Some goodbyes……..

Some goodbyes will be coming this Friday as Elder and Sister Layne (the dentist) and Sister Kamerath (mission nurse) return home. We had a special family home evening with the young women that helps the Layne’s at the dental office singing a special goodbye song to them and the Elders sang the traditional Samoan good bye song, “Tofa Mai Feleni”. We will miss these three good people. 

Here in the middle is Elder Hodge. He is an Assistant to the President and will be leaving the mission home to go to Savaii to serve for his last few months of his mission. He was one of the Elders on our first route we met last July.

Sister Kamerath’s friend Laura, came to spend the last week of her mission with her. Sister Kamerath had never been to Sauniatu so Gramma and I took them Saturday to see it. First thing you do is get ready by putting on insect repellant. Then down to the falls.

Three little Samoan boys came down to swim while we were there. They jump in the water, swim across the pool and then climb the edge, and drive in again. This activity is for the young and nimble.

We toured the other areas; the McKay fale, Camp Sauniatu, and the school. We then went on the rain forest trail.

Gramma took a picture of a bird. If you can find it in this picture you will win a prize. She swears she took a picture of a bird, but neither of us could see it in the picture.

The chickens run wild everywhere in Samoa, the city, the village, the middle of the road you name it. This was the first chicken coop we have seen. It was on the Church farm at Sauniatu.

We visited the cemetery and took pictures of some of the old missionary graves.

As we left Sauniatu I took a picture of their sign of rules. It is one of the free sites to visit in Samoa, but it does have rules.

They celebrate ANZAC day here in Samoa. That is the Australia and New Zealand’s Veterans day. There was a big celebration this year because of the 100^th year since the battle of Gallipoli during World War I and there were a lot of soldiers killed there. Here in Samoa they had a ceremony and placed reefs on the Clock Tower.

We are having Layne’s over for dinner Monday night (there’s not family home evening) to wish them goodbye. They have been the zone leader for the couple and have done such a great job. The next couple to leave the mission will be Gramma and Grampa Hammond, but that is a ways off and the Stake announced choir practice for Stake conference and it does look like we will not miss that. We have a busy week coming up and the week after the Spencer’s (the couple we replaced) will be here for a visit. They will visit one of our classes, but most of their time will be with the after school program called” Bridging”.  It is for returned missionaries and other single adults that still need to complete their high school education. We love all of you and miss you, as I say each week, but we indeed do. Do what is right, say your prayers, go to church, and help others. Tofa Soifua, Grampa and Gramma Hammond.