Why our phone has problems

We had such a hilarious time trying to talk to everyone!!! On our end we pantomined each word and contorted our necks just like snakes or funny elves. Oh, I saw the mongoose and it had a kill. A black mouse. Byron has never seen the thing and is sure I am have those flash backs again... OH now byron says he has seen a mongoose here and it was just crossing the road. That is so boring , it must be true. Back to our mutual problem....our we're calling from the moon, as Russ was telling his kids. And thaaats sorta close, our modem sucks. We have to put the stupid thing on a tall bar stool and point it to the right and this is the quality it produces. Oh , no we have to put the stool out side on the porch. Anyways there is hope around the corner tomorrow. Dad and Br. Howard are going to the Direct Phone Co. and then they 'll come and run a line from the bedroom, drill through 8" of wall. Amd then run it all over the place to get it to more power. Otherwise we will be eating with the laptop. There goes my momma geico, behind the frig. She makes a clicking and a croaking sound when she is mad, we think she's mad anyways. The weather here has cooled down to wonderful and I still swim all that I can. We are pretty desperate and if this doesn't work Aaron has volunteered to get me a international phone and to sent it to me federal express or whatever, right Aaron?

One of the things I want to take home are a couple of beautiful oil seascapes. Now I know that is really far-fetched and we have a better chance of dad training the mongoose to drive!! So this dad's plan..... I have to get my laundry as it is blowing away. I 'm back. Back [ there she goes again, the geico] anyways were are shooting photos and will have them developed on an oil canvas at Costco. Now where to put 'em??? The painting over the piano>>>> .

Things that we need. The question on everyones minds!! Yes? We can really use dvds that are PG or PG 13 nothing more, chick flicks, no Rambo or 24. What we do is trade them around.

Saints are coming from Vanuatu Islands. Van-new-aw-too Islands. Only 2 families for now Visa problems. The rest will come later as the visa stuff gets settled. We went to Sigatoga for Sunday and are so in love with these saints. One sister said she just knew we would be back that she brought us dinner. For the Bowmans and ourselves. Banana brothers and fresh fish with spinach. Banana brothers is --truy I have no idea, I'll have to ask Sr. Bahn. This sister has a sweet school story about her grand daughter. The girls mom is in New Zealand working and paying for her schooling. However, there was no money for books and a school uniform. The little girl cried so, because she knew there was no money. So everyone prayed. And the day of school the nona [really] said we are going to school crying or not, and the grandfather said he would go and look for work until it was dark. And so they all started their walks. On the way the grandmother found a 50 $ bill on the ground!!!! and took it straight to the school. The grandfather could find no work and came home crying... Faith must have legs.. Must run. Bula vinaka ya'll love Mum

Cowart ties plus other Fiji

All-
Hi from the pacific!!! We are having a wonderfus [this is mo better than wonderful] eternal experience. It seems that we have some mutual friends out here in the
Fiji Temple? Who you ask? We often go out to eat saturdays after we close the temple and today went to this chicken place [we can't remember the name]. Anyways I was telling our conversion story and the pres.said what was the name of that city in Texas? Bay City, I replied. And to our [ it's called Nando's famous ___ chicken] amazement they were in uncle Jed's old stake. My temple president’s name is President Richard Wells, and he had been a stake president, in the Seattle area, for quite a while. Then he and his wife Helen were mission presidents in Australia, for 3 years. They will leave here with almost 4 years in Fiji. Also the second counselor, Br. J. Nielson is from their same stake and also knew Joanne and Jed rather well. We were so surprised. It is a very small world! And again after think about the funeral they [Wells] did remember hearing Larke sing and Sandy and Walter. I’ve been told by a good source, that our world is indeed very small and that we will know plenty of folks in hell also!!! Weeell, were we surprised.
All is grand and the only new thing is to go whiteish colored hair or pretend. At first I thought, no go, on hair color here, but prevailing against all odds , it is possible. Jackie said don't surprise me mom, I must be warned well in time, We’ll see. But the current surprise is my Peter Pan hair cut. No curlers here.[really] There are no hot curlers in this entire place, and since I look closely like Peter's mum, I don't need a 55 buck hair dryer either!!!!!! We have found sultains for breakfast cereal and finely minced meat, for lunch. All were surprised at our finds. The folks are all wonderful, but never once do they venture out into anything new. Didn't know if bok choy was good, they didn't eat it anyways. and don't ask about capers, or japanese egg plant. So I surprised all for Easter dinner----Italian egg plant--in red sauce--- with imported cheese. They don't make cheese here--it comes from Australia or New Zealand.. DUH. No one died and all was gone. And just to freak'em out more I pulled off my bessttest ever---English Toffy cheese cake with New Zealand whipped cream. None can compare......


Sultains are raisins. Finely minced meat=hamburger meat.
And that folks equals = homemade hamburgers = on Fijian bread that does’t have enoufffffffffffgh salt in it. Also the bread has huge [ now that’s a porky pie] air bubbles, and that means the ketchup [Heinz from China] drips out the holes on to your jammies, because you are late to work and are eating standing up in the bathroom, spraying your hair with your new and hard to find Vo5 hair spray so you will look well coiffed in the laundry….. Byron loovves me to read my notes to him, but he is a little rat. Just because I said there are no hot curlers on this island---he edited my language. Well’ what do you think about the conditions I must work in?

We have been looking and talking to our friends here and have a few good tips about when ya’ll venture out here. The resorts here on the coral reef are different than some of the other resort islands. The big ones are mostly used by Australians and guests who don’t want other guests around. They are very pricey. But we have seen The Pearl and it has a golf course [Robert Trent Jones] and we would stay 2 nights. Includes 1 free hole of golf per guest. The rates we were quoted as [local] ……your dad is laughing his brains out as I read this part about golf. One free hole-now that’s a deal cookie. You know what I mean..[hopefully] We’ll take pictures next time we are out that way. There is a zip line over the rain forest also by the Pearl. Then we’ll go to Denareu island. It is by the big airport in Nadi. I have to run we are going out to dinner. I think at the Suva lawn bowling club.. Bula Vinka, Ya’ll love mum

More pics

White line is the coral reef which surrounds most of the island

Down by the beach after visit to Sigatoka branch . Mom's new handpainted dress.

The Vitinaluagi family that invited us to the Good Friday feast .Grandpa studied microbiology at Oxford in England.

The Vitinaluagi family grandkids in the creek

The lovo meal cooked undergound in banana leaves(meats and seafood)

The Sigatoka branch meeting house. They will get a better one soon.

Easter Sunday

Well We had a little Easter Sunday get together over at the house. Everyone brought something to contribute to dinner. We had Jackie's honey ham, my fabulous asparagus

wrapped in roasted turkey, red mashed potatoes, Michelle's Dinner Rolls and Salad. For Dessert we had Jackie's Italian Cake, Mich's Lemon cheesecake, and my Fruit Tarts, That I made from Scratch. We had a great time, playing outside, The kids had an Easter Egg Hunt, and we cracked confetti eggs on everyone. The guys played bochi ball outside, and then we all played catch phrase outside. The weather was perfect. So we thought we'd share some pics from that day. We miss you guys and we got your letter Dad. We will get those prescriptions to you right away. We love you and keep us updated.

Rodeo Houston

Well we had a great time at the Rodeo, This year with Jacklyn and Edgar minus

our Scary Adventure. Little did we know that we had a flat tire all along. Earlier

that day Jackie and I went to have lunch at Kemah's Sea Food, we drove her car and

on the way we started to hear this strange noise. As soon as Jackie heard it, she knew

instantly something was wrong, because she has never heard the car make that noise.

So we began to worry and as soon as the noise went away, we heard this loud clunk.

So we were even more worried after that, Jackie told me well, don't tell Edgar I drove

in the grass. I started to laugh and said ok. The noise eventually went away and we

went to lunch. The guys had just finished playing golf and joined us right after. Jackie of

course told Edgar the noise we heard on the car, so that he could check it out. So we finished

lunched headed back to the house.Edgar Checked the Car when we got home and noticed that they had a flat tire on the car, so wade helped Edgar change it, No big deal right. So that was done and we just started to get ready for the Rodeo, the car next to us told us we had a Flat Tire!! At that point we knew we should have drove to the Rodeo in our car. So we left to go to the gas station to get some "Fix a Flat" So that we could just fix it for now and then head back to the Rodeo. Well as Wade was Fixing it he noticed the tire oozing out the white foam. So it was a pretty big hole. So we decided to go to the nearest tire shop and have it fixed before they closed. We literally got there right before they closed. It was just a miracle, until they said "well we can't fix it" because of the Fix a flat" that we put in there. But we did still have the other tire in the back that we had changed earlier. So they were able to fix that tire, and we were ready to go to the rodeo. So here's a few pics we took.

Pics from Fiji

View from the side of the temple-you can see part of our new flat being contstructed on left

We've become pineapple farmers!

Mom hard at work- have to look at it sideways

View from the front door of the temple. Construction of church offices, flats for us, etc.

View from the back of the temple

Odds n Ends

Well dad is driving!! We had to go and get a phone !!!!!!! My number is 931-1325 but we don't have our country number just yet but thats not hard to find-dad is a wizard. There are some funny moments here I want to share. When the saints from Christmas Island came there were so many touching moments. We've told of drinking fountains etc. Every time I write etc. I can't help and remember the King and I and etc. etc. etc.... and catherine all dolled up. Oh before I forget I am getting an Indian sari, before I go. I'll tell how I goes and they are so very cheap and I want one all sparkly [sp] there at least 6 good shops here for them and tons of trashy stores. Save your money girls they are about 25 bucks, what a deal! I also found a very nice men's store, with tailored suits and all, and bought dad a really nice bula shirt that doesn't make him look like a whale. That goodness for the Aussies {another good store } they carry big sizes that are true sizes. We, [ who am I kidding ] I found a great shirt for Uncle Frank. It is basically a large trampoline shirt with writing in the bottom corner. We have to kiss up good for all of the mouching we do up there. Now don't argue with me Frank. I'm getting Cindy a sari, too. Midget size. Oh back to Kritmati Island, yes that is how it is spelled. It's a part of the Kiribati Island group. Actually it is an atoll. And it was discovered on Christmas day by Captain Cook, I believe. When they nurse their babies they call it milking the baby or the baby needs milking. And every time the baby burps up a little milk they are so proud and genuinely happy. These saints have severe hardships. Their soil is leached out to nothing and the remainder is crushed shell and sand. So the soil is so porus it holds nothing. I asked if they have trees and was told yes, but visitors only a few real trees like were know. There are others on the island. A Chinese restaurant, stores, court house and 2 high schools, but with the saints there is only one flushing toilet and that is in the couple missionaries tiny,tiny 450 sq ft house. Ans they don't have hot water either. On the island there are only male dogs. When one wants a dog they go off the island and it must be a male. This their dog birth control. Sr. Nubee said you can hear the dogs fighting all night long. That is one way to move up the doggie ladder. Watch out Harry, Claudia sais good ol' Potter is to fat to fight. You think that the sacrament must come in a certan way only, white bread. NO. On the Island they have used pancakes, cookies, crackers, crumbs, baggles [sp]and bread. They didn't say if the cookies were white or not. I think, not, or she would have stated so. Their water supply is tainted. Being that they are on an atoll there are no real soil levels. An atoll is not an island and doesn't have a deep water well source. All the people have is a low level water level that is polluted daily by urine of people and wild animals. They have not had rain in 7 months. The missionaries have a water collection system on their roof and it has 6 weeks left. I have learned a great truth, while here in Fiji. The Lord will watch us forget small things and great things. Just so He can help us remember, while calling on Him. The missionaries have not prayed for rain. We asked them if they had and they said " no, we never thought of that." These are not stupid or forgetful saints, no, It is just the Lord has to bring all of the members to the same point in their trials that they can grow. Just like the handcart saints these good, good people must endure strife and hardships to find their Lord and that is what will make their souls grow , deeply, like the trees they don't have. I think that I wrote of how the saints had no food for 5 months? Just remember that these events are all happening at the same time to everyone on theis little island. There is a supply boat that comes once a month, but it was damaged and their food was ruined. However, the boat continued on it's rounds and then went into dry dock for repairs. Dry dock means the ship was elevated and repaired while it was dry- dry dock. And no supply boat came to the island for 5 months!! The entire island suffered especially the small children who were not nursing [ milking ]. Br. Nubee lost 30# and they were starving. Finally the Nubees called the Church. The Lord is bringing this entire island of people to the point of prayer and deliverance. Just like the whole seagull story in Utah, or frozen river crossings and wagons. Immediately, food was sent from Fiji. {rice, powdered milk, flour, sugar, and more] The price was horrendous and no one knows how much it cost except God himself. So these good starving saints broke down their food rations into smaller packets and began giving them to everyone on the island!! But to just show how satan works, one Methodist minister[of which god I know not] " It's better to starve, than to take food from the Mormons," he declared. He didn't want to lose any money from his church group!" And one mother did join the church just because of the saints sharing. So now that the food...crisis is over ..... they must now address the water problems. The saints need water collection systems but, they are very simple people and time will tell just how they handle this new cross to bear. To drink the water they put in sugar and a sweet syrup that drips from the coconut tree. It is called a toddy and when warm , a hot toddy.

A funny thing happened wednesday night. Here there are family connections that must be kept... A brother had extended his hand at the veil and when he saw the womans hand he with withdrew saying that she was his sister. It wasn't, but still it was!! So another receiver helped. This is the story and this is the only time in the Well's 3+ YEARS it has happened. Family members who are 1st cousins may never touch ... not even hands.[incest] Also a husband and a father in law may not be in the same house, and they may never speak. So we speak here of the culture of the church being greater than the village traditations. In reality this will take 2 generations to break down. Also we use the term culture of the temple, to help people understand which is greater. Dad drove to the store and was reading the Fiji Times and saw this article on Mariah Carey stating that she was telling "porkie pies" about her weight and touched , so greatly touched up pictures. Yep it sure looks to me like a severe case of the dreaded " porkie pies." That will stay in our family vocabulary just like Aunt Cindy's sleeping policemen, and holy crap____ how did your brother get up there? Now that Kalvin was quick thinking and your mother should smile when she hits you on the head for me. Stand there just like your poor ol dad, so many years ago did, and just take it. I am blessed and have a great maid named Sr. Seru. She takes the bus into town for 85 cents Fijan. Last week was a holy week and we worked on friday morning. A different schedule for Good Friday, anyways, I had Sr. Bahn call because I didn't have a mobile. So she called Sr. Seru's sons mobile and told him to tell his mother to come to my house on thursday morning. Well he had loaned his phone to another villager, and his mom came to Sr. Bahn's to work. Sr. Bahn [Bun] was so sweet she took the fall for me, which show how she likes me. Sr. Bahn is always right, really. She is a great friend and all were impressed by her calmness and were amazed. Another funny word phrase in Fiji. A worker was owed back pay for being wrongly "sacked." Oh yes, the Fiji soccer has had the curse removed from them and will beat the Samoans, handily! says a local Methodist minister. Can he do weight loss? Well loved ones gotta run , Love mum.














some

Finally= a picture

Finally got a picture to publish. Taken a lot of work and moving the modem all over the place, but I have to put it outside for it to work correctly. Happy for now. Our apartment is on the bottom floor where Sister Wettstein is waiting. We have someone above us. 2 bedrooms with AC in the bedrooms=just where we need it. Not luxurious but adequate. We'll be here until they finish our new apartments in October. Need to get this off and test further. Dad

Hello 911 - My Wife is Paralyzed

OK - So back to the end of my last post....where I mention a breakdown. Well, that breakdown resulted in a 911 call made by Aaron on my behalf. I suppose I should fill ya'll in. I joke about it know, but remember as you laugh your way through this story that....at the time...I was truly scared!!! Anyhoo - On Saturday, Daisy was napping, so we gave Kalvin the monitor and Aaron and I headed out the door for our respective workouts. Aaron is training for his upcoming sprint triathalon so he headed off on the bike and I was just stoked to not be sick anymore, so I started off on my first run in awhile. (Up and down the street ofcourse, so the kids just have to come out the door and flag me down if Daisy wakes up). All goes well and I come back in after I am done. Aaron is doing his run by now. I hop in the shower and start to get ready. I am in my closet and start to feel a little light headed so I sit down to rest and decide to paint my toenails. Finished with that and then my left arm starts to feel a little tingly, so I go into my room to lie down a bit (still wrapped in a towel). The tingle worsens and then I start to feel tingly in my other arm. Aaron walks in the door at this point so I call for him. That is when my left hand starts to tighten and curl into itself. I have completely lost control of me fingers and am freaking out a little bit. Aaron tries to pry my fingers open, but they won't budge. I send him to look online about signs of a stroke, because that is my first thought. By the time he returns, my left arm is totally curled into my body and completely paralyzed and my right hand up to the elbow is the same. OK - so now I am starting to freak out a little. This is when Aaron offers some help in the form of...."Do you want me to go and get you 4 advil?" I am not joking! I look at him and say something like, "Are you freaking kidding me. My arms are paralyzed and you want me to take some ADVIL!" I digress......So, I send him for some undergarments for me because we are obviously going to have to take me to Urgent Care or something. Then my stomach starts that tingling/tightening thing my arms have done. Then I start feeling it in my legs. So, I sit at the edge of the bed and by the time Aaron returns I tell him to quick get my bottoms on because my legs are freezing. He struggles through that because my feet are now paralyzed and my legs are starting to curl into my body. It is funny now, but at the time I was totally freaking out. No longer having the use of my body I fall over to the side on the bed and with tears running down my face say something about telling the kids I love them and what not. That is when my tongue started going numb. I knew I was not going to be able to speak in a little while so I say to Aaron and BOY do I wish I could convey how funny I am sure it sounded (imagine your tongue growing 3 sizes and not having control over it - my words were slurred and....well...you get the point). So, I scream to Aaron - "I don't care if I am naked....CALL 911 NOW! His response was, "Are you sure you don't want any advil!" Nice, huh? So I scream again, "I AM PARALYZED! CALL 911 (I AMB PARWHALITHED. CALL 9 1 1)" He gets the drift and calls. Some day you will have to call and ask Aaron about this from his point of view because I know it was scary for both of us, but well this is when he says my lips turned blue and I started foaming at the mouth. I don't remember much until the fire truck shows up and 6 guys are suddenly in my room and I am saying over and over and over again, "AM I COVERED UP?" (AMB I COBERWHERD UP?) Then I start yelling at all the guys to stop laughing at me. In my defense I was not quite right and .....really......next time you are paralyzed.....I won't judge you either -k-. So what was wrong? Get this - Apparently I was hyperventilating. Who knew that when your body does not have enough carbon dioxide it paralyzes itself and then stops your breathing to try and reset itself. So, I suppose it is good that I didn't pass out and stop breathing before the paramedics got there because I am sure Aaron would have truly freaked and I would have ended up with broken ribs and a punctured lung from a CPR attempt. Well, I am ok now. they got my co2 level back up and my body eventually unparalyzed itself and all is well now, but I tell you what.....I was really freaked out going through that. Moral of the story - I really shouldn't work out anymore.....or ask for a breakdown! It's just not worth it!
I hope that my next blog entry will be boring as heck because if something else happens....you will have to visit me from some mental institution. I swear it! I am SOOO done. Hope ya'll are all well. Cheers, Mandy

Easter Sunday in Dallas

I worked hard to try and bring more of

a spiritual element to our Easter weekend.

Alas, at this age, it is still about the Bunny.  Although,

Dante sings a great "Did Jesus Really Live Again?"

that can only make one smile.

Did I tell you that Nathan and Tristina had 

their little one, Nixon.  He was about 4 weeks early.

I held him for 3 hours the other day--it was wonderful.

Darlynn was in town to help Tristina and she says hi.

We also went to dinner with Marci and Alan --which was

so fun.  Marci looks great!

Mom, your typing skills have improved tremendously.

I am impressed.  You sound happy and busy.  We do miss you.

I wish we could see photos though.  Email some so we 

can post them for you.  OK mom.  I've decided not to

build a new home.  We will just add on a little bit.

Truth is, it's just not a priority of mine.  I want

that money to travel the world with the kids--if it's

tied up in a home, I will be limited--and not just with

travel but with everything else.  So I am going to pass on it.

We love our little home.  We can make it work--I've already

put Helena on helping with the small addition, her ideas are

priceless.   I'll keep you updated.  Well, we love you both.  

David, Dante and Bella send their love.

am

2000 Stripling Warriors

My Easter talk was really special.. The last week of October is when members of each presidency say their goodbyes. The weather had been terrible, with rain and winds, so I went early, probably the only time , too. Sister Stewart was reading a small book about the St. George Temple. And this the unpublished story. First, my intro. for my talk. Dad told me were assigned talks on Easter Sunday and this talk was just given to me . So I just wrote it down, two weeks ago. Dad told me a really good trick that he uses when he speaks. He reads his talk just before going to bed and then he can think about it in his dreams. This is so true. You wake up and you are more confident and prepared.





Easter talk



Each of us has struggles, hardships, and problems. Each came here to earth to grow-so our problems are our teachers! Br. Wettstein and I were able to visit a small branch here a few weeks ago and there I was able to take part in a relief society class. We were each talking about our struggles, and how hard it is to grow sometimes, and how we often forget lessons that we have learned earlier in life. I spoke of how hard it is for me in the temple, to do my work perfectly. Another young sister said that when she prepared her church lesson, she teaches the adult gosspel class. She is just a young woman- really just a kid, doing an adult class. But she has learned that by being prepared before sunday she can go and pick up a transport on the highway. It may take 20 to 30 minutes but she will be there for her class. If not she will be there just for sacrament meeting. The next relayed her experience about tithing. Her husband [ a RM] took their tithing out of the bank and put in an envelope in this pants. While shopping he decided they could use this money then because he had more cash in the bank. She said no that was the Lord's money. Anyway he went to pay for his purchase and his tithing money was gone! Then the last sister spoke . She said that she had forgotten her covenent with Heavenly Father and had started drinking grog . She drank for 5 weeks and then was very sick at home for a month. Then her left lung had problems and she was in the hospital for 2 months. The first week she prayed to find out why she was so sick and then the spirit said "remember the grog, also called kava] and then she remembered her covenants. We all have needs that we can not meet, things that are impossible to do And here begins Sr. Stewarts story.





Sr. Stewart Houston Temple Oct. 2003



US troops were coming to the place called Deseret, to show those Mormons that the US would rule over them and to take records about----------. Their goal was prison for the men. The President of the St. George Temple had closed the temple and all temple papers had been taken by the presidency and carefully hidden outside of the temple. US troops had come and were watching the temple night and day . The temple president disguised himself as a poor , poor, dirty farmer smoking a pipe. He took the sacred objects and hid them in his clothing.. He then prayed himself through the army surrounding his temple and quietly hid everthing. He now had fullfilled all President Brigham had told him to do. The temple was now just a dedicated building. Still he proclaimed " I am the watchman of the Lord for this temple" and he decided to return. He was the Lord's representive and he would stay there. So he started back as a ragged, dirty farmer smoking a pipe, to his temple. Who but Heavenly Father would hide this man, in such a manner? As he came closer and closer he saw men surrounding the entire temple. He was so afraid that all was lost, and he started to pray that the soldiers would let him in. It is curious that he only prayed to be let in and not that the earth would swallow them up. As he came closer, he was amazed at what he saw. They were not soldiers! Who were they? They were very large men, with dark skin, and hair and were dressed very oddly. Still with great faith he just walk straight into the temple. Who are these men? And so he prayed and this was his answer from the Lord. He the Lord had his 2000 young warriors to guard His temple. They were His guards! They would never fail , not once. You see they they had not failed their parents, nor each other, nor their captains of the army. They were His true warriors. Never did once US troops come into the St. George Temple, not one. Before there were pioneer wagons, and before there were hand carts, before their was a Joseph Smith, before there was a

church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints there were 2000 young, seasoned, warriors. They were so powerful and valiant that our dear Lord has again used them in our own time. True proven warriors and again, as in the past, not on was lost, We all have our wagon trains and hand cart pioneers who suffered, but brothers and sisters you have akways had your 2000 young warriors of the Book of Mormon. And they are still your sons. We in the church read of them and are ever so proud of them, but they are all your sons. They are Gods gift to us in this the latterdays as a proven moment in time that has existed, and will always be there for Him to use as needed. And our older brother and Savior who has "taken the bitter cup" has also never failed us and never will. H ehas given us eternal life, a proven path home and His hand outstreatched to bring us back to our Father in Heaven. And He will never fail us either. Bula Vinaka Mum

Easter Weekend

All-
Well hello from the other side of the world! All is well and we have just had a wonderful Easter meal [leg of ham] at our temple pres. house. From his balcony you can see the reefs surrounding all of the main island. These reefs were what kept Fiji so isolated from the world. Most adventurers shipwrecked and were....eaten. When Fiji was made a province of the UK, in the 1850's they were made Christians and no more cannibalism was allowed. Did you know that Texas had the only cannibals in the USA? They were the Karonkawas [sp] and they were from Galveston down to Matagorda Bay. We have had such a wonderful Good Friday here. Easter isn't egg hunts and candy here. It is about Christ. On Good Friday we open the temple at 6:00am. So we are up at 4:40 to be there by 5:30. People started arriving at 5:30. Taxis were lining up [people here don't have cars] and the public transports [buses] would be in 15 minutes dropping people off. We had sessions scheduled for 6, 8, and 10. But we were so busy and backed up with saints that we had to add an extra sesssion. We had the Suva stake youth doing baptisms for people from the Kiribati Islands . They were our island group for the week. As I moved from the baptistry and opened the great glass doors that opened in the temple foyer there were women dressed all in white sitting on every couch and chair available and all over the floor = about 35 sisters in all. The 6:00 was past full and I asked if there was such a person as a 'fire marshal" Br. Tagidugu laughed and said " who is this man". The temple had never had such an out pouring of saints. Also the temple has a very generous front porch with deep steps and they were also full of saints , still in their street clothes. Waiting, and waiting. To just go in the temple and pass the recommend desk. We couldn't let'em out of the celestial room to go back and dress because it would cause a traffic jam. The Fijian sisters said we needed a round about [explain this yourselves] . So we started another session. The sun had been up for one hour and we were really moving. All parts of the temple were full all day until 1:00. My heart will always see those sisters sitting in the Fiji Temple's foyer and all over the floor, all in white and sitting so quietly. We went to a "lovo"-feast cooked in an earthen oven. At some point, the Fijians lost the ability to make cookware and had to resort to cooking everything underground inside banana leaves. We went to a village, which was way back in the boonies on a dirt and rock road. It was only 3 kilometers form the main road but took a long time. The brother that invited us(all the temple missionaries and president) all individually and was so proud to have all of us at his home. We sat outside under a shade covering and had fish, prawns, pork, chicken, salad ,potatoes, spinach cooked in coconut milk, bread. The food was set in the living room corner with 2 of the children fanning away the flies. Quite and event! Dad tried a little of everything so if anyone was going to be the sacrifice it was him. The president's wife later became a little sick, but the rest of us did just fine. Kept our pills handy just in case.


A little note about our Good Friday drive. We drove through a group of good people carrying a huge cross. The cross was probably the right size but, still it looked huge. The newspaper told the entire story the nezt day. It seems people were chosen to walk and carry this cross and then one man was latter to be whipped-like Christ. These were great honors for all involved. So this is remembering Christ? Our matron used this event as her talk on Easter Sunday. [It seems that everyone in the temple spoke somewhere on the island! [funny] This is the heart of her talk. We pass the sacrament using 12 year olds-not in the temple like our Savior was but still in a dedicated chapel. And they were still about their Fathers business. Each helping us remember, every sunday, our Saviors sacrifice. Boys and young men in white shirts and ties pass blessed bread and water-like our Saviors sacrament He passed to His followers that yery day He was taken to His death. No crosses and no whipping-only service to our God in a simple manner, given in the same ways of old, and remembered every sunday in every chapel, all over our dear Saviors earth, and then given freely to each there within. notes from Helen Wells matron Fiji Temple 2008

How to babysit your 4 year old brother!

I left Kobe with Kalvin for about 10 minutes the other day so I could run Sage to gymnastics. This is what I found when I got home! Then I hear Kobe's deep, slow and total deadpan voice saying, "Mom...I'm stuck." I asked, "How the crap did you get up there?!" and again in his little deep voice, "Kalvin". I suppose that is one way to babysit your brother!

My funny little man!

Kobe is such a funny little kid. I found him like this the other day. I guess all that hard playing just got to be too much. My guess is he was out there for about 30 minutes or so before I found him. His little ear was even sunburned.

Spring Break

My little sister Morgan, her Mom (Debbie), and Debbie's husband all came into town for Spring Break. We had a great time and even took a day trip through Sedona and on into the Grand Canyon. Here are a couple of pics from the trip as well as some from Aaron's b-day. Update....all healthy so far after a final bout of some random virus which causes a scary high fever and lasts for about 3-5 days. All four kiddos got it, but we think we are done being sick.....please pray we are!

Well - I guess I have not filled ya'll in on our little scare week before last. Well, my grandfather (Pap) passed away on the 7th of March, so I hopped on a plane with Daisy and flew to Indiana to be there for the funeral. That was hard and wonderful. Hard to say goodbye to my grandfather, but happy he is out of pain finally. Also, great to be with all my brothers and sisters, cousins, aunts and uncles and grandma and great grandma. That part was neat and fun. Anyhow, the last day I was there...Tuesday the 11th....I got a call from the school nurse saying Kalvin was in there having a hard time breathing. So, I had his uncle take his inhaler to the school because Aaron was nowhere to be found. She told me his pulse ox was 79. (Whatever that means) A few hours later she calls me again and he is back in but this time it is at 76 (again, whatever that means). She tells me he needs a breathing treatment and to come and get him and take him home for one. Well, I finally find Aaron and he leaves work to bring him home. I am then out of contact because I was battling a 9 month old on a very long airplane ride while the guy in front asks the flight attendant.....i kid you not...."Is there anywhere else you can put them!" and then points to me and my baby. Anyhoo - not to get sidetracked....I got home at around 10pm that night and Aaron tells me on the way home that Kalvin is still having a hard time breathing and that before bed time he was starting to say his chest hurt. He had given him more than the recommended dosages of the inhaler and 2 breathing treatments. Then....well....sent him to bed. So, when I got in (sidetrack - no more diapers, so I had to pin a cloth diaper on Daisy to send her to bed with about 40 little pins because who in the hell keeps large diaper pins around) So....I go in to check on Kalvin and the poor little guy is lying in bed just gasping for air. I wish you could see me describe it, but suffice it to say it scared me, so I woke him up and got him dressed and we left for the ER. I wasn't panicking at this point, but I quickly learned I should have been. The next few minutes were a blurr, but right after we got there the triage nurse spotted him and brought him over to listen to his lungs, and within 90 seconds another nurse was listening and then immediately rushed us into the pediatric ER. Within another 90 seconds there was a dr. there yelling out words like STAT and giving me the "What kind of Mother are you" look! Apparently Kalvin was not far from dying. He was freaking out when I told him about that 79 pulse ox. He said the nurse should be fired and she should have sent him to the ER even if it was at 89. (I talked to my brother the ER doc later and he concurred. My Mom also told me that right before my Pap died....his pulse ox was at 72).
So - I sat and watched while they saved Kalvin's life. It took until 3 in the morning for them to be able to stabilize his pulse ox at 94 (they won't send you home until it stays above that for at least an hour). We treated him at home with round the clock breathing treatments and oral steroids for the next 4 days. I got home that night to find Sage in my bed with a fever of 104.....so started our week of the fever thingy during Spring Break and with company. So....now that all four of my children are no longer feverish and dying.....I am going to go somewhere for that breakdown I so richly deserve!
xoxo Mandy

Thump thump thump......

We went to Rodeo Houston on Monday with Wade and Claudia and earlier in the day I ran over something in the Explorer in Magniolia because I could hear the thump thump thump. After a long hard golf game the ever valiant Wade and Edgar changed the flat and we were on our way to Russ' house. We left April with Mich and all four of us rode in our car to the Rodeo. When we finally get to the parking lot by Reliant one of the attendants tells us that our other back tire is flat also!!!! So we had to go to Firestone with 15 minutes to spare before closing and they fixed the tire. By the time we got to the action we were able to ride the biggest ferris wheel I had ever seen and then we were off to see the bull ridding. It was a good time despite the tire drama. I have never had a flat tire nonetheless two in the same day!! The tire people said a had a nail in my tire; probably from construction in High Meadow. On Tuesday we went shopping with Mich and Claudia. And then all of us went to the Olive Garden and ate together, April and Ava a cute pair to see together. FYI It was a wet, rainy, humid day so please ignore my hair in the photo. Wade took all the pics at the Rodeo so maybe he will post a few for ya'll to see.