Bula, Bula!

We are home and with our family now, what a joy it is.  We have a wonderful family and they supported us throughout out mission which we cannot express enough love for them for all they did for us.  We also got together with the senior missionaries that served with us, and that was a lot of fun too.  They are eternal friends that we served with, and we will always have a bond between us that time cannot dissolve.  LIFE IS GOOD WHEN YOU SERVE A MISSION.

Loloma levu, Elder and Sister Hogge

LIFE IS GOOD! I hope you enjoy our blog, and will always learn to love the missoinaries as we have done these last 18 months.  We are packing our bags for home this week, while training our new replacements and an in take of about 16 new missionaries, and finishing  up last minute requirements.  The Terry couple are great leaders and missionary leaders.  We are heading to New Zealand for a week to unwind. We'll let you know how it  goes.

Yandra Vinaka, It looks like the time has come to say goodbye to beautiful Fiji

We took a weekend trip up north and when we stopped for gas and
I had to capture one more flame tree.  The last one I promise

A few new bula shirts and a weekend away does wonders for bosolevu. 

We walked down to a peninsula and Richard loved this little house we found tucked in the bay by the ocean

We had to have a picture under the neck breaker arch.  There was a reef and then
it dropped off into some deeper  water and we loved seeing 8-9 varieties of fish swimming around.

Richard says this carved face looks like him... always smiling

We stayed at Wananavu one last time and enjoyed some tasty meals

Saying goodbye to Elder Nawahine and King who are heading back to Rotuma. The most remote island in our mission.  There have been several times when the island was out of food and the boat didn't come in on time.  These missionaries came in for about a month and now will take a 3 day boat ride to get back to their island.

The Terry's who are replacing us have arrived and needed a new bed.  While we were shopping these kids came up and I thought they were asking me to take their picture with their phone, but surprise they shyly asked if I would be in their picture that their older sister would take.  I agreed as long as they would let me take their picture.

Sister Limburg and Newsom had a one inch trail of ants on the ceiling in their office.  We called the bug guy who is under contract with us, twice, before he finally came.  When he moved some papers he found a real ant fest going on. 

Our last senior lunch at Mango's  Jacksons and Petersons.  

Elder and Sister Terry (new office couple) Sister Limburg and Newsom

Elder and Sister Collins who live in the flat above the Terry's

New Auditors Elder and Sister Wells, who will replace Elder and Sister Wells

newly retired auditors Sister and Elder Wells

We've handed over the keys to the truck and the phone to Elder Terry.  Saturday we walked
over to the store for a few items and stopped at the bakery for a loaf of bread.
We have loved rubbing shoulders with  the missionaries and people of Fiji.
 We will miss their smiling faces and sweet, joyful spirits.

Dear family members and all our wonderful grandchildren, we look forward to a sweet reunion
 in the coming weeks and want you to know how much we love you, and how much
your Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ loves you.

See you soon, Love Grandma and Grandpa Hogge