Chapter 48 - Medical Challenges

MEDICAL CHALLENGES – We have our share of sicknesses and injuries every month, but the week of March 9 - 17 presented some real challenges! 

• ·      One of the elders developed a rash that wouldn’t go away.  At first we thought it was heat rash, but as time when on the medical personnel thought is was Scabies – which is very highly contagious.  The treatment is easy – he just had to cover his body from his neck to the bottoms of his feet with a prescription crème and leave it on for 18 hours.  But to prevent it spreading we had to follow the same procedure that is done for lice – cleaning and washing everything in our house and the two where he had lived since he arrived.  Laundry facilities are limited here so it prevented a little challenge.  After two days the rash was getting worse and so they decided it probably wasn’t Scabies.  They still don’t know what it is – so he is being treated with another ointment.  We won’t know for sure if it is Scabies because it takes 30 days for the symptoms to appear. 
• ·      Another elder got a fungus infection on his neck.
• ·      Another scratched his eye. 
• ·      We had two with food poisoning from eating bad sausage.
• ·      Then we got a call from an elder informing us that a centipede bit him while he was sleeping.  Centipedes here are very poisonous and many times the person can end up in the hospital.   We started him on an antibiotic right away.  There was a funny side to it though – he had been bitten on his behind!
• ·      One sad note – we have an elder that has only been on his mission for about a month who noticed a week ago that he had a split on his knee that was oozing pus.  He said he hadn’t bumped it, but told us that a couple of years ago he had a staff infection in the same knee and it had taken two operations and several different antibiotics to get rid of it.   Because of his past history, and the lack of good medical facilities here they are sending him home to get it treated.  He was devastated, as were we.  He is praying that when they get it cleared up they will let him come back here, instead of reassigning him stateside.  We put him on the plane last night (3/18/13) and it was one of the hardest things we had to do since being here.

Needless to say, we spent a lot of time at the hospital or pharmacy.  We waited over 3 hours one day for a prescription, and four hours two times in the emergency room.  We hope this week to only have to deal with heat stroke and the symptoms that come from not drinking enough water…

Entry # 47 - Look Who's in the Church Magazines

ENSIGN AND LIAHONA ARTICLES…

When the announcement was made about the age change for missionaries, Brother Hunt, Church Public Relations Representative for American Samoa asked us to find out from some of our institute students how they felt about it.  Dennis told him it had a great impact on our grandson, Andrew.  Brother Hunt asked him to have Andrew email his feelings to us.  We forwarded his comments on to Brother Hunt and he in turn forwarded it to Church Headquarters in Australia.  His story was included in the Australian Insert of the February Ensign.  It was so exciting and, of course we are very proud grandparents.  It is not too often that you get published in a church magazine.

But when the March Liahona came out, we were shocked and surprised to see our picture in the Samoan Insert with an article about the conversion story of two Philippian converts of which we had a small part.  It was written in Samoan, but we had the English translation.  Of course we just had to buy enough copies for our family…   

Chapter 46 - Sister Peter's 90th Birthday

SISTER PETERS 90^th BIRTHDAY - On February 16^th we were invited to the 90^th Birthday Party and dinner for Sister Mariaha Peters.  She was the first Fijian to be baptized into the church.  Her husband was the first Samoan Stake President and the first Samoan Mission President.  She has a history that is so awe-inspiring.  She gave a copy of her life story and it is amazing how much she sacrificed in her life before and after her baptism.   Again, we felt so honored to be part of her special day!

Chapter 45 - From Institute Student to Missionary

Chapter 45 - FROM INSTITUTE STUDENT TO MISSIONARY

One of our greatest joys is sharing the excitement of seeing our institute students receive mission calls.  Two our very first students fall under this umbrella.  Ammon Autele left for his mission on 2/12/13.  He was called to Australia.  

We not only got to know him, but his family also.  They go to the same ward as us.  His Mom is the Relief Society President, and his Dad is the High Priest Group Leader.  They have a little boy about the same age as our Rhythm and he reminds us so much of him – curly hair and mischief in his eyes.  We love this family so much! 

Jared Iosefa left on 2/25/13 – He was called to serve in the Philippines.    

Jared flew out with Sister Pitoau Sikotilani, one of the missionaries from Western Samoa that we got to pick up when she flew in from Apia and spend the day with until the flight left at 10:30 PM for Hawaii.  They were both on the same flight as Sisters Burton and Wixom and their husbands.  When they got to Hawaii, they missed their connecting flight to Los Angeles.  So Jared called an uncle and he rescued them.  Two stranded missionaries had the chance to attend the Hawaiian Temple together before continuing their flight to the MTC.

Both of these young men have found their way into our hearts.  In fact when they were set apart, Dennis was asked to stand in the circle, and when they bore their testimonies they referred to us as their “grandparents”.  We will miss them so much – but they will be awesome missionaries….

Chapter 44 - Outgoing Missionaries

OUTGOING MISSIONARIES - 2/12/13 – We picked up two more elders today on their way to the Provo MTC.  Their names were Elders Foalima Ete and ElderJunior Tuivaiti.  

There were two sisters with them, but they had family on the island so we didn’t have the opportunity to have them with us.  It is amazing to be with these missionaries and even though they come as perfect strangers, we part as perfect friends and we always feel like we are sending one of our own children to serve the Lord.  They have an amazing spirit with them that lifts us and strengthen our testimonies.  There are so many evidences to the truthfulness of the Gospel around us everyday and it keeps us on a Spiritual High…