TOP 3 JUNE 2014

TONGA CHAPTER CLOSING:
We have just spoken in church today and we have shed a few tears - - - okay quite a few!  But we have gained so many new friends and experiences here that we will never forget what 9 months in Tonga has done for us.  And to think we were called to serve them!  They have certainly served us the most!

So here goes the Top 3:

#3 – Our missionary team.  The senior missionary team here is strong and well.  We all have our separate jobs to do here.  Some missionary couples at the office, some at the Tonga temple, some of them are doing auditing for the church, some of them dental work, some of them assisting in the PEF, the mission nurse,   and of course, 6 of us here with the ITEP program.  All the Senior Missionaries find great joy in mingling with these genuine Tongan saints and count ourselves very blessed to serve here.  If any of you desire, you will be called to do a work -  wherever - throughout the world.  They are presently only needing 3,000 more senior missionaries

SENIORS AT THE BEACH FOR FAMILY HOME EVENING

LIAHONA HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING FOR THE KING OF TONGA

ENTRANCE TO LIAHONA HIGH SCHOOL, A BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS

#2 – The Liahona High School team.  What a huge amount of good these 71 teachers and staff are accomplishing as they lead their 1300 students.  We marched with them at the opening of Parliament on June 5^th and felt we were in the greatest army.  So many saints on the sideline of the 3 hour long parade cheered on the missionaries/Liahona leadership team as well as all the students.  We marched across the royal lawn and then lined up and bowed to the king.  In the background marched our 1300 students and on cue they turned and faced the king and then, looked forward as they kept marching.  It felt like we were in a Star Wars movie or something. ( Formal pictures in front of the king weren’t allowed, but someone sneaked a few informal ones.)  We were so proud to join with them in this great work!  The following Monday, we spoke at their last devotional before their break, on June 9^th, and were again amazed at the number of students covering the gym floor, awaiting that day’s instructions.   We will surely miss our association with these students and faculty!

#1 – The Lord loves these island saints.  We have found, once again, that no matter where you are, the Lord is very mindful of the needs of his children and anxious to bless them in countless ways.  Since there are not adequate schools for the members of the church in the islands, this great opportunity is provided for them.  In the South Pacific there are 6,000 students attending 14 church schools.   There is one church school left in Mexico and that is all, throughout the world.  We think that in heaven, the schools will look like Liahona High School.  This is a picture of the area administrators, the principals of the schools and the ITEP missionaries from the South Pacific at our May 2014 conference.  (The Tonga team are the ones in green.)