Monday, May 26, 2014

Meet "Michael" Henry Anderson! Elder Williams namesake!

Named after Elder Williams!!!

First grandchild of President and Sister Anderson!  Mama is Donnalynn..








Thursday, May 22, 2014

Beautiful Gaua!


Here are just some photos of our stay on Gaua last week.


Our guest house area...   Out door everything!   But those 4 days I never slept better!



Shower/toilet



Branch  President and District President...:):)

Walking to Presidents house and the church

Taught them songs in Primary!



Missionaries House...


Missionaries shower..


Inspecting a cistern


Visiting the Relief Society President...    She was roasting corn on the fire to sell


This young Brother from the Branch took,us to the house he is building..
  Beautiful work!


Weaving the roof





The left side of this building is the island's Bank and the right side is the Store!


Walking with the pikininis to school




Presidents family house, kitchen building, etc.




Roasting peanuts to sell and washing clothes is the activity of the morning.  They ran out of line space, so they are just spread,out,on the ground.



Beautiful friends!









On the way back home we stopped at 3 other islands.   Torres, Malta Lave and Sola.

Beautiful trip!










Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Gaua and the water project

Elder Williams has been working on the water project for Gaua for several months.   He would draw plans and change them and awake in the night and change them...etc.    He built a filtration system that is one of a kind and created the filter part on our deck.   





He sent the plans and some materials on a small boat to the island and then went himself to show them how it needed to be done.









This last week we went back to Gaua to have the closing ceremony and pass over the care of the project to the Village from the Church.    It was one very special experience.

We stayed four days and 3 nights.   We met the Branch Presidents family and I gave them a pizza I had made and carried on the plane.    They call it American laplap.  President  Jansing wanted them to taste it as I had him to dinner twice and had made it for him and he loved it!


The first thing we wanted to see was the totally finished water project!



The ladies taught me how to weave banana leaves for decoration for the  ceremony.



After inspecting and doing a few final changes we headed for the guesthouse and it started to rain.
We had dinner....and it rained and rained and the wind blew and blew....





Next day we walked through mud to a beautifully decorate village.     As we walked the rain was only light.   Where there was only water in the tank the day before, now there was a full cistern too.   Another tender mercy.    
They made us feel very special.     President  Mahit spoke and Elder Williams spoke about the Woman at the well.    wonderful!
Elder williams then cut the string cut and opened the way to the water tank and turned it on.     










Immediately Dancers came from no where and the music began!


All sorts of dancing....






Entertainment.....



And Food!!!




A full tank of water!


A full cistern of water!