Fall in Tonga

When you hear the word “Athletics” in the Pacific it means Track and Field.  The three middle schools and the high school combined all the students and divided them into “houses” and the houses sponsored students in all the events and they competed as intramural teams. This event took two full days of competition.

Elder Bob Wood and Sister Suzy Wood – Middle School ITEP Missionaries
Sister Sherrie Holbrook and Elder Bryce Holbrook – High School ITEP Missionaries
we are wearing our House Shirts.  Elder Holbrook gave the opening prayer to the games on day one and Elder Wood gave the opening prayer on day two. 

Below are fun pictures of different competitions.
 

The first Sunday in May is “Children’s Day” – downtown was very busy on that Saturday with shoppers looking for things to celebrate children’s day.  On Children’s Day the churches have a children’s program where the children perform, like our Primary Program, and so of course the children need to look nice and so shopping happens on that Saturday.

The second Sunday in May is “Mother’s Day.”

Mother Day Cakes at the Fair and Sherrie receiving a flower as she enters church

 Senior Missionaries socializing after a fun Hot Dog Mother’s Day Picnic Lunch

 

The third Sunday in May is “Father’s Day” and Sherrie gave me a Liahona tie

It is kind of cool how all three days of recognition are lined up in May.

 

We were invited to attend a “Coaching Workshop” where participants were taught a model of working with students referred to as “coaching.”   It is coaching rather than counseling because instead of telling students what they need to do to resolve their concerns, issues or problems, you help coach the student in exploring and discovering their own solutions and commitments to move forward.  The presenter was once the principal at Liahona (3 principals ago) and she was really good at facilitating this workshop.

 

Each course that is required by the Tongan Ministry of Education has a Common Assessment Task during the semester.  Here is a picture from the English CAT

 

 

Here are pictures from the Tongan Studies practical test .... weaving

 

Akata had her 8^th birthday on May 18 and since we home teach her family we took her a gift.  An Elastic Loom / Bracelet Kit.  Hope we get to see some bracelets at our next visit. You never know why you do certain things and what the outcome will be but we hope to see Akata baptized in the near future.

Isn't she cute?

 

 

Southern Hemispher Summer 2015

Making Friends:  We met Sateki Longi at the annual agriculture show where he had a booth set up showing his wood carvings.  It was impressive and I asked him if he would do a large hook on a stand with intricate etching. He said he has never had such a request but would do it.  Sateki gave me the best workmanship I have yet seen on the island, hands down. Check out the master fish hook he carved for me.

The detail shows up in the natural light of this picture.  The webbing is tightly done and compliments the color of the wood, which is ‘iron wood’.   This is an amazing piece of art.  He is doing more pieces to give my family.  (He is a Latter Day Saint)

The story of the Tongan Fish Hook goes back to the time when most islanders were farmers and fishermen.  When someone went out on the ocean to fish he would catch enough fish for his family and also the families of his neighbors.  If enough fish weren’t caught in the first tide to take care of his neighbors he would return with the changing of the tide and go back out during the second tide until he caught enough fish to feed his neighbor’s families.

We were invited to Katrina Tongi’s 1^st Birthday Party. What a great family love and atmosphere as Sateki gave an emotional expression of love and appreciation for this ‘little blessing’ of theirs. Lienora, 17 year old sister, expressed her love to the family and for Trina and sang a song to, about, or for Trina (in Tongan). 

When it was time to part we thanked them as sincere as we could and expressed our gratitude for their kind invitation to join their family party. Upon reaching the car sister Tongi gave Sherrie an afghan as a token of their love and appreciation for honoring their family.  Sherrie knew she must accept the token and with a big hug thanked her for such a thoughtful gift. 

When presenting the afghan to Sherrie, she said, “we don’t have much but want to give this to you.”  We were reminded of the value of family and the tender reward of family love.   We gained a deep insight of Tongan family culture.  Missions bring you close to people and you cherish them.

 Pacific CES has initiated a Mentoring Program for first year teachers, emerging teachers and teachers who need a little more motivation.  Here are some pictures from teaching those classes.

 

Meet the Mormons premier VIP showing was held at the downtown convention center where the senior missionary choir sang the opening song.  There were 125 guests in the audience, including one of the Prime Ministers.

 

Sherrie taught “Secondary Reading in the Content” with 11 teachers enrolled.  The class is very lively and happy with laughter and humor.  It is a sign they are really enjoying the course content and the presentation of material.  Each class can be so different, but one commonality is that we try very hard to be good instructors, examples of good instruction, practice what we teach.

 

Annual S&I Principal’s Conference -- Auckland, New Zealand

We went to the “Principal’s Conference” conducted by the S&I Area Office in Auckland, New Zealand.   There were 7 ITEP couples at this conference.  3 from Tonga, (from two islands), 2 from Samoa (from two islands), 1 From Fiji, and 1 from Kiribati.  What an experience to rub shoulders, share stories, compare our experiences and learn from one another.  We also were able to meet the principals from the other islands and enjoy our experiences with them.

Elder Kevin Pearson, Area President, spoke to us who delivered a powerful message on the importance of both secular education and spiritual education for the Polynesian youth to rise and prepare for being self-reliant and righteous saints. 

Elder Gifford Nielsen, Area Second Counselor, spoke to us about what it really means for us to be a covenant people.  Our mortal mission is to fulfill those covenants and our missionary mission is to help all Latter Day Saints fulfill their covenants. 

 

Sister Holbrook, Fehi Fifita - Principal, & Elder Holbrook

 

2015 School Year

BACK TO SCHOOL

The holidays and summer break is over and teachers are back.  We conducted in- service training for all of the Tongan Church Education System teachers from the four main islands.  Liahona hosted 144 teachers, counselors and administrators for welcome back in-service days.  Folau Kioa, assistant director of pacific schools, was the sponsor of this training.  He asked the ITEP missionaries to present the 2015 Seminary and Institute Priorities.  I presented on “Strengthening Unity”, Sherrie presented on “Elevate Learning”, Elder Myers spoke on “Seeking Truth”, and Elder Wood spoke on “Reaching the One”.

 We each had 30 minutes. I used a lot of pictorial examples of unity and discussed the concept of strengthening unity and some scripture references.  Sherrie used the example of an aircraft seeking to elevate and compared lift, drag, thrust and weight along with some stories from the general authorities.  We lead the charge before lunch and it felt real good what we presented and the engagement we had with the teachers.  It was pretty cool to be back in front of faculty ... but not be their supervisor or having the stress of school start up!  We love being ITEP missionaries. 

READING CAMP

A January reading camp for local village children was sponsored by Sherrie after the holidays concluded.  Many of the same students from the December session came to the January session, which is positive indication that they like her.  During this session Sherrie added some new ideas and approached rhyming using Doctor Seuss as an approach to building vocabulary, word sounds and English enunciation.  

The kids loved it and Sherrie had an enjoyable and rewarding time.  Though she had to deal with some behavior issues this go around, it seemed she was on her game with these kids and had a very productive two weeks with them.  At the end they got to take home some more books for keeps, which is always a special gift.   And of course many new friends have been gained and it is always rewarding to exchange greetings with them when we see each other.

 

Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple

This tree only blossoms in December and creates a beautiful setting at the temple.  We love attending this small, cozy and intimate temple.  This temple, in ratio with endowed members within the temple district, is a very busy temple and yet it has the most peaceful and pleasant atmosphere and is a blessing to all who seek to grow spiritually closer to the Lord. 

 

 

Wrapping up 2014

 

As we conclude 2014 we are very grateful to Heavenly Father for giving us this call to serve our mission in Tonga. We are grateful for the tender mercies shown us in preparing us for this mission, for helping us get through all that we needed to do in order to be ready to accept this call.  We recognize His blessing us with good health so we could be in the south pacific and work in Tonga at Liahona High with the gracious and loving Tongan Latter Day Saints, who are examples of great faith.  2014 has been a marvelous year for us and we are ever so grateful for this wonderful year.

 

 

Our Christmas Table

 

 

 

We are grateful for Jesus’ birth because there would be no Savior, no Resurrection, no Easter, no Salvation, no Plan of Happiness without his earthly entrance and mortal mission.  We share testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and that He is Our Savior.  We give our mission to Him and pray he is pleased with our efforts and attitudes.

 

Left – Wise men with gifts and ‘pig’

Right – Shepherds with staffs

Center - Two Angels and Shepherd boy

Back – Joseph and Mary and Baby

 

These Sister Missionaries came to our apartment and brought us a Book of Mormon and asked us to find someone we could gift the book to for Christmas. Christmas afternoon we visited the pediatric ward of the hospital and shared some Christmas wishes with those who were there.  We placed our Book of Mormon with a family who spent the day at the hospital with their 10 year old son.

 

Elder Gifford Nielson is in our South Pacific Area Presidency.  He came to Tonga and meet with the young missionaries and in a separate meeting he met with the Senior Missionaries.  He spoke to us saying we just don’t know how much, how often, or how many times we as Senior Missionaries are being an example and an influence on someone else.  We may never know when that influence is happening or who it is that is being influenced, but it is happening every day and almost every moment we are in the role of senior missionary.  As he bore testimony of the Savior and our being in the Savior’s work he shared this really cool thought.  When you think ordinary (about yourself) someone else is seeing extraordinary.

Who is looking at us and seeing extraordinary?  Who might be watching us and what impact might we be making?  How might we influence another brother or sister or child, how might we influence another couple or even a family?  Which teacher are we making a difference to?  We just never know and therefore we should be the example and light that the Savior exemplified for us.  We are to be Christ like; loving and charitable, accepting and embracing, reaching outward and loosing ourselves in this work, His Work, and lifting where we stand.

December Reading Camp

Sister Holbrook conducted English Reading Camp with these groups of children who live in the two near by villages.  What an experience where the children were introduced to a world of new horizons and we were introduced to some very fond and lasting relationships with these children.

 

We are grateful for family who love and support us while we are away.