How did we manage BG (before Google)???

Talofa Family and Friends,
This has been a week of adventure as we attempted to find all of our missionary houses on the island.  It was a lot easier since the Zone Leaders helped us tag the houses on google satellite images.  As we inspected the houses for cleanliness we were pleasantly surprised to find beds made, clothes put away, dishes done, bathrooms cleaned and floors swept.  Remember - we are talking about 18 - 21 yr old young adults who live in pretty humble circumstances with few modern conveniences including no hot water.  Some of them do their wash with a plastic 5 gallon pail and a toilet plunger.  As we were driving, we occasionally came on our missionaries walking to their next appointment.  It doesn't matter whether the intense sun is beating on them  or they're being pelted with buckets of rain, these kids are out there everyday - usually walking miles a day - because they love the Lord and believe that their message will bring happiness to the people they are teaching and also save their souls.  It doesn't take much to fall in love with these young people and have a desire to help them in any way that we can.

Island on right is a protected sanctuary for sea bird
nests - like the Red Footed Booby

   While driving to the missionary houses we took took advantage of the time we had to explore some of the side roads.  We discovered beautiful villages with amazing landscapes, kids playing cricket, a graveyard for Korean fisherman, and some sandy beaches.  Our favorite sign was on a very rough road.  We were probably going 5 mph.  The sign said, "Reduce Speed Ahead."  On the east side, after inspecting the house at Aua, a left turn took us on a beautiful drive across the mountains to the other side of the island.  It is the only road that goes over there.  There were some beautiful views on top of the mountain.  We remembered another day, three years ago, when we traveled the same road with the Schaefermeyers and Callahans. 

Korean Fishermen Graves

View across Pago Harbor - North Korean ship is lined
up with Mt. Peak.

I can't imagine living so far from everything - We currently do not have missionaries there, but when we got to the villages there was an LDS Chapel - so there must be members there. Driving back over the mountain we had a great view of the Pago Pago harbor.  If you look closely you can see the North Korean tanker that was seized by Indoneisa in April 2018 and brought to Pago Pago in May 2019. Apparently it was carrying supplies that violated international sanctions against North Korea.  People here are not too happy about harboring a North Korean ship.
       We also took the opportunity while in Pago to stop at the open air market.  While it's not near as big as the one in Apia, we did manage to find Pankiki (Samoan Pancakes), oka (raw marlin or tuna and onions in coconut cream) for me. and fai'ai (cooked tuna, onions
and coconut cream) for Brent.  YUM!
     We didn't have any sick missionaries this week, but we did have the two sister missionaries from Apia with us for three days.  Zone Conference went well and then there was a youth conference for all the youth on the entire island so President and Sister Ho Ching were here until Wednesday. 
     The picture of Brent and I is near what locals call the Turtle and Shark cliff.  The story goes that a long time ago, during famine on the island, no one would give food to this grandmother and her little granddaughter.  Instead of starving, they held hands and jumped off the cliff here into the ocean.  The girl turned into

Sisters Pulsipher and Fe'a

Brent and Patty at the Turtle Shark Cliffs

a turtle and the Grandmother - a shark.  There's a song the villagers sing that still today brings a turtle and shark to this area.  The man that took our picture told us he has seen them.

Brent and I are taking Samoan language lessons twice a week on line with a BYU tutor who actually was a missionary when we were in Apia. "Ou te 'u 'una 'ia oe e fa'aali lou alofa i lau fanau."  Translates as "I urge you to express your love to you children."  I also know how to say "E pua'i e 'ia le apu."  Translates as "I barfed the apple."  I hope you are impressed :) 

In the Old Testament the prophet Isaiah speaks of a time in the latter-days when there will be a marvelous work and a wonder.  He was referring to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  Isaiah 29: 14 "Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a ^amarvellous ^bwork among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the ^cwisdom of their wise men shall ^dperish, and the ^eunderstanding of their ^fprudent men shall be hid. 18.  And in that ^aday shall the deaf hear the words of the ^bbook, and the ^ceyes of the blind shall see out of ^dobscurity. Take a few minutes to read and ponder this chapter of scripture and ask God for yourself what Isaiah was referring to.  Alofa alu to you all until next week.  Patty

      

Carved and painted tree in a beautifully landscaped yard in
the village of Leone.