More Training in American Samoa

We went back to the Mapusaga FHC at 9AM the following day to do some hands-on training in the Family History Center. This was warmly received and we helped several people to find and submit names for temple work. One of the men there brought in his guitar and an electric keyboard to share some songs with us. People continued to work, singing along the way. There was much merriment and laughter among all. It was quite an afternoon.

That evening we had a training with the Pago Pago stake which we were not quite sure how to find. Most of the stake centers are along the one main road that goes around the edge of the island, but Pago Pago stake center is set back on a different side road with no clear marker of where to turn. We called Elder and Sister Jordon, the S&I missionaries, to get directions. They met us on the way over and then drove the rest of the way to the Stake Center with us following so they could show us exactly where to go. We were so grateful to them for taking the time to do this as it was a bit tricky to find and we would have surely gotten lost without their help.

Sister & Elder Jordon

There were over 70 people gathered at the chapel. The stake president there, Johnny Mapu, felt we did not need an interpreter so we did the training fully in English. Between the uncertainty of whether everyone was understanding us and having such a big group, we felt a little less confident about how to best connect with the people there. However, as happens so many times on this mission, as we got going with the training, especially when we did the exercise where we ask people to share their own family stories, the spirit of Elijah took over. It is really an incredible feeling when we are guided by the spirit to know what to say and to be given the certainty that even if our words may not be perfect, the Spirit will bear witness to the truth of what we were trying to share.

Us with Pres Mapu and his counselor at Pago Pago Stake