Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Christmas 2008 Fiji














































  1. 1. Senior couples holiday party- Woods
  2. 2. Caroling with candles
  3. 3. Haircut in cage by Hindi barber
  4. 4. Pool party by our apartment
  5. 5. Fiji Christmas tree
  6. 6. Mom's new hair and woven round rug
  7. 7. Area Pres. Elder Baxter- British-"The brethren are hoping that the new US Pres.(Obama) will open more doors"
  8. Lillies- Pacific Harbor
  9. Sunset Suva-Victoria Parade
  10. Pacific Harbour lilly pond
  11. All photos taken by Mom

Well hello from the great island of Fiji !! I must say that we are remiss, sorry and just plain lazy…the truth is I have been writing and didn’t send all of you any of my stories. To begin.... our regional rep [Pres. Wakolo] and our area rep {Pres. Baxter} have invited the Ensign editor and the area editor of the New Zealand Ensign to Fiji to interview members for stories and to do a workshop with 8 writers. [me is one of the eight !] They were looking for stories of the Pacific and were just plain desperate…just my qualifications. Dear Br. Wettstein just gave a loud cough and a very small, but audible , amen. All of the Church’s publications were covered. The New Era is for young adults and they told how to slant an article into that mag. Ants are falling off the ceiling-that is why I just can’t spell. I cannot kill those tinny buggers. They are the color of all of my 5 million freckles and seem to move around , too. Last night a small gecko fell on my head while in bed. I was so proud…I didn’t even yell or scream…just dusted that puppy off and went to sleep. Found him dead , in my green flip flops this morning. Bula.! In the curtains over our bed a huge momma gecko lives. She screeches often and I saw her again this morning- I guess looking for junior. She is as big as my entire index finger, plus her tail. She has my respect. Her mother or twin lives behind our pitiful frig. She is mouthy too…screech ..screech..etc. We had a couple from the burning west of FIJI, L AUTOKA [they burn the old sugar cane crop each year and give everyone lung problems or cancer yearly] Anyways, the Bothwells are CES..church seminaries and institute missionaries and stayed 2 weeks. In our bug trap love nest. [ha, ha, ha, still true on all counts] Br. Bothwell is a bug freak and he was totally freakified for 2 weeks. Maybe it is spawning season here in Fiji.? Br. Wettstein takes that extra wide clear tape and taped our back door closed-all around..even the floor to keep out bugs and mice. We never said the M word for fear Br. B would bolt. Still he is poor just like all of the rest of us..and I guess that he really was between a rock and a hard spot. If he would just give up that darn flash light or torch as they say here..he would just step on the ..stuff moving around. Next time I’ll steal his batteries. A note on the Lord’s qualifications for missionaries- Br. B has a doctorate from Harvard and teaches seminary teachers who live in remote villages with no power. Only have sunlight to see with. This one village needs a 4 wheel -drive [which they don’t have] to get there and huge screaming lungs to get back down. Side bar note: they take turns praying and screaming while lunging down the mountain side. And those bugs freak him out?? Sister Bothwell was left a note from the last missionaries about what to bring for all meetings : such a most important piece of knowledge passed down from the last missionaries consisted of this info…always bring chocolate cake for all lessons. No need to tell the rest of the story…you all know it already. No one came until the cake came first. Feed the soul chocolate and then feed the soul the gospel. Best combo yet. We are still on good terms with the Bothwells. Oh yea, the reason I started this story was to tell you all how wonderful for the Bothwells it was, to be able to work in the Suva Temple during their down time. They are all by themselves in the west..no other missionary couples, that is.
So I am rewriting some copy [new lingo] and have set next week for my first email. The Pacific has the Liahona, New Zealand Ensign, New Era, Friend and general church stories that can be sent into local papers to boost church recognition. The main thrust, though, is to sell more Liahonas in the Pacific. This will build unity and teach, too. If we get enough work they will add 2 pages for Fiji into the Liahona.
The temple compound here is almost finished. We will have the mission home on site , 3 missionary apts, presidents temple home, and a 2 story building that will house 70 patrons on site and all of the churches business offices needed for the island of Fiji. The entire area has been a perpetual mud pit – ever since we arrived. The first thing that our new temple pres did was to go out and buy ..muk boots! They are the Woolleys and are from Canada. Also we are getting boxing day off and sat the 27 of December as our close down for the Christmas holiday. Bula Canada, our last pres gave us only Christmas day off for the entire year! We think that President Wells felt sorta bad about the time off thing and before he left he gave the new calendar year 5 days off. All of the missionaries, including the mission office missionaries are going to see the cultural exhibit at Pacific Harbor. Fire walkers , lovo food and all of the culture you can find about folks who were still cannibals into the 1850’s. After we see the show I’ll fill you in on the mystery of fire walking and how they can heal with their hands those who have been burned. Amazing!!
The other day during a temple session I finally figured out that we have only 7 months or so left to finish our mission!!!!! I have been telling everyone that we had 9 months left…wrong honey, wrong.Br. W and I have been so blessed here in Fiji. Byron was able to pull up New Family Search here in Fiji and we have been able to do the temple work for his family into the late 1500’s. His family has some Jewish background and is from Switzerland. His great grandfather joined the church at the turn of the century, 1900, [he was 12] and eventually all of the family came to the west coast and all had joined the church in Switzerland. In doing their baptisms and family work I have come to know that they didn’t know that they were Jewish until after their deaths, now here in Fiji, are all united in the gospel. These Jewish women had a perfect knowledge of the temple and all of its power. It was a touching and memorable event in our lives to be here in Fiji with them! The spirit is so profound and powerful with them. We had to have our regional authority baptize Br. W for these ancestors because the temple men here are tiny fellows and Br. W just couldn’t get dunked properly. [President Wakolo is about the same height but outweighs him by 50 lbs]. I was baptized too, and had forgotten how hard it is to get up each time. When the Wettsteins left Switzerland they brought much of their genealogy back to the 1500’s…wow. The first clue however was the simple name of Solomon Wettstein . ews . Another little note on Br. W family. His mother’s name is Cahoon and is a direct line from Reynolds Cahoon and Thirza Stiles. Reynolds Cahoon was in the D&C and it was his new baby boy that the Prophet Joseph named Mahonri Moriancumr Cahoon! [the name of the brother of Jared] They called him Honni. Thirza Stiles Cahoon had a Jewish background herself and was a Christian. Both read the Book of Mormon and then went to meet the Prophet Joseph. They joined the church when it was 6 months old. Sold their business and moved with the saints as they traveled toward the west. Work has been done on that line, but our friend will look at them as American Jews and that could bring us a different look into their past, until today. Sounds very interesting. I had forgotten how much I have missed writing and just talking with all of you.
We just had the Annual Christmas broadcast yesterday and it was so grand! I am sure some of you are a week late like us too. It was so…Christmassy… We needed that since it is so hot here and that doesn’t feel very cool and like Christmas. At home in Houston it is 82 degrees now and just last week there were a few snow flurries in College Station [aggieland] and April made a 2 foot snow man!!! He was mostly [new word] all snow and they have sent us a photo. It reminds of the first time little Amber made her first tiny snow man in Houston when she was tiny and weighed only 19 lbs and was 2 !!!. . Back to the broadcast. We loved it like “Gone with the Wind” love, boy did we need that. Here Christmas is a day of reflection about the Savior. Few gifts, if at all are given. A note from our dear friends the Bothwells. While here they found some extra coins and bought 2 tiny packs of crayons and 2 simple childrens coloring books and took them back to Lautoka for a new members kids. These little girls had been praying for colors for 2 years, somethings we just can’t understand. When theses girls received their gifts they just stood and cried. The parents have been over whelmed with all of the Lords blessings they have received. They had been taught how the Spirit works, but were not prepared… to receive blessings. The family [is Fijian] has tribal family land land and lives in a metal house.[and yes the walls are that corrugated metal that is used on the roof] We as a couple have been buying pencils by the box to give the LDS Primary School before we go home.. [our goal is 1,000 pencils…have 360 so far] Also our greater extended family has decided to forgo gifts and we are saving up to paint the village school of Navutulevu [nauvoo 2 lay voo] along Queens highway. This is the village of our almost school teacher Joeli from the Singatoka branch. I will tell his story and we have photos, too. The village sits along the coral coast and the Queens highway.
I have sent this email all over the world to our dearest friends who also serve in temples. Our best wishes and eternal love to all. We do miss our families and that missing part of us is filled with their love and their gratitude because we represent their families and their same devotion to our Lord. One day it will be their turn and their families will wait for them, too with love and pride. Love Elder and Sister Wettstein , Temple Missionaries in the Suva, Fiji Temple

Monday, December 15, 2008

I am a Keeper!


This picture was taken of Aaron and I when we were dating up at BYU.  His Uncle Frank is hilarious and whenever Aaron or his twin Russ would bring over dates to meet them he would pull out his polaroid camera and take a picture.  Then after they left, he would write on the side whether they were "keepers" or not.  Check out the side.... I was a keeper.  I think I even remembering him even telling me that on that night as well, but it means more that it was written in stone anyhow!.  I found this recently and laughed so hard.  Frank and Cindy had given it to us on our wedding day.  What a fun surprise to find, huh?  And thank you, Frank, for considering me a keeper.  (P.S. - Don't fret everyone.... I am fully aware that it is a horrible picture of me, but what the heck - the story is good!)

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Disneyland




Well, Mandy had told us how great Disneyland is right after Thanksgiving and she was right. Great weather, small crowds and they even lower the prices for all merchandise. That last part is a lie, of course, but everything else is true. We went with my family and my mother-in-law and three of her kids. We all rode up in our car and at that moment, for the first time ever, I felt like a dad. There is just something about driving a car full of ingrates to promised lands of enjoyment that rings nostalgia.
Little Juel loved the princesses and Asher loved anything he could do. That cheap sword was the best $4.50 I ever spent in my life. Here are a few of the pics.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

White Christmas

Believe it or not, it actually snowed in College Station today. It snowed a little bit overnight, but then it started back up again this afternoon. April's first words when she stepped outside: "IT'S SNOWING IN TEXAS!!!"
She REALLY wanted to build our snow princess on her own. "LET ME DO IT!!!"

Behold...April's Snow Princess.



We had a good time playing with the snow. April will probably be a teenager the next time it snows in this area.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

The Christmas Tree Farm


This year we went outside of the city
to find our own tree and cut it down.
David grew up with only real trees
and I grew up with only artificial ones.
At present, I want only real ones and 
David would be happier with an artificial
one...But the experience of the Christmas Tree
Farm has totally won me over.  Its quite magical
and wonderous, especially for little ones.
For years I have taken them to a local tree market
where they run in and out of the all of the
trees under the big tent--they call it their forest.
So I knew that they would have a blast out in the
country finding their own special tree.





A thousand kisses,

am

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Acosta Clan Update

Wade took this one and it is one of my faves. Don't worry, when you get
our Christmas card you will see more pics of this beautiful trio.

We went to Dewberry Farm, which April loves, and April and Edgar got to play hamster.

This was Aprils first A&M basketball game and it will be her last
because it was not her finest 2 hours. But the girl sure does look
like a sweet little angel.

She fed the goats and the donkey, she loved it but it kinda freaked me out.
Their slimey tongues were kinda gross.

Wade took a lot of beautiful family pics for us this year and I love this one of April.

Life with us is the same as usual and nothing special is going on right now. I hope that ya'll are having a great holiday season and that Santa will be good to you this year. Just a reminder to my siblings to send whatever amount of green they want for our Christmas project asap. I know we all have a lot going on but the people of Fiji will forever remember this gift. We love all of you and wish you well.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Happy Halloween

We have a happy pumpkin and a scary pumpkin..
Emma was our Lil Peacock This Year!

My mom and I made her costume
this year, but we loved how it turned out,
so we are making her costume every year now.

Emma's playing with her Lil pumpkin


Being silly..

As usual Emma has something in her
mouth.
Our Happy Family
Emma has her shy face on

Wade and I went to a Halloween Party this yr,
So we went as Clark Kent, and I was a School Girl









Tuesday, November 11, 2008


Off we go a treatin!


Kalvin has been waiting all year long to be this for Halloween.  He was Calvin and he brought along his friend Hobbes!  Kalvin shares his mother's love of  the Calvin and Hobbes comics.  I find him all the time after lights out... hiding under the covers (so as to not be detected) reading this comic.  He just happened to be named after him because I LOVE this comic so much.  I thought it was so cute.  He even grew his hair out for the past few months so he could spike it as high as Calvin. We searched high and low for blonde hair spray.  It turned out great.  If you have never read Calvin and Hobbes - I highly recommend it.


Our cute Kobe taking his Indiana Jones costume VERY serviously.  He would only "pose" as Indy would for every shot.  Too funny.


I am sure this is how he envisions his role to be.  Joe Cool Indiana!  Love it. 


"HOLY CRAP - They freaking give you candy Mom!!!" - I, too savor this time of year Daisy for that very reason.  How fun it is to watch as they realize how cool Halloween is.


Daisy was our "Woodland Fairy".  As you can tell she has ears that just won't quit.  Absolutely adorable now, so we decided to play them up this year.  No fake plastic ears needed for this one!  She comes as cute as any fairy can be a la natural!  So - as long as her ears are "cute" we will go with it, then.... fix 'em!  Am I a bad mother?  



Sage was a "Pumpkin Spice girl" and loved every minute of it.  I can't believe this is even her.  She looked so cute and had a blast running around with her best friend and "twin pumpkin spice girl", Kylee, for the night.  I can't believe I didn't get a shot of them together.  They were so cute.


The week before Halloween - Nik and Anissa (my sister and her husband) hosted an adult Halloween party and we had a blast.  Nik SOOO wins for best costume ever.  He was Mr. Tumnus (sp?) from the Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe.  It was way cool and I am sure exhausting having to balance ALL night long.  Way to go Nik!  Oh - and Sess was a way cool scary vampira.  It was way fun!



This pic doesn't show the golfing bloomers and white hose Aaron had on, but it was way fun to see him as an old school golfer.  I went with the safe and always reliable witch.  Not too hard to stay in character that way, eh? teehee


Friday, November 7, 2008

Happy Halloween

Our day started early...We met their
favorite group of friends and started
tricking or treating right before it got dark.
So we were ahead of the masses.
Trick or treating should always be with friends.
They had a blast...and were still in bed
by 7:30.  

He's yelling at the top of his lungs, 
"expecta petrolum."  Dante is Harry
from the Order of the Phoenix.  It happens
to be an outfit he wears daily because
he believes it is exactly like Harry's.

Not teaching my kids to smile on demand
hasn't quite worked out for me.
I can shoot them fine, but if someone
asks them to smile---they can't do it.
We tried to take a family picture on the
beach, and truly, out of 30 pictures, 
not one of my beautiful children was
acceptable.  And no, I am not being
hard or difficult.  They turn into these different
little people.  Right after our debacle of
photos at the beach, I took about ten 
shots of my friend and her family.  The moment
the camera turned on them, these kids were
posing.  It was crazy.  So we are slowly,
working on natural smiles so when we
need them, they are there.  Bella's
above smile is the best she can do at the
moment.  It is a work in progress.

Lots of love,  am