Thanksgiving Week

Surprisingly enough, we had a fun and interesting week as we "celebrated" Thanksgiving with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for all of the senior missionaries.  Yes, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin (cooked like yams),  and pies.  Pretty much all the fixings.  The food was good as well as the company but we really missed our home, family, and friends.  I have to admit that I missed the left-overs as well (probably my favorite part of Thanksgiving).

We welcomed the new senior missionary couple the Coombs to Tonga and started showing them around the island as we try to get them acclimated to their new environment.  They are going to be a fun couple and seem to be settling in quite nicely.

We are also finishing up the second week of some dental student volunteers that are here from Arizona (two different groups, one each week).  There were about 15 students and instructors each week and the dental office was buzzing with  excitement as they were packed with patients all week.  They are also having serious issues with the vacuum pump in the clinic and had to actually purchase some shop vacs to keep the clinic running.

We were invited to attend a Tongan dinner and program put on by one of the local families where we had a typical Tongan meal prepared in an umu (earth oven).  The food was good but the entertainment was even better.  They provided some typical Tongan dances and songs and had the dental students get up and participate as well (which they really seemed to enjoy).  They even had yours truly get up and play the ukulele for one song ... unrehearsed and unwarned - but I think it worked out okay.

They had a coconut tree climbing demonstration by Brother Tonga's nephew (10 seconds up 3 seconds down).  A couple of the students went over to try but couldn't get up more than a couple of feet.  Probably a good thing as coming down may be easy but the sudden stop at the bottom can be fatal.

Brother Tonga beating the drum.

Coconut tree climbing exhibition.

Yours truly playing the ukulele (unrehearsed invited on the spot).

I'm glad it was an easy song in an easy key.

These nativity sets are really cute.
They are fixed and push back in the
box and close up when you store them.
They can be scarce but we had them
make several for the missionaries.

Photo with the artisan in the background.

Wednesday, we started to do a little bit of Christmas shopping for some of the missionaries.  It can be difficult for them to shop and ship so we are trying to help out a few that have asked.  It is fun to see some of the local handicrafts as they have a Nativity scene made from Tapa cloth and some Christmas ornaments with Mary Joseph and the baby in half a coconut shell.  There's really not much else in the way of Christmas themed purchases.

Tongan Christmas tree ... for two reasons;
1. the lovely bright red flowers and green leaves.
2. it blooms in late November through December.
This photo was taken on campus and you can see the Angel Moroni on
the Temple in the background just above the tree to the right of center.

Lepeka and I attended the Temple on our anniversary (Saturday) and did the Temple work for some pretty special family names.  It was a very humbling and Spiritual experience for both of us and we will never forget this day.

Young adults group of about 200 did a Temple walk from Camp Makeke to
the Temple in the rain (about 10k or 6 miles).  They all seemed happy and
were strung out over several kilometers when we saw them.

The Royal Palace in Nuku'alofa.

Missionaries on Nuku'alofa at the mission tour and zone conference.  I think
there are about 130 in this photo.  The missionaries on Eua joined us but the
missionaries on Ha'api and Vava'u did not attend.  They had a smaller
conference on their island.

We met this little guy at the hospital.  He was healing from
a severe gash on his leg he received while standing next to
his father who was opening a coconut with his machete.
He was in good spirits and was fascinated with the missionaries
who took time to talk to him.

Our view at dusk while we dined at Little Italy along the wharf.  We took two
missionaries there for pizza after a visit to the doctor since they missed their
fafanga (evening meal).  I tried to get a better photo but these 2 never left their
table.  You can see the wonderful dusk scene overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Lepeka took me out to Roby Anns (my favorite steak-house in Tonga) for a nice dinner on our anniversary (which was on Saturday).  She loves their mahi-mahi and I love the New Zealand steak so it was a win-win.  It was pretty quiet as there was only one other couple there.  I think most everyone in Tonga was glued to their TV sets watching the rugby match.

In conclusion, (for those of you who made it this far) a brief Rugby update.  Tonga lost in the World Rugby Cup Tournament semifinals to England on Saturday night.  They fell behind 20 - 0 and the match was basically considered over but in the last 5 minutes Tonga came storming back to trail by only 2 points at 20 - 18.  Tonga then scored on the final play of the game which would have given them the win but it was disallowed by a perceived knock-on (an infraction) which replay review would have overturned (in my opinion) but instant replay review was not used and time ran out.  The replay is used frequently on scoring plays so it's mystery to me why it was not used in the case.  What great heart the Tongan team showed and the country of Tonga and anyone with any kind of tie to  Tonga is so proud of these men who gave their all.  Mate ma'a Tonga!