Tonga Tales

ONE MONTH DOWN  -  And we want to recap the top three events: 

#3 -  Primary Sacrament Meeting:  When they sang the opening song, Marsha knew that it was going to be a musical feast as her eyes started leaking.  The 26 children were dressed in all-white up on the stand.  It was a day they had obviously looked forward to enough to get a white dress for girls and white shirts for boys. We were wishing we could take a picture until they started singing, then we knew it needed to be a video. They sang out from deep within them, just as their Tongan roots had taught them.  Their songs filled the chapel and seemed to carry for miles through the open slatted windows.  Our hearts swelled and we felt that we could all learn a lesson on how the songs are meant to be sung.  LESSON LEARNED:  SING LIKE YOU MEAN IT !

#2 -   The "friendly Island" :  This isn't casual friendliness.  These people sincerely want to meet and help everyone they don't know, until they feel like immediate family.  They want to laugh with us from deep within, just like their singing.  When we walk in the mornings, the faculty is playing tennis on the courts and every point is a whooping, hollering and laughing event.  It is so contagious and fun.  We need to enjoy life like this.  These people never die from ulcers.  LESSON LEARNED:  FIND SOMETHING TO LAUGH ABOUT TODAY!

#1 -  "Stuff doesn't matter - relationships do"  We are in a small one room apartment with all our clothes fitting in one closet, and one dresser.  We have a small kitchen and a small fridge and no dishwasher.  (Well, a dishwasher would be nice - )  Then we go to work in a small office space .   Do you think we better learn to work together?  You better believe it and we are making good progress on this.  Our "stuff"  is adequate!  On relationships we need to ask ourselves as people come into our lives - what can I learn from each one?  Why have they come across our paths at this time?  LESSON LEARNED:  FOCUS ON PEOPLE, NOT STUFF! 

Well, that's it.  We keep busy  working on our BYUH courses that we will teach during summer break (December & January).  We have 27 high school and 16 middle school teachers that we are working with to get their teaching certificate, so we have a LOT to do in 17 months. Plus, John has 16 faculty that are working on various stages of administration certificates.  And Marsha is in demand on teaching group piano instruction with another senior sister.  Fun stuff!

Our love and blessings to you all

Anxiously Engaged,

Elder & Sister, John and Marsha, Pa & Ma, Aland

Picture #1 - "I Love our Mission" - P-day snorkeling.

#2 - Please, come feast with us!

#3 - Please, come sing with us!

#4 - Halloween - Sister Aland goes as a tourist.

#5 - Halloween - Elder Aland - dresses in lavalava as an island elder!