Time is Passing

Talofa Family and Friends,
     The rainy season has arrived!  Hardly a day goes by now without at least one good downpour.  Life goes on here like nothing is happening - people are still out walking, children are playing....  Halloween night came complete with thunder and pouring rain.  However, it was raining so hard that it did limit the number of Trick or Treaters we had.  Several kids  showed up - all looking like drowned rats.  A bowl of soup still sounds good on  rainy afternoons even though it is still hot outside.  A favorite is my White Bean Chicken Chili which has almost become a staple.
      This week we completed flu shots,  missionary apartment inspections and installing new filters for clean water.  Driving around the island to the apartments I tried to snap mental postcards of all the beautiful things we saw. Since the road follows the ocean around the island, there are always great ocean views.  If the sun is out the water can be a brilliant turquoise, and when it is overcast the water takes on a slate gray.  Depending on the tide, the waves can be boisterous, crashing on the reefs and shoreline or barely there - exposing coral and rocks.  It's never the same - I never get tired of of watching this beautiful ocean!

      Lately I've been noticing the variety and beauty of the Roosters that roam around every where.  You'll remember there was a rooster in the Disney film "Moana".  That's because roosters are everywhere!  They are natural pest control.  When a family wants chicken dinner, (which according to the missionaries is EVERY night) they set up a trap with a box, stick and string and just wait for some poor chicken to walk under the box where they put food.  Bam!  Instant Chicken!  Luckily there is available in the stores the variety that comes in plastic bags, cleaned and ready to cook. This morning when I was walking there was a mother hen in the courtyard with a brood of 6 baby chicks.  Something spooked her (probably a rat) because she quickly sheltered all of her chicks under her wings.  (Is there a lesson here???)

     Tomorrow (Monday) is our combined Zone Conference with President and Sister Ho Ching , along with the APs and STLs (Sister Training Leaders.) The  3 STLs are staying with us for a couple of days. When they arrived at the airport the Dept of Health was there passing out pills  for Lymphatic Filariasis. The disease is caused by a worm that is carried by mosquitoes.  They are trying to get 98% of the population to take them to stamp out this horrible disease, also known as "Elephantiasis." The intake nurse weighs you, yells your weight to the other end of the table where another nurse prepares a cup of pills.  The number of pills you have to take is based on your weight.  All three girls were down for the day with headaches and fatigue after taking their pills.  Brent got sick also.  I was told the variety of pills they give you will kill any worm you might have picked up - so count Brent and I worm free.  The day before they arrived here, the Ho Chings, APs and STLs were in Savaii conducting a Zone Conference over there.  I know I could not keep up with their crazy schedule.

     Today (Sunday) was the first TSS (Tutuila Super Seniors) dinner.  The Edwards invited the Patches and us to dinner after church.  We decided we would get together for dinner once a month after Fast Sunday.  We also planned Thanksgiving so that is a relief.
      Last week I dropped some material off at  one of a zillion sewing shops to get a couple of skirts made.  I just take one of my skirts that they use for a pattern and in two days I can pick up my finished skirts.  The family I like to use is from the Philippines.  The shop is right in their home and they have four adorable kids.  The day I was there they were all excited because they had just put up their Christmas tree!  They also enjoyed showing me some of the ties their parents had made for our missionaries.  Elders here can never have too many ties!  Brent has real competition here.

     Tomorrow my lesson is on the Prophet Joseph Smith.  I know there are many people who have trouble believing that Joseph Smith  had visions and visits from angels.   I loved this Conference quote from the lesson by Tad Callister: "To those honest searchers, we lovingly respond: “Were there not angels and visions in Christ’s Church in New Testament times? Did not an angel appear to Mary and to Joseph? Did not angels appear to Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration? Did not an angel rescue Peter and John from prison? Did not an angel appear to Cornelius, then to Paul before he was shipwrecked and to John on the Isle of Patmos? Did not Peter have a vision of the gospel going to the Gentiles, Paul a vision of the third heaven, John a vision of the latter days, and Stephen a vision of the Father and Son?”  Then there are the many recorded visits in the Old Testament, from Adam, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah... I believe that Muhammad was visited by the angel Gabriel.  God is the same today as He was then.  He speaks through angels and visions.  I personally know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, he was God's chosen instrument to restore the Gospel to earth - the only Gospel which has the power to save.  
      Sending my love and wishes to you for a wonderful week.  In this month of Thanksgiving try to think of one thing each day that you are thankful for.  This morning I thought how thankful I am for digital cameras.  No more film, light bulbs, waiting for pictures to get developed.  What a great blessing!
Alofa Atu - Patty (Nana)