Feeding the Hungry

Feeding the Hungry

One of the largest employers in America Samoa is Starkist Tuna. The factory has shut down for several weeks for routine maintenance. As a result, a lot of people are out of work - not only the factory workers but also the fishing boats, etc. These are people who work for less than minimum wage and live from paycheck to paycheck. Knowing that there would be a lot of people going hungry, a brother in our stake organized a food drive. He had been to the states and had observed how this type of service works. So he went about doing good, collecting food and getting donations. On a Wednesday, the Sisters in the stake divided the food and put it into plastic sacks. The cultural hall was covered with food sacks. It was scheduled to be moved on Saturday for distribution. But on Friday, the youth of our ward had a fund raiser planned for a temple trip they will take in February and needed the cultural hall. So Friday morning some ward members moved the food from the cultural hall to other places in the church - outside under a tent, into the chapel, onto the stage. Saturday morning the food was taken to where it was given to those who had lost their jobs. I think the Lord would be pleased.

Some of the food that was moved outside. Eventually the tarp was completely covered. Notice the age of some of our volunteers.

The food in the last corner of the cultural hall is being moved. 

Trip after trip after trip - Good job, Elder Anthon

The food getting stacked in the aisles and on the benches in the chapel.

There may be those who disapprove but I couldn't help but think that the Lord would be pleased that His chapel was being used for such a act of charity.

The young people were extraordinary. Here they are passing cases of pop from one spot to another.

They deserve a moment of rest. They were tired but there is a bit of drama going on as well.

A Tour of American Samoa

Cruise Ship in the Pago Pago Harbor

There have been 2 cruise ships docked in Pago Pago in the past couple of weeks. We have become so accustomed to everything that we are wondering what exactly they are going to tour.



But since we have friends coming on a cruise in December that would like to see us, we have decided we need to remember exactly how we felt when we first got here. Everything was so new and thrilling to see. We would like to share some of that excitement with them. These are friends that we met on our European trip last year. Here's some of the things we thought they'd like to see.



Pictures of the Samoan Cultural Center in Pago Pago.




Try Pot - this pot was used by whalers to render the blubber obtained from whales.

An intricately hand carved statue.

Miniature boats used by ancient Samoans. Some were used for fishing, others for exploring & still others for warfare.

A "flower" arrangement.

Another carving. 

View of Pago Pago Harbor from the mountain top. This is looking down on the south side of the island.








Step across the road & you see the north side of the island.

Ocean views

Some of the large church houses on the island.

The village of Leone where we live.

One of the many hidden coves

The view from the Mapausaga Stake Center.

"Summer" is in Full Bloom

As our "summer" approaches things are beginning to blossom. We are really enjoying the new beauty.

This is on the road going to our home.

A pink flowering tree

This tree is completely barren - no leaves, no flowers. It almost looks dead. But in a few months it will look like the next pictures.

From barren to beauty.

This tree is just beginning to flower. 

Beautiful flower - I have no idea the name of this flower.

I think the shape of these flowers is amazing.

This bush has 2 different colors of flowers.