Talofa Lava,

Patty and Brent in front of RLS Home
(Before we got our leis)

If you are bored with your life I strongly recommend a mission to cure the doldrums.  I love being busy as the weeks just fly by.  Every day there is something new to learn.  Yesterday I made a cake for some elders.  The recipe called for brown sugar.  I now know that there is a difference between brown sugar and sugar that is brown – that is raw cane sugar.  Oh well, it still tasted great, even if the texture was a little off, and the elders did not seem to mind.

Food Tents with Las Vegas style Buffet

The highlight of our week was a “Garden Party” at the Robert Louis Stevenson home.  Rex Maughan, Jim Winegar and Brother Goodrich, all return missionaries from Samoa, and now philanthropists, hosted the elegant affair.  Invited guests included government dignitaries, ambassadors,  business leaders, prominent citizens, and senior missionaries.  All the guests received a warm welcome with a fresh flower lei, and were treated to wonderful evening of entertainment including a small orchestra, singing, traditional Samoan music and dancing, and a feast fit for royalty, including traditional Samoan dishes, lobster tail, salads, chicken, fish, beef.....A dance floor was set up for after dinner dancing, which I even talked Brent into.  The cool night made the memorable night just perfect!  Tomorrow the senior missionaries have been invited back for a private tour of the home and grounds so will post more pictures next week.

L-R Drs. Larsen and Orchard, Sister & Elder Jacobs,
Elder & Sister Whittle

President and Sister Saunders found out Friday that they were going to Australia today (Sunday) for a week of training.  That leaves Brent and I in the office alone.  Luckily we have some amazing APs, Elder Bate and Elder Tupula so I am not too worried.  We also serve with other amazing seniors who are not in the office but available if we need help.    The Jacobs and Aveis work as auditors, the Gillettes work at the school in the vocational dept., the Whittles work in Self-Reliance, Drs. Larsen and Orchard are the Dentists and Sister Cassita is the nurse.  The Schafermeyers left this week to fill in for the Saunders in American Samoa, and they work with setting up internets in the chapels and teaching members how to use technology.  There are so many ways seniors can be used throughout the world, and what is amazing is that each one of us feel like our assignment is where we are the best suited.

Starting Sept. 5th Samoa is hosting the Pacific Commonwealth Games (a mini-Olympics for youth ages 14-18)  Our campus will be housing hundreds of students.  School is out for the next 3 weeks and classrooms have been turned into dorms with wood partitions and bunk beds.  Everything is getting a new coat of paint, landscape is pruned, people will decorate their houses. it is a BIG deal here.  It is something to look forward to.  

The Lord has blessed us in so many ways. We love serving in the mission field and see the Lord's hand daily in His work. We send our love to all of you - have a good week.  Sister Ellsworth