Tonga!

Saturday and Sunday:



Because Alan is the District Leader for the senior missionaries, we were asked Friday afternoon to put together a dinner for Elder and Sister Tukuafu and Elder and Sister Hallstrom for Sunday Evening. It will be a fireside just for the senior missionaries. We should expect about 34 people. I went to work organizing that. Everyone agreed to bring something and we all went shopping on Saturday to get what we needed. By Saturday night -- after the stores were all closed --- the count was upped to 44. What’s 10 more people??? (and Tongans can really eat!!) Bless the senior sisters. Everybody rallied and on Sunday night we had plenty of food. In fact, one member of the Mission Presidency brought a pig. It turned out to be a great evening.

  President Tupou talked, Elder Tukuafu talked and then Sister and Elder Hallstrom talked. By the time it was over, all of us felt very needed and appreciated. At the end of his talk Elder Hallstrom left a beautiful blessing for the senior missionaries. He told us how much the Lord loves us. He promised that we would be blessed, our children and our grandchildren will be blessed for our service, and we will continue to see those blessings for many years into the future. He told us that if we have worries or concerns about our families to give them to the Lord. He knows our sacrifice, He hears our prayers and he will answer them. Then he told us once again that senior missionaries are a very elect group in the church today. He encouraged us to continue to serve. Perhaps another mission or in any way we can when we return home. I came home feeling loved and appreciated. It made all of those moments of frustration and anxiety over these project worth all the time and effort we are putting into them. This is the Lord’s work and He will send angels to assist us.