Cliff and Kathy Vellinga and myself at humanitarian project

 Talofa Lava Family and Friends,
It has been a rainy week here, I almost feel like my toes are starting to web.  I heard that in the month of April we had more than 10" of rain!  We are lucky to get 4" a year in Las Vegas.
     This week I enjoyed attending a celebration at a school with the Vellingas, who are serving as humanitarian missionaries.  They had helped with this project at a local elementary school. The Dept. of Health was going to close this school because of the poor conditions of the restrooms.  The church went in, tore out the old, decaying wood and replaced everything with painted cinder block, tile and new toilets. The kids had made decorations, and prepared a musical program to show appreciation.  It was my first ribbon cutting for new bathrooms. Good job - Vellingas!

Friday afternoon we closed the office early to go to the movie theater to see "My Big Fat Greek Wedding #2.  I was more than ready to get away from the computer, which I had been working at for hours.  The movie had some good laughs and

Inside of Catholic Cathedral-downtown Apia

 a much needed diversion.  After the movie we decided to go over and see the main Catholic Cathedral in downtown Apia.  It was gorgeous!  I have been in a lot of beautiful cathedrals around the world, but this by far is my favorite.  I wonder if we could arrange to have Sacrament Mtg. there one Sunday?  Probably not.

Sua Trench - South Side of Upolu.  This is the #1 Trip Advisor
Activity if you visit Samoa.  Our kids our going to
love this when they get here in a couple of weeks!

     Since Brent and I are the Zone Leaders for the Senior Missionaries,one of our responsibilities is to plan activities.  We have wanted to go to see the Sua Trench since we got here, so last week we decided that this would be the week.  This is a huge lava hole, with a cave on one end that you can swim through.  The ocean water comes into the hole through an underground lava tube.  There are ropes to hold onto as there is a strong current as the water goes in and out of this tube. To get into the water you have to climb down stairs and then this ladder.  I wasn't sure if all the seniors would go, but I am proud to say not one of them chickened out.  I have to say that most of us are doing things here that we never imagined ourselves doing before we came. We all had a great time!   

     When we go on these weekend activities we try to get a church van so we can all ride together.  Half the fun is the journey.  After the swim, we were all pretty tired, but Elder McBride suggested we stop on the way home and see another waterfall.  (Waterfalls are not rare around here!)  I was exhausted, but he assured me it would be worth it.  It was only a "short" walk. The walk wasn't so fun but the waterfall was spectacular!  Unfortunately, our battery was dead, so Elder McBride snapped this photo of  Brent (possibly the last one of him in this life time) standing on the edge of this giant waterfall that drops straight down about 200 ft.

"The Last Great Explorer"

     Well, tomorrow is another day and I am supposed to be at choir practice in 15 minutes, so am going to close with this thought.  There are so many wonderful things to see and do in this life, don't waste a single day of your life not having at least one great moment of service or adventure.
      My Scripture for the week come my reading this week in Mosiah 7:19-20: "Therefore, lift up your heads, and rejoice, and put your trust in God, in that God who was the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob; and also, that God who brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, and caused that they should walk through the Red Sea on dry ground, and fed them with manna that they might not perish in the wilderness; and many more things did he do for them.

 20 And again, that same God has brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem, and has kept and preserved his people even until now; and behold, it is because of our iniquities and abominations that he has brought us into bondage."

I send my love to all of you.  Love, Patty

"All right, Elder McBride.  We will walk to one more
waterfall - but it better be spectacular!