A Shift Into High Gear

Talofa Family and Friends,
     Our life shifted into high gear this week with the beginning of Institute and preparing to teach four mornings a week.  It was a slow start with only a few students registered the first day, but each day there were a few more.  We were told that this next week there will be more students.  The thing is, no matter how many students show up, preparation time is the same for one as it is for 30.  I'm teaching Foundations of the Restoration and The Book of Mormon.  I have loved studying and reading the materials to prepare for these classes, and the classes all went very well with a lot of participation from the students who were there.  Some of them are return missionaries and all of them are well versed in the scriptures.  I think I'm really going to enjoy teaching these classes.

Elders Williams and Ili

     A good part of our Monday afternoon was spent at the hospital with Elders Williams and Ili.  Elder Ili has been suffering with a fungal infection for two weeks and could barely walk.  He'd already seen the nurse and gone through the treatment she'd prescribed with no improvement.  While we were waiting in the emergency room - that's where you have to go - Brent talked to the man sitting next to him and picked up a referral for the Elders.  They have an appointment to see him this week.
     While we were waiting I was showing them pictures off of my phone.  One of the pictures was taken in our family room.  Elder Williams exclaimed, "Cool - you have a putting green in your house!" He had never seen green carpet before.

Community College

     I am always amazed at the men who work for hours every week cutting huge lawns with weed cutters, and then raking and disposing of the cuttings. One morning while I was walking at the college I stopped to read a sign I had previously walked by.  It was describing how grass helps slow the water in heavy downpours, helps to filter our pollutants and keeps the soil from washing away.  People on the islands are encouraged to plant lawns.

Dad with the Grand kids - 2007 

     I also started to notice while walking that many of the trees have signs next to them identifying what they are.  I have memorized all of the ones I have seen thus far, and am wishing that all the plants were labeled.

     I was blessed with a father who not only loved kids but also the creations of the earth.  One of his favorite stories was about the Lupine, a plant in the pea family that contains nitrogen-fixing bacteria that is good for the soil. He would always tell us to be like the Lupine, to leave what ever place we were better than we found it.  I credit my dad for my love of nature and my extreme distress when I see people litter or pollute the world.  When we arrived here there were packs of bottled water stacked in the kitchen. The missionaries would help themselves to a plastic water bottle, drink it and put it in the trash.  That came to a quick end when I informed them there would be no more water bottles, but they were welcome to get a glass out of the cupboard and fill it with filtered water at the sink.  I also encouraged them to think about where all the trash goes when we live on a small island.  I was glad to see last week that Western Samoa had gotten rid of plastic grocery bags.  I understand that the government here is working on banning all Styrofoam which would be a huge adjustment as Samoans love to take home food in Styrofoam containers from every social gathering.

Junk Corner of our property

      Every week a huge pile of garbage collects on the corner of our property.  Apparently it is the neighborhood drop off for large items like broken appliances, old tires, car parts, roofing material....  This week there is a single water ski in the pile.  No one water skis around here!  Luckily there is a large truck that picks it up weekly, but within hours a new pile is formed.
     I talked to my friend Marleen this week in New York.  She said I needed to let people know that we were safe.  I guess my first blog gave the impression that living here was dangerous.  Today is our 2 month mark - and I can say that life in American Samoa is very safe.

White Collared Kingfisher in our backyard

     Going along with my rant on pollution  Moroni 8:31 comes to mind: 

Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be great ^apollutions upon the face of the earth; there shall be ^bmurders, and robbing, and lying, and deceivings, and whoredoms, and all manner of abominations; when there shall be many who will say, Do this, or do that, and it ^cmattereth not, for the Lord will ^duphold such at the last day. But wo unto such, for they are in the ^egall of bitterness and in the ^fbonds of iniquity.

One of the great blessings of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ is we have a living prophet to follow who helps give direction through these difficult times.  We are counseled that God wants us to be joyful, to love our families and serve others.  Let's all take the lesson from the Lupine and leave wherever we are a little better because we were there.  Have a great week!

Alofa atu - Patty (aka Nana, Grams)