Hooray for Sunday!

Went to church. We got picked up by the HEFY (humanitarian EFY) group as we walked to church- random. Sunday school was taught by Brittany, which was fun. Then we had Sacrament and it was Fast and Testimony meeting so we got to hear a lot of amazing testimonies. It was a powerful, Spirit-filled church day and I loved it! Went home and almost immediately fell asleep, but it was a restless sleep thanks to my impressive sunburn (HURTS SO BAD). PS Remember how I talked about the zillions of mosquito bites I've gotten here? Combine that with the sunburn of the century and you honest to goodness get what Hell must feel like. Scratching relieves the itch, but causes immense pain. Damned if you do, and damned if you don't has a whole new meaning for me. It's seriously torture. Good times. Then I got up and watched a movie with Brittany and Audrey. Then it was time for dinner. 

I had planned on getting some pictures uploaded after dinner tonight, but then I found out about something we were going to do after dinner, so I didn't quite get to it (SO SORRY. I will do it when I get back from my trip to Tavua). Carly (the dance girl from our team) knows the temple Presidents here. Her mom grew up in Tonga (lucky gal!), so Carly's grandparents were good friends with President and Sister Davis and invited us over for dessert tonight. They live in a small house on the temple parking lot area (about 100 feet from the temple). It was gorgeous! Can't wait to go there the end of this week (hopefully). Anyways, their home was beautiful and the nicest place we've set foot in here in Fiji. They are some of the most well-traveled people I have ever met. They both served missions in Mexico in their 20s and then President Davis also served one Chile and they both served in Germany (they loved talking to me about Germany and the Christmas markets in Munich!). They have also lived in Nevada, Utah, Tonga, Fiji, Ecuador, and different places in Europe. That's just the places they've LIVED. They traveled basically everywhere. They had some seriously amazing stories. Then they told us all about how people travel to get to the temple here. Some of their workers walk 3 hours both ways twice a week just to work there. They are so amazingly dedicated. There are 4 Stakes in Fiji made up of 6-12 wards/branches (the church congregations). The church has been here for 40-50 years, so it's still in the early stages. But the faith and dedication of the saints here is unbelievable. Before the temple was here (and in Tonga when Pres and Sister Davis lived there) people would save all their money and not buy new things (clothes, food- they would just eat what they grew, or anything) for a year so they could have enough for them and their kids to go to the temple (the closest one for many years was in New Zealand). Sometimes families would only be able to take 1 or 2 kids at a time to be Sealed to them. That would be SO difficult. I can't even imagine. I'm so grateful for the temple and the fact that families are forever! 

They have a granddaughter and grandson-in-law that live in Indiana (Leigh and Craig... Meisser? I think was the last name) And Craig, I believe, is going to Purdue for his masters. Small world! Anyways it was a super fun evening. These are some of the greatest people I've ever met, not to mention generous. President kept giving us more ice cream, and then as soon as we took our last bite, he would take the plates from us and go wash the dishes and bring us water. He is so sweet and just the kindest old man ever. I loved being able to visit with them. They have quite the meeting/dating/engaged/married story ever. Let's just say he proposed after only few dates, not knowing if she would say yes, and then bribed her to get married 2 months later as opposed to 8 with a honeymoon to Hawaii. They were hilarious. I just love them. Hopefully I'll see them when I get to going to the temple!

Then we had team scheduling and then Brittany, Audrey, and I packed up to head off tomorrow! We're leaving super early and I won't have internet access for a few days. And apparently there are a zillion mosquitoes, frogs, and giant spiders where we're going, so I may not come back alive. Here's hoping! Hooray for Fiji! 

Moce and much love!

-Sarah