June 21

This was our fale. It was very pleasant. Much more so than the few nights Kathy and I spent next door a couple of years ago.

We spent the night at a beach fale (house). I caught Kathy and Brooke just after spending all afternoon on the beach. They had a shower to wash off the salt and sweat.

We've had a lot of fun with Brooke but so much playing slows down the blog too. This a picture of a canopy walk in Falealupo rain forest that we took. At the other end is a platform that is 85 meters above the ground. We hope that the boys will sleep up there when they come. Brooke wasn't too excited to walk across this as it moves and she doesn't like heights.




We picked Brooke up at the airport 28 years and one day after she was born here. We gathered the pua and teuila petals and Kathy made the ula. There were three couples from our ward at the airport that morning to pick up guests.

Believe it or not, there is even some work going on for the school. We have begun the work with permission but we are still trying to finalize the permits. I hope to complete that by tomorrow.

Shortly after we arrived, we were asked to give the monthly devotional at the school. I spoke about the young Joseph Smith and Kathy sang "Joseph Smith's First Prayer". They gave us beautiful ula (leis) and a couple of very nice ie lavalava.

On a trip to the maketi fou (new market) we came across these gentlemen of leisure. Everyone around them was busy and selling but the were enjoying a game of mu (Samoan checkers).

I was able to locate the family that I lived with at the beginning of my mission. All the buildings had changed but I was sure it was the area so I pulled in. This is Sineva. She was a teen age girl when I lived with them. She remembered me. She spent 12 years in Sweden and speaks very good english now. We will visit them again.

Yes! The backdrop is real. We went to a local resort for dinner and a show (fiafia) and couldn't resist the photo op. No that isn't our table. If only I could think to prepare such an evening.

Just thought I would enter a picture of the Harker posterity. This picture was taken in Calgary on the 3rd of June just after we had blessed Neko and just before we left for Samoa. This is our entire posterity to this point. If you look close you may see signs of about .15 of our 3rd grandchild but if you do then your eyesight is too good.

Benson has such a sweet disposition. Maybe that is to compensate for his challenges. His feet are improving with the help of Dr. Hurdle and we expect nothing less than complete success.

Neko is doing well and has the advantage of a live-in photographer (Ian). We will be privileged to be able to spend a couple of weeks with her when Ian and Shar bring her down in September.


This was the only reason there was any concern about heading off to the South Pacific. Benson on the left and Neko on the right are growing very rapidly in the short time we have been gone.