So this one time in Tonga.....

I WAS IN A HURRICANE!!! That's going to be a cool way to start a story right?? Really, nothing too terribly exciting happened.  I woke up to the sound glass shattering (not literally) wind and rain at 5:00 am, and couldn't go back to sleep.  But that's ok, because we wake up to do our family scripture study at 5:45.  So, we all went in the living room to start our study, but then the power went out.  So then we lit candles and were reading our scriptures by candle light, but then it was so noisy from all the wind that we couldn't hear ourselves reading, so we finally gave up.  I didn't realize it was more than just a rainstorm, but then everyone was saying "afa" which is hurricane...so then I realized it was hurricane.  Which, in case you are wondering, is very windy!!! I don't really know what I thought it was, but I think I was expecting more water or something.  We were just watching out the window (yes, it sounds unsafe, but I was so mesmerized i couldn't stop) when a big wind came and blew half of our front porch off and half of our roof!! It was crazy.  It was surprisingly not as scary as I imagined a hurricane being.  After it was over, everyone in the village was walking around looking at all the damage.  I was so surprised by how quickly all of the men got to work on cleaning it up, it only took like 7 men and  5 hours that afternoon before our roof was completely replaced. I was impressed!!

Other than the hurricane, not much exciting has happened.  I have been working hard at school. I'm teaching English and one Home Economics class. So it's pretty fun! the students are so funny! They are super shy to speak English to me most of the time, but when I'm walking away or when I'm not looking at them, they will always say something like "Good Morning" or "have a nice day."  It's funny.

We have been walking to a village called Mataika almost everyday. The kids go with me so that I can exercise, and then we go swimming at the beach.  There is a little swimming hole that the kids all love to jump off of the rocks into. It's very fun! The water is separated from the beach by a concrete block, and for some reason it's significantly colder than the water in the rest of the ocean. I haven't really figured out why yet.

I have had a lot of really cool spiritual experiences since I have been here in Vava'u.  The Kapeli family does scripture study and family prayer every morning and night.  And every Monday night they do Family Home Evening, which is just where they all get together and share their testimonies, say what they are grateful for, and apologize for anything they did that was bad that week.  It's so nice to be around a family that has such a deep love for Christ and for his gospel.  Reading the scriptures together everyday really brings the spirit into the home.  I have learned so much from them.  I know that I am supposed to be here in Tonga, and that the things that I'm learning here now are going to be great blessings to me for the rest of my life.

I recently found out that I received a nomination to be a Peace Corps Volunteer, which would mean two years in a foreign country (it could be anywhere in the world and I won't know until two months before I leave) teaching English.  I am really excited about the opportunity, but it's also kind of scary because it's so long and it's so far away.  I also just found out that I was officially accepted to an MSW program at the University of Alabama. Which is also very exciting.  So I'm currently deciding what  the next 2 years of my life is going to entail....Grad school or Peace Corps??? I'm thinking heavily towards Peace Corps, but it's a tough decision so I want to make sure that I make the choice carefully and prayerfully.  Anyways, it's exciting to have options even though it's stressful!! Hopefully I'll have more to report soon!!

Funny fact of the week:  When you hear a whistle blowing in the street, it means that someone is driving around in the car selling fish.  Apparently, it's the best fish available!