While our days this past week have been filled with DIBELS testing of English students (boring!), our evenings have been filled with farewells. On Monday, prep day, the young elders and sisters prepared a farewell program for Sister Alldredge and us. We, meaning the senior missionaries, in turn prepared a wonderful pizza dinner for them.
This is the cake they had made for us. They also made a separate cake for Sister Alldredge, but I couldn't get it to download.
Here we are, in the maneaba, with many of the young elders and sisters who bid us farewell.
On Tuesday evening the Moroni Ward held a combination welcome and farewell dinner. We welcomed the dentists who have come as volunteers to fix and clean our teeth, and bid farewell to Sister Alldredge and us.
On Wednesday evening the Moroni High School teachers, administrators and staff held a farewell for Sister Alldredge and us, inviting all the senior missionaries to participate. The singing, dancing, and food was excellent, although the final farewell song brought tears to many eyes.
Thursday morning, Janet and I drove Sister Alldredge to the airport, where the other senior couples joined us in wish her a fond and tearful farewell. When you work so closely together for so long, you become lifelong friends. We look forward to staying close friends upon our return home in two weeks. This picture was taken in front of a telephone company ad poster which had a picture of people raising their hands in the air. We thought it made a wonderful effect.
On Thursday afternoon, Elder Waldron took me to visit the bouilla of Tioromaia, Iutita, and their infant daughter, Gloria Richard. About a year ago, we and Elder and Sister Rasmussen donated some money to help them put a new roof on their home to keep it dry for their new baby. They are very proud of their home, but Americans would see it as little more than a shack. They have no electricity, no running water, and no gas. They cook outdoors over an open wood fire on top of a car tire rim. They have no way to secure their possessions when they leave home, and often find things missing when they return. In the U.S., they would be considered the poorest of the poor, yet I would dare say they are happier and more content than most Americans.
On Saturday afternoon, we were invited to meet some of the people who are here searching for the lost remains of marines who died in the Battle of Tarawa. It was touching to hear their stories of grateful relatives of the dead soldiers whose remains they have recovered. There are still around 500 soldiers listed as missing from that battle which took place in November of 1943.
We were asked not to photograph the remains which were being prepared to be returned to the U.S. for burial, but were allowed to take picture of some of the other items that have been dug up. Shell casings, helmets, rusted pistols and rifles, and empty coke bottles were some of the items on these shelves. All in all, it was a fascinating and humbling experience to learn of these young men who gave their lives for our country. We hope to arrange an assembly presentation by these folks for our Moroni High School students.
We had the missionaries over Sunday afternoon to rehearse for the musical fireside that evening. I had to prepare accompaniments for 7 numbers, most of which I was not familiar with, and one of which had only a recording to go off of. But I enjoy doing that, as everyone who knows me knows.
We didn't get a really good picture of the fireside itself, but this picture shows many of the young elders and sisters who participated. One of the sisters was in tears at the rehearsal just minutes before the performance, but she braved her fears and was able to perform her song. We were very proud of her.
What would Valentine's Day be without pink, heart-shaped pancakes? We feel that serving the Lord on this mission has brought us closer together than we have ever felt before. The unity of our purpose in serving here has strengthened the unity of our marriage. It's great to still be in love after 46 years!!!
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