The Merry Month of May

It was a "very merry" month of May. This Inter-Island plane brought our daughter Megan, and son-in-law Mike, to Tutuila to visit us.

Yea! they arrived. Megan and Mike sleep deprived looked great.

Our first stop - the golden arches, Samoan style. After traveling 24 hours they were starved.

Manuia (Blessed) to have our special guests.

We took them up to A'oloaufou to view the island.

Elder "Tarzan" DaBell checked out the banyan tree.

Megan and Mike took US to this waterfall. We have lived here almost a year and didn't know about this secluded waterfall just a few miles from our home. It was a little difficult to find the trail head - "past the pig farm, and the pink house." Since the guide book was published in 2009 (that Mike brought) the house was painted yellow.

Elder DaBell looked great with his camera taking pictures of the jungle we live in.

Elder Alofa, a returned missionary of four days, took us on a personal tour of his island Aunu'u. He even wove us a basket.

Mike, it's a basket, NOT a helmet.

Tai, our Institute student also lives on Aunu'u, an island less than 2 square miles. There is a beautiful chapel here that saints fasted and prayed for. The village prohibited them from bringing supplies to build with. After a terrible storm, lumber and sand washed ashore; which they used for construction.

We enjoyed this fale, built by a scout for his eagle project on Sauma Ridge.

Mike and Megan couldn't wait to get in the beautiful Pacific Ocean in Vatia Bay.

These boys called Mike an angel - a very tall and white palagi man. They couldn't believe how white he was. He told them his name was WHITEsides.

We hiked to some cannons that protected Pago Pago harbor during World War II. Mike found these disgusting toads that hopped out of the water, onto the ledge, then couldn't hop out. There they sat as they died an ignominious death.

After two days in Tutuila, we took this 13 passenger plane to Upolu.

"Hold onto your seat and hat. Here we go."

Isn't the Samoa Apia temple magnificent? Ralph, the waterfall in the front looks splendid.

See what paradise does for people. Don't they look fiafia happy?

This school map put Samoa in the very center. We all think we are the center of the universe.

Megan and Mike posed for my signature photo: tipped. You can tell which ones I took.

People of Savai'i are thrilled to have the new ferry take them back and forth to Upolu.

We saw Bishop Brown who now works in Savai'i. We first met him in our village of Mesepa on Tutuila. It was such a pleasant surprise to see him at the harbor waiting for the ferry to Savai'i.

Can you find the palagi white passengers? Clue - they are wearing smiles.

We enjoyed the 14 mile ferry ride between the two islands.

Elder and Sister Checketts work at the church school.

Fale on the Pacific Ocean, near Satoalepai. We watched locals feed papaya to endangered turtles.

We enjoyed a nights stay in Manase at Jane's Place.

Megan showed us how easy it was to feel right at home. We parked in an open area so the coconuts wouldn't drop on our car.

Actually Mike found the fale we stayed in. Talk about ambiance. We listened to the beautiful sound of the Pacific Ocean lull us to sleep.

Our l o n g shadows just as the sun set. Savai'i is the closest island to the International Date Line.

We sat on the beach and enjoyed the sunset. The huge sun sat and sunk below the horizon within minutes. What a spectacular sight God created.

Jane's Place served us a delicious dinner.

This Samoan showed his enviromentally friendly way to carry groceries home.

We saw these tama boys by the road. They loved for us to take their picture; and we loved to take it.

Megan pointed out these trees. She said they grew in Hawaii also. The bark is many different colors mixed together like rolling colors of play-dough. Do you know the name of these trees?

These children entertained us: by beating a drum, chanting, and dancing.

We met Sis. Masoe in Savai'i who lives by us in Mesepa.

The party ended much too soon. Each went his seperate ways. They took away warm memories of their enchanted Samoan days.