Manuia le Kerisimasi………..

A very Merry Christmas from Samoa. As we expected we had a very busy week. We took a much needed walk around the compound. We passed the simple manger scene at the Temple, our local pig farmer on the other side of the fence, and even the birds were out.

They are doing a lot of work on Campus. Here is the down stairs of our office and then the driveway on the west side is being repaired.

On Monday we set off to make deliveries, we had expected a lot of packages to take to the missionaries, but the plane between American Samoa and here has been full of people so there is not room for packages and mail. Gramma made plates of cookies for all of them. We caught most of them in their apartment’s, but several were in the clerk’s office in their ward buildings sending emails home. Our new mission President got this started a few months ago (letting missionaries use the ward computers) so they don’t have to wait months and weeks for letters. The picture is of Elders Bybee and Moimoi with Gramma.

As we came back from the far end of deliveries we stopped to give one of our teachers at Sauniatu a present for her new baby girl. That fale is where the four in the family live. It is a very humble home.

Gramma helped wrap some gifts for the senior missionaries at the Layne’s house, and I watched the last 10 minutes of the Denver Broncos game (The Layne’s have satellite). It was the first NFL I had seen since watching a replay of the super bowl last January in New Zealand.

We had family home evening, and the Apia district showed up carolling for Christmas. It was nice, but I am sure they knew it would be a good place to go because the seniors always have snacks and they always share.

Gramma did some last minute shopping with her good friend Dazzie.

All the missionaries on the island got together for a service project the day before Christmas. The project was to provide a Christmas Carnival for all the children in and around Apia. It was great and they made a lot of kids happy. There are not many presents received at Christmas here in Samoa. They played a lot of games, Santa was there, and they sang Christmas songs (lead by Santa) for all of us. 

This is “Mama” the oldest sister in the Motootua ward with her daughter. She is a neat lady.

Santa gave (threw) out a lot of candy for everyone, and in the end they tried to help everyone remember what is special about Christmas.

The missionaries then headed down the street for lunch. A nice lunch was provided and we took a picture with all of the missionaries together. 

We took a few pictures of some of the missionaries we visit.

That night we had a special couples Christmas eve. We had taco salads (it tasted a lot like home), but it was nothing like our Christmas Eve traditions at home.

We also got instruction from Elder Harper on how to install the new water filters the mission got for its missionaries. I installed one in our apartment and I will be doing it in the church owned apartments we visit on Monday.

We then had a Christmas day brunch. It did taste like home, except for the Koko Samoa.

We had the most unusal Christmas we have ever had in our 46 years of marriage, but it was special in it’s own way. We missed you all. The important thing is that where ever we are we can celebrate  Christmas as it should be, the day the Savior of the World was born. May God bless you all, this is our prayer each day for all of you. Manuia le Kerisimasi (Merry Christmas) Grampa and Gramma Hammond.