Elder Ili Week

Talofa Family and Friends,
       We heard last week that Zone Conference is here this Wednesday and Thursday.  President and Sister Ho Ching along with the new Pacific Area President and wife will be here and want to inspect Missionary apartments.  We did apartment checks shortly after we got here, but decided we better check them again.  Besides it was time to replace #1 water filters.  We started out at the East end of the island and found several problems that had to be addressed.  A trip to ACE Hardware store for cleaning supplies, plumbing parts, rat traps and a few bedding items and we were on our way back to the far east end. The drive takes us about an hour, but since it hugs the coastline it's a beautiful drive.  A couple of interesting things we see are the bat tree, which for some reason is always full of resting bats and WWII pill boxes that dot the coastline.  Elder Ili is still fighting his fungal infection that keeps him from walking very far, so he has been living with us this past week.  As we travel around he sits in the backseat and drills us on our Samoan flash cards.  We were so engrossed in our flash cards that we passed the house we were supposed to be visiting and had to backtrack about 10 minutes.

Bat tree

        Since we got here I have baked a cake for each missionary's birthday.  Usually it's not difficult, but this week there are four birthdays and next week  three more.  Add that onto the cookies I make for them on their P-day and I am definitely baking more than I ever have.  I even baked a double batch and took some to the Institute students. Thanks Bayley for the recipes!  I welcome any new good, easy cookie recipes, or recipes for easy dinners.
        I mentioned before that one of my other jobs is making candy leis for Sister Ho Ching to give out.  I put all the missionaries to work this week and we managed to get several done that she can take home with her this week.

Elder Williams on WWII Pill Box

             Brent and I have been distressed with the amount of anti-biotics that are prescribed for our missionaries.  When the doctor prescribed Elder Ili a fourth round of an antibiotic we put our foot down and said NO!  I had talked to Elder Edwards when we first started dealing with this infection, and because it was out of his area of expertise he suggested we follow the doctor's orders.  Last week when Sister Ho Ching sent yet another round of antibiotics I called Elder Edwards again and asked him to inquire at the hospital if anyone knew how to treat really bad "Jock Itch."  He did and also offered to look at it. He agreed that the antibiotics were killing the good bacteria Elder Ili needed to fight the infection.  He called President Ho Ching and told him the best medicine was to soak in the ocean twice a day. (Might I mention that that was our idea from the beginning.)  Now, with the President's blessing, Brent takes Elder Ili to the ocean twice a day for a "dip."   His companion, Elder Williams had been on splits with other missionaries, but is now living with us also.  It's getting a little cozy!                                     

Ward Members baked Elder Ili a cake for his BD.  They caught
him just as he returned from his "dip"

              It's hard to believe that it's already the first of the month again.  That means getting the monthly money distributed to the missionaries and making sure the mission bills for this island are paid.  Brent spends a lot of time keeping track of who needs to be paid when.  There are never invoices sent, and the records here in the office have not been kept up, so it's just a matter of a steep learning curve to make sure everyone stays happy.
     Last week in church the Loto's were introduced as a new family from Las Vegas.  Small world - they attended the Tropical Breeze Ward in NLV and they know all my sweet Samoan kids from Chaparral Seminary.

Brother and Sister Loto from Las Vegas

     I Re-read "Stand as Witnesses of God" by Dallin H. Oaks this week.  He is an Apostle of the Lord and also in the past served on the Utah Supreme Court.  It reminded me that "we live in a world where many deny the existence of God or the significance of his commandments."  Part of the reason I write this blog is to stand as a witness of God.  "Some people ridicule the faith of those who believe in what cannot be proven, even as they aggressively deny a godly existence they cannot disprove."  I see the evidence of God every day.  The Book of Mormon is ample evidence of a living God and the Atonement of His son Jesus Christ.  I don't understand why anyone who says they believe in Jesus Christ would not want to read this book - as it stands as a witness of the Lord and the great love He has for each of us.  I see my faith as a great blessing that helps me see  daily tragedies through the lens of an eternal perspective.  I know that I am literally a child of God and I know that how I face challenges in this life will have eternal consequences.  Please listen to the missionaries if they knock on your door or request to talk to them through ComeUntoChrist.org.  They can help you understand who you really are, why you are here, and where you are going.  I promise you it is good news.
Alofa Atu, Patty (aka Nana/Grams)