Four Classes Down - Six to go . . .

We finished teaching the BYU-H  Classroom Management Class this week.  We had 10 students who passed the class.  It was fun to see them use things they learned in the class in their classrooms with success.  This coming week we are starting the BYU-H Computer and Technology Assisted Instruction course along with a repeat of the SIOP course.  We also have a couple of teachers starting their student teaching.  We have never been busier with classes up to this point but it sure makes time go fast and we sleep pretty well at night.

Speaking of sleeping well, two weeks ago, Elder Lloyd spent several sleepless nights with fairly severe symptoms of a gall bladder attack.  Being worried about not having the proper medical treatment here for a blocked gallbladder, we cut back on the oil in our diets and had a priesthood blessing.  We scheduled an ultrasound scan the next day (for $40 tala - about $16 dollars US) and there was no sign of gallstones.  The symptoms have disappeared and fried foods are back on the menu.  We fell blessed to not have to worry about flying home for surgery.

Catholic Church in Apia

Child grave of early LDS Missionaries

This Saturday, we did a cultural tour and visited the large Catholic Church on the waterfront.  The interior was simple and beautiful.  It reflected the Samoan art in the design.  We were impressed that it was not over-the-top with gold or garish decoration.

Next, we visited the cemetery to see the graves of some of the early missionaries from the Church around the turn of the century.  There were a few adults but many children.  Apparently, the early missionaries brought their wives and families.  With no air conditioning, antibiotics, and medicine just living here was lethal.  It was a testament of the dedication and faith of those early saints who helped establish the Church here.  Little did they know that 120 years later, over 40% of the population of Samoa would be members of the Church.  In fact, Samoa was the first nation on earth to be entirely covered by stake boundaries (no districts from the mission).

Coastal Walk Beach view on the south side of the island

Friday, we took the day off and spent it on the south side of the island and explored a little bit.  We drove down to the coastal walk to see the spectacular waves crashing into the lava flow that was deposited there 3000 years ago.  It was magnificent!

Visit From The Prophet

Well, he came, he waved, he blessed, and won the hearts of the people of Samoa!  President Nelson passed us on the street and waved to us.  What was amazing was to realize that he did so all the way from the airport - an hour away!

We assembled in with the other senior missionaries in the VIP section of the audience just left of the rostrum and had a wonderful view.  Elder & Sister Halleck, Elder & Sister Gong, and President & Sister Nelson all spoke for two hours.  Just as the devotional started, the dark clouds above us started releasing rain.  The Choir sang Master, The Tempest is Raging in Samoan for the opening song.  The rain subsided and the devotional continued without rain until after it was dismissed.  When President Nelson got up to speak, he said, "You did it!  You had enough faith to stop the rain!"

At the devotional with our tickets!

We heard of centering our lives on the example and teachings of Jesus Christ, of warnings that persecution is coming into the lives of the members because Satan's influence where good is being called evil, and finally a sweet blessing left on the heads of the Samoan people including a healing blessing for those in need of it.

We had people from the Area Office in Auckland visiting this week.  Sister Vidal asked us to take her to Sauniatu on Friday.  It is always a pleasure to go there and rub shoulders with the wonderful people there.

Janice & Sister Vidal with some Sauniatu students.

President Nelson is Coming!

Things are all a buzz here at Pesega.  President Nelson is coming this Saturday and everyone is excited.  They will line the street with members waving white handkerchiefs all the way from the airport to hotel he is staying at 16 miles away.  If things go right, we should have front row seats for his devotional on Saturday.

We are keeping very busy teaching classes.  We are mostly done with Classroom Management.  We have about three more lessons left.  Joe is teaching an Introduction to School Counseling course.  We will start up a Technology in the Classroom class soon.

We have said goodbye to a couple of missionary couples recently as they have returned home with honor.  The Camerons from Alberta, Canada just finished last week.  They were Humanitarian Aid Missionaries and did a bunch of projects on all three Samoan Islands.  They helped build a lot of community centers, water systems, and home improvements.  We witnessed many families they literally lifted out of the mud to provide them with adequate and sanitary shelter. May God bless them for their faithful service!

 We have Monday off because it is a national holiday (Mother's Day).

We have had to rely on our family, our friends and neighbors to help wake up our house and yard from spring.  We appreciate the long hours that it took our son to get the lawns mowed the first time and get the irrigation system running.

Sunset at SaMoana

Apia Temple last week

Janice's Mother's Day at church