TONGAN UPDATE 12 NOVEMBER 2008 '24' SEASON PREMIERE

Tongan Update, 12 Nov 2008, ‘24’ Season Premiere

Sneak preview of this week’s episode: Bauer, Audrey, and the MOC operatives brace themselves against the confessions of an Australian deportee, Luther Finau.

12:44 p.m. to 1:44 p.m.

Audrey (Sister Thompson) trudged through the torrential rains and flooded streets of Nuku’alofa towards the Mission Office Complex (MOC). Her mind was full of complicated thoughts concerning the NTM (Nuku’alofa Tonga Mission). As she entered the offices of MOC headquarters, she noticed Bauer (Elder Thompson) and Operative 1 (Elder Karratti) conversing with a sinister-looking Tongan Aussie, Luther Finau. Expanding this man’s entire arm, from his shoulder down to the tip of his middle phalange, was a tattooed fire-breathing dragon. (Bauer says this was not a Pete’s Dragon, but more like a Lord of the Ring’s dragon.) Luther’s hair was like a half moon—partly shaven and partly pulled back into a ponytail colored with shades of red, orange, and brown. Standing there with his ripped-sleeveless shirt and bare feet, he said with a strong Aussie accent, “I need to talk to Audrey.”

Bauer interrupted the conversation by saying, “Why are you here?”

The TA (Tongan Aussie) replied with a cold, quivering voice, “I’ve witnessed a murder, and I fear for my life.”

At that precise moment, Audrey and Op 1 were called out of the main office to help Operative 2 (Elder Lyon) with the investigation of possible infiltrators of MOC .

So Bauer was left alone to interrogate Luther Finau. After fifteen minutes Bauer left Luther and came to explain the situation to Audrey and the two MOC operatives. Luther apparently claimed that he had witnessed a murder. He didn’t dare go to the police for fear that he would be exposed, and the murderers would go after him. He needed a good lawyer, and someone who could help him get into a “Witness Protection Program.”

Because of the lack of resources, Bauer and company were perplexed as how to help TA. They needed someone else’s help in exposing the truth. Finally Bauer persuaded Luther to talk to a personal friend who was a member of the Tongan police task force. (This was Falemai—the young woman who we helped to baptize and is a member of our branch.)

Bauer talking on the phone: “Falemai, we have a person here who claims to be an eye-witness to a murder.”

Falemai: “Bauer, keep him there! And keep him safe! We will be there shortly.”

Within a few minutes after the telephone call, Falemai and her sidekick arrived at MOC in their 1984 cherry-maroon Four-Runner.

Falemai and her sidekick sequestered Luther in the confines of the President’s office. They drilled him with questions. The words zinged around the room and off the walls like bullets ricocheting from an AK47. (The Elders tell me that an AK47 is some kind of a gun.) ZING….ZING….ZING…ZING…ZING!

Finally the police team appeared from Luther’s holding tank and said to the operatives, “We need to take him in for further questioning. We suspect foul play and that witchcraft and drugs may be involved.”

1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Next week’s episode: Bauer and the MOC operatives resolve the problems of Luther Finau and do everything in their power to mentor MOC recruits (senior couple) newly arrived from the states.

(If you are addicted to the suspenseful TV series, 24, then you might like this Tongan Update. If you haven’t seen this drama on television, then you will think we are nuts. But in our defense…we have been on this island for over 15 months now, and we are getting desperate in trying to figure out something new to write about.

The basic facts are correct in this episode…just a “few” details have been added to hopefully make it more interesting!)

‘Ofa ‘atu, Elder and Sister Thompson

Tongan Update, 06 Nov 2008, We’re All Shook Up

We are “all shook up!”

We experienced an earthquake while we were at a Fireside with President McMurray and the other senior missionaries last Sunday night. We felt the house shift and saw the curtains in the living room sway from side to side. We looked at each other and rolled our eyes, but that was about it!

What is really shaking us up is…our good friends and fellow-missionaries, Elder and Sister Embley, are returning to their home in Salt Lake City.

They were called to a 23 months education mission where they have been training teachers to become college certified. So…adios…another one bites the dust…that leaves in Tonga two plangi missionary couples, us and the Garretts.

..but… reinforcements are on the way. Three more couples are scheduled to arrive here within the next couple of months. We used to panic and felt deserted when we’d drive people to the Fua’amotu Airport

and then watch them get on a plane heading anywhere. Now we have been here long enough that we know we are going to be OK! So…only our knees are shaking!

What do you think of this next experience? Elder Thompson and I had assignments in Ha’apai and Vava’u, and we had to leave our comfortable apartment in the mission complex for about a week.

Around midnight one night while we on one of the outer islands, Elder Kairi heard a door shut. He asked his companion, Elder Iketau, if he had heard it. He nodded so they silently slipped out into the courtyard to investigate. One carried a wooden mermaid statue for defense

and the other manned a shovel.

Then they heard rattling sounds by the back gate and proceeded in that direction.

The neighbor’s dogs, our Merry Men, were barking like crazy. As they were closing in on the source of noise by the gate, the elders sighted a figure precariously clutching onto the roof of the complex.

This person was trying to negotiate how he was going to swing himself down and into the courtyard of our complex. Another figure swung open the unlocked door into the complex from the carport.

An invasion was transpiring. Their goal, we think, was our vacant apartment. Word had gotten around that the Thompsons were gone!

Oh yes, the elders were shaking! What to do? They looked at their weapons of war, decided against them, then made a mad dash to the light switches and flipped them on. The beautiful light radiated throughout all the corners and curves of our mission complex, and…the invaders slithered away.

OOOOOoooooo…we’re all shook up!

‘Ofa ‘atu, Elder and Sister Thompson

TONGAN UPDATE 05 NOVEMBER- BROTHER TAFUNA

Tongan Update, 05 Nov 2008, Brother Tafuna

There was a tragic automobile accident that occurred here last Friday.

It was graduation day for the seniors of Liahona High School, our Church school. The class of about ___ students had received their diplomas, had many congratulatory leis placed around their necks, and had headed out to their individual parties to celebrate. There was a group of six happy, laughing guys, best friends, who had squeezed into a small compact car and pealed out of the parking lot heading towards their party destination. They never arrived. While traveling fast on the rain-slick roads, the driver missed the curve and crashed into a tree. Four of the young men died, one is still in critical condition in the hospital, and the sixth student was propelled through the front window and walked away from the accident.

One of the boys who passed away was the principal’s son, Francis Tafuna. We never had the opportunity to know Francis, but we are well acquainted with Brother Tafuna because he is not only the Principal of Liahona High School, he is also the first counselor to President McMurray in the Mission Presidency.

Therefore, President McMurray and Sister McMurray lead a group of senior and young missionaries over to the Tafuna home three days after the tragedy. We were there to give our love, support, and condolences to this grieving family.

The Tafunas had made a memorial for their son in their carport.

The coffin, flowers, photographs, and mementoes were inside the carport while the driveway was lined with large woven mats.

It is the tradition for the guests to sit on the mats,

and the mourning family to sit on chairs. At this gathering the seniors were asked to sit with the family on chairs.

It is also traditional for the group to have a “chief talker” for them, and Brother Iteni Henu was designated as our spokesman. After Brother Iteni gave our condolences, President McMurray gave a short speech,

we sang, and had a prayer. Then Brother Tafuna wanted to share some thoughts with us. (I’m going to write his words as best as I can remember them because I think we can all learn something from this humble, faithful man.)

“In our Church we don’t talk much about Christ’s death. We concentrate on his life and resurrection. And that’s what we want to do with Francis—remember his life because we know he continues to live just in another form. The last time I saw Francis alive, he was getting into the car with his friends. I talked with the boys and told them to be careful. Later they passed me as I was going to work on my plantation. They stopped at the side of the road, we exchanged a few words, and the driver said as they drove off, “We love ya!” Later, as I was walking back from working in the field, someone stopped me and said there had been an accident in which my son was involved. I went home and found a secret place to pray. I thanked by Heavenly Father for all the blessing that I have. I used to pray for things that I wanted. As years have gone by, I prayed for things I thought I needed. Now I have learned to pray for God’s will; and as I prayed, I felt comforted. In this case it was-- Father, do what is your will. Take my son if it is your will.

I was going to ride my bike to the hospital (his wife had their car), but the bishop stopped me. When I saw his face, I knew that Francis had died. As we drove to the hospital it was I that provided comfort to my bishop. It was I that spoke about the plan of live and the purpose of life. At the time of my son’s death, it was I that was consoling the grief of my bishop who was hurting for me.

My son was on the next step in his progression towards eternal life. It’s a time to be happy--a time to rejoice. We’ll cry because we will miss him, but we know he lives again. He is starting his missionary work today! Because of his death, he will bring family and friends who are not members of the Church together for his funeral, and I’ll bare witness to these people that God lives and His son is our Savior. I will be able to discuss with them gospel principles.

Towards the end of movie, “The Last Sumari,” the emperor says, ‘Remembering how you live is important, not how you die.’ And through repentance there is a bright hope for all of us.” I want you to remember by son, come and stand by him

and let’s take some pictures."

‘Ofa ‘atu, Elder and Sister Thompson

P.S. After the accident many drivers would pass the scene of the accident. There were many flowers at first, then only a few. Then last week the tree was cut down. No longer does the site cause people to slower down and look. These students are being remembered for their lives, not their death.

P

TONGAN UPDATE 30 OCTOBER 2008 SPOOKY STUFF

Tongan Update 30 October 2008 Spooky Stuff

It was a dark and bone-chilling night. The quarter moon clung to the darkened skies over the island of Tongatapu. Shadows of hundreds of sleeping bats can be seen hanging upside down in the grasping branches of the Silkwood (To’a) trees.

As if given a silent command, these flying foxes

unwrap their half-meter, brackish wings and ascend, circling overhead looking for their unsuspecting prey.

Where will they fulfill their lust for……………………fruit? (I know…I was just trying to make this “update” sound spooky because it’s Halloween, and I know you are in the mist of costumes and holiday fun.) Actually these bats are called “flying foxes” because their faces do have a foxish appearance. They scourer the ground below looking for papaya, bananas, and other fruits…not too scary, but they are very impressive because of their size.

Monday we flew to Ha’apai then took the mission boat to Ha’afeva. Our suitcases were packed with a vacuum, a steam cleaning machine, and cleaning supplies. The Zone Leaders, Elders Sanchez and Alatini,

and the District Leaders, Elders Shaver and Tuimoala,

helped us clean the newly acquired house of Elder and Sister Finau

who are American senior missionaries and have been assigned as missionaries to support the members of the Church on this island.

Elder Finau will be the new Branch President.

Their house was not haunted, but it was full of crawling, scampering, and slithering creatures.

The young missionaries roused out a good-sized mouse from somewhere. They proceeded to chase the little guy all over the house while it scampered around looking for an escape route. My response was to chase the thing out the opened door, but…shortly thereafter, Elder Tuimoala, the executioner, strutted proudly out the door swinging the deceased mouse by its tail. (What do you think, Giolas girls? Have you had similar experiences with mice at the Alta house?)

While Elder Thompson was fixing the broken screen door and steam cleaning the bathroom shower, I attacked the chest of drawers like a wild witch with my Jenola (cleaning product). I threw opened the top drawer, screeched, and took five steps back. Several grotesque cockroaches leaped out at me, sailed with twitching legs onto the floor, and started scurrying to various places. While I was regaining my composure after the surprise attack, Sister Finau was busy crunching the insects with her feet.

Oh yes, Halloween in Tonga.

After our cleaning project was completed,we walked through the palm trees and the tangled plant growth to the other side of the island. We were getting thirsty and started looking for a 7-11. We couldn’t find one so Elder Shaver was kind enough to shimmy up a tree and knock down four coconuts. Elder Alatini, using Shaver’s newly delivered machete, whacked the outer husks off the coconuts creating openings at the top of each coconut. The milk inside was delicious—“Big Gulps” Tongan style!

The last leg of this trip was back to Ha’apai to teach the young missionaries there how to clean and maintain their houses.

We also delivered and installed mosquito nets. (This is an experiment to see if we can keep danque fever to a minimum this year.) We had a District Meeting, and then even had time to look for shells at “Sandy Beach” while the missionaries played volleyball for P-day.

So…how was your Halloween? ‘Ofa ‘atu, Elder and Sister T.

TONGAN UPDATE 25 OCTOBER , 2008 THREE'S THE CHARM

Tongan Update, 25 Oct 2008, Three’s the Charm

Three’s the charm…not always! I remember going to Lake Powell and trying to get Nancy Plowgian’s nephew up on a slalom water ski. Every time he crashed into the water, we’d say, “three’s the charm…then four’s the charm…five’s the charm.” I think it was about ten that was “the charm” before he was up and cruising the lake on one ski.

Well…three really was “the charm” for us this week. Two American senior missionaries, Elder and Sister Ka’ili,

were to arrive at the Fua’amotu airport

at 8:15 a.m. on Thursday morning. Elder Thompson and I were there, on time, waiting for them. The plane didn’t arrive—apparently it was having mechanical problems in Los Angeles. Its new schedule for arrival was at 2:00 a.m. (That’s the middle of the night!) If we had been listening to the Tongan radio, we would have known that bit of information and could have saved ourselves the sixty minute drive to and from the airport. (Silly us…but who listens to the radio and especially when the announcers speak in Tongan?)

Our crazy Office Elders (Elders Karratti, Lyon, and Haltli) thought it sounded fun to take a midnight road trip back out to the airport so they agree to come with us on the return trip. The APs (Elders Kairi and Iketau) didn’t want to be left out of the “action” and decided to join us. We played the notorious “marble game”

until departure time, and then the seven of us jumped into the van…off across the island we went. As the hands on the clock got closer and closer to two o’clock, everything the elders said got funnier and sillier. But we drove to the airport in record time, then sat and waited and waited for the plane. Finally, the airport personnel announced that the plane was now stranded in Samoa, and they had no idea when the weary passengers would arrive in Tonga. So…it was a fast road trip and not very productive!

We did get a telephone call the next day and was told that our delayed missionaries would make the scene at 7:15 a.m. on Saturday…and like I said, “three’s the charm.” The plane arrived. The poor Ka’ilis left Salt Lake City on Tuesday and reached their destination on Saturday…some thirteen hour flight for them!

Because “three’s the charm” this week, here’s a couple of more experiences. The airport trips were the first. The second was a stupid thing on my part. Would you believe, I was making another trip to the airport? This time the two Zone Leaders from Ha’apai, Elders Sanchez and Alatini, needed to catch a flight back to their island after Zone Conferences. I was the designated driver—no problem…no problem until I had to back out of the mission complex’s driveway. It seems that a driver across the street decided to back out of that driveway exactly at the same time as I slowly crept the mission car out into the street. Yep….crunch…but what made it worse…it was a police car.

He jumped out of the car and said, "I'm a member and a bishop." That made everything OK.(Let’s sing “if I only had a brain “from The Wizard of Oz.)

But I’m not the only one on this island who needs a brain transplant! (This is the third and final charm.) We had two Elders who borrowed a neighbor’s car and drove across the island to watch Seminary Graduation at Liahona High School, a LDS Chruch school. Everything they did was totally and completely against mission rules. To make matters worse for them, the car stalled right in front of the Temple. The concerned temple security men went to help the broken down car and were surprised to find it was being driven by missionaries. Needless to say, the missionaries were reported to the President. (Let’s sing again…if I only had a brain.)

Hey, have a charming week! ‘Ofa ‘atu, Elder and Sister T.

TONGAN UPDATE 15 OCTOBER , 2008 A 6-PACK FROM TONGA

Tongan Update, 15 October 2008, A 6-pack from Tonga

This is a six for one deal... six short experiences in one email.

#1: Elder Jones from Idaho Fall

bore his testimony at Family Home Evening prior to his departure back to the states.

He told us about a middle-age Tongan, ‘Akapei Toka, with whom he and his companion taught the gospel lessons. ‘Akapei was employed to help the Weslayan missionaries in the village of Vaotu’u. He would clean the church yard, run errands, and ring the church bell when needed. He was told by the Weslayan leaders that if he joined our church, he would not only be ostracized by his Weslayan friends; he would lose his source of income-they would fire him. But that didn’t stop him. After Elder Jones read 1 Nephi 3:7 to him, ‘Akapei was convinced he had the courage to join the LDS Church. He did lose his job, and he lost most of his friends. However, a few months later, he found another job--a higher paying job. Since his conversion his testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel is growing.

#2: Elder and Sister Finau just arrived from Salt Lake City.

They left their seven children, all living in the same vicinity of each other (the youngest being 17 years old), and are in Tonga ready to serve. We were so impressed by their faithfulness and their willingness to go wherever and do whatever President McMurray wants them to do. They are heading out to a small, small, small island, (Ha’afeva),

and they will be helping the members in the branch there. It was interesting. As everyone came over and brought food and asked them to breakfast, the only thing they wanted to do (after a 13 hour flight) was to go to the Temple. So they put their bags in the apartment and went to the Temple. What a delightful couple!

#3: Elder Moala was being released from the mission. There was one problem that needed to be solved before he returned home—where was their missing bike (One like this)?

The morning of the day he was to depart, he was instructed to take some time and find the bike. We’re not sure how much effort he put into looking for it, but he said there was no way to find it. So he took his release papers and flew off the island leaving his companion responsible for finding the missing bike. (When bikes are issued to elders, they sign an agreement stating that they will buy a new bike it they lose one.) Elder Thompson offered Elder Tonga, Moala’s companion, some words of advice…pray, ponder, and then seek! Elder Tonga was also told that he would have to buy a new bike ($250), if the bike was not found. Elder Tonga accepted the advice. Maybe it was inspiration. Maybe it was desperation, but the bike was found. You have to love the elder who accepted counsel, humbled himself, prayed, pondered, and looked for the bike.

#4: Elder Thompson and I had a few little health problems so we went to get advice from the mission nurse, Sister Garrett.

She carries around with her at all times a blue medicine bag with all her tricks of the trade in it. Everything we needed, she pulled out of that bag—pills, ointment, cream, and even padding for John’s sore foot. Whoa…it’s a miracle bag. That’s what she calls it. She has given out a lot of medicine, but the bag never empties. It just seems to have whatever is needed to heal whoever comes her way.

#5: Elder Johnson, originally from St. George, stopped us as we were walking out of Zone Conference. He wanted to thank Elder Thompson for strengthening his testimony. John was bewildered and asked, “What did I do?” Elder Johnson was assigned to translate English into Tongan for the missionaries. He said that while he was translating for Elder Thompson, the words just flew into his head—some words he had never used before, and he was surprised that they had come into his mind. “What you said, Elder Thompson, must have been an important message for the missionaries to hear because that has never happened to me before.” We think Elder Johnson should be thanking the Lord for this “gift of tongues,” not Elder Thompson.

#6: Elder Thompson and I have the privilege of being Ordinance Workers in the Tonga Nuku’alofa Temple.

Last Thursday I had a nice moment, nothing big or earth-shattering, but nice. I was working at the veil. All of the session-attendees had already passed through, and the room very quiet. It was just me, Sister Garrett, and a person on the other side of the veil. As I helped my friend, Sister Garrett at the veil, there was a special spirit present as the two of us were doing the veil ceremony. It took on a special meaning as I was helping my buddy.

During the session, John (who was also working the session) also had a special experience. Sitting next to Elder Thompson in the endowment room was our home teacher, Vuki Tangitau.

Vuki had a stroke a couple of years ago. His left arm is limp; he struggles to use his left leg, and his ability to speak has been hampered. During the endowment, John assisted Vuki with his clothing as Vuki was sitting in a wheel chair. When John knelt in front of Vuki to assist with his slippers, Elder Thompson was reminded of the Savior kneeling before his apostles as He washed their feet prior to “The Last Supper.” This remembrance created a special love within John for Brother Vuki. He thought "Vuki you are my home teacher and I have learned to love you, let me serve you now. I kneel as your servant." We have always enjoyed going to the temple, and we are happy to once again be serving in the Holy House of the Lord.

That’s our six pack of experiences this week! You have a great week yourselves!

‘Ofa ‘atu, Elder and Sister Thompson

TONGAN UPDATE 11 OCTOBER , 2008 RAWHIDE

Tongan Update, 11 October 2008, Rawhide

Do you remember the old western TV show “Rawhide”? The wranglers in this serial would round up herds of cattle and drive the bellowing beasts along the Chisholm Trail to various small railroad towns. The theme song to the show went like this: “Head ‘em up, move ‘em out, Rawhide. Through wind and rain …something…something…something…Rawhide.”

It’s transfer week and that’s what we’ve been doing—head ‘em up, and move ‘em out...missionaries using vans,

buses,

planes,

and boats

to travel to their new locations for the next six weeks…and it’s always interesting!

Let’s start with the vans. Elder Karratti and Elder Lyon were delivering Elders to their various houses on this island by van.

They were stopped by the local security for “speeding”. The policeman told them he was giving them a ticket, but there was a little problem. He didn’t have any more tickets left in his ticket book. Therefore, the ticket would be delivered to the mission office in December (transfers were Oct 07), and once we received it, we would have to drive across Tongatapu to Mu’a and pay the fine. (I guess the ticket books won’t be arriving from New Zealand or Australia until December.) How’s that for delaying of payment?

The mission rented two buses to help shuffle missionaries to the west side and the east side of this island. The buses picked up the missionaries, brought them to the Ha’ateiho Stake Center where the Elders exchanged house keys and picked up new companions, and then the buses delivered the missionaries to their new areas. One of our new New Zealand MTC elders jumped into one bus, then left his luggage as he departed off the bus and went on his merry way. It took two different vans to track down the bus with the wayward bags because the AP (Elder Itekau) who was on the bus didn’t have a phone so we couldn’t communicate to him about the problem. All’s well that ends well. The Office Elders rounded up the missing luggage and got it to its rightful owner.

“Keep those doggies moving, Rawhide.” Transporting missionaries by air has gotten a lot easier. We have a new airline for domestic flights—Chatham Air.

It is more predictable and stays pretty much on schedule. The previous airline, Tonga Air, was owned by the royalty of Tonga and was operated on the Tongan tradition of royalty allowed on the plane first, then the nobles, then the common guys, and then the missionaries. (It didn’t matter how early you bought tickets or how early you arrived at the airport) If all the seats on the plane were filled, those who couldn’t get on were bumped to the next flight. Sometimes the missionaries could be bumped for two or three days. That could be very frustrating especially when parents were waiting with balloons and umus (underground dutch ovens) cooking, while their return missionaries are stuck at the airport.

Now the boat…

OOPS WRONG BOAT

we were expecting nine missionaries to arrive on the Olovaha (a four hundred passenger boat of terror—old, dirty, smelly, and wretched) from Vava’u on Thursday at 1:00pm. The voyage usually takes about eighteen hours. While at sea, one of the engines of the Olovaha broke down so the boat had to limp along on one engine. Instead of eighteen hours, the delightful trip (I’m being sarcastic) took thirty-six hours. Needless to say, that threw a wrench into the transfer schedule. (Hmm…how would a cowboy say that?)

Anyway Buckaroos, all the missionaries have been corralled and now the work can move forward!

‘Ofa ‘atu, Elder T. and Sister T.