TONGAN UPDATE AUGUST 18, 2008 "ELDER T HAD A BIRTHDAY"

Tongan Update, August 18, 2008 "Elder T. had a Birthday"

Last year John missed his birthday due to the time difference between the United States and Tonga, so he celebrated doubly hard this year.

We started Thursday August 14th, by having FHE with our Chinese family, _

then going to the temple. During FHE we sang happy birthday and had treats. The temple is a wonderful place to go, a perfect place to start a birthday celebration.

On Friday we had dinner with all the senior couples, and the President family, at a resort called Oholei Cave. The resort is on a sandy beach with high cliff behind the resort, and it has been furnished in traditional Tongan style benches and tables. The table covering was huge banana tree leaves. We were served the typical Tongan feast. Instead of using plates we place our food on banana stocks (these are section of banana trees about 5" in diameter by 16" long that are shaped in a half moon dish). Pile it on baby, it is feast time. After dinner we were escorted into a large cave for the entertainment which consisted of Tongan songs and dances. The last dance was a fire stick dance done in the dark. It was great. The setting was perfect for this Tongan show.

On Saturday we went for a bike ride.

We picked up Danny McMurray and the senior couples and rode from Liahona to a place called the "Blow Holes". It is a shore line filled with coral rock that produces geyser like burst of water when the water comes rushing in to the shore.

It was a great day for the blow holes because it was a full moon and the tide was high. After the bike ride we had a picnic.

Saturday night we hosted a High Priest party at the Mission Office. We asked the high priests to bring their families. It was a family pot luck featuring the movie, Shrek. The kids (young and old) loved the show.

Sunday was John's first time teaching primary.

Last week they called him to be a primary worker, so now he teaches primary, then finishes the day teaching the High Priest. Which is easier to teach? He is teaching 4-7 year old kids and 40 to ? men.

Sunday night we had dinner at the President's house. We meet every month at his house for a dinner and short fireside meeting. President and Sister Shumway

joined us and spoke about their temple experiences. By 9:30 pm the birthday celebration was over.

Now that's his Tongan birthday party.

TONGON UPDATE AUGUST 14, 2008 TONGAN IDOL (TI) EVENT 4 by Sister Thompson

TONGAN UPDATE, AUGUST 14, 2008 TONGAN IDOL (TI) EVENT #4 The Coronation of HIS Majesty King George Tupou V-featured by Sister Thompson and Sister Kinikini-written by Sister Thompson

Sister Kinikini and I were leading the other senior missionaries up a crowded road in Nuku'alofa to the chapel where the coronation was to take place. However, when we turned around, there was not a senior missionary in sight. They were lost. .. so we two Sisters decided to continued on with plan A.

We eventually congratulated ourselves on finding a spot across the street from the church where we could watch all the action.

Fancy cars went by filled with the honorary guests of the king, and we even saw the king himself.

People in tuxedos, coat-tails, formal dresses, and jewels were being dropped off in front of the church.

We giggled over the various snazzy hats some of the women were wearing. As we were ogling over the guests, a "talker" for the royal family invited some of the "common people" who were out on the street to come and sit outside the church and watch the actual coronation through the open doors of the chapel. Hey, Sister Kinikini and I were "common people" so we rushed across the street only to have the gate closed on us.. They had enough of us commoners. As we were turning to leave, the Tongan usher opened the gate again and said that five more people could enter. A sweet, aggressive Tongan woman grabbed me, I grabbed Sister Kinikini, and she shoved both of us up to the front of the line and through the gate. We were in! Sister Kinikini and I proceeded to find two empty, small, blue chairs that were positioned outside the building and plopped ourselves down, totally amazed that we were going to attend the actual coronation of a king.

Just as we were getting comfortable, I was tapped on the shoulder by Papiloa who was the first woman to serve in the Tongan Parliament, who is a member of our Branch, and who Elder Thompson and I Home Teach. She invited us little missionaries to ENTER the building and sit on the large, soft, red-cushioned chairs. I sat next to a distinguished gentleman wearing a black tux with a medallion pinned onto his lapel and whose top hat was resting on the floor. Who would have believed that we were now part of the "honored guests?" My, we were moving up in the world!

The coronation was like stepping back in time ... to the Renaissance with the likes of Arthur, Lancelot, and the round table. First, the congregation stood during the royal procession.

Three pages carried the $650,000 train of His Majesty. (The red cloak was trimmed with fur and dragged about fourteen feet behind him.) Then there was the crown bearer, the royal sceptre bearer, and the ring bearer, followed by six lords in waiting, His Grace Archbishop, etc. Secondly, the procession ended at the front of the chapel with His Majesty sitting on a stately gold throne with George Tupou V engraved upon it. There were prayers, music provided by a choir and orchestra, and the "putting on of the crown."

This was followed by a 21 gun salute and the pealing of the Church Bells. "After the King had been anointed and crowned and had received all the ensigns of Royalty" (that part is quoted out of the program), the benediction was offered:

The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord protect you in all

your ways and prosper all your handy work. Amen

May wisdom and knowledge be the stability of your times, and

the fear of the Lord your treasure. Amen

The royal procession with His Majesty King George Tupou V wearing his crown and ring sauntered back down the aisle and out into the church yard, as the audience stood and the choir sang the National Anthem.

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TONGAN UPDATE AUGUST 13, 2008 TONGON IDOL(TI) EVENT 3 by Elder Jones

TONGAN UPDATE AUGUST13, 2008 THE USS J.S. MCCAIN

EVENT #3: The USS J.S. McCain Battleship-featured by Elder Jones, Elder May, Elder Hauser, and Elder Faletoa-written by Elder Jones.

While walking the streets of Nuku'alofa, a sailor approached us and asked if we would like to tour the USS J.S. MaCain battle ship.

Of course we were excited to go but would it get us in trouble. We called President McMurray, and he authorized us to go and reminded us to remember who we were and who we represented. At 6:30pm we met our guide who took us to the military port. We boarded the "Ikale," a small Tongan vessel used to travel to 'Eua, which took us out onto a barge from which we boarded the USS McCain.

My companions and I hunted down the sailor, named Robert Ogden, who had invited us to come to the ship .. He neglected to tell us that he was the Executive Officer of the ship, second in command, and a member of the Church. He took us down to his personal quarters, where we waited until a four-star colonel arrived. Then we and the other guests indulged ourselves with a buffet dinner which included shrimp, a roasted pig, cake, and a giant ice eagle.

We mingled with military personnel from Canada, America, Australia, France, and New Zealand. There were also about forty Peace Corp workers and a few Tongan dignitaries. I began to speak with a Tongan man and found out that he had been the Tongan Prime Minister for twenty-five years and is now the consulate to America and lives in San Francisco. While we were talking, he was asked if he would like a tour of the ship. He answered, "Yes," and informed his liaison that the missionaries would be joining him for the official tour.

We were able to go below and see the engine room, officer quarters, the battle command room. We also went on deck and took pictures on the bridge, including sitting in the captain's chair.

To top off the night, we stood on the side of the destroyer and watched as the fireworks rose above the Tongan capital city of Nuku'alofa.

After the fireworks we reboarded the "Ikale" and rode back to the wharf and returned home.

Our email is jthompsonmiss@yahoo.com OUR LINES WON'T BE OPEN UNTIL ALL EVENTS HAVE BEEN READ, BUT DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!

TONGAN UPDATE AUGUST 12. 2008, TONGAN IDOL(TI) EVENT #2

EVENT #2: The Church of Tonga and Parade-featured Elder Thompson and Elder and Sister Garrett, by Elder Thompson.

Early in the morning we left the Mission Office which is in Nuku'alofa and walked to the parade site. Hundreds of people were already there, but no one knew what was going on, so we stood on the corner watching all the Tongans go by. Finally, we decided to walk to the church where the Coronation was to take place.

As we walked we stopped to say "Malo e lelei, fefe hake" to several people. Missionaries don't walk through town without saying "hello and how are you" to just about everyone.

Along the way some of us stopped in front of the Church of Tonga to admire the interesting building. Sister Thompson and Kinikini were so busy talking that they didn't know we had stopped. The church is a perfect Harry Potter building-high stone walls with arched side panels, colorful stained (painted) glass, and red steeple. In front of the church was the Church of Tonga band in their colorful orange uniforms. We crossed the street and asked if we

could go into the church.

They invited us in. So while Sister Thompson and Kinikini continued their walk, we went on a tour of the Church of Tonga. The rock exterior is rock taken from the ocean. It is bleached coral with water life imprints. The inside of the church is much like many of the Catholic Cathedrals, high ceilings, stone walls, arches on both sides to create additional sitting areas, wooden benches, stained glass in the front, and colorful vases around the pulpit. The floor was unpainted cement. As we were viewing the inside of the building, the band started to leave to get in line for the parade, so we were are invited to leave the church in panic fashion.

Since Sister Thompson and Sister Kinikini were nowhere in sight, we worked our way to the Coronation site-the Welayian Church. We stood in the street as the Coronation took place. It was a festive sight. Tapa cloth covered the street for a block. Students sat on the street on both sides of the 10' wide tapa cloth that created a pathway for the king.

After the Coronation, cannons fired, and bells began to ring, signaling everyone that the king had been crowned. It was exciting, people moved to get into position to see the King's departure. We talked to a policeman to find out where the king would leave, and then we moved into position. I positioned myself in a spot where I could see him coming and where he had to pass me. He is not my King, but it was fun to observe and participate in the event.

After he passed, we quickly walked a couple of blocks to watch the parade in which the King was part of.

I think every junior and senior high school student on the island was involved in the parade. Bands played and did Tongan dance routines. When the king passed, it was squeeze time as everyone pressed to get a look .. After several high school bands passed, an exciting band approached. It was the US Marine Band playing good, old American tunes. Chills came over my body. Their uniforms were so striking- dark blue coats and hats, white pants, and red, white, and blue trim on their hats and coats. We cheered and whistled. As they passed, we could see band members eyes shift towards us. I'm sure they wondered who was creating all the cheers. It was the American missionaries. We were so proud and thankful for what

and who they represented.

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