Earthquake and Tsunami

Pictures of Missionary house on Savaii that was taken off it's foundation spun around and moved from the tsunami...with missionaries inside! They were all safe and unharmed.

Just when you think life is going pretty good...you get news of an 8.3 earthquake and tsunami hitting where your son is serving a mission! It was a tense few hours but once we got the news that all missionaries were safe and accounted for, our hearts could rest and we knew that all was well. A few days later we got a camera card with pictures of some of the damage that occurred in Savaii. The earthquake was just as intense but on the island where our son Elder Williams is serving but the tsunami wasn't as fierce and didn't cause the damage and fatalities as the other islands. It did destroy a Missionary home, the poor Elders were inside when it was lifted off of it's stilts and spun around and moved! Also a mission van was detroyed when it was taken by a wave and a water tower crashed on it. When the earthquake happened our son was notified that he should get all the missionaries and evacuate to the mountain and to stay there. He stayed overnight up in the mountains and when he came down he was able to call home and let us know that he was fine! It was wonderful to hear his voice! We feel very relieved that no missionaries were hurt during this but our hearts and prayers are still with the people of Samoa and Tonga, where the devastation and destruction took it's toll on villages and families.

End of Summer

I cannot believe that the end of summer is already here. We've had a great summer and thought we would share just a few photos of what was meaningful to us. We had a short trip to Rexburg and Yellowstone with some friends this summer and also Joelle and I bottled 44 quarts of our salsa, we will do another batch in a few weeks. Henry and I love sitting outside most nights watching "our" hummingbirds. We've even named them. And our sweet lab Reno is always so fun to sit with! Life is great!!!

More Pictures of Samoa

This I believe looks like the typical Missionary apartment and beds, send good sheets with you sons!

Missionary Fale behind the Church.

Recently I have been in contact with a couple of families whose sons have just got their calls to serve in the Apia Samoa Mission! How exciting. I've gone thru my pictures again and I'll post some of them here that may be helpful showing where Missionaries typically live and show off how absolutely beautiful the islands of Samoa are! The picture of the little white house with the blue foundation is what I would say is the typical accomodations of Missionaries in this mission.

I do have to say that the Missionaries are very well taken care of in Samoa. The people there are very humble and the give the best they have to the Missionaries. They are fed very well and watched after.

I'm so grateful to have a Missionary serving the Lord right now. It's has been and is continuing to be such a blessing to our family. I look forward to our emails from our missionary each and every Monday!

Latest Pictures from Samoa

Here are some great pictures of Elder Williams. He had a couple of baptisms last week and here are the photos he sent home.

Some more pictures from Elder Williams

Yesterday I got some more pictures from Elder Williams, serving in Samoa.

Elder Williams with good friend Miss Samoa Gwen Tuitanu

Our kids went to school with Gwen and she is now Miss Samoa! It was neat for Elder Williams to see her there!

Elder Williams vs. Wild Boar

More Pictures from Samoa

We get emails on Monday from Elder Williams. He emailed home some pictures....He is serving with Elder Gage. ELDER WILLIAMS LOVES SAMOA!

Elder Williams still in Pesenga

Elder Williams has been out for over a year now! Incredible how time is flying by! He LOVES Samoa! He is still serving in Psesenga on Upulu in Western Samoa. He got a new companion, Elder Gage from Springville, Utah. They are both excited to serve together and are both hard working missionaries! I have been blessed to be corresponding with Elder Gage's Mom and we share alot in common along with both having sons serving in Samoa! She is a sweetie and it's been so much fun chatting with her! Both Mom's are so thrilled our boys are serving together! The photo above is Elder Williams with Elder Vea from Arizona and the other one is Elder Williams in front of the Apia Samoa Mission. We feel so blessed to have a Missionary serving the Lord!