Where did 2024 go?

Talofa!

Hard to believe we're two weeks away from 2025!  I hope everyone is having fun preparing for Christmas and getting together with loved ones over the holidays.  We are sad that we have to miss that this year, but VERY GLAD that you are all getting together anyway without us.  Just remember we are thinking of you all and can't wait to see you in less than 3 months now!

Samoa during the holidays is not much different than any other time. There's not any Christmas tree lots around.  I think that would be way too expensive to bring them by boat! So whatever Christmas trees there are, they're cheap fake ones.  Or coconut trees with lights wrapped around the trunks as far as someone can reach. I'm seeing lots of tinsel garlands like you can get at the dollar stores at home. One of the hotels here has a giant Christmas tree in their front entry made from recycled plastic water bottles that have been painted green! Wrapping paper and ribbon is hard to find.  I'm still searching for that.

Last week was a little slower than usual and that was a nice thing so we could catch up from the busy week before that.  Elder Godderidge was busier than me because of the usual calls after transfers asking for things that seemed to have disappeared with the previous missionaries that moved out. We have one missionary who is a native from Savaii (the same one that terrorized Elder Christensen when he first got to the mission) who always leaves the MQ he transfers out of without any beds!  We've decided that he sells them to people!  Luckily he's going home in January so maybe we'll only lose two more--HAHA.  He prefers to sleep on the floor with a sleeping mat. I guess that's what he's used to.  We've also been battling the bed bugs again.  And bug bites!  All the new missionaries from other places are getting eaten alive.  It happens every transfer. 

Sister Jensen and Sister Johnson have had the cleaning bug since transfers!  They called Elder Godderidge almost every night asking for cleaning advice!  They have affectionately started calling him "Grandpa G."  They're cute, fun, and hardworking sisters that keep us entertained with their nonsense. 

Tuesday was kind of a sad day.  I took Sister Falesa in for her 10 month echocardiogram.  She's the Sister that has Rheumatic heart disease and had valve repair surgery when she was 10 years old.. I take her each month for a Prophylaxis injection of pennicillin to help prevent her from getting endocarditis which she is susceptible to because of her damaged heart. They monitor her heart valves with the Echocardiograms every 10 months.  Sadly, her valves have become quite a bit more leaky since her last Echo so she is going to need to have surgery for an artificial valve most likely in the next year.  That means they need to start working on getting her on a schedule with Cardiac surgeons in New Zealand and she can't continue to serve a proselyting mission because it is too hard on her heart.  She was switched to a service mission on Friday morning and has to go back to her home to live.  It's sad that Rheumatic Heart disease is so prevalent here just because people don't get proper medical care when they get strep infections  and the bacteria goes to the heart and damages valves in little children. Maybe  you can all say a little prayer for her that everything will go OK and she will be able to get the artificial valve soon.  Elder Katao has completed his first month of treatment pills for his Leprosy. Another terrible disease that we rarely see in America anymore. We went to the infectious disease clinic Wednesday morning to get his next month's worth and visit with the Dr. Hopefully after a couple of months he will be feeling much better and his red blood count will come back up. 'm glad they have the medicine available to treat him here so he can continue to serve his mission.  

Thursday and Friday was MLC again.  We had Elders Ale and Reupena stay with us on Thursday night.  After they had a huge meal at the MLC meeting, they came to our place and asked Elder Godderidge if he would take them to McDonalds at 9:00 at night!  He told them he'd take them but he wouldn't buy the 40.00 tala  burgers for them. It's highway robbery! They didn't even think twice about it, they bought their own burgers.  I would have been so sick to my stomach after all that food!

On Saturday, we went and cleaned some bed bug mattresses and took medicines to the west zone, then attended the Senior Couple Christmas party during the afternoon. It was nothing like the fun parties we have at home this time of year! Oh well.

Elder Godderidge read a talk given by Elder Neil A. Anderson at the 2022 Christmas devotional.  He wanted me to share a quote from that with you:

"In our times of uncertainty, in our days of trouble and difficulty, in our struggles, let us be faithful.  Jesus came that holy night.  He is the Savior of the world, the Prince of Peace, the King of Kings. He lives, and 'the hopes and fears of all the years are met in him tonight.'  I witness that as we are righteous, all our tears of sorrow, difficulty, and uncertainty will be met and made right in Him, the beloved Son of God. 'Joy to the world, the Lord is come.' in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." 

One good thing about being on a mission far away from home during the holidays is that it keeps things simple and more focused on the real person who's birthday we celebrate.  We wish you a wonderful week as you countdown to Christmas!  We love you all!

O Mai ia Keriso