Inclement weather, Samoan father’s day, and a visit to the dentist…..

It has been another busy week and of course we began with our trip around the island delivering mail and water to the missionaries. This week they (Elders and Sisters) were all home anxious to see us because being the first of the month we delivered their money. It is $130 tala or about $56.22 in US dollars. That not very much money here in this cash economy in Samoa, but they make it work. The members here are very good to the missionaries and provide a meal each evening and in the outer villages I can imagine some of the menus are interesting. When we got on the south side of the island the swells in the ocean were very high with a strong wind. It blew salt water on the windshield and it was hard to keep it clean. I stopped a few times and put water on the windshield to clean it. 

Ben had a Facebook picture of him pouring concrete for an Eagle project, and his Tongan co-workers, saying Samoans don't do work as hard a concrete. That is not true they are amazing working with concrete, laying concrete blocks, and stone work. They pile the cement, sand, and gravel on the ground, pour water on it, mix it on the ground, shovel it in a wheel barrow and stay with it until they are done. Here is some repairing a stone wall at a chapel next to that rough sea above. 

Notice the horses on the road? There are a lot of horses on that side of Upolu. You have to watch out for them on the road. They don’t look real healthy and I guess there are a lot of them infected with worms. This is me standing on one of the many fords in the road; they work better than bridges because of the heavy rains that wash out bridges. The second picture is the falls just up the mountain from the ford. 

After our last Monday stop we are close to the top of the east side of the island. This first view is looking north to the ocean. Down the mountain we go and it is a beautiful green with falls.

On our way back from Sauiatu this week we stopped at a cemetery up the hill from the coastal road near the airport to see the graves of LDS missionaries that died in Samoa earlier in this century. 

This is a police canine unit by the grave site. They were waiting in the shade for a plane to land from American Samoa so they could have their dogs check the luggage and packages for drugs. Remember me telling you Samoans can always find the shade. 

This is the size of the plane that we will be flying to American Samoa to visit in a couple of months. Gramma isn’t too excited about it, but the only other choice is a 4-5 hour ferry ride. I was more concerned about the length of the runway, it looks about the size of Rockford’s only this one has mountains at the end of it. 

This next picture is of the Institute building that is next to the Samoa National University. This is where we go on Fridays at 10:00 so Gramma can direct their choir. 

Friday afternoon Gramma went to get her teeth cleaned at the Church’s dental clinic. They were about done for the day so they had her go right to a chair. The Church has two missionary dentists that give free dental work to anyone on the island on a first come first served basis. There are not many dental options in Samoa even if you could afford it so many people come here. They start to line up at the door as early as 6:00 in the morning for the 8:00 opening. Many are in bad shape and unfortunately they have to pull a lot of teeth because they are so far gone. Lots of abscesses, the western diet has not been kind to Samoan dental hygiene.  

Here is the waiting room it is usually always packed.   

Here is Elder Layne DDS and his wife, they are from Florida, and Elder Thomas DDS, his wife (not pictured) was helping at the front desk, they are from Portland.    

The next two pictures are of Gramma getting worked on by one of the assistance. 

The next two pictures are in our apartment. Looking at our east wall (do you see any of your drawings or cards?) If not they may be on the west wall. 

We were to go to the beach with the senior couples today but they weren’t going until 2:00. The reason for the late start is two of the couples that work at the temple and were busy till then, and the tides. Elder Roo’s and his wife had a close call last year with the tides going out so they always give advice on the best time to swim and snorkel. We of course had stake choir practice and Gramma is the accompanist, so with an hour to drive there and an hour back, when cleaning up from the beach there just wasn’t time. I think Gramma was glad, this week was stressful and she was going to take a nap. This week is father’s day in Samoa. It was celebrated Friday night in the stake, today at our ward, and family get to gathers for Sunday, so you know what that means; national father’s day holiday on Monday to recover. That right no school, most stores are closed, government buildings closed, and a short week. On Monday we will go a little slower on our route and try to make it a little of a holiday. So goes “fa’a Samoa” (the Samoan way), and believe it or not we are getting a little use to it. We hope all the water in Idaho didn’t ruin the Taylor crops, and hope that everyone is starting to get psyched about school starting. We miss you all and want you to know that we enjoy being missionaries and serving a mission, but we do miss you and love you. Do what is right and be a good example. God does love you too and may He watch over you. Tofa Soifua, Elder and Sister Hammond