Elephantitis and Sr. Tuitonga

We are back from our much needed holiday but before I tell of our little vacation I must tell you our little Sister Tuitonga [ two e tonga ]. I just met her 5 weeks before our winter closing of the temple [remember it is our winter season]. I was working in initiatory when Sr. Wells came and stopped us so we could meet this extraordinary woman, Sr. Tuitonga. She has had elephantitis since 1982. To travel in the pacific and in many countries you must have a certificate of health. Our little sister [about 4 ft. 8in.] was preparing to go to the Tonga Temple to be sealed in 1982 and started the paperwork with her checkup and there she found out about her left leg. Sister Wells had made her a white covering for her leg like you see in the temples to cover a walking foot cast. I must tell you that you cannot be prepared to see such a thing and not gasp. Her tiny foot was now the size of an 8 inch dinner plate. Now I know you may think I am wrong but, sadly I am not. The skin stretches as much as possible and then turns a purple color just like maternity marks and then continues this process up and down and then sideways, too. Her foot was small like a childs on the right side but, the entire foot and toenails too, had grown to look just like an elephant's foot and leg up to her mid thigh. The leg weighed maybe up to 50 - 70 pounds Sr. Wells said. To really see this you must take a paper plate and tape your foot to it. And then cut an opening in the same size paper plate and put your upper leg in it too. I know it is shocking. We spoke for a few minutes and all went on their different ways. However this sweet sister came back 2 weeks later and I was free and had to ask her some questions. All I said was please tell me your story and all of this just flowed out. She said " the Lord knew that my leg would be sick and He chose this instead of diabetes." Why I said? I knew what I had when I we went to the Tonga Temple and was able to be sealed, had I not had a health certificate we would not have been sealed. With diabetes my leg would have been amputated and I would have died rather quickly. Here neighbors call the hospital and they come and take you to the hospital and off goes the leg, the government has that much control over your life. My neighbors [ well intentioned ] called the hospital and they came were going to transport me right then. But, I had the letters from my doctor who stated my illness and that it would not spread any more - the letter saved my life. Here amputation is a common word for death; especially 24 years ago. We have no drugs here for the common man and had none 24 years ago=death. There are no fake legs anywhere for the poor. I would have died and not seen my own children grow up. I could have never lived to see the Fiji Temple open. I am an old woman. I have held my grandchildren and more. You see the LORD KNEW THAT MY LEG WOULD BE SICK AND HE CHOSE FOR ME TO LIVE. I can barely type this with my tears running down my face and think of my Jaclyn and all of her struggles and her exceptional faith. She has told me that she has always had faith that the Lord loves her and that He was not teaching her a lesson or that she had bad or anything like that. I now how to express her great testimony ... " YOU SEE THE LORD KNEW THAT I WOULD BE SICK AND HE CHOSE FOR ME TO LIVE.. TO MARRY .. TO BE A MOM.. AND TO SEE MY GRANDCHILDREN."
All of my love goes out to this little and happy Fijian saint. She has alone given us the insightful testimonies of our dear Lord's love and concern for each and every one of us. A testimony choosen and nurtured through great pain and struggles. Testimony remembered and given freely when asked." can you tell me your story?"

love from FIJI MOM