LIAHONA HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION 2013

Heading off to graduation in our Tongan National Dress

Stand and Remember - Class of 2013 Theme   

Everyone wears sandals

I can't move my arms!!!

I feel special

Bowing before accepting their diploma

AROUND TOWN

 Friendly Island Charters.  Which one shall we charter?

 Seat belts?  What are seat belts???

Much cheaper than bus fare.

 THIS IS ONE WAY TO AVOID BUS FAIR AND LOOK WE ARE HAPPY BECAUSE WE CAN ALL FIT ON ONE BENCH!

 ELDER AND SISTER ALAND, PLEASE DON'T TELL PRESIDENT!

MEMBERS GETTING TO CHURCH ANY WAY THEY CAN

 A TYPICAL CEMETARY

 HOW ABOUT THAT TONGAN SUNSET?

 END OF YEAR FACULTY PARTY

 SOME TONGAN BEAUTIES

 TRACTOR FOR HIRE

 DOES THAT SAY MASSEY FERGUSEN?

MISSIONARY QUARTERS ARE LIKE THIS ALL OVER THE ISLAND

FLOWERS AT THE OPEN MARKET DOWNTOWN

View of the Week in Tonga

There was TOO much going on this week to tell all at once, but the main 3 events are:

3-  There was a graduation ball that was amazing.  They had to make the decorations from a budget of nothing and so they went to the jungle and picked all these air fern, palm leaves and then they made paper machete in huge sheets and put it over a frame and then painted it into a castle.  It was gorgeous and all the 130 graduates were dressed modestly and the promenade and waltz were grand! VERY INVENTIVE USING WHATEVER THEY HAVE ON HAND

2-  Then there was graduation itself:  the whole class, of course,  sang 2 songs - one of them was a song by Carrie Underwood that sounded better than when she sang it .  And the valedictorian speech made the whole audience cry.  The girl told about the day she woke up to go to school and how her father got up earlier than she to make sure she and the family had lunches to take to go to school.  He was a fisherman for a living and gave up EVERY cent he made for his children to be able to go to school.  She also praised another person in her life that meant more to her than anyone, her Heavenly Father.  She took everything to him and he gave her the ability to excel.  I've never been so touched by a young person's speech.

I'M SURE BOTH FATHERS WERE VERY PROUD OF HER!

1- We were well taught by the visiting general authority - Elder Hallstrom.

It was great to be with all the missionaries and just listen to the testimony of a man that meets almost daily with the prophet and the apostles and hear about how they receive revelation to hasten the work.  WE BETTER ALL HASTEN !

I will post a few photos here, but Dad will put more on the blog tomorrow.

I did one for the CACHETA COUSINS BLOG today.

We love you more than we can say.  Thanks for being such a great FOREVER FAMILY!!!

Ma & Pa

Pic 1 - The paper machete castle with air ferns decoration

Pic #2 - graduation gowns and all matching sandals

Pic #3 - This was one of the graduates getting decked out with leis.

ISLAND CRITTERS

BEAUTIFUL BLUE STARFISH

DID THAT PIG JUST LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE CROSSING THE STREET?

THERE ARE NO POISONOUS SPIDERS IN TONGA!

THEY ARE RUNNING BECAUSE THEY MAY BE DINNER!

 AN ISLAND BUTTERFLY AND PRETTY SHELLS

PLENTY OF ROOSTERS ON THE ISLAND THAT CROW AT ALL HOURS DAY AND NIGHT

STA

CUTE LITTLE HERMIT CRAB