our flight was delayed for 2 hours because one of the planes broke down so they were short a plane. They told us when we got there  for our original check-in time that the flight was delayed and we should just leave our suitcases there and come back in two hours.  I guess the "never leave your bags unattended" rule doesn't apply at the American Samoa International airport--HAHA.    

On Friday, we got up and headed to the wharf to get back on the ferry to Savaii.  We had booked the weekend trip a couple of months earlier because we signed up for a race in Savaii.  Too bad it turned out to be the same week we had to do all the traveling for the mission conferences.  But is was still a nice break.  We had Friday afternoon to explore the island a bit.  We went to the market and then drove to some ocean "Blow holes" that were kinda cool.  We stayed at the same resort we stayed at when we went with President and Sister Purcell back in June.  We got up early Saturday morning for the race. We did the half-marathon.  It was a pretty slow run/walk for me, but I finished it!  Elder G. finished 35 minutes ahead of me.  He wanted to prove to me that I could still do it, and I made it, so YEY!

Any of my daughters could have WON the marathon, cause the first place female runner ran it in just under 5 hours!   After the race, we just relaxed for a while and watched the pouring rainstorm on our little porch deck. Saturday evening they had a dinner and show at another resort for the runners. The show was entertaining, and  it was interesting company.  Most of the participants were from other places, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Japan, Denmark.  And many of them were older folks who just travel all over the place doing marathons. Three of them had run over 300!  I'm glad I have better things to do with my life than that.    

By the time we got back over to Upolu on Sunday, it was late afternoon.  I'm hoping for a slower week this next week, so I have time to catch up here and to make plans for when Bayli and Ethan come on the 24th! CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THEM!   I wish you all could come and visit here but I know it would be hard to take a trip like that with your busy schedules.  If anyone wants to though, we'd love to have you!  

One of the things I shared with the missionaries when we were doing our training sessions was a quote I found from Elder Bednar. I wanted to share it --especially with my older grandkids.

"Because a physical body is so central to the Father's plan of happiness and our spiritual development, Lucifer seeks to frustrate our progression by tempting us to use our bodies improperly.  One of the ultimate ironies of eternity is that the adversary, who is miserable precisely because he has no body, entices us to share in his misery through the improper use of our bodies.  The very tool he does not have is thus the primary target of his attempts to lure us into spiritual destruction." 

Remember the scripture in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. "What? Know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you...therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

There's going to be a photo overload this time! Pictures from our adventures last Week

Elder G has a new buddy!

 Talofa everyone!

Hope you've all had a great 4th of July weekend!  We have loved getting pictures from you  and it makes us happy to see you spending family time together.  We're sad we had to miss it, but honestly we've been so busy lately that we haven't really had much time to think about what we're missing!    Maybe that's a good thing.

Elder G. has had a shadow this last week!  Toa (10 year old son of the new mission leaders) has come around looking for him every day to see what he's doing and see if he can tag along.  He's a little bored here I think and doesn't really have any friends yet because he's not in school for the summer months and he doesn't really know anyone his age.  He's gone on a few bike rides with him to deliver things to the Sister MQ's who live close by and he's been helping him do some odd jobs around here.  I hope it's helping him a little bit. You all know how much fun Elder G. s to be around!  I'm just afraid he might start leaving me behind if he has someone else to go help him.  He's probably just as much help as I am.  HaHa! 

Last week was crazy!  We started the week with MLC on Monday and Tuesday.  Then on Thursday and Friday we had zone conferences for the Upolo zones.  We had to take part this time and do little 15 minute presentations for the missionaries to rotate through.  We have to do the same thing this week at zone conferences in Savaii and Tutuilla (American Samoa).  We'll be taking the ferry to Savaii Monday morning and returning Monday night  Then we fly to American Samoa early Tuesday morning and stay there for two nights.  Zone conference there will be on Wednesday (which is Tuesday ithere) . Then we fly back on Wednesday there which will be Thursday here!  So confusing!. Elder G. is not looking forward to the ferry rides and plane rides!  Hope he does OK. 

President Reid is trying to figure out how he wants to do everything and trying to get to know the missionaries right now so hopefully we'll get settled back into a routine again after a month or so.  We're a little behind on some of the things we need to do with our responsibilities as mission nurse and housing coordinator because of all the time we've had to spend in meetings but after this week we should have time to get caught up.   We're just doing the best we can. 

Today was fast and testimony meeting and the English speakiing ward invited the Samoa national Rugby team to attend because they were in town for a big game against some other country (I think it was Spain) last Friday night.  They won the game and it was an upset I guess.  Apparently their coach is a member of the church.  Anyway, the whole team walked in wearing matching shirts and they took up about 5 rows in the chapel! We tried to get a picture when they were leaving  but it was kinda hard.  The members were really excited that they were attending their ward!

I don't really have many pictures to share this week.  I need to try to do better with that.! I'm falling asleep so I guess I'll be done for this week. Love you all SO much.  Have a great week!  

Changing of the guards (or priesthood keys)

 What a week!  Lots of emotions and fun and change in the routine this past week.  On Monday night, we had fun helping The Mission Leaders host a "FHE" party for all the past missionaries who have served with the Purcell's.  Since the majority of them are from Samoa, they wanted to have a little gathering to give them a chance to say good-byes. We helped out with the set-up and serving food and passing out T-shirts,and then the clean-up afterwards.  We didn't know most of the returned missionaries, but it was fun to get acquainted with many of them. They played some trivia games and some of them "roasted" the President. We couldn't understand what they were saying, but it must have been some pretty funny stuff because everyone sure did laugh a lot!  They took pictures in front of a big balloon arch and sang and danced.  On Tuesday, we went out to dinner with The Purcell's, Sister Schofield, and Elder and Sister Smith who are missionaries serving in the Area office in New Zealand.   Elder Smith is the Area Dental Advisor and was here to help set up  a mobile dental clinic for the Island of  Savaii. We ate at the Taumeasina Resort which is not far from downtown Apia.  We can see it when we jog along the seawall path, but this was the first time we've actually been to see what it looks like close up. .It's pretty fancy! 

We spent Wednesday and Thursday mostly at the office working and helping get ready for the mission leaders to leave and arrive on Friday.  Thursday night I spent 3 hours in the kitchen making a huge bowl of potato salad for a welcome luncheon on Friday.  Thursday night we had Savaii STL's stay overnight with us.t They had brought their car to get serviced and it wasn't finished in time to make the ferry back so they had to spend the night somewhere. There are no extra rooms for that now because the new mission leaders are going to be taking up more of the space in the mission home for their family.

Friday morning we went to the airport to welcome the Reids,They flew in at around 10:00 AM.  They went to the mission home and spent about an hour in the mission president's office with the Purcell's. Then they came out and everyone said good-bye to the Purcell's.  They asked us to drive all of their luggage to the airport because they didn't want the AP missionaries to leave the new president there without them.  So we missed the luncheon with the new mission leaders. That was fine though because we were able to give the Purcell's a good-bye hug at the airport. 

Saturday morning we had our first experience with going to the wharf to pick up packages from Pago Pago that come weekly on a ferry.There were so many this week that they needed an extra vehicle to fit all of them so they asked us to help.  I got one little package from the huge pile!  A cute bracelet from Bayli with the initials of all of my grandchildren on it!  Thanke Bayli!

When we got back from the Wharf, Elder G. had 3 bored kids come and ask him if they could ride some of the bikes because someone had told them he had some in a shed.  So Talia, Eta, and Toa cruised around the campus on the bikes for a while. Guess we're going to have to share the bikes with them now, /haha.!  Saturday afternoon we went on the road to do some repairs and hang some curtains at MQ''s on the Northeast side of the Island.  We didn't get back until close to dark, but made one more stop at one of the churches to put up a basketball hoop so our friend Steven could play with a net! He's a kid that has been there shooting baskets almost everytime we go to that church so when we saw him out there shooting, we stopped and put up a net for him. He was so thankful and so excited! The missionaries saw us and came out of their MQ. so Elder G. challenged them to a 2 on 2 against him and Steven. Guess who won?  Elder G. and Steven!  Sunday was a good rest day.  We needed it.  

President Purcell left this message on the Samoa Apia Mission WhatsApp to all the missionaries at 4:00 AM  Friday  (the day he was leaving) :

"Talofa Samoa Apia Mission,

Today, Sister Purcell and I will be traveling home to California to see our children and grandchildren.  But with that yearning for home, our hearts ache with the realization that our mission is ending. And that we will be leaving you all behind to gather the wheat in Samoa and take them to the garners (temples) (Alma 26:5). The  emotional roller coaster is real and it is bittersweet.  Three years has gone by fast and we are forever grateful for the blessing of having you all in our lives forever. This separation is temporary.  And that same sociality which exists among us here will be forever etched in the fleshy tables of our hearts. (2 Corinthians 3:3).  You will be in our earnest sincere prayers daily.  WE will see your faces in our 5 o'clockprayers.  Never forget to have The Savior as the focal point of your lives daily.  He lives. He loves you. He needs you. He will always be there with outstretched arms. (2 Nephi 1:15).  Look continuously to Him with His image engraven upon your countenances. (Alma 5:19).  Sisters and Elders, continue to be anxiously engaged in his most sacred and majestic Work.(D&C 58:27). Keep going hard.  Be strong, steadfast, and immovable (Mosiah 5:15). Think Celestial, always.  Stay holy.  Remember which way you face.  The heavens are open for each of you for personal revelation.  Look for the rays of light daily so that you will create your pillars of light.  Keep studying the BOM.  It has power to bind you to the Lord Jesus Christ...

Sisters and Elders, we love you all very much.  We will miss you all tremendously.  Stay safe out there.  Plan on our mission reunion in September of 2025 here in Samoa.  May Father's abundant blessings be with you all.  Alofa tele mo outou uma. Tofa Soifua ma ia Manuia."

Here's some pictures from our week.  You'll figure them all out.