Countdown

We have been able to put stickers on some of the furniture that was recently delivered from NZ for the public schools here through our LDS Charities. 

Cassiano and his crew who helped deliver the furniture.

Plenty to label.

It brings good feelings for us and for those who are receiving the furniture.  We just wish that we had more to give. Unfortunately school is out for the Christmas Season, so we have been unable to visit many of the schools and there are not children to photo.  We were able to go to the Marshall Islands High School, because Rubida, the LDS assistant principal works there.

Rubida listing the furniture that the high school received.

Putting labels, "Donated by LDS
Charities" on each piece of
furniture.

Display case for the library.

Tables for the computer lab/staff room.

Good signs in the Math Classroom.

Second meaningful sign.

Cassiano added the Special Education Center to the list.  As we visited, it was evident that they really needed the furniture.  We had a day filled with good service.

Special Education Center

Special ED. Director; Deaf teacher holding her baby
(she lives in our same apartment complex) and me.
Tables and chairs were donated to them.

It was my turn to teach the institute class on Wednesday.  It poured all day, so I had unsure feelings that anyone would show.  Life just keeps getting better.  We did have five students and they did participate in the lesson.  I gave each attendee a little bag of homemade cookies with a bow on the top.  Most of them started eating the cookies immediately. Cheryl, Jons' wife, is from the Philippines.  She was amazed by the cookies.  It seems that she has never had an oven, so that really eliminates baking. She kept saying, "You really made these yourself?"

Our health screening at the Rita Christian School on Monday went well.  We had three teams so we were done in about two hours.  Here is Elder Preston and Shra from MoH with a group of upper graders.  Students love having their picture taken.

Elder Preston and Shra after the health screening
for these 6th graders.

Our Follow-up health clinic at Tieti on Friday was not what we expected.  Shra had set up the time for 9:00AM.  It is suppose to be a wonderful gathering where people would be able to receive prizes for losing weight, lowering blood pressure, and lowering blood sugar levels.  We had a mere six people attend and four of them were first time participants. 

We think that it might have produced less people because it was raining so hard. It was hard to see through our car window as we drove home.  Many of the areas along the single street were flooded.

Lots of rain.

  As soon as we arrived home, Elder Preston, decided to wipe down our car, since the rain really helps remove on the collected dirt.

I hurried into our apartment to check our apartment office that often ends up with a flooded carpeted floor after a heavy rain when severe wind is also hitting that side of our building.  As soon as I looked into our office, I saw water all the way to our kitchen.  I thought, "Oh no. The room must be completed drenched."  Weird - The water was three feet into the room from the kitchen tile.  No water was coming from the exterior wall. I immediately started soaking up the water.  Then rapidly went on the other side of the wall and opened the closet where our washer and dryer are established. I flipped on the light and saw water slowly running down the wall next to our office.  I finally looked up to see that the water was dripping rapidly out of the light bulbs.  TURNED OFF ELECTRICITY RIGHT THEN!  Got a deep cooking pot to collect the water.

Water coming from the office.

Clean up office and pot catching water dripping
from light bulb over washer/dryer.

Water dripping from light above our
washer/dryer.

  When Craig returned he went and found two PII workers and brought them home to see what was happening.  This is what they found:

The people who rent above us have been off island for the last three month (it has been wonderful, because they are SO noisy).  They arrived on Tuesday (we know because the noise returned).  The hose behind their wash machine had broken and water was flooding their apartment, but they were not home at the time.  Plus - their water heater exploded.  Guess where the water decided to flow - down to our apartment.

We dried up as much water as possible.  I was busy when I heard a loud noise from Craig.  From the AC vent above his desk, a heavy amount of water dropped on him and his belongings.  He grabbed his computer and tried to save his papers while I grabbed two more cooking pots to catch the water. We cleaned up that mess and retrieved the workers again.

Craig's desk with added water collectors.

We had talked about leaving after the first amount of water and decided to stay home and do a few things to make sure that our apartment was safe.  If we had left, Craig's desk and all his important papers would have been destroyed.

We had deliveries to make, so I encourage Craig to run the errands and I would stay in case of another flow of water.  After he left I needed to put a bucket in our kitchen because the water found another weak ceiling area, plus an area of our ceiling had a water spot that continued to grow. 

More water coming to visit us.

Ceiling vents can't hold water.

Grateful we have lots of pots.

We seriously considering moving to the third floor into the apartment that had been vacated by the Coombs, when they left to serve in Tonga, but we thought about it over night and we are staying.  Hopefully it is the correct decision.

Friday evening we attended the Assumption School Christmas Pageant.  We all know how enjoyable it is to watch children perform from kindergarten age through high school.  The high school band played; each elementary grade performed a Christmas song; and the high school students performed the Nativity.  (The show was organized by Jon Overy, an LDS music teacher from the states who has a two year contract with the Catholic School. He is a very dedicated young man.  We thoroughly enjoy him and his wife.)

Christmas Pageant!

Listen to their sweet voices.
Lead by Jon Overy.

Children performing are the best!

This was a new experience for us.  The actors spent quite a long time expressing the joy of Mary when she became engaged to Joseph.  Admiring her engagement ring brought sounds of excitement. The story of the birth of Christ took on a complete new version. 

As the shepherds were the stable and manger area, a cute little puppy stole the show. The little black and white pup should have been covered with cotton balls and then he could have been a lamb resting near the Christ child.  (The little dog had to be removed more than once.  He didn't realize that he was not part of the script.)

Please watch for the puppy.

The four young missionaries and we were asked to speak about our Savior in Delap Ward Sacrament Meeting on Sunday by Bishop Ned.  It went well and the young missionaries performed a beautiful Christmas Hymn.  The view of a meeting, when sitting on the stage behind the pulpit, is usually quite different than when sitting with the congregation.  The second counselor walked to his seat next to the Bishop holding the hand of his girl followed by his dog.  His little girl spent the meeting running around the church and running to sit with her dad behind the pulpit.  The dog was a terrible nuisance for the entire meeting.  I was disappointed that the counselor didn't have the common sense to remove the dog.  There were people who were afraid of it.  The dog kept trying to return to the stage to be with its owner, but we wouldn't let it.

The dog did some very inappropriate things.  We haven't had a dog attend church for a year.  Doesn't do much to keep the spirit in the meeting! Very distracting for most people, but also rather funny.

We have continued to read and study about the birth of Christ, but even more important is what His birth and life did for each of us.  We are so blessed to have this knowledge.  

We love you and appreciate your ongoing goodness, prayers, and support.

Elder & Sister Preston