Jul 12, 2016

This week has gone by pretty fast. We had our trainer for self-reliance come Saturday and she flew out today. We learned a lot from her about what we are supposed to be doing. And of course we have felt overwhelmed with it all. I think we could handle the self-reliance part but here in the Pacific there is a program called P-13, which is school subsidy funds to help pay for children's education if they are active members. There has been one payment made per student, then the parents need to pay some (whatever the branch president feels like they can afford) and then this program pays the rest by the second half of the year. The school year is January to December so the next payment is coming due. So we have to go to each school (which there are probably 25 or more) and find out how much to pay them. The schools don't give receipts unless asked; so it is kind of tricky. And then to find the schools is going to require a lot of time. There are maybe 4 roads with names so the directions to the school might be “turn right at the green building, then follow the road for 10 houses, turn at the big rock,...etc.” Sounds fun? Then there is funding for USP (University of South Pacific) that we have to take care of each semester (which is right now) and then there is the RMS (returned missionary scholarship) that we are in charge of also.

We are training the branch self-reliance committee. It is pretty tricky because these people have no idea what a committee is and have a hard time comprehending it all. So we have to make it very simple and go very slow.

Joyce and picinini's

police formations

On Thursday July 7 we had heard there was an independence day ceremony. We found our self-reliance specialist was going so we asked if we could go with her. We got up and ready to go by 6 a.m. And waited for her to come to the church compound. We finally get a call at 7 saying the transports weren't running yet. So we went and picked her up, with a little help from one of our security guys. We arrived at the arena by 7:30 and it didn't start until 8! We did have a seat in the shade but it seemed really early if we had gone at 6. We thought we would see some dances from each of the tribes and all but the program consisted of the police marching, a band playing and speeches from the mayor and prime minister. And every dignitary was scheduled 5 mins apart to arrive so each one took 30 seconds so there was a lot of waiting. I was impressed with the mayors talk about trying to clean up the city. And the prime minister talked about how important Jesus Christ is for everyone. What a change from the USA. We then went to some food booths and a craft fair.

The beaches aren't white sand

Cute family in White River

Family in white river...had to use 4 wheel drive to get there...

the picininis...

another shot of the beach

  

Later that day, the Sampson's took us for a ride out to see a tank. It was located in a palm oil plantation. So I guess the Solomon's best export is palm oil. It was pretty interesting to see the plantation (which was just 1 of 3 on this island). They have a village for the workers to stay at. It was out in the country and a very pleasant drive.

notice the red pods...that's the oil

palm oil plantation

big business...1 of 3 plantations

The tank was pretty amazing even after all of these years. There is a tank museum farther out but the Sampson's said we need to have a member, Simon Peter, take us there because his family runs it and we would get a better tour. I asked about hunting for WWII relics but Sister Sampson said we are forbidden to do that. Even if we buy something to take home, we have to go to a government office and tell what and why we are taking it. 

WWII tank

WWII tank 2

picinini's at plantation village

Jul 8

There was a missionary that came home and we went to see her be released also. She had been to England. She is so cute and had a slight accent. It was hard for her to be released. She is a pretty sharp girl and wants to go to BYUH. So we needed information about that.

Jul 9

I went up to institute from 9 to 10:30. They have it on Saturday because it is easier for the students to attend. I will teaching the class this coming Saturday. Most of the students that come to class are the ones that we see in our little self-reliant center, using the laptops and helping each other. It was fun to be there. Leon, who is leaving this week for his mission, bore such a humble, simple but fervent testimony.

We attended a wedding after that. The couple had been married in their tribe but needed to be married by church authority so they can be baptized next Saturday.

Jul 10

Sunday's are pretty crazy. We attend church from 10-1. And then we had a meeting at 2, self-reliant classes from 3-5, and a meeting with the district president at 5. We were tired and hungry by the time we got home. We had Renee with us so we fixed dinner at our flat. 

young women at White River Branch

Relief Society at White River.  The front row 3rd from left is the RM.