FEBRUARY IN TONGA

FEBRUARY 2014 Missionary History from Elder and Sister Aland: (from Tongatapu)   The month of February has come and gone and we have been very busy so it has flown.  But, as we review, here are some of the events that stand out:  School began for the 2014 year on January 27, so classes for teachers began the next week, February 3^rd.  Elder Aland  is teaching classes to and monitoring 14 students and Sister Aland 15.

#3 TONGAN WEDDING RECEPTION:  One of our favorite people here is Vika Kaufusi.   She is one of the Liahona High School counselors.  She gave us a personal invitation to come to a “traditional Tongan wedding reception”  Words can hardly describe this event. So we will share a picture and just tell you it was a feast like no other 22 tables of food including 30+ piglets and 2 hogs and 1 full beef, they had stacks of quilts and woven mats to present from both sides of the family and in the end, they gave US a quilt just for attending.  To say that it was “over the top” doesn’t even do it justice.  Here are a few pictures:

#2 Sister Aland and Sister Meyers and Sister Funaki also continue to teach piano lessons to students using the Harman Grant program to be able to award needed keyboards to students willing to accept callings in their ward.  We had another recital last month and awarded a keyboard to 3 sisters.  The oldest of the Tolutau sisters,  Kaveinga Tolutau, is leaving on a mission to Australia in April and anxious to use her new skill.  She expressed her thanks at the end of the recital and said that playing the piano had always been just a dream she has had since she was very young.  Then thanked us for making the dream come true.  It was a very rewarding experience.

#1 ELDER ANDERSEN’S VISIT:  We felt very grateful to be able to have an apostle in our midst and be able to glean so much from him, as well as be edified by his presence and the keys he holds.  He spoke with us on 3 occasions – one by telecom from NZ which was a very personal message to church employees as well as CES missionaries.  The second was at the cultural event here in Tonga where the youth from 14 stakes gathered together and performed 6 traditional dances from the Tongan culture.  It was magnificent in costume and performance.  It was amazing, inspiring and much appreciated by all.  His comments to the youth that evening were two-fold.  1:  Remember with practice and diligence you can accomplish something amazing.  And 2:  Remember that unified, together you are better than alone.  I am sure these 2500+ youth will never forget this experience.  Thirdly, we were able to meet with he and his sweet wife as they spoke to us as missionaries.  We were able to shake hands with them both.  It was very uplifting and we feel blessed to be here during this great historical event for us and these good Tongan saints. 

                                THERE WERE 350+ YOUTH FROM OUR STAKE – IT WAS AMAZING!!

Much love and blessings,

E/S Aland, Ma & Pa, John  & Marsha

MULTI STAKE YOUTH CULTURAL EVENT WITH ELDER NEIL ANDERSON

MORE THAN 3000 YOUTH FROM THE 15 STAKES ON TONGATAPU PERFORMED A VARIETY OF TONGAN DANCES FOR ELDER ANDERSON, THE TONGAN PRIME MINISTER AND OTHER DIGNITARIES, SENIOR MISSIONARIES AND ANYONE ELSE WHO COULD SQUEEZE INTO ATELE, THE INDOOR ARENA OF SO. PACIFIC UNIV.

PRACTICING ON THE RUGBY FIELD EVERY DAY FOR A MONTH THE YOUTH OF LIAHONA AND HA'AKAME STAKES ARE EAGER TO PERFORM

JUST OUTSIDE THE ARENA AND ANXIOUS TO SEE THE PERFORMANCE  THE BACK WINDOW OF THE BUS SAYS IT ALL 

SOME PROUD YOUTH LEADERS

 READY AND ANXIOUS TO PERFORM

LIAHONA YOUTH READY TO PERFORM THEIR WAR DANCE

ELDER AND SISTER FUNAKI WAITING FOR THE PROGRAM TO BEGIN

ELDER ANDERSON AND HIS WIFE, THE TONGAN PRIME MINISTER, PRESIDENT HAMULA, AREA PRESIDENT AND OTHER CHURCH AND GOVERNMENT LEADERS

TOP 3 JANUARY 2014

OUR YOUNGER SUMMER READERS

OUR OLDER SUMMER READERS

Best of January 2014:  Sometimes we blink and another month is gone: Here’s  top 3 events:

 #3:  75 summer reading students :  We had a day of excellence and celebrations.  We performed reading  and singing and now I have 75 new friends that make sure they wave and holler at me from across campus, or down town or wherever they see me.  The other senior sister that got the ball rolling on this effort has written” Book of Mormon Little Books” that are leveled readers and it was so fun to mix state and church!!  You can find her site on Pinterest -FYI

#2-1 CYCLONE IAN: 1/11/2014 we were in the path of a Cyclone heading to Tonga.  You get extra food, you get extra water.  You decide how far you live from the temple, in case you need to head there, and then you watch the track and pray for all to survive.  Only one life was taken which is miraculous!  This ended up  hitting the Tongan Islands north of us called Ha’api and 90% of the homes received damage - affecting all of the 8,000 population. If you see a roof intact in the picture below, it is on an LDS church or a missionary quarter as they were the ONLY buildings not damaged.   Many tender stories are being collected as the Lord’s hand is evident in their recovery.  While we were safe, we are still affected and have watched the widows mite be collected and donated by the good saints here on Tongatapu Island. We are talking 100s of truckloads of clothing and supplies donated,  and stuffed on a ship, from the 14 stakes here, from people who have very little to spare.  It was a tear jerker to behold!! #1: Last week, another effort was made here to gather up 500 loaves of bread and send on a plane.   The bread was the “touch of home” that lifted spirits, even for the moment, to help them continue on as they live in tents & regroup & rebuild. The stake taro crop was harvested to send to them and it was a BUMPER crop to no one’s surprise!  It’s an ongoing effort as many still occupy churches & schools. 

LOCAL CHURCH LEADERS ON TONGATAPU DISCUSS LOCAL RELIEF EFFORTS FOR THE ISLANDS OF HA'APAI

PUTTING THE MISSIONARIES TO WORKS LOADING RELIEF SUPPLIES ON THE BOAT

WATER IS A PRECIOUS COMMODITY AFTER A HURRICANE/SYCLONE

THE TONGATAPU LDS CHURCH RELIEF EFFORT WAS AMAZING. HUNDREDS OF TRUCKS LIKE THESE ARRIVED AT THE WHARF WITH DONATED FOOD AND CLOTHING

BANANAS ARE PLENTIFUL ON TONGATAPU BUT ALL DESTROYED ON HA'APAI

TONS OF DONATED FOOD

THIS IS THE SHIP THAT WAS FILLED TO CAPACITY

LINES OF TRUCKS ARRIVING ALL DAY AND INTO THE NIGHT

NOTHING IS TOO SMALL TO DONATE

HARD WORKING BRETHREN FROM THE 14 STAKES ON TONGATAPU

AT A LOSS FOR WORDS.  THIS WAS HER SAFE HAVEN!

90% OF THE ISLAND LOOKED LIKE THIS.  NOTICE THE LDS CHURCH IN THE BACKGROUND.  THE ONLY BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVED WERE LDS SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES

THIS WAS A BRAND NEW METHODIST CHURCH

HIS FACE TELLS IT ALL

EVEN WITH ALL THE LOSS THERE ARE SMILES ON THEIR FACES

STILL SMILING!

A SMALL ISLAND WITH LARGE WAVES FROM THE CYCLONE

OUR PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT TUPOU ARRIVES TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE AND START THE MISSIONARIES WORKING TO ASSIST

UNLOADING THE BOAT WITH RELIEF SUPPLIES FROM TONGATAPU

EVERYONE PITCHES IN AND FORMS A LINE TO UNLOAD

ONE OF MANY PILES OF RELIEF SUPPLIES

500 LOAVES OF BREAD HEADED FOR HA'APAI THE BREAD OF LIFE