Rock you like a Hurricane (Hurricane Connor)

Our mission is all accounted for.

 The Hurricane didn't actually hit us, but we did feel its rain and winds.

 There was much sheltering, and chattering of teeth! O how great was the sight thereof! Waters fell from Heaven to fill the Earth. Many marveled at its wondrous thunder. Which thunder was more due to the rain pounding on the tin roofs of this land of Growth, heretofore known as Fiji. Amidst the constant splatter, the missionaries did triumph over the storm. It changed course fleeing from the sight of the Disciples of the One true Lord. O the likeness of people, as they hide themselves from the gospel. Yet this un-cut stone will roll-on til all the purposes of God be fulfilled! All people will here the refreshing call of the Living waters. They will have chance to witness the greatness of a fountain springing for life, yet not all will drink thereof. For they abound in their wickedness, and have turned from the light! Yet the disciples of God stretch their hands forth to be has typified saviors, to bring about the works of Christ, that they may have His salvation!

 What a good week though hahaha! That was my scriptural speak! I practice everyday, when I teach people! I try to sound prophetic, like those of old! haha not really, just is really cool sometimes, and pretty funny now in the English language.

 We have been prepping for the baptism this next week, and I will supply the pictures of the baptism when it "comes to pass" next week. I took a video of me werewere tiko (gardening with a knife the size of a machete) E. Motuliki. I hit the grass, then go for him. (Now a message from the producers, no one was actually hurt in the making. It only places a bit of dirt on E. Motuliki's elbow, we now return to me describing the week) Afterwards, we had Bu, the drinking kind of coconuts. NOTHING LIKE A REFRESHING COCONUT AFTER A DAYS WORK SLICING GRASS BEFORE A HURRICANE!!!!! - Elda MacLeod.

 

We closed our days in darkness, being that the clouds blotted out the sight of the moon. We do not have street lights either. It was really dark for a time. It is all good.

 

Hope you all have a holly Jolly week! ( just like the song! : have a holly jolly weekend, it's the best time of the week, stayin out late, with the friends you know..... this song has been discontinued because the flow of rhyme has ceased to satisfy the character of this email) 

 

(The Disrtict  From the left E. Gunderson, E. Tairua, E. Motuliki, My Apple Juice (2.4 liters), E. Court, and E. Tera

"Na Kau ka- Levu! (the big stick by translation)"

It is indeed a story, but a small one. It starts with that of us visiting a member. While in the house we chatted, and one the kids sat outside crying. When he finally came in, he was sent to shower. They dressed him, then sat him on a mattress in the living room. The member told us that he plays with the neighbor girls, but they are older, and he wants to be the boss. This means if he did not get his way, then he would attempt to fight. Well that led him to his current state of the story. As we talked, in his sleep, he stated loud and clear," Na Kau ka levu." He added lots of emphasis to the words ka levu, which is equivalent to saying the word "huge" very exaggerated. We laughed, thinking of his previous fight with the girls, now continuing in his dreams. Well this did not end here. When E. Motuliki and I returned, turning the lights out, we sat there in silence for 5 minutes. I was nearly to fall asleep, when he said, "Na Kau kalevu!" It was followed by much laughter. It is now a new inside joke!

 Anyways, we have been preparing Tima and Tomasi for baptism on the 21st. Everything is prepared, for it, just have to get there. We had lunch with them Sunday at President Delanas. It was a first birthday, which is huge in Fiji. Well only in Fai-Jai do they give the one-year-old the knife to cut the cake.... Sort-of... I sat at the head with President Delana. It is weird that seats for eating holds a rank. Normally the head of the house, sits at the head. His 1st born son sits in the next. If there is an honored guest of male gender, they take the seat of the first-born. Then it is his sons in order down. The birthday boy in a lunch for his birthday, sits after the last son for eating, but for the ceremony, sits at the head. Well, we may try to sit down, but they always tell us to "dabe cake", or sit higher. They hold high respect for us the Elders. We in Fijian are called Qase, yet by the public, called talatala or preacher. Qase is a more respectful term. Yet we are not old, so we are referred to as the English elders only.

 Anyways, we had not a week of swords, and bamboo poles, nor very long trips taking half a day. We did, however, have a week. That much is enough for me. 

 

Oh yeah, well I told about my right foot, but the left felt worse. Well it hurt so bad, I found conviction enough to stab my foot, with a needle with antibiotics on the end of it. Well, it has finally paid off, as I am now able to walk fine. It lead to many bleeding episodes of walking, but now I am not bleeding, it has healed ,and the swelling is going down. Just keeping you updated, my feet are now back to normal!  (I told Connor I might need proof that it is all better and I asked if he took some days to rest and let it get better. He just laughed and said" It is all good now.  Haha.  The sandals were no fun to put on, but I had to do the work.  I can not waste time.  I set milestones for baptisms, and there is no time to waste.")

Have an great week yous people. Until da next week doh.

 

Celebration of a firstborn birthday

Artwork

My left foot

 

 

Beauty and the Beach!

Yes, it is to say the beach does not look beautiful.  It is dirty, and the sand sticks to you more on this beach. 

We started with a Zone Beach trip to our area. We may have been there too long in my opinion.... People eventually got bored and sat down. I took some videos while running with the play. It will be good to watch memories in the future. I have found videos are better in every way. I just make sure I get pictures for these emails. They are much funner to look at!

Anyways, the next day we went to ZTM. It was good. Right afterwards, I went to Kuku with E. Gunderson on Exchanges. (He is the DL) I was out there for the last part of Tuesday, Wednesday, then returned Thursday morning. We had very good exchanges. We set two baptismal dates, the others set two baptismal dates. 

 We sat down with our Branch mission leader, and gave him names of the most active M. Priesthood holders in the ward. He gave the names to the Branch Presidency, and now we all have a goal set. We know who to focus on to make this place a ward. It will be nice to have a ward here. It gives a budget for activities. Normally grows much faster once it is indeed a ward. I received an email from the Ward mission Leader of Lautoka, he told me how great the work is going there now. I remember it was not so we I got there, and I guess I can say it was left better than I found it. Now I would like this to be on the rise, and it is now on-track, and we are with full support of the branch. They are going on themselves.

 Anyways, there is not much from this week. I really like our district. Sad it will most likely be split in April, but it is at least a long transfer. No really funny events, I guess I walk with a limp haha. It is a considerable amount of pain. My feet are swelling. The pressure from walking is very painful. Came up Tuesday, but is getting worse. I actually have an open wound on the top of my right foot. any ways, I am taking care of it. I will be alright. As long as I breathe I am working!

 

 ( I fussed him to make sure he was taking care of the wound when I received this and he replied:  

"don't worry. Antibiotic cream is on its way. I called it in this morning, cause I saw it would not heal very fast, so some should get to me today. I have been using neosporin and band-aids in the meantime.")

Planner 8 finished

on the beach

Found the Bush!

Kuku

 

 

Only in Fai-Jai

That was a good title, it had to be done. It comes from today. As we waited for the bus, this guy stopped his car in the middle of a four-way intersection to talk with a guy a while, then another did so too. Well in the second occurrence, a bus was speeding in, a guy pulled out of the lot, and a car was coming from the other side. My companion said, "only in Fai-Jai." Well they somehow didn't crash, but that is actually quite common here. No one really has respect for road laws.....

 This week went by fast. There was not much of eventful things. We saw a high for our work here. .... wa-wa-wa-winning! I made a graph to show the progress from my first week here, to my 8th. I will put the picture for you all to see. 

 The most eventful thing was seeing President Vuataki again. He is from Lautoka 1st, but is part of the mission presidency. I served 7 months in his ward, he came to church at our ward on Sunday. Both him and his wife were shocked and excited to see me. We got some good insights to help our branch. He gave us a direction as to make this place a ward. We numbered it up, and we are halfway there, with good potential. Essentially we have 7 of 15, with 4 more that could be there easy. This means that we have to get 4 more Melchizedek priesthood holders with some extra stuff. It will be on its way to be a ward when I leave! I may not see it change, but I am determined to put it on track!

 

Progress Graph

Fiji Money

New bookmark made with Massi

 

This is Survival of the fittest! and the Con-man (not Connor eh?)

Man was this a week.

 Transfers came in! Good news I stay! 

 We had a fast beginning of the week, but I forgot one teensy weensy little detail, that is so necessary and huge/crucial to move along. 

 We went about our normal week. Monday was lame, cause the Makoi elders forgot the key, and no one was coming with it, and they did not think about that.... luckily the bishop happened to be passing by....

 Other thing that happened Monday was, the Con-man! This is way funny. We went to a bakery to get lunch last Monday after emailing. As I was buying my stuff, E. Motuliki was looking at what he wanted. After I had bought my food, I turned to find a man talking to E. Motuliki. He handed him a cologne.... I asked him what the guy wanted? He was just looking very confused and just smiled at me... Well He later was able to tell me, cause he couldn't think on the spot there, that the guy essentially took his money, hahaha.

 He came up just handing him one bottle of cologne, but recognized 2 of us, and handed 2. He offered it as a gift shoving it in his hands. (lesson number 1  "Don't take candy from strangers") Well he then said well, I will give them to you $15 each, with this sticker he put on saying it cost $125 I knew there is no way they would sell a $125 cologne. Then he said 10 each, but when he gave the money, it ended being $16 each, then he just ran off, and got on the bus! hahahahaha. I was dying laughing. If he would have talked to me I could have helped him, but he got conned $32 hahaha. I have been teaching him to not show off his money hahaha. 

 Tuesday for district meeting, our bus tire blew out, luckily as we were stopping, we ended up jumping on another bus, that took ages since it went way far. We had to walk a ways to catch it, but barely got to district meeting on time. I told Nawahine the exact time we were out. We arrived exactly when I said we would. Still as punctual as I can be.

 Back to what I forgot to do, I was hospitalized on Saturday. I got put on an IV drip. So it is not that I forgot it, more that I was pretty low when I got struck with the flu. Add that to sweating in hot temperatures, and you get dehydrated way fast. I had a really bad headache really fast. I took 3 tylenol 500 mg then 3 hours later called our new medical specialist. I had told her I have been drinking water, and I took tylenol, so she told me to keep drinking the water, then hours later take 1 more tylenol, cause my headache had not changed. Well this got worse fast. My headache was really intense at this point, I still can't move my eyes off center, and when you close your eyes, they roll, so that hurts. I draped a hand towel over my eyes to block all light from entering. Then I started vommitting. I vommited everything in my stomach. All the water I would try to drink would just come back out 15 minutes later. The med Spec. told me if it is not better by the next morning, then I would go to Suva private. I was unhappy with this descision, cause I was in pain, and only getting worse. Nevertheless, I followed. I spent most of the night at the toilet puking. It was the worst night ever. I looked at my poster, and remembered the nights that I would be in pain at home, and how mom would always help me if I had nothing else I knew how to do. Well didn't have that this time. I was going to have to endure a bit longer than a few hours. The next morning, I called early. I stayed pretty calm (all things considered) and told her what had occurred through the night. She told me that I should go to Suva private. Now that I have no energy in my body, I have to catch a bus to Nausori, then another to Suva for a 2+ hour trip, then a taxi to the hospital form the Suva taxi stand..... Well I used all the strength I had left to get there. I was very week while in there. The doctor put me on a drip, and after the first dripped finished, I felt my stomach  churn. I hoisted myself up, and  luckily a bathroom was just across the hall. I could feel it coming, I told E. Motuliki to help me move the machine. We barely got there in time for me to puke out more water. I sat there a while, then wandered back to my room, and waited for the doctor. He came in with Morphine for my insane headaches. Let me tell you, morphine is not so wonderful at first. He injected it for my entire body to feel as it had all been flexed and exhausted.... Then the headaches slowly seeped away. They started the second drip. Then they gave some pills for my stomach. I had a bit of morphine, so I used the grace period to fill myself with water. Man was it an experience. Went to church the next day, then rested. Staying out of the sun like the pill said.

 

 the con-logne

hospital drip

sick at home

bus goes flat!

 

This is WARD!!!!!!

Well not yet, I wish, it might as well be. We had 90 people there. We had to fill more sacrament cups.

 Anywhose, we had quite the week, I had a better title like 2 days ago, and I remember thinking a lot happened this week, then I sat down at the computer..... duh duh duhnn.....

 We will start with Hokuin's Birthday. He shares a birthday with Jeremy. I bought him a blowhorn! It just totally fit him. They got him a really nice cake, and I have a video where the ZL throws his head into it hahahahahaha. That will get back home one day.....! Anyways we planned out the next month and a half for the next baptisms we will have. That will be good.

 Well now for the events and picture descriptions. We were walking one day to our dinner appt, when we saw a cloud that looked like a dinosaur, I took a picture through the trees, I call it the (I am a Steg-O Saurus!) hahaha asdf films! Well anyways, we had food over at their house, which was really good, but my stomach did not agree that it was good. I started to feel it churn, I quickly ate more (you would think to eat less when you feel sick, but I had a quick-plan) after eating really fast, I acted like I was getting close to full, they allowed me to go lie down a while. A few minutes later I finished it then layed down again. They were so happy I was full, yet I was not. We then left as I took about 5 breaks walking 20 minutes back to our house..... I kept it in! Great plan!

 Some other side stuff, was the ZLs showing up again! hahaha It is very regular. Nawahine was practicing driving to get his license. They showed up at our place to do a bit of service, but we were waiting for the technician to fix our power meter box..... It is working now, just in a nik of time.

 Sunday was a time where Motuliki was dancing around the flat. I have a few videos, but I will send what pictures I have.

 Lots happened this week, yet it was just small instances cause I took a lot of pictures. That is my week rate on things happening. I only take pics if things happen. I got the package, it is not the right type of charger, but it came in time for us to help our land lord hahaha. Her charger broke, so we charged her phone. She got a new charger now, but it came in right when it was needed. The sandals have made it!

Missionaries with Motuliki

New Planner

My new Fiji Shirt

I am a Steg-O Saurus!

Nay smoke.... E Warai!

Well this week was much struggle of mind and body, to get around. We have worked at reconstructing the area, to reflect that of how it was moving in Lautoka. I keep seeing the pictures every week, of those I taught there and set baptismal dates for being baptised. I am very glad that they were all baptised. All of the people I was last teaching there have now been baptised. Now it is their own work. It was exciting to see all those familiar people.

Now that the missionary report is gone! This week was great! Well I think so at least. It was lots of walking and such, but paid off. We are starting to get really spread.... Anyways, as for the title, we were walking back Friday, when we were passing by a fire that was really smokey. I was wearing sunglasses, cause my eyes were not doing so well. I didn't want to breathe the smoke, so I grabbed my towel and starting spinning it....... Well I clipped my glasses, as they hurled toward the flames. I whipped them, and they missed the flames. It was totally Ninja! (Archer reference) Well we had a good laugh about it. The zone leaders drove in Friday morning again.... Reaffirmation that they hang-out with us more than anyone.... haha. Well it was cause they needed to deliver E. Motuliki's bag to him. Well we were just finishing our exchange, so 6 of us ended up doing studies in our flat, then we all had lunch together.... Then they left so we could plan the week. 

Then I messed around with this I-phone 0 (it is fake haha)

We got these huge bananas the other day. They may be like a Vudi Hybrid.... haha

E. Motuliki thought he would try his hand at art as well and started to draw.

messing around with camera settings