I saw Nemo!

I know, I know, snorkeling shouldn't be the highlight of my mission.  But it's just so awesome!  I saw anemones and a whole bunch of yellow and black angel fish and an interesting black and white fish and groups of 10+ all of one kind.  The Zs gave me their snorkel and mask before they went home to Canada, and it's a good one!  And this time I tried using flippers from the shared snorkel gear and it was awesome!  I went out far.  Did I mention last time we went out someone said "Sister Evans! Are you half fish?".  I was flattered.  

So I took some photos last week of the reef.  Pretty much around the entire island there is a stretch of maybe 50m (i'm bad at estimating distance) of fairly shallow  water, then outside of that is what they call the reef - where the rocky reef rises to the surface of the water, or almost to the surface.  that is where the waves break and, apparently beyond that it gets deep fast.  im a bit scared to go close to that edge.  when the tide was out this past week right by our office I took some photos to try to illustrate this... the reef was almost bare at low tide this time. 

you'll have to look close to see where the sea changes colour... and it looks like there is a row of rocks or something.  that is the edge of the reef.  this photo has the tide almost out, but when its in, those rocks are completely submerged.

the week before last Wednesday brought another cyclone warning (cyclone Keni), and they chopped down the tall tall palms right outside our houses since 2 of them fell on houses last time.  I was so lucky to go out with my camera just in time to catch the fall!  work cancelled on wednesday.  We had the tongan version of a snow day - school and work was cancelled the day before, in anticipation  of potential mess, but it was relatively mild.  So i took the opportunity to make Topai again - including coconut milk from scratch - and gave some to some of the couples.  it was a good day.

video of tree falling

Tonga facts

• 24 stakes and districts.  24!!! did you hear that?  on these tiny islands!! but wait....
• 168 wards and branches.  A HUNDRED and SIXTY EIGHT wards!!  and 168 bishops!  and we are about to call them all to do a survey!!
• Did you know Tongatapu is the shape of a pixie shoe?  We live right in the middle, the airport is in the heel and the place we went snorkeling is in the toe.

• Saturday is a special day .... its the day we Clean up yard and streets for Sunday!! it is really impressive!! it also seems that the barbers are pretty busy on saturdays!
• tongans encourage the feeding of the cats and kittens just so they'll stay around, to keep the mice away.  
• have I mentioned the roosters?  EVERYWHERE, and crowing ALL THE TIME!!  and in the cafe?.. check the blog for an interesting rooster encounter and the delicious pork belly sandwich I had there!  the best **photos of rooster 
• have you heard the term rain bath?  well it is a real thing here.  people go out to play in the rain specifically to have some level of a wash.  remember it is warm here, day and night
• the weather has been a pleasant 27 or so this past week or so... with a low of about 24.  how about that for perfect?  only 3degrees different from high to low!  I sleep with just a sheet, and not even a ceiling fan on these days.  
• 'Tongan Attire'  is what missionaries wear and consists of the tupenu (the suit lavalava), shirt, tie and ta'ovala (piece of woven mat wrapped around then tied with a piece of rope that goes around maybe 4 or 5 times) for boys/men and a long skirt tunic length top (the missionary sisters were a single colour tunic) and a kiekie (a belt with hanging strips made of fibres and sometimes coconut shell shapes, but sometimes made from brightly coloured plastic too).  today at the high school it was 'dress like a missionary' day and so the kids came in sunday best, and some in the full tongan attire.  it was cute!  the other thing ladies often wear is a tunic length top over a straight skirt - sometimes the same fabric for top and bottom, other times having a plain coloured fabric accent on the top and a matching skirt.  I want to get one of these!  ive heard you can have them made (I could make it, but who could be bothered??).  Most of the bigger stores sell fabric, so its just a matter of choosing one I like!  
• for funerals people wear all black and the ta'ovala or kiekie or another wrap 'grass skirt' kind of thing.  the woman (not sure about the men) wear black for a year.  yes a year.  the house and fence or trees around the house are decorated with purple fabric (purple is the colour of death) for what appears to be months, and people come to visit the home for days.  i have seen brass bands standing outside waiting to play, and so many cars and people all sitting around outside the house of the family.  

• when Tongan members have a dance it is loud!!!! last night there was a YSA dance in the next village (granted that isnt very far away) but i could hear the lyrics perfectly well.  we have had dances at the school gym (REALLY LOUD) and one at the chapel across the road.  fascinating!!  seriously I don't know how they can handle the volume in the building!  I guess having Louvre windows and having them open won't dampen the sound level at all!

So missionary cars are a big thing here.  who has one, who can't get one, the fact that the 3 (or 2 and a half) couples who are assigned to 10th ward, which is a 20min drive away from campus, happen to be 3 of the couples who do not have cars, and the 6 or more couples who have permanently assigned cars are all assigned to wards that meet here on campus (great planning there!)  and so it goes on. The Tongan couple (the Vs) who drive for the mission spend over 600 a month just on petrol - often driving most of the day even though the island is so small.  that was quite a shock about missionary cars - the missionary pays for the car and the petrol, even if it is required for their mission assignment!!!   I found that quite surprising, especially when, like the Vs, they drive pretty much all day every day!  

They are so sweet and are the hardest working of the seniors - but given they are the only ones who speak the language, that is not really surprising.   they deliver food parcels and cooked food to families most days - I think there are several of the american couples who quietly donate money from their home wards to the cause.  this is the Vs third mission here.  They are from utah but grew up here in Tonga.  

I have had ups and downs these past weeks.  For many reasons.  But I am blessed that those downs have lasted only a remarkably short time.  this is a blessing of serving a mission and trying hard to focus on the savior and my missionary purpose every day.  Anyone wondering if you are capable of serving a senior mission, YES YOU ARE!  it is as laid back as you need it to be. you can set your own limits, and it will definitely adapt itself around your skills and abilities.  

Now, to close... this is awesome!  I learned that the suffix -'anga means the source of or the place of, and that in the first vision (in tongan), where God says this is my beloved son, this becomes "Ko hoku ʻAlo ʻOfaʻangá ʻeni"  or this is my son, the source of love. How apt is that?

OK its been weeks since I started writing this... so im gonna send it now!

Greatest love to you all!  

Sis D