See What We Have Done

http://histfam.familysearch.org/getperson.php?personID=I2&tree=AmeliaFinauTuitupou

I decided that I would like to share some of the work that we have been doing. I know that I have written about it before, but when we got a few pictures up last week I just loved looking at these cute people. I especially love this cute Tongan lady, Amelia Finau. If you would like to see her, copy and paste the address above (I don't know if it will link automatically when I post this so you may have to actually copy it)and look at her record. This is what we are doing. We have 100 done and I think that as soon as we get more space for our program we will be able to load the remaining 1000 audio records in a short time. As you know we have redone some of the wording and placement, etc. refining over and over again, learning more and more about the program as we have done each new thing. There are still some things that could be better, but it is just nice to have these photos, transcripts (click on the book to see the transcript) and to hear these recordings (click on the headphones to listen to the interview) even if I don't understand what they are saying. I love to listen to some of these recordings and hear the voices in the background, the chickens clucking and the rain on the metal roof. I feel like I am there. Let me know what you think. Explore a little and find more photos. Many of these people are among the royal families of Tonga. Sometimes the names seem strange and that is because Tongan's did not have surnames until a law was passed in 1940 that they had to have one, so they just did the best they could. For some of these families this is the only recording of their families. One of our Tongan Church Service Missionaries who has been very involved in this project told us that her children listened to her father's interview and wept because it was the first time they had heard his voice.

I do love this work.

I have had a great week and today has been the crowning day. We just returned from the home of our Thai friends giving talks in Sacrament meeting before they enter the training zone tomorrow. They are returning to Thailand for their 2nd mission as a senior couple. Mani and Nadda Saengsawan. He joined the church and became a missionary after being a monk for 3 years. He was serving while I was serving my mission in Thailand. She was one of the golden contacts that I helped to teach while I was there. They are the first Thai members to marry in the temple. They have raised their family here and want to return again to serve their people. It was wonderful to listen to them bear their testimonies of the gospel and to hear their expressions of love for our Savior.

After their meeting they invited many of their friends for Thai food at their son's home (they have been living with them). It was so fun to see several of the Thai sisters that I knew in Thailand and in fact to meet again one of my Thai companions. My heart remembered how difficult it was to say goodbye to them when I left Thailand and how great I felt to see them again and like Alma, to see that they have been faithful in their testimonies of Christ and the covenants they have made. They are YW Presidents, RS Presidents, Bishops wives, etc. One sister, who lives in Blackfoot, ID brought sliced apples she had dried. That is so funny to me! I made the comment that Blackfoot, Idaho was not at all like Thailand. She said that is what she likes! The dry weather! hahaha
Some have had difficulties and sadness in their lives, but all continue to love the Lord. It was a joyful time. I just wish that I could remember how to speak Thai.

Friday evening and Saturday morning we attended the 39th Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium at BYU. We spent the night at Autumn/Derrick's so we didn't have to drive back and forth. I really enjoyed the breakout sessions I went to. The subject this year was the Sermon on the Mount. I'm sure I will be referring to these lectures during the study of the New Testament next year in Sunday School.

Another fun thing during the week was the first snow. Our girls had given me tickets to "Thunder Drums of China" on the BYU campus last Tuesday night. We drove down after work and had a quick dinner with a friend of ours before the concert. The weather looked as if it was going to clear up so we left the umbrellas and Ed's coat in the car. Even walking over to the concert it didn't feel like anything menacing. As we came out of the theatre in the Fine Arts Building all we could see were huge (yes, huge) snowflakes outside. We made it to our car, but Ed had snow all over his suit and it was coming down fast. (I have tried to include a photo but I can't seem to figure out how to get it in the blog. I will work on that this week.)By the time we got to the freeway there was not very much in the way of precipitation so we didn't worry about the drive home. As we got into SLC, however, the snow was falling here and everything around our apartment was dusted well with the wonderful white stuff. (Yeah, we will see how wonderful I think it is in Mar, right?) Well, anyway, I was happy to see it. We would have enjoyed it more if Ed had his coat and we both had umbrellas. Then I would have played. But....there will be another snowfall I am sure. (Hurrah!) By the way, the drumming was amazing! If you ever have the chance to see this group, go. Their precision and the sound they made from all of these instruments was great! I also loved the costumes. One man came out during on piece in a very elaborate costume. By a quick movement of his head (honestly, no hands) he could change his mask. He had at least 4 different masks that I saw as he went back an forth across the stage. At the end, he moved his head on last time and it was his own face, grinning widely. I have no idea how he did it but I was delighted! Thanks girls!

Another great thing about this week was Monday night. I went to a lecture given by Elder Kutcher, the training zone leader. He is a chemist and was part of the BYU team that excavated in Egypt for 15 years. His main job was to document and label everything they found, including unwrapping the mummies they found, labeling every piece of cloth so they could wrap them up and put them back. His slides of the things they found were amazing. The colors were so vibrant still and the cloth patterns were intricate and unique and beautiful. I learned so much just listening and watching for a little over an hour. I hope to hear him again. Just one tidbit. The initially found the bodies (which are buried on top of each other) with the heads toward the west. As they continued to dig down, abruptly the bodies were turned the opposite way, heads to the east. As they analyzed the ground and materials they discovered that the change was made at about 55AD. Christians bury their dead with the head at the west so when they rise up they will be facing east. The time of the change is consistent with the visit of Paul to Egypt to teach the Gospel there. They had been excavating a Christian site.

We said goodbye to Elder and Sister Cook in the Historical Families Zone and Elder Moulder is now in charge. I have only known these people for a few months, but it was difficult so see them go. They have been here for three years! What was fun was having the goodbye luncheon in our room and having the Tongans, Hawaiians, and Maoris all join with us in saying goodbye. The Tongans sang with a ukelele and I just loved listening to them. I could just imagine sitting on a beach with the sound of the waves in the background. It was beautiful but sad watching a very large Tongan man wiping tears away knowing he was saying goodbye to these dear friends to whom he was singing.

I wondered how we would ever stay in touch with friends in the hereafter? Maybe there will be ways to connect just by thinking about each other. Wouldn't that be nice? If so, you would all know I think of you often and hope you are well and wish you could all have the great experience we are having......think hard.....can you hear me? :) If you can, then you know I love you and wish you could all be here with me watching this beautiful sunset on a wonderful Sunday evening.