Week 13 in Tarawa

Thirteen is considered an unlucky number, so maybe we should just skip this week.  Not!  It was actually a very interesting and good week.  As you know, school is out and all is quiet at Moroni High. Again Not!  The first picture is of the friendship basket that I received Sunday in Relief Society. Now I have to fill it and give it to someone else. 

The teachers were here for their final week of finishing everything up.  In the middle of this we had an important visitor, Brother Brent Buckner (for those in the Ogden area, he is the son of LaMar Buckner from South Weber), the director of temporal affairs in the South Pacific.  If you're not sure what that means, he is over all of the church's facilities in the whole South Pacific.  He was here to inspect our facilities and see how they are being used.  If he doesn't think they are being use appropriately or are not needed, he has the power to shut them down.


In honor of his visit the school and service center had a faculty devotional where he spoke to the faculty, and then on Tuesday night a cultural event.  This was entirely done by the faculty and staff of the school since the students are gone.  They spent many hours practicing for this in the two weeks prior.  There was a potluck dinner in conjunction with the cultural event, but much of the food was ordered in.  It was the nicest cultural event I have seen.  At this even as in all events I have participated in, the guests (that always includes the senior couples) are served first and have to eat while everyone else watches.  They won't consider eating until after we have eaten. This is a picture of all the senior missionaries and the Buckner's.

When the first dance started I noticed the head garlands and silently prayed, "Please only give them to the Buckners".  However, at the end of the dance when Turian smilingly placed a garland on my head I graciously smiled and said "Thank you."  Within moments I could feel movement in my hair and began picking ants off of my face and clothes.  At home I tossed the garland onto the white counter and watched the ants scatter. I understand that the garlands are a sign of great respect, so, I suppose, a few ants are a small price to pay.

Wednesday the senior couples had the opportunity of hosting the Buckner's at dinner.  We served drumstick broccoli divan, rolls, fruit salad and coconut and lemon pie.  It was a very good meal.  We were able to learn a lot about the church's concern for the wards and stakes to become self reliant.  When he was asked specifically about air conditioning in the chapels Brother Buckner said that every part of the world is so  diverse.  Building a chapel like we do in Utah doesn't make sense in an area like this where a Maneaba type church would be better suited to the culture and the climate. After the dinner they gave us each a beautiful mounted picture that Sister Buckner had painted.  Our is hanging in our bedroom. It makes the room a lot homier.

Friday was the school Christmas social.  It was held in the Maneaba shown in the picture and it was beautifully decorated. At this function, again we were asked to eat first and again, everyone got a garland.  I only found one ant this time.

On Saturday we went with our ward to work at the Learning Garden.  That is one of the truly beautiful places on the Island.  It was begun while the Rasmussen's were here and is struggling under the care of local members who have never gardened.  It was a truly beautiful day.  It was cloudy and rained off and on so there was always a cool breeze blowing from the ocean. I could have stayed all day. We dug trenches, shredded leaves and pulled weeds.  We harvested some cucumbers and tomatoes (which the senior missionaries purchased). Elder Sumner was even able to get the rusty old chipper working again so we could shred the cornstalks and leaves and fill the trenches with mulch. We really did work, the picture is after when we were having lunch.


Saturday night I tried my hand at making fudge from homemade marshmallow crème and cocoa.  We now have some nice hot fudge sundae sauce.   
                                                          
This final picture was taken at low tide when many people and dogs were on the reef digging for clams and other types of sea food.

Today, December 14, marks three months that we have been here.  It's hard to believe how time is flying.