Life Changing

When we were in China, Kim always said, “This is a life changing experience.”  Today I have to say, “Fiji is a life changing experience!”  And we’ve only been here 2 weeks and we haven’t started working in the schools yet.  We went to our branch out in Korovou this morning.  Last night Sister Blackburn, who is also working at the schools that we are at, gave us a sewing machine that she asked us to take to Shirley, a sister in our branch.  It is from the church charities.  I don’t know what she needs it for and it doesn’t really matter.  As soon as we got to church there was a young girl, about 19, outside the church.  We said Bula to her and then she asked me if Sister Blackburn had sent something with us for her!  AH!  Yes she had.  She said it was really for her mother.  Then she proceeded to tell me that she had received her endowment on Saturday at the temple and she was preparing to go on a mission.  Wow! Awesome.  Then after Sacrament meeting we met her mother and a younger sister, Nada (pronounced Nonda).  Nada is 12 years old and seemed to quickly attach to me.  I talked with her a bit and she walked with me down the hall as I went to Relief Society.  As soon as church was over, there was Nada again by my side.  She asked me about my necklace that I had on.  It was a gold chain with a small round gold plate with an engraving of Utah with a heart in the center that my daughter Katie had given me before I left for China 2 years ago.  I wear it always!  She asked me if I could give it to her.  I told her I would try to find her a necklace similar.  Now I’m not so sure that I should give her a necklace.  I’m not sure what to do there.  I’ll have to think about that one.  Anyway, we connected back with her mother.  In talking with Shirley, we found out that she walks to church each week, about 3 km.  We, then told her we would give her a ride and deliver the sewing machine to her.  Nada also rode with us.  The other children were going to walk home.  As we drove we found out that Shirley’s first husband had an affair and she divorced him.  She has remarried but her husband is “lazy” and doesn’t work.  She gets money any way that she can. She sells vegetables when she has them.  She served a mission for the church when she was young.  Her oldest daughter that is preparing to go on a mission doesn’t have enough money to buy a passport so her mother doesn’t know if she’ll be able to go.  After she had her last child, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer but has been cured of it.  She feels very blessed.  Her house is way up a hill on a narrow, muddy road full of ruts.  It was hard driving.  We never got to her home, we had to stop at the end of the road.  She carried the sewing machine the rest of the way.  All the houses in this small village are tiny and run down.  They are made of corrugated steel. This woman has nothing in terms of material goods.  But she has a family and she has the Gospel of Jesus Christ and she is very happy.  Shirley also told us that on Tuesdays she goes to work in the temple in Suva.  I asked her how she gets there since she doesn’t have a car or any money and it is over an hour drive to Suva.  Because Tuesday has only morning sessions, 8:00 and 10:00, she has to leave “in the middle of the night” and hope she can find a ride from someone.  I asked her if that was safe and she told me that the Lord takes care of her.  This woman has so much faith. Then Nada asked to be taken to a different house on our way back down the hill.  As we went along she asked if we had any money.  Then she asked if we could give her 20 cents to buy a popsicle or something.  Her English isn’t the best and I had a hard time understanding her.  When we got to the house, Kim gave her a $2 coin (this would be like $50 to an American kid). She said thank you and you could tell she really was.  She also reminded me that she wanted a necklace.  I started to wonder if she was taking advantage of us but I understand she has NOTHING! And she’s 12 years old and just realizing what “things” are available.   I realized that we are so spoiled.  I felt guilty driving my “fancy” car and wearing my nice clothing.  We complain that our ear rings don’t match our outfit. That we have to drive an hour to church.  That our bed is too soft. And on and on… When these people don’t even have a car!  They have to WALK an hour to church or any where they need to go and they have a "nice woven mat" to sleep on the floor with.  “Grateful! Grateful! Truly Grateful I Am!  Grateful! Grateful! Truly Blessed and Oh So Grateful!” (song sung by Brian Mitchell Stokes).  LIFE CHANGING!  Sorry no pictures today.