Mission Gophers

 Talofa!

Definition of GOPHER: "A low-ranking employee who is made to do the bidding of their superiors.  So-called because they are often running around doing various tasks."

This is how we feel sometimes. HAHA!

This week has been a little different.  We've had a few extra jobs and "favors" dumped

on us over the last few days.  But the weekend has been somewhat quiet because the Mission Leaders, AP's, and Sister Schofield all left for Tutuilla Saturday morning. We actually took most of the day off yesterday after we took the AP's and Sister Schofield to the airport to catch their plane.  So we're pretty much the only one's here in the compound from the mission. WE didn't have church today because of General Conference being televised in Samoa this weekend. And it's another Samoan holiday this weekend--"White Sunday".  I looked it up and it says it's a holiday to celebrate children.  Anyway the stores are going to be closed tomorrow (Monday). I guess it's like America, if the holiday falls on the weekend, the employees get their work day off on Monday..

Last week started off with an early rise on Monday morning to listen to Sunday morning conference session.  The mission leaders were in Savaii for Zone conference so we didn't have our Monday morningoffice meeting.  On Tuesday we went to our District meeting and then came back and took care of the  medical needs of some missionaries. Wednesday rnorning I had my ZOOM Health Council meeting and Elder G. went to deliver needs to the Central Zone which is on the other side of the island. Wednesday after language class, we fed dinner to Elder Amituanai and Elder Lemalu at our apartment.  SIster Schofield made Lasagna, and I made a cabbage salad and garlic bread.  We bought them a cookies and cream cheesecake for dessert.  It never ceases to amaze me how much food these missionaries can put down in one meal!  I would be so sick if I ate as much as they did!

Thursday, I had an doctor's appointment for one of the missionaries who has had three seizures since he's been on his mission--and after months of trying to schedule Doctor appointments, lab work, CT scan, and having to wait forever for appointments and results,we were finally able to start him on an anit-seizure medication so he can finish out his mission and not have to go home.  Home is Tonga so there's not any better healthcare there.  I feel bad for him and wish there was more testing that could be done.

There's no MRI and no EEG machine on the island, so it's pretty hard to make a definitive diagnosis. We just don't realize how fortunate we are in America to have  modern medical technology to properly diagnose things. 

On Thursday afternoon, Elder Godderidge had to do a favor for President Reid.  His friend from Washington, Tyler Frank, came here to check things out, so he had to drive him around to half of the MQ's on the island so he could look at them. President Reid has this plan to have this Tyler guy come here with his family on a service mission and figure out how to get all the MQ's fixed up with "quality construction work".  I think it might not work out so well, but we won't be here to find out--HAHA!  Anyway, Elder G. got the gopher assignment to show him around.  Then on Friday we attended Upolu East Zone conference with our zone in the morning and Elder G then droveTyler to the other half of the MQ's on the island in the afternooon. I went back to the office and tried to get caught up on paperwork while they were gone.  

Thursday night, Elder G. coached his girl's basketball team in a real game.  It was a bit ugly, we didn't win, but it was entertaining.  I took a few pics.  

Saturday after we made the airport drop-off, we went and hiked Mt.Vaea, then did some grocery shoppping and went to dinner at "Phat Burger". 

  

We wanted to share a couple of excerpts from one of the conference talks we listened to last week. We could really relate to what Elder Hirst had to say about God's love, and we feel exactly the same way about our children!

"Our love for each of our children is pure and fulfilling and complete.  We could not love any one of them any more than another--with each child's birth came the most beautiful expansion of our love.  I most relate to my Heavenly Father's love for me through the love that I feel for my children. "

"Perhaps you feel a long way from the love of God. Maybe voices of darkness and discouragement weighs into your thoughts, telling you that you are too wounded, confused, weak, overlooked, different, or disoriented to warrant heavenly love in any real way. If you hear those ideas, those voices are just wrong---our beloved and flawlless Saviour chose to be 'bruised, broken, and torn for us'---Surely Jesus removes all shame from the broken.  Through his brokenness, He became perfect, and he can make us perfect in spite of our brokenness.---However misshapen we might feel we are, His arms are not shortened. No.They are always long enough to 'reach our reaching' and embrace each one of us."

We encourage each of you to read and study this talk. It is powerful.  I hope you all know

how much LOVE we have for each one of you.  And remember, God's love for you is ever-reaching!j

Have a great week!