4th of July in Fiji

Today is Sunday, The 4th of July, here in Fiji and the weather has been delightful to say the least. This is winter here and if this is winter as most of us know it to be, we think we have died and gone to Heaven! The temperature is around 70 to 74 degrees and the humidity yesterday felt like a beautiful fall day in Utah. It was our P-day yesterday and we cleaned our flat than went and did some grocery shopping.

After we got home we were sitting in the flat and I had a great idea. I just love to go downtown and walk by the wharf where the cargo ships and fishing ships come in. It was really a decoy because I knew Sister Seare would go because she likes to walk the ocean wall. What I really wanted to  do was go to the open market where fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, and foods I find fascinating are available. I love walking among the crowds and feeling the energy with the hustle and bustle of locals trying to buy that special item for their sunday meal. Becky does not find the crowds and spectacle as fun as I do! So we made a compromise and I told her I would go with her to the craft market and shop with her if she went to the fruit market. Big mistake!!! I bought some fresh bananas, mandarins, and carrots. Total cost $8 Fijian dollars. "$4 dollars American'. We than went over to the craft market and Sister Seare bought a beautiful hand carved wood bowl costing $150 Fijian "$75 dollars American". Next time I think I will be happy to just walk with my sweetheart along the wharf! In all fairness I bought a fun hand carved Lobster to hang in our kitchen when we get home. Cost not to be disclosed!

Last night we celebrated the 4th of July on our deck and had the senior couples over for a barbecue. One of the couples brought some good old American Patriotic music and played it to get things in the mood. I think the Fijian and Indian neighbors found our music a little bazaar. But it felt good to think of our American heritage and we feel so blessed to live in such a great country as America.

Only when you are away from Home do you realize how lucky we are to live in the United States. Of course our Canadian couples serving in The Fiji Temple beg to differ! 

We love Sundays here in Fiji. As we drive to and from church we see all of the people on their way to their churches. The women are dressed in the most beautiful bright flowered dresses you can imagine. The men wear their Sulus white shirts and colorful ties. Fiji is a very religious country and it is great to see so many attending churches all over the towns.

We still have a hard time remembering all of the member's Island names. They are long and hard for us to pronounce. At times I put my big foot in my mouth and mistake faces with some of the people. Friday I had just one of those moments when a young Sister who was working in our service center called my name out loud as I walked in and said Hi. I thought she was a girl we have visited in her home when visiting her paralyzed mother. So I blurt out "how is your mother doing" and the office goes dead silent  as she gives me this strange look and says "my Mother?" Then a sweet Sister who was close by whispers "Elder Seare I think you have made a mistake her Mother died seven years ago."  Whoops!!  So on the way back to the office I had two local Island Elders with me and as we rode back on the one story elevator I mimicked to them "so hows your mother", and they said "Dead" and started to laugh uncontrollably.  Let's face it these are fun people to be around! At my expense!

I want to end this little note by expressing how many blessings Sister Seare and I have received while serving our mission. Things have happened to our family that we have prayed for for so long. So many of the things we asked the Lord to bless our family with have come to pass or are coming to pass. We have grown greatly and our values have been altered for the better.

Tess will be joining our Family as Chris's wife in December!

We still have our times of challenge but I feel we have better outlooks on life and feel what a blessing it is to be experiencing this life. We have never felt stronger about the gospel and how it changes lives. We both have seen miracles take place and we know with every fiber of our being that God lives, Jesus Christ gave us the greatest gift of all "his atoning sacrifice" and Joseph Smith did see God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son. Our travels through this wonderful Mission have given us a love for the people of Fiji. We feel loved and blessed that the Lord saw fit to change our lives and help us realize what the gospel means to both of us. Becky and I pray many more of our friends and family will feel the soft promptings of the spirit and heed  the call of service. I testify the Lord fills the lives of those who heed the call to serve with an over abundance of blessings. If you feel as we did "hesitation"  I say "let go" of your worries, the Lord takes care of troubling matters at home when you lose yourself in his service.