Fiji Devotional and Alex Boye in Concert!
Date
October 14, 2013
Area
Laie, Hawaii
Companion
Sisters Woods, Clark, Nance
Fiji Devotional and Alex Boye in Concert!
Hi Family & Friends,
Each year the 6 different islands are in charge of a devotional that we have on Saturday mornings. I was here for the Tonga devotional last month, and this last Saturday the 12th it was the Fiji devotional. We start with breakfast and this is the part that I help with. We gather all the paper plates, table clothes, order the lei's, wrap the silverware in napkins. We have to go early to get all the table clothes in place and have everything ready. For breakfast there is sausage, some kind of curry chicken, scrambled eggs, rice, breadfruit, fruit and sweet rolls. The breadfruit grows on trees here, and is made in different ways. The first time I tried it I did not like it. It is kind of a replacement for potatoes. This time it looked like they had prepared it different so I tried a little bit, and it was very good. They made a sauce out of coconut milk and poured over it. After breakfast we have entertainment, and then we have some of the students who have been attending BYU and work at the PCC bear their testimonies, and then two students gave a talk. It is very good, and very enjoyable. The talent they do is something to do with their cultural, and the Fijians do lots of dancing, so the girls did their dance and then the boys did their dance. Then during the program between the talks, they had a men's choir sing. I think the Tongan men's voices are so great. I love listening to them.
So we have 6 of these devotionals a year, and the next one will be in January and will be given by the island of Hawaii.
I was finally assigned a ward of my own to go to. I have been attending the ward my roommates went to. They have been going to a singles ward in a singles stake. I was assigned to attend the married stake and the 6th ward. So, today was my first day. Another missionary couple who volunteer at BYU has been assigned there also. They are the Botts from Orem Utah. It is more like being in a home ward, because there are lots of babies. It is a young married ward. no YM/YW program, but a small primary. I think it will be a fun experience, and it felt more like home. The chapel is a lot like the one in my home ward and when I walked in my little back bench was empty, so I made myself at home. Looking forward to getting acquainted. The first counselors wife came right up to me and introduced herself, and the RS President did the same. I have also volunteered to be a adviser or helper for the Canadian group on campus. Their Thanksgiving is on the 8th of October, so they had a Thanksgiving dinner that night, and I went with one of the girls that lives upstairs. We are doing it together. They have the traditional thanksgiving food like ours. So one of the girls that I met that night in the group was in the ward today, and said that she is my VT. I haven't had VT yet, so that was nice. They knew I was coming, so they already had me assigned. I probably will now get to go visit. So, I will have some more growing experiences.
Saturday night we had the wonderful experience of seeing Alex Boye live in concert. He is a very good entertainer, he really plays the audience, and is all over up the aisles, and not just in the front. We had very good center seats, and I was sitting on the aisle, and he came right up the isle beside me and stopped and sang to the girl sitting in front of me. I could have reached out and touched him. His songs have very good messages. It was a great experience. We'll see what this new week has in store. More adventures, I am sure.
Love,
Sister Sharon Johnson
Each year the 6 different islands are in charge of a devotional that we have on Saturday mornings. I was here for the Tonga devotional last month, and this last Saturday the 12th it was the Fiji devotional. We start with breakfast and this is the part that I help with. We gather all the paper plates, table clothes, order the lei's, wrap the silverware in napkins. We have to go early to get all the table clothes in place and have everything ready. For breakfast there is sausage, some kind of curry chicken, scrambled eggs, rice, breadfruit, fruit and sweet rolls. The breadfruit grows on trees here, and is made in different ways. The first time I tried it I did not like it. It is kind of a replacement for potatoes. This time it looked like they had prepared it different so I tried a little bit, and it was very good. They made a sauce out of coconut milk and poured over it. After breakfast we have entertainment, and then we have some of the students who have been attending BYU and work at the PCC bear their testimonies, and then two students gave a talk. It is very good, and very enjoyable. The talent they do is something to do with their cultural, and the Fijians do lots of dancing, so the girls did their dance and then the boys did their dance. Then during the program between the talks, they had a men's choir sing. I think the Tongan men's voices are so great. I love listening to them.
So we have 6 of these devotionals a year, and the next one will be in January and will be given by the island of Hawaii.
I was finally assigned a ward of my own to go to. I have been attending the ward my roommates went to. They have been going to a singles ward in a singles stake. I was assigned to attend the married stake and the 6th ward. So, today was my first day. Another missionary couple who volunteer at BYU has been assigned there also. They are the Botts from Orem Utah. It is more like being in a home ward, because there are lots of babies. It is a young married ward. no YM/YW program, but a small primary. I think it will be a fun experience, and it felt more like home. The chapel is a lot like the one in my home ward and when I walked in my little back bench was empty, so I made myself at home. Looking forward to getting acquainted. The first counselors wife came right up to me and introduced herself, and the RS President did the same. I have also volunteered to be a adviser or helper for the Canadian group on campus. Their Thanksgiving is on the 8th of October, so they had a Thanksgiving dinner that night, and I went with one of the girls that lives upstairs. We are doing it together. They have the traditional thanksgiving food like ours. So one of the girls that I met that night in the group was in the ward today, and said that she is my VT. I haven't had VT yet, so that was nice. They knew I was coming, so they already had me assigned. I probably will now get to go visit. So, I will have some more growing experiences.
Saturday night we had the wonderful experience of seeing Alex Boye live in concert. He is a very good entertainer, he really plays the audience, and is all over up the aisles, and not just in the front. We had very good center seats, and I was sitting on the aisle, and he came right up the isle beside me and stopped and sang to the girl sitting in front of me. I could have reached out and touched him. His songs have very good messages. It was a great experience. We'll see what this new week has in store. More adventures, I am sure.
Love,
Sister Sharon Johnson
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