Tonga!

Friday, May 24^th

Steve was leaving to go back to New Zealand today so we had to go into the office a little early. We had another long, hot night. Alan’s leg has been bothering him this week and it was really painful for part of the night so he was tossing and turning. Then when he finally settled he started to snore because he was so tired. I didn’t have the heart to roll him over because I knew it would wake him so I was awake most of the night. That gave me plenty of time to worry about that stupid contract. I have got to relax. I’m sure that there must be someone that can help me get that done. If the Lord is going to call a housewife from Smithfield, Utah into the mission field and expect her to become an attorney, then he must have a plan for how it is going to happen. I’m kind of excited to see what that plan is.

When I woke up this morning it was really light in our room and I thought we must have overslept. I got up and went into the bathroom and looked at my watch --- 3:50 AM!!!!! There was a full moon and it was shining right in our window. MERCY, I need some sleep!!!

When the alarm went off Alan got up and got in the shower. I was laying on the bed doing my exercises when all of a sudden everything started to move. The whole house was moving, things were moving around on the dresser but nothing was falling off. It took me a minute to realize that we were having an earthquake. It wasn’t violent shaking like in America, but we were rolling all over the place. I got really dizzy so I stayed where I was and started counting the seconds to see how long it would last. Suddenly I realized that this was a bad earthquake and I needed to get to the door frame. Just as I got there everything settled down. I was so dizzy I had to lay back down. Alan felt it too. He said that while he was in the shower the tub was actually moving. Things in the bathroom fell off the shelves but there was no damage to our house.

On the way into work they reported that it was a 7.4 earthquake but on TV tonight China said that it was 7.6. That is a REALLY BIG QUAKE!! It was just south of Tonga and very deep in the ocean. That is what saved us. It was so deep that it didn’t trigger a tsunami. The first one hit at 6:15 AM and then about 10:15 we had another one. It was not an after shock, it was a separate earthquake, this time on the north side of the island. It was a 6.4 quake that was really deep too. We have heard that there was a third one but we didn’t feel it. It was also a separate quake in a different location. It seems that the Pacific is very active right now and we don’t have a well stocked emergency container!!! I may never sleep again!~

We met with Steve for about an hour this morning and then took him to the airport to catch his plane. He taught us a lot and we really appreciate his help, but I have to be honest, I was kind of glad to put him on that plane. He has really added to our already over the top work load and we are exhausted. Ana is buried with all the things he gave her to do. We will just have to rest up over the weekend and then hit it hard on Monday.
  
We did a little shopping and then headed home. After lunch I took a quick nap but Alan went out like a light. That’s good, he needed it. I went to Liahona to read our emails and post some info on the blog, while Alan went to check on some things with the FM.
 
It rained hard this afternoon which was good. We haven’t had rain in awhile and it cools things off a little, although the humidity tomorrow will be brutal. After dinner we went for a walk. There was a YSA Fireside going on at the gym. President Tukuafu and President Hamula were speaking. They just flew in from the outer islands this afternoon. They have been going non stop all week, doing zone conferences and then leadership training meetings every day on the other islands. Tomorrow they will be reorganizing two stakes and then speaking on Sunday at Stake Conferences. I am going to stop feeling sorry for myself and spend more time feeling sorry for them. WOW, what a demanding schedule they are keeping.

As I have been writing in my journal a dance has started up at the Stake Center across the street from Liahona. It sounds like it is going to be another noisy night.