Vaevae Manava Food for Families Project

This month we have started a new farming project.  The people came to us for help with expenses for the ploughing of the ground and peanut seed for 18 acres which will provide for 18 families, members and non-members.  This village is a very poor village and was struggling just to put food in their families mouths.  With this project they can raise the peanuts, then sell them and budget their money so that the next planting cycle they will have their own funds for the tractor services and they will have their own peanut seed; as well as funds to pay for their children's tuition for school and their uniforms.  They will also be planting other vegetables such as cabbage, lettuce, bananas, etc, to provide food for their families.  Following are some before pictures of them starting to prepare the land for planting.

This is one of the parcels of land in this project.  As you can tell it will take much work to prepare the ground for planting.

This is the hired tractor doing the slashing to get rid of the tall grass.

One of the parcels all slashed and ready to be burned to finish cleaning up the grass.

And the burning begins!

Another parcel being burned.

Elder Murdock with the van loaded with peanut seed.

This is their Town Hall where they unloaded the seed and are getting ready to distribute it.

This is part of the families, all could not be there, but they sent a representative to pick up their seed.  The people were so very happy that they could plant their own crops and provide for their families.  They had hope in their eyes!

"The Lord does help when we go to Him in times of need, especially when we are committed to His work and respond to His will.  But the Lord only helps those who are willing to help themselves.  He expects His children to be self-reliant to the degree they can be."   L. Tom Perry

Liahona Alumni Reunion

This Reunion was 8-10 days long.  Thousands of people came from all over - Australia, New Zealand, America.  It was amazing to see all of the people on this little island.  It was wall to wall people.  Everywhere we went people were constantly coming up to us, trying to give us money, paying for our lunches and other things.  We decided we must look pretty needy! Actully they said that they wanted to help the missionaries for the blessings that they would receive.  School was out as everyone was celebrating - if not for the Alumni Reunion then for the Coronation.  This was a hopping place for about 2 1/2 weeks!

Following are some pictures of the Alumni Parade and other Alumni events.  Each group would have their own float.  The parade lasted for about 2 hours.  It was very intense, with spirits very high.   We hope that you enjoy the pictures we have.

This is the start of the parade.  This group is from Hawaii.

These are Liahona High School students marching as guards for the Honoured Guest.

This is Prince Ata.  He was baptised in Hawaii and is in a sense the Grand Marshall of the Liahona Alumni Parade.

Welcome to Hollywood!!  They are from California.

This is the Liahona marching band.  They are very good.

This is Class of 1952.  They put on a little show for us doing a New Zealand native dance.  Very entertaining!

Here comes our favourite.  See if you can guess why!

It was so good to see the American Flag!  All the Senior Missionaries were very happy when this float went by.

This is the Church school from Vavau, their students.

Another group - they love to decorate with balloons here in Tonga!

Another group that was from New Zealand.  Like all the others, they have big speakers with the music blaring!

This group was from classes 76-83.  Energy still very high!

We thought this was quite interesting how they did L H S  92 for class of 1992.  As you can see it started to rain on us.

This is the arch way built in front of Liahona High School.  We felt that they should have put a picture of the Savior instead of President Monson where they put the statement "God Bless our King!"  Our Savior is our King, President Monson is our Prophet.  They built this for when the King and Queen come to Liahona for the Alumni Luncheon.

This is the field where they set up many tents for the Alumni Luncheon.

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This was a special tent set up just for the Royal Family to be seated at as well as Elder Haleck, Councilor in the Area Presidency for the South Pacific.

This is the arrival of the King and Queen.  Elder Haleck is greeting them.

These are some of the tables for the Luncheon.  Appetising - right!

As you can see there were many tables set up!

More food, do you think we will go hungry?

This is Sister Holbrook and Sister Murdock preparing for the feast.

This is one of the items at our table.  Would you care for a bite of octopus?

Following our meal we were entertained by many students and alumni doing traditional and non traditional dances.

This group did a waltz that was very beautiful.

This is Miss Leiola for Tonga.  She was very beautiful!  She is like our Miss America.

Following is a picture of Prince Ata and his famous fan.  We were trying to get a good picture of the fan that we could take to a fan maker to have one made like it, but we could never get a good one.  While at the Liahona Luncheon, Prince Ata was there with his fan.  Following the Luncheon he walked past Sister Murdock.  She decided to ask if she could get a good picture of his fan.  He turned and said that she can just have the fan.  Sister Murdock was shocked that she was now the owner of Prince Ata's fan!  When he left some other Tongans came and wanted to take a picture of Sister Murdock with the famous fan.  They could not believe he gave her his fan!

Prince Ata with his fan.

The famous fan now hangs in our apartment, House #30!

"In reality, we are all brothers and sisters and come from the same Heavenly Father.  We need to be on the same team."   Travis Hansen

Education Day in Tonga

This Holiday is a huge celebration of all the schools showing their accomplishments as well as honouring King Tupou VI for his upcoming Coronation.  It was held in Teufaiva Stadium.  Their were thousands of people in attendance.  All around the field each school had set up booths about their school.  There were combined school bands, and students performing as to the skills they had learnt in their different schools.  The students ranged from age 8 years old and up to Vo-tech age students.  We hope the pictures following will do it justice, but it was amazing to see in person!

This is all of the students getting into position for their routine.

They are just about all there and ready.

The King and Queen arrives so the party can begin!

After the band played it moved to the side and these 3000 students from all different Government Primary Schools performed this marching routine to make the Tongan Flag.  It was amazing that this many children could all come together and everything work out perfectly to form their flag!

This next group was from a school like our Vo-Tech schools in America.  The students on the left are performing martial art moves, the students in the middle are construction students, and the students on the right are to do with audio and sound techs.  The Construction Students brought out a building in parts and proceeded to build a two story building for us.  It was amazing.

They are starting on the second story!

Now the rafters!

The roof with solar panels for power!

A little deck on the second story.

They have set up a bed, with linen, a table for two with china dishes for two and rolled out the read carpet for their guests.

Here are their guests, the Crown Prince and Princess.  As they are stepping from the pick up bed, their are men being the human stairs for them to step down.  They then proceeded to the upped level of the house and sat at the little table.

The servant is on his way up to serve them.

The band then formed again and started to play for us, as the Construction Students tore down their house, and the King and Queen proceeded on their walk around the tract to each of the school booths to greet them all.

This is the crowds to our left.

And crowds to our right.  If you look closely at the big white house in the end area, their are people sitting on top watching the program.  People everywhere!  It was a wonderful day with good friends!

"Education should be universal in its benefits, and all the world should be made better by its teachings."    BYU Studies