Neighborhood Singers

Our own neighborhood  Primary Choir 

We have a group of Primary age kids that come around and visit us.  We give them some candy and in return they sing for us.   Great deal on our side.  They are amazing !  

They have incredible volume for just a few kids. 

Ferni

Ferni is one of our pickle ball buddies.  He is waiting on his mission call.  He had to pass of some service for his Duty to God award, so he came over and washed our car and cleaned our house.  

We enjoyed a little ice cream after all his work. 

Classical Music 

Very rarely do you ever hear Classical Music in Samoa.  A friend named Steve Percival, who owns a Art Studio and just so happens played in a Pickle ball tournament, was heading up a Classical Music Performance at one of our nicer resorts.    

They had a nice Chamber Ensemble and Chamber Choir that was not too bad

Fa'afafine

Samoa has a recognized 3rd Gender - (Male, Female, and Fa'afafine).   The 3rd gender is a Government recognizes gender not just a term, and is part of the Samoan culture.  The Fa'afafine is a male that not only dresses up like female and in some families are raised as female.  

Isaiah's Dream to Walk

Donation boxes for Isaiah

A couple Sisters in our ward approached me about building donation boxes for their nephew and grandson who is needing to raise money for an operation.  He lives in New Zealand and had Spastic Diplegia, a type of Cerebral Palsy.  The the only Doctor is available in the US.  

You can read his story at the link below.  

https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/isaiahsdreamtowalk

In total we made 13 donation boxes.  Boxes were covered with fabric to give a fun Samoan flavor.  We put his picture, a business card linking to his 'Give a little' website, and a picture of the students that helped build the boxes on the side of the box.   

I had the Year 13 (seniors) do most of the work on the boxes and the Year 12  (Juniors)did the sanding. 

Mother's Day - 2018

Mother's Day - Samoan Style 

Mother's Day is a big deal in Samoa.  In addition to Sunday, Monday is a National Holiday.  The Vocational Area had their turn for the Devotional.  We all made matching  pink shits and the teachers were given presents.  

On Friday at Faculty Meeting the teachers each receive a lei as well as the traditional clam shell lunch 

Visitors to Samoa

Spending school term break with visitors 

We rarely get visitors here.  In fact, Larry Snow and the Clasens were the first.  We enjoyed showing them around during our school term break.  We did get a little service out of them.  Larry, an orthopedic surgeon ,  got to help a couple missionaries with medical issues and the Humanitarian Missionaries had the Clasens help make hygiene kits.  (in addition to having a lot of fun!)

Giant Clam Beach and Return to Paradise are two of our favorite places to snorkel & have lunch

Off to Savaii

Ferry ride to Savaii

Blow Holes 

The blow holes are fun.  For a donation, a lady calls in the waves and throws a coconut into the blow hole as the wave hits.  It shoots the coconut up pretty high in the air.  

Canopy Walk 

Enjoying life in our little fales (bungalows) right on the water

Dwarf Caves

The Dwarf Caves are lava tube caves.  The legend is that some dwarfs lived in this one.  

The small opening goes into some large caves and tunnels back to more caves 

 Horse carrying coconuts

We got to be first people on site for car that went over the edge. 

Scuba Diving - we saw a wrecked ship and many fish.  The company even had a pet turtle named Josephine they fed papayas to that would come up right up to the boat.  (Larry did the scuba diving and we did snorkeling) 

Dinner with the other Senior Missionaries 

 Viola College - actually Primary, Middle School and High School.  

Climbed up stairs to top of VIOLA sign  (kind of like hiking up to the "Y" at BYU only a smaller scale.  

Back to Upolu for a hike along Coastal Walk and drive up to Fagaloa Bay 

With the Clasens we did much of the same things (Snorkeling, hiking, Samoa Dancing , and enjoying their company.) 

Waterfall

 Coastal Walk

The highlight for the Clasens was Namua Island to stay in some beach fales 

We even taught some Danish and New Zealand friends how to make S'mores around the campfire.  

Various student activities for 1st Term

Budgets and equipment 

We just finished spending 2018 budgets and planned for 2019 budgets 

Conference for Post Secondary Providers

Bud, Karen, and Vice Principal  Brother Elisara posing for a picture

School Musical Performance

Our new music teacher put on a performance for the students.  Sister Shepard is also a member of our ward

Several of the performers were in our ward

 Sister Best speaking to students 

Sister Best grew up in Samoa and attended Pesega.  Her and her husband serve as Self Reliance Missionaries. 

Teacher Team Building Activity 

Relays

Floor Volleyball