A very active week……

There were a lot of activities this week, rugby, cultural day, and netball. Net ball is a girls’ basketball game they play; it is very popular here in the South Pacific. They even have professional teams in New Zealand and Australia. They usually play it on a wood court, but they play on the field here in Samoa. They can’t dribble the ball you have to throw it. There is not backboard, the net is just out of the end of a pole. Part of the team can play two thirds of the court and others on the team play on the other two thirds. Once they get set, you have to let them shoot. It is boring and Jessica, you would go crazy if she had to play it. I say it boring, but the fans got out of control and had too much to say so they ended up calling this game. Here are a few pictures.

 They had a cultural day at the middle school and the students had a lot of fun activities.
 

At our class (Human Growth and Learning) Brother Filipo presented his chapter. Last year he taught at Sauniatu, but they transferred him to the Pesega Middle School. 

 Gramma is up a 5:00 every day but Monday (we have devotional on Monday with the schools teachers) to teach piano lessons. Here are some pictures of her students. First Neal, and then Neal and Jerry, they are brothers. The last one is Dennis, he is a senior and plans on going on a mission this coming year.

 As Gramma stated in her last newsletter, she wants more pictures of the people we work with and less tourist pictures. The first Picture is Sua, he is the audio-visual person and has to set up and take down all the sound equipment for assemblies, dances, and other activities. They love their sound systems here in Samoa so he has a big and important job.

 

This is Sa, she is the administrative assistant to the principal and she is very organized and dependable.

 This is Brother Leauanae, the principal and Brother Elisara one of the vice principals. They are usually in white shirts and ties, but it was Friday and they get to dress more causal on Friday. They both have good sense of humor and we have a fun time working with them.

 

This is Phyllis. She is the school secretary and like most school secretaries is very busy and never has a time to call her own.

 We had a senior missionary activity on Saturday. Five couples and one of the single sisters made it to Matareva beach. It is one of the beaches we went to with Joy/Wayne and Matt/Cristina. Gramma actually went in the water for most of the time, but she did not put her head under water. The first picture is her bobbing in the ocean with Sister Satiu. Her and her husband work at the temple, they are from New Zealand. The next picture is her husband swimming with Elder Layne the Dentist. We took pictures of the whole group. The first group picture is mine and I think Elder Layne took the second. I thought mine was best.

 

It was good to have an activity away from work. We had not been to the beach since the family was here. The number of couples serving right now is down from when we first came to Samoa. We use to have three districts in the couples zone, but we cut it to two districts. We have another busy week coming, but it ends on Thursday because of the national Good Friday holiday on Friday. We then have a week break; I am not sure who needs it more us, or our students. We hope all of you got a little bit of a spring break. Time is going so fast it won’t be long before summer is here. We love and miss you all. Be good and do what is right. The Lord is blessing us with the strength to accomplish all that we have to do. He will bless you too. Tofa Soifua, Grampa and Gramma Hammond

Full steam ahead………

Full steam ahead refers to how busy we are right now and the humid weather. It has been very hot and it seems to rain more than it did last year at this time. We finally got to go on our mail and water route again, after almost a month. It was good to see the Elders and Sisters again. During the stop at Saleilua the house the Elders stay at had a baby sleeping in the front room under a net. The Elders sleep under the same type of nets in their room. Mosquito's carry too many illnesses to take a chance.

 We also ran into one of the largest groups of pigs on the road that we have ever seen. I took a picture, but the sun was so bright I could not see the viewer. I would have like to have had a better close up.
 

On our way to Sauniatu we saw the Rubber Gum trees again. Elder Spencer was right; they do have more brilliant colors after a rain. 

 In class each teacher has to do a chapter presentation and then we try to tie everything together. The two Sisters (Sister Raush and Tausiga) in the last picture are taking an administrative class that I teach after the first class is over.

 

Rugby practice is picking up. The young guys and the older guys are all practicing their skills.  Later in the morning there was a real game. 

 This is Brother Mulitalo working the Pesega Church College Rugby team pretty hard. It was so hot I am not sure how they kept going. Brother Mulitalo and his family are moving to Cedar City, Utah in August, He will help coach the Southern Utah University football team.

 Gramma had her hair cut this morning, I dropped her off and then slipped in here for breakfast. I ate the first pancakes I have had in over 14 months.

 

We did a little shopping on the way back home. This is where Gramma likes to buy the meat we eat. It is very clean, but you can’t tell from the picture, but it is about 100 degrees in this store. It is so hot they have to put their Easter Chocolate in its own cooler.

 Even though it was Saturday we had to get up early because Gramma had a 7:30 choir practice with the Alamagoto ward. They don’t have anyone to conduct or play the piano, so she is helping out. Their Bishop is so nice it is impossible to say no to him. Well, we will rest tomorrow and then it will be “full steam ahead” for another week. We miss you and send all our love. We are going to try and call everyone again. With daylight savings time here and at home it makes it hard to call. By the time our busy day is over at 5:00 or 6:00 it is too late to call. Be good, do the right thing, and may God bless all of you. Tofa Soifua, Grampa and Gramma Hammond

A wet week inside and out………

We had quite a bite of rain this week and we also had water inside our apartment. I had been feeling under the weather for several days, so I went home at 10:00 to take a long lunch and try to catch a little nap. I just got down on the couch when I heard a pop and the sound of running water. Up I went and in the kitchen there was water running out of the bottom of the sink cabinet. The hot water connection had burst and hot water was spraying everywhere. It was too hot to turn the controls so I turned on all the hot values in the bathroom (sink and shower). When the water cooled down I still couldn’t get the old valve to turn and shut off. Water an inch deep on the floor, I drove to maintenance and asked them to come over. I started sweeping water out the door, drug out the rugs, and started to mop. In about 30 minutes things were under control. No nap and back to work.

 It was a pretty busy, normal week until Friday when we had a school assembly on the importance of family history. Elder Alan Packer of the Seventy was the presiding authority. The students from the college and the middle school were in attendance. It was a big group. Notice in the first picture there is a person standing in the middle of the students. He leads the students in cheers, songs, drumming on their chairs, and even Hymns it is something to behold and very entertaining.

Then the guest’s arrived. They were Elder and Sister Packer, Brother and Sister Brimhall (over the church family history department), and Brother Rockwood (over the international family search program). The Brimhall’s took a selfie with that large group of students in the background. Then spoke to the students. Brother Rockwood told a family story of his adopted Samoan sister and her impact on his life. The Elder and Sister Packer then both spoke. All the talks were excellent and the students were very interested and attentive.

 At the end there was the traditional gift giving to the guests.

This little guy kept walking around Gramma and I. I took his picture, Gramma wished she had some candy, but she didn’t.

 Saturday morning we went back to this home that doubles for an art studio. Gramma had ordered some combs and we went to pick them up. We had an appointment to get them a 10:00, they were not quite ready so we didn’t leave until 11:30 (fa’a Samoa). It was beautiful spot up on top of the hill.

On Saturday afternoon we had a special meeting with Elder Packers group that included the Senior couples and mission leaders (the A.P.s and zone leaders). They encouraged the missionaries to do their own “Family” book and discuss the importance of family history to their investigators. They stressed how it was important to have them experience the spirit of Elijah. It was a great meeting. 

 After the meeting 5 couples and one of the single sister missionaries went out for pizza at this restaurant. One of the couples, the Bennett’s was going back on Sunday to their mission in New Zealand after a 4 week assignment here in Samoa.

We are excited about the coming week. We get to go on our route, and get to see the Elders and Sisters. It has been a month since we last got to visit them. We hope all of you are doing well. We know that many of you are making important decisions, remember the Lord can help you. I am always telling you to go to church, there is a reason. Elder Packer told us three ways to get personal revelation. First, prayers, second, reading the scriptures, and third attending our church meetings. We hope you all will follow that counsel as you make these important choices. We love and miss you, may God bless each of you. Tofa Soifua, Grampa and Gramma Hammond