Before we left Savusavu, there was an awesome baptism of a 14 year old boy and a 16 year old girl.  Bob was asked if he could do the baptism and he felt SO honored! 

 This boy, Joape, has found a place in our hearts.  We couldn't be happier for him to join the gospel.  The girl, Ana, was also baptized and she will be a great member of the Savusavu Branch. They were baptized on a Sunday morning in a river we like to call

"The Waters of Mormon."

Our new assignment

WE HAVE BEEN REASSIGNED!  We have been moved to the main island, Viti Levu, and now reside in Suva.  Although we will surely miss the great people we met and the villages we have come to love, Suva has many opportunities for missionary service.  It definitely was a tearful goodbye to all our friends but just knowing we are still in Fiji and can visit, makes that transition much easier.

We have a new mailing address:

Elder and Sister Ford

Fiji Suva Mission

PO Box 215

Suva  Fiji

This is what God gave us on our last day in Savusavu -

FIJI DAYS - Part II

Our last post was all about the SECONDARY SCHOOL and their celebrations on the day before the actual Fiji days (that's because Fiji Day is a holiday and there is no school on that day).

This post is all about the things we did on the actual FIJI DAY, October 10th. 

We have a family that we are very close to; it's Losena's family.  Their grandma was having her 87th birthday on the same day as Fiji Days so we went with them to celebrate their grandma's birthday in a village about 45 minutes away.

This is Grandma - here in Fiji the word for Grandma is Nau (pronounced now)

 

 

 

This is Nau's Birthday cake - she was so happy to have a chocolate cake!

 

 

 

I gave her a birthday gift - an afghan that I had made.

She didn't really know what to do with it....

 

After a tasty lunch (we got to sit at the table because we were the guests),

the broke out the Kava bowl and drank kava for the rest of the day!

At one point, we counted 22 men and a couple of ladies all drinking kava

 and having a wonderful time!

 

 

 Oh, how we LOVE this wonderful family!

 

FIJI DAYS

OCTOBER 10th was Fiji Days.  This is a huge celebration that focuses on their independence from England.  Fiji became independent in 1970 so this year was the 48th year of independence.

So on Tuesday (9th) we went to the Secondary School right by our house and watched the high school students celebrate through speeches and dances.  We went because there are several students that are also members of our branch.  So, we went to support them and to watch them as they participated in the festivities.

We were the only (parents) there and also the only white people there, so the Headmaster had us sit in the front with him.  (Quite the honor)!!