DK Orchard

Good evening..We just returned home from taking a new missionary couple on a tour of the island.  They are the Whittle's from Ferrin, Utah.  They were patients of Dr. Larsen's and friends so we agreed to take them for a ride.  We left about 9:30 this morning, stopped here and there for pictures, walked in to see some waterfalls. stopped for lunch at a seaside fale cafe ( where incidentally one of my patients works and his family are the owners.  He came over and greeted us like old friends.  People seem to know us wherever we go.  One of the workers came over to see if he could come in to get a front tooth fixed.  He's the ward clerk in his ward), and stopped for more pictures.  We gave them a good overview of all there is to see and do.  We explored a road that we had seen and wanted to see where it led.  It went down the mountain by the seaside.  What a gorgeous little village.  We found a small LDS chapel there among other churches.  I took a picture of it from the mountain top a couple of months ago and we said then that someday we should go down there.  Well, today was the day and our guests were so impressed with the beauty.

Thursday night we were invited along with the senior missionaries to a special evening and reception at the  Robert Louis Stevenson home and museum.  Government and other dignitaries were there.  It was an evening of delicious food and entertainment.  A string ensemble from the symphony, a cultural dancing troop performing native dances and songs, and a piano man entertainer.  There was traditional food of taro, breadfruit, fish and palusame, and also lobster, clams, roast pork, ham salads and trifle.  The two American men who do this every year are returned missionaries from Samoa who live in Provo, Jim Winegar and Fred Maughn (who also has a Samoan Chief's name.)  They restored the museum to its original splendor and have contributed much to the Samoan society.

Earlier in the week we went up the street to a place called sliding rocks.  It's a creek that flows over several falls and in the rainy season its a natural water slide.  we didn't dar do it because there was so little water, but a few brave young men were showing us how.  Along the way we met this cowboy with a machete.  The really like big knives around here.

We met the former Consul to Samoa from England and his wife the former Consul from Chile at the party Thursday night.  We had made friends with them earlier when they visited our home and brought us fruits from their plantation.  They had met Dr. and Sister Layne and had become friends. They invited us to visit them at their plantation so we plan to go sometime in the next two weeks.  I'll tell you how it goes.  Goodby for now..............Duane