Friday, January 24, 2014

"THREE GENERATIONS"

 
 Representing three generations of missionary work in Taveuni
Elder McFadden 47 years ago, Elder Vieso 30 years ago
Elder Corder today.



 
 

 
 
 

"PUMPKIN SOUP"







 
Sometimes I have time to experiment with our food.
This was my first experience from market to table with pumpkin soup.
Solar power doesn't allow me to have a blender so I
mashed the pulp by hand.
We liked it!
 
6 Cups boiling water
4 Cups pumpkin pulp
6 chicken bullion cubes
2 chopped onions
Salt and Pepper to taste
 
Cut pumpkin into small pieces and bake until tender.
Scrap pulp from pumpkin skin and mash in blender.
Place all ingredients in pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
 
 
 


Monday, January 20, 2014

"THE MARKET"








 
The Market is open every day except Sunday. 
Each day produce is delivered from family farms to the stands
that line one side of the main street in Nagara.
The store markets sell produce one piece at a time but on the street
vegetable and fruit are sold by the Plate.  It is all or nothing. 
Families also sell their produce in their villages at
small stands outside of their homes.
Cabbage, tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, avocadoes, pumpkins
lettuce, celery, potatoes, dalo,
 pineapple, mango and watermelon are all
sold at the markets.
 

" FIJI FISHING"

 
 

 
 
 




 
Fishing in Fiji is an adventure.  With a line, a hook and
a net the islanders find food to feed their family for a week.
Fishing is done from a boat, the wharf or while standing waist deep
in the ocean.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Sunday, January 19, 2014

"TRIED AND TRUE"

 
 
Eighty Year old Sister Maiwiriwiri is a tried and true "Mormon".
When she was the only female member of the church in Taveuni
she started her own Relief Society.  Elder McFadden was
instructed to act as the Relief Society President.
Sister Maiwiriwiri gathered the women in her village and began
teaching them homemaking skills.  The village chief was pleased and
started sending women to Relief Society to learn homemaking skills.
Her husband drowned while they were serving a mission in Fiji.
Upon hearing he was dead she looked to heaven and
asked Heavenly Father to help her raise her children.
 She claims that he did.
 

Brother Koroca was told he would have to leave his village
if he joined the church.
He chose to join the church.
He moved his family to the top of the mountain and
began farming on his uncle's farm.
He helped the missionaries teach the gospel to his father and mother.
They joined the church along with all of his brothers and sisters.
Now they are all preparing to go to the temple.

 
 


Elder McFadden baptized Mitimiti when he first served as
a missionary in Taveuni.  She raised her family and sent
three sons on missions.
Jerry is the same age Elder McFadden was when
his mother was baptized.  He is serving as a
missionary in Ghana.  Mitimiti died a few months
after this picture was taken.  Heart broken, Jerry
said that serving his mission was more important
than returning home to attend his mother's funeral.
He chose to pay tribute to his mother
 by continuing to serve an honorable
 mission for the Savior.
 
 

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

"HAPPY NEW YEAR"

 2013 and 2014 at the International Date Line
 
 Cleaning up natures New Years Eve
Party decorations
 
Contemplating the New Year
 
 Dressed in their finest clothing
 
Beating the drums to welcome a New Year
 
 
Standing on the International Date line in the year 2013 and 2014 at the
same time made us realize how quickly our time in Fiji is passing.
From January 1 to January 18 the villagers enjoy celebrating the
New Year by throwing water on each other and beating drums.
On the last day of the celebration the village members
dress in their finest clothes and beat their drums
down the road parade style while welcoming the
New Year.
Our New Years goal is to show more gratitude for the
opportunity we have to share our testimonies
of Jesus Christ and His Gospel
in Taveuni. 
 


"JUST ONE DAY"

 Members of the Fisher family
returning from the farm


 Keyboarding Students 
 
One day old Jeremiah Koroca

 Gathering packages from the boat
 
 Checking a water tank
 

 
 
The "Big Boat"
 
 
Our days are full of fun activities like helping people
learn keyboarding skills, taking new babies home from the hospital,
checking water tanks and collecting packages from the Big Boat.
Sometimes we wonder how we are able to travel so far and
do so much in just one day.
The work never ends.
 
Brother Koroca called us on Saturday and asked us to meet
him at the hospital.  When we arrived we were introduced to
a new member of the Koroca family, Jeremiah,  who was
named after the missionary who shared the gospel with the
Koroca family, Elder Jeremiah Gardner.
Helping the Koroca family take their new son home filled our day
with joy.  Especially when Brother Koroca said,
"I just love the gospel. 
 Reading the Book of Mormon
makes me happy."
The Koroca family will seal their family together in April at
the Suva temple.