April 21/2019

April 21/2019

Malo Lava,

Time is moving along so fast and we are busier than ever, no time to think about home which is a good thing right now! It’s hard to think that we’ve been gone for almost a year and a half. There have been times of sadness, frustration, home sickness but most of all times of love and gratefulness for the opportunity to be here in beautiful Samoa. To have worked side by side with my husband, who I have grown to love and appreciate more and more over the last 18 months. I especially want to say thank you to family and friends for your love and support that has helped me through the good and the difficult times, your words of wisdom have often helped me more than you know. I've included a lot of pictures because they say "A picture is worth a thousand words."

As we finish up a couple personal projects, I have looked back on some of the pictures I’ve taken and the ones we’ve taken recently, the hope and brightness I’ve been able to witness in others over the last few months has been tender. Imele’s oldest daughter has come back home to live with the family because now there is room for her, I saw the joy it brought to her mother and I see in Imele a hope that was not there when we first met her. It reaffirms to me how important ministering is and that we are truly our brother and sisters keepers.

Imele with her daughters

Scott's helpers

Missionary work

I have been talking a bit to the grandkids back home and listening to the excitement in their voices,as the count down as begun. They are all so busy with spring concerts, new calves, 4-H, soccer games, Caleb did a project for school on Canada, Rowen lost her first tooth. So much is going on and it is good to see so much enthusiasm, I only hope we can keep up to all of them when we get back.

What a chef

First tooth

4- H

Big Easter Winner!

New Calf

Life is good, this is a special time of year. I’m most thankful for my Savior, that through the atonement and resurrection of our Lord we can live again, we can be a forever family! Easter is a time to celebrate life, renewal and cleansing. What a wonderful, reflective time to do some Spring cleaning in our lives.

Wishing you a Happy Easter and a wonderful week full of blessings, love and a desire to be just a little bit better. Love you all!

An Exhausting day

One of our Eat Healthy and Be Active Groups

After the storm comes the rainbow

Conference Weekend, April 7/2019

Talofa family and friends,

Things are going great here in Samoa, it is hot, hot, and hot and we are busy wrapping up many loose ends. We had a couple handovers this past week, we’ve have been working on a few projects that are a bit personal for us and we even made sure we to spend a few hours enjoying some of the beauty of Samoa.

We were able to do a project for a special needs school here, they are were wanting to make a classroom into a Home Ec room to teach cooking and sewing to some of the students. They also have a great woodworking shop that we provided some tools for. The Principal, Lagi has become a good friend, we just love her kind, generous spirit and have enjoyed our friendship.

We also delivered tables and chairs for a library and tables and chairs for students in grades 1 and 2. It has been a great week of Handovers and we really appreciate the opportunity to serve and to help so many wonderful people.

Elder Cameron spent some time working on Emile’s bathroom and shower. I’ve written about her previously how sad and heartbroken she was when we first met, well when I saw her the other day in her new fale she had a beautiful smile on her face and a light in her eyes that I had not seen before. It was wonderful to see and it just touched my heart to know that we were able to help her and make her life just a little bit better. Just think, when that bathroom and shower in completed she is going to be over the moon excited. I can hardly wait! Times like this reinforces why we’re here and the importance of ministering.

With Emele's two daughters

Homework and an apple, life is good!

Elder Cameron working on the shower and bathroom

We also have been working on getting Leo’s family fale done and it was great to see that is coming along as well. Speaking of smiles, when I first met their oldest daughter she was not a very happy young woman, well this visit was way different. Look at her smile in the picture, wow that was again another great moment.

We took a few hours off and went to the beach on Saturday, it was a cloudy and an unsettled day,  different to the  kind of beach day we usually have but the waves were amazing, and it was a nice to just sit and relax and watch the water and warm rain fall.

now that's a fishing rod who needs a "Sage"

 Our little Nathan would have been 36 this year, on April 7th. Time goes by so quickly and yet many feelings and memories still remain. There is an empty spot that will never be filled during this lifetime but there will be celebrating in the next.  We are wishing Rowen a very Happy Birthday on the 8th, she is very excited and has been letting us know for over a month now that it is on the 8th. She also says she is going to beat me in a bike race when we get home (she probably will).

This week in the Come Follow Me I read a great talk by Elder Holland, he stated “The size of your faith or the degree of your knowledge is not the issue--it is the integrity you demonstrate toward the faith you do have and the truth you already know.” I loved this because the Lord loves us where we are and is willing help us get to where we need to be. Thank goodness cause I have so far to go, and sometimes it’s a bumpy road.

Conference this weekend, I can hardly wait to watch it and to feel of the strength and love our leaders have for us. I read something the other day about all the  changes and maybe instead of asking or talking about what changes are coming or guessing on what changes might be coming we need to ask ourselves “ how do I need to change to keep up and grow in the gospel.”

Well we have been spiritually feed at our Saturday conference today and I’m looking forward to a feast again tomorrow. How blessed we are to have a prophet and leaders who love us and care about each one of us and have given us direction and guidance that can help to strengthen us, keep us on the covenant path and renew our desire to be better and to do better.

President Eyring said today in conference “prayer in a family can reach across the world.” I know this is true as we pray for all of you everyday and can feel your love and prayers for us while we are away.
Have a wonderful week full of kindness, love and compassion for each other. Take a few minutes each day to look around and be thankful for what you have, what you can do and what you can see!
Love you all!

Sent from my iPad